Kabhi to nazar milao

Wall

They carried the required things to Sonali's mother. She saw Sameer helping Naina.

"Beta aap kyon pareshan hote ho... aap toh Rahul ke dost ho toh aaram se baitho." She felt conscious at getting work done from her son in law's friend.

"Mummy, Naina aur Sameer hum dono ke dost hain... kal bataya toh tha aapko. Aur aap isko koi bhi kaam bol sakti ho... Sameer ko koi problem nahi hogi... haina Sameer?" Sonali said from where she was sitting.

Sameer smiled warmly, "Bilkul auntyji, koi problem nahi hai... balki aap kaho toh main yahin aapke ghar reh jaata hun... fir main aapki taraf se hi ho jaunga."

Naina looked at him, amazed at the ease with which he was talking. Sameer had always been hesitant in front of others... even in the morning, when he was asked to put haldi on Sonali, he was reluctant to come in.

"Haan mummyji, isko hum yahin rakh lete hain... yeh bhi khush aur hum sab bhi khush," Bhabhi gave a mischievous smile, looking at Naina and then at Sonali.

Naina could feel herself go red.

But Sameer was in a different form today, "Bilkul sahi kaha aapne, bhabhi... Amit bhaiya ko bhi help ho jayegi... Sonali, kya bolti ho?"

She grinned, nodding.

"Naina tum kya kehti ho?" He said nonchalantly.

Thankfully, Naina didn't have to answer as Rahul spoke up, "Oye dal badlu, yahan mere saath rehne aaya hai... mere hi saath rahega... dulhe ka dost hai... samjha na?"

"Lo bhai Sameer, tumhara patta toh humare damaadji ne kaat diya... ab inke aage hum bhi kuch nahi kar sakte." Bhabhi raised her one hand in defeat as she was getting mehendi done on the other one.

"Arre bachhon tum log bhi kya baaton mein lag gaye... chalo, kuch kha lo, Naina, fir tujhe bhi mehendi lagwani hai na... aur haan Sameer, beta aapne kuch liya ya nahi... main mangwa dun?" Sonali's mom asked him.

"Aap kyon mangwayengi auntyji... main bas khane hi jaa raha tha... aao Naina, tumhe bhi khana hai na." He looked at her.

Rahul raised his brows at Sameer's smart move to go and eat with Naina.

"Sameer, kya hua hai tumhe... aaj aise baat kar rahe ho jaise pehle kabhi nahi ki." Naina asked him the moment they were out of the seating area.

"Bas aise hi," he gave a crooked smile.

"Bolo na, kya baat hai?" She probed, curious to know the reason behind this change.

Sameer himself was a little surprised at the comfort he felt with everyone. It felt as if there was a shell he had created for himself where he did not allow anyone to enter and today Rahul had helped him to break that shell. And suddenly he wanted to be a part of everything... feeling relaxed in the surroundings. The other reason was the afternoon meeting with Naina in college. Her acceptance had cleared all his confusion and apprehensions of last night... and of last so many months. The feeling that Naina might find it wrong to be close to him or might get frightened if he tried to show his love was keeping him on the edge. His fear of a long time was gone in a second when he looked into her eyes.

On the same day, Rahul had broken a wall he had built around himself and Naina had broken a wall he had put up around his heart.

And there was a third reason too... he wanted to show someone how close he was with this family... and what he meant to Naina. There was someone who had to understand that Naina was forbidden... even to look at.

"Kahan khoye ho, Sameer... main kabse pooch rahi hun tum kya khaoge par tum batate hi nahi." Her voice sounded worried.

"Uhh... kuch bhi... jo tum khila do." He tilted his head and smiled.