Humko Tumse Pyaar Hai
"Alright Rohit-ji… here we are… this is the market I told you about…"
"Wow… its very crowded!"
"Oh oh Rohit-ji… the place itself is called a market, so definitely its going to be crowded. Especially at this hours in the morning where people are coming here to buy a lot of things." Explained Eisha cheerfully. Even though the market was busy and noisy, weirdly enough, Rohit could only hear her voice. Her chattering mannered never failed to mesmerize him.
"And you don't mind coming to this kind of place?"
"What are you talking about Rohit-ji? In Jaipur, all girls in the house are taught to go to the market at a very young age no matter how high is their education. Furthermore… this is the place where I've had always been to ever since I was a little kid. Maa-ji and daadi-maa always bring me here if they want to get anything for praying rituals and other occasions. So now tell me Rohit-ji, where do you want to go? We have wet market on the left and dry market on the right. Are we going left or right?"
"What would you suggest?" Rohit asked as he turned to Eisha who was looking all chirpy, fresh and cheerful. Her sweet dimples could be seen clearly even without her smiling or laughing. Perhaps her baby pinkish Punjabi dress made her looked extra glowing that morning.
"Hmmm… that depends on what you want to buy. If you are looking for fresh fruits, fish and even meat then we'll go for the wet market… but if you are looking for things like maybe shoes, shirts and even souvenirs then dry market is the place for you. So now which one do you want to go?" Rohit continued to study Eisha's babyish and innocent face.
Eisha on the other hand did not realize that she has been talking to herself all the while she was walking towards the market. It was only when she did not hear anything from her brother's friend that she turned and found Rohit still standing at the pavement.
"There you are!" Eisha's voice broke into his drooling moments as she gave short tap on his arms with her usual pouting trademark. "I'm so worried! I thought I had lost you in the crowd… why did you stop?"
Rohit did not say a word but his face was blushing.
"You don't like this place? I mean… I know this is kind of wet, noisy and dirty… and doesn't really suit for people from the city, if you want I can bring you to another place-"
"No, no Eisha-ji… you got me wrong there. I'm fine here… really… I was just… amazed at the things here… they… they all look beautiful."
Eisha looked puzzled. Beautiful? People were shouting vulgarities, pushing and pulling at each other. The signboard had been there since the first time she stepped into the market when she was a small kid and as far as she could remember, she did not see anyone cleaning it up or even taking the effort to re-paint the fading paint. She then looked up at the sky. Even the clouds did not display its best art that morning so what was it that could have attracted his attention, she thought.
"Beautiful? Arre Rohit-ji, all I'm seeing right now are people busy pushing and shouting at each other… what's the beauty in that act?" Eisha asked, looking confused.
"Well… that's because I'm not talking about them."
"You are confusing me more now Rohit-ji… then what are you referring to?"
"I'm referring to you silly! I mean… you look extra beautiful today." The compliment was unexpected and thus made Eisha blushed as she turned away from Rohit's admiration.
"What are you saying Rohit-ji? I think your eyes are playing trick on you this morning… I am only an ordinary girl you see everyday… nothing beautiful about that."
"Your words and humility make you look even more beautiful." Eisha could feel her cheeks burning. Was it because the words were heartwarming or was it because it came from someone who hardly knew her but yet already started showering her with such high compliments.
"Thank you Rohit-ji… but please don't praise me too much Rohit-ji… those words are too big for me. I might just be too big-headed now." Laughed Eisha as she tried to cover her shyness and at the same time to get away from Rohit's eyes.
"Beautiful things deserve to be complimented not just by me… anyone else would have said the same thing too." His words were too sweet and generous; Eisha was indeed flattered by them. No man has ever complimented her in such a way, not even her Jon.
"Alright now… I know I can never beat you in talking so what exactly that you're looking for?" Eisha asked as she looked away from Rohit's stare, in hoping to change the topic.
"I want to look for a present… you know something… for a girl."
"I see… must be for your girlfriend?"
"No, no, its not for my girlfriend… just a friend. A new friend." Rohit said as he tried to explain to Eisha so that she will not have a different idea on the purpose of him buying the gift. The way he tried to explain to her in a way tickled her that she accidentally burst out a short laugh.
