"Sameer ne kuch bola?" Naina asked and Swati nodded.

"Tu chod Naina ghar chal" Swati said but Naina was not in a mood to step back this time. He had to be taught a lesson or two!

Naina stepped away from Swati, her eyes were clouded with angry tears. In a fit of anger she cast one last look at Swati and moved towards the set taking long strides. Till that moment she had decided to not even look at the shoot, she was protecting her heart from getting another jolt but Sameer had messed with Swati and he had no right to make her best friend cry. Swati tried stopping Naina  but she was too fast (and furious) to catch. She decided to wait in the canteen for her.

Inside his vanity van Sameer was packing his things. The scene he had to shoot was postponed to the next day and he got an early pack up. He picked his stuff lazily. His hands were searching for the stuff he had to take home but his mind was running in all directions. He had hurt someone yet again.

Knock knock

He heard the same knocks on his vanity's door. He looked up and faced his reflection. He looked into his red eyes. To the world he would appear tired but he could see the pain and restlessness to meet Naina in his eyes.

"I am not a perfect person. I don't behave in the way I should. I am impulsive but please I still want to meet her once" Sameer prayed with child like innocence.

Knock knock

The knocks were full of anger now. He heard some voices.

"Aap aise andar nahi jaa sakti" He recognised the voice of a spot boy.

(spot boy: You can't go in like this)

He wiped his tears but failed to wipe his sadness. He splashed some water drops on his face to hide the tear stains and grabed the door's knob

"Ma'am mujhe security ko bulana padega" The voice of the spot boy grew impatient

(Spot boy: I'll call the security)

"Jis ki security ke liye aap mujhe rok rahe hai usne meri friend ko hurt kia hai aur uski akal thikane lagaye bina mai yaha se nahi jaane wali"

(You are calling the security to save someone who has hurt my best friend. I am not leaving before giving him a piece of my mind)

Sameer heard the voice while he was about to open the door. He froze. Could it be? Was it Naina? What was she doing here? There was no way in which he could not recognise her voice but if it was just his imagination he would end up breaking another part of him and if it was actually Naina's voice from the other side of the door he could not, under any circumstance, afford to let her go. He tightened and loosened his grip on the door's knob several times.

The voices outside died down and the realisation struck him hard. Even if  there was a possibilty that Naina was there she might have left by now. He couldn't think further and in a reflex he opened the door and stepped out of his van.

Naina was still standing outside. She was about to break into the vanity when she almost collided with Sameer, who was rushing out of the van. To avoid the collision, Sameer instead of moving ahead crossed his feet to move sideways and Naina too shifted in the other direction. They had kept their hands in front of them to avoid any contact with each other but while they twirled around each other with their fingertips barely inches apart, the temptation to fill the gap in between their fingers was raising its head in both of them. Their heart beats had become erratic. The world around them slowed down and began to faint. Sameer's eyes were boring into Naina's and she wanted to look away but her gaze didn't shift an inch. Her eyes were willing to only feast at the face they had missed so much in their vicinity.

"Naina" His quivering voice broke the moment.

"Sameer ..." She wanted to shout but his name came out of her lips like a soft prayer. Her being wasn't able to resist reacting to his presence even if her mind was revolting.

"Sir koi problem hai kya?" The security guard came running in their direction

Sameer nodded in a no.

The little interaction he had with the guard bought her the time to come back to her senses. She shut her eyelids tightly, reminded herself of the reason she was standing in front of him.

"Jo ladki yaha aayi thi wo meri best friend hai. Tumhari himmat kaise hui usse badtameezi se baat karne ki?" She asked as soon the guard left.

(Naina: How dare you insult that girl who was here before me! She is my best friend)

He ran his hands through his hair like he did in their school days to win over her anger but Naina's questioning eyes didn't leave him for a second. He wanted to narrate the entire incident and tell her about Swati's fault too but he didn't.

"Kaha hai wo? I want to apologize" He hanged his head low accepting his mistake.

