Has all three ships.

A/N at the end is important.

Song: Ranjish hi sahi (Coke Studio)

Happy Reading❤

Mrs. Naina Sameer Maheshwari. It's not a name, it's a full fledged journey, it's an emotion. From childhood sweethearts to man and wife Naina and Sameer had conquered every obstacle in their way and had been married for two whole months now.

They had had a rough time right from their honeymoon to the point that Naina had to leave their love abode and go back to her maiden home but they worked it out and made it right.

Life after marriage was not a rose garden, it was a topsy turvy roller coaster ride and both of the newly weds knew it. They knew that trouble might follow wherever they go but as long as they have each other's hand in their hands, they'll fare well in life.

After a tough day at Samaina boutique, Naina and Sameer were resting on their sofa. There was an uneasiness eating Naina's inside right from the morning but she couldn't point out the exact reason. So to ease the struggle within her mind she decided to cuddle Sameer who was busy watching a cricket match.

Her head against his chest, she could feel his heart beat. His arms were around her frame and she felt safe, at home but that was the usual case. The warmth and love oozing from Sameer couldn't calm her mind today.

Just then, the phone rang and as if waiting for it for a long time, Naina sprang in it's direction and received it in a reflex.

"Hello?"

"Naina?"

"S..Swati?"

"Naina... Mai kaafi problem me hu yaar."

"Problem? Swati? Hello? Hello? Kaha hai tu? Swati aawaz nahi aa rahi? Hello?"

Naina let the receiver drop from her hand.

"Naina? Kiska phone tha?" Sameer asked her.

With her hands shaking and heart trembling with fear Naina sat on the nearest sofa.

"Swati ka." She replied in a small voice.

Sameer waited for her to continue. He remembered the last time Swati had visited them, she had a huge fight with Naina.

Munna hadn't taken any action even after knowing about Swati's marriage alliance. He had given up ... just like that.

When the news broke out in their circle of friends, everyone including Sameer wanted to help SwaMun elope but Naina sided with Munna's state of paralysis of action and threw the matter under the rug saying "Swati aisa kaise kar sakti?"

Swati had showed up at their doorstep few days after and wanted Naina to help her.

"Nahi. Mai teri madad nahi karne wali." Naina had clearly refused. "Tu jab khud apne pyaar ke liye nahi lad sakti toh koi aur kya ladega? Munna ki halat dekhi hai tune? Jhatka laga hai bechare ko. Haar maan ke baith gaya hai wo. Ye tumhari ladai hai. Tum lado. Aise haar maan ke baith jaoge toh koi bhi tumhari kya madad karega? Kyu madad karega? Tu kisi aur se shaadi karne ke liye maan bhi kaise sakti hai?"

"Waah Naina!" Swati had replied with tear filled eyes. "Tune bhi toh apne pyaar ke liye umeed chod di thi? Mai aisa kaise kar sakti hu? Ye tu keh rahi hai? Tujhe bhi toh Sharad se shaadi karne ke liye man-na pada tha. Wo tera khud ka faisla tha? Jab tu aur Sameer alag huye the toh mai tere saath khadi thi, Naina. Munna se tak jhagda ho gaya tha mera. Tere liye mai usse chodne ke liye taiyaar thi aur tu ... Tune bhi toh umeed chod di yaar. Sameer ne toh zindagi se hi umeed chod di thi. Ashram jaane wala tha wo. Hum khade the tumhare saath."

Swati had stormed out of the house.

Sameer remembered Naina sitting still for a while with tear filled eyes. She was just being a good bhabhi to her devar.

Marriage had brought a lot of changes in their lives and they were still young. To cope with it was tough but they were trying. In a choice between her sister,Swati and devar, Munna, Naina couldn't make the best decision as an adult.

Sameer had seen Naina regretting that argument with Swati every single time the matter was brought out.

Sameer, Munna and Pandit were like the three wheels of an autorickshaw. Their worlds revolved around each other. For them it was friendship first.

Swati and Naina were slightly different. They were two individuals with a strong voice and a world view of their own and it clashed sometimes. Be it Naina trying to sabotage Swati's chances of playing Juliet in a school play or Swati stabbing Naina during the college elections, they had both gone wrong with their choices at some point in life but it was the firm cement of their friendship that brought them back to each other like the poles of a magnet, who could be distant but not completely apart. So it was Naina who refused to go to Mt. Abu with her crush for her friend and it was Swati who came rushing for Naina when she was being forced to marry Sharad. She was one of those who helped under age Sameer and Naina elope.

Naina understood SaMunDit and Sameer understood SwaPreeNa. He knew the love the three of them shared.

This understanding between Sameer and Naina was what made the two of them perfect for each other too.

