Kabhi to nazar milao

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When they came out of the restaurant, Naina spotted a chemist shop near by.

"Sameer, apna purse dena", she asked him casually.

Sameer was surprised, "Kyon?"

She raised her eyebrows at him, "Kyon kya? Main tumhare purse se paise nahi le sakti? Mr Maheshwari, mat bhulo yeh har biwi ka haq hota hai."

Sameer gave a wide smile. He loved it when she called herself  'biwi'.

He handed his wallet to her.

"Tum do minute yahin ruko", she ran to the chemist shop before he could object.

Little later, she came back with a small tube of ointment in one hand and his wallet in the other.

"Apna haath aage karo." She ordered.

Sameer forwarded his injured hand.  Naina carefully removed the handkerchief, applying the ointment gently on his grazed knuckles, blowing on them in between.

"Fir kabhi apne aap ko chot dene se pehle soch lena ki tumse zyaada dard mujhe hota hai", she told him in a heavy voice.

Sameer nodded, promising himself that he would never cause such pain to her ever again.

Naina rubbed the ointment all over his hand, "Ab dard ho raha hai?"

"Tumhara haath lagte hi saare dard gayab", he gave a crooked smile.

She looked up with slightly misty eyes, "Doctor nahi hun."

"Meri doctor toh tumhi ho", he said with a tilt of his head that made her go weak in the knees, in the middle of a market.

Quickly, she finished putting the ointment and tied the handkerchief back.

Handing him the ointment, she said, "Raat ko sone se pehle ek baar fir laga lena."

She also handed a single tablet, "Zyaada dard ho toh yeh goli khani hai... raat ko khana khane ke bad."

He pocketed both things. Then extended his hand for the wallet she was still holding.

She looked at it then looked at him, not making any move to give it back.

"Meri school ki photo kahan se aayi tumhare paas?" She gave him a penetrating look.

He realised that she had seen her  passport size photograph in his wallet.

Once, when they were in class XII, teacher had asked them to get photographs in school uniform to put on the examination form. Everyone had submitted their photographs pasted on the forms which were kept on her desk. Sameer had gone to meet Munna Pandit when it was games period... seeing him entering the class, Neha ma'am had asked him to take the bundle of forms to the staffroom while she went to the principal's office. Naina's form was on the top. Sameer could not stop himself from staring at her picture till he reached the staff room. Once there, he looked around. There was no one. He picked up the form and studied her picture closely. This was the first time he was seeing her face from such close quarters. The innocence of her eyes, the simplicity of her features, the softness of her face captivated him so much that he removed the picture and pocketed it. He turned to go and saw Neha ma'am coming towards the staff room. To make sure that Naina's form doesn't remain without photograph, he confidently walked up to the teacher.

"Ma'am, forms toh maine rakh diye par upar wale form pe photo nahi hai... nishan toh hai... lagta hai photo kahin gir gaya", he said innocently.

" Achha, kiska form hai?" She enquired.

"Woh toh maine dekha nahi... ek minute dekh ke batata hun." He turned and pretended to check the form.

"Woh kisi Naina Agarwal ka hai", he said casually.