The silence in the room weighed heavy on Sameer and Naina once they were back after breakfast. When Sameer could take it no more, he got up from his chair and walked up to Naina, holding her arm to make her stand in front of him.
"Dekho, mujhse yeh khamoshi nahi sahi jaati... hum aise toh nahi reh sakte... agar har nazdeeki ke saath yeh chuppi tum mujhe dene wali ho toh mujhe aisi nazdeekiyaan nahi chahiye... bas mujhe meri hansti muskurati Naina chahiye... warna main pagal ho jaunga." He looked into her eyes in desperation.
Naina was equally perturbed by the odd silence...
She hugged him tight, "Mujhe laga tum... tum... shayad tum gussa ho."
He was perplexed, "Aisa kyon laga, Naina? Aur main gussa kyon hounga?"
"Pata nahi, bas mujhe laga." She tightened her arms.
Sameer rested his chin on her head, "Agar main gussa hota toh shave kar leta... par maine toh aaj bhi nahi kiya... aur tab tak nahi karunga jab tak tum khud na kaho."
A smile crept up on her face, "Nahi karoge toh thode dino mein babaji lagne lagoge."
"Tumhare liye babaji banna pade ya sanyaas lena pade, sab karunga... nahi, nahi, sanyaas nahi lunga... meri Naina ko chod ke thodi main sanyasi ban sakta hun... koi kahega 'Bolo omm' toh main kahunga 'bolo Naina'." He gave a crooked smile, tilting his head to look down at her.
She lifted her head back, gazing at the growth on his jaw that had become quite thick now... she still liked it. Lifting her hand, she rubbed it against his chin. The bristles were a little soft, tickling her fingers. She rubbed the back of her knuckles on his cheek.
Sameer could never understand her fascination... though, he was happy with whatever gave her pleasure.
"Tum bas mujhse baat karna mat choda karo... agar tum chup ho jaati ho toh lagta hai meri zindagi mein fir se sannata cha gaya." He placed his palm on her hand that rested on his cheek.
"Abhi jo baatein tumhe achhi lagti hai na... saath rahenge toh kahoge 'Naina, chup ho jao, kitna bolti ho'... jaise baaki sab pati bolte hain." She pouted.
"Achha, tumhe bada experience hai patiyon ka... kabhi mujhe best bolti ho kabhi batati ho ki baaki sab kya karte hain." He teased.
Naina pursed her lips.
"Par main baaki sabke jaisa nahi hun... main kabhi tumhe chup nahi dekh sakta... maine bohot saal kaate hain jab mere paas koi baat karne ko nahi tha... ab nahi chahta waisi khamoshi ek din bhi aaye wapas." A dark shadow passed through his face, recalling the days he had spent alone in the hostel in Nainital.
She wound her arms around him again, looking into his eyes, "Ab tum kabhi akele nahi hoge... aur baaton ko toh tum tension hi mat lo... main toh sote jaagte baatein kar sakti hun."
Same thought reflected in their eyes at the same time.
"Sameer, kya main... main neend mein baatein kar rahi thi?" She voiced the question troubling her since morning.
He squinted, "Umm... kuch keh toh rahi thi par yaad nahi aa raha."
"Please batao na... Preeti kehti hai main neend mein bolti hun... kya main aaj bhi bol rahi thi?" Her heart started to beat faster.
"Preeti sahi kehti hai... tum baatein karti ho sote hue... maine ek baar pehle bhi suna tha hostel mein... aur aaj subah bhi." He gave a quick raise to his brows as if he had achieved something great.
She turned away from him... standing near the chair, holding its back.
"Kya bola maine?" She asked without looking at him.
"Kya bola yeh toh main nahi bataunga... par mujhe pata chal gaya tum mere baare mein kya sochti ho." He was in no mood to let go.
"Sameer, please." Her pulse plummeted... she had been saying something about him in sleep... and he had heard it.
"Achha agar main bata dun toh mujhe kya milega?" He slipped his hands in pockets.
