02.

NAINA

About 30 minutes later I was standing in front of the Singhania mansion. The place I visited the most as a child, my second house.

Thode din ke baad literally second house hogaye ga
My subconscious mind kicks in.

Shut up.

I ring the bell and wait for someone to open the door.

Just then Anwika Singhania, the eldest daughter-in-law and also the mother of Reyansh and Aarav open the door. "Naina" she says looking at me with tears in her eyes.

She is like a second mother to me whenever mumma used to be out on business trip I have always came up to her to throw my tantrums and she even handled them.

Without a second thought I pull her in a tight hug, to avoid my teary eyes from her. "Maa"

["Mom"]

"Ji meri bacchi" she answers me still not breaking the hug. "Maine ap ko bohot miss kiya" my voice breaking at the end.

["yes my dear daughter", "Imissed you a lot"]

"Kon se janam se judaa hogaye the ap log?" Aarav says out of  nowhere, Maa breaks the hug and gives him a good smack on the head.

["Since which life did you both get seprated?"]

"Ouch Mumma mai beta ho ap ka" he says dramatically and I can't help when my lips curve in to a smile. "Ek number ka nalayak beta" "Naina tum be Meri mumma pe konsa jadu kiya hai, hara, nela konsa?"  A annoyed Aarav says

Ah nothing changed they are all still the same, jolly, bubbly and absolutely humorous. I was scared that what if they all change? What if they stop liking me for how I reacted to that incident. So many ifs were running in my mind.

['I am your son Mom"]

["A useless one"]

["what sort of magic did you do on my mom Naina green, blue which one?]

"Mohabbat ka" I tell him teasing evident in my tone. "Ap use andar bhi anedo ya phir yahi si bhijadega"

["The magic of love"]

["Now let her come inside also or are you gonna send her from the gate"]

Me and Aarav settle down on the couch while Maa goes inside the kitchen I was looking around, damn it's been 18 years since I last came here, I feel so old suddenly.

"Ye lo beta" Maa says passing me a glass of juice. "Thank you Maa" my voice was never so sweet in the last 5 years as it is now.

["Have this"]

Me and Aarav were randomly talking when Reyansh and Kainaat enter the house. "Behen se milna bhi Zaroori nahi  samjha" she asks me dramatically while I just sip on my juice "Nahi" I answer her with a straight face but only I know how hard I am controlling my self from bursting our in laughter seeing her face.

["You didn't even consider meeting your sister"]

["no"]

"Bhai, come let's go" Aarav says moving towards somewhere, as I follow them. As soon as we enter inside Aarav launches his self on me and squeezes me in a tight hug.

"I missed you hitler!!"  "A-arav vo think hai but I might die now if you don't leave me" he losses his grip on me and moves back.

"So what's the plan" asks Reyansh who has been silent from the entire time. "What else drinks and party" Kainaat says over-excitedly.

"You know you both are behaving like typical teenagers"i state looking at both Kainaat and Aarav. But I feel happy seeing them like this, it takes me back to the college times where we used to sit for hours and do crazy things, specially Kainaat and Aarav, then me and Reyansh would have to cover up for them.

REYANSH

"Naina tell us what did you do in the U.S for 5 entire years and how was it?" Kainaat asks. "I always got drunk, had many boyfriends, partied all night it was blast" Naina answers with such a straight face, our face widens in shock. "What the actual fuck! But you said you went to set a branch in U.S!!!" Kainaat says. "Exactly! Then what would you ask me such a useless question" Naina says mocking her tone.

And that how we started the crazy night. Finally after so long I got to see my favourite smile, the eye smile which can immediately lighten up even the darkest room, the sparkling eyes, which holds so much in them.

We were talking and teasing each-other about random stuff when I see the clock striking 1 AM, "guys we should wrap up now its very late now" "Naina  I'll be staying here tonight cause I have a flight with Aarav at 5 AM" Kainaat says looking at Naina with complete red eyes due to sleep. "okay take care, Mumma and papa know about it right?" Naina asks Kainnat this time while getting up and taking her purse and coat. "yep i already told them" "okay then byee"

"Naina let bhai drop you cause we 3 have drank and he didn't" Aarav says looking at her with eyes filled of mischief, Naina thinks for a second before answering "okay" she says walking out of the room as I trail behind her.

we settle down in the car as she rests her head behind closing her eyes, I take a quick glance at her. Her soft pink lips and those chubby cheeks while she her long eyelashes rest on them. She was looking mesmerizing. she slowly opens her eyes and I quickly shit my attention towards the road. "Reyansh have you seen the project presentation I mailed you?"her voice was dead serious but the tiredness was clearly evident.

"yes I did, I even told my PA to fix a meeting with you soon" I take a slight glance at her who is just staring outside, she turns her head looking at me "meet me tomorrow at 12 pm sharp I am free"  "can we meet till 1 PM cause my dadu called me tomorrow" 

"Text me whenever you are free I'll try to come" she says taking out her phone form her purse. "You have my number right?" This time her voice was different it was a little soft and calm than usual.

"Check is it this one" I take out my phone and hand it to her, she saves another number on my phone and hands it to me. "This is my business number, don't give it to anyone" her voice was stern.

"Ya I won't."

We stop in front of the Malhotra Mansion. I notice Naina is a sleep, shoots how do I wake her up now? I slowly remove my seatbelt and lean forward to remove Naina seatbelt.

I remove her seatbelt and Naina eyes shoot open to the voice, our faces just inches apart, a single movement from my side and our lips will touch. I quickly back off realising our position.

I can feel my ears are red, ugh Reyansh I mentally slap my self and move out of the car. "Good night" I tell her, she turns back and looks at me "good night, drive safely" she moves inside the house. As I look at her fading figure.

I see the light of her room turning on from outside as I drive away from there. But still my mind is completely fogged with the incidents of today. "Thank you Naina for not changing and proving my thoughts wrong"