"Tum... " Naina pointed her finger in his direction. He kept looking down. She pulled her hand back and walked away.

When Naina came back to the canteen Swati had already left. The wind had gained momentum and was slowly breaking into a storm. She called her. Swati had already taken a cab back home.

Naina sat on a bench on the outskirts of the shooting location. The weak leaves from a tree over her head kept falling around her. She let a few tears escape from her eyes.

The fast winds had now blown into a full storm.

A car halted a few feet behind her. She was blinded by its lights but the driver of the car wasn't. Sameer was smiling and taking in as much of her as he could. She hadn't changed a bit. The same old innocent face with eyes that had a story of their own to tell. The only difference he could make out was in the length of her hair. They were longer now. He dimmed the head lights of the car and his face became clear to her.

"I can drop you" Sameer spoke after lowering the car's window

"Mai manage kar lungi" Naina didn't even spare him a look this time.

(I'll manage)

Sameer got down from the car with an umbrella in his hand.

"Baarish ho rahi hai" He stated the obvious. He wanted to persuade her, plead if needed, he just wanted to help her reach home safely. After all they were classmates for 2 years. He hadn't met anyone from school after they passed out. 

(It's raining)

"Dikh raha hai" She said after a pause

(I can see it)

"Naina... Please" He finally ditched his ego & she graced him with a look.

She unlocked her phone to book a cab.

No signal. Emergency calls only.

Sameer was losing patience but she was busy taking her own sweet time.

"Ok" She caved in and slowly opened the door of the car and sat inside. "Thank you" She added without even looking at him.

"Your welcome" He smiled genuinely.

The road was empty, the rain was gaining momentum. Even the sky wanted to shed its burden but Naina kept looking ahead. The tension in the air grew thicker.

"FM chalta hai?" Naina asked him after odd 10 minutes.

(Does your fm work?)

"Haa bilkul" He grinned

(Yes)

She didn't respond to his goofy smiles. She was busy in interpreting the car's system when her eyes fell on a packet of cigarettes kept casually near the hand brake.

The clouds roared.

"Mere nahi hai (They don't belong to me)" Sameer immediately jumped to his defense. Being their school's Head Discipline Monitor ,Naina had caught him and some seniors smoking in the junior wing's garden area. They could have been easily expelled but she left them with a warning, scolding and a piece of advice.

"Cigarette peene se kark rog hota hai ... Mujhe yaad hai" He tried to copy her accent but failed miserably.

"Mujhe bhi sab yaad hai (Even I remember everything)" Naina said in a low voice.

He turned to face her with guilty eyes. One big mistake at school had changed everyone's, including his own outlook towards himself. She looked at him. His eyes still had the same innocent hue, his hair were still not in place and were casually adoring his forehead. He had grown even more handsome in these years but the playfulness of his eyes had toned down. They held a streak of maturity now.

The lightning illuminated the road for a split second. Naina heard the slamming of the rain drops on the windshield and she brought her thoughts back to reality, forcefully. She looked away immediately as if she was afraid of her own heart, scared that if she would spend another second diving in his orbs she would lose herself in the storm of her emotions. 

"Aage se left" was all she could say.

"Gg..Gaana" He stammered "Gaana to baja lo(Play the song atleast)

She turned the knob of the music system and the speakers began blazing.

Rim jhim Rim jhim
Rum jhum Rum jhum
Bheegi bheegi rut mein
Tum hum, hum tum
Chalte hain Chalte hain

Bajta hai jal tarang
Tin ki chat pe jab
motiyon jaisa jal barse
Boondon ki ye jhadi
Laai hai wo ghadi
Jiske liye hum tarse

Rim jhim Rim jhim
Rum jhum Rum jhum
Bheegi bheegi rut mein
Tum hum, hum tum
Chalte hain Chalte hain

"Waha side me black car ke peeche rok lo (Park behind that black car)" Naina pointed ahead.

"Yahi rehti ho tum? Mai tumhare ghar tak drop kar deta hu na waise bhi bahut late ho gayi hai (Do you stay here? I can drop you at your place too. It's getting late)" He looked around and saw that she was making him halt near a park which was deserted. The storm hadn't subsided yet either.

