Part 6

Naina had already untied her dupatta after the goons left as the veil was making her claustrophobic and she was already soaked in sweat. But now hearing Chachi call her, she wished she had maintained the incognito a while more sneak into the house. Responding to the repeated holler, Naina scampered to her.

"Naina, yahan kya kar rahi hai? Tera college toh bahut pehle khatam ho gaya hoga na. Fir ab tak bahar kya kar rahi thi? Aur tujhe itna paseena kyon aa raha hai? Aur yeh aise kapde pehenke kahan gayi thi?" Chachi fired her barrage of questions suspiciously.

Naina turned mute as she had never lied to Chachi and wasn't planning on starting now but she had no idea how to explain the situation, since she had done everything against Chachi's instructions but she couldn't give away her dear sister and put her on the spot coz all she did was make her feel special for once in her life.

"Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye, saanp sungh gaya kya? Aisi buth bankar kyon khadi hai? Jawab de". Chachi prodded.

When Naina continued to remain silent and since they were not far away from
home, to avoid the gawking passers by, "theek hai, tu ghar chal, fir leti hoon teri khabar", saying so Chachi tugged her along a little forcibly.

Since the rest of the residents of the Jeevan Jyoti chawl were watching, to avoid any gossip and raise suspicion, Bela plastered a smile and instead of pulling her along, she loosened her hold on Naina and pretended to only hold her hand. Once inside their house, she was about to shut the door when Preeti came barging in. Naina was all smiles and relieved that her saviour was here.

"Kya hua Mummy, abhi se darwaza kyon band kar rahi thi? Abhi toh raat hone mein waqt hai!"

Bela pulled her in and shut the door. The sisters huddled together as they were getting one of those rare angry vibes from their mother. "Bhagwan aaj tum donon se jhooth na bulvaye warna mujhse bura koi nahi hoga. Sach sach bata Naina, iss tarah ban sanwar ke kahan gayi thi? Aur mere mana karne ke bawajood tu itni taiyyar hokar bahar kaise gayi? Tujhe maine sakht hidayat di hai na ki ghar se kallege aur kallege se ghar!"

Bela marched angrily to Naina and held her hand and rattled her a bit. "Fir meri baat na manakar yeh kya kar rahi thi? Bol, jawab de, chup kyon hai?" Now Bela was really angry and Naina was almost quaking in her boots.

As always, the sisters had each other's backs, "Mummy, Naina ko kyon daant rahi ho! Usne toh mana kiya tha par aaj uska birthday tha toh maine hi zidd ki ki aaj isse acche se taiyyar karke thoda celebrate karne le jaungi. Issliye college ke baad hum chaat khane chale gaye aur mujhe Salon wapas jaana tha issliye hum saath nahi aaye. Par mujhe baad mein pataa chala ki rickshaw ki strike hai toh shayad paidal aane mein Naina ko der lag gayi hogi. Aap please isse much mat kahiye, sara idea sari galti meri thi."

Naina's eyes misted but Preeti looked at her and shook her head slightly that it was ok and since she was the culprit, she would incur her mother's wrath if need be.

Bela was exasperated but knew her daughters never lied to her, so she believed every word of what Preeti said but her anger wasn't gone, rather had taken the form of worry.

"Tum log samajhti kyon nahi ho? Main jo keh rahi hoon kar rahi hoon, tum donon ke bhale ke liye hai. Khaskar Naina ke liye. Bhagwan jhooth na bulvaye beta, tujhe kitni baar samjhaya hai ki tujhe ekdum saadhaaran jeevan jeena hai. Kisiki nazar mein nahi aani chahiye. Apni ore kisika bhi dhyaan aakarshit nahi hone dena hai warna tu janti nahi ki kya ho sakta hai".

"Mummy, aaj toh aap baata hi do. Aap Naina ko aisa kyon kehti rehti ho. Humne aapse baar baar pucha par aapne har baar taal diya, aaj toh aapko batana hi hoga. Batao Mummy", Preeti persuaded her.

Even Naina's curiosity was piqued since childhood but Chachi had always warded off the questions very cleverly and no details were divulged. There was nothing in obvious display around the house that would hint to anything of her past or any of the secrets that Bela guarded like her daughters, more valuable than her own life. So, she gathered some courage and approached her Chachi, "Please Chachiji, bataaiye na aisa kya hai jisse aap mujhe chupana chahti hai?"

