CHAPTER 4

Once hospital formalities were completed, Shreya got discharged and Daya dropped her home.

"Bye Shreya! apna khayal rakhna!"Daya said.

"Mujhe apna khayal rakhna aata to kya main suicide karne ki koshish karti?"Shreya said staring at Daya expecting him to say something.

Daya became silent then looked at her. "Ok, main samajh gaya tum kya kehna chahti ho."He paused for a second, "Aaj se main tumhara khayal rakhuga."

Shreya smiled looking at him.

"Are tum to smile kar rahi ho, "Daya said, "Depression ke patients to bilkul smile nahi karte."

Shreya immediately stopped smiling. Daya quietly laughed at her.

"Nahi wo... Main bhi usually smile nahi karti.. But.."Shreya said stammering a bit, "kya karu aapki baate sunkar chehre pe apne aap smile aa jati hai."

Daya just stared at her with a smile.

Shreya looked into his eyes,"Ek baat bolu, wo jo sare bure khayal mere dimag me aate hain na wo sab aksar raat me aate hain. Raat me mujhe neend nahi aati... Loneliness you know. No friends, no relatives... Nobody is there to talk to me. Din bhar to main college me hoti hu, busy hoti hu isilye upset hone ka time nahi milta. Lekin raat me ...raat me main bahut upset ho jati hu. Window ke paas khade hokar ghanto tak chand sitaro ko dekhti rehti hu. Neend hi nahi aati na. kya karu..."

"Bas bas!"Daya interrupted her,"main sab samajh raha hu jo tum kehna chah rahi ho lekin keh nahi pa rahi ho. Don't worry, main roj raat ko sone se pehle tumse baat jaroor karunga and I'll make sure ki raat me tumhe upset na hone du. Tumhare sone ke baad hi main sounga. Ab khush?"

Shreya smiled widely. "Thank you. I am sure aapse baat karne ke baad mujhe bahut achhi neend aayegi but ek problem hai...aapki wife ko bura to nahi lagega?"

"Wife?"Daya exclaimed, "Meri shadi nahi hui hai abhi tak."

"Oh!"Shreya said,"to girlfriend to hogi. Raat ko usse bhi to baat karni hoti hogi na."

Daya smiled shaking his head, "Achha tareeka hai pata lagane ka. Meri koi girlfriend bhi nahi hai."He said staring into her eyes.

"Superb!"Shreya exclaimed. "Ye to bahut achhi baat hai ki aap single ho."

Daya stared at her for a few seconds."Mujhe aap mat bolo. Just call me Daya!"

"Okay!"Shreya nodded with a smile.

"I said call me Daya!"Daya repeated.

"Okay Daya!"Shreya said blushing slightly.

Daya smiled. "Good! Ab main chalta hu. bye!"

"Bye!"Shreya said.

Daya left. Shreya stared at him until he disappeared from her sight. She squealed in joy jumping like a small kid. She stopped when she found some old ladies looking at her confusingly from their balconies.

To avoid their questioning eyes, Shreya hid her bandaged wrist under her scarf and quickly ran inside. She went and took out her personal diary and a pen. She opened the diary and started writing.

"Daya, I love you!"

She penned down her feelings all the while smiling and blushing to herself.

Daya was also not getting Shreya's thoughts out of his mind. He was going through a totally strange feeling. He had never felt like that before for any girl.

When he returned, Abhijeet asked him about the girl.

"Kya hua Daya? Serious call thi ya ye bhi prank call hi tha?"

Daya looked at him. "Prank tha but baad me serious ho gaya."

"Matlab?"Abhijeet said totally confused.

Daya explained him everything.

Abhijeet was surprised."Kya baat hai! Matlab wo ladki tumhe dekhte hi itni diwani ho gayi ki sach me hath kaat liya."

Daya nodded, "han aur usne apni friends ko ye bhi kaha ki use mujhse 'love at first sight' ho gaya hai."

Abhijeet patted Daya's back. "Oho. Tum to ladkiyon me bade popular ho rahe ho."

"Ab main kya karu? Main to kabhi koshish bhi nahi karta ladkiyon ko impress karne ki. Ab bina kuch kiye koi mere pyar me pad jaye to main kya karu?"Daya said.

Abhijeet chuckled."Are karna kya hai. Pyar do pyar lo aur kya?"

Daya gave him a look and then both burst out laughing.

"Achha ye batao dikhne me kaisi hai? Khoobsurat hai?"Abhijeet asked.

Daya imagined Shreya's face and smiled. "Han!"

