"Aap log jaante nahi, inke jaise log film shooting ke naam pe dhanda karte hai. Kam umar ki ladkiyon ko lalach deke apne jaal mein fasate hai. Unse bade bade waade kar ke unka istemaal karte hai aur phir unhe chhor dete hai. Inki kismat acchi thi isliye bach gayi." Said the police inspector while lodging FIR.
Suhaan, Suhana and Naaz were standing there. The police arrested all the people who were involved in the shooting and they were now inside the lock-up.
Suhana was continuously crying and Naaz and Suhaan were consoling her.
After hearing the whole matter from the inspector, Naaz thanked God as they could reach there on time and save Suhana.
Then she said, "Mujhe toh dekh ke hi paata chal gaya tha woh jagah kuch thik nahi hai. Isliye jab humein uss receptionist ne wait karne ko kaha, maine aap ko inform kar diya."
"Sahi time pe apne hoshiyari dikhayi. Aur uss wajah se aaj Suhana Sharma jaisi kayi ladkiyon ki zindagi barbaad hone se bach gayi." Said the inspector praising Naaz's presence of mind to which she smiled.
Suhaan looked at Naaz with grateful eyes.
"Agar tum nahi hoti toh main apni behen ko kabhi bacha nahi paata. Aaj meri aankhon mein tumhare liye izzat aur pyaar dono badh gaya." Said Suhaan in his mind.
Suddenly two people entered there. They were Mr. and Mrs. Sharma, Suhaan and Suhana's parents. As soon as Suhana noticed them, she ran to them and hugged her mother.
"Mumma aap aa gayi?" She said while crying.
But her mother pushed her and slapped her hard.
Suhaan and Naaz immediately came to them.
"Mom aap ne yeh kya kiya?" Said Suhaan.
"Shut up! Bachpan se tu apni behen ko bachata aa raha hai, lekin aaj nahi. Aur aaj iski galtiyon ko hum nazar andaz bhi nahi karenge. Kya kami reh gayi thi humari parvarish main jo tu itne gande raaste pe chali gayi? Kaal ko agar yeh khabar bahar aa gayi toh society ke saamne kya izzat reh jayegi humari? Iss se accha toh tu mujhe aur apne Papa ko zeher de ke maar daalti. Kam se kam humein yeh din toh nahi dekhna padta." Said Mrs. Sharma angrily.
"Mom please! This is a police station. Don't create a scene here. Hum bahar chal ke baat karte hai." Said Suhaan feeling embarassed as people were watching them.
"Suhaan thik keh raha hai. Bahar chalo." Said Mr. Sharma to his wife.
Mrs. Sharma nodded.
They all went outside the police station.
"Aap logo ko ho kya gaya hai? Chutki humare paas wapas aayi hai sahi salamat. You should be happy. Aur aap log usse hi blame kar rahe hai?" Said Suhaan to his parents.
"Toh phir kise blame karu?" Asked Mr. Sharma. "Suhana iss problem mein khud ki wajah se phasee hai. Na iske sir pe acting ka bhoot sawar hota aur na woh yaha phasti. Hum logo ko uski chinta hai iss hi liye yeh sab bol rahe hai."
"Chhota muh badi baat ho jayegi, phir bhi keh rahi hoon." Said Naaz suddenly. "Aaj Suhana ke saath jo kuch bhi hua uska zimmedar Suhana akeli nahi hai. Kahi naa kahi aap dono bhi hai."
"Kya kaha tumne?" Asked Mrs Sharma angrily.
"I know yeh aap logo ka personal matter hai. But ek baar dhyan se sochiye. Agar aaj aap log Suhana ko apne Bhai ki tarah journalism study karne ke liye force na karte, uske choice ko thoda sa bhi priority dete toh yeh sab nahi hota. Agar aap log usse humare college ki jagah kisi proper acting college mein daal te toh aise ghatiya log kabhi uska fayda nahi utha paate. Main yeh nahi keh rahi Suhana ki koi galti nahi hai. Galti kiyi hai usne, bohut badi galti kiyi hai usne. She should have told you before taking such a big step. Lekin galti aap se bhi hui hai. Kyu ki aap ne apni Beti ko kabhi samjha hi nahi. Kabhi nahi socha ki woh kya chahti hai. Agar soch lete toh aaj yeh din nahi dekhna padhta."
Mr. and Mrs. Sharma were fuming in anger. They were not ready to accept their mistake. But also they had nothing to say to defend themselves.
So they changed the topic and said, "Bohut hogaya. Suhana, ghar chal humare saath."
Instead of Suhana, Suhaan replied, "Aap log ghar jaiye. Main Suhana ko lekar aata hoon."
Mr. and Mrs. Sharma looked at Naaz for one last time and then left from there.
Suhaan then turned to his sister.
"Mom Dad ko na sahi, at least tu mujhe baata ti. Couldn't you even trust me? I'm your brother. Humesha se humne ek dusre ke saath har chiz share kiyi hai. Even you know about my love for....."
Suhaan stopped realising that Naaz was there.
"Whatever. All I want to say is tu mujhe ek baar baata sakti thi that you want to be an actress. Main khud baat karta Mom Dad se. Lekin tune mujhe uss kaabil bhi nahi samjha." Said Suhaan being hurt.
"I'm sorry Suhaan." Said Suhana crying.
"I don't need your sorry."
Saying that Suhaan was about to leave when Naaz hold her hand.
