When She Said NO

When you propose someone, it tough to handle “no”and its more awkward to face that person again. May be that’s why people choose days like college farewell to propose. People also choose farewell day because that day is already a special day and a “yes” makes it memorable. Let’s move to our story.

Two days before farewell
Neha entered library.
Priya : Hi Neha. Teri aakhein puri lal lagi padi hai, lagta hai tu Yash ke liye itni excited hai ki tu soyi nai
Neha: Nai yaar, aisa kuch nai hai
Priya: Come on, sabko pata hai, tum dono pura din ek dusre se baatien karte rehte ho and Yash tujhe officially propose karne wala hai on farewell day
Neha: Yeh official propose kya hota hai ? kuch bhi. Actually, yeh Tarun ka kamal hai. Uss din, maine uss se kaha ki mujhse ko koi first chapter ke points ke raat ko 3 baje bhi puchega toh main bata dugi, itna achese yaad hai mujhe. And guess what, he actually called me at 3 am aur bola first chapter ki points bata. Uske baad fir neend nai aayi
Priya: LOL, waise yeh Tarun ko tere aur Yash ke relationship se problem nai hai ? After all both of you are long time close friends.
Neha:  Usse problem toh nai hai, but he personally doesn’t like Yash because of his past relations. But hota hai yeh sab. He(Tarun) cares for me. But I know Yash better and I know Yash acha insaan hai.



Farewell Day
I don’t understand why people choose farewell spot so far from college. I have to attend my cousin’s wedding in Thane and this farewell party is in Vashi.  So I have to unfortunately leave the party in the half way. I was more disappointed that I will miss the Yash-Neha thing. And just then, Neha was called on stage by the host. We all know it must be Yash who must have asked for this announcement. Neha was on stage. We all were wrong, it was Tarun who called for this announcement. Tarun came up on stage, went on his knees and proposed Neha. Neha with anger in her eyes, left the stage without saying anything. All excitement went off air and so I left for station. When I reached the station, Tarun was already there. He smiled at me. He was with me throughout the journey. We started talking about casual topics (topics except about what happened at the party). Although, Tarun and me were in same class, it was first time, we were talking so well. It was beginning of our friendship.

Exam Days
During exams days,  I came to know that Yash didn’t proposed Neha on that day. She was not anymore in contact with most of the college friends, not even with Yash and Tarun. She was only in contact with 2-3 female friends.

3 years after farewell (Saturday)
Today, Tarun has become one for my close friends. Every Saturday night, we meet out at some ice-cream parlour.

Shopkeeper: Namaste sir, would you like to try our new special gulkand flavour falooda
Me(looking at Tarun): Chal try karte hai
Tarun(to shopkeeper): Kitne ka hai ?
Shopkeeper: Rs 120 per cup
Tarun: Nai wahi regular falooda do, woh hamara favourite hai
Me: Arey, kabhi kabhi chalta hai
Tarun: Tu shant reh. Kisi achi occasion pe khayege

We picked up our tray and were walking towards table. A guy came near me.
Vikas: Hi, aap Sanjay ke cousin ho na
Me:Ya, Vikas na
Vikas: Haan…….So sab kaisa chal raha hai
Me: Mast aap batao
Vikas: Haan, sab acha chal raha hai. Picnic pe chaloge na hamare saath
Me: Haan mostly
Vikas: Toh whatsapp pe group mein add kar lu
We exchanged number and he left.

Tarun was silent and was in deep thinking
Me: Tere ghar ka kya hua, koi ghar rent pe mila
Tarun: woh chhod. Yeh bata tu isse kaise janta hai ?
Me: Yeh Vikas hai, mere cousin ke saath office mein kaam karta hai
Tarun: Ek kaam karega, but ek request hai, abi iske related kuch sawal mat puchna
Me(confused): haan bol
Tarun: Yeh jo Vikas hai na, mujhe uska nature bata kaisa hai, uske mom dad kaise hai ? kal tak kar payega ?
Me: kyun ?
Tarun: Yaar kaha na sawal mat puch aur kar payega toh bata ?
Me: ok, done. I will try my best
There was sudden change in his behaviour that day. 

I went back home called my cousin and collected all required information about Vikas and his family. Everything was positive about Vikas. That night, I was confused about what exactly is going through Tarun’s mind. I decided to have some chat with Vikas and try to find link between Vikas and Tarun. But the moment checked his profile pic on whatsapp, I was in shock.  Vikas was Neha's Husband. I interpreted things my way and was disappointed with Tarun.

Next day (Sunday)
We met. I told him everything about Vikas and his parents just to fulfil my commitment.
Me: Ab kuch kahu aur kuch puchu
Tarun: Baad mein, Pehle kuch le lete hai

We went to the counter.
Shopkeeper: Namaste Sir, aaj bhi wohi aapka favourite regular falooda ?
Tarun: Haan (after 2 sec pause) Wait, woh kal ek naya flavour bataya na, woh dijiye

We got back our tables.
Tarun: Ab bol
Me: Yaar, Neha is married now. Ab uska picha chod de. Kyun tu ab bhi uske piche padha hai, let her be happy in her life
Tarun: Tu galat samaj raha hai, bhai. Maine tere se Neha ke liye kuch nai pucha. Na address manga aur na phone number. Sirf uske husband aur family ka nature pucha
Me: Haan toh
Tarun: Main usse aaj bhi apni best friend manta hu. Aaj hum dono baat nai karte but iska matlab yeh nai ki I don’t care for her. Main sirf itna janna chahta tha ki woh khush hai na and agar uske in-laws ache hai toh matlab woh khush hai.
Me: Aur woh college ke time ka propose, Woh sab kya tha ?
Tarun: Yaar uske dimaag mein Yash ka bukhar tha. And Yash sahi ladka nai tha. Maine sunn liya tha ki Yash uske saath relationship sirf naam ke liye bana raha hai. Aur Neha ko jab bhi main Yash ke liye kuch kehta tha toh usko lagta tha I am being jealous. And I knew agar main propose karunga toh fir Yash nahi karega. Because Yash waise bhi serious nai hai aur kuch problem hua toh bhaag jayega.
Me: Aur agar uss din Neha haan kehti fir ?
Tarun (smiled): Jo possible nai, uski baat nai karte hai. Ab kuch aur baat kare ? jaise rent pe ghar ke bare mein ? ab tak nai mila mujhe. Main kahi shift nai hua toh main apna naya ghar renovate kaise karwauga
Me: Ab yaar koi mil nai raha jo apna ghar sirf do mahine ke liye rent pe de
We discussed few things and after sometime, I left for home.

That same Sunday night
Vikas forwarded a message in the whatapp group about a house available for rent.
Someone: Arey tune real estate commission ka bhi business shuru kiya hai
Vikas: Nai dost, yeh jiska ghar hai woh meri wife ke pechan ki hai. Unko paiso ki need hai isiliye ghar rent pe de rahe hai. Meri wife ne kaha sab groups mein forward karne ke liye.
My mind was thinking that God is such a big gamer, on one side Tarun is looking for home and on another side, Neha searching tenant for her friend. What a big co-incidence. I forwarded same message to Tarun but never told him about the source of the message.

After few days
Tarun shifted to that place.
Tarun : Tu toh bol raha tha lady ko paiso ki zarurat hai
Me: Haan
Tarun: Usne kaha usko koi zarurat nai hai, woh toh USA ja rahi hai kuch months ke liye, isiliye rent pe de rahi hai
Me: Pata nai, mujhe jo kaha gaya woh bataya
It means Neha knew that Tarun is looking for house on rent.

Deep inside my heart, I understood one thing: Silence can never define friendship, only silent care can.