Naina waited impatiently for Sameer to call. When the phone rang finally, she picked up in less than half ring.

"Hello Sameer".

" Hello, Naina, congratulations, tumne top kiya hai... poore 88 percent aaye hai tumhare. " Sameer's excitement was pouring from his voice.

"Haan, thank you, tumhara result? " Naina was dying to know.

There was a silence at the other side.

She did not understand.

"Sameer? "

"Jo aaaj tak nahi hua woh ho gaya, Naina",  his voice was low.

Her heartbeat quickened, " Sameer, saaf, saaf batao... main janti hun tum pass ho gaye ho... mujhe yakeen hai... humne saath hi toh padhai ki thi... jaldi bolo... kitne percent aaye? "

Sameer's voice had a trace of disappointment, "Padhai toh saath ki thi lekin exam mein maine kya likha yeh toh main hi jaanta hun na... bas tumhare khyaalon mein hi khoya raha. "

Naina was not convinced, "Dekho, tum jo bhi bolo, mujhe pata hai mera Sameer hamesha pass hoga, har exam mein. "

"Achcha... " His voice lightened.

"Chalo tumhe itna yakeen hai toh bata dun ki main bhi pass ho gaya", He confirmed her faith on him.

" Woh pata hai... tumhare kitne marks aaye yeh batao", Naina was curious.

"Naina, Naina, sach mein wahi hua hai jo kabhi nahi hua... mere 75 percent marks aaye hain... itne toh aaj tak kabhi nahi aaye... main bata nahi sakta main kitna khush hun", he screamed in excitement.

Naina was exhilarated, " Sachchi... congratulations... main bhi bohot khush hun, Sameer,  I love you ", she blurted.

There was a sudden silence on the other side.

Then a low voice asked, " Kya kaha... phir se kaho. "

Naina had said this to him, once. But he had been waiting to hear it again. He wanted her to confess her love to him again and again... and again. But Naina had not spoken the three words after her first confession. And hearing it from her today made his heart go wild.

He wanted more.

"Naina, please... ".

She had loved him for a long, long time... even when she was sure that her love would be a disaster... he would never know it, never want it, never acknowledge it... even then her heart was full of love for him.

And now, when he knows, when he wants it more than anything in the world, when he cherishes it, she loves him even more.

But saying the words he wants to hear... her mouth went dry, her heartbeat accelerated, sweat beads appeared on her forehead...

" Naina, sunna chahta hun... kaho na... please ", He was getting desperate.

She took a deep breath, " I... I... Lo..."

Sameer had closed his eyes in anticipation.

"I... I... love... you." Naina was all red.

He wished he could see her.

He wished he could hold her.

"I love you too, Naina", his voice was heavier.

They held the phone in silence, buried under the pressure of their feelings... which they wanted to convey but the distance between them was a barrier.

" Tum konsi train se jaa rahi ho?" Sameer finally managed to speak.

"Main woh... do din baad subah ki train se... chachaji chalenge saath... aur tum?" Naina was also trying to control her racing heart.

"Main bhi",  Sameer was excited to go back, to be with her finally.

Two days later, they boarded the train. They did not see each other at the station.

And however much he wanted, Sameer could not walk down the coaches to find her... she was with her chachaji.

When they reached, seven hours later, he spotted her, boarding a rickshaw.

Grinning widely to himself, he boarded another one after a few minutes, so they don't reach the college together.

The entrance gate of the college was crowded. It was the day of joining back and all outstation students were reaching the college.

Sameer walked in to his hostel room. The small, dark room that he had hated when he had arrived on the first day, appeared to be the best place to live... as it kept him close to Naina.

Chachaji accompanied Naina to the college. At the gate, he patted her head and lovingly gave her an envelope, " Beta, yeh kuch paise hain... rakh lo... tumhe zaroorat padegi. "

Naina smiled at his thoughtfulness,
"Nahi chachaji, paise hain mere paas. Do mahine Ahmedabad mein rehte hue bhi main apne articles bhej rahi thi yahan. Unke paise mujhe ek saath milenge ab. Aur maine pehle ke bhi bacha ke rakhe hain. Mujhe aur nahi chahiye. "

Chachaji was immensely proud of her, "Naina, tum hamesha khush raho beta, aur apni mehnat se bohot aage jao... meri bhagwan se yehi prarthana hai. "

After he left, Naina reached her hostel room, excited to meet Sameer in the evening.

