Next morning Naina sends him a good morning text on Whatsapp.
*Good Morning.😊*
*Itni subah msg? Main so rha hu Naina.*
*Arey? Subah ke nau (9) baj rahe hain aur aap so rahe hain?*
*Haan*
*To uthenge kab?*
*Jb neend khulegi. Stop msgin now. Msg k noty ki wajah se so bih nih ap ra*
*so bih nih ap ra? 🤔*
*You mean so bhi nhi pa raha?😂*
*Type karna sikha dun teacher ji?🙊*
This brings a smile on his face. With drowsy eyes, he replies,
*Sikhao!*
The reply skips Naina's heartbeat and she blushes.
*Chaliye ye message theek likha hai. I am sure ab aap jug gye honge.😜 Main apse baad mein baat karti hun.😊*
*To tumne bus mujhe jagane ke liye message kiya tha?*
*To aur kya karna tha?🤔*
*Mujhe laga kuch IMPORTANT baat karni hai.*,
he types sitting up on his bed.
*Apse kya important baat karungi?😉🙊*
This makes Rajveer to widen his eyes out of surprise. He blushes.
*Theek hai fir bye!*
*Bye!😊*
Rajveer shakes his head into negative. Putting his mobile at the side table he gets up.
After getting ready, he goes for a jog.
On the other hand Naina prepares breakfast for her family. Does some other house chores.
After sometime, she whilst walking towards the door, informs her parents,
"Ma main baazar ja rahi hun. Friends ke saath hongi."
Soon she reaches her friends and enjoy a little chit-chat. They decide to have golgappas.
Standing in front of the golgappa stand she was about to have her first golgappa that her phone buzzes.
The name flashing on the screen brings a smile on her face. Picking up she greets him,
"Hello!",
smiling.
"Tumhe golgappa pasand hai?",
asks Rajveer.
"Maine hello kaha to aap uske badle - hello, hi kuch to bol sakte hain na?",
she asks, keeping her voice low, not wanting her friends to hear.
Rajveer shuts his eyes tight and blushes.
"Hi!",
he greets, smiling.
Naina smiles.
"Ji, mujhe golgappa pasand hai. In fact main abhi....",
as she was about to continue, a thought comes to her mind and her heart skips a beat.
"Aap...",
she nervously looks around, but out nervousness and excitement her vision goes almost blur.
"A..p...k...o.. kaise pata?",
she asks skeptically, hoping that whatever she is thinking doesn't turn true.
"Warna tum mujhe chor kar aise akele golgappa nahi khati! Zarur bohot pasand honge.",
he says, smiling.
Naina goes crimson red. She blushes profusely and tries to locate his presence around herself.
Her friends engrossed in their chats don't pay attention to her and hence she gets saved from their questions.
"Kahan hain aap?",
she asks, sweetly.
Smiling, he says,
"Relax. Tum enjoy karo apni friends ke saath. Hum baad mein baat karte hain."
"Par... I mean mujhe koi problem nahi hai. Main aa jaungi apke paas.",
she says.
Hearing that Rajveer asks,
"Kitne paas aa sakti ho tum mere?"
His sudden bold question skips Naina's heartbeat. Her cheeks start emitting heat at a high degree. She looks towards her friends nervously.
"Matlab?",
she asks, lowering her voice, out of nervousness.
Rajveer understands that she has understood! Maintaining his tone, he asks,
"Main tumhe lene aun ya tum khud aa jaugi? Tumhare samne dekho meri jeep khadi hai."
She then finally locates him as he guides her and her heart skips on seeing him sitting at the driver's seat.
"Main aa jaungi!",
she says, staring him.
"Intezaar kar raha hun!",
he says, staring her back, making her feel all the more vulnerable.
Naina ends the call and shakes her head, blushing. Rajveer smiles staring her.
Naina turns to her friends and says,
"Mujhe zara zaruri kaam se jana hai. Main baad mein milti hun."
Then she turns towards the shopkeeper and asks for two golgappas.
Walking ahead she crosses the road to reach Rajveer who is waiting for her in his jeep at the other side of the road.
Rajveer opens the door of the jeep for her. Smiling she climbs in. Rajveer asks her,
"Golgappa?"
