After talking to Tina for almost half an hour, Sidharth entered the house and saw Rita Maa standing near his room with a plate of food.

"Naaz kuch toh khaa le Beta. Shaam ko bhi kuch nahi khaya tune. Tabiyat kharab ho jayegi teri." She said.

"Kya hua Maa?" Asked Sidharth. "Naaz ne dinner nahi kiya?"

Rita Maa sighed and said, "Kya baatau tujhe? Jab se tere office se aayi hai, udaas hoke baithi hai. Ro bhi rahi thi. Tu kyu rulata hai meri bacchi ko?"

"Maa woh mere office mein akeli chali aayi thi. Agar usse kuch ho jaata toh? Main.... Kya jawab deta khud ko?"

"Sidharth I know tu uske liye concerned hai. Lekin baat ko samjhane ka ek tarika hota hai. Aur tujhe paata hai Naaz ka past kaisa hai. Bachpan se kisi ne uss se kabhi pyaar se baat tak nahi ki. Ab agar hum bhi uss par gussa karne lag gaye, toh kya beetegi bechari ke upar?"

Now Sidharth started feeling guilty for his rude behaviour with Naaz.

"You are right Maa. Sayad maine uss waqt overreact kar diya tha. Main jaa ke maafi maang lunga."

"Abhi jaa ke maang. Bohut der se wait kar rahi hai tera."

Sidharth nodded. He washed his hands and took the plate from his mother.

"Maafi bhi maang lunga aur usse khila bhi dunga."

Saying that he went to his room. Rita Maa smiled.

Meanwhile Naaz heard his footsteps. She immediately hid herself behind the curtains.

Sidharth entered the room and found it empty.

"Naaz!" He called her.

No response came

"Mujhe paata hai tum yaheen ho." He looked here and there in the room. "Baby, bahar aa jaao. Tumhe lagta hai tum mujhse chhup sakti ho?"

Suddenly Sidharth saw her feet under the curtains. He chuckled and started moving towards her keeping the plate on the table.

He slowly removed the curtains and said, "Baby tum chahe kahi bhi chhup jaao, main tumhe dhund hi lunga. Sidharth se nahi chhup sakti tum."

Naaz made an angry pout and sat on the bed.

Sidharth sat beside her saying, "Awwlle meri Baby. Itni gussa ho gayi mere se?"

Naaz looked at another direction.

"Baby listen to me. Accha chalo maine sorry bol diya. Aage se kabhi tum par nahi chillaunga."

Sidharth hold his own ears and said, "Dekho maine kaan bhi pakad liya."

Naaz gave a quick glance at him and then again took off her eyes.

"Kar do na maaf. Please!" He said making puppy eyes.

Naaz finally looked at him and said, "Kyu karu aap ko maaf? Aap ne kitna ganda bola mujhe. Meko hurt nahi hota kya? Meri koi feelings nahi hai?"

Naaz's eyes became teary. Sidharth felt more guilty seeing her tears.

"Of course tumhari feelings hai. Lekin tum meri feelings ko bhi toh samjho. Tum jab school mein bhi rehti ho toh mujhe tumhari chinta hone lagti hai. Aur aaj tum akele, kisi ko bina bataye ghar se nikal gayi thi. Tum yaaha nayi ho, kisi ko jaanti nahi ho, agar tumhe kuch bhi ho jaata toh main toh apni Naaz ko kho deta hai. And I can't lose you Naaz. Agar iss waqt meri life mein Maa aur meri sisters ke alawa koi important hai toh woh tum ho. Tumhe chhoti si kharoch bhi aati hai toh main pareshan ho jaata hoon. Bas iss hi wajah se main uss waqt gussa ho gaya tha."

Naaz stopped crying understanding his point.

She also hold her own ears and said making a pout, "Sorry! Main aap ko phir kabhi pareshan nahi karungi. Aap ki har baat maanungi."

Sidharth chuckled and pulled Naaz in a tight hug. Naaz wrapped her tiny hands around his neck.

After sometime they broke the hug.

Naaz wiped her tears and said, "Waise Sidharth, mujhe sirf iss baat ka itna bura nahi laga ki aap ne mujhe daanta. Mujhe bura iss baat ka laga ki main jab sad thi aap mere paas nahi the. Aap apne doston ke saath busy the."

"Doston ke saath matlab......"

"Woh Tina Didi. Aap bahar khade hoke uske saath has has ke baat kar rahe the. Mujhe bilkool accha nahi laga."

Sidharth laughed and said, "Oh God! Naaz hum bas kaam se related baat kar rahe the. Aur office mein Kushal ne ek joke maara tha uss hi baat ko yaad kar ke has rahe the hum dono."

"Phir bhi, aap Tina Didi se baat mat karo."

"Kyu? Itni acchi toh hai. Tumhe gift bhi diya..."

"Uss mein kya hai? Mujhe bas nahi pasand. Aap mere dost wale pati ho, kisi aur se kyu baat karoge? Yaa toh aap yeh keh do ki aap uss se baat karte ho kyu ki...."

"Kyu ki kya?" Asked Sidharth.

Naaz took a pause and said, "Kyu ki woh apke umar ki hai. Isliye aap ko uss se baat karna accha lagta hai. Main toh chhoti hoon na, isliye aap ko mere saath time spend karna accha nahi lagta."

Sidharth made an angry face and asked, "Yeh sab kisne kaha tumse?"

"Mujhe bas lagta hai."