Abhijeet saw him blushing and cheered joyfully. "Oho to ye baat hai. Love at first sight sirf use nahi tumhe bhi hua hai. Hai na!"

Daya just smiled. "Tum bhi na Abhijeet. Kya kya bolte ho. Aisa kuch nahi hai."

o-o-o-o

At night Shreya was pacing up and down in her bedroom holding her cellphone. She was desperately waiting for Daya's call.

Suddenly her cellphone rang. She received it promptly. "Hello...

"Kya baat hai badi jaldi phone utha liya tumne?"Came Naina's giggling voice from another side.

Shreya slapped her head seeing Naina's caller ID. "Naina tum?"

"Han main. Kya bina ID dekhe hi receive kar liya?"Naina said.

"Kya hai? Kyun phone kiya?"Shreya said.

"Aree..itna rude kyun ho rahi ho? Ab Daya se dosti ho gayi to aise baat karogi mujhse?"Naina said.

"Naina please aisa kuch nahi hai. Batao na phone kyun kiya?"Shreya said.

"Ye bolne ke liye ki mere notes abhi tak tumne wapas nahi diye. Mujhe bhi padhna hai."Naina said.

"Okay okay tumhare notes tumhe kal mil jayenge. Abhi phone rakho."Shreya said.

"Kyun? Daya ka phone aane wala hai?"Naina said.

"Han!"Shreya said and then bit her tongue.

Naina chuckled."I knew it."

Shreya smiled,"Naina please yaar!"

"Theek hai theek hai rakhti hu. Kal tum milo to sahi. Pure college me announcement karenge ki Shreya ko pyar ho gaya hai. Ab ladke tumhare liye try karna band kare aur studies me dhyan de."

"Shut up!"Shreya said laughing.

Naina laughed and cut the call. Shreya smiled and lay on the bed waiting for Daya's call.

"Kahi wo bhool to nahi gaya mujhe call karna. Kahi aur busy to nahi ho gaya. Main hi call karu kya?"Shreya was speaking to herself. She opened the contacts and her thumb was going to tap on Daya's name when suddenly the call came from his side.

Shreya happily received the call."Hello!"

Daya loved her sweet voice."Hmm...abhi tak soyi nahi."

"Maine bataya to tha ki mujhe neend nahi aati."Shreya said.

"To kya kar rahi ho phir? Window ke paas khade hokar tare gin rahi ho?"Daya asked.

"Han!"Shreya said annoyingly.

"To kitne tare gin chuki ab tak?"Daya asked.

"Bhool gayi. Tumhara phone aa gaya to sari ginti bhool gayi."Shreya said smiling.

"Oh I am so sorry. Galat waqt pe phone kar diya maine."Daya said.

Shreya smiled.

"Achha batao khana kha liya? Dawa kha liya? Abhi hath me jyada dard to nahi hai na?"Daya asked questions one by one.

Shreya looked at her bandaged wrist."Abhi to dard kam hai. Lekin ye sab kya faltu ke sawal puch rahe ho tum? Kuch aur baate karo na."

"Mujhe koi experience nahi hai ladkiyon se baate karne ka. Mujhe nahi pata kya baate karu?"Daya said smiling.

"Koi baat nahi. Main batati hu na..."Shreya said.

And they kept on talking for hours. Nobody was ready to say bye.

"Aur pata hai Shreya ek baar main... Hello... Hello Shreya... Are you there?"Daya said getting no response from her. He sighed,"lagta hai so gayi."He cut the call and he too slept with a sweet smile on his lips.

It became a part of their routine. There was not a single day when they slept without talking to each other on phone. Good night conversation became compulsory, be it longer or shorter but it was must. No matter how busy was Daya, for Shreya he was always free. Both were getting addicted to each other. They started hanging out together. Dating was not the appropriate word. They were coming closer by each passing day and both were aware about that.

One month later

Shreya was writing something in her diary. It was obviously related to Daya. At a point she was at a loss of words. She grabbed her cellphone.

"Ab Daya se baat karungi tabhi samajh me aayega ki aage kya likhu."She thought and dialed his number.

But her smile vanished as she discovered his phone was switched off.

"Switched off? Daya ka phone to kabhi off nahi hota."Shreya mumbled.

She tried again but the result was same.

"Daya ka phone off kyun hai?"Shreya was disappointed.

"Shayad kisi kaam me busy honge ya phir shayad battery dead ho gayi hogi. Wait karti hu."Shreya thought.

She waited for sometime hoping to get a call from him but the minutes changed into hours and she didn't get his call.

