Na Jaane Kyon...

Phool sa hai khila aaj din

Naina let out a relieved breath. She felt much lighter after making the call. It hadn't occurred to her earlier that Sameer could also be hurt but now that it was clear that he was fine, she was thankful for the same. She was also scared, of his anger. The way he had hollered into the phone in the beginning made her break into sweat.

"Baap re, kitna gussa karte hain Sameer sir. Jinko nahi jaante unpe itne naraaz ho gaye toh jab kisi janne wale se koi galti hoti hogi uska toh band hi baja dete honge." She shuddered, hoping she never came in his firing range.

She checked her phone, and her eyes widened at the time flashing on the screen, "Barah baj gaye? Oh God! Naina, pagal ladki, yeh time hota hai phone karne ka! Woh kya sochenge... shittt... kahin isliye toh gussa nahi the ki maine unhe neend se jaga diya? Haan pakka aisa hi hua hoga. What have I done! Ab kya karu... of course dubara phone karke sorry thodi bol sakti hun... warna iss baar woh gussa mere liye hi hoga."

Pressing her forehead, Naina sat curled up in the chair, cursing herself for not checking the time before calling.

She need not have worried so much. Sleep wasn't something that gave company to Sameer anymore. He laid in bed, staring at the phone, or rather, her name against a specific number. He had saved it as one word... Naina. The A at the end wasn't needed in his contact list.

A smile appeared on his face at the realisation that he now had her number. Somehow, it felt that he had moved another step closer to her.

"Agar ek pal ke liye Sanjay ki baat sach maan lein, ki Naina single hai... toh... toh kya karunga main? Aur kaise? Kya usko seedha jaake bol dunga... nahi, aise kaise bol sakta hun. Naina toh..." He sat up in excitement, "Naina ne toh kabhi meri taraf dekha tak nahi theek se. Jaise kuch ladkiyan ekdum ghoorti jaati hain, ya smile karti hain, ya phir sharma jaati hain... Naina ne toh aisa kuch bhi nahi kiya mere saamne. Iska matlab usse main pasand nahi kya? Lekin nanu kehte hain mujhe toh koi bhi ladki pasand kar legi... phir Naina ne kyon nahi kiya?" He was confused about what Naina thought about him.

Sameer had to spend the night tossing in bed, his thoughts jumbled up about Naina's relationship status.

Nanu smiled at him when he went down for breakfast, "Aa jaa hero. Aaj jogging pe nahi gaya tu?"

Sameer shook his head, "Thodi thakaan lag rahi thi, nanu. Baad mein gym chala jaunga."

He had decided against trying his luck in Lodhi garden again.

Nanu looked at others before patting his back as he slipped in the chair next to him, "Dekho bhai, yeh hamara sher... kal Vikas ki itni dhulai kari ki che jagah fracture hai aur chaar daant tut gaye hain, hoth pe aur aankh pe stitches aaye hain."

Vishakha stared at her son in horror, "Sameer, yeh kya? Itna kaise maara tune usse? Papa, kisi ne roka kyon nahi? Aap sab kahan the?"

Vivek and Rohan were equally shocked while Deepika screamed in delight, "Wow bhai, aap toh movies wale hero ban gaye. This is crazy. Main apne friends ko bataungi toh sab impress ho jayenge."

Nanu gave the details that Vikas had a broken jaw, fracture in nose, three fingers and wrist, a few missing teeth, and probably the rings that Sameer always wore had given him cuts on lip and eyelid after Sameer had pummeled him. The news gave Sameer smug satisfaction. The hand that had touched Naina was broken, the mouth that had uttered words against her was shattered, the teeth that sneered at her were gone and eyes which had casted evil look on her wouldn't be able to give a dirty glance to anyone anymore.

Though Vishakha was miffed about the incident, nanu pacified her by saying that had Sameer not made Vikas this incapable, he could have escaped... and then could have come back to cause more harm to them personally.