"Oops! Sorry! I didn't mean to laugh at you but… you are so cute you know that! Calm down… its not that you have to explain it to me."
"I know but I want to."
"Alright then, now that you have just done that so can if I ask, what is it that you have in mind?"
"I don't know… that is the reason why I need your opinion and your suggestion to help me to pick the gifts for me. You are a girl Eisha-ji so I'm sure you know what a girl likes."
"Okay, I can help you on that one but one condition."
"What is it?"
"Please stop calling me Eisha-ji… just call me Eisha will do."
"Fine… that is fine with me too but on one condition."
"And what would that be Rohit-ji?"
"You too have to stop calling me Rohit-ji. Just call me Rohit will do."
"What? That is… that is out of the question… I mean… how can I just call you Rohit? You… you are my brother's friend, his business partner… it'll make me sounds so rude to just call you by name…"
"Then what makes you think by just calling you Eisha will make me sound like? Does being his friend and business partner mean I can't be a friend to you? Does that mean I have a purple blood instead of red, just like yours? Then tell me, why aren't you calling Arjun as Arjun-ji or Charan as Charan-ji… they are also your brother's friends right?"
"Well that's because they are my friends-"
"And I'm not? Wow! I'm so hurt right now-"
"No, no… I didn't mean that… gosh… I mean…"
"Here… take my hand if you treat me as your friend or leave it if you insist on treating me like some monster and we'll keep calling each other as Eisha-ji and Rohit-ji… how about that?"
"You are putting me at a spot now Rohit-ji."
"No Eisha… I am not trying to force you or make things difficult for you… I just want you to treat me like your friend… I want to be your friend. Can I be your friend… Eisha?" Rohit then tentatively stretched out his hands over to Eisha.
Eisha was still debating inside her on whether to accept the deal or like what he said, forget about the deal and they will continue to address each other as "Eisha-ji" and "Rohit-ji" but at the same time, she has never differentiated anyone. She treated everyone equally as her friends whether they came from the big city or even her fellow hometown residents. Perhaps the only thing that pulled her back was the fact that she never really have friends from the opposite gender. Even though she went to an English school and led a pretty modernize life, she was actually a reserved and conservative girl when it came to such relationship unless if she had knew them since young, like the way she knew Arjun and Charan. So it was weird for her to simply accept the deal.
She creased her forehead and pouted.
Rohit was about to pull back his hand when Eisha reached for it and reciprocated it with a tight and warmth handshake. That was enough to clinch the deal and made his day.
"Thank you. You've made me the happiest man on earth today." Eisha smiled.
"Don't mention it… I should be saying that Rohit-ji… I mean… Rohit…"
"And why is that so?"
"Because… even though you are rich, good-looking and I'm sure all the girls here would love to be your friend… yet you remain humble. Saif-bhaiyya often tell me about you but I thought he was just kidding."
"What's the use of being rich and good-looking when you have no one to talk to at the times you're lonely… and what's the point of having these good-looks if you have an ugly heart right? Actually I kind of admired Arjun. He is young, good-looking, educated, rich and to have you as his best friend… yet he can still remain humble and down to earth. Its hard to find a guy like him, don't you think?"
"Well… at least now I know, I've found another one. That's you!"
"Oh thank you! So tell me now Eisha… what about you?"
"What about me?"
"You are young, beautiful, intelligent… Saif told me that you always got first in class but then you refused to accept the scholarship to UK to further your studies… instead you wanted to work in an event organizer company, am I right?"
"It's a long story… when I got my examination results, Arjun was still away in UK to take his doctorate and daadi-maa suffered from a stroke that year so everyone was feeling down… daadi-maa and the Rampals have been taking care of me since young… and never neglected me even after my parents passed away. They even helped Saif-bhaiyya to further his studies and got a job in Canada… everyone was so distraught by daadi-maa's health so I decided to stay put and helped things out here. That is where a friend of mine recommended me to her sister's event organizer company knowing that I love doing that kind of job." Rohit was touched by Eisha's sacrifices that she even willing to let go of the golden opportunity to pursue her studies, that was for her better future.
