Kuchh Ankahi Baatein

Stairs

Next day in college, Naina was alone in class waiting for Preeti... Sameer entered and saw her lost...

Sameer snapped his finger in front of her face, "Hello, kya hua.. kya soch rahi ho... aur yahan akele kyun baithi ho, baaki sab kahan hai"

Naina back to senses, "Sameer, sab apne apne kaam mein busy hai.. vaise Rohan college ke paas tak hi gaya hai Swati ke saath, notes ki xerox karwane ke liye, bas abhi aata hi hoga.....tumhari cricket practice khatam ho gayi "

Sameer : Nahin practice abhi chal rahi hai... thodi der ka break tha to Munna Pandit canteen chale gaye aur mein yahaan aa gaya..

Naina: Kyun tumhe bhukh nahin lagi.. tum bhi kuchh khaa lete... achchha vaise Preeti kahan hai, uska break nahin hua kya...

Sameer (mischievously) : Mera lunch to yahaan hai, mein canteen jaakar kya karta.. vaise Preeti abhi busy hai... lagtaa hai aaj der tak chalegi uski practice, dekha tha maine usako jab yahaan aa raha tha..

Naina sadly : oh, koi baat nahin, tum lunch karo, phir tumhein jaana bhi hai...

Sameer picked up a roll from lunch and asked : Kyun kya hua.. Preeti se kuchh kaam tha kya... mujhe bata do...

Naina (anxiously) : Nahin .. voh aisa kuchh nahin... tum khao tumhein jaana bhi hai na vaapas..

Sameer put the roll back in tiffin and asked : Kya hua, ab jaldi se bataao varna bina khaaye hi chala jaunga... phir mat kehna agar bhukh se chakkar aa jaye..

Naina with fake anger : tum pichhhle janam mein black mailer the kya... jab dekho mujhe pareshaan karte rehte ho... vaise aisi koi baat nahin hai.. bas usse thoda kaam tha... koi nahin jab voh aayegi tab kar lungi...

Sameer (apprehensively) : aisa kya hai jo tum mujhe nahin bata sakti... well agar kuchh girls ki personal baat hai to its okay par mujhe khushi hogi if you can share... you know na, ki tum mujhse kuchh bhi kah sakti ho...

Naina (hesitantly) : Voh Sameer, aise kuchh personal nahin hai, bas yeh books aaj library mein vaapas karni hai, last din hai.. isliye Preeti ko dhundh rahi thi ki voh jaakar vaapas kar aaye... aur kuchh nayi books issue bhi karwani hai...

Sameer (laughing) : tum paagal ho, itni si baat ke liye itna pareshaan kyun ho rahi thi... buddhu... tumhein library ka raasta nahin pata kya..... jaao aur jaakar books vaapas kar aao...

Naina nervously tingling her both hands, lowered her eyes "raasta to pata hai par jaa nahin sakti... akele" Sameer pretty surprised : akele matlab?

Naina just on verge of crying said slowly "voh actually Library first floor par hai aur yahaan lift bhi nahin hai... toh mein voh sidiyaan.. I can't climb .......akele" Sameer shocked to listen this as he never realized this earlier...

Sameer (softly hold her hand and pressed ) : it's okay... ismein itni pareshaan hone ki kya baat hai.. par yeh books tumne issue kaise karwayi phir...

Naina : Voh Preeti ko bata deti hun, vahi dhundh kar le aati hai, jitna usse samajh aata hai..

Sameer : Par Naina aise to notes banane mein problem hoti hogi na.. library mein aur bhi bahut books hai jo tum dekh kar hi lo toh better hoga... vaise bhi tumhein itna shauk hai library jaane ka... maine dekha tha school mein hamesha free period mein vahin milti thi....

Naina (smiling sadly): Sameer waqt ke saath shok aur jaruratein badal jaati hai.. har voh cheej jo hum chahe humein nahin milti... so jo hai ussi ke saath khush rehna sikh lena chahiye...

Sameer : Naina apne man ko apni ichchhaon ko maar kar jeene mein koi samajhdari nahin hai... haan maana kabhi kabhi halaaton se majboor ho jate hai par koshish nahin chhodni chahiye...

