Very sorry for the late update. The final changes took much more time than expected.

Happy Reading!

The next day Naina stepped out of her room in a school dress and two braids. It was her first day at school so she went to the classroom and sat at the first bench. Everybody was talking and laughing across the whole classroom. That's when she saw Khushi who entered the classroom in the same school dress as hers but with a single ponytail.

Khushi waved her hand, "Hi Naina"

She smiled at her and said, "Hello Khushi."

Khushi pointed at the seat beside her and asked, "Main baithu?"

Naina made a space for her, "Kyu nahi. Waise bhi main tujhe chhodkar yahan kisi ko nahi janti." To which Khushi reacted with her big toothy smile.

"Assembly nahi hoti yahan?" Naina asked her.

"Hoti hai na. Abhi 10 minute main bell bajegi toh ground par jaana hai assembly ke liye" Khushi answered.

After 10 minutes the bell rang and everyone went to the ground for assembly. When they came back to class after assembly, Naina, again, saw girls and boys sitting with each other very comfortably.

The schedule was like this - two periods, a small break, then two periods, a lunch break and final departure after the last two periods.

During lunch break, in the Canteen while relishing The Samosas, Pav-bhajis and cold drinks they both were talking endlessly as they know each other from decades.

"Waise Khushi, tu yahan kitne saal se padh rahi hai?" Questioned Naina curiously, while sipping the cold drink after having a stomach-full meal of Pav-Bhaji.

She laughed slightly replying, "Ye mera pehla saal hi hai yaha"

Naina was Surprised. How did she become this popular in school when she was admitted this year.

"Tu issi saal aayi hai?" She nodded. "Phir sab log tujhe itni achi tarah se kaise jante hai?" Naina asked astonishingly.

"Wo kya hai na, tu february month ke khatam hone par aayi hai aur main february month ke starting mein hi aayi hu" explained Khushi.

"Tabhi bhi...tu hui to new student hi na. Phir? Topper hai kya class ki?" joked Naina chuckling.

"Are nahi yaar, meri academics theek thaak hai, wo kya hai na mera sports bahut achha hai...basketball. To jab selections ho rahe the boys ke tab maine bhi participate kiya..pehle wo log chidha rahe the mujhe but mera game dekhne ke baad sab ki bolti band ho gayi. Mujhe select bhi kiya gaya aur mere kehne par ek girls ki team bhi banayi" grinned Khushi, proud to bring a change in school.

"Wao yaar, mujhe nahi pata tha meri friend itni talented hai. I am proud of you." Naina patted her back and Khushi smiled in response.

"To tu kaha rehti thi isse pehle? I mean issi saal aayi hai to kahi aur rehti hogi na?" After some time Naina inquired, interested to know more about her.

"Haan, mere papa Army main hai isliye iss saal yaha ka transfer hua hai, pehle main Nai.." before she could say more the bell rang.

"Khushi, chal bell baj gayi class ka time ho raha hai" Naina took her arm and was about to run when she saw Khushi's hand was filled with a Samosa which she was about to eat. Naina snatched it from her hand and put it back in her plate and forcibly took her out from the canteen.

"Yaar Naina, samosa to khane deti" Khushi groaned but Naina was in no mood to listen.

After reaching the class they got to know that the last two periods were cancelled as the teachers had an urgent meeting. These periods being their last periods, the school was over now. Taking their bags, they both headed out of the classroom.

A week passed like this, Naina and Khushi were best friends by now. They used to sit together in class, hang out together during breaks, study in the library till late and also stayed in each other's room for the remaining time. The only thing they used to do apart from each other was to sleep.

"Chal na Naina" Khushi insisted, irritated by her 'one minute' now. She was requesting Naina from the past twenty minutes to accompany her to the canteen to fill their stomachs before the lunch break ends.

But The Studious Naina was busy in her 'golden world of maths'. The problem she was solving was due homework for all students but the curious Naina cannot deny doing it until she finds a solution.

"Haan, ruk bas ek minute" The same reply.

"Yaar Naina, itni padhaku kyu hai tu?" Khushi is done now.

"Tu bhi bol le mujhe padhaku" she said, still digging in her Maths Notebook.

"Bhi matlab? Aur kaun bolta hai tujhe padhaku?" She asked, laughing slightly.

"Mere pehle ke school main sab yahi bulate the mujhe" Replied Naina laughing slightly as she put her notebook in bag, satisfied.

"Ab hai to bulayenge hi na" teased Khushi

"Accha" Naina hit her arm.

"Let's go now, sirf pandrah minute bache hai break khatam hone ko" Khushi informed as she has become habitual to check her watch every second since the last twenty minutes.

