Kiska Hai Tumko Intezaar

Jaise main mara jaa raha hun usey hug karne ke liye

Thankfully, the girls had moved away. He heaved a sigh of relief at not being caught by them. But the relief was not enough to erase the worry that had started to gnaw at the back of his head the moment he had seen Anaya with Naina. This time Natasha had intervened but Anaya would look for another chance and talk to Naina. He had to meet her and let her know in advance about Anaya's suspicion.

'Anu is baare mein Naina se kuch kahe isse pehle Naina ko yeh baat batani padegi.' He fished out his phone to call her.

But his calls went unanswered. He could see her with Natasha and some other unknown people. By the look of it he could understand that they were not very well known to her but she was familiar with them. Maybe they were Natasha's friends. At present, his concern was not her company. She herself didn't seem very interested in the people around her. But then, why wasn't she picking her phone. His eyes glanced over her frame. There was no bag. The outfit couldn't have any pockets either. Maybe she wasn't carrying the phone because of the way she was dressed.

In exasperation, he shoved the phone back to his pocket and muttered in frustration, 'Phone toh saath rakhna chahiye na. Kisi ko emergency mein baat karni ho toh kya maharani ke ghar wapas jaane ka intezaar karey? Usse pehle toh Anu isey pakad ke bhadka degi. Bhagwanji, kuch toh hone do... ya toh Naina ko yahan se gayab kar do ya kuch aisa kar do ki Anu wapas chalne ko keh de.'

'Bhai, main kyon wapas jaungi abhi se?' Anaya's voice made him jump.

'Tu... tu yahan... kabse khadi hai?' He tried to mask his fear, wondering how much of his rambling had reached her.

To his relief, she replied, 'Main toh abhi hi aayi hun lekin aap kya budbuda rahe ho? Wapas kyon jaane ko kahungi main? Abhi toh shaadi ka pura program baaki hai. Waise main aapne puchne aayi thi ki aapne bataya kyon nahi Naina bhi aane wali hai.'

Sameer gulped, yet tried to appear nonchalant, 'Aise hi. Socha... socha tujhe surprise deta hun.'

Anaya wasn't that easy to fool. She narrowed her eyes, a knowing look in them, 'Surprise mere liye hai ya aapke liye? Sach bolna, aapko bhi pata nahi tha na ki woh yahan aane wali hai?'

He shrugged, 'Zaruri thodi hai mujhe uski saari activities ke baare mein pata ho.'

Her curious eyes scrutinised him but her tone was full of accusation, 'Naina ne bataya mujhe ki aap dono ki baat nahi hui. And it has to be because of you. Bhai, am I right?'

Before he could defend himself, she exclaimed in frustration, 'Honestly, mera boyfriend aisa hoga toh main ek second uske saath nahi rehne wali.'

And she walked away, grumbling something about how urgently she needed to talk to Naina.

Sameer sighed, feeling the weight of the world seemingly falling on his shoulders, 'Asli ho ya nakli, relationships maintain karna aasan nahi hota. Mujhe aisa kuch karna padega jisse Anu ka shak dur ho jaaye. Lekin sabse pehle Naina ko batana hai, par woh mile tab na.'

He had no option but to keep a watchful eye on her. Talking with someone or the other, she seemed to be having a good time while he felt like a stalker sneaking behind wherever she went, keeping her in his line of sight.

Few minutes later, she got up from the table where she was seated with a group, and walked ahead. Before he could reach her, a girl, dressed in a real heavy lehenga waved at her. Naina listened to her, nodded and went out through the main door, towards the passage adjacent to the hall. He followed her. She went to the washroom. He waited outside, a little away from the washroom entrance. But after she came out, instead of walking back towards the passage, she entered a room on the opposite side.

'Yahan kya kar rahi hai?' Sameer fumed but was curious.

Checking around to make sure no one was there, he stealthily went near the room. The door was ajar.