Chap_2

Author's P.O.V.

After seeing the dead face of her parents, Naira was no longer the old cheerful and talkative girl. She became totally dull and silent. Nothing but sadness and emptiness were visible on her face.

Her neighbors, friends got tired of trying to get her back smiling.

Zohan Mehra who was not just the best friend but more like the brother to Naira's father tried to convince Naira to go with him to his place but Naira strongly refused to leave her home though it was not home to her anymore after her parents.

After completing some important works, he again came to visit Naira after two weeks. Finding no change in her from the last two weeks, he determined to get her to his place anyhow and tried to start a conversation with her.

Naira was sitting on the balcony of her room when Mr. Zohan got there.

Naira seemed to be lost in her thoughts. When he uttered her name quite loudly for few times, she turned to him and he spoke up,

"Naira, you know it very well that your parents loved you to the core. I know you would be very happy now if just they would have been alive and beside you. And you know it is not like they wanted to leave you, dear. They did not have any option. They just had to. They must be feeling all guilty for leaving you alone. Then at least try to live happily now to make them feel less guilty. "

As Mr. Zohan went on uttering all this, his eyes also got teary.

Giving up on silence, Naira spoke up this time while shedding tears, “Let them feel guilty. They should feel guilty for leaving me alone to the point that they have to come back to me.”

Wiping her eyes, Mr Zohan spoke up, “If there was a possible way, they sure would have dear. But it is not possible now. Naira, you know what you people mean to me. I can't let you live like this. I can't be this much ungrateful. What will I answer your father! Please, dear come with me. Okay?”

After staring at him for some moments, Naira nodded.

At Mr Zohan’s Place

After Mr Zohan informed Jiana, his wife that he was coming back with Naira, his wife became so excited and immediately got a room beautifully arranged for Naira.

She always wanted to have a girl but she got a boy instead.

Akash.

Akash, being the only child of the Mehra family was always pampered which made him of carefree nature.

He is now about to finish his studies in a month but still all he kept doing is hanging out with his friends.

Mr Zohan and Mrs Jiana tried to make him understand his responsibilities but it was of no help. With days he was becoming just spoilt brat.

It was almost evening when Akash entered their house and found his mother pacing in the living room like she was waiting for someone.

Being confused, Akash got near her and spoke up, “What is the matter? Who are you waiting for this desperately?”

Jiana spoke up all smilingly, “Akash, Naira is coming to live here with us. She has finally agreed. I am so happy.”

Finding his mother so excited, Akash spoke up while making an all annoyed face, “Mom, that girl is coming to live with us for some days. I am not getting what is there to be so excited!”

Giving him a deadly glare, his mother spoke up, “Her name is Naira. She is not coming here just for some days but forever. From now she is one of our family members and your sister. Mind that.”

Letting out a sigh in annoyance, Akash left for his room. Right then Zohan entered the house with Naira.

Jiana welcomed Naira warmly and got her to her room and asked with a hopeful look, “Naira, do you like it, dear?”

Naira looked all around the room.

It was a spacious room with a Queen sized bed in the middle of the room with a canopy. A big glass window was at the head of the bed and there were two doors more. A walk in closet and the other was an attached bathroom. A Led was attached to the wall and under it, was a big cupboard full of books.

There was a study table as well and a purple couch near the wall. The walls of the room were painted purple and white. The curtain of the room was of all purple as well.

Purple was Naira’s all time favourite colour. If it was the old Naira, she would have answered all excitedly that she just loved the room but being the new Naira, she just turned to Jiana after roaming her eyes all around the room and uttered with a little bit of smile, “It is nice.”

Jiana uttered then, “I am glad you like it. If you need anything, just tell me. Do not hesitate. It is your home now and we are all your family. Okay?”

Naira nodded and she spoke up again, “Okay then. You get freshen up now. I am getting something for you to eat.”

Saying this, Jiana left the room and getting freshen up, Naira stood by the window. A cool breeze was blowing which kept touching her face but the feeling did not get to reach her heart which was still stuck with the same pain.

Zohan and Jiana kept trying to keep Naira happy using all the ways they can but it was not of much help. Naira talked to them whenever they ask her any question or got near them when they called her but she was still far away from the old girl Naira she used to be whenever she visited them with her parents.

But the efforts which they kept giving did not go unnoticed by Akash and it made him only angry and annoyed at Naira.

After Two Days

At Night

After dinner when Naira was getting back to her room, she stopped midway. Looking at the sad face of Zohan and Jiana, she also felt sad.

She knew they were trying their best to make her happy. Giving it a good thought and while trying to hide her pain, she put on a small smile on her face and got near them again.

Seeing her, Jiana spoke up, “Naira, Darling, you need something?”

She spoke up with the same face, “If you guys do not mind, I want to continue my study.”

Zohan and Jiana looked at each other and then Jiana spoke up all smilingly, “Look at this, girl! What are you talking about! What is there to mind? In fact, last night Zohan was talking about it and we were thinking of talking to you regarding this.”

Zohan spoke up then, “That is my girl. I will talk to the principal of Akash’s college right now. He is a very good friend of mine.”

Zohan took out his phone and called him and got aside to talk to him.