"Gadi ka darwaza unlock karo Sameer (Open the door Sameer)" She didn't answer his question. Every second with him was hurting her even more.

Knock knock

Another knock.

Two knocks on his door had already changed scenarios for Sameer  What would the third knock do?

He looked at four figures knocking Naina's side of the door - two boys and two girls. One of the boy had pasted his face too close to Naina's window that his nose looked like a flattened rubber ball.

"Munna" Naina recognized him and Sameer for no good reason felt insecure and scared for a second.

Naina got out of the car and Sameer followed

"Tu kaha reh gayi thi? (Where were you?)" Preeti began questioning Naina but the underlying sadness in her eyes made Preeti stop.

Swati had crossed her arms and was looking at Sameer with such anger that could melt anyone like lazer vision would do!

"Aye Pandat yahi hai na wo jisne tujhe rulaya tha (Is he the one who made you cry Pandat?)" Munna rolled his sleeves upto his elbows.

Swati nodded

"Aaj to tu nahi bachega (You're gone dude)" Munna began taking slow steps towards Sameer "Pandit aa meri madad kar (Pandit come help me)"

Pandit looked around with confused expressions. "Psst Chenu kaun sa Pandat mai ya frock wala Pandit? (Psst which Pandit Chenu? Me or frock wala pandit?)"

Preeti pushed Pandit towards Munna.

Munna and Pandit stepped towards Sameer while he looked here and there. Not sure what to do.

Munna looked at Sameer like a vulture taking a dive at his prey. He jumped and landed straight at Sameer's feet pulling him down to the ground. Pandit dragged Sameer behind the car.

The trio was behind the car out of the girl's view.

"Bhai! Sarkar! Malik!" Munna folded his hands in front of Sameer while Pandit held Sameer's hand to stop him from going anywhere "Wo frock wala pandat jo hai na ... Are wo Swati jisko tune aaj rula diya... Bada ehsaan kia mere bade bhai ... Dekh mai pasand karta hu usko par wo hai ki ghaas hi nahi daalti... Ab tu mere aur uske raaste se hat gaya wo bhi apne aap bahut bahut shukriya par ek kaam aur kar de. Plz pit jaa mere se! (Brother! O Lord! My frock wala pandit worships thee thank you for hurting her now she'll not like you anymore but she doesn't give me a chance either. Can I please slap you? Or even kick you? The one who fights a hero is a bigger hero)

"K.Y.A.? (What?)" Sameer screamed

"Ss...Sameer tum theek ho? (Ss..sameer are you ok?)" Naina asked

Munna pulled Sameer's arm up so that only his hand was visible over the car's roof. He pleaded Sameer to show a thumbs up sign. Sameer agreed.

"Dekh bhai tu uski nazar me hero hai tu mujhse maar kha le. Hero ko maarne wala bada hero ho jaayega na. Jhoothi jhoothi ki maar kha le bhai (Please let me hit you)" Munna held Sameer's feet while Pandit massaged his shoulder.

"Are aise kaise? M..mai nahi maar khaunga, mai jaa raha hu (Are you nuts? No. I can't get slapped by a stranger)" Sameer began sliding away from MunDit. As soon as he was out of the car's shield MunDit held his feet and dragged him back.

"Please maan ja na (Please)" The duo screamed.

Sameer was trying to run away. MunDit were pulling him back. Munna was over Sameer to stop him from going but Sameer slid under him. Pandit was standing on his feet enjoying the show but when Sameer tried to escape he accidentally pulled Pandit's leg and Pandit was down on the ground with the other two. Pandit let out a short scream and Preeti screamed with him too.

"Maar kha le na (Please let me hit you)" Munna pleaded

"Nahi (No)" Sameer was adamant on his decision

"Mujhe to jaane do (Why am I stuck in the middle let me go)" Pandit screamed

For a second it was Sameer over MunDit and then it was MunDit sitting over him, forcing him to agree to their demands. Their shoes were lying on either side of the car thanks to all the leg pulling. They were rolling and sliding beneath each other to find an escape but were getting tangled like a woolen ball.

