I stayed awake that night, pretending to be asleep just to keep a check on Bondita.

Yes, Batuk was right. She woke up from her sleep, sweating and being afraid. She was breathing heavily as if some kind of memory was traumatizing her. She stayed awake the whole night, singing, dancing, drawing, reading and once the daylight peeped inside the room she fell asleep.

Once she slept, I patted her head. Tum itne saalon tak is dard se guzar rahi thi aur mein kuch nehi kar paya. Today we are supposed to leave for Tulsipur this evening. Once she went to attend the last class, I went to the doctor without informing her.

I told him every and the cure he suggested was, "bachpan mein huya koi hadsaa hain?".

"Haa, ek nehi bohot saare par mujhe pata nehi which one is scaring her" I said.

"Dekhiye Anirudh babu, chote baccho k sath kya hota hain, ek chota baccha apne maa k godi mein lori sunte huye so jata hain kyu ki is duniya mein apne maa k kokh se zyada mehfoos jagah kuch nehi ek bacche k liye, apne maa se zyada wo kisi pe yaakein nehi karti kisi se pyar nehi karti thik waise hi only love and care can cure insomnia." Said the doctor. He added, "Bondita k ki nind wahi wapas le a sakta hain jiske pass rehne se wo mehfoos mehsoos karti ho, jispe khudse bhi zyada bharosa ho, jisey is duniye mein sabse zyada pyar karti hain wo".

I was so happy hearing this. There is a cure. "Aisa to sirf ek insaan hain...Sumati maa, mujhe maa se baat karna hi parega"

Is the person really Sumati maa? When a person grows up, times and situations change many things and one of them is the priority list.

I checked myself in the mirror several times. Why did he call me "bhari".

I pouted my lips in anger, "kahi moti to nehi ho gyi hu? Nehi nehi Bondita, rosogolla band ajse".

I checked myself again, "pati babu ne kaha hain to sach hi hoga, nehi nehi ajse no mithai fir jab wo mujhe agli baar uthay to halki ho jau mein..."

I stopped.

What did I say just now, "agli baar uthay". My face turned red and I covered my face immediately and bit my tongue.

Later I was packing my bag for the evening train when There was a knock at the door. I opened the door and a man handed me a bouquet. "Ap kaun?" Before I could ask the man left. There was a note saying, "sorry!'

I felt strange and kept it inside. Again the doorbell rang and a man brought a bunch of balloons with, "sorry" written on them.

"Kaun hain ye log?" I murmured under my breath.

Again the doorbell rang. I rushed to open the door but this time the man was holding his ears. "Ap? Pati babu?"

"Sorry Bondita" he pushed the door inside, "mein janta hu maine galti ki hain, chahe to maaro mujhe par baat karo" he pleaded. "Ap kya mujhe itna asakhsham samajhte hain ki mein ek case akele nehi jeet sakti".

"Aisi baat nehi...."

"Aur agar apko mera bartav bura laga to keh sakte the na, kyu aisa kiya. Mein bhi insaan hu, mere bhi ankhein hain jinme ansu aatein hain."

"Bon..."

I moved towards the window, "ap mujhe bohot hasate ho, par ussey zyada rulate ho".

He turned me towards him by my shoulder and rubbed off my tears gently, "maine tumhe nehi, sach ko jeetwaya aur agey bhi sach k liye kuch bhi karunga".

"Aur mein tumhe humesha kehta hu na ki kuch to log kahenge, logo la kaam hain kehna, par shayad mein ye khud bhul par wo shayad mein khud bhul gaya tha. Tumhare jeet se sabse zyada khush kaun ho sakta hain?" He asked me.

"Ap" I answered back timidly.

"Par shayad us khushi ko ego ne hara diya tha, please maaf kardo mujhe".

"Par mami aur didi ne kaha tha...."

"Ufff Bondita" he said being irritated by those names, "tumhe pacchis topo ki salami milne chahiye, itna sab kuch hone k baad bhi tum kyu sunti ho un dono ki baat".

"Kyuki ap nehi sunte meri baat"I said immediately.

"Sorry" he made a really cute face and

I smiled and was about to say that I have forgiven him but then I recalled him calling me "bhari". I can forgive him for everything but not for such a comment.

Aj bol rahe hain Bondita tum bhari ho, tumhe utha nehi sakta, kal bolenge Bondita mujhe koi aur pasand hain tumhare sath nehi reh sakta.

"Sorry" he said holding his ears but I pushed him aside.

She looked convinced but then suddenly I don't know what happened, she pushed me away. Ye ladki mere samajh k bahar hain.

She ignored me in the whole journey.

Once we reached home, Kaka apologized to her and she forgave him saying, "ap to jo bhi karte ho mere bhalai k liye hi karte ho".

What an absolute hypocrite.

Matlab mein bhalai k liye nehi karta? Mein karu to galat aur kaka kare to sahi? She forgave him but not me.

"Bondita zara study mein ao" I whispered but she made silly faces at me and pretended as if she didn't hear what I said.

I followed her to the kitchen, "kya takleef kya hain tumko?" I said angrily, "baat kyu nehi kar rahi" she ignored me and came out of the kitchen. I followed her too, "gussa kise dikha rahi ho tum? Listen Bondita, bohot ho gaya".

She went to the dining table and I followed her there also, "sorry kaha na maine".

