Sameer was not sure he heard her right. It was not possible.

He stood transfixed... his heartbeat silent... breathing stopped altogether... he was as good as dead.

Naina kept looking at him, trying to read his eyes, which had a glazed look... he had turned into stone.

"Sameer..." She touched his face.

No response.

His eyes continued to stare at her blankly.

Lifting her heels, she moved close to his ear and said in a low, husky voice, "I Love You, Sameer."

And kissed his cheek.

His grasp tightened on her waist, the cloud lifting off his eyes... he looked at her flushed face, deep brown, innocent eyes... and his heart started beating again... going at a rate that was not normal... finding his breath back was difficult though... the feel of her lips still singed his skin.

"Naina, tum kya... kya... tumne kuch kaha tha kya?" He was not sure anymore whatever he heard was real or he was hallucinating.

"Kaha tha." She whispered.

The pounding of his heart was deafening him, "Kya...  kya kaha tha?"

"I Love You."

"Woh nahi... kuch aur, " he shook his head impatiently.

"Kyon, ab tumko yeh sunna achha nahi lagta?" She asked innocently, now aware that he was unsure about what she had just revealed to him.

"Nahi... matlab yeh toh sunna hai par kuch aur bhi hai jo shayad tumne kaha tha abhi... kaha tha kya?" He was desperate to know the truth.

"Maine kab kuch kaha? Tum hi badbada rahe the pata nahi kya." She confused him even more.

He left her, turning to face the other side, pushing back the falling hair with a tight hand, his mind in a total mess. His only thought was that he is going mad.

And then her arms came around him, her palm resting on his heart as she placed her head on his back.

"Tumne jo suna wohi kaha tha maine." Her voice reached him, making him want to pump his fist in the air.

There were a few moments of extreme elation before his mind was in chaos again.

He turned, holding her shoulders, his eyes wrinkling at the ends as he tried to stop any thoughts from pervading his mind, "Kisne... kisne bataya? Tumne kisse pucha?"

She pursed her lips, shaking her head.

He had to know, "Kisi ne toh bataya hai na? Kisne? Kab? Maine kaha tha na kisi se nahi puchna.. fir tumne... "

"Maine library mein padha," she blurted before he got more hyper.

His mouth fell open again, "College ki library mein yeh sab... "

"College mein nahi... Ahmedabad mein... city library mein." She clarified.

Later when he thought about this day, he wondered how he had even survived so many attacks on his poor heart. He admired his system which must have been real strong to withstand one shock after the other, within a span of few minutes.

For now, he was flummoxed, "Ahmedabad mein? Tumne kab... "

And he remembered the day when Naina had called him to meet and had arrived late herself. Preeti had mentioned that she had gone to the library. They had presumed that it was for her articles. The thought of probing her never occured to anyone as Naina and library had always been an accepted combination.

But that day, this girl had decided to seek the answers to her nagging queries in a public library. He wanted to hit his forehead on the wall. Why did he not come to know... he was aware of her habit of not sitting still until she had a solution to whatever was troubling her... then why did he just let it be... he could not even ask her what type of books she had consulted. What if someone had seen her reading those books? And how her mind had reacted to all the information... she would have definitely wanted some support at that time. Why was he not with her to comfort her?

Seeing the play of emotions on his face, Naina realised what was going on in his mind.

"Tum pareshan mat ho, " she placed her palms on his chest.

Her soft, calming voice eased his turmoil in a second.

He pulled her in his arms, "Oh Naina, tumne pehle kyon nahi bataya? Mujhe saath leke chalti na... tumhe... tumhe... akele... matlab tumhare liye sab kuch..."

He still did not know how to put it.

Naina recalled her fears and hesitation to meet him at that time.

"Main theek hun ab," she rubbed his back, assuring him.

As the whole thing sank in slowly... her startling disclosure, the time since she had known, her ease of accepting it all, and her effort to help him deal with it... the mind that had been in a tizzy started to move in a different direction.

His hold on her tightened. The breathing became more erratic... he buried his face in her hair.

Naina could feel the fingers digging into her waist, his hot breath fell on her ear, making her shudder. As his palms travelled over her back, she tried to stop him.

"Sameer, ek ghanta ho gaya hai... Rahul aur Sonali aate hi honge." She whispered against his neck.

He pulled her more into himself, not wanting to leave. Naina could feel the slight shivering of his hands. Turning her face, she kissed on his heart.

"Sameer... chodo na." Her soft voice seemed to be coming from somewhere far.

He did not want to let go. She fitted so perfectly in his arms... he wanted to remain in this heaven.

The sound of footsteps made Naina alert. She pushed him, trying to move out of his arms.

"Sameer, woh log aa rahe hain."

Her concerned voice made him step back quickly. He straightened his hair, pursing his lips to control his breathing.

"Sameer," Rahul called out to him softly from the stairs, not coming to the terrace.

He walked towards the door, holding Naina's hand. Rahul waited there with Sonali. He gestured to Sameer to come after him without making a sound. Sonali waited near the door with Naina till they had gone down the three flights of stairs. Seeing the clear passage, the girls also walked down to Sonali's house, entering through the kitchen door.

In their room, Sonali fell back on the bed, her eyes fixed on the ceiling.