Sameer was patiently waiting for Naina to speak all this while. She finally collected herself and said,

"Swati ka phone tha. Wo kisi musibat me hai. Kahan hai? Kaisi hai? Mujhe kuch nahi pata Sameer. Please mujhe Swati ke paas le chalo."

She got up from the sofa and hugged him tight. He held her firmly, assuring her of his full support.

"Tum baitho. Pani pee lo. Mai ek baar sabko call karta hu. Kya pata kisi ko kuch pata ho."

Sameer dialled everyone's number but no one had a clue where she could be. The only good thing that happened was that the gang assembled at Krishna Kaustubhi within 15 minutes.

"Kamya nahi aayi?" Naina asked Preeti, who was the last to arrive with Pandit.

"Nahi. Uske ghar walon ne mana kar diya. Itni raat ho gayi hai Mummy Papa ne bhi kaafi mushkil se haa ki hai." Preeti said.

"Munna tu aa gaya? Tujhe kal ladki walon ke ghar nahi jaana?" Pandit asked Munna.

"Zaroori nahi hai." He replied.

The 5 of them settled on the sofa, waiting for any phone call. From outside the house, they'd look like young batch of people assembled for a Pajama Party but the actual situation was tense. The anxiety in the room was thick enough to be pricked with a pin.

They were fidgeting, panicking, praying but keeping a strong side for the sake of each other. They had lost track of the time since they had been sitting in silence when Munna said, "Agar 5 minute aur koi phone nahi aaya toh Mai aur Sameer usse poore Ahemdabad me dhundhenge. Bhabhi aap aur Preeti kahi nahi jaaoge. Agar humare peeche se Swati ka phone aata hai toh meri gadi yahi hai, Pandit tu turant usko dhundhne nikal jaiyo."

Pandit nodded his head. Their attention was pinned on the clock. Every second was heavy and passed like a millennium. After what seemed like eternity, the phone finally rang.

This time Munna was the one to rush and pick up the phone.

"Swati?" He called her name even before hearing her voice.

"Munna!" She let out a huge sigh of relief.

"Kaha hai tu? Kya pareshani ho gayi hai? Tu theek toh hai na?"

"Munna... Wo mandir yaad hai jahan hum Sameer aur Naina ko lekar gaye the jab wo ghar se bhage the? Tum please wahi aa jao. Mai wahi ke PCO se phone kar rahi hu."

"Hum abhi pahuch rahe hain."

Munna disconnected the call.

"Sab gadi me baitho. Mai raaste me saari baat batata hu." He ran towards the door followed by SaDit. PreeNa rushed to take the keys of the house, locked it in a hurry and then quickly sat inside the car.
_______________________________________

Swati was sitting outside the temple, scared and worried. Her only hope were Naina and Munna's voices she had heard that day.

This night was supposed to be the night before her wedding. She had sat down among her relatives and with an absent mind was getting mehndi applied on her hands.

"Jijajee ka pura naam likhna hai ya sirf pehle letter?" The mehndi artist had asked with a teasing smile.

"M likh do." She had replied sub consciously.

That was the moment she had realised that she'd rather die than live a life without Munna. She had eloped from her house, alone. The probability of Munna rejecting her love now was high. The probability of getting thrashed by her family when they catch her was higher but this was her only chance. As Naina had suggested, she had to fight for her love and she was going to do it.

Sitting in her red-green lehnga, outside the temple, each minute of her waiting time was killing her from withing.

Kis kis ko bataaenge
Judaayi ka sabab hum
Kis kis ko bataaenge
Judaayi ka sabab hum

Tu mujh se khafa hai to zamaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi

Aa phir se mujhe chhod ke jaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi

The Pandit of the temple was closing the gates when he saw 5 people enter the premises of the temple. They were all in their night suits and looked like they had just rushed from home. They assembled near that girl in the red-green lehnga, who was sitting idle since the evening. He thought that maybe those kids needed some time here, so he closed the doors to the deity and let the lights stay on in the premises. He stepped aside.

When Munna first saw Swati, his instinct was to hug her tightly but not being sure of his rights on her, he held himself back while PreeNa literally jumped on their Swati and started interrogating her.

"Ye kya huliya banaya hua hai?" Naina asked her.

"Tune hi toh kaha tha ki agar mai khud ke liye nahi ladungi toh kaun ladega? Mai ghar se bhaag gayi."

"KYA? Agar tujhe itna bada faisla lene tha toh pehle hume batati na. Hum madad karte. Khud kehti hai ki doston ko humesha ek doosre ke saath khada rehna chahiye aur abhi khud akele adventures kar rahi hai." Naina playfully slapped Swati's arm and they hugged their differences out.

