Kabhi to nazar milao

Acceptance

Sameer reached the temple much before four... not wanting to get late due to any reason. He nervously waited near the gate.

At five minutes to four, he saw Naina getting out of a rickshaw, along with her chachaji. In spite of his anxiety, he noticed how beautiful she looked in a pale blue dress... her hair tied in a pony.

Not wanting to show his eagerness by greeting them at the main entrance, he turned his back towards them. Of course Naina will know... she would know even if he hid somewhere... but chachaji should not see him waiting like this.

Naina walked in the temple with her head lowered, following chachaji, not looking once in his direction... but the moment she entered the gate, she took one hand behind and indicated to follow them.

Sameer adjusted the collar of his light blue shirt, tucking it properly in the jeans... and entered the gate of the temple.

Chachaji looked at the boy walking in and his face immediately broke into a smile, "Arre beta tum? Tum bhi mandir aaye ho? Achha laga dekh ke... aajkal zyaadatar bachhe pooja karne mein yakeen nahi rakhte na."

"Namaste uncleji", he folded his hands, giving a thin smile.

Chachaji turned towards Naina, "Beta, yeh Munna ka dost hai... yaad hai sagai mein mila tha? Bohot achha ladka hai."

Naina looked down.

"Dekho toh, tumhara naam hi nahi pucha maine... beta, kya naam hai tumhara?" He turned to look at the boy standing in front of him.

"Sameer... Sameer Maheshwari."

The silence that followed was deafening for the three of them.

When finally chachaji spoke, his voice was flat, "Toh tum dono hamein uss din bewakoof bana rahe the."

Naina's heart sank, "Nahi chachaji, mujhe toh pata bhi nahi tha Sameer ne aap logo se baat ki thi... humne aisa kuch nahi socha tha... Sameer bas aap logon ko..."

Sameer interrupted her, accepting truthfully, "Main pehchanta tha aap logo ko... main chahta tha aap sab mujhe pasand karein... isliye koshish kar raha tha... "

Chachaji looked at both of them, staring at him with hopeful eyes.

"Main tum dono ke baare mein sab kuch janna chahta hun."

Sameer and Naina looked at each other. Taking the cue, Sameer let Naina start.

She started her story from the first month of college, telling about how he helped her when she was not well.

Chachaji was not happy to know that she did not inform them about her health problem.

"Aap chinta mat kijiye, uncleji, uske baad Naina kabhi bimar nahi padi... main dhyaan rakhta hun",  Sameer chipped in, earning a glare from her.

She told him about them studying together and his good score in first year. Naina was not sure if Sameer wanted his insecurities to be known to chachaji so she did not mention. But Sameer himself talked about how he was shattered after his nanu's death and dadi's harsh words and how Naina had taken him out of the darkness of his life. He did not hide anything about his experience with bike race either. His face reflected the pain when he told about his mother and her second family being her priority.

Chachaji kept listening with an expressionless face as they went on with their story.

At the end, Sameer folded his hands and spoke in a polite voice, "Main janta hun aapko achha nahi laga hoga ki aapki beti ek aise ladke ko pasand karti hai jiska koi parivaar nahi hai... par main aapse wada karta hun... Naina ko kabhi parivaar ki kami mehsoos nahi hone dunga... aur aap logo se... uske apne parivaar se usse hamesha jode rakhunga."