"I can understand your feelings. Suhana ne mujhe bhi hurt kiya hai. Bestfriend kehti hai, lekin itni badi baat mujhse chhupayi. I'm also very angry. Lekin Suhana ko abhi humari sabse zyada zaroorat hai. Specially tumhari. Please usse maaf kar do." Said Naaz softly.
Suhaan suddenly hugged Naaz tightly. Naaz was taken a back at this sudden movement.
"Thank you Naaz for being there. You don't even know what you have done for us. We are lucky to have a friend like you."
Naaz smiled and hugged him back. She knew that time he needed it the most. It was not easy for someone to see his sister in that situation. He too needed a shoulder to cry. He needed a friend. And Naaz was only trying to be that friend of him.
Suddenly a car stopped in front of the police station. It was Sidharth's car. He came there with his team after they got to know about the incident.
But he didn't expect Naaz and Suhaan there that too like this. They were hugging each other and that scene was breaking his heart into pieces. He thought that Naaz broke his trust. Teardrops fell from his eyes. He wiped them and came out of the car.
As soon as he came out, Naaz left from there with Suhaan and Suhana. Sidharth didn't get a chance to talk to her.
______________________________________
Later That Night...
Naaz was sitting at the dining table and waiting for Sidharth to return. She never had dinner until Sidharth came from office. It was their habit to dine together.
Suddenly she heard a knock at the door. She opened the door and saw Sidharth. His face was looking pale.
"Aaiye. Aap fresh ho jaiye. Main khana laga deti hoon." She said but Sidharth didn't move. He was just staring at her.
"Kya hua Sidharth? Are you okay? Kuch boliye toh sahi...."
Suddenly Sidharth gave her a bone crashing hug.
"Naaz! Baby! Thank God tum safe ho. Tumhe paata hai jab mujhe paata chala ki tumne Suhana ko unn logo ke haath se rescue kiya hai, main kitna pareshan ho gaya tha? Lekin tumhe uss se kya? Mujhe pareshan karna toh tumhari hobby ban chuki hain." Said Sidharth while trying hard not to cry.
Naaz broke the hug and asked, "Aap ko kaise paata chala?"
"Of course. Tumne toh mujhe baataya hi nahi. Sab kuch ho jaane ke baad mujhe paata chala jab main police station gaya apni team ke saath uss story ko cover karne. Why didn't you tell me before?"
Naaz smiled and said, "Sidharth mujhe paata tha main sab kuch sambhal lungi. Itna bharosa toh hai mujhe khud par."
"Yeah. Superwoman jo samajhti ho khud ko. Akele sab kuch karna hai. Khud ki jaan ki parwa kiye bina dusro ko bachana hai aur meri ek bhi nahi sun ni."
"Aap hi se toh sikha hai." Said Naaz looking at him with full of love and respect.
"Agar aap uss waqt khud ki parwa karte toh aap ki Naaz ko abhi tak kisi na kisi ke ghar mein torture kiya jaa raha hota. Tab aap mujhe thik se jaante bhi nahi the. Phir bhi aap ne mera saath nahi chhora. Toh phir main muskil waqt mein apni friend ka saath kaise chhor sakti hoon?"
Sidharth smiled and again hugged her. This time Naaz also hugged him back.
"I'm proud of you Naaz. You are really my Naaz, my pride." Said Sidharth.
Naaz closed her eyes. She was loving herself being in his arms for once again as they were hugging each other after a long time.
After that they had dinner and then went to sleep.
Sidharth made her sleep in his arms. He knew that she had gone through a lot and now she needed a place where she could find peace.
"Sidharth!" Called Naaz.
Sidharth hummed.
"Aaj jo kuch bhi hua uska baare mein aap log news mein dikhayenge nah?"
"Haan. Aise logo ke baare mein sab ka jaan na bohut zaroori hai. We have to create awareness so that nobody else falls in the trap."
"Woh sab toh thik hai. Bas Suhana ka naam inn sab mein mat laana. Uski family ki badnaami ho jayegi."
Sidharth smiled and said, "Okay meri jaan. As you say. Suhana ka naam news mein nahi aayega. Now sleep. Tum bohut thak chuki hogi. You need rest."
Naaz snuggled in his arms like a small baby. Sidharth chuckled and kissed her whole face pouring his love which he didn't show these past few days. Soon Naaz fell asleep in his arms.
Sidharth remembered the scene of Naaz and Suhaan hugging each other.
"I'm sorry Naaz. Maine uss ek pal ke liye bhi sahi tum pe doubt kiya. You were just being there for your friends when they needed you the most. After all you are a pure soul who cares for their closed ones. Aaj ke baad kabhi tum pe unnecessarily doubt nahi karunga. Aur naa hi phir se humare bich dooriyan badhne dunga." Said Sidharth in his mind.
He remembered that day when they fought with each other.
"Aaj Naaz ne kitni maturely uss situation ko handle kiya, apne friends ko sambhala. Maybe I was wrong. Ab woh utni bhi chhoti nahi rahi ki shaadi ki responsibilities ko samajh na sake. Kya mujhe Naaz se shaadi kar leni chahiye?"
He asked himself and the answer that came out from his heart was 'yes'.
A huge smile came to his face.
He looked at Naaz who was sleeping.
"Baby, bohut zald tumhe tumhari life ka sabse bada surprise milega. Ms. Naaz Gill, soon you are going to be officially Mrs. Sidharth Shukla."
Sidharth kissed her forehead for one last time before falling asleep.
______________________________________
How's the chapter?
Vote if you liked it.