"What about your future? Don't you want to have a better future?"
"Every girl would love to have a good and better future Rohit… and I'm one of them… in the past I used to see my future being in another place… you know somewhere out there but then again, as I grew up… I realize my life and future is here… I have my family, my friends and doing what I like right now… its just amazing you know… when you get compliments for the great job in organizing a perfect wedding for the couple and how everyone is so happy with the outcome."
"You sacrifice a lot for this family."
"But can never be enough to repay the sacrifices they did for me."
"Then… what about your love life? I heard from Saif that you are being very secretive in that one."
"Wow! I didn't know Saif-bhaiyya has started to gossip a lot nowadays…" Joked Eisha as she laughed trying to brush off the blush as well as the sudden emotions inside her.
"Well… you know… he occasionally will talk to me about you… he loves you a lot… and even though he's happily married there with 2 kids, he still misses you there. He said he wanted to bring you over but you refuse because of daadi-maa."
"Yeah… I can't leave her here… I just feel that I have a responsibility towards her…"
"Well, you haven't answer my question yet."
"About?"
"Your love life."
"Ha… there's nothing to talk about it."
"Meaning?"
"I am so busy with my work… I don't have time to set aside for anything else, not even for any relationship." She was lying and he knew it.
"I see…"
"You've been asking me a lot… what about yourself?"
"Oh! Sorry to ask that much… just that I thought of getting to know you better… you know, as friends. I am still happily single and available."
"What? You must be kidding me!"
"Why is that so?"
"I mean… come on Rohit… for someone like you who is so successful to remain single and available is so unbelievable. Or maybe you are being fussy in choosing your life partner?"
"Successful? No Eisha… I will only consider myself to be successful once I found the right girl, settle down, have a family, have a stable career, watch my kids grow up and enjoy the sunset with my wife when I've retired… that's what I called successful." Eisha could not believe what she had just heard. Rohit portrayed a different personality as to the one she pictured each time her brother talked about him during their conversations. She had expected Rohit to be a big star who led a high profile kind of life. Someone who never lacks of girls flocking around him with the kind of power and wealth he had.
In reality, Rohit was just like Arjun. A down to earth person.
"You sounded more matured than I thought. I didn't know you're such a romantic person… but you know what Rohit? I always believe in the saying that good things happen to good people. You are a good man, and I'm pretty sure the special one is on her way now." Eisha's words came as a comforter for his lonely heart as his eyes continued to admire her sweet smile. He swore he had never felt that way before. Not even when he went out on dated with hot girls and models from other countries. He admitted some of them did have bombastic assets to flaunt, brain to show-off but lacked of that sincerity, chemistry and special touch.
In Eisha, he saw everything and he knew he had fallen deep into her.
"Rohit? Did I say anything wrong?"
"Huh? No, no… why you ask?"
"Because you've been staring at me." Eisha admitted that Rohit's stare was sharp and deep, that sometimes she could feel him reading her mind.
"Oh I'm sorry… shall we go now?" Rohit asked as he led Eisha to the entrance of the crowded market.
"This is very crowded, are you ready for this?" Eisha asked and he nodded. "Alright then, here we go!"
Each time Eisha pulled him out by grabbing his arms from being drowning in the crowd, his heartbeat will race in excitement. Every time Eisha talked to him, he wanted to freeze the time so badly so that he could forever hear her sweet voice. When she walked, her sashays invited the desires of wanting to hug her.
Your smile makes everyone forget everything even their names
Your eyes hypnotizes everyone that they can even forget who they are
Your words mesmerize everyone and how they are speechless in your presence
Your beautiful face never fails to make my heartbeat racing in chasing after you
If only you can read my thoughts
If only you can read what's written in my heart
Then you will know the reason of my smiles
The reason of my laughter
And the reason of me still breathing right nowIs all because of you
Throughout their shopping quest at the market, Eisha found herself to be more comfortable and relaxed talking to Rohit. He had this one sense of humour that often reminded her to Arjun. Though she tried hard in not comparing both of them, eventually she could sense the similarity between the two.
"Ouch-"
"Hey!"
