Kabhi to nazar milao

Memories

First week in college had made Naina a little comfortable with the environment but she was still somewhat shy of talking to other students. Sonali was a great help, not only with pending notes but also getting her acquainted with college premises and other students. Besides Sonali, now Naina had two more friends, Nisha and Komal. She was still not comfortable talking to boys.

After spending the weekend with Phulla bua dadi, today Naina felt happier... the old lady always had this affect on her... showering her with love and praises. As she walked in the corridor, smiling to herself, she felt a nudge at the back. Turning around, she found Sonali giving her a winking smile.

"Kya baat hai Naina, apne aap muskura rahi hai... kisse milke aayi hai Sunday ko jo itni khush hai." She enquired with raised eyebrows.

"Arre main to apni dadi bua ke ghar gai thi... wo bohot pyaar karti hai mujhe... aaj subah bhi aate waqt mujhe alu paranthe bana ke diye... mere favourite hain na... bas wohi yaad kar rahi thi." Naina's reply dampened Sonali's naughty imagination.

Next moment she held Naina's hand and almost dragged her towards the canteen, "Chal phir canteen chale... pata hai aaj pehle do lectures cancel ho gaye hain... Sir ki meeting hai isliye... chal na."

Sonali sometimes reminded her of Preeti.

She smiled, allowing her friend to almost push her to the canteen.

They settled on the colorful chairs. The canteen was abuzz with nonstop chatter... friends greeting each other, placing orders for samosas and vada paos, sharing food and laughing a lot. Naina opened her tiffin, offering her alu parantha to Sonali who took a huge bite.

Closing her eyes, she exclaimed, "Yummyyy... iske sath to cold drink hona chahiye... chal leke aate hain."

She dragged Naina to the counter, biting into the rest of the parantha.

They returned to their seats with cold drink bottles in hand, only to find the tiffin empty... someone had taken Naina's alu parantha. She looked at the open tiffin in shock... getting a feeling of deja vu... just as Sonali waved to a new group entering the canteen, mumbling to Naina, "Main abhi aayi. "

All the memories of the first day of class XI came rushing back to Naina... someone had similarly eaten her parantha when she had gone for audition for the role of Juliet... of course she had come to know the identity of the thief soon... but not before he stole one more thing... her heart.

He had joined school in class XI... the most handsome boy anyone in the entire school had ever seen. His long, silky hair falling on his forehead made every girl swoon. Naina was returning from the library, running, so she could reach the class before Kumud ma'am entered and scolded her for being late. And she almost banged into him... almost...

He had stepped aside just in the nick of time... giving her a fleeting glance and moving away to meet the Principal.

Naina froze in her tracks... her heart thumping loudly... she found it difficult to breathe. She had fallen in love with him at first sight... though, at that time, she couldn't understand what the feelings storming inside were. He was new in school, she later came to know. Sadly, he was in a different section but two boys, Munna and Pandit of her section, were his friends and he would often come over to meet them. Sometimes Kamya or Swati tried to talk to him and he answered in soft tone but without any interest in them. Naina would just admire him with hooded eyes... the feelings getting intense with each passing day.

She realised she was in love when the bookworm Naina could not concentrate on her studies... she was seeing his image everywhere... having sleepless nights... wondering if she could gather courage to speak to him. She started reaching the school early so that she could catch a glimpse of him as he entered the school on his bike... her fingers itched to straighten his long hair falling on the forehead.

Naina spent two years of school, hopelessly in love, but never did he pay any attention to her. Finally she accepted the fact that an average looking girl like her, who was given names like padaku, behenji, teacher ki chamchi, had no right to dream about a guy like him. Her admission to Mumbai college was also an escape route to ease out the heartache.

Here in college, Naina had tried not to think about him... only to realise she had no control over the memories that clouded her brain... nor could she stop the tears from flowing every night.

Seeing Sonali walking back to their table, she forced her thoughts to come back to present.

"Kya hua?"Naina asked, noticing the frown.

"Pata nahi kuch log khud ko kya samajhte hain." Sonali seemed annoyed over something.

As Naina gave her a questioning look, Sonali explained, "Wo Neeraj hai na, bohot bakwas karta hai... Maine bhi jhaad diya."

"Lekin kaha kya usne?" Naina enquired.

Sonali hesitated for a moment, "Chal jaane de... tu aaram se kha."

Naina understood that someone had again made fun of her which did not go well with her friend.

She gave a knowing smile to Sonali, "Tujhe kitni baar kaha mere liye mat lara kar... mujhe aadat hai aisi baatein sunne ki... mujhe bura nahi lagta... tu kyon sabse jhagadti hai mere liye? "

Sonali kept a hand on Naina's shoulder, "Tu bohot bholi hai... tera mann sone ka hai... aur ye log agar tere liye kuch bolenge to main sab se jhagda kar lungi... yeh hote kaun hai tere kapdon aur baalon pe comment karne wale... jitne number tere ek exam me aate hain utne to inke poore saal ke mila ke bhi nahi honge."

Naina smiled at her friend, "Jaane de... mujhe fark nahi padta."

They got up and went to the library. After attending two lectures, Sonali left for home and Naina walked over to the hostel.

The hostel building was beside the main structure of college... One wing for girls and another one for boys. She climbed the stairs of her first floor room and opened the lock. It was a decent room with a single bed against one wall, a study table and a chair, a small wooden cabinet and a wooden cupboard. There was a window opposite to the bed and Naina had placed her study table next to it. She liked the natural light and feeling of openness while studying. One door in the corner opened into a small balcony overlooking the playground behind the college. It was an additional ground which was rarely used.

Naina placed her bag on the cabinet and went out to the bathroom at the end of the passage. After freshening up, she made tea. There was a single stove in a corner with a small cylinder. She liked to have tea often in the night when she was studying.

As she moved to the balcony with her steaming cup of tea, her mind filled with his memories again.

"Why Naina, why?" She groaned, "Why can't you just accept that he can not be a part of your life... high time you stop making him a part of your thoughts."

She smiled wryly, "He's not a part of my thoughts... he IS my each and every thought in each and every moment of each day."

The tears were back again. She blinked hard and tried to look at the quiet ground... searching for something to divert her mind.

That's when her eyes caught a movement... someone seemed to be sitting under the tree at the far end. He was partially hidden by the tree.

"Why would anyone come this far to sit alone?" Naina thought.

He seemed to be doing nothing... just looking ahead... as if lost in thought. Naina observed the lonely figure for a while and went back inside.