Next Day, Sidharth left for Delhi. He was very much excited to meet Naaz, his Naaz. He couldn't sleep last night because of excitement. After 8 long years, he would be able to see her face, he would be able to hug her, feel her warmth. He was continuously smiling.
"Paata nahi itne saalon baad mujhe dekh ke Naaz kaise react karegi. Sayad pehle jitna excitement nahi rahega because ab woh badi ho chuki hai. Lekin khush toh pakka hogi." Said Sidharth in his mind.
Soon he reached Naaz's hostel.
Meanwhile...
Naaz was hiding behind a wall, suddenly her one friend came and said, "Pakad liya!"
"Ammaaa!" Naaz whined, "Ab mujhe phir se den ban na hoga?"
"Woh toh hoga hi."
Naaz made a face.
The other girls came out of the places where they were hiding.
"Chalo chalo sab dobara se chhup jaao. Naaz phir se den ban rahi hai." Said the girl.
Naaz faced towards the wall and started counting closing her eyes. The girls started hiding wherever they could.
Naaz's one friend, Prerna was finding a place to hide, suddenly she saw a tall, handsome man standing at the school ground wearing a black coat with black sunglasses. He was none other than Sidharth. Prerna couldn't take her eyes off him. She kept standing at her place like a statue even after Sidharth left from there.
Suddenly someone tapped her shoulder.
"Hello Ms. Prerna! I have caught you. Ab tu banegi den." Said Naaz with a smile of victory.
"Naaz woh sab chhor. Tujhe paata hai maine abhi kise dekha?" Said Prerna excitedly.
"Kise?"
"Usse."
"Usse kise?"
"Arrey woh hi jo tv pe aata hai. Hot and handsome sa banda."
"Tune Hrithik Roshan ko dekha kya?"
"Hrithik Roshan nahi. Par uss se kuch kam bhi nahi. Main uska naam bhul rahi hoon. Tu chal mere saath, main tujhe dikhati hoon."
Saying that Prerna almost dragged Naaz with her. But they couldn't find Sidharth. Prerna was dismayed.
"Abhi toh yaheen tha yaar. Kaha chala gaya?" She said sadly.
Naaz looked here and there and said in a dramatic way, "Kaha hai tera Hot and Handsome Mr. India? Ab usse dekhne ke liye koi special glasses mangwane padenge kya?"
"Jitna mazak udaa na hai udaa le. Lekin maine sach mein usse dekha tha. Aur tujhe paata hai woh saamne se aur bhi zyada handsome lag raha tha. Itna handsome ki kisi bhi ladki ko dekhte hi uss pe crush aa jaaye. Tu agar meri jagah hoti nah, tujhe bhi aata."
"Possible hi nahi hai." Said Naaz confidently.
"I know tu humse alag hai. Aaj tak tera ek bhi crush nahi raha, not even any celebrity crush. But iss pe tujhe crush zaroor aata, main guarantee ke saath keh sakti hoon."
Naaz rolled her eyes and said, "Tera crushes ke upar discussion khatam ho gaya ho toh, game continue kare? Maine tujhe pakad liya hai and now it's your turn to become the den. Main baki sab ko bula ke laati hoon."
Naaz called the other girls. Prerna started counting and the others started finding place to hide.
Naaz was looking here and there.
"Yaar mujhe phir se den nahi ban na. Iss baar acchi jagah chhup na padega taa ki first mein pakdi naa jaau." Said Naaz in her mind.
Then she saw Prerna coming behind her.
"Yeh toh meri taraf hi aa rahi hai. Kya karu? Kaha chhupu?"
Suddenly she saw a man going towards the school building. She couldn't see his face. She just saw his back.
She immediately went to him and hid herself behind him clutching his coat tightly.
Sidharth suddenly stopped walking.
"Please kisi ko mat baata na main yaaha chhupi hoon. Please! Please!" Said Naaz closing her eyes.
And his heartbeat became faster hearing the sweet voice. He could feel someone very special was now close to him. The touch was so familiar. He remembered the first day when Naaz clutched her shirt from behind just like this.
On the other hand, a sudden feeling of peace rushed through Naaz's nerves. She was feeling very much protected around him. Just like she used to feel protected around her Sidharth. And the fragrance which was coming from this person was the same fragrance which used to come from Sidharth.
When Naaz was thinking all this, Sidharth couldn't wait anymore and turned behind. And they both were face to face.
After 8 years they met again. Finally they were in front of each other. It was neither Naaz's imagination nor Sidharth's dream. They were actually standing in front of each other. Both Sidharth and Naaz were having mixed feelings. They were speechless. They forgot what to say, how to react. Only one word they could utter.
"Naaz!"
"Sidharth!"
As soon as Sidharth heard his name from Naaz's mouth, he couldn't control his emotions and gave Naaz a bone crashing hug.
"I miss you!" He whispered.
A lone tear escaped Naaz's eyes. She lifted up her hands to hug him back but again took them down thinking something.
______________________________________
Sidharth and Naaz were in the Principal's office. He was talking to the Principal about taking Naaz home with him.