Suddenly kaka spoke out, "patni k agey piche kyu ghum raha hain tu? Apne baba ka rog lag gaya kya tujhe". I heard Som and Batuk giggle. Baba looked at kaka, "kya da ap bhi na"

Was this for me or Baba?

Is ladki ko ho kya gaya hain? Ekdum nakchadi ban gyi hain.

At dinner table.

She served food on everyone's plate with love but when it came to me, she was giving me weird looks.

I whispered to her, "abhi bhi kyu gussa ho? Maine maan liya na galti...ha mein galat tha, bohot galat, mujhe logo k baaton mein akein tumhare sath...." But before I could complete it, she turned away her head.

I sat for my dinner and stared at the bowl of sweets. No! Control Bondita. Itna nehi kar sakti to.

Pata nehi ye kab huya par unke choti choti baatein mujhe bohot zyada affect karne lagey hain ajkal. Bachpan mein to kabhi aisa mehi huya. Shayad hadh se zyada pyar ho gaya hain mujhe.....FIRSE.....

Aur mujhe ye bhi pata hain ki unhe kabhi nehi hoga.

Agar mein Bondita ko bata du ki kal hum Devipur jaa rahe hain to shayad gussa utar jay. Ha ye hi sahi hoga.

I had already sent a letter to maa, stating all her problems and why I need her help. I told maa, that she needs the person who cares for her the most, whom she loves the most.

Maa is my last hope, only she can help me. I would have done this earlier but thus girl never shares her sorrows with me, never. She should have told me.

But again....why should I wait for her tell. Mein to uski kadmo k ahat se samajh jata hu ki wo kaisi hain then how could I not know her problems.

Batuk ko to pata chal gaya na.

Hence proved, Batuk is the perfect guy for her.

I went to her room to inform her about our visit to Devipur. I was going to enter but I noticed her standing in front of the mirror.

He stared at herself and then pulled her saree backwards take her curve evident.

"Bondita" I knocked at the door and she immediately retreated, "ap yaha kyu aye?"

"Kya kar rahi thi tum?"

"K...ku..kuch bhi to nehi" she stammered and bit her lips which means she is lying.

"Sach bolo" I glared at her.

"Mein moti lag rahi hu kya" she asked softly.

"Ye kaisa ajeeb sawal hai".

"Boliye na!" She insisted.

"Nehi par kyu? Iska kya lena dena" I said casually.

"To apne mujhe kyu kaha ki mein bohot bhari hu, allo ki bori ki tarha".

I raised my eyebrows, "ek minute, tum kya isiliye gussa thi?"

"Hmmm'

I couldn't control my laughter, "tum pagal ho kya?" I continued to laugh, "ye tum sab ladkiya aisi hi karte ho ya fir tum uniquely" I made fun of her.

Oh god!

Bondita seriously?? Maine tabh bass mazak mein kaha tha jo mujhe bhi yaad nehi tha and she took it so seriously. This girl is so unpredictable.

Par mere baaton ko itna kyu manti hain? Kyu mere baaton se usey itna fark parta hain.

Kahi mujhe Pyar na ho jay...FIRSE...

Kyuki mujhe ussey dur hona parega ye mein janta hu wo nehi.

She blew her cheeks, "ap bohot burey ho jante ho ap?"

"Thik hain, to fir tum nehi chal rahe ho na kal Devipur"

Hearing this smile vrept on her face, "shotti! Hum maa se milne jaa rahe hain" she became so over excited that she almost jumped on me. I, unable tp keep my balance fell down along with her.

"Thank you Thank you Thank you".

A Raged Kartik Sen was unable to keep his calm. After consuming a lot of alcohol, he became violent.

Girls were always a kind of toy for him but for the first time a girl dared to stand against him, insult him. He couldn't take rejection and his ego got hurt and now he was determined to teach her a lesson and get her at any cost.

"Us ladki ki itni himmat, mujhe reject kare, Kartik Sen ko" he punched the boxing bag, "us ladki ko uski aukaat dikha k rahunga" he punched again.

"Kya karoge tum Kartik?" asked his friend.

"Pata lago wo kabh kidhar jati hain, kiske sath rehti hain. Kabh kis raste se ati hain every detail. Dekhna Kartik ko reject karne ka natija."

"Beta" his pishi( bua) entered. After his Mother's death, she took care of him. And her blind love was the soul reason why he became such a spoilt brat. "Koi ladki pasand aya mere bete ko" she said.

"Haa pishi" answered one of his friend, "par ladki ne mana kar diya".

"Kis ladki ki itni himmat mere bacche ko mana kare" she said, caressing his hair.

"Kisi ki nehi pishi, ap dekhna, agle 3 hafte tak wo ladki mere pass akey gir girayi gi, roye gi. Kisi aurat jaat ki itni himmat nehi ki ek purush ko apmaan kare" he said, "ladkiya ya to ek khilona hain ya to jooti".

Sumati maa came outside to call both of them but what she saw amazed her. Bondita had felt asleep...yes she was sleeping but with whome?

Her head was resting on his shoulder and his hand was placed behinde her head. The book that both were reading remained open in front of them. She closed the book and kissed on Bondita's forehead, "bohot bari ho gyi hain tu? Abh apne maa se bhi zyada koi pyara ho gaya hain?" She chuckled and prayed to Durga maa, "inki jori aise hi salamat rahe".