It was 2 o'clock of the night. Shreya again dialed his number but it was again switched off. She called him on landline number but it went unreviewed.

Now Shreya became tensed. "Daya phone kyun nahi utha raha. Mobile off hai. Landline pe receive nahi kar raha. Kya baat ho sakti hai. 4 ghante se uska number try kar rahi hu. Daya ne aaj se pehle aisa kabhi nahi kiya."Shreya was upset and unable to sleep. She felt emptiness as since she had met him, it was going to be the first day that was passing without talking to him.

She sat on the couch and slept there holding her cellphone because she was sure, whatever is the problem Daya would surely call her sooner or later.

She opened her eyes in the morning hearing the doorbell. She checked her cellphone. No calls from Daya. Disappointedly she moved to open the door.

It was Naina and Charu.

"Hi Shreya!"They greeted her.

"Hi!"Shreya said with a dull face. Her eyes were swollen clearly indicating the lack of sleep.

Charu and Naina moved inside.

"Tum abhi tak taiyar nahi ho Shreya. Aaj morning me humari extra classes hain. Tum bhool to nahi gayi."Naina said.

Shreya held her head. "Han yaad hai mujhe. Main nahi ja rahi hu. Tum log chale jao. I am not feeling well."

"Kya hua? Tumhari tabiyat to theek hai? Aisa lagta hai tum raat bhar soyi nahi ho."Charu said.

"Kya baat hai Shreya?"Naina asked.

Shreya looked at her. "Kuch nahi bas aise hi."

"Aise hi kya? Sach sach bolo kya baat hai?"Naina said.

Shreya sighed,"Naina kal raat meri Daya se baat nahi hui. Na usne mujhe phone kiya na mera phone uthaya. Mobile bhi off karke rakha hai. Mujhe kuch samajh me nahi aa raha wo aisa kyun kar raha hai. Aaj se pehle aisa kabhi nahi hua. Daya kitna bhi busy ho kuch bhi ho, der me hi sahi but wo mujhe sone se pehle call jaroor karta hai. Hum ek dusre ko good night bole bina nahi sote."

Shreya sat down with teary eyes."Kahi aisa to nahi ki Daya ko pata chal gaya ho ki maine usse jhooth bol kar dosti ki hai. Aur wo ab mujhse naraj ho isilye phone band kar diya. Oh my god! Ab wo mujhse kabhi baat nahi karega."Shreya cried, "lekin main use sach batane hi wali thi. Agar use sach pata chal gaya to at least ek baar mujhse baat to karta. Mujhse sawal puchta ki maine aisa kyun kiya. Main usko sab bata deti. Main bata deti ki main usse kitna pyar karti hu."Shreya said and broke down.

Charu hugged her to pacify her.

Naina and Charu exchanged a look.

"Shreya aisi koi baat nahi hai."Naina said. "Daya ko to pehle din se hi sab kuch pata hai."

Shreya was shocked. She looked at Naina. "Kya?"

"Han Shreya. Hum dono ne use pehle din hi sab kuch bata diya tha."Charu said,"Tum ye mat socho ki tumne Daya se jhooth bol kar dosti ki hai. Sach to ye hai ki Daya ne tumhara sach janne ke baad hi tumse dosti ki hai. Kyunki wo bhi tumse pyar karta hai."

Shreya was speechless. She rubbed her tears. "Daya bhi mujhse pyar karta hai? Tum sach keh rahi ho Charu?"

"Han Shreya!"Charu said.

Some tears rolled down Shreya's cheeks. "To phir kya baat ho sakti hai? Kal usne mujhe phone kyun nahi kiya? Kaha hai wo? I want to talk to him now."Shreya cried.

"Relax Shreya! He is a cid officer. Kahi fans gaya hoga. Time milega to wo jaroor tumhe call karega."Naina said.

"Nahi. Ab mujhse aur intejar nahi hoga. Mera dil bahut bechain ho raha hai. Mujhe Daya se milna hai bas. Main uske ghar ja rahi hu."Shreya said in determination.

She reached at Daya's apartment. But again she was disappointed as his flat was locked from outside. She spoke to his neighbors and they told her that the last night Daya didn't return home .

Shreya was agitated. She became restless. "Daya kal raat ghar hi nahi aaya? Aakhir wo hai kaha?"She wondered.

"Ab to ek hi rasta hai. Mujhe cid bureau jakar hi pata chalega ki Daya kaha hai aur uska phone kyun off hai?"Shreya thought and without wasting another minute she drove to cid bureau.

.

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...to be continued