Love in Mt. Abu- A SamAina FF

Part 11: The Truth about the Bet

A few days later, Sameer was sitting in class during recess, contemplating on how to make it upto Naina. His train of thoughts was broken by the chit-chat of the rival gang. "Arey Romeo, tu to hume bhul hi gaya..." smirked Pankaj. "Aur kya, hum kabse kainchi ki dhaar karwaye baithe hain ki Salman aayega aur apne baal katwayega, par tu to aata hi nahi re", quipped another guy. "Bhai ab to bahot romance ho gaya....drama bhi ho gaya...aur tune to khud hi haar maan li thi na...chal to aaj baal katwa hi le...," exclaimed Vijay. Sameer was enraged. "Tu to apna ye thobda mere saamne mat hi laaya kar, mere baalon ka to jo hona hai wo hoga, par teri shakal zarur bigad jayegi", Sameer roared at Vijay. "Aur tum chooze seedhe muh baat nahi kar sakte kya? Baal kaatne hai na? Kis shubh muhurat ka intezaar hai? Sameer Maheshwari apne promise se kabhi nahi hatata. Aaj school ke baad, playground me...3 baje," Sameer said to the gang and stormed out of the classroom. So angry was Sameer, that he didn't see Swati at the door. She came in as the rival gang left and looked questioningly at Munna. "Ye sab kya hai Munna? Ab kaunsa naya drama kar rahe ho tum log?" she asked, livid herself. "Drama kya karna hai Swati, Sameer ne jo shart me haar maani thi...uske liye ye log aaj uske baal katenge. Bas..." Munna explained, now visibly upset. Swati noticed, how these days Munna had become formal to her as well. She was puzzled... "shart haari thi?" But Naina had told her that she had proposed Sameer. And hugged him too. And Sameer had said 'I Love You too' back to her. "Haan, Sameer ko Naina se I Love You bulwana tha jo usne nahi kiya. To shart haar hi gaya na!" Pandit added, now irritated at Swati's dim response. Both Munna and Pandit narrated what had happened between the rival gang and Sameer during the Mt. Abu trip. Swati was shocked. Naina and Sameer had had a huge misunderstanding. So Sameer had backed out of the bet! Then why did he say those three words to Naina. And how come Munna and Pandit were not aware of it. She confided in them both. The trio was shocked. Then was it that both Naina and Sameer were still in love? Sameer had been ready to sacrifice his hair for Naina. He chose to lose the bet, despite knowing he had already won it! He had wanted to protect Naina's honour. He had wanted to be truthful to her.

"Sipahiii...Naina...sipahi....kahan ho tum...?" Munna, Pandit and Swati were anxiously searching for Naina. Whatever be it, Naina had the right to know the whole truth. Naina was sitting alone under a tree, reading or pretending to read, but actually crying in the memory of her shattered love. "Nainaaa...", she heard Swati's voice. What was wrong? She stood up and saw her coming her way along with Munna and Pandit. The three looked extremely tensed now. "Swati...", she waved to her, irritated at why Sameer's friends were with her. "Naina...tu chal...tujhe bahot badi galat fehmi huyi hai," Swati panted. "Kyaaa...?" she asked, tensed herself now. "Sipahi tu rona dhona band kar...," added Munna. He too was out of breath. "Maana Sameer ne tujhse jhoot bola tha...pyaar ka naatak kiya, par sach me..," Munna started to explain. Naina was indignant with fury now. "Mujhe us lafangey ke baare me kuch nahi sunna hai...chale jao yahan se...aur Swati...tu to sab kuch jaanti hai na...phir bhi uski tarafdaari kar rahi hai...," she shouted. "Naina tu please do minute shaant hoke hamari baat sun le", Swati pleaded. Then Munna, Pandit and Swati explained how Sameer had never told his friends that Naina had said 'I Love You' to him. He had lied about that night to Munna and Pandit and that no one knew about this, except him and Naina, till she had confided in Swati. They also told her that Sameer had decided to back out from the bet long back and tell her the truth. And that is why the rival gang was going to cut his hair after school today.

Naina listened; confusion, exasperation in her mind growing. "Swati, tu ye Munna, Pandit ki baat pe dhyaan mat de. Ye dono bhi usi ki tarah hain. In dono ne bhi uska sath diya tha", Naina told Swati. "Haan hum bure hain Naina, sach me bure hain. Aur sach maano to hamein tumhe taqleef pahunchane ka bahot dukh hai. Lekin Naina, Sameer ko jitna bura tum samajh rahi ho, wo utna bura bhi nahi hai. Tumhe pata bhi hai, kitna tadap raha hai wo tumhare bina? Din raat bas tumhari photo seene se lagaye firta hai. Na khata hai, na peeta hai, na sota hai. Jab dekho, bas Naina Naina Naina. Kya karein uska? Agar use tumhari fikr nahi hoti, to kya wo sabko shart puri hone ke baare me nahi batata?" exclaimed Pandit. "Lekin maine khud suna tha us din Mount Abu mein...wo Pankaj aur wo log...unhone kaha tha ki usne mujhse pyaar ka nataak kiya, sirf mujhe aur mere pariwar ko badnaam karne ke liye," Naina protested. "Kya suna tha tumne...haan...kya suna tha?" Now Munna was angry. "Kya tumne puri baat suni kabhi? Kya tumne ye suna ki Sameer ne unse kaha ki wo ab tumhara dil aur nahi dukha sakta? Kya tumne ye suna ki Sameer ne shart se haar maan li. Kya tumne ye suna jab Vijay ne tumhare baare me bakwas ki, to Sameer ne uski jaan lene ki koshish ki...nahi suna na...lekin jitna sach ye hai ki shuru me Sameer ne tumse badla lene ke liye shart lagayi thi...utna hi sach ye bhi hai ki jaise jaise wo tumhe jaanene laga, usne faisla kar liya tha ki wo is shart ko aage lekar nahi jayega," said Munna. "Yaar Naina, maana galtiyaan sab se hoti hain. Lekin agar Sameer sachha hai to use ek mauka to dena chahiye na...Main jaanti hun tu shayad use maaf na kare...lekin tu aaj bhi usse pyaar karti hai," said Swati. Listening to all this, Naina started remembering the past memories with Sameer. How Sameer used to accompany her to temple every day. How he knew that she was head over heels in love with him, but he'd never tried to exploit her. How he knew she was ready to say those three magical words to him long back, but he'd never forced her to do so. Naina couldn't take it anymore and ran away, leaving Munna, Pandit and Swati staring after her.