"Rohit no! Forget it alright…"
"But he pushed you-"
"I know but I'm fine… see, just a scratch… no big deal… its normal and common for pushing to happen around here…"
"Even so, it won't take a minute for them to stop and say sorry right?"
"Just forget it alright… I know I shouldn't have taken you here… this place is crowded and must have scared you off."
"I'm not scare of the place, but I'm just… I … I just can't stand or see people trying to hurt others especially woman… especially you. I took you out so you're under my responsibility and I am not going to let anyone hurt you."
"I'm fine Rohit, really… just forget it! Its just a scratch… and furthermore I'm born here remember so all these are nothing new to me. Come, let's go over there and maybe you can get some ice water to cool you down." Suggested Eisha as she pulled his arms away and walked towards her favourite drink stall.
"Salaam Eisha…"
"Salaam Guna-ji… how's business? I heard its badly affected by the rampage the other day?"
"As you can see for yourself my child, those hooligans only know how to create trouble but innocent people like us have to pay the price… eh… who is this young gentleman?"
"Oh, meet this is Rohit, Saif bhaiyya's friend from Canada. He's here for Arjun's engagement-"
"Oh yes I've received the card yesterday… it was sweet of your daadi-maa to come over to give me the card personally… At first I thought Arjun was going to get engaged to you… I mean both of you were so close and inseparable since young… playing marbles and chasing together…"
"Oh come on Guna-ji… I've told you from the start right… that we are only best friends…" Eisha was not sure why but her voice started to get shaking, but continued to put on the smile on her face.
"But both of you are so compatible, even my wife says so." If given a choice, Eisha would want to stand up and run away from everyone who kept picturing her and Arjun together. To her, it was just a dream and when the morning came the dream was gone.
"Well Guna-ji… could you make us something cold?"
"Sure… tea for you right? What about you Rohit-ji? We also have soft drinks here."
"Coke then for me."
"Sure… you both take a seat first… I'll get my son to serve the drinks over."
"Thanks Guna-ji!"
"Everyone here seems to know you."
"Come on… I told you I was born here and since young, I always followed daadi-maa and maa-ji to this market for their weekly shopping… while the old folks doing their shopping, Arjun, Saif bhaiyya and I will stay here and play… sometimes we helped Guna-ji to serve the customers."
"No wonder he thought you were marrying off to Arjun… the two of you are so close since young."
"The three of us… my brother, Arjun and I were very close since young… its just that when Saif bhaiyya wanted to pursue his studies in Canada, my friendship with Arjun became closer… we became world's best friends… yeah world's best friends…" Rohit smiled and nodded his head lightly. Eisha did not know that Rohit had actually known the truth. The truth that had him to Jaipur. The truth that led to their first encounter in life.
In Canada, Saif always told him about his little sister and when Saif requested for a long vacation to return to Jaipur, he decided to come along. Apart from experiencing a grand Hindustani traditional engagement ceremony, he wanted to meet Eisha up close and personal. The moment he saw Eisha standing strong in front of everyone, contrary to what has been told by her brother about her tears and night cries, he promised to his friend that he will bring the joys and light back to her life.
"Didi… this is your drink and Babu… this is your drink… if you need anything, just shout for me!"
"Thanks Gagan… aren't you supposed to go to school today?"
"Not today, appa is busy so I need to help him. Another customer is here… see you around didi…"
"Sure!"
"He doesn't seem to mind skipping school huh?"
"Even if he did, what else can he do? His family is poor and his father's health is deteriorating because of high blood pressure and diabetes… he has three younger female siblings to look after because his mother's legs were amputated when the doctor couldn't save her legs in a fire happened many years ago. He is the eldest and the family's only hope. Even though they are poor, they never beg for help… they work and strive to survive…"
"You know a lot about them."
"Guna-ji used to work for my dad. Before my dad died in the car accident, he actually gave Guna-ji some money… for his family he said and that is how Guna-ji bought over this shop and even vowed to take care of me as a way to repay for my dad's kindness."
"I'm sorry about your dad…"
"No… you don't have to… I'm proud of my dad."
"Yeah, he did a noble thing and he's lucky to have a son like Saif and a beautiful daughter like you."