"Naaz ke baare mein hum kya hi kahe? She is one of the most brilliant girls of our school. 10th aur 12th dono board exams mein hi usne humare school ko proud feel karwaya hai. This school will miss her a lot." Said the Principal.
Sidharth's face lightened up hearing the Principal praising his Naaz. He was feeling very much proud.
"Principal Mam, main keh raha tha ki Naaz ke board exams toh khatam ho chuke hai. So can I take her home with me?" Asked Sidharth.
"Of course but I suggest aap kaal tak ruk jaiye. Kaal humare school ka annual function hai. Class 12 ke jo ladkiya iss mein participate kar rahi hai, woh kaal tak ruk rahi hai. Aur Naaz ke liye toh kaal ka din bohut bada hai. Ek toh usse board exams mein school mein top karne ke liye felicitated kiya jayega. Moreover she is playing Radha's role in our play 'Radha Krishna'." Said the Principal.
Sidharth became surprised and looked at Naaz who was sitting on the chair silently.
"Naaz tum Radha ka role play kar rahi ho?" Asked Sidharth with a huge smile on his face.
Naaz gave a slight smile and nodded in yes.
"Mam phir toh hum zaroor kaal tak ruk rahe hai." Said Sidharth happily.
They came out of the Principal's office and went to the school gate.
They both were silent for sometime. Then Sidharth asked, "Kaisi ho Naaz?"
"Thik hoon." Replied Naaz briefly.
Sidharth was finding something to say. Naaz noticed it and asked, "Aap... Aap kaise ho?"
"Main? Main bhi thik hoon. Aur ghar mein bhi sab acche hai. Maa, Neetu Di, Preeti Di... Tumhe paata hai hum sab ek saath hi reh rahe hai....."
"Paata hai mujhe." Said Naaz. "Maa se baat hoti hai meri."
"Oo haan. Main bhul gaya tha." Said Sidharth.
They both became silent again. It was being very awkward for both of them.
After sometime Sidharth sighed and said, "Honestly Naaz main tumhe baata nahi sakta itne saalon baad tumse mil kar main kitna khush hoon? Mujhe toh samajh hi nahi aa raha main kya bolu. Maine bohut miss kiya tumhe. Aur tumne?"
"Kya?"
"Tumne...miss nahi kiya mujhe?"
"Hmm."
Sidharth became confused.
"Hmm matlab? Kuch bolo. Waise tum khush ho na mujhe dekh kar?"
"Yeah... Of course." Said Naaz looking down.
Sidharth thought maybe just because they didn't meet for years, she was feeling awkward in front of him. So he decided to spend some time with her so that she could be normal with him like before.
"Naaz kaal toh tumhara function hai so main aaj yaheen ruk raha hoon. And if you want we can hang out and spend some time." Said Sidharth.
"Aaj nahi hoga. Abhi mujhe play ke liye reharsal karna hai." Said Naaz.
"Oh! Then shaam ko?"
"Nahi woh drama school mein jaana hai aur uske baad singing school. Hum kaal Bareilly jaa rahe hai toh aaj mera waha last day hai. I don't wanna miss it."
"It's fine. Then see you tomorrow." Said Sidharth passing a smile.
Naaz just simply nodded and left from there.
Sidharth somehow became sad.
"Aaj itne saalon baad hum mile, lekin Naaz ke chehre pe koi khushi, koi excitement nahi hai. Woh behave aise kar rahi thi jaise main koi ajnabee hoon. Jo Naaz har waqt mere saath saath rehti thi, usne aaj mere saath jaane ke liye maana kar diya. Kya itna kuch badal gaya hai inn 8 saalon mein?" He said in his mind.
In The Evening...
Sidharth was in a hotel room in Delhi. He was continuously thinking about Naaz. He couldn't understand why she behaved like this.
Suddenly Sidharth's phone rang.
"Haan Maa boliye." Said Sidharth picking up the call.
"Tum log Delhi se nikal gaye?" Asked Rita Maa.
"Oh Sorry main aap ko baata na bhul gaya. Naaz ke school mein kaal annual function hai toh hum kaal wapas aa rahe hai."
"Accha. Aur tu Naaz se mila? Kaisa tha uska reaction tujhe dekhne ke baad?"
"Thik tha."
"Kya thik tha? Woh excited nahi hogayi thi?"
"Nahi Maa." He said sadly
"Kya hua Sidharth? Tu pareshan lag raha hai."
Sidharth told Rita Maa everything.
"Maa mujhe lagta hai Naaz badal gayi hai. Woh meri pehle wali Naaz nahi rahi."
Rita Maa smiled and said, "Woh teri pehle wali Naaz kaise rahegi? Ab woh 10 saal ki nahi rahi, 18 saal ki ho chuki hai. Uska sirf emotions express karne ka tarika badla hoga. Aur tum log kitne dino baad mil rahe ho. Usse thoda time lagega khul ne mein. Dekhna kuch time baad woh apne aap normal ho jaayegi. Just give her that time. Okay?"
"Sure." Said Sidharth.
______________________________________
Has Naaz really changed?
Stay tuned...
Also vote if you liked this chapter.