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Naira is trying to sleep but the feeling of rejection is overwhelming for her. She recalls a similar night when Rajveer had broken off their wedding on phone.

Flashback

One month after their wedding Rajveer had left for America. Naira was staying with her in-laws busy with her studies. Her father in law was a sweet man, but somehow her mother-in-law never warmed up to her.

Her only communication with Rajveer was through phone calls that too only when she called. As the months went by, Rajveer became more and more distant.

Naira (on phone): Rajveer..aap kaise ho?... 2 din se phone nahi kiya..aapki tabiyat toh theekh hai na?

Rajveer: hmm

Naira: kya baat hai Rajveer..aap bahut pareshaan lag rahe hai...workplace me koi tension hai?

Rajveer (irritated): Kitne sawaal karogi tum..main thakk gaya hoon tumhare sawalon ke jawaab de dekar...

Naira (feeling bad): aapka mood abhi theekh nahi hai kya? Main baadme call karoon ?

Rajveer (exhaling): Nahi...Naira...I think ab mujhe tumhe sach bataana hi hogaa..main aur bardasht nahi kar sakta

Naira: Sach? Kaisa sach?

Rajveer: Naira....its over...between us....

Naira: Over? Rajveer...meri samajh me nahi aaya...kya over?

Rajveer (frustrated): Yahi tumhari problem hai....tumhe kuch bhi samajh nahi aata..main kya chahta hoon, mere desires... kuch bhi nahi...yaa toh bahut hi zyaada bholi ho yaa bahut acha natak kar leti ho...khair..tumhe samajh me nahi aaya naa..toh main tumhe clearly samjhaata hoon....I WANT A DIVORCE..our marriage is over !

Naira stands there shocked at the words she just heard. She takes the phone out of her ears, checks if its still Rajveer's number. Confused and worried she speaks again..

Naira: Di..Divorce? lekin kyun Rajveer....

Rajveer: Maine abhi bataya naa....tum mujhe samajhti hi nahi ho....I just want a divorce..maine Maa se baat kar li hai...tum chaho toh abhi issi waqt apne mom dad ke paas jaa sakti ho...main 1-2 din me notice bhej doonga...sign kar dena..

Naira (shock): Divorce? Rajveer....please...meri baat toh sunoh...hellooo..hellooo..

Rajveer cuts the call. Naira sits on their bed shell shocked still looking at the phone. She cannot think anything sensible and dials his number again...its busy...15 mins later Naira is still trying his phone, when there is a knock on her bedroom door, and Rajveer's parents step inside.

RajveerF: Betaaa...woh Rajveer..

Naira (confused, shocked): Haaan daddyji...main...unka..unka number hi try kar rahi thi..woh phone nahi uthaa rahe hai..

RajveerM: woh humse baat kar raha thaa...usne bata diyaa naa uska faislaa....tum apne bhai ko yaa papa ko bulaa lo aur kal hi apne saamaan ke saath apne ghar chali jaoo..

Naira (shocked): Daddyji....Rajveer ne kya kaha aapse?

RajveerF (sad): I am sorry beta...usne kaha ki who divorce chahta hai...papers ready kar diye usne..maine samjhaaya usse..but woh zidd pe adaa hai..

Naira pleads and cajoles her in-laws. They are helpless as Rajveer has told them firmly he doesn't like Naira and wants to be separated forever.

Same night, Naira house

Everyone is asleep and get awakened by ringing of doorbell in their house. Naksh and Keerti come out of their room.

Naksh: Itni raat ko kaun ho sakta hai?

He peeps through the keyhole and is shocked to see Naira standing outside. He opens the door.

Naksh (worried): Nairaaaa...itni raat ko.....sab theekh hai naa...

Naira walks inside the house slowly. Keerti rushes to her.

Keerti: Naira...kya hua? Teri tabiyat? Main paani laati hoon..

Naira's father comes down hearing the commotion.

NairaF (surprise, worry): Priincess...tuu..is waqt...kya hua?

Keerti gives water to Naira, she doesn't drink. Everyone is worried as she doesn't talk.

NairaF (hugging her): priincess....apne papaa ko nahi bataayegi? Mera dil bahut ghabra raha hai...

Naira shuts her eyes in that melting hug and starts to cry. In between her sobs she says..

Naira (sobbing): papaaa....Rajveer....Rajveer ne mujhe chor diyaaaa...

Flashback over

Naira (mind): Mujhme aisi kya kami hai? Rajveer ne mujhe chodd diyaa aur Kartik bhi mujhse pyaar nahi karta...

Kartik room

He is confused and a strange sadness is present in his heart. Kartik has had many relationships and they never were permanent. He would always make it clear to his girlfriends that there was no scope for love. This time it was the most awkward situation for him. Naira was not his girlfriend – he couldn't define what she was, what relation they had.

Kartik (mind): Mujhe aaj tak itna buraa nahi laga..pehle bhi breakups huye hai..but iss baar...yeh break up bhi nahi thaa..hamara toh koi rishta hi nahi hai...phir yeh feeling kyun?

His fingers crave to hold a cigarette again, he fights the urge but.

Next day, early morning

Naira decides to get up finally- she has not slept a wink in the night. She makes her way to the kitchen and stands at her place frozen as she finds Kartik making coffee for himself. She takes a deep breath and decides to face the situation. She takes small steps towards the kitchen and stands at a distance from Kartik who is still busy making coffee.

Kartik turns to take the mug off the counter when he sees her. He stops and doesn't know what to do. They both stare at each other.

