"Naina, soch kya rahi hai? Agle saal kategi kya cake?" Preeti prompted her, seeing her lost.
Sameer nudged her a little... and Naina came back to senses.
She bent down to blow the candles. Everyone clapped while she cut the cake. Taking a piece out, she was not sure whom to take it to... so she placed it in a plate... and went on to cut more, to put in plates for everyone.
"Beta, yeh kaam Preeti kar legi, tu pehle dam... Sameer ko cake khila." Bela urged, earning a glare from Preeti for assigning work to her.
Naina chewed the side of her lip... then picked up a piece, gingerly bringing it to him.
His eyes shone with mischief... and she knew what he was thinking.
Her cheeks flared up... Sameer held her hand, seeing the tremble that shook her... and took a little bite from the cake, turning her hand back to her mouth.
Naina nibbled a piece... and put the cake back in the plate, running away on the pretext of washing her hands.
Bela started to help Preeti arrange plates for everyone, mumbling under her breath, "Teen saal ki pehchaan ke baad shaadi ki hai fir bhi ek cake khilane mein itna sharmati hai... pata nahi iss ladki ka kya hoga."
Preeti, who heard what her mother said, rolled her eyes... wondering how she would react if she came to know that Sameer was here all night.
"Ab khi khi kya kar rahi hai... jaldi se sab ko de... main sharbat laati hun." Bela looked at Preeti when she giggled at her own thoughts.
Naina never imagined she could feel this shy by mere presence of Sameer in the same room. It wasn't that he was constantly looking in her direction. In fact, he was paying attention to chachiji and Phulla bua's conversation. Still, she felt conscious of every movement of hers... the slight touch of his finger when she handed him the plate of snacks, the stolen glance when she brought tea for everyone, the brush of leg when she moved past him to pick up empty plates... everything was like a new feeling... she didn't know if he felt that way too.
"Tujhe kya hua, Naina... itni ghabra kyon rahi hai?" Swati saw the tensed expression on her face.
"Pata nahi, Swati... bada ajeeb lag raha hai... Sameer ko itne samay se jaanti hun... fir bhi aisa lag raha hai ki sab kuch naya hai... uski taraf dekhne se, uska haath galti se choo jaane se... kuch alag hi ahsaas ho raha hai." Naina shared her feelings with her best friend.
Swati took her out to the balcony of living room, "Main samajh rahi hun... ab tak tum dono jab bhi saath hote the toh koi dekhne wala nahi tha... lekin aaj sabke saamne aise haath pakadna... ek dusre ko nazar bhar ke dekhna... yeh alag lagta hai... jaisi koi galti ho... kyonki humne bachpan se yehi seekha hai ki pyar wagerah sab bekaar ki baatein hain... filmy bimari hai... lekin hum dono ne yeh bimari laga li, Naina... waise tujhe itna nahi mehsoos hona chahiye... tere chachaji toh kitna pyar jatate hain chachiji se... unka khyaal rakhte hain, haath pakadte hain, gale bhi lagate hain sabke saamne... toh tu kyon hitchkicha rahi hai... ab tera pati hai Sameer... agar tu uska pyar apne parivaar ke saamne apna nahi payegi toh sabse ladegi kaise... usse nazaren churayegi toh sabke saamne nazren utha ke apne pyar ka haq kaise mangegi... Naina, tujhe pata hai na kya toofan aayega jab Rakesh sir aur taiji ko pata chalega... abhi ke suhane mausam se darr gayi toh toofan mein doob hi jayegi... Sameer tera sab kuch hai... sabko dikhna chahiye tumhara apnapan, tumhara ek doosre pe haq... pehle khud ko yakeen dilayegi tabhi doosron ko dila payegi na... yeh darr nikal de apne man se... dekh toh tere saath khade logon ka number badhta jaa raha hai... bas ab teen wicket girne baaki hain."
Swati's words slowly lifted a veil from Naina's eyes. She was right... it was needed on her part to show confidence in her choice... of course she had full faith in him, and their relationship... but she had to stop feeling culpable in front of her family.
