love amidst war!

He was running with a sword in his hands anger for Hindu people in his eyes and his white Pathani blood stained on the streets of MUMBAi with his fellow Muslims. The road was empty due to the curfew in Mumbai due to the Hindu Muslim riots of 1992. Only a group of 15 boys was roaming in the lanes of andheri just in search of any Hindu but he was mearly wandering with his fellow members. Fahim was not violent and neither wanted to kill or hurt anybody an engineer who belonged to a sophisticated and peace loving Muslim family.

Suddenly the group turned towards an half open shutter of a shop. Their eyes looked like that of a tiger in nearing his prey except Fahim. As they opened the shutter they moved in and scattered to search the shop which was a general store. A member of their group asked fahim to go in a particular direction and he just followed the orders. As he neared the end of the lane he saw her in the darkness and time freezed for him. The girl looked all scared and was shivering in terror while he stood there freezed not believing wat he saw. It was her. YES, it is HER. His heart started pounding instead of beating by every second that passed between them. POOJA. Thousands of thoughts were running through his mind. Happiness, sadness, questions, answers, conversations all running through his mind and then suddenly it all stopped as he heard his friend shout out FAHIM, KOI MILA KYA! (Did you find someone!). He answered NAHI (NO). He neared her and whispered I WILL BE BACK TO SAVE U TRUST ME POOJA! FAHIM REMEMBER! His eyes had all the tenderness of a kid and that gave her a reason to believe him even when she was scared of everyone from his race.
The group left the shop Fahim was the last to leave. While leaving he locked the store and told his fellows that TAAKE KOI HINDU PHIR SE YAHAN CHUP NA SAKE! MAI WAPAS AAKE CHECK KAR LUNGA KI TAALA TUTA HAI K NAI! (So that no other hindu can hide in again, I will also come and check if the lock is broken or no!) The last line was a bit louder for Pooja to hear. The group went on.
The moment Fahim left she was numb and all blank. Gradually her shivering stopped and her body became stable. As she regained her senses the only words haunting her life,ears,heart and mind were FAHIM REMEMBER!!!
She waited in the locked store for what seemed like eternity as she had lost track of time. It was around 2am in the night when the shutter opened slowly. Pooja froze again of fear but the very next second the voice came closing the shutter ITS FAHIM! He locked the store and went to her. He had brought some food for her and some clothes of her sister probably. He just watched her in amazement as she had her food. After the food they sat besides each other for another eternity seeing into each others eyes they had a full conversation-
Pooja (P)- thanx for saving me,
Fahim(F)- don’t say that,
P- u recognized me?
F- how could I not?
P- how can u? we have not seen each other for over a decade.
F- time doesn’t faint ur the beauty of face in my eye or memory.
P- why?
F- bcoz ur face is the only face I have had dreams of since class 10.
P- u seriously liked me?
F- yes
P- u still love me?
Fahim just smiled a shy smile.
the last look in his eyes said “I will not let anything or anyone harm u! I will reach u safely to ur family!"

Even then he knew she is still just a dream in his life which he could never achieve! his love for her did not demand anything from her!

Pooja just said - I TRUST YOU! and fell asleep on his shoulders with the hope of seeing her family again and praying that they were all safe.