"Bohut galat lagta hai." He said sadly. "Tum...... Rehne do! Mujhe toh iss baat ka koi justification bhi nahi dena. Ab yeh sab bakwas chhoro aur khana khaa lo. Mujhe bhi bohut bhukh lagi hai."

Saying that he took the plate and broke a piece of roti.

"Bhukh lagi hai matlab? Aap ne bhi khana nahi khaya?" Asked Naaz.

Sidharth sighed and said lovingly, "Jab tak Sidharth ki Naaz nahi khaa leti, Sidharth kaise khaa sakta hai?"

Saying that Sidharth was about to feed Naaz but she stopped him. She also took a piece of roti and they both fed each other.

"Yeh paneer maine banaya hai." Said Naaz.

"Sach mein? Bohut tasty hai." Suddenly Sidharth realised everything and said, "Iss hi liye tum mujhe office mein khana dene aayi thi?"

Naaz smiled sadly and nodded in yes.

"I'm sorry Naaz." Said Sidharth again.

"It's ok. Jo hua usse bhul jaate hai." Said Naaz to which Sidharth smiled.

Later that night...

After having dinner, Sidharth was teaching Naaz in his room.

Suddenly she said, "Sidharth, kaal Mam ne humein ek essay likhne ko bola tha. Uss mein mujhe aap ki help chahiye thi."

"Essay? Kya essay mila hai tumhe?" Asked Sidharth.

"Your aim in life."

"Accha. Iska matlab hai tumhe bade ho kar kya ban na hai."

Naaz started thinking.

"Mujhe nahi paata. Kuch bhi chalega." Said Naaz.

Sidharth laughed and said, "It's ok Naaz. Main tumhari help kar deta hoon. Dekho, hum sab ko bachpan se apna ek target set karna chahiye ki hum bade ho kar yeh chiz karenge. Tum khud se pucho tumhe kya karna sabse zyada pasand hai. Phir tumhe paata lag jaayega tumhe bada ho kar kya ban na hai."

Naaz again started thinking.

Then she smiled and said, "Samajh gayi. Mujhe bada ho kar aap ki tarah ban na hai. Aaj Kushal Bhai ne mujhe aap ka show dikhaya. Mujhe bhi aap ki tarah logo se sawal karne hai. Sach ke liye awaz uthana hai. Aur jo log galat kaam karte hai unka parda faas karna hai."

Sidharth chuckled and said, "Matlab tumhe journalist ban na hai."

"Haan. Main badi ho kar aap ki tarah journalist banungi."

"Very good. Dekhna tum ek din bohut acchi journalist banogi. And I hope ab tumhe samajh aa gaya hoga ki apne essay mein kya likhna hai."

Naaz nodded in yes and started writing her essay.

Next At School...

Everyone was discussing about the essay.

"Naaz, tune apne essay mein kya likha? What's your aim in future?" Asked Suhana.

"Journalist." Replied Naaz smilingly.

"Arrey wah! Yeh toh bohut accha idea hai."

"Tujhe kya ban na hai?"

"Main? Mera wala thoda ajeeb hai."

"Phir bhi. Baata na."

"Baataungi. Lekin promise kar tu hasegi nahi."

"Nahi Baba. Main kyu hasungi?"

Suhana got some courage and said, "Mujhe na actress ban ne ka bada saukh hai."

"Yeh toh acchi baat hai. Tu zaroor actress banegi."

"Koi ban ne dega tab na. Mumma se kaha toh unhone saaf keh diya humare ghar mein yeh sab nahi chalega. Yaaha tak ki woh Suhaan bhi has raha tha mujh par. Isliye maine essay mein bhi my aim in life doctor likh diya. Kya kar sakte hai."

"Jisko hasna hai has ne de. Jab tu sach mein actress ban jaayegi tab yeh hi log tujhe appreciate karenge, tere liye taliya bajayenge."

Suhana smiled hearing that.

After sometime the teacher came. Everyone stood up and wished her morning. After that she took the presents.

Then she said, "Ok students. Now it's time to check your essays. I'll ask each one of you about your aim in life. Whose aim will be interesting, only that student will get the chance to read his or her essay in front of the class."

Everyone nodded.

The teacher started asking the students one by one. Most of them said doctor or teacher.

When the teacher asked Naaz, she replied, "Journalist."

"Interesting!" Said the teacher. "Naaz read your essay loudly."

Naaz started reading it. Everyone started hearing it with concentration. The teacher was very much impressed.

After she finished reading, the teacher praised Naaz a lot for her unique thought and way of writing.

In the tiffin period...

"Tujhe paata hai Suhaan, Naaz ne kya essay likha hai! Hum sab surprised ho gaye the. Aur humari teacher? Unhone aaj pehli baar kisi student ki itni tareef ki hai. Sach mein Naaz, tune kamal hi kar diya." Said Suhana.

Suhaan was listening everything carefully while Naaz was just smiling.

After sometime Suhaan asked, "Naaz, can you show me your essay?"

"Yeah." Replied Naaz and gave him her notebook.

Suhaan started reading her essay.

"Amazing!" He uttered.

Suddenly the school bell rang.

"Tiffin period khatam ho chuka hai. Suhaan humein jaana hoga. Meri notebook de do." Said Naaz.

"Oo haan."

Suhaan gave her notebook and they ran to the class.

"Journalist." Said Suhaan in his mind and smiled thinking something.
______________________________________

How's the chapter?

Vote if you liked it.