Her Book Man

Chapter 3

Author's pov

"No, Mumma! I will not go to any Ojha!" Naina shouted, her voice trembling as her feet stomped against the floor in sharp, defiant bursts. Her tone had a sing-song quality, almost childlike, as she glared at her mother.

Rashmi, her face lined with worry, tried to reason with her. "Beta, this is for your own good. You are mentally unwell... my child, we need to take these evil eyes off you. Please, listen to me."

Naina’s body stiffened, her expression shifting abruptly. She began fidgeting with the hem of her kurti, her gaze darting to the corners of the room, as if looking for an escape. Her voice dropped to a whisper, trembling. "No. I am not unwell. I am fine. Look at me—I’m fine!"

Rashmi stepped closer, her voice soft. "Naina, you’re not yourself sometimes. You forget things, you lose control... beta, this is not normal."

Naina backed away, her hands clutching her head now, fingers pulling at her hair as if trying to ground herself. "I forget because... because... I don’t want to remember! You don’t understand! Stop calling me crazy! I’m not crazy!"

Her father, sitting silently in the corner until now, spoke up. "Naina, calm down. We just want you to get better."

But this only escalated her reaction. She froze, her breathing shallow and erratic. Her eyes widened as she stared at her father, and then she pointed a trembling finger at him. "No! Don’t say that! I know what you think of me. You all think I’m paagal. But I’m not! I’m not!"

Her voice broke as she stumbled backward, her legs giving way, forcing her to sit on the floor. She began mumbling under her breath, as if speaking to someone unseen. "They’re wrong, aren’t they? I’m fine. I’m normal. I’m just tired. Just tired... that’s all."

Rashmi crouched beside her, her own eyes brimming with tears. "Beta, please. Let us help you. I’ll do anything for you to feel better. Just listen to us."

Suddenly, Naina’s head shot up, her expression cold, almost detached. She pointed at Rashmi now, her voice eerily calm. "No, Mumma. You’re the one who doesn’t listen. You don’t want to understand me. You just want to fix me because I don’t fit into your perfect world."

Her tone shifted again, rising in anger as she scrambled to her feet, pointing toward both her parents now. "You’re all mad! All of you! Not me. I’m fine! You’re the ones who need help!"

Her words were rushed, her breaths labored. Her voice cracked as she yelled, "I will not go to any tantrik! You can’t make me!" And with that, she stormed off to her room, slamming the door so hard it echoed through the house.

Inside her room, Naina sank to the floor, her back pressed against the door. She rocked slightly, her knees pulled to her chest, whispering to herself, "I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine," as if trying to convince herself.

Outside, Rashmi sat down on the sofa, burying her face in her hands. "What do we do, Ramesh? She’s slipping further away from us."

Her husband sighed, his voice heavy. "Maybe it’s time to stop thinking of tantriks and find a doctor who can really help her."

She needed some alone time.
So she decided to go through the book she bought.

And after two days, when Naina returned to the library, her steps quickened as she made her way to the cozy corner of the romance-com section. The scent of old paper and freshly brewed coffee filled the air, grounding her as she approached the shelves.

But when she reached her favorite spot, she froze. Kabir was there, crouched near the bottom row, his long fingers trailing over the spines of books, a small, thoughtful smile on his face.

For a moment, she just stood there, watching him. It felt strange to see him so immersed, almost as if he were part of the library itself.

"You’re not supposed to be here," she finally said, crossing her arms, a teasing lilt in her voice.

Kabir looked up, startled at first, but his expression softened when he saw her. "Oh? And why’s that?"

"Because this is my spot," she replied, stepping closer and gesturing around dramatically. "You’re trespassing."

He laughed softly, rising to his feet. "I’ll make you a deal. If you can guess the book I was looking for, I’ll leave."

Naina squinted at him, her head tilting to one side. "Hmm...something classic? Romantic? Jane Eyre, maybe?"

Kabir shook his head, amused. "Good guess, but no."

She leaned forward, her tone conspiratorial. "Alright, I’ll need a hint. Is it something you’ve read before?"

He hesitated, then nodded. "Once, a long time ago. It’s a book that reminds me of... growth. Of second chances."

Her eyes lit up as she clapped her hands together. "Pride and Prejudice! It has to be!"

Kabir grinned, shaking his head again. "Nope. But I’m impressed. You’ve been thinking about it, haven’t you?"

Naina blushed slightly, brushing her hair behind her ear. "Maybe. It’s... stuck with me. Like, Darcy and Elizabeth? They’re not just about love. They’re about becoming better versions of themselves. Together."

Kabir nodded thoughtfully, his eyes meeting hers. "Exactly. That’s what makes it timeless. But no, I wasn’t looking for that one. I was actually checking out Persuasion by Austen. Similar themes, but with a different flavor."

She smiled, intrigued. "I’ve never read that. Is it good?"

"It’s beautiful," Kabir said, pulling the book from the shelf and holding it out to her. "Take it. You might like how it shows the quiet strength of waiting... and the courage of speaking up when the time is right."

Naina hesitated, then took the book, their fingers brushing for a brief second. She looked down at it, running her fingers over the worn cover. "Thanks. But I’m warning you—if this makes me cry, it’s on you."

"I’ll take full responsibility," Kabir replied, a playful glint in his eye.

As she turned to find a seat, she glanced back over her shoulder. He was already pulling another book off the shelf, his attention focused but his smile lingering.

Kabir sat next to naina and saw her baby face in a bunny hoddie with a cap. She is so innocent.

He was busy admiring her when she burst out.

Naina: "Elizabeth is so stubborn, but she’s brave. She doesn’t let Darcy’s money or charm sway her. I wish I could be that strong."

Kabir: "You are, in your own way. Elizabeth learns to see past her pride, just like Darcy lets go of his prejudice. It’s about growth, not perfection."

Naina: "But Darcy judged her. Isn’t love supposed to be unconditional?"

Kabir: "Maybe. But don’t you think love is also about understanding and changing for the better? Darcy becomes a better man because he loves her."

She made an oooo face and said, " you are right."

Naina: "Elizabeth judged Darcy too, didn’t she? I guess we all do that sometimes."

Kabir: "We do. But the beauty lies in owning our mistakes and learning from them. That’s how you know you’re moving forward."

She went happily to her home with a new story to explore.
~~~~

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