Chachi looked on at her pleading eyes and choked, "chupana nahi bachana chahti hoon". She caressed Naina's tear-stricken cheeks and debated within herself whether or not to acquaint her dear daughter-like niece with the burden of past. Before she arrived at any conclusion, a loud knock on the door and a shrill holler of "Bela....O Bela" intervened. The looks on all three faces gave away that the intruder was the never welcome person but I self invite myself neighbor.

Bela wiped her tears and hurried to open the door before it was telecasted as a crime that her door in the chawl was closed before nighttime.

Preeti placed her hands on her sister's shoulders snd they hugged and comforted each other. "Tum log khana kha lena, mujhe der hogi", instructing them, Bela left after assuring someone at the door that she would follow behind.

The boys returned to the Maheshwari mansion after wandering a bit more around on Munna's insistence as he wanted to rid himself of the stench of excessive desi ghee, courtesy Preetam Farsan mart.

"Nanu...Nanu..." Sameer called out.

"Maalik toh Munshiji ke saath factory gaye hai. Wahan se phone aaya tha toh keh rahe the ki kuch urgent kaam aa gaya hai. Aap logon ka khana laga doon?" Ramdhari informed and asked.

"Nahi Ramdhari, aaj khana Nanu ke saath hi khaunga", Sameer responded to ask him to wait till later.

"Achcha theek hai...tab tak tu kuch pakode wakode tal ke le aa, bahut bhookh lagi hai", Pandit the foodie asked and Ramdhari left to fulfill his food demand. Since his growing up years, he knew Bhaiyya and his friends were food-lovers and he loved to indulge them, sometimes even without them asking.

"Abbe Ponga...abhi toh teri dukaan se itna thuss ke aaye hai!" Commented Munna.

"Chenuu...tune woh kahavat nahi suni kya. Ghar ki murgi daali barabar. Apni dukaan ka Farsan kise achcha lagta hai....main toh Sameer ke ghar ke pakode hi khaunga." Pandit wiggled his brows mischievously and followed Ramdhari.

"Tu bhi chal Sameer. Ya tere liye yahi lekar aaun?" Asked Munna.

"Nahi yaar, tum log khaao, mera mann nahi hai, shayad mirchi ka asar kam nahi hua hai", Sameer declined food.

"Tu theek toh hai na! Waise tu ne subah se cake aur thode ke naashte ke alava kuch khaya nahi hai. Chaat bhi theekhi lagi toh chod di. Waise mirchi itni bhi nahi thi ki hum kha na sake. Aur Ponga ki dukaan pe bhi sirf chaas pi! Teri tabiyat toh sahi hai?" Munna came close to him and placed a hand on his forehead concerned to check if he was sick.

"Arre main theek hoon yaar...shayad thoda thakk gaya hoon", Sameer assured him.

Munna suspected something as although Sameer seemed ok on the outside, something was troubling him. And without beating around the bush, he asked point blank, "woh sapne fir se aa rahe hai kya? Kya aaj bhi aaya tha?" Sameer was astounded and glad that his bestie could read him so well like an open book.

"Haan...par ab woh mujhe pareshan nahi karte. Tu tension mat le, ab main theek hoon". Both smiled at each other and hugged. Ponga's call from the kitchen broke their hug and Sameer prompted him to follow suit.

Though he loved his besties, he welcomed the relief of silence. He moved to the open window and closed his eyes to feel the breeze. Ever since the afternoon mishap, he was a feeling a bit hot and a burning sensation in his intestines. This had never happened before and even though the buttermilk had calmed down his gut, the unusual tingling was still there. He inhaled deeply and surprisingly his nostrils were filled with the same rare lavender scent. He was sure that neither in his garden nor in that of any of the neighbouring houses, any such flower was planted that remotely resembled the fragrance. He tried to focus and immediately his insides calmed down. It most definitely worked like magic on him lately and the power had increased. Suddenly, he was consumed by the urge to feel that presence in his mind and be able to connect and talk to her.

Inadvertently, he focused on the scent and the feeling of ber being. His temple started pounding but he didn't give up. He used his entire being and just concentrated on her. He felt a slight tingling sensation near his heart and it increase to little burning as if the skin was being scorched. His hand automatically touched the spot, but his eyes remained closed and continued to focus.

Naina was also staring out the window as her dear sister had shooed her away from any kitchen chores. "Tu toh roz hi karti hai...aaj tera special day hai jo meri wajah se kharab ho gaya...toh ab harjane ke taur pe itna toh main apni behen ke liye kar hi sakti hoon", was Preeti's excuse to let her enjoy her alone time and take on the cooking duty voluntarily for once.

