Chapter 2:- An Obscure Past

Or maybe a broken future?

It had been nearly an hour, and there was no sight of the one he had been anticipating. And for the past fifteen minutes she had been sitting in her car with bated breaths, as the ‘Maheshwari Residence’ imprinted on the outer wall glimmered under the golden lights. Naina’s hands fisted around the steering wheel as fury raced through her veins.

“Naina, calm down.” Preeti tried to persuade, resting her hand on her cousin’s. She passed an empathetic look before gesturing her to drive inside.

“Why are you so insistent?” Naina grunted in misery as she switched gears to park. Preeti held the silence for longer than expected and decided to dodge that question, “Because I’m your sister.” The mock pride in her voice didn’t convince Naina as she gazed at her sister with scrutiny. Somewhere in her heart, Naina too knew the reason behind Preeti’s reluctance, but her mind was too afraid to admit. And she let it pass, like she had each time.

Munna and Pandit circled Sameer as their friend voiced a groan in frustration.

“I can’t believe after all that has happened between the both of you, you’re still so eager to see her.” Munna shook his head in disappointment.

“It’s not like that, It’s--” His throat seemed to have forgotten how to pronounce as two girls surreptitiously made an entry into the royal hall that echoed of Gujarati beats. Guests around him had started dancing to the tunes of Falguni Pathak, yet his feet seemed to move in the contrasting direction, towards her.

She had left her waist-length hair down; her slightly frizzy hair swept to one side. Her husky brown orbs enhanced her smoky eyelids while her subtle oxidized nose stud complemented her maroon shaded lips. She had decked him in a color that to him suited her best; black. Her full sleeved black ‘choli’ brightened with the specks of colorful embroidery while the same swirled around her long black ‘lehenga’. A netted magenta ‘dupatta’ carefully covered her abdomen from one shoulder. Her hands had scrupulously clutched each other while her lips conveyed a grim smile. She had constantly been admiring the fancy arrangements while he did the same to her. Because unexpectedly, Naina Agarwal had taken Sameer Maheshwari’s breath away.

Naina’s gaze finally met his as he watched her breath hitch. He had been cladded in an elite shade of maroon, the neck of his kurta racing deep, making her gulp. He had grown a light stubble on his face, which perfectly complemented his silky hair that reached his nape. The tinkles of her anklets echoed in her heart, as her feet took steps towards him. Preeti, who had been confident until a few seconds ago, now stood in fear. She knew the emotional turmoil his face revived. But she had the tenacity to face him too, and to make him regret his actions if he dare do anything to her sister. She straightened and cleared her throat, catching Naina’s eye. Preeti nodded in affirmation as Naina flashed a weak smile.

Munna and Pandit tried to stop their best buddy, but he seemed to have been hypnotized under her charm. One gaze and Pandit understood Preeti’s signal and immediately informed Munna. It was now or never.

Their faces were just a few inches apart, but memories delved deeper. She lifted her gaze to meet his and he realized how perfectly she was only a head shorter than him. A long minute of silence prevailed while inner turmoils decided to stagnate.

“Um, hi.” Sameer started, his soft yet heavy voice startling her. It was then that she noticed the flex in his broad shoulders and the flinch in his carved muscles.

“Hi.” She whispered quietly, her response sounding more like a question.

“Long time, right?” He tried to maintain a small talk when Naina interrupted, “Why have you called me, Sameer?”

Despite the austerity in her voice, his name from her lips erupted a thousand familiar feelings; feelings he thought he had killed.

Sameer chose to resist, “Well, it’s Navratri and this is a Dandiya party so it’s pretty obvious…” He spoke matter-of-factly.

Naina’s arms slightly crossed in front of her chest, while her face tilted to one side, and her lips pursed.

“Well, I’m sure you may have forgotten that I hate Navratri.” She gritted through her teeth, making his face contort in agony. He looked away and composed himself. Clearing his throat he extended his hand with two dandiya sticks, hesitant of her reaction yet determined she wouldn’t deny.

“Can I have a dance with you, Naina Agarwal?”

She took a moment to gaze at his tanned hands until she flinched at the faint marks in red. Grabbing the sticks almost tersely, she managed a nonchalant tone, “I think you owe me one.”

The beats of garba roared in excitement while Dandiya sticks crossed each other’s paths. Naina had started dancing in the inner circle with other girls while Sameer did the same in the outer circle. Changing partners faster than emotions was one rule Dandiya had taught them both. Dancing relentlessly for more than an hour, there had only been a few instances when their eyes had clashed. She had been avoiding each glance he passed, and he had continued to test her patience by gawking at her. In less than ten minutes they had come across each other again. However, unlike each other instance where she moved from him robotically, he decided to play with her.