Naina look at him amazingly with teary eyes as he is exactly saying same what her Chachaji and Nanu always told her, whenever they saw her in any confusion or problem ........ He wiped her tears and she looked at him. His words were having a calming effect on her, his words forced her to believe that things can be alright in her life too.. She didn't know why but she wanted to have faith on his belief...

Naina took a deep breath and said in requesting tone, "Sameer, tum le jaaoge mujhe library.. I mean koi saath rahe to mujhe darr nahin lagta..... bas akele nahin ja sakti.....

Sameer smiled : Theek hai, par mujhe achchha lagta agar yahi baat tum mujhse haq se kehti.. par koi nahin aage se dhyan rakhna... tum mujhse koi bhi baat jo tumhare dil mein ho khul kar kah sakti ho, bina jhijhak ke.. achchha chalo pehle lunch karo varna ek baar padai mein ghusogi to sab bhool jaogi...

They both gets calm and finish their lunch... then Sameer took her to library and support her in climbing stairs holding her from one hand firmly and second hand on her shoulder... she always feels safe and secure with him around.....

Sameer : Vaise ek baat bataao, yeh sidiyon se tum kyun darti ho... I mean mein samjha nahin...

Naina (nervously) : Voh pata nahin par accident ke baad se hi sidiyaan dekh kar mujhe chakkar aa jate hai... lagta hai abhi gir padungi... isiliye ghar par bhi lift hi use karti hun jyadatar... haan jab Preeti ya chachakji saath ho to unake saath manage ho jata hai..

Sameer (smiling) : Haan vaise bhi Preeti hai to tumhari sabse badi supporter... looking into her eyes.. mujhse bhi jayada......

They reached library on first floor and Sameer left for cricket practice, assuring he will be back in an hour to take her back.. till then she should stay here only and complete her notes.....

Preeti returned in class and surprise to see her missing... she checked with Swati, Priya and Rohan but no one was aware..... they all panicked and about to go to search her when Sameer met them and inform about her in library....... Preeti got surprised .....

Preeti : Par voh akele kaise gayi.. voh sidiyaan nahin chadti...

Sameer : Akele nahin mere saath ... mein chhod kar aaya hun usse... abhi thodi der pehle..

Preeti smiled with tears : Sameer thanks meri behen ki zindagi mein aane ke liye.... ab lagta hai dheere dheere sab pehle jaisa ho jayega.. voh phir se normal jeene lagegi.....

Sameer (sadly) : Nahin Preeti, abhi usmein bahut waqt hai... abhi to voh khul kar apne dil ki baat bhi aasani se nahin batati...... humein usse thoda waqt aur dena hoga...... usse force nahin kar sakte....

Rohan : Bhai, tu Naina ko propose kyun nahin kar deta... phir shayad jaldi hi sab theek ho jaaye.....

Sameer : Nahin, mein chahta hun ki who pehle apne aap se khul kar jeena seekhe... mere sahare se nahin... aaj Preeti par depend hai kal mujh par hogi...... usse khud apne raaste par chalkar manzil tak pahunchna hoga..... mein sirf usake saath chalna chahta hun...

Preeti : Sameer, can't believe, koi kisi se itna pyar kaise kar sakta hai... you are truly amazing...

Sameer Smilingly : ab jiske paas duniya ki sabse pyari ladki ho, voh itna to seekh hi jayega na....... Naina mere liye anmol hai....... sabse precious.....

After leaving everyone in canteen, he went to Library to meet her... she was sitting in a corner desk next to window and reading a book..

Sameer : Hi Ms padaku, ho gaye tumhare notes poore... bore to nahin hui...

Naina (happily) : mein books ke saath kabhi bore nahin hoti... thank you so much itane mahinon baad mein library aayi hun, aur is college mein toh pehli baar ... all thanks to you...

Sameer grinned widely : at your service madam... ab chalein sab wait kar rahe hai canteen mein..

The moment they reached near stairs, her head starts spinning and hand shivered... Sameer shocked to see her reaction as it was not the same when they were coming upstairs... he makes his grip tightly on her to support anwod take her down slowly...... he ensures talking with her to divert her mind from stairs..

They reach canteen and he made her sit next to him only. They ordered food and relish it happily enjoying, laughing on jokes and chit-chat... They attend lectures and finally they leave for their home.