Once Naina gave the medicine, Ayush felt better. But he didn't want to eat dinner. Naina offered to make him whatever he wanted but the pain had scared him and he refused to have anything.
"Main tumhare liye kuch leke aaun... tumhara favourite?" Sameer tried to lure him into eating.
Ayush shook his head, "Mujhe nahi khana."
"Achha theek hai, jab bhook lagegi mujhe bata dena." Naina stroked his hair as she sat with him in the bed.
Ayush turned and wrapped his arms around her, digging his face in her waist, "Naina, mujhe tumhare paas rehna hai."
With a smile, she leaned and placed a kiss on his head, "Main tere paas hi hun. Tu aaram se sojaa."
He lifted his head slightly, "Sameer, aap bhi mere paas baitho."
Sameer immediately complied by sitting on the other side of the bed, rubbing his arm, "Don't worry, dost, main kahin nahi jaunga."
In a few minutes, she could feel his hold go limp as he drifted into sleep.
She looked hesitantly at Sameer, "Aap jaake so sakte hain."
"Mujhe yaad hai jab Ayush ki tabiyat kharab hoti hai usse sab apne paas chahiye hote hain. Main bhi yahin rukta hun." Sameer blinked assuringly at her.
It was around midnight when Naina gently put Ayush on his pillow. She glanced at Sameer who was comfortably sleeping next to him. But sleep was far away from her. What happened earlier played in her mind distinctly, making her look at the way Sameer had one protective hand on Ayush. The truth hadn't changed his love... it didn't result in any acrimony in his feelings towards Ayush... or her. Watching the two people who meant the most to her sleeping peacefully, she wished she could always see the same serenity on their faces. Would things remain the same?
She slipped out of the bed and walked to the balcony, searching for the companion she sought when her mind was troubled. It was bitterly cold, but sky was clear, with a shining half moon, and its glittering contemporaries scattered all around.
Drawing the lapels of jacket closer to herself, Naina looked up at the moon, "Sab kuch badal jaata hai bas tum nahi badalte. Kaise dekh lete ho itna kuch, yun hi chup reh ke?" She stared at the twinkling stars, and a melancholic smile curved her lips, "Shayad tumhare saath yeh sab taare hain isliye tumhe himmat milti hai. Jaise Sameer ne mujhe himmat di aaj... aur main unhe Ayush ke baare mein bataa paayi. Kitni aasani se unhone sab kuch janne ke baad bhi Ayush ko apna liya... kya mere liye bhi woh aisa hi sochenge?"
Her heart beat wildly with a fearful apprehension, "Sameer ko dekh ke lagta hai mere liye bhi ek nayi zindagi ho sakti hai. Lekin agar..." A tear rolled down her cheek, "Main unhe khona nahi chahti, par kya main unhe paa sakti hun? Bolo na, ek zindagi se doosri mein jaana kya itna aasan hoga? Jo pyar unki aankhon mein, unki baton mein, unki har smile mein hai agar woh pyar khatam ho gaya toh main... main nahi bardasht kar paungi. Bohot kuch khoya hai ab Sameer ko kho diya toh... iss baar marr jaungi main."
A big lone star twinkled brightly, close to the moon. Her blurry gaze drifted to it, seeing it as her mother who always comforted her. She didn't need words to convey her dilemma to her mom.
"Main jo karne jaa rahi hun woh theek toh hai na, mumma? Main sach ko chupa ke Sameer ko dhoka nahi dena chahti. Lekin yeh sach kahin unhe mujhse door toh nahi kar dega? Main... main Sameer se door nahi ho sakti ab... nahi mumma, main unhe chod ke kahin nahi jaa sakti. Please, koi ishara toh do, main kya karun?" She waited for an answer, looking at the sky... but the star just seemed to twinkle brighter... and moon seemed to smile.
When her hands started to freeze, Naina came back inside. There was no answer... as always.
She didn't know when she slipped into sleep, getting up only when there was a knock at the door.
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Na Jaane Kyon...
FanfictionNaina and Sameer meet each other when Naina comes to Delhi from Agra, her hometown, to join a new office. Along with her younger brother, she settles down in a rented accommodation and learns to manage in the new environment. Sameer is intrigued by...