Jiana and Naira got seated in the living room. Getting done with the talking, Zohan got near them and uttered, “Naira, you will be attending college from tomorrow. I will take you to college tomorrow. And about the transferring formalities, it will be done. You do not need to worry for it.”

Nodding at them, Naira made her way to her room after uttering, “Good night”.

They also uttered happily, “Good night.”

Naira entered her room and got on the bed to get some sleep after uttering to herself, “It will be a new day.”

Jiana and Zohan were still in the living room though it was quite late at night. They were waiting for Akash.

When Akash entered the house, it was past twelve at night. Seeing him, Zohan spoke up, “What time is it, Akash? Is it the time to get back home?”

Akash looked all casual as he uttered, “It is just 12:30.” only to get Zohan angrier.

Jiana spoke up then, “When will you be a little responsible, son? Till when you will be like this!”

Akash spoke up being all annoyed, “What is this all the time! I am not a kid anymore. Let me live my life my way.” and made his way to his room.

Zohan uttered disappointedly, “When will he be a little mature! In a month his study will be completed and then he will have to run the business. But seeing him now, I am getting no hope, Jiana. What should we do with him!.”

Jiana was equally worried thinking of his career and all but did not find anything to say for now. They kept sitting there for some more time and then left for their room.

The next day after taking her breakfast hurriedly, Naira got back to her room to get ready.

Zohan and Jiana were still in the dining table and were almost done taking their breakfast when Akash got there. Zohan was about to say something but got stopped as his phone rang off.

Attending the call, he got thinking for a moment. Then turning to Akash, he spoke up, “Are you going to college now?”

Akash give him a small nod while taking the last bite of his bread.

Zohan spoke up then, “Take Naira with you.”

Akash gave him a confused look as he uttered, “Where?”

Zohan spoke up, “To college. I wanted to take her but I have got an important meeting to attend now. I have to go. You just take her to the Principal.”

Akash was not interested in doing that. Not even for a little bit but he did not get to utter that seeing his parents’ faces. “Okay, then I am leaving. Akash, be well with Naira.” Zohan said before he made his way out for his office.

Naira got downstairs and Jiana spoke up, “Naira, you go with Akash. Zohan got a meeting to attend.”

Naira nodded at her and followed Akash as he got out.

In the car, Akash spoke up, “Look, do not try to be a spy on me or my activities in college. You will be on your way and I will be on mine.”

Naira felt it before that Akash was not much happy with her staying at his place and always tried to maintain a distance from her.

Today he just made it clear verbally. She stared at his face for a moment but did not utter anything. Akash stopped the car at a little distance from the college and spoke up again, “Get down. College is just few steps away. I do not want anyone to know that about us. We will be totally stranger at college. You get that?”

Naira thought in mind, “I should not bother him more. Already, I am invading his place.” and nodding at him, she got down from the car.

While thinking about her life, she was walking to the college with steady steps only to get bumped to someone at the entrance.

The person uttered quite harshly only to get Naira back to earth, “Watch out.”

Naira looked at him for once and uttering, “I am sorry.”, she entered the college. 

Getting the direction from a student, she forwarded towards Principal’s office. After getting there, she did not have to do much as at the mention of Zohan Mehra did it all for her.

~~

At the college canteen a group of few boys were gossiping. Akash was also there with them. After some time Ehan got there and seeing them, he uttered all smilingly, “I am done with my project thesis.”

Letting out a sigh, Akash spoke up, “Ehan, please yaar. Stop it. All the time just study.”

Ehan uttered then as he got a seat among them, “Okay. So, what is going on here?”

One of his friends uttered, “Nothing specific.”

Ehan proposed then, “Let’s play basketball, boys. It has been long and”

Akash spoke up in annoyance cutting him off, “Are you trying to show off here that you play better than all of us?”

Ehan let out a sigh and uttered, “Okay. You guys tell then what to do?”

Akash spoke up again, “Let’s play Truth and Dare.”

Ehan spoke up being irritated, “Is it even a game to play?”

Akash spoke up provoking him, “Why? Do you not have any confidence or getting scared to reveal a truth that may be you are hiding from us?”

Provocation worked immediately as Ehan uttered, “Me or scared? In your dreams, buddy. You are forgetting I am that Ehan Sinha who has no history of losing for whatever it is.”

Akash spoke up, “Okay then. Let’s start.” and turning to his friend, he uttered, “Mack, bring a bottle.”

They kept playing for a while. And lastly, the bottle stopped pointing at Ehan and the task giving fell on Akash.

Akash spoke up with a smirk, “So? Truth or Dare?”

Ehan spoke up making an all confident face, “Dare.”

Akash thought for a while and then remembering Ehan’s nature, he spoke up, “Make the girl who enters the canteen this time fall for you.”

Mack spoke up then, “What! Is it even a dare, Akash! Ehan being like this jerk, girls roam about around him. His single smiling look is enough to make any girl fall for him and you know that, right?”

Akash spoke up looking at Ehan who was glaring at him, “I know that. But the question is, will Ehan give that smiling look to a girl?”

Then everyone got Akash’s point. Ehan just loathed girls for some unknown reason to them. Finding the chance for the first time, Ehan’s friends started making fun of him.

Being unable to handle it anymore, Ehan uttered, “Fine. I will do it.” only to get everyone confused.

Right then a girl entered the canteen and Akash’s eyes got widened as she was no other than Naira......