"Apke liye.",
she says.
"Main nahi khata.",
he tells her politely.
Naina's face falls on hearing that.
"Oh!",
she says.
Rajveer smiles a little, staring her.
"Ek try kar lijiye?",
requests Naina, hopefully.
Rajveer shakes his head into negative, smiling.
"Okay! No problem.",
she says.
She was about to throw it away that Rajveer realizes what she is about to do and asks in horror,
"Kya kar rahi ho?"
"Apko nahi khana na?",
says Naina, looking towards him, skeptically.
"To matlab fek dogi?",
asks Rajveer, scolding mildly.
Naina stares him confused.
"Tum kha lo!",
he says.
"Ahm... okay...",
she says and finishes both the pieces quickly and throws the container away.
"Naina bahar kyun fenka?",
asks Rajveer, irritated.
"To? Kya karna tha?",
asks Naina, surprised on hearing his question. Her heart thumping inside her chest, wondering what was she supposed to do.
Shutting his eyes he takes a deep breath, opening them he says,
"Wahan dustbin hai. Tum wahan fek sakti thi."
Naina looks towards him with knitted brows.
Rajveer stares back with knitted brows too.
Shutting his eyes he sighs. Opening them he apologizes,
"I am sorry! I am a cleanliness freak!"
He shakes his head, clearing his mind.
Naina with her mouth opened into an 'O' nods her head into positive, slowly.
"Main... ja kar... utha dun?",
she asks, hesitantly.
"No it's okay!",
he says.
He climbs down the jeep, picking up her container he throws it into the dustbin.
Naina's eyes follow his each move, sitting inside the jeep.
She observes and tries to learn more about him.
Climbing up the jeep, soon he commences with the driving.
"Aap mujhe follow kar rahe the?",
asks Naina, narrowing her eyes on him.
This comes as a surprise for him.
"What?",
he asks, shocked, finding it ridiculous, his eyes still on the road.
By the tone of his Naina understands that she has mistaken in understanding him.
Her voice turns soft out of guilt.
"Fir aap yahan?"
"Ohoooo... to tumhe ye lagta hai ke main tumhara peecha karte karte yahan aya hun?",
asks Rajveer, taunting her.
Naina's heart sinks hearing that.
"Fir?",
she asks, apologetically.
Rajveer brings out a paper from his pocket and hands it over to her.
Naina looks at it skeptically.
"Ye kya hai?",
she asks, whilst opening it.
She checks it and asks looking towards him, puzzled,
"Apke paas ye female cosmetics ki list kya kar rahi hai?"
"Khareedni hai mujhe!",
he says.
"What?",
she asks, shocked.
"Meri ek colleague-cum-friend hain unke liye.",
says Rajveer.
"Oh! To unhone apko kyun diya ye?",
she asks.
"Trust me Naina jabse diya hai tabse main bhi unse yahi puchta ja raha hun ke mujhe kyun diya kisi aur ko de detin.",
he rolls his eyes.
Naina still stares him, feeling weird.
Smiling, he lets her know,
"Actually she is a dear friend of mine. Dr. Shalini. Doctor hone ki wajah se academy se zyada bahar ja nahi pati. Aye din koi na koi kaam aahi jata hai. So wo mujhse keh deti hain aise chote-mote kaam. Mujhe jab time milta hai main le aata hun. Yahan aa raha tha to tab ye thama diya mere haath mein.",
Rajveer smiles fondly, thinking about Dr. Shalini.
"That's so sweet.",
smiles Naina.
Rajveer smiles.
"Koi cosmetic ki dukan mil jaye wohi dhundhte dhundhte guzar raha tha ke tum dikh gayi.",
smiles Rajveer.
Naina lowers her eyes, smiling.
"Ahmm... yahan se left lijiye.",
she guides him the way to a cosmetic shop.
Together they buy cosmetics for Dr. Shalini.
"Ahmm... Naina red lipstick likha hai but red mein bhi kitne shades hain.",
says Rajveer, confused, looking towards array of red lipsticks.
Sighing, he says,
"I can't believe main ye sub kar raha hun."
"Relax!",
says Naina and applies a little of a few shades of red on the back of her hand and asks him which one is looking better.