“You seem to look overweight.” She looked at him, appalled at his tenacity. Gritting her teeth she responded, “You seem to look over egotistical.”

His head flung back in laughs at seeing her irritation while she muttered a few unintelligible curses under her breath. She wanted to get rid of him, he could sense. But he wouldn’t let her, she knew.

“Excuse me,” She said, handing back the dandiya sticks. Naina had only taken a few steps past him when she felt a familiar hand snake around her wrist, reminding her of old bitter memories.

He had turned on his heel to face her when Sameer’s eyes widened in astonishment. Her choli was backless; with just two hooks clasping both ends together. Naina seemed to have felt his hand tighten around her wrist as she smirked to herself.

“What?” She barked imperviously, as she witnessed another one of his dazes.

“Hello, Sameer?” She jerked her hand away and snapped her fingers in front of her face, grabbing his attention.

“I thought you never wore...such clothes.” He managed to speak.

“I also thought you weren’t judgemental, but I guess we both were wrong about each other.” She snapped sassily, her arms once again crossed over each other.

“We definitely were wrong about each other.” Guilt glinted through his tone, and she realized his words referred to something else, something deeply engraved in her heart Naina had longed to forget.

“Why did you stop me, Sameer.” Naina asked succinctly.

“You seem to have forgotten something.” He reminded, pointing at her ears. Her hands traveled to her empty ears as her orbs glistened, “I haven’t forgotten anything, Sameer. I’ve just stopped associating myself with things that remind me of…” She left her sentence incomplete, while simultaneously leaving an ache in his heart.

Naina dashed to the nearest corner of the crowded hall, away from his stare that made her anxious. Controlling her breaths, she blinked rapidly, resisting the urge to reminisce old memories.

“Naina?” Another familiar voice made her turn, though with rage as the only emotion evident in her eyes.

“Don’t you dare utter my name, Mr. Maheshwari.” Naina lashed out at Pramod Maheshwari, startling Sameer’s father. His shoulders heaved and he attempted to apologize, “I’m sorry for whatever happened.”

“I don’t need your fake sympathy, not when everything that has happened is because of you.” Naina scoffed back contemptuously, walking away from him.

Not sooner had her hands clutched the ledges of the bar counter when an unwanted voice whispered into her ear.

“Why can’t you leave me alone, Sameer?” She flung her hands exasperatedly. Inwardly reprimanding Preeti for shoving her into this ‘problem’, she sighed, audible enough for him to hear.

“Because, I couldn’t miss the opportunity to buy you a drink.” He teased, a lingering smirk on his face.

“What would you like to have? Fruit cocktail?” He scanned the non-alcoholic collection prized at the bar while Naina scrutinized with a stern look.

Sameer choked on his breath when he heard her order, “A glass of champagne, please.”

“A...what?!” He shrieked, his eyes wide in bewilderment. What had Naina planned to do tonight, surprise him with each action? First the selection of clothes, then the sassy comments, and now a preference for alcohol?

“A glass of something you seldom drink, Sameer Maheshwari.”

He looked away in embarrassment, cursing her for knowing his deepest secrets.

“I thought you didn’t either…” He doubted after a pause.

She waited until the bartender handed her her drink and sipped scrupulously. After an impatient moment of silence, she answered, “People change with time.”

“For some uncanny reason, I feel I’m the one behind this change.” He eyed the liquid in her glass before shifting his focus to her. Naina looked up at him, trying to decipher the emotion behind his grim comments, his almost confession.

Finding nothing she could snort at, Naina attacked, “Don’t give yourself so much importance, Sameer. Because you mean nothing in my life.”

Gulping down the entire glass of champagne, her eyes squeezed shut at the intensity as she signaled the bartender for another round. “Absolutely nothing.”

His brows arched in worry while his lips curved into a thin line. “Are you sure you want another drink?”

“What makes you doubt?” She composed herself while resting her hands on her hips.

“Well, from how much I know you--”

“No you don’t. You don’t know me, Sameer Maheshwari.” She interrupted callously as her eyes started to wetten. Surreptitiously hiding a sniff, Naina accused again, “And you never will be able to. Because you’re rich. The only emotion you people know is sympathy. And I, Mr. Maheshwari, am not worthy of your sympathy.” Her eyes blazed in rage while she gulped a second glass of champagne within seconds.

She had turned to leave when her feet riveted by his words, “How long will you hold onto your past, Naina.”

Her hands tightened into fists and she shut her eyes in attempt to maintain her calm. Facing him, she spoke, “Until it stops hurting me.”

“And that’ll never happen, I can guarantee.” She promised ostentatiously, the blaring expression that Sameer Maheshwari could never forget.