Na Jaane Kyon...

Kuch toh log kahenge logon ka kaam hai kehna

It was almost one hour since Sameer decided to stay in Naina's room. She had been sleeping in the same position... on her side, her one hand clutching the edge of the pillow, other one under her cheek. He could make out that under the blanket, her legs were folded at knees. He would have thought that she was peacefully sleeping had it not been the frown on her forehead... her brows were still knitted together. Also, he could feel her shudder lightly few times. How he wished he could keep her hand within his palms, to soothe her, to tell her that he was with her.

Her eyes scrunched hard suddenly, and she placed one hand over them, slightly shifting her position. Sameer hurriedly looked up at the bright lights. He got up from the chair, flicking the switches around the room, leaving only the soft lights on around the bed, and in the passage. Naina went back to her previous position.

Sameer tried to think what different food items they had today, which could have led to an allergy... and realised that they had all new things the whole day... typical traditional snacks and meal in Mr Kothari's office, dinner in a new restaurant, and then, kulfi at a place which was known to him, but not to her. She could have developed a reaction to any of these things. But then, she had been fine till they reached back the hotel... rather the lift.

He sat up straight... was it really an allergy... or she had been effected by the incident with those boys! His blood boiled when he recalled their menacing stance and leering expressions. He wanted to go and break down every damn door on the seventh floor, drag them out of their rooms, and throw them down from the terrace above their floor.

"Aise logon ko aane hi kyon dete hain?" He gritted his teeth, filled with seething resentment.

Then he was reminded of Naina's words 'aise log har jagah hote hain'... and was enraged at the gall of such people who thought they could do or say anything... and get away with it. His hand tightened into a fist, which he banged on his leg in frustration.

A soft sniffing sound made him look at her again. Even in the dim light, he could see tears rolling down her eyes, soaking up the pillow. Her lips were moving, as if she's speaking something, but he couldn't understand. Suddenly, pressing her lower lip under the teeth, she  started patting the bed with her palm, as if searching for something... or someone.

Sameer immediately got up and went close to the bed. He kneeled on the floor near her, and tried to understand her soft murmurs.

"Mu... mumma... wohi smell... mumma please... mujhe... mujhe aapke paas aana hai..." Her faint, broken words were meant for her mother... she needed her.

Sameer looked around. He saw a bolster on the small couch. Picking it up, he slowly slipped it next to her, as close as he could. Naina's hand landed on it, and she instantly snuggled into the round cushion, burying her face in it. As more sobs racked her body, it took extreme will power for Sameer to not take her in his arms.

"Bas ek baar Naina... ek baar tum koi ishara de do, jisse mujhe lage ki main tumhare kareeb aa sakta hun. Main tumhe foran apne dil ki baat bata dunga. Aur uske baad tumhe kabhi aise rone nahi dunga... kabhi nahi. Tumhare saare dard mita ke sirf khushiyaan dekhna chahta hun tumhari aankhon mein. Meri Naina ke naino mein aansu nahi dekh sakta. Please mujhe khud tak aane do. Please mujhse baant lo apne aansu." His eyes blurred at her pain.

He didn't have the heart to see her like this. Shifting his chair to face the door, he slumped down heavily in it.

The day had not yet broken in the outer world, but a good part of night had passed when Naina's eyes shot open. She sat up with a jolt.

"Ayush." Her head sprung to her left. As the form of her little brother sleeping peacefully became clear to her dazed eyes, she heaved a sigh of relief. Leaning to the side, she stretched one hand to stroke his hair... but stopped midway.