***

Meanwhile, In Ahmedabad PVKM was departed with a hustle of students moving out of the iron gates, some happy with the thought of going home finally relieved from excess boring periods due to upcoming terms while some resolving to study more for the exam. Sameer was from the later one which surprised Munna and Pandit which were from the Former ones as they were out of company with him, if he will go home and just study. No Fun. This was the reason they always sighed and mentally cursed Naina who, unintentionally or intentionally, dived "padhai ka bhoot" in Sameer. Their chilling Sameer now always dives his head in books or busy hitting the balls with bat. The reason:

The fear of failure can make people do anything or everything!

The same fear always crosses Sameer when he doesn't want to study or is fed up or tired of it. The fear of failure in exams which means failure of winning headboy competition which will lead him to the failure in proving himself in front of his "so called mother" in comparison to his step brother. He was tired of these comparisons! Why does she always compare him with his brother? Why can't she see how alone he is! Why does she just soothe him instead of making him angry just because he is not smart enough to top the class? Is this the only reason she unprioritise him?

If this was not enough for his sincerity, the motivation given by Naina always makes his intentions strong. As he recalled the conversation and thought of Nanu smiling brightly in his victory and the emotion of pride on his face would be just incomparable to anything in the world! And the smile on his mother's face, for the first time because of him, would be a very beautiful sight to see. What were these attempts in front of those gifts he will be getting?

Entering into the Maheshwari House, with a new passion of succeeding in his attempts, Sameer went towards his Nanu who was reading the newspaper, sitting on the sofa.

Nanu was surprised when his grandson touched his feet and hugged him.

"Aaj Nanu par itna pyaar kaise?" Nanu hugged him back.

"I love you Mummy" smiled Sameer and chuckled Nanu patting his back.

"Aaj Rahu-Ketu nahi aaye kya?" Seeing Sammer alone was a rare sight for him.

"Nahi Nanu wo badme aayenge, phir saath main cricket practise ke liye jayenge hum log" Sameer explained.

"Thhike par abhi jaldi se taiyyar hoke lunch karne aa, baki kaam badme karna"

"Ji Nanu"

***

After the last period, as they were coming back from the class, and were about to turn towards the corridor, someone came from front running and before anyone could understand something,

CRASH!

Khushi found herself sitting on the floor and a boy in the same position as her. Naina was seeing both of them, her hands covering her mouth.

"Tum!" Both Khushi and the boy shouted together as they got a glimpse of one another. "Tum Yaha Kaise?" Both chortled once again - together.

As they stood  Naina had a proper look at the boy. He was a very good looking boy with a proper height and very beautiful grey eyes. With very Fair skin and black curly hair, he was looking nothing less than Cute.

"Tum yaha bhi mere piche piche aa gaye?" Huffed Khushi at the boy. 

"Main kaha aaya hu, tum aayi ho mere piche" the boy blinked innocently.

"Khushi, tu janti hai isko?" wondered Naina loudly to Khushi before she could argue further.

"Haan janti hu, par tujhe jaan-ne ki jarurat nahi hai, chal yaha se" Khushi cautioned.

"Kyu? Koi boyfriend hai kya?" Whispered Naina to Khushi teasingly. But it was loud enough for the boy to listen.

"Ji kuch aisa hi samajh lijiye" The boy blushed, his hand rubbing the back of his neck.

"Kya? Kya samajh lijiye haan? Jyaada bano mat tum samjhe?" snapped Khushi to the boy."Classmate tha mera pehle wale school main, aur kuch samjhne ki jarurat nahi hai" She hissed to Naina eyeing the boy.

"Kamse kam Introduction to karwa de" Naina raised her eyebrows pointing at Boy, smiling naughtily at Khushi.

Before Khushi could pour more on both of them, The boy introduced himself "Ji mera Naam hai Aditya, Aditya Singhania" he forwarded his hand in front of Naina, but Naina hesitated in 'touching a boy'. Her hesitation was understood by Aditya and he simply waved his hand which was happily reciprocated by Naina.

"Ji Maine aapko nahi pehchana.." Aditya acknowledged Naina.

"Main Naina, Naina Aggarwal, Khushi ki best friend" she smilingly declared her relation with Khushi.

After looking at both of them, one glaring and the other adoring, she chuckled, but covered it instantly.

"Aap dono classmates the pehle?" Naina was curious about them.

"Ji nahi, classmates ke bahut aage...uhm...I like her" while blushing like a girl, Aditya whispered the last sentence to Naina.

"Naina tujhe ye bakwas sunni hai to sun, main ja rahi hu" bellowed Khushi.

"Are par inse mil to le achhe se, aakhir boyfriend..."

"Bola na maine...ye mera boyfriend nahi hai.." the volume of her sound attracted the students passing by.

But Aditya was not affected.

"Naina, main inka boyfriend nahi hu" listening to this Khushi was having a winning smile on her face which was for only a few seconds as his next words brought her anger back, "Hone-wala boyfriend hu" smirked Aditya and Naina couldn't control her laugh.

