Anaya kicked off her sandals and rubbed her feet, 'Aaj toh Naina ne dance kara kara ke tel nikal diya.'

Sameer's attention turned to her immediately, 'Naina?'

'Hamari dance teacher.' Anaya elaborated, 'Itne different aur complicated moves karati hai.'

'Toh kyon jaati hai uske paas.' Sameer was now sure the girl he saw was Naina, 'Kisi dhang ki teacher ko dhoondna chahiye tha.'

Anaya gave him a peeved look, 'Aap rehne do bhai. Dance wance aapke bas ki baat nahi hai. Aur Naina ke liye toh kuch mat bolo, okay. Best teacher hai. Kya mast dance karti hai. Itni flexible hai. Mujhse toh uske moves try hi nahi ho rahe the.'

'Dance karti hai ya sabko zabardasti nachati hai, apne isharon pe?' Sameer mumbled.

Anaya burst out in laughter, 'So funny bhai. Meri class ki married ladies bhi yahi kehti hain ki Naina ki jab shaadi hogi woh apne husband ko bhi aise hi nachayegi.'

Sameer looked at her with a jerk, 'Naina ki shaadi nahi hui? Lekin tune toh kaha sabki ho rakhi hai sivay woh Ridhi Sidhi whatever ke.'

Rolling her eyes, Anaya explained, 'Maine kaha tha class mein hum chaaron ke alawa sab married hain. Lekin Naina toh teacher hai. Main uski baat thodi kar rahi thi.'

'Oh!' Sameer decided to keep his mouth shut, or rather his mind shut, if possible, to stop Naina's thoughts from invading it.

But his every thought was drifting in her direction. She seemed to be everywhere. How could she suddenly enter his orbit and occupy maximum space? Wasn't it too much of a coincidence? Should he ask his parents and Dadaji if they also know her by any chance. It won't surprise him anymore if they said they had met her somewhere in recent past. She probably had come with a single agenda in mind... take away everyone close to him. It was like there were two teams... Team Sameer and Team Naina. And now, one by one, his teammates were moving to her team. He could almost see a vicious smile of victory floating on her face.

*****

Naina reached home, tired after a long dance session. Since Dandiya night was in two days, everyone wanted individual attention to perfect their steps. Today, the class had decided to practice in their chaniya choli. She let out a weary but fond smile as she recalled how pretty they all looked in their vibrant outfits. Some of them had asked her also to don the dress of garba season but she didn't own any. So she had chosen the next best thing. Usually she wore simple kurti or tracks for the classes but she had specifically kept a few of such outfits for specific occasions when she had to teach traditional steps. The flair helped in showing the grace of movements.

Although now, she felt anything but graceful. In spite of the pleasant weather, she was sweating. The Anarkali suit felt too heavy and irksome. She needed a nice shower before she thought of dinner. Since Natasha would be coming tomorrow night, the house was still dark and quiet.

Flicking the light switch, she walked into the bedroom... only to let out a shriek when she noticed a covered form on the bed.

Natasha pulled down the quilt from her face, her eyes heavy but open, 'Main sone ki koshish kar rahi hun. Chillana zaruri tha kya?'

Naina placed a hand on her chest, breathing hard, 'Nutty ki bachhi, jaan nikal di meri. Tu yahan kya kar rahi hai?'

Pushing aside the light quilt, Natasha sat up, crossing her legs under her, 'Insaan apne ghar mein kya karta hai? Khaata hai, pita hai, sota hai, relax karta hai. Khana banane ki himmat nahi hai, akele pina pasand nahi, sone tu de nahi rahi, aur relax kaise karun jab tu vakil banke aise sawal puch rahi hai jaise maine ghar aake koi jurm kiya hai.'

Naina rolled her eyes, 'Essay sunane ki jagah saaf saaf bata nahi sakti aaj kaise aa gayi? Tujhe toh kal aana tha na. Achanak dekhke dar gayi main. Phone kar deti.'

Natasha lifted her arms above her head, stretching her body, 'Socha tu dance class mein hogi. Kyon disturb karun.'

Letting out a breath with a swoosh, Naina walked to the cupboard, 'Dar ke maare heart attack hone se toh disturb hona better hota.'

Natasha smiled lazily, 'Tujhe heart attack kaise hoga meri jaan, tere paas heart hai hi kahan. Uski jagah ek laal rang ka board hai jispe likha hai 'no entry'.'

'Very funny.' Holding her clothes, Naina turned to give her a fake smile, 'Lekin tere ghise pite jokes ke mood mein nahi hun main.'