"Konsa acha lag rha hai?",
she asks, smiling.
"Are you serious? Tum mujhse puch rahi ho?",
asks Rajveer, looking towards her with knitted brows.
Naina looks here and there, turning around, then looks back towards him again and asks,
"Aur koi hai kya humare saath?"
Rajveer's heart skips a beat and he knits his brows, glaring her.
Naina rolls her eyes and asks,
"Bataiye konsa acha lag raha hai?"
"Naina main kaise bata sakta hun? Frankly mere liye to sarey shades hi same hai. Isse easy options to NCC ke course ke entrance test mein tha.",
Rajveer rolls his eyes.
"Ek kaam karo, tum ladkiyan karti ho na 'inky-pinky ponky' whatever, wo karke dekh lo.",
he suggests, seriously.
As much as that makes Naina to go little angry, but it does amuse her too.
Rajveer looks towards her and his heart skips a beat on finding her glaring him.
"What?",
asks Rajveer.
"Apko ye bhi pata hai ke hum ladkiyan jab confuse hoti hain to kya karti hain?",
she asks, smiling naughtily.
"Dr. Shalini karti hain!",
he states, smiling sarcastically, staring Naina.
That makes Naina to laugh.
Naina focuses back on deciding and chooses one shade finally.
"Hmm... ye acha hai.",
she says smiling.
"Okay!",
he takes it without caring to check which shade she has chosen.
"Arey dekh to lijiye.",
says Naina.
"Never mind. I am sure acha hi hoga.",
says Rajveer and keeps it in front of the shopkeeper.
"Ek aur shade hai. Number diya hua hai.",
he says and asks the shopkeeper for the shade.
He checks it and expression of distaste comes on his face.
"Kitna dark hai ye!",
he exclaims.
"To?",
asks Naina, surprised.
"Light shades are more decent.",
he says, as a matter of fact.
"What? Ye kya baat hui? Subka apna apna taste hota hai.",
says Naina, disagreeing.
"Yani tumhe dark shades pasand hain?",
asks Rajveer, serious.
"Nahi aisa nahi hai. Mujhe to dono hi theek lagte hain. Depend karta hai ke kis dress ke saath put kar rahi hun.",
says Naina.
"I believe jitna light shades use karein aurtein utni hi wo decent lagti hain. Dark shades I feel aurtein sirf attraction seek karne ke liye lagati hain.",
says Rajveer and rolls his eyes.
Naina purses her lips finding him adorable when he is pissed off over this minute thing.
Staring him, smiling a little, as a naughty thought enters her mind, she says,
"A..actually I'll buy one for myself.",
saying so she turns to select one for herself.
"I'll take this one.",
smiles Naina, selecting a dark shade.
Rajveer initially doesn't realize that she has chosen a dark shade.
"Dikhao konsa hai.",
saying so he checks it.
"Ye! Itna dark!",
exclaims Rajveer, showing his disapproval.
Naina smiles and pats her eyelashes, innocently.
"Dark kahan hai? I am gonna buy this!",
she says, taking it away from his hand.
"Nahi Naina tum ye nahi le rahi.",
he says, plainly.
"Kyun?",
asks Naina, knitting her brows.
"Pay main kar dungi.",
says Naina, intentionally, smiling.
Rajveer gives her a look that tells - stop being stupid.
"It's not about money!",
he scolds her.
"Fir?",
she asks innocently.
"Tum par ye suit nahi karega!",
he says.
"Arey abhi jab main apki friend ke liye apse suggestion maang rahi thi apne aise mujhe dekha jaise maine apse pata nahi kitna difficult question puch liya hai. Aur ab jab apse nahi puch rahi to aap suggestion de rahe hain?",
says Naina, hiding her amusement.
Rajveer narrows his eyes on her. Naina lowers her eyes feeling hesitant.
"Main suggestion nahi de raha, main bol raha hun tumhe ke TUM NAHI KHAREED RAHI YE!",
he says, sternly.
Naina shakes her head and keeps it back.
"Koi aur le lo!",
he offers, turning a little polite as she keeps it back.
"Nahi it's okay.",
smiles Naina.