"Kya chahiye tumhe?" She narrowed her eyes, turning to look at him again.
He came closer, "Meri pyaari si, chulbuli si Naina chahiye mujhe... jo hardam daant ke mujhe batati hai kya karna hai."
She hit him playfully on the arm, "Abhi bhi daant rahi hun... batate ho ya pitaai bhi karun?"
He chuckled, "Tum keh rahi thi tum kitna pyar karti ho mujhse... kitni becahin ho jaati ho mere bina."
Naina made a face, "Sameer, sachi batao na... kya kaha tha maine?"
"Arre, sach hi bata raha hun... tum neend mein Preeti se baat kar rahi thi... tumne mujhe Preeti samajh liya aur jab maine kaha main Sameer hun toh tumne kaha mera naam sunke tumhara dil zor se dhadakne lagta hai." He said in a low voice.
Her heart lurched, "Aur... aur kya kaha?"
His voice dropped another decibel, "Tumne kaha ki naam sunke yeh haal hai toh dekh ke kaisa hoga."
She turned crimson...
"Ab saamne hun tumhare... dekh liya na... ab batao kaisa hai tumhara haal?" He was enjoying her condition.
"Woh... woh main... shayad tab ke baare mein bol rahi thi jab... jab hum Ahmedabad mein mil nahi paate the." She tried to make an excuse, lowering her eyes.
He leaned, bringing his face to her level, "Tumhara haal tumhari aankhon mein saaf dikhta hai... aur mujhe isliye pata hai kyonki mera bhi wohi haal hota hai."
She stayed quiet for a while, then looked up, "Ab jo meri aankhon mein dikh raha hai na, Mr Maheshwari, woh gussa hai... itna saara time waste karne ke liye... ab chup chap baith ke padhai karo aur agar ek baar bhi koshish ki na idhar udhar dekhne ki toh tumhara haal main kharaab karungi."
He straightened, "Arre waah, tum toh ekdum se pehle wali Naina ban gayi... balki pehle se bhi do kadam aage."
She laughed with him, tugging at his arm to make him sit back and study.
The day went by smoothly after the tension between them dissolved.
It was in the evening when Sameer went to freshen up and went out to pick up his towel from the balcony. He was shocked to see his tshirt on the stand.
"Naina, yeh meri safed tshirt tumne dhoyi hai?" He asked.
"Haan, tumne hi kaha tha na ki tum doosri laani bhul gaye, isliye dho di." She answered nonchalantly.
"Tumne kyon dhoyi? Tumhe kya zaroorat thi mere kapde dhone ki?" He said sharply.
"Woh kya hai na, mujhe mere pati ne bataya tha ki hum ek saath rehte hain toh sab kuch share kar sakte hain... ek doosre ki cheezon ko choone se katrate nahi hain... aur fir tumhari biwi tumhare kapde nahi dhoyegi toh kaun dhoyega?" She gave a wide, forced smile.
"Main isliye keh raha hun ki tumhare haath yeh sab karne ke liye nahi bane... yeh haath toh bas mujhe pyar karne ke liye bane hain... tum yeh sab kyon karogi, naukar hain na, woh karenge... tum inn haathon ko mere liye sambhal ke rakho." He was sitting next to her, holding her hands.
"Sameer, apne ghar ke kaam karne se mujhe koi problem nahi hai... aur tumhare sab kaam main apne haathon se karungi toh mujhe khushi hi hogi... yeh bhi toh tumse pyaar karne ka ek tareeka hi hai na." She tried to explain.
"Theek hai, toh fir tumhare saare kaam main karunga... main bhi iss tareeke ka pyar dikhaunga... tumhare kapde main dho dunga." He beamed.
"Budhu, uski zaroorat nahi hai." She pressed her fingers to his forehead.
"Kyon, tum kar sakti ho toh main bhi kar sakta hun... mujhe kam mat samajhna, Mrs Maheshwari." He raised his collars.
"Kam nahi ho, tum toh bohot zyada ho, mere budhu." She kissed his forehead.
