Last Chapters here !!
Do read taking breaks as it is quite long.
*NOT PROOF-READ*
Earlier chapters–
16
Driving since an hour.
Shravan didn’t halt the car even once except at the signal.
Silence and excitement, both adored Shravan’s face.
“I’m asking for the last time ? Where are we going ?” she bellowed.
“Thank god. I ears got rotten listening to this same question.”
“Shravan…”
But before she could finish the car stopped with a jerk making her bag fall.
She looked out the window in search of her answer.
“School!!!!” she gasped.
“Yes dear! Now let’s go inside.”
“Yeah God will open the gates of our school on Sunday.” She rolled her eyes.
“Is the entrance gate required to enter our school ?” he frowned and smirked at the same time.
A wide smile appeared on her face. She looked amusedly at him.
***
“It’s the same as it was ten years back !!”
She stood up and spread her arms in the air & her long hair fringes danced with the wind.
“Help !!” an almost inaudible cry came from under the wall.
Suman looked it surprise to find the four-inch man struggling to get out of the tunnel.
She laughed her heart out seeing him scuffling with the walls and ceiling. She let out her hand and he held it tightly and pushed himself out of it.
“Oh God, how come this secret tunnel became so narrow ?” he panted.
“Not this tunnel my boy, but you became broad and tall.” she doubled up with laughter.
He let out a deep sigh and stared at her grinning.
They looked around the whole school refreshing their childhood memories spent here together.
The air filled with the sound of their chatter and laughter.
***
“How light I feel now! Thank u so much Shravan !!”
He was gaping at her face, too inattentive to her words.
“Shravan…” she snapped her fingers in front of his eyes.
“Whaa…what ? Do u want to return ?” he mumbled.
“You are impossible!” she walked away from him, frowning.
“Sumo….” he ran after her.
He gripped her hand tightly and pulled her towards him.
His eyes met hers and his breath got melded with hers.
The wind made hair-strands to fall on her eyes.
He softly removed them and tucked them behind her ears.
The closeness made them feel uncomfortable, yet they enjoyed being uncomforted as it removed all the fear of separation they were facing recently.
He neared his face and placed his forehead against hers.
They were rooted to the position and were unwilling to move out of each other’s touch.
But suddenly they heard a shout. A shout interrupting their most lovable togetherness.
“Hey! Who’s there ? How did u get inside just like that?” bellowed a man who seemed like a watchman.
“Run !!!” she cried.
Shravan was more startled at her shout than the watchman’s. Before he could get any notion of the happenings Sumo pulled him by his wrist and they fled in fear of getting caught.
Suman ran faster than Shravan, who was unable to understand where were they running to.
“But the entrance is in the opposite direction.” he panted.
“Yeah, the entrance to hell. Are u nuts ? How can we run towards the watchman just to get out ? Can’t u see he’s running behind us like an Olympic athlete ?”
“Stop…”
She ceased and he led her behind a door.
“Stop there u two. Where will u run ? I’ll catch u anyhow !” cried the enthused watchman and ran without noticing them.
Taking this chance they hurried towards the secret way and struggled out of it and didn’t stop unless they reached the car.
Shravan was panting rigorously and so was Sumo.
“It had been years that I ran so much” she was out of breath.
“Yeah, we used to ring the calling bell of the homes in our locality and flee like this.”
She found it difficult to laugh at this breathless moment and sat on the ground leaning at the car.
He joined her and both were sighing rapidly.
Even looking into each other’s eyes made them laugh uncontrollably recalling this incident and relating it with the one just happened.
The Sun had begun to set and both stared at the orange sky and listened to the continuous chirps of the returning birds.
“Those days were so happy-filled.”
She nodded.
“Even today is—“she replied.
“That’s why we are told to remember only the happy moments of the past and forget the sorrow ones.”
“No Shravan. Even the sorrowful past helps us to become careful and prevents us from repeating the same mistake. Past’s woe brings present’s bliss.”
He was not ready for this kind of philosophical answer from her. He thought she’ll be still upset. But her Sumo has changed and has learnt a lot from her past to enlighten her present.
“I’m stronger now.” she whispered.
“But I’m weak without u “ his heart cried but still he smiled at her determination.
Tears descended from her eyes but got checked at her lip’s curve. She smiled as she wept silently.
“I’m so glad to have such a wonderful friend like u Shravan. You r the only one who understood me and stood beside me at my toughest situations from my girlhood. I can’t give back—“
She couldn’t complete and burst into tears.
