Na Jaane Kyon...

Main tainu samjhawan kee... na tere bina lagda jee

Sameer lay in his bed at night, staring at the ceiling. The day had gone very different from his expectations. He was kind of glad now that he had not been here last three days... or he would have planned something elaborate to surprise Naina for her birthday. And that would have been disastrous. She could not bear to accept a simple birthday wish... a celebration would have been intolerable. But why?

Her behaviour today had left him more disturbed than shocked. His initial thought was that she was grieving for her parents. But it seemed more than that. Her first reaction to his touch was startling. Naina had never been appalled by his touch. In fact, she had herself initiated it on several occasions.

Sameer sat up in bed. She had done so again today... few minutes later. The way she had herself sought solace on his shoulder... he was relieved that she had done so. But the same touch earlier had made her repel. Had she not recognised him... had she thought him to be someone else? She was definitely not in her senses... or why would she get surprised to see him later? She never even asked how she reached on the bed. Sameer could still feel her soft, almost weightless body in his arms. That wasn't the moment of getting such thoughts, but he couldn't stop himself from feeling how slender she was. He had placed her on the bed with utmost care, scared to hurt her. Her confusion, when she had opened her eyes, was another reason for him to be astounded. She didn't seem to have any recollection of their conversation of few minutes back... in fact, she could not remember seeing him earlier. What was this amnesia? Was she suffering from some ailment? But she didn't look unwell. Distressed, yes... but not sick. And she hadn't mentioned anything ever. Except for that one incident in Jaipur, he hadn't seen her so broken.

There was something which he didn't know... and he wanted to find out... before he took next step towards her.

Naina scribbled in her diary, in the light of a single lamp at her bedside. The day had started as gloomy and painful as she had expected. She had somehow remained in control in front of Ayush and seen him off in the morning. But after that, back in the empty, silent house, the same feeling had come back to haunt her... yet again. She had slipped into the dark abyss of piercing pain. The worst part was, there were no memories, still it haunted her. She could never think of this day as anything but a reminder of all the trauma. And she had been drowning in the same world of grief... till Sameer came along.

She stopped writing, lifting her head to look at the dark cover of night outside the glass door. He had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. It didn't occur to her to ask how he had come inside, because she had no recollection of hearing any doorbell, or opening the door. He was right in front of her when she opened her eyes. And there was something so assuring in his presence... that she had let go of herself. Crying on his shoulder had felt like emptying herself, of all the grief, all anguish. A sense of serenity had pervaded through her after that. His concern, his gentle persuasion, his thoughtfulness... everything made her come back to normal much faster. Now, as she sat pouring her heart out to her diary, she realised she had fallen more in love with him, if it was even possible. Shutting the diary, she got up and went to the cupboard. Sameer had left his blazer in her room. She had noticed it only after coming back in the evening, after he was gone. Holding it wistfully in her hands, she felt the same musky scent wafting from it, the one that always engulfed her when he was around. The blazer was a part of him that he had left in her room. She didn't feel like parting from it. Instead of putting it in the guest room, which already had some of his clothes, she had put it on a hanger in her own cupboard, amidst her clothes. Now, as she touched the fabric, she felt a calmness descend on her. Even his belongings had an effect of her. She didn't realise, but a smile adorned her face when she laid down to sleep a little later.

Sameer was glad to see Naina in office the next day. There was no sign of the broken, shattered girl of previous day in her confident, poised demeanor. They had a meeting with other members of the department, and she gave an outstanding presentation, answering all questions and clearing all doubts without faltering once. She did not shy away from speaking her mind when Aakash, who was clearly jealous of her, tried to mock her for out of the box ideas. But nanu was quite appreciative of her suggestions, and approved all of them instantly. Sameer could not help but feel a sense of pride surge through him. She was just as tough, as she was fragile.