As he knew her well, Aditya thought to stop it here today, or he will not be able to walk on his first day of school.

"Chhuti ho gayi kya?" wondered Aditya, realising that they were coming out of the class, with their bags in their shoulder.

"Haan" replied Naina smilingly.

"Tum kyu puch rahe ho waise ye? Bas aakhiri period attend karne aaye the kya?" Khushi mocked.

"Nahi woh toh main admission related formalities ke liye aaya tha" Aditya replied smilingly.

This five minutes was enough for Naina to understand the nature of Aditya. He was a well mannered, generous guy who respects girls. Anyone would understand that, he was truly in love with Khushi, just having a look at his eyes which always adored her. But she was not able to understand the reason why Khushi always ignores him. She doesn't want this cute love story to end one-sided as she understands how it feels.

"Aditya aap ne aaj se join kiya hai school?" She was pushing the conversation so as to include Khushi in it.

"Haan, wo thoda admission main late ho gaya" Aditya smiled at Naina.

"Ek min" mumbled Aditya before opening his bag which was hanging on his shoulder. He took out two chocolates from the bag.

"Ye lo, tumhare liye" he forwarded a chocolate in front of Khushi, grinning with anticipation that she'd accept the chocolate.

"Nahi chahiye mujhe" she said in a dry tone and turned her face.

Aditya let out a big sigh when his hopes found no way.

"Le le na khushi, dekh na kitne pyaar se de raha hai tujhe" insisted Naina and she was about to argue when saw the commanding eyes of Naina.

She half-heartedly accepted his chocolate and Aditya's and Naina's lips were turned upwards.

"Aur ye tumhare liye" the other chocolate he had in his hand was forwarded towards Naina.

"Nahi nahi, mujhe nahi chahiye" Naina flushed, declining politely.

"Kyu nahi chahiye, ab hum friends hai to tum apne friend se ek chocolate to le hi sakti ho na" Aditya put forward his friendship.

She was surprised and was in a dilemma about befriending a boy. But seeing his respect and good personality she could neither deny his chocolate nor his friendship.

"Aur haan, mere dost mujhe Adi bulate hai" he informed happily and was greeted with a nod from Naina. And added further "aur mujhe pyaar karne wale bhi" he leaned towards Khushi and as always was greeted with a glare, which feared Aditya and made Naina chuckle at their cute chemistry. 

***

"Sameer tu taiyaar ho gaya" The voice of Munna Pandit resonated in the room before they could actually reach there.

As always their faces made weird expressions seeing the scene in front of which they were bored off now. Sameer on his study table!

"Haan main to kab se taiyaar hu, tum logo ko aane main time tha isliye socha kuch sums solve karlu" Sameer looked at them with a smile and asked them to wait for a minute as the problem was yet to be solved completely.

"Ponga tujhe isse dekh kar kiski yaad aati hai" whispered Munna into Pandit's ear as they settled down in bed.

"Bhai mujhe to wo Padhaku ki yaad aa rahi" he whispered back.

They both looked at each other and giggled. Sameer was done with his sums!

"Kya hua? Has kyu rahe ho tum dono" Sameer packed everything and was putting it in their place now.

Both controlled their laugh "Nahi wo hame na tujhe dekhkar kisi ki yaad aa rahi thi"

"Kiski" asked Sameer reflexively.

"Are wo Padhaku Bhehenji..." Munna was remembering more adjectives for her

"Naina?" Uttered Sameer, the first name came into his mind.

"Haan wahii" both Rahu and Ketu giggled.

"Tumhe uski kyun yaad aa rahi hai? Woh bhi mujhe dekhkar?" Sameer was confused.

"Are wo bhi na tere jaise pura din padhti rehti thi.." started Munna.

"Aur ham usse kitna bhi chidhaye, par kuch nahi bolti thi." Pandit completed.

Both were having a serene smile on their faces.

"Achha? To tumhe uss behenji ki yaad aa rahi hai?" Teased Sameer.

"Haan kuch bhi bolo yaar Naina thi bahut achhi, kabhi bhi madad mango kar deti thi, wo bhi bina soche samjhe" reminisced Munna

"Haan yaar, yaad to bahut aati hai uski, khaali khaali bhi lagta hai kabhi kabhi class main" Pandit confessed with his lips curved upwards.

Sameer hung both his hands on their shoulders and tried to lighten the mood "Abhi main uski kami puri kar dunga, don't worry."

Munna sighed laughingly "Haan ab Naina ho ya Sameer baat to ek hi hai.."

Pandit mused "Haan Naina gayi aur Padhaku chhod gayi."

They both laughed at this obvious to the thoughts in Sameer's mind. Haan ab Naina ho ya Sameer baat to ek hi hai listening to these words something very minute fluttered in the corner of his heart and to divert the direction of his heart he asked his friends to move for cricket practice as it was already too late.