He pulled her and hid her crying face into his embrace.
The only place of solace and serenity.
“Why r u crying Suman ?”
“Suman?”
“I mean Sumo”
They looked at each other with a desire to say something but the lack of courage subjugated their impulse.
“Promise that you’ll never leave me.” she clutched his palm tightly.
“Promise” he smiled.
She got up wiping away her tears and loosened the grip.
But he grabbed her hands firmly and pulled her.
“But I want this promise to be an eternal one.” he said trying to overcome his fear.
She looked with confusion into his eyes but yet in a search for the meaning of his words.
It wasn’t that she didn’t get any vague idea of it, but still the recent incidents with haunted her memories again and again was making her doubt to trust anyone.
She took a step back looking down in defeat.
She has been defeated by life again and again.
She wasn’t too sure to take another risk to trust someone else.
“Plz say something Sumo.” He took a step closer towards her “I hate this quietude in you.”
She took deep breaths to prevent sobbing. She didn’t find words to describe him her feelings.
He was out of his cool. He cupped her face and made her look at him.
“Look at my eyes. Can’t u find the slightest belief in me?”
Her liquid-filled eyes blinked profusely and ultimately she broke.
No she didn’t break into tears but into but she broke out of her trance of insecurity.
‘Cause Shravan was not a man who could betray her like her own life.
He was there at every aspect of her life. He has fulfilled all the necessities which define the phrase ‘A True Friend’. There was no point of comparing him with others. He loves her, this is the greatest truth that proves he’ll be an equally good life partner. But she loves her more than he does, she doesn’t even know whether he loves her or not, but his eyes say so.
She thought so much before she uttered anything.
She parted her lips to say something, but he started before.
“I’m fed up of ur silence and also of my cowardliness. I want to—“
“I want to say something as well.” she interrupted.
“But—“
“Shravan…”
“I LOVE YOU”
She was jolted at his sudden and loud utter of this three blissful words.
The words, which both of them longed to hear from and say to each other.
They stood motionless and silent for few moments and totally ignored the comments and looks given by few passers-by.
He again tried to say something but this time she interrupted by a sudden and tight hug. She sobbed pressing her face on his chest, but this time, these were the tears of joy and victory.
‘Victory in love confession’ sounds funny.
He reciprocated and started weeping as well.
“I love you more.” she whispered.
He smiled at her peculiar yet loving reply.
The dark evening with the moon shining brightly welcomed a new phase in their life.
***
He jumped onto his bed and stretched his body in tiredness.
He closed his eyes and recalled the whole day’s unforgettable incidents.
“At last you are mine Sumo. At last, I confessed to you. I’m so happy today.” He uttered softly.
He laughed at times thinking how they debated over the fact that who will profess to their family first.
They thought over hours how to tell their families and Shravan even gave some clever piece of acting describing how Sumo should consult Nanu. Then they settled finally that Shravan will consult first and then both together will request to Nanu.
This done, Shravan hurried off Sumo to her residence and then he returned home himself and received a piece of his father’s mind for coming home late.
He clutched the blanket and dreamt of her ladylove the whole night.
______________________________________________________________________________
17
Shravan overslept and was startled to find forty-nine missed calls from Sumo. He called her back immediately to prevent Sumo making a world-record of missed calls.
“Are u dead?” she picked up his call immediately.
“No darling, I just overslept. And who’ll marry u if I die?” he smirked while saying.
“When will u come ?”
“Have patience Sumo. Were you expecting me to profess my father at the middle of the night?”
“Oh okay. But do fast. Nanu is already in search of a new groom and Mamiji has already shown me thirteen pictures. If you keep sleeping further, then you’ll probably wake up on the day of my reception.” she cut the call angrily without letting him to speak.
He laughed at her conduct and got up.
Getting fresh he tip-toed into his father’s study to look whether he was busy.
***
Shravan went into Mr. Malhotra’s (his father) room like an anxious, innocent and frightened cat but came out like a triumphant mountaineer succeeding in his expedition.
It didn’t take much excuse or quarrel to make his father agree for her chosen life partner to be accepted in their family.
His father was fond of Suman and was a much known person to the Tiwari family. Mr. Malhotra was proud of his son to choose such an apt bride and was happy at the fact of Shravan getting married.
“Now only the Tiwaris are left to be informed of. I just wish that they agree!” he thought.
***
“Nanu your tea.” said Shravan and carefully placed the tray on the table.
