Na Jaane Kyon...

Likh de mere naam tu ab khwaab saare

Title is the song 'Tu paas itne mere' by Altaaf Sayyed from a MV

Darkness engulfed Naina. She could see nothing but accusation in Vishakha's eyes. Her worst fears were coming true. Life was playing its favourite game with her... yet again.

Nanu came towards her, concerned at the ashen hue on her face, "Naina, beta tum baith jao. Hum log aaram se baatein karte hain."

Her eyes had turned stony. She neither moved, nor shifted her gaze from a point on the wall near the door.

Vishakha commanded in a controlled voice, "Sameer ko bulao, Naina. Main uske saamne hi baat karna chahti hun."

His name made her breathe again. Looking at nanu first, then Vishakha, she managed to utter, "Woh chale gaye."

"Kahan? Ghar toh nahi aaya. Jhoot mat bolo, Naina. Maine khud dekha usse tumhare ghar aate hue." Vishakha looked around the house.

Naina gulped, "Ma'm, hum... hum mall gaye the. Wapas aake... woh mujhe aur Ayush ko... humein drop kar ke chale gaye."

Nanu felt bad for the terror on her face. He placed a hand on her head, speaking in a gentle voice, "Koi baat nahi, beta. Tum daro nahi. Hum toh bas... darasal Vishakha ko ek galatfehmi ho gayi hai. Woh usse door karne ke liye tum dono se ek saath baat karna chahti thi isliye humein yahan aana pada. Bas tum..."

Vishakha cut her father short, "Shaadi kab ki tumne?"

"Sh... shaadi?" Whatever little strength was left in Naina, left her at this point. She grabbed the back of dining chair against which she was standing.

Vishakha asked in a low, but harsh voice, "Haan Naina. Woh shaadi jiske baare mein humein chod ke sab ko pata hai."

Sameer reached home to find it eerily silent. Leaving the cake he had bought for Deepika on the dining table, he hopped up to his room. After a shower and changing into comfortable clothes, he opened his phone to call up Naina.

The call went unanswered. Pursing his lips, he imagined her and Ayush enjoying the cake while she showed fake anger at him dirtying his fingers by licking the chocolate, in spite of the spoon. Sighing, he wished he was there, but his dad was coming after a week, and he wanted to be home with all of them too. The thought made him frown. He checked the time and wondered why Vivek wasn't here yet. That is when he noticed the message.

'Bhai, papa will come on 31st. Yahan ka kaam thoda baaki hai. Aapko call karne ki koshish ki par aapka network nahi tha shayad. Nanu ne bataya aap bahar gaye ho. Enjoy yourself. Will talk at night.'

Rohan had tried to call him but since he was on the lower floors in the mall, maybe there was no signal.

"Ramdhari, ek cup coffee bana de." Sameer instructed when he was back in the hall. Settling down on the sofa, he picked up a magazine from the side table.

"Sab log kaha gaye hain? Main toh isliye jaldi aaya ki sab saath mein coffee piyenge." He flipped the pages, twisting his mouth. Neither could he enjoy his coffee with Naina, nor with his family.

Ramdhari came upto him hesitantly, nervously twitching the corner of towel he had around his neck, "Sameer bhaiya, woh... sab log... sab log..."

Sameer gave him a perplexed look, "Aise atak atak ke kya keh raha hai. Saaf saaf bol na kahan gaye hain."

Ramdhari wiped his forehead. He was scared of Sameer's anger, but he was also worried about Naina and Ayush, whom he had grown to like.

"Sameer bhaiya, sab Naina didi ke ghar gaye hain. Mummyji bohot gusse mein thi... unhe aapki... aapki shaadi ka pata chal gaya." He stated everything he had gathered from the heated conversation he had overheard.