Chapter 26

Damini's POV



I could not sleep for the whole night. As I was thinking about him all the time.

He said that he spent many sleepless nights thinking about me. Us. Seriously??

He also said that he suffered a lot because I left without saying anything.

It didn't seem that he said that just for the sake of saying. I wanted to trust him because he looked genuine. But then what was that, what I saw years ago??

Flashback

I again went down the memory lane. I still remember the day when he fought with our senior and his friends for me. I had started to have feelings for him by then, though I was hell-bent to deny them. I thanked him.

Next day the teacher asked about his red eyes and everyone teased him. In the recess, he again sang a song for me.



Hamein tum se Pyar kitna ye hum nahin jaante

Magar jee nahin sakte tumhaare bina



Suna gham judaai ka uthaate hain log

Jaane Zindagi kaise bitaate hain log

Din bhi yahaan to lage baras ke samaan

Hume intezaar kitna yeh hum nahin jaante

Magar jee nahi sakte tumhaare bina



Tumhein koi aur dekhe to jaltaa hai dil

badi mushkilon se phir sambhalta hai dil

kya kya jatan karte hain tumhein kya pataa

Ye dil beqaraar kitna ye hum nahin jaante

Magar jee nahi sakte tumhaare bina



I just could not stop the colour that crept into my cheeks.

That day he again dropped a big hint that he liked me. Anyone who was not blind could see that he was madly in love with me. My eyes moistened. I wanted to go and hug him. But I could not, I did not know what I wanted.

My heart was beating very fast. He should not behave like that. He was making me weak. He was breaking my restrains. he was making me go crazy about him.

I was thinking only about him, while studying, sleeping, eating, while I was with someone or alone. He was the one I was thinking about. I tried everything to avoid thinking about him but his thoughts were as adamant as him.

I had to do something to distract myself, I can't fall for him.

My parents were getting those calls even now. Just a few days back, I heard it myself. That day I picked up the landline phone in the drawing-room while my dad seemed to have picked up the extension in their bedroom. Someone called and said that they were the reason that my first cousin died. They threatened my dad that he would have to pay for it.

My parents were scared as hell for me, they kept smiling but I knew that my parents who were strong enough when they faced the wrath of everyone when they were in love, looked weak and scared.

My mom was so scared that after two days she asked me to sit beside her and she held my hand in her hand and said, "Beta, I know that you would say that we are being a hypocrite as your dad and I rebelled against the world and married each other. But trust me it was not easy. Everyone cut their ties with us, it is just Anirudh who helped us. But nowadays after that young death of your cousin, Both your dad and I are really scared for you. Your dad is getting threatening calls about you. They are saying that as they lost their son because we set an example of intercaste marriages, we will lose our daughter, if you dare to follow our footsteps. "

" But, Mom... this is ridiculous. We can file a complaint against them. We can't live in fear forever, we need to be strong. "

" We have always been strong. But we are scared for you now. We can't afford to lose you, your dad is planning to send you abroad. Somewhere, they can't touch you. Your dad has been a pillar of strength for us. But I have seen him checking on you 4-5 times at night. He is scared like anything. "

" Mom, they don't matter. They cut all ties with us, they can't dictate our lives, we don't matter to them, they don't matter to us. They never bothered to even talk to you people. How does it matter to them, if I fell in love with someone from another caste? "

" That innocent young boy got killed in the name of honour killing. Or you can say, horror killing. It shouldn't matter to them, but it does. Beta, we had a love marriage and we would never have bothered about all this. But, what if they kill you or your innocent love, if you fell for a guy from another caste. "

" It is ridiculous !! How can they do that?? There is law in the country. "

" Please beta, keep that in mind, before falling for anyone, you might get killed along with him. In normal conditions, we would have supported you. But these people are mad, beta. They are really after us and they want to take out all the grudges on us. Sorry, beta but we can't afford to lose you. We have only you. If anything happens to you, we will die. " She said with her eyes filled with tears.

I kept thinking about Sagar. He was so cute and innocent. I didn't want him to get in trouble.

I was scared for him. Us. What if, someone kill him too?? Kill us for falling in love. No, I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't fall for him. I mean, I couldn't let him know about my feelings.

I was going for the drawing class when someone caught my hand and pulled me to a vacant classroom.

I saw that it was Sagar.

" What is this nonsense? " I asked rudely.

" I just wanted to talk to you. " He smiled.

" What?? What is there to talk?? " I hated myself for this.

" You know that. "

" No, I don't know anything. "

" Fine!! Damini, I think, I am in love with you. "

" That is utter nonsense. "

" No, it is the reality. I swear, I can't think about anything else. I think only about you since the minute I get up to the minute I sleep. And I am awake for most of the nights "

" Listen, please concentrate on your studies. We are just 17. "

" So what?? Age is just a number, I am very serious about it." he said.

Oh God!! Please tell him to shut up or I will hug him.

" But I am not interested. I come to school to study, please stop this nonsense. "

" Do you love someone else? " he asked me.

" What?? No, I don't like anyone."

" What is the problem??? I love you and I know that you like me too. Don't lie, Damini. I can see it in your eyes.. "

" Listen Sagar, we are too young to get involved in any such thing. Please don't behave like that. "

" We will grow up, in a few years. I tried my level best not to fall for you. But I did, I have no problem in accepting that. You can deny if you want, but one thing is clear Damini, that I Love You... and you are mine.

I want you to be my girlfriend.

" I don't agree to all this nonsense, will not do any such thing."

" Ok, fair enough. You don't want to be my girlfriend, fine. But, let me tell you that I love you and you can't stop me from loving you. I will make you fall for me. You wait and watch. " He said and looked at me intensely.

" Sagar please, don't do this. "

" See, I am in love with you, I can't help it. You do whatever you want, but I will keep loving you. " He said, released my hand and stepped back.

I swear I saw pain in his eyes.