"Naina, sach bataun toh mujhe yakeen hi nahi ho raha ki do din ke baad meri shaadi hai... aisa lagta hai abhi toh college jaana shuru kiya tha... tab pata bhi nahi tha ki Rahul naam ka koi meri zindagi mein aayega. Lekin usse dekhte hi aisa laga jaise... jaise... bata nahi sakti kaisa laga... bas usse hi dekhte rehne ka man karta tha... aur uski baatein... sach, aisa lagta tha ki uske alawa kisi se baat karni hi nahi mujhe."

She turned to rest on her elbow, looking at Naina who was seated on the other side of the bed, "Jab usne tujhse baat karni shuru ki, fir tere saath baithna shuru kiya... bohot dukh hua tha mujhe, par woh tu thi na, meri favourite, isliye maine apne dil ko samjha liya. Agar koi aur hoti toh usko chodti nahi."

Naina smiled fondly, "Apna pyaar tak dene ko taiyar ho gayi pagal!"

She dipped her head to one side.

Then, thinking about something she sat up, "Achha Naina tujhe kabhi laga nahi ki Rahul tujhse itni baat kyon karta hai, tere saath kyon baithta hai... matlab  tujhe uski dosti se kuch feel nahi hua?"

"Sonali, maine school ke aakhiri do saal Sameer ko dekhne mein nikal diye. Uske pyaar mein itni kho gayi ki kisi cheez ka hosh hi nahi raha. Aur school ke baad jab ahsaas hua ki Sameer ke aur mere raaste kabhi ek nahi ho sakte toh maine usse door hone ke liye yahan aane ka faisla kiya. Ekdum tooti hui thi jab college mein aayi thi. Aur jab pata chala ki Sameer bhi yahin hai toh hosh udd gaye the mere. Laga kaise sambhal paungi khud ko yahan akele teen saal tak... Sameer meri aankhon ke samne rahega... aur mujhse ekdum anjaan... school ki tarah. Itni saari uljhane thi meri zindagi mein ki Rahul kya kar raha hai kya keh raha hai kabhi dhyaan hi nahi gaya." Naina remembered those days with a sigh.

Sonali felt the pain in her voice, "Haye Naina, kitna dard hota hoga na yeh sab soch ke... pehle do saal bhi tune kaise nikale? Roz ussi ka chehra dekhna par kabhi uski nazaron mein khud ko na paana... main toh jab Rahul ko tere liye bhulane ki koshish kar rahi thi tabhi meri haalat kharaab ho gayi thi."

The sleepless nights, pillows wet with tears,  going without food repeatedly, not able to hear what chachiji was asking her to do and get scolded for it later, carrying wrong books to school... everything came back to her... along with the painful decision of coming to Mumbai... after deciding to let Sameer be out of her life forever.

"Ab toh iss khyaal se bhi dil kaanp jaata hai Sonali, ki agar maine iss college mein aane ka faisla nahi kiya hota toh shayad kabhi Sameer se mil hi nahi paati. Main toh soch bhi nahi sakti uske bina jeena kaisa hota." What Naina had accepted as her destiny that time seemed to be her biggest nightmare now.

Sonali patted her hand, "Ab bhool ja yeh saari baatein... ab toh Sameer ke bina jeene ka soch na hi kyon hai... uska bas chale toh woh ek pal ke liye bhi tujhse alag na ho."

"Waise uski deewangi dekhke lagta hai bechare ko shaadi ka intezaar bada mushkil lag raha hai," she teased Naina.

And Sameer had managed to spread colour on her face again, without being here, without saying anything.

As if on cue, the phone rang.

Sonali picked up to talk to Rahul. Naina, meanwhile, went to the bathroom to change into her night suit. After brushing and a shower, she came back to find Sonali still on phone.

"Aaja Naina, tera hi wait ho raha hai, Sameer se baat kar." She called out, handing the cordless to her.

Naina walked out to the balcony, "Hi Sameer."

"Kitni der se tumse baat karni thi," he complained.

"Haan, woh main n..." she left her sentence in the middle.

"Aur ab kya kar rahi ho?" He guessed what she was about to say.

"Abhi toh balcony mein khade hoke tumse baat kar rahi hun." She looked around.

He let out a long breath, "Kaash tum  abhi hostel ki balcony mein hoti toh abhi aa jaata."

"Abhi hi toh gaye the na... fir se kyon aana hai?" She too wished it was the balcony of her room.

"Bohot kuch adhura choot gaya, Naina." His heavy voice gave her the same jitters as his touch.

"Kal milenge na, subah haldi hai... tum aa jana leke." Her voice was low.

"Tum bhi haldi lagaogi?" He asked.

Her laughter rang in his ears, "Meri shaadi thodi hai... haldi toh dulha dulhan ko hi lagti hai."

"Agar main laga dun tumko toh?" His tone made it clear that he was not teasing her.

"Jab meri baari aayegi na, haldi toh tum tab bhi nahi laga sakte... humare yahan shaadi se kuch din pehle se milna band ho jaata hai." She told him.

His voice turned impatient, "Aise kaise nahi mil sakte... main toh zaroor milunga... tumse mile bina kaise rahunga, Naina?"

"Offo, abhi se kyon ghabra rahe ho... abhi thodi milne pe koi rok tok hai. Kal aa jaana... main intezaar karungi subah." She calmed him.

Her effect never ceased to soothe him, "Kal ka intezaar toh mujhe bhi hai."

"Bye... good night." She blew him a kiss.

He smiled, "Good night, Naina... kal bataunga aaj kya sapna dekha."

He was sure she would be holding the cordless next to her forehead, smiling and blushing.

He was right.