"Well… I hope my dad is proud of me."
"Don't worry… I can feel that he is always proud of you."
"Thanks… enough about me… what about you?"
"What about me?"
"Yeah… you have heard about me, my family… but so far I only know you as Saif bhaiyya's friend who has big apartment, owns a big company, a successful entrepreneur… someone who has sweet-tongue and who sure knows how to persuade others."
"Whoah… I hope I can take both the sweet-tongue and knows how to persuade others as compliment."
"Of course… so now tell me, are you the only child or you have other siblings?"
"I am the only child in the family… both my dad and mom migrate to Canada since I was five because of dad's work transfer but we always make a point to come back to India to visit our relatives especially my sweetheart."
"Your sweetheart?"
"Yeah… let me show you her picture." Rohit slipped his hands inside his pocket and took out his wallet. "Here… this is my sweetheart."
Eisha took the picture from his hand and puzzled. The picture only showed Rohit with an old lady in a wheelchair. There was no other person in the picture, not even a young lady as expected.
"But this is…"
"She is my daadi-maa… she is my sweetheart…"
"That's so sweet… she's lucky to have a grandson like you. You do love her a lot aren't you?"
"I know." Chuckled Rohit as he leaned back to his chair. "She always said the same thing too… that she is lucky to have a grandson like me… whereas she doesn't know how blessed I am to have a daadi-maa like her. There are no words that can describe my love to her. She is simply the best you know. "
"Yeah I can see that… so where did she live? Who knows I come with you to pay her a surprise visit…"
"She has gone back to where she belongs… up there, in heaven." Said Rohit as he pointed to the sky with a smile.
"I'm sorry…"
"No, don't be… I'm sure wherever she is right now, she's happy."
"I'm sure she is Rohit."
"Thanks Eisha… that sure helps!"
"Don't mention it… so have you decide what to buy now since we've walked almost to all the shops here."
"Oh… I totally forgot about it! I didn't know in such a small market like this… actually have so many things and I cannot really make up my mind…"
"Well then, let's narrow it down."
"Meaning?"
"Does she like flowers?"
Flowers?
He remembered of seeing her smiling widely, dancing and singing to the old folks at the rooftop who were busy scattering and peeling off the petals of flowers for the entire house decoration. The way the wind blew her hair to expose her innocent face blew him away on the spot. Who would have been so evil as to take the smile away from that face, he thought as he hid behind the wooden window and watched her.
"Rohit? Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah I'm fine… what did you say just now?"
"I ask… does she like flowers?"
"Yeah I guess so."
"Actually flowers are the best thing to give to a girl because all girls love flowers… you know anything beautiful. What else does she like?"
Rohit had seen her picked and chosen bangles from the ones hanging next to her dressing table. He did not mean to peep on her but he was on the way down when he passed by her room and saw her childlike act as she talked, kissed and hugged her nephew.
"Bangles."
"Bangles? Great! We do have wide choice of bangles here… colourful ones… I know a shop that sells nice bangles with good cravings of shapes… anything else?" She asked just like a little girl who was ready to do her own shopping.
Rohit creased his forehead. It did not take him long to remember what she loved most, something that she never fail to have with her all the time.
"Shawl."
"Shawl? Wow… amazing we both seem to like the same things… I know where you can buy her a nice, smooth silky and colourful shawls… I'm sure she'll love it!"
"There is also one more thing about her."
"And what is that?"
"Smile."
"Smile? Meaning?"
"She likes to smile… even though she was sad, yet she can still flash those smiles to those around her." Hearing that, Eisha could sense some kind of similarity in the taste and what had been described by Rohit. To Eisha, sadness was just a word for some but for others, its one unbearable pain that struck a broken heart. Just like her. Nobody else could understand the pain, unless they experienced the sadness themselves.
"Sometimes it's the pain in the sadness that taught people how to be strong…"
"Maybe you are right… from what I know she is indeed a very strong girl. I wish I could tell her that." Eisha flashed a smile.
"Shall we go now?" Rohit nodded his head as he helped Eisha up and walked out of the drinking stall.
Chapter 2