Na Jaane Kyon...

Dil hai ki maanta nahin

Naina wondered if she was doing the right thing by calling at eleven in the night. As if in answer, the call dropped twice. Maybe it was a sign... maybe she shouldn't disturb him at this hour. Sitting in her chair, she rolled the phone in her hand.

"Last try. Agar iss baar bhi nahi laga toh idea cancel. Phir Monday ko hi baat karungi." Coming to a decision, she pressed the same number one more time.

When the phone started to ring again, Sameer gave it a killing look, "Isse samajh kyon nahi aa raha mujhe baat nahi karni. Waise hi dimaag ghooma hua hai. Theek hai beta, aaj tu akhiri baar kisi ko iss waqt phone kar raha hai. Dekh zara kya haal karta hun tera."

"Hello!" Sameer growled.

Naina jumped at his harsh voice. She bit her lip, pulling the phone away from her ear, wondering if it was better to disconnect without answering.

"Ab chup kyon ho? Pehle itni jaldi ho rahi thi baat karne ki ab muh pe taala laga liya kya? Bolo na, aisi kya emergency aa gayi ki iss waqt dusron ko disturb karna hota hai... manners hain ki nahi?" Sameer fumed in an irked voice.

Naina squeezed her eyes shut. If he came to know she was the one calling him up, and had disconnected without speaking, it would present a wrong picture.

Mustering courage, she slowly put the phone back to her ear, and uttered in a shaky voice, "So... sorry sir."

The phone fell from Sameer's hand. There was no mistaking this voice.

SHE... NAINA...

With shivering hands, he picked it up quickly from the bed, and put it against his ear, "No... no... I'm sorry... I'm really so..."

The phone had gone dead. He stared at it. Maybe his finger had touched the disconnect button as he tried to pick it up. Without thinking, Sameer pressed the top most number in his call log.

Naina gulped as the line again went blank after her sorry.

"Bolna hi nahi chahiye tha mujhe. Kya sochenge Sameer sir. Damn... big mistake... ab kaise face karungi..." She could have admonished herself more had the phone not started to ring again.

She stared at the same number flashing on her screen. Not taking the call was not an option after the blunder she had committed.

"Hello Nai... Miss Naina... I'm... I'm extremely sorry. Please aap... aap ek bar poori baat sun lo... main... main aapko nahi keh raha tha... matlab aapko hi keh raha tha par aapko koi aur samajh ke... please aap kuch aur mat samajhna... I'm so sorry... mujhe pata nahi tha yeh aapka number... I'm sorry maine woh sab bola..." He blabbered in a harried voice the moment she connected.

The fear in her subsided a little, "Sir, I am sorry. Galti meri thi jo iss waqt aapko call kiya. Actually main..."

"Oh no no no. Aapki koi galti nahi hai. Aap kabhi bhi call karo. Subah shaam raat... kabhi bhi. Mujhe achha lagega." The words were out before he could analyse them.

There was an awkward silence of a few seconds before they both said together, "I am sorry."

The silence prevailed again, only to be broken by both saying the same thing one more time, "It was my mistake."

Naina slapped her forehead. Sameer rubbed the back of his neck.

"Ek minute. Meri baat suniye. Aap boliye pehle." Sameer quickly said before their chorus game could start again.

"Sunu ya bolun?" Naina blurted, at his strange directive.

Sameer smiled sheepishly, "Aap boliye. Main sununga."