She was lost in thoughts about the day's happening. She hadn't intend to hide it from her sister or Chachi but the way her Chachi had reacted to her little party venture, she couldn't fathom how she would react if told that she had been almost caught up in trouble, and also, how would she explain the rescue. An unknown stranger had guided and saved her by instructing her from her brain and had peeked at the road map from her eyes. She knew she had a very strong sixth sense but didn't know what it was really called but if she started explaining such a bizzare theory, she would definitely be tagged insane and crazy.

Thinking of the incident, her thoughts ventured to that stranger to whom she had not spoken a word but he had acted as is he knew fer forever. The slight breeze from the open window and the light curtains soothed her warm being. She closed her eyes to calm her jittery insides. That's when she felt something moving in her brain. She opened her eyes in a reflex as if scared of the unusual happening. But then, she felt that the movement was similar yo that previously in the day, and so although skeptical, she closed her eyes again and let herself drift.

So strong was the current he projected that pain exploded instantly in her temples and a bead of sweat trickled down. If not for him, she would have opened her eyes and let it go instinctively to relieve the ache. But he held on and she realized the strong presence like that earlier in the day.

Finally, the connection was established and although it was mutual, he held on tight coz he wasn't sure about that from her end. They both smiled realizing and feeling each other in their respective brains. Neither spoke nor gave out any thought projections. They just felt each other as it was a new feeling for both. This was something very unusual and both knew that it didn't happen with normal people. They were both silent for several moments not sure about what to say and how to acknowledge the feeling as both were strong headed, had iron will power and were adamant about not letting other thoughts intervene.

Finally, Sameer broke the silence, "tum theek se ghar pahunch gayi thi na?"

"Haan".
The monosyllablic answer put a dead end to the conversation he wished to initiate.

He tried again, "aaj jo hua, woh gharwalon ko bataya?"

"Nahi".

Another monosyllabilic answer and end to another thread. But he was also Sameer Maheshwari, not one to give up, "tum sirf haan ya na bolti ho?"

"Nahi...." Just when he thought he failed again, she continued, "hmmm...aisa kuch nahi...par...hmmm main tumhe jaanti nahi...aur yeh sab...matlab...aise koi kisise bina phone ke itne achche se kaise baat kar sakta hai? Matlab, hmmm mere liye yeh sab bahut ajeeb sa hai".

A small smile curved the corner of his mouth and he was elated that she spoke two whole lines and shared her concern without much inhibition.

To steer away from the discomfort and gain some footing, he unexpectedly blurted, "aaj mera birthday hai".

She was surprised and elated at the same time and out of its own volition, her tongue echoed the information, "mera bhi".

They both wished each other "Happy birthday" together and wide smiles broke out on their faces feeling happy about they didn't know what or may be finding something in common or gaining a hold on common ground.

Sameer felt that finally he was getting somewhere with her, but his luck was short-lived coz the connection was broken abruptly. He didn't know why and he tried to reconnect but it wasn't there any longer. She had unintentionally blocked him out completely, he could feel that and he felt bereft. He wasn't sure if she did it on purpose or whether she felt him to be pushy on her. But she had sounded happy and not upset. He wanted to know and felt restless. He didn't want to lose her but right now, he couldn't connect and also realized that the tingling sensation on his chest was gone suddenly.

Preeti had placed a hand on her shoulder and startled Naina such that as a defence mechanism, her other senses came on high alert but the psychic brain shut down and she wasn't aware that she had abruptly blocked him out. "Kya hua behen? Chauk kyon gayi? Kab se aawaz de rahi hoon ki khana taiyyar hai...tu jawab hi nahi de rahi thi. Kin khayalon mein khoyi hai?" Preeti fired her questions.

"Kuch bhi toh nahi. Buss aise hi, hawa kha rahi thi. Chal khana khaate hai". Naina shrugged the matter off coz she wasn't sure about what all had happened throughout the day and how any of it could be explained. She wanted to find out and may be the stranger could help, but she didn't know how. It had to wait.

P.S. Dearies, now you might have to wait a bit for the next part coz I intend to finish one of my three FFs. Its really tough to focus on three with all the workload I have. I will try to update as much as I can, but I might be focusing to wrap up the Friendship FF first. Once again, thank you for the overwhelming response to this story.