'Toh kiske mood mein hai?' Natasha winked as she sat up quickly on her knees, 'Saturday night celebration ke? I'm ready. Kuch mast leke aayi hun.'

Naina eyes her dubiously, 'Tujhe sona nahi hai?'

'Nahi yaar neend hi nahi aa rahi. Shayad zyada tired hun isliye. Do do drink ke baad aa jayegi. Bata, are you game?' Natasha was now energetic and hopeful.

Naina gave her a thumbs up sign and rushed to the washroom. After the mental and physical exhaustion of last two days, a drink session was just the thing she needed.

Little later, as Natasha prepared a cocktail of mojito, Naina asked her how her trip was cut short by one day.

'Prem ki wajah se.' Natasha said with a smile.

"Kaun Prem? Koi pilot hai?' Naina quipped.

'Pilot toh Tarun hai.' Natasha uttered dreamily.

Naina was confused, 'Toh Prem kaun hai?'

Natasha turned and handed her the tall glass, urging her to take a sip. Naina tasted the drink, and closed her eyes in delight, loving the tangy taste.

Ready for her storytelling, Natasha settled on the sofa next to her, 'Prem hai... prem kahani, Tarun aur Pari ki, I mean Paridhi. Aaj ki flight Tarun leke jaane wala tha. Woh hai Paridhi ka boyfriend. Toh Pari ne mujhse kaha ki main kuch bahana maar ke yeh flight use de dun. Ab tu hi bata, do love birds ke beech mein kaise aati main. Isliye maine medical issue batakar opt out kar liya aur Pari ka naam replacement mein de diya.'

Naina thought for a while before asking, 'Lekin aaj toh Singapore wali flight thi na. Tu kitni excited thi pehli baar Singapore jaane ke liye, wahan tumhara night halt bhi tha.'

Natasha smiled, 'Singapore kahan bhaaga jaa raha hai. Fir kabhi mauka mil jayega. Yaar Naina, jab prem ki baat aati hai, toh main sirf prem ke saath hun. Usse zyada kuch important nahi lagta mujhe. Fir woh prem mera ho ya tera... ya kisi aur ka.'

Shaking her head at Natasha's extreme fixation for this one thing, Naina uttered, 'Pagal hai tu, kabhi dimag nahi lagati. Kabse wait kar rahi thi Singapore ki flight duty ka. Time aaya toh kisi aur ke liye kurbani de di.'

'Yeh pyar mohabbat ki baatein hain jaani, dil se hoti hain dimaag se nahi.' Natasha spread both her arms, squinting and smiling.

Naina noticed her glass was empty. Quickly, she finished the remaining contents in her own before they went for another round of same cocktail.

"Tu bata,' Natasha asked poetically after a long swig, 'mere bina kaise do din do raatein bitayi? Kisi handsome ladke se takrayi? Office mein kisi se nazren milayi? Kisi ko dekh ke kya tu sharmayi?'

Naina flared her nostrils, matching words with her, 'Ek idiot se kar li ladayi. Usko bhar bhar ke baatein sunayi.'

'Hein?' Natasha sat up, alert, 'Kisse bhid gayi? Is baar kya hua? Tu theek hai na? Kisine badtameezi ki?'

Naina narrated the entire incident with Sameer, telling her his exact thoughts about herself.

Natasha was enraged, 'Us rude ladke ko toh main chodungi nahi. Meri Naina ke baare mein aisa kaha... gangster bola... criminal bola... chor bola... daku bola...'

Naina interrupted, 'Nutty, yeh sab nahi bola yaar, usne mujhe...'

'Hush,' Natasha roughly smacked her arm, 'Disturb mat kar. Main uske paapon ki list bana rahi hun.'

'Paap?' Naina furrowed her brows.

Natasha looked at her with weepy expression, 'Paap hi toh kiya hai usne. Meri itni pyari Naina ko itni buri buri baatein boli. Usko is paap ka phal milega. Bhagwan zarur denge. Tu dekhna Naina, main bhagwan ko bolungi usko abhi ki abhi uske paap ka result sunao. Sharam nahi aayi use, meri pyari si Naina ko gangster bola.'

Natasha started to cry.

Dragging her closer, Naina placed her head in her own lap, 'Shhh. Chup ho jaa. Koi baat nahi. Maine usko achhe se suna diya. Bhagwan ka toh pata nahi, par maine uske muh pe hi use phal de diya. Woh bhi kadwa wala. Yaad rakhega kisi Naina se paala pada tha.'

Natasha suddenly sat up, wiping her eyes, 'Number de mujhe uska. Main bhi sunaungi.'