Kartik (breaking the ice): Hi

Naira (responding): Hi

Kartik: I am leaving..just taking my coffee..he quickly clears the kitchen and moves to his room. Naira steps inside and makes a mug for herself and sips it slowly thinking of the day ahead. Kartik steps out of his room dressed in his medical scrubs.

Kartik (not looking at Naira): I have two shifts today..I shall be late...bye

Naira sits there and completes her coffee and later gets ready to go to her laboratory. Teena's sleep gets disturbed and comes in the drawing room yawning. She picks up the TV remote.

Teena (yawning): Good morning....where are you going so early? Where's Kartik?

Naira (wearing shoes): I am off to the lab. Kartik has two shifts today..

Teena (shock): What? You? Lab?today?

Naira: yeah..whats wrong?...

Teena (standing up, keeping hands on hips): whats wrong with you? It's a SUNDAY today ! she points at the calendar..

Naira checks the date and sits down in confusion.

Teena (realizing): Oh Godd...Kartik is not here too...it's a Sunday..how come he has duty today?strange...

Naira now realizes that Kartik left to avoid her. It crushes her a bit from inside. She feels tears welling up again but stubbornly refuses to cry in front of Teena.

Teena: since you are up and ready..why don't we catch a movie and lunch outside? What say? I will call Joe too..you okay?

Naira : you go ahead with Joe..i will manage myself.

Teena: why? Its fine with us....you can join us..

Naira (angry): I don't want to..leave me alone Teena..she gets up and leaves the house.

Naira walks outside with no plan in her mind. She finally sits on a bench all alone looking at a pond in front. She thinks about everything in her life and analyses and decides the next steps.

Naira (angry): Yeh ladke...kya samajhte hai apne aap ko...kya koi explanation ki zaroorat nahi hai...bas keh diyaa...Its over ! kabhi socha hum ladkiyon ke dil pe kya beetti hai....kitna chota feel kar rahi hoon main iss waqt..kahan main Kartik ko papa ke jaisa samajhne lagi...

The mere mention of papa in her mind, makes her go soft, she remembers her dad !

Naira (mind): papa....aap ne bhi mera dil todaa..mujhe aise akele chorr ke chale gaye...kaun hai mera ab...she cries..5 min later, she wipes her tears.

Naira (mind): Its okay Naira....tumne koi galti nahi ki...apne pyaar ka izhaar karke....kabhi naa kabhi toh kehnaa hi thaa...bas iss reaction ke liye ready nahi thi...ab mujhe Kartik ko bhoolna hoga...kya main bhool paaoongi..woh...woh mera pehla pyaar hai..hai naa? She questions herself whether she is truly in love with Kartik.

She shuts her eyes and still can imagine a happy picture with her and Kartik. She still wants to be with him..

Naira (mind): Shayad...yeh pyaar hi hai...this is love..she sobs again, wondering why doesn't he love her back...

Naira (stopping crying): Chup Naira ..bahut ho gaya..bahut aansu bahaa liye....jis kaam se yahan aayi thi usko poora kar ab..no distractions now...promise ! only and only studies !

She gets up and walks back to the apartment with a new determination to focus only on her studies.

Over the next weeks Kartik and Naira manage to evade each other but are cordial in front of Teena as they still live in the same house.

Naira has a very important submission of her thesis. She has spent days and nights working on the same. She is still working late in the laboratory. Finally she gets in her car to drive home. Halfway down the road, she gets a flat tire. She panics as she doesn't know how to change it. She calls up Teena.

Teena: oh my god Naira..flat tire...where are you? Shitttt...get inside the car. It's a lonely expressway...its dangerous. I will be there soon...

Teena dials Joe but he doesn't pick it. Worried she calls Kartik who is now doing his night shift in the hospital. He finds this to be an easier way to not face Naira.

Teena: Kartik...listen...I need your help..its a problem..she explains whats happened with Naira. Kartik wants to help her but he is bit reluctant as this should not raise an awkward situation.

Teena: Listen...I am leaving right now..shall I pick you up at the hospital?

Kartik: Teena..wait..its late..don't drive now..I..I will take care of her..I will get her home safe.

Kartik sighs and calls Naira. Naira looks at her phone – she is in two minds – pick or not? Finally she picks it.

Naira: He..helloo..Kartik

Kartik: Hi...Teena told me you have a flat tire.. I am coming in a bit to help you...you stay inside the car and lock the doors...

Kartik pulls in near her car. She comes out and helps him change the tire. They both don't speak. Finally its done.

Naira: Thank you Kartik...

Kartik: Don't thank me...you are my...he stops because he doesn't know yet !

Naira's eyes well up. She feels humiliated. Kartik couldn't even consider her his friend – it was a simple word ! Friend – we call random strangers friends, Friend – we call people whom we have just met as friends...and here they both lived in the same house from the past so many months – know each other fairly and even shared a short intimate moment...Yet he cannot even call her his friend ?

She wipes her tears angrily and starts her car and leaves without even glancing back at him. Kartik stands there for a long time, finally takes out a cigarette.

Kartik (mind, angry): whats wrong with me? You are My friend ! Friend...god dammit...maine aisa kyun nahi kaha..you are my friend...kya ab who meri dost bhi nahi rahi...mera kya rishta hai uske saath...kyun nahi tayy kar paa raha hoon main...What are you Naira? Tum meri Kya Hoooooo?

Why is Kartik so undecided about Naira ? why can't he even consider her his friend? is this sign of him loving her but denying it? Keep reading votiing & plz do Inline comments