"Naina...",
he says politely, his voice low.
That makes Naina's cheeks to warm up.
Rajveer waits for her to look towards him. Naina looks towards him. He politely says, his voice still low,
"Gussa ho?"
Naina shakes her head into negative, staring him, smiling politely.
Rajveer pays for the things they buy and they head towards his jeep.
●●●●●
They settle in the jeep and Rajveer starts driving.
"Hum kahan ja rahe hain?",
asks Naina.
"Aise hi ghum rahe hain leisurely.",
says Rajveer.
"Tumhe kahin jana hai?",
asks Rajveer.
Naina shakes her head into negative.
"Apna mobile dikhao!",
says Rajveer, his eyes on the road as he is driving.
He extends his left hand, controlling the steering wheel with his right.
"Mobile? Kyun?",
asks Naina.
"Dikhao Naina!",
says Rajveer.
Naina hands him her phone.
Rajveer checks and asks,
"Password kya hai?"
"Ab main password bhi bataun apko?",
asks Naina, staring him unable to believe.
"To?",
asks Rajveer, knitting his brows.
Naina rolls her eyes and tells him anyways.
He quickly searches something and gives the mobile back to her, focusing back on his driving.
Naina looks at what it is.
"Ye lo ye form hai KMA ka bharlo.",
says Rajveer.
A smile comes on Naina's face.
Naina looks towards him, her eyes filled with admiration for him.
"Ghar mein bhi batana hoga subko.",
she says suddenly, nervously.
Rajveer thinks about it and says,
"Theek hai. Tum fir ghar mein baat kar lena. Fir bhar dena."
"Thank you.",
smiles Naina.
Rajveer smiles and looks towards Naina for fraction of seconds then focuses back on his driving.
"Iss mein thank you bolne ki koi baat nahi hai Naina.",
smiles Rajveer.
A car happens to cross by them in full speed.
"Aaj kal ke youngsters bhi. Pata nahi apni zindagi ke saath khelne mein kya maza aata hai? Aur itna hi hai to army mein hi chale jayein. Agar jaan gawane ka itna shok hai to desh ke liye hi nyochawar karein, desh ki bhi madad ho jayegi. Par nahi inhe to bus zindagi mauj-masti se beetani hai!",
curses Rajveer.
Naina stays quiet but accepts what he says.
"Apko pata hai maine kabhi ye cheez feel nahi kiya.",
she says.
"Kya?",
asks Rajveer, knitting his brows, wondering what is she talking about.
"Tez gadi chalana ya uss mein baithna aur feel karna kya hota hai.",
smiles Naina, hesitantly.
Rajveer doesn't look towards her. He gears up the speed. As a result of which Naina feels a sudden jerk and as a reflex action her hand falls on his thigh to steady herself. This sudden touch comes as a surprise for both Rajveer and Naina as it was absolutely unintentional. Naina quickly takes away her hand from upon his thigh, looking towards him nervously.
Rajveer doesn't look towards her as he is busy driving in full speed but the deep breath he takes tells Naina perfectly about his condition.
Naina laughs enjoying the ride. She doesn't ask him to slow down. This reality swells Rajveer's heart.
"Ab mujhe such mein lag raha hai tum soldier banne ke liye hi bani ho.",
says Rajveer, excited, his voice high to make himself audible over the loud sound of the engine.
Naina laughs enjoying the ride. The wind messes her hair. She holds it to control it from messing further. Her eyes brim with tears of joy as she feels the adrenaline rush because of the speed and Rajveer's enthusiasm.
Rajveer takes a sudden sharp turn making her to almost bump into him. This skips Naina's heartbeat as well as Rajveer's too. Naina widens her eyes. She quickly settles back and says,
"Aap... I mean I am enjoying this but please dheere chalaiye ab."
"Kyun darr lag raha hai?",
asks Rajveer.
"Haan... actually... thoda sa...",
blushes Naina.
Rajveer laughs at that. Naina blushes all the more. Rajveer applies a sudden break making her to jerk.
"Are you fine?",
asks Rajveer, laughing a little, as he stops the jeep.
"Tha..t.. that was fun!",
says Naina, trying to recover from the shock.
