Naina stood in the garden of her house. The house was fully decorated with lights and flower garlands. Dressed in a simple salwar kameez and hair loose, she looked at the stars, hoping to find her brother somewhere. Her eyes grew tired and were filled with tears, bringing onto her the harsh reality that Naveen would never return, even though she needed him the most at this time.
She felt someone come, so she wiped her tears. Turning back, she saw Rajveer.Dressed in a simple kurta Pyjama he walked towards her with a small smile on his face.
"Naina" he called. " Kya baat hai ? Itni raat ko kyun bulaya mujhe ? Aisi kaunsi baat hai jo kal tak ruk nahi sakti."
"Wo..." she started, not knowing where to begin. " Sir...woh...actually..."
"Naina" said Rajveer, a little concerned now. " Kuch hua kya ? kisine kuch kaha phir se ?"
He knew very well that her house were filled with relatives, and someone might have made a snide comment, like the past few days.
"Nahi...aisi koi baat nahi. Mein aap se baat karna chahti thi...humare baare mein.." . Naina turned around not wanting to face him.
Rajveer looked at her intently. Was this about..?
"Naina..." He took a deep breath. " Tum jaante ho ki mein...humesha tumhari aur tumhare faislon ki izzat karte aaya hu....aur aaj bhi karunga..chahe wo jo bhi ho...tumhe hichkichane ki koi zarurat nahi...agar tum iss shadi se khush nahi ho..toh..."
Naina turned back with a force.
"Kya...yeh kya keh rahe ho aap...mein aisa kuch kyun kahungi....aur aapse kisne kaha ki mein shaadi se khush nahi hu ???" she asked angrily.
"Ohh..toh tumne shaddi todne ki baat karne ke liye nahi bulaya ? " asked Rajveer, internally sighing a relief. They din't get much time to date or spend together because of being on different missions and it always bothered Rajveer, how she actually felt about them. "Toh..phir baat kya hai Naina ? Kal subh shaadi hai humari...iss waqt tumhe kya baat karna hai ?"
Naina turned back again.
"Sir...mein jaanti hu..ki aapne mujhse kaha tha..ki ab aap mere mentor nahi rehna chahte..." she said remembering the day of their engagement.
Rajveer remembered too. It was not that he wanted to end it, but Naina was still considering him as a superior and not an equal.
"Haan mujhe yaad hai..meine kaha ki humein ek naye rishte mein bandhna hai..doh equals ki tarah...toh hume apna mentor-protogee wala rishta khatam karna chahiye."
"Haan...aur shayad aap sahi bhi hai...par...aaj mujhe guidance ki zaroorat hai...aur jo yeh sab se ache se de sakte the...woh ab nahi rahe...aur mere paas...ab koi nahi hai" said Naina, her voice breaking.
Rajveer came in front of her and held her shoulders, concerned. He could never see her sad,not before and definately not now.
Naina looked up into his eyes. " Kya aap sirf aaj ke liye, bas ek baar phir se mere mentor..mere Rajveer sir banenge...jiske paas, mein apne chotte se chotte problem le ke aati thi ?"
"Haan Naina..kyun nahi...mein tumhara Rajveer Sir hi hu....bolo...bina koi zhizhak ke..." said Rajveer.
"Sir..." said Naina, taking a deep breath. " Kal meri shaadi hai...mein ek aise insaan se shaadi kar rahi hu, jis pe mujhe khud se bhi zyada yakeen hai...jine humesha mere khushi ke liye zameen aasman ek kar diya...mein jaanti hu ki woh mujhe humesha khus rakhenge, woh ek perfect gentleman hai...itne perfect....ki mujhe dar lagta hai...ki mein unke laayak hi nahi hu..."
"Naina..." said Rajveer, shocked.
"Sir" she said firmly, trying to convey that he cannot stop her at this point. " Unhone humesha mujh pe andh vishwas kiya...lekin meine unpe shak kiya..humesha chot pahunchaya unhe.." . Naina was now crying. "Goli chalaya unpe.."
Rajveer closed his eyes looking down.
"Mujhe toh naa sahi galat ki samajh hai...aur na unke jaise pyaar karne ki himmat...kaise banungi mein unki saathi...Kya unse shaadi karke mein aur ek khudgarz galti kar rahi hu ? unke saath nainsafi kar rahi hu ? batayiye na Sir..."
Rajveer opened his eyes. With a determined look, he cupped her face and wiped her tears.
"Lt Singh, Kya aapne kabhi ek perfect insaan dekha hai? jisme koi kami na ho ? Nahi na..Woh isliye, kyunki aisa kuch iss duniya mein nahi hai...hum sab insaan hai...aur har insaan mein koi na koi kami zaroor hoti hai..kya aap aise koi insaan dikha sakte hai mujhe, jissme koi galti nahi kiya ho ? kisi ko chot nahi pahunchaye ho ? Insaan kabhi perfect nahi hote Naina...rishtey perfect hote hai....aur jo rishte pyaar se bante hai..unhe perfect banane ke liye chahiye hota hai..bas thoda sa vishwas" said Rajveer rubbing his two fingers in front of her "thoda sa samajh aur apne galtiyon ko maan ke unhe dobara nahi dohrane ki himmat. "
"Aur rahi baat aapki...jisne apne bhai ke gaurav ko wapis lane ke liye duniya bhar se ladne ki himmat rakhi...uss insaan ko aaj khud pe shak kaise ? Jisne Lala jaise criminal mastermind ko dhul chataye, aaj usse apne samajh pe yakeen nahi ? kya tum wahi Naina nahi, jo apne bhai pe itna bharosa kiya, ki chahe puri duniya ne usse gaddar kyun na kaha....ussne kabhi nahi mana. Naina...rishte nibhaana toh koi tumse seekhe..."
Naina let a last lone tear escape, before she held his hand on her cheek and hugged him tight.
After hugging her to his heart's content, Rajveer opened his eyes. " Naina..." he asked a look of mischief coming onto his face while Naina was still in his embrace. " Tumhe nahi lagta , ki tumhe mujhe aise gale nahi lagana chahiye...tumhare perfect fiance ko jalan na hone lage."
Naina smiled too, her eyes still closed.
"Woh samajh jaayenge...ki mera aur mere mentor ke rishte se zyada perfect, iss duniya mein kuch bhi nahi." :-)
