Love Comes With Surprises Too

2020 -10th May

Gorgeous walks in!

Nightfall of dancing floors, disco lights, with glorious decor all around.

The red carpet was set up.

Not a gala event. Not a Filmfare. But, it was the college farewell.

Red, black, white, sarees and suits, well shown and neatly tied. All the students came with a proper theme of the farewell night.

Punam, a not so stylish but with a properly wrapped back- red saree, enter the hall. Alone. 

Yeah ...Alone...it doesn't mean she won't have any friends. Rather she came late due to some of her own reasons.

Punam was the CR - Class representative of her class from the last four years. An honoured position for her but for all she was not Punam, but a mere CR who only manages events and provided notes on time.  

As she steps in, she remembers her first day at college. How she with brave heart entered a cage where she didn't dream destined to. 

She survived, she sailed through every sea waves, bigger or lower. She stood drenched during rains and in the scorching heat during summer.  

Still, she moved on with the highest and lowest of tides. 

She never looked back during her four years. She tried to lived the days, to live her destiny with open eyes. 

Four years took a troll in her eyes.

She saw some of the happening moments and as well as the turmoil of sadness, taunts, insults, failures, all came haunting her for a moment.

Hey Punam, "Looking very beautiful". Someone said. She in her choked voice and watery eyes said thank you and left for the washroom.

 Smudged eyes wiped off. 

A nicely put Kamal and a bit of lipstick and the last touch-ups. She re-entered the hall but a smile on her face and forgotten past. 

She soon joins her group of girls. Laughter, selfies, photoshoots went on.

Period.

Punam with her friends was just enjoying the performance by juniors while someone tapped her.

 It was Rohan with a sly smile. He called her to get with him at the backseat. 

As usual, he started by complimenting her. This time a little more. And his sly smiles seeing her red-faced were just to watch on. 

He asked her for a kiss but Punam again smiles off. And he pleads but this time with a condition that some surprise is waiting for her after some time.

Amaze, Punam ignores it on the usual note. They both talked for a few minutes and both parted thereafter. 

An hour passed. Seniors were offered soft drinks and snacks. The performance was on.

And suddenly the lights went off.

With a speech starting with her favourite lines of shayari

Ae- dil behaal na ho Tu us noor ko dekh

Akhir Dillagi ki he toh dard bhi hoga...

Par mohabbat Mei dard na ho aur 

Dill de na bethe us ishq ke khatir

Toh phir woh ishq hi kya! Janab!!

A familiar voice came in with this Shayari. And an unbelievable scene was there to be seen.

Rohan saying these lines announces Punam's name on come on stage. 

An embarrassed Punam unwilling went there guided by a junior, was showered with her favourites rajnigandha flowers.

And there he was, bowing down with his hand towards Punam, proposing to be his better-half thereby.  

Claps, whistles, shouts, cheers for the new and happening couple. As finally, both were to be together after three years of extremity between them.

Happily shocked, shyly she blinked her eyes and he kissed her alas! 

Teachers, friends, all were spectators of this love. No one complained. Nor said anything to stop that.

All of them had that broad smiling face, expressing their happiness for them.

Punam and Rohan. Finally.

And Punam finally won herself.. from them who taunted her feelings, her lameness, her naivety towards people. 

A victorious smile was seen over her. 

Then a CR- not-so-mediocre student alas won the biggest of her dream.

Despite the happiness of getting Job, she was more than happy that farewell night.

Period.

Getting off the stage, Punam 

Kisses her to-be husband Rohan on their sangeet evening.

The year 2027- 10th April.