He looked at Nanu praying to God.
Shravan went beside him and folded his hands in prayer. So did Suman, who was hiding behind the door to watch everything from a distance.
Both Shravan and Suman knew that they had the same prayer in their mind.
Nanu, completing his prayers, stared at Shravan in amusement.
“You have changed a lot Shravan.” he said and slowly walked towards his chair to have the tea.
Shravan was confused at his say and sat opposite to him with a puzzled face.
Nanu sipped his tea and said,”You were never so respectful to me to have brought tea. I can never imagine the Shravan, who used to break all the glass objects at my room to disturb my sleep, to bring tea for me. Nor did you used to pray to God earlier.”
Shravan smiled at him.
“I’m the same Shravan, Nanu. I was heading upstairs so I brought your tea with me from Suman and about praying—“ he chuckled “I’m praying because I want something from God. And I promise, if God grants me that, I’ll pray regularly from now onwards.”
“Self-interested man, yeah ? Giving God an exchange offer ?”
They both laughed loudly.
Suman peeped curiously into the room from her hiding to look what’s so funny was going on.
“So what do you want from him, let me hear?”
“Nanu, that’s what I came to say.”
“To me ?”
“Yeah. In school, we have learned that we find God in human beings only, and in this situation, u r my only God.”
“What do you want from me ?” Nanu asked with curiosity.
Shravan closed his eyes to decide whether to tell or not.
“Say something.”
“A…..a permission.”
“Permission ? For what ?”
“SAY SHRAVAN !!!! WHY ARE YOU SILENT ????” cried Sumo in her mind.
“Nanu….” he gulped. He feared Nanu from his childhood. He had got many beatings from him, of course, due to his mischief. He feared that he’ll not agree.
He cornered his eyeballs to look at the almost-jumping Suman, who was continuously gesticulating him to say.
He gave out a deep sigh and spoke.
“A permission to take ur granddaughter.”
“Where do u want to take Suman? Have u two planned for any trip ?”
Shravan nodded and got even more nervous.
“He’ll never change.” Suman muttered under her breath and stormed into the room making them startle in surprise.
“God knows why I called you here !!!” she shouted angrily at Shravan.
“Nanu, let me say.” she insisted gently.
“What are u two up to ?”
Shravan stood up and went beside Suman.
“Nanu we love each other and want to marry. I mean….we want ur permission and blessings to—“
She didn’t complete as her eyes met with the bulging ones of Nanu.
“Shravan is this what u wanted from God ?” he approached them.
“Ye…yes Nanu.” He said softly
“Suman, are you sure this is ur true love and not a forceful confession like the previous one ?”
Shravan stopped the about-to-speak Suman and replied, “Do I seem so much bad to u? I know Suman from my childhood and you know my genre very well. I’m not a—“
“I know u r different. But I want Suman’s view and not urs.”
“I love Shravan very much Nanu. I really want to spend the rest of my life with him.”
“Are both of u sure?”
They nodded. Nanu didn’t reply anything and headed downstairs saying “Come.”
At ground-floor Nanu asked Shravan whether he has consulted his family or not and getting a positive response called the whole family before him.
“I know all of u are very busy people, so I’ll introduce and conclude my speech in a few words. I, rather Suman, have chosen a very apt family for her life and I hereby declare that
Suman will be married off to Shravan with or without your preference and blessings.”
All were wonderstruck at this few missile-like exploding words. Suman and Shravan ran and took Nanu’s blessings and after he headed to his room they hugged each other in front of the confused and protestive family without caring a cent about what they’ll think.
Suman and Shravan were the happiest of all.
For them, at last, all the woeful struggle of their life had end. They’ll now enjoyably face the struggle together to make themselves happy and comfortable with each other. They’ll be now the possession of the each other. They knew since their childhood but now will be going to be with each other till they take their last breath and also maybe in every life they’ll take birth.
They will give their best to live with each other with many-a-happy moments and as little sorrow as God may think right for them.
~~~THE END~~~
MIL JANE DE DIL JO BANE
EK DUJE KE VAASTE
Guyz very sorry for such a late update. I apologize to all of u as well as heartily thank u all as well. Thank u so much to all my readers and silent readers who supported me so much to write.
You all people are very talented and I’m really blessed to have got in contact with u.
I won’t write anymore in TU but I’ll be there to read.
I may or may not post this story (with hyper editing) in Wattpad. Let’s see.
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Have a wonderful life ahead guyz. Lots of love and good wishes.