Naina picked her phone and started to search for his name till it dawned on her. With a puzzled look, she scratched her head, 'Number toh liya hi nahi maine uska. Ab kya karein?'

Natasha slapped her forehead, 'Ab kya hoga? Ab main kaise galiyan dun use?' Her eyes lit up as an idea formed in her mind, 'Munna se lele. Munna ke paas toh hoga na us Sandeep ka number.'

'Kaun Sandeep?' Naina wondered aloud.

Rolling her eyes, Natasha reminded, 'Wohi, jiske saath tera jhagda hua? Woh jo tujhe gangster bol raha tha?'

'Woh Sandeep tha?' Naina asked, narrowing her eyes.

Natasha nodded fiercely.

'Toh Sameer kaun hai?' Tapping her forehead, Naina tried to remember.

'Sameer? Naam toh suna suna lag raha hai. Yaad kyon nahi aa raha.' Natasha also pressed her temples.

Naina picked her phone, 'Ruk, main Munna se puchti hun.'

'Hello Munna. Tum Sandeep ko jaante ho?' She asked the moment she heard a voice from other side.

Natasha shook her shoulder, 'Arey pagal Sandeep toh uska dost hai. Puch Sameer kaun hai?'

At the other end, Munna answered, 'Sandeep? Nahi Naina main nahi jaanta. Kya hua?'

With both speaking to her at the same time, Naina got more puzzled, 'Tum bhi nahi jaante? Ab kisse puchun?'

Munna got worried, 'Kya hua Naina? Kisi Sandeep ne mera naam leke tumhe contact kiya hai kya? Kya kaha usne?'

'Usne kaha main gangster hun.' Naina pouted.

'Kya?' Munna was startled, 'Gangster? Ye kisne...'

The connection got cut.

'Hello hello Munna.' Naina screamed into the phone which had gone blank.

When she couldn't hear anything, she looked at Natasha sadly, "Main behri ho gayi. Kuch sunayi nahi de raha.'

With a gasp, Natasha's hands flew to her mouth, 'Pehle tu gangster thi, ab behri bhi ho gayi.'

'Tu baat kar. Puch usse yeh Sanjay kaun hai.' Naina thrusted the phone in her hand.

'Okay.' Natasha put the phone to her ear, 'Hello Sanjay, Munna kaun hai?'

After a few seconds, with a horrified look, she put the phone down, 'Main bhi behri ho gayi.'

Naina smiled, her eyes droopy, 'Par tu gangster toh nahi hai na. Main toh dono hun.'

'Tu hamesha mujhse aage nikal jaati hai. Very bad.' Natasha scoffed.

'Aww.' Naina shifted towards her, spreading her arms, 'But we are best friends yaar.'

They both hugged, their eyes shut, a silly smile on their lips... and their empty glasses rolling on the floor.

*****

'Bhai, car mein hi baithe rehne ka irada hai kya?' Anaya's voice brought Sameer out of his disturbing thoughts.

They had already reached home but he was still seated in the parked car, holding the wheel.

Anaya eyed him with concern, 'Sab theek hai na bhai? Aap bohot lost lag rahe ho. Aaj bahar bhi nahi gaye. Munna Pandit se jhagda hua kya?'

Banging the car door shut after stepping out, Sameer said with irritation, 'Main kya sabse jhagda karta firta hun? Ek toh itni dur pickup karne gaya Saturday evening ko upar se thank you ki jagah ulte seedhe sawal kar rahi hai.'

Anaya followed him, twisting her face, 'Ahsaan dikhane ki zarurat nahi hai, maine nahi kaha tha aane ko. Cab se aa jaati. Pehle toh dono se roz milte the lekin ab do din se ghar pe baithe ho. Pakka kuch panga liya hai unse. Pata nahi kaise aapke tantrums jhelte hain bichare.'

Sameer stopped and looked at her angrily, 'Tum ladkiyon ko har baat pe bhashan dene ki bimari hoti hai kya? Main kisi se bhi jhagda karun, maarpit karun ya pyar se gale lagaun, tujhe kya.

Frowning, Anaya snapped back, 'Aur kisse kar sakte ho. Aapki life mein Munna Pandit ke alawa koi hai hi nahi. Aur haan, kitni ladkiyon ke bhashan sun liye jo kadwe karele ho rahe ho? '

'Hai na woh Nai...' Sameer was about to spill out when he was interrupted, in time, by Dadaji's beckoning.

'Arey Sameer, baat sun zara. Kabse tera wait kar raha tha. Idhar aa.' Dadaji's voice rang out.

