Kiska Hai Tumko Intezaar

Woh dooriyon ka din tha

Naina sat still in the car. Outwardly, she posed a picture of quietude but her emotions were a tempest of grief, pain and guilt.

Grief, like a relentless tide, washed over her in waves. Memory of each moment of dejection by her father seemed to amplify the ache in her chest. Every single time when she felt unwanted played before her eyes, an unrelenting slideshow of heartache. Pain, a raw and visceral sensation, gathered in the form of a lump in her throat and a persistent hollowness in the pit of her stomach. The world outside the window blurred as tears threatened to spill, held back only by the strength of her will. Guilt, like a shadow, loomed over her. It whispered in the recesses of her mind, reminding her of moment she wished she could undo. Regret and self-blame mingled with the grief and pain, creating a storm of internal turmoil. She clutched at the fabric of her dress, as if seeking solace in the midst of the inner maelstrom.

Outside, the world moved at its regular pace, oblivious to the emotional tempest that devastated her from within. Her one mistake had changed the life of her entire family.

Amidst the cacophony of her mind, the last thing she wanted was a conversation with Sameer. Thus, when he tried to speak to her, she refused to indulge in any exchange of words, good or bad.

But Sameer was unable to take the hint. After another few kilometres of driving in heavy silence, he offered, keeping his voice lower and softer, 'Uh Naina... agar tumhe... I mean, if you need money... toh bataa sakti ho.'

She did not respond this time. Her face was turned to the side, like she was more interested in the passing landscape. But Sameer was sure she was not even aware what area they were in or whether they were moving or stationary. She was in some kind of intense internal struggle. And it was making him restless.

His mindvoice prompted him, 'Uski problem hai, tujhe kya. Let her deal with it.'

But another faint voice from his heart urged him to find out what was she going through that had made her this quiet, this distant from everything around her.

He decided to try differently. Tightening his hold on the steering, he sped up, knowing fully well that there was a steep turn in a few meters. He swerved the car sharply, which was quite unlike his regular, careful driving. Had it been any other time, he would have earned and earful from Naina, but today, she did not even look at him. The silence prevailed in the car as it is. It was like she hadn't even come to know of the little stunt he pulled.

Before Sameer could think of more ways, her voice startled him, 'Mujhe yahin utarna hai.'

He brought the car to a screeching halt. They were still away from her house. He looked around. It was the same road where he had once crossed paths with Naina, and had met Natasha for the first time. The temple on the opposite side was bathed in warm winter sunlight, serene and calm, opposed to the atmosphere inside the car.

'Tumhe mandir jaana hai? Main wait karun?' He wanted to drop her home safely, concerned about her state.

All she did was shake her head a little, her gaze fixed to the road ahead, 'Thanks for the lift. Tum jao.'

And before he could say more, she opened the door, stepped out and walked away. Sameer recalled that she was in some kind of distress the other day too, when she had visited the temple. In fact, he thought he saw her wipe away some tears, though he wasn't very sure about it. Maybe Naina liked to visit the temple when she was upset. He pursed his lips, feeling uneasy because he had no answers to anything at all. A loud honk from behind made him realise that he was blocking the way. There was a fair amount of crowd around the temple, today being Sunday. With a sigh, Sameer put the car in drive, pulling away from the busy road.