"Naina humein unhe rokna chahiye na ( Naina I think we should stop them)" Swati said

The girls rushed to help their boys but when they reached the apparent fight scene. Sameer was sleeping peacefully on the road with Pandit's torso lying on his back. He too was sleeping. Tangled in between their arms Munna was lying on the road wide awake.

"Ye kaise hua? (How did this happen?)" Swati asked

"Pata nahi Pandat bas atak gaye hum (Don't know but we just got stuck with each other)" Munna said with an innocent worry. Swati laughed at his reply. "Aise hi hasti raha kar na Pandat (Please keep smiling like this Pandat)"

"Haa tumhari Pandat aise hi hasti rahegi pehle mere Pandit ko to nikalo.(Your pandit will keep smiling but please help my pandit out of this)" Preeti leaned to help Pandit out of the mess and in all the confusion no one noticed the change in her reference to Pandit.

When Munna and Pandit were out of the mess Naina tapped Sameer's head.

"Good morning Ramu Kaka" He said absent mindedly

"Mai hu (It's me)" She jerked his shoulders. He got up with a stupid grin

"Jo bhi kaho maza bahut aaya (I had fun)" Pandit's face was beaming with excitement

"Haa aur Swati I am sorry jo set par hua uske liye par ye ladka..." Sameer pointed towards Munna "...Ye ladka sachi hero hai ... Matlab hero ko maarne wala to bada hero hua na. Mar mar ke akal thikane laga di isne meri (Swati I'm sorry for what happened but this guy here is an actual hero. He fought for you and someone who fights a hero is a bigger hero)"

Munna lifted his imaginary collars.

"Bandar kahi ke" Swati faked an unnecessary anger but she was thankful to Munna. He was maybe more than just a random boy throwing praises at her here and there. Maybe she could see him in a different light now.

"Mera naam Pandit hai aur ye Munna hai (I'm pandit he's munna)" Pandit introduced

Preeti coughed

"... Aur ye Preeti hai (That's Preeti) " He added "Swati aur Naina se to mil hi chuke ho tum (& you've already met Swati and Naina)"

"Ab dekho tumhari wajah se Swati ka mood kharab hua aur uski wajah se Naina ko aane me der hui aur hum usse dhundhe ne ke liye baarish me yaha tak aaye. Saari problem ki jad tum ho to ab tum humein ghar tak drop karo (We're here at this hour because of you now drop us back home)" Preeti ordered

Sameer scratched his head. He could atleast get to know where Naina lives if he helped the group. He agreed to drop everyone home.

Munna sat behind the driver's seat while Swati sat in the middle. Preeti sat next to Swati and Pandit sat beside her behind Naina's seat. While Swati maintained some distance from Munna, Preeti was sandwiched between Pandit and Swati. Pandit sensed her uneasiness and shrunk his sitting area. Preeti noticed the little gesture and pulled his hand into hers with a small smile on her face which turned into a lopesided grin seeing Pandit turn all red.

Naina switched channels on the radio again and found the same song on some other radio station

Badal ki chadarein odhe hai wadiyan
Saari dishayein soyi hai
Sapnon ke gao me
Bheegi si chao me
Do aatmayein khoyi hai 👻👻

Rim jhim Rim jhim
Rum jhum Rum jhum
Bheegi bheegi rut mein
Tum hum, hum tum
Chalte hain Chalte hain

Aayi hai dekhne,
Jheelon ke aaine
Baalon ko khole ghataye,
Raahein dhua dhua
Jaayenge hum kaha?
Aao yahi reh jaaye

Rim jhim Rim jhim
Rum jhum Rum jhum
Bheegi bheegi rut mein
Tum hum, hum tum
Chalte hain Chalte hain

Precap - A Friday to her Tuesday 😉 (DevAkshi exclusive chapter)

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