"Mai bhi. Mai bhi. Please." Preeti squeezed her way in between her two best friends.

"Tum logon ka ho gaya toh Swati aur Munna ko bhi thoda time de do." Sameer said and pulled Naina away.

SwaMun were left alone.

Pehle se maraasim na sahi
Phir bhi kabhi to
Pehle se maraasim na sahi
Phir bhi kabhi to

Rasm-o rah-I duniya hi nibhaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi

Sameer and Naina were sitting a little away from everyone else on the same steps where they sat waiting for Chachaji to return from America. Then, they were lovers and now, they were a married couple.

The same stars, same moon and the same Lord above had been a witness to the patience and perseverance in their love, the courage that they had and the determination of being each other's life partner only. Their story was written on the walls of this place as well.

"Ye jagah kitni khaas hai humare liye." Sameer remarked.

Naina nodded. She rested her head on his shoulders and held his hand.

"Un dono ke beech sab theek ho jaaye bas."

"Wo toh hoga hi." Sameer reassured her. "Pata hai Naina jab Mt Abu me hum aise hi greh nakshatra dekh rahe the raat ko, toh maine kabhi nahi socha tha ki aaj ka din bhi aayega."

"Tumne nahi socha tha par maine toh ussi din decide kar liya tha." Naina sat up and looked straight in his eyes.

"Kya?"

"Ki tum mujhe apni kahaniya sunaoge aur mai tumhe apni kavitayein." She smiled.

Sameer slided towards her and held her by her waist. His eyes dropped down to her lips.

"Mandir hai." Naina chuckled.

Sameer looked up at the closed doors of the sanctorum and pouted sadly. Naina's laughter grew louder. She intertwined her pinky with his little finger and rested her head against his shoulder again ... sukoon.

Back near the main doors where Swamun were standing, the tension hadn't dispersed yet. They could not find the right words to start the conversation.

"Munna..."

"Kuch sun-ne ko hai nahi ab."

"Sun-na toh padega. Mai kitne din se tumse keh rahi thi ki ghar par baat kar lo par tumne dhyan dene ki zaroorat nahi samjhi."

"Isiliye tumne kahi aur shaadi karne ka soch liya. Baat toh karti mujhse."

"Ki thi Munna par tune suna hi nahi."

He huffed and looked away.

"Bahot himmat lagi hai tumhare paas aane ke liye..." Swati broke down with these last sentences.

Munna grabbed the end of her duppata and wiped her tears, just like he had when she had cried at Naina's house party. She forwarded her cheeks towards him and smiled in her tears.

"Bade joote khane padenge. Apne ghar walon se bhi aur tumhare ghar walon se bhi." Munna said

"Saath me kha lenge?" Swati said in a low voice, the happiness of being back with her love not leaving her face.

"Saath me kha lenge." Munna repeated and assured her.

Maana ke muhabbat ka chhupaana hai muhabbat
Maana ke muhabbat ka chhupaana hai muhabbat
Chupke se kisi roz jataane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi

Aa phir se mujhe chhoṛ ke jaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi dil hi dukhaane ke liye aa
Ranjish hi sahi

Preeti was humming a tune while looking up at the moon while Pandit was trying to spy on his brothers.

"Lagta hai dono bhai set ho gaye." He clapped his hands a little.

"Bahut pyaar hai tumhe mere dono jijajee se?" Preeti stood next to him from where they could see both Samaina and Swamun.

"Tumhe bhi toh meri bhabhi aur hone wali bhabhi se kaafi pyaar hai." Pandit said

"Koi shaq nahi hai."

"Sach bataun toh doosron ko khush dekh ke mujhe bahut khushi hoti hai." Pandit said.

"Mujhe bhi. Inn sabke chehre pe smile dekh ke mera pet bhar jaata hai." Preeti replied

"Tumhe khud ke liye kya chahiye?"

"Salman. Shahrukh. Aamir. Koi Bombay wala." There were stars in her eyes.

"Ahemdabad me koi pasand nahi aaya kabhi?" He asked and then quickly looked away.

She looked at him. His eyes were fixed on their friends.

She remembered her visit to a cassette store with Naina where he had said

Dil le lo
Aashiqui karli maine

He remembered giving her a nickname

Padosi

Aur padosiyon ko bhi bolo sun le

And he remembered wondering

Sipahi ki behen kya pehnegi?

She remembered asking

Mujhe bhi number do

And him saying

Mera?

But they also remembered each other crushing over random people.

"Fresher's yaad hai?" Pandit asked her.

"Mitali ki yaad aa rahi hai?" Preeti tried to tease him.

"Nahi. Kya mast dance tha na humara."

A nostalgic smile crept on her lips.