Anaya stomped away, muttering to herself. Running a hand through his hair, Sameer walked to the small enclosed seating area near the garden. It was a gazebo that was installed on Sameer's insistence few years back. He liked to sit here often, surrounded by the beautiful view of flowering plants and rows of palm tress near the boundry wall. Once inside, the serene experience wasn't marred by flies, mosquitoes or other insects. Nor did he have to worry about the extreme heat or cold of Delhi weather.

'Jee Dadaji.' Taking a seat near his grandfather, Sameer asked wearily, hoping it wasn't another attempt by his grandfather to hook him with someone.

It was.

Looking at him closely, Dadaji said, 'Mehta ji ki naatin London se pichle hafte hi lauti hai. Waise parson dandiya function mein bhi bulaya hai unhone par maine kaha Sameer nahi jaata dandiya ke liye. Toh kehne lage Diwali party mein Sameer ko zarur laana. Maine kaha uske liye toh Sameer kabse taiyar baitha hai. Beta, yeh achha mauka hoga tum dono ke liye, mil bhi lena aur thodi jaan pehchaan bhi badha lena.'

Sameer was alarmed. This was the third attempt by his grandfather to set him up with a girl. He had managed to evade the previous two but this time he seemed to be cornered. Mehta uncle arranged a grand Diwali party every year one week before Diwali. Since last few years, Sameer used to take Munna Pandit along, as he enjoyed the party more with them. Just a few days back he had expressed his eagerness to his family, keen to see what new theme Mehta uncle would choose this time.

'Kya soch raha hai?' Dadaji asked, seeing him in deep thought.

Sameer looked up with a start, 'Kuch... kuch nahi. Main bas Mehta uncle... unki... party kab hai?

Dadaji let out a laugh, 'Party agle weekend pe hai. Lekin agar tu itna hi utawla hai toh main Mehta ko phone karke keh deta hun tu Isha ko lunch pe leke jaana chahta hai.'

'Nahi.' Sameer said quickly, 'Main kyon leke jaunga use lunch pe, main... mujhe milna bhi nahi hai.'

Dadaji's gaze hardened, 'Milna to padega Sameer. Sabhi ladkiyon ko manaa nahi kar sakte. Mehta ji ke saath hamare business relations hi nahi family bonding bhi hai. Jab unhe pata chala ki humein teri shaadi ki jaldi hai toh unhone Isha ki baat ki. Mujhe to har tarah se woh suitable lagi. Tu bhi ek baar milega toh pasand aa jayegi. Aise hi milne milane se baat aage badhti hai. Aur fir tujhe problem kya hai milne mein. Aisa toh hai nahi ki hum zabardasti teri shaadi apni pasand ki ladki se kara rahe hain. Hum toh teri choice ko bhi approve kar dete par teri koi commitment nahi hai isliye...'

'I'm commited Dadaji.' Sameer blurted.

Stopping abruptly at what he had said, his grandfather stared at him.

Sameer shifted uncomfortably in his chair, 'Meri... meri girlfriend hai... hum dono ek dusre ko bohot pyar karte hain.'

Somehow, Dadaji could not believe him.

He narrowed his eyes, 'Aaj tak to bataya nahi. Yeh achanank konsi girlfriend aa gyi?'

'Achanak nahi,' Sameer tried to sound convincing, 'Hum do... do saal se saath hain.'

Dadaji pursed his lips, 'Achha? Toh kaun hai yeh do saal purani girlfriend? Naam, pata, khandaan, naukri...'

'Isiliye nahi batya pehle', Sameer played the reverse card, 'Aap logon ko uski saari history, geography ek baar mein chahiye. Pyar... pyar karne se pehle uspe research thodi ki thi maine.'

Dadaji raised a brow, 'Okay! Lekin ab toh do saal ho gaye na. Kuch toh pata hoga uske baare mein.'

'Pata hai. Sab kuch pata hai mujhe.' Sameer shrugged, trying to look confident.

'Hmm.' Dadaji relaxed back in his chair, 'Toh janaab ki girlfriend hai, do saal se, jisse woh shadi karne ko taiyar hain.'

Sameer gave a smile, which he wanted to appear shy but it seemed a nervous one.

Suddenly Dadaji leaned forward and asked in an urgent voice, 'Jaldi se naam bata.'

Caught off guard, Sameer couldn't think of anything and blurted out, 'Naina.'

Before he could understand what happened, and before Dadaji could say anything, his phone started to ring. He placed it to his ear, without checking the caller id.

'Hello.'

A second later, his eyes rounded in shock, 'Naina?'

Next update on Tuesday