Rajveer feels glad to hear that. He smiles seeing her, while Naina laughs, engrossed in the feeling. Rajveer doesn't make any effort to drag her out of the feeling.
(Rajveer-Naina happy tune begins)
Resting back on her seat, Naina turns to look towards Rajveer and finds him staring her lovingly. Naina smiles back.
Naina in a low voice, making the moment all the more intimate, asks him,
"Iske badle main apko kya de sakti hun?"
Rajveer knits his brows, her words coming as a surprise for him. He notices her eyes are on the verge of having tears. Her face glowing out of the adrenaline rush.
"Iske badle?",
asks Rajveer, surprised.
Naina keeps staring him, smiling.
"Naina ye maine isliye nahi kiya kyunki mujhe tumse iske badle kuch chahiye.",
states Rajveer, knitting his brows lightly, a little smile of amazement on his face.
Naina gets all the more emotional but controls her emotions anyways.
They stare each other. Their stare turning dark and possessive on each other with each passing moment.
"Aur agar tum mujhe kuch dena chahti ho, to main tumhe bata dun ke tum mujhe already bohot kuch de chuki ho.",
he tells her, his voice low and soft.
Naina knits her brows, wondering what has she given to him?
"Apna waqt!",
his words skip Naina's heartbeat and her skin warms up all the more.
"Ye hansi!",
he tells, his voice turning all the more possessive.
"Tumhara saath!",
he tells, staring her throughout.
Naina keeps staring, her eyes turning serious.
(Slow Rajveer-Naina tune begins)
They realize where this situation is leading towards, hence they quickly lower their eyes, looking away, feeling awkward.
Naina with her eyes lowered out of hesitation says,
"Ahmm... mujhe ab ghar chor denge aap please. Bohot der ho chuki hai."
Rajveer doesn't reply immediately, staring her throughout. Naina slowly looks towards him, staring him back possessively.
Lowering his eyes, he nods his head into positive.
He rides to her home and stops his jeep where he stopped the last time. Having stopped the ignition, he looks towards Naina. Naina slowly looks towards him. Both the pairs of eyes don't want to leave the other.
Unable to bear this frustration, Naina rests back her head against the seat, her face turned to her front, she takes a deep breath. Rajveer too rests back on his seat, not making any effort to ask her to leave.
Both of them remain quiet, none saying anything. Rajveer gives her full liberty to speak when she wishes to speak, understanding her emotions.
Naina turns towards him, still resting back on her seat, her body and face turned towards him. Rajveer, turns his face towards her, all serious, his hands on his steering wheel.
"Kya karenge aap ab ja kar?",
asks Naina, softly.
That reminds him of the official works he has to deal with after returning back to his rented house. Taking a deep breath out of tiredness on remembering his work, he says,
"Hmm... academy ke kuch official documents check karne hain online. Hectic hai."
"Official documents check karne hain ya newspaper read karna hai?",
asks Naina, pursing her lips.
Rajveer's heart skips a beat. He widens his eyes, smiling in shyness, he looks towards her and she breaks into a fit of laughter.
Rajveer blushes, laughing a little.
"Paper work ke baad newspaper read karunga!",
he lets her know, smiling, staring her.
Naina laughs a little more.
"Tum kya karogi?",
asks Rajveer.
"Abhi to I am feeling very tired, to jakar ek acha sa bath lungi.",
she smiles.
Rajveer stares her, smiling possessively.
Naina lowers her eyes out of hesitation.
Rajveer realizes that he is staring her, he quickly lowers his eyes. Then looks back again towards her for some moments to make sure that she is fine.
"I guess tumhe ab chalna chahiye.",
he suggests, understanding that they should not stay together for long as something is definitely changing between them! He doesn't want to tresspass by any means.
Naina lowers her eyes on hearing that, feeling a little guilty. Nodding her eyes into affirmative, she climbs down his jeep.
"Thanks Naina shopping mein help karne ke liye.",
he says.
"That's absolutely fine. You don't have to be formal.",
smiles Naina.
Rajveer smiles back.
"Ahmm... bye!",
smiles Naina.
"Bye!",
smiles Rajveer.
After making sure that Naina has reached her house safely, Rajveer leaves.