"Naina aur Sameer ko Fresher's jitwana tha aur wo Sunaina jeet gayi." Pandit sighed

"Dance toh tum bhi accha kar lete ho. Yaad hai mere ghar ki balcony ke neeche kaise dance kar rahe the tum? Aur ... Aur wo dawai dene aaye the Naina ko ... Kya bandar ki tarah seedhi pakad ke khade the tum ... Tum dono"

"Chikna Hatela yaad hai?"

"Sab yaad hai. Tumhare faltu jokes, hai ni hai ni ... Sab yaad hai."

"Thappad bhi toh kitne marti thi tum mujhe."

Preeti slapped his arm and said, "Haq hai mera."

"Kyu?"

She looked at him, tongue tied. The nostalgic smile getting wiped away by a supressed longing. She tried to change the topic.

"Dusro ko khush dekh ke kitni khushi milti hai na?"

They looked at the silhouette of their friends in silence - one wiping off tears, the other resting their heads together in peace. The more they looked more the distance between Preeti and Pandit began to burn.

"Ab Swati aur Munna ki shaadi ho jaayegi." Preeti said.

"Tumne apna kya socha hai?"

"Mummy Papa dhundhenge."

"Koi aur mil gaya tumhe toh?"

She looked at him. The usual playfulness was gone from his face. He was looking at her with the same longing that was on her face.

"Kaun milega mujhe?" She felt angry for no reason. Tears were welling up in her eyes. They had been friends for 5 years. If he felt something for her, he would have confessed. She needed to control her emotions.

"Tumhe toh koi bhi pasand kar lega."

She felt like slapping him so hard this time and that too for real. She needed him, not just any other stranger.

"Tum toh nahi karte na?"

She had no clue where the courage came from but she had held her emotions for 5 years. She couldn't do it anymore.

Pandit looked at her, shocked.

"Mai ..."

"Jaane do."

"P..reeti. Tum ro rahi ho?"

"TUMSE MATLAB?"

"Poonawala ki yaad aa rahi hai?"

"Pandit ke bacche!! Mai yahi gadh doongi tumhe zameen me. 7 janam tak samose dhoondhte reh jaaoge."

"Kya hua hai?"

"Kya hai? Sunai nahi deta tumhe? Poocha tha maine kuch?"

Pandit was too shocked to respond.

"Pasand karte ho mujhe? Nahi karte na isiliye ro rahi hu."

"Preeti ..."

"KOI SYMPATHY DIKHANE KI ZAROORAT NAHI HAI. Mai sambhal loongi khud ko."

The lights in the temple compound went off.

Pandit could only see a moonlit, crying silhouette of Preeti. He held her by her arms and turned her towards himself.

"Rona, chillana ho gaya ho toh mai ro, chilla lu? 11th se keh raha hu Dil le lo ... Samajh nahi aata tumhe?"

"Aur wo Shefali, samose wali, Mitali, Rinky un sabke peeche bhi toh pade the tum."

"Tum lift nahi kara rahi thi toh kya karta?"

Preeti slapped his arm with all the force she had.

"OUCH! OUCH!"

"Mai jaan nikal dungi agar ab kisi aur ki taraf dekha bhi toh." She said in between her sobs.

"Nahi dekh raha. Nahi dekh raha. Ouch! Promise." He pinched his neck.

He held her hand and pulled her towards himself. She buried her face in his chest. He wrapped his hands around her. She hit his head with her hand.

"Ouch! Ab kyu maar rahi ho?"

"Check kar rahi thi sach hai ya sapna."

He chuckled. She laughed.

In the moonlight, a little outside Ahemdabad, six lost souls had finally found their destination

A/N:

Literally thank Aamu ka khauf for making me shed all laziness and completing it. I deleted the original draft by mistake and had to pen the entire thing again. Anyway, I like this version better.

Ok. Important announcement:

There is a good news. I'll be starting a YUDKBH FF from next Sunday. Many of you, commented and PM-ed me to extend the first story of this OS into a full fledged FanFiction. I was busy with my studies last year and now I finally have time to write that book down. So, yes, a new FF starts next week. Yay!

If anyone liked the poems I posted here, then I have published a book of poetry Moonchild's Verses. Give it a try. It will not disappoint I guess and if you'd like to read super short stories, essays and even rants then Abstract Ink (By me) should also be a nice read for you. Give them a try and leave reviews, please.

Lastly, I'm still pissed at the makers of YUDKBH for not sailing SwaMun or PreeDit.

Could the CVs not see the potential?

And what did these innocent babies of mine do?

This OS was mainly written to throw out my frustration. If you wanna cry about Swamun and Preedit, I'll be available in the comment section.

PS - Ye dono pyaar hain. <3

Bombay track looks really promising.