Their spot awaited their return.

The time after lunch was extremely difficult for both of them. Naina cleaned up the room and emptied her suitcase, arranging all the clothes and books. She chose a pink dress, remembering Sameer's fascination for the colour whenever she had worn it. Now that no one was there to object, she left her hair open. As the evening turned dull, Naina locked her room and ran to the ground, eyes fixed on the tree.

She was hoping to surprise Sameer by reaching before him.

But as she turned to look behind the tree, Sameer was there.

Standing with open arms, smiling hopefully.

Naina hesitated for a moment... just a moment... and then, ran into his embrace, tightly putting her arms around him.

Sameer closed his eyes and wrapped her delicate form with his strong arms.

Naina's head rested on his heart, she could clearly hear the rhythm of his fast beats... her hands could feel the heat of his skin through the shirt... and his cheek resting on her head was making her feel treasured.

Sameer was drowning in the scent of her hair, she was like fresh roses, pink and fragrant. Her softness melting into his body... he could even feel her heart beating wildly.

They had been standing lost in each other for a long time when Naina tried to move a little.

Sameer pulled her closer, plastering her completely to himself.

"Aaj mat dur jao, Naina... main registaan ki tarah sukh gaya tha tumhare bina. Aaj mujhe mat alg karo khud se",  he mumbled in her hair.

Naina also tightened her hold... again, " Main bhi kabse intezaar kar rahi rhi aaj ke din ka."

Sameer brought his face closer to her ear, nestling his nose in her hair, "I love you, Naina, I love you so much."

When she did not say anything, he straightened, and holding her with one hand around her shoulder, cupped her face with the other one, raising his eyebrows as she looked up at him.

Gazing into his eyes, Naina's lips moved, almost inaudibly, " I love you."

With great difficulty, he resisted the urge to kiss her, at least on the forehead.

He pulled her back to himself, not letting her move away.

As they stood holding onto each other, hidden from the world, the twitter of birds being the only sound, besides their hammering hearts... initial relief and contentment was being taken over by the rise of desire.

Naina was perplexed at the knot getting tighter in her stomach, the butterflies in there, fluttering even faster... and moving to other parts of her body, blood rushing to the tips of her fingers, hair at the back of her neck rising.

Sameer could feel the heat flowing through his veins, his mind going numb, his hands clenching.

He took a deep breath and slowly stepped back, still holding Naina by her shoulders, gazing into her eyes.

He saw the brown eyes changing colour, specks of darkness shining through them...

And he knew... his girl had the same feelings.

Sameer closed his eyes... to control himself... more than his own drumming heart, the silent language of her eyes was pushing him over the edge.

He pulled back his hands from her shoulders, fisting them tight and shut his eyes. Few moments later, when he opened them, Naina stood at the same place, her eyes on him.

He smiled and held her hands.

"Sameer, uss din tumhe bata nahi paayi ki tumhare marks se mujhe kitni khushi hui, kitna garv hua tum pe." She spoke in a low voice.

Sameer was happy, "Main jaanta hun... aur yeh sab tumhaari wajah se hua... Maine to kabhi itna padha hi nahi... aur na samjha... tumne jab bhi mujhe kuch sikhaya, itne achche se sikhaya ki main kabhi bhul nahi paaya... tumhare saath padhte padhte kab mere dimaag mein sab baith gaya, pata hi nahi chala."

He winked at her, "Jab meri teacher itni achchi thi toh main kaise top class result nahi lata?"

She did not move away her eyes from him even for a second, "Ab iska prize bhi toh milna chahiye
na."

He gave her a naughty look, "Kya iraada hai, madam?"

She looked down at his right hand, holding hers... and brought it towards her face...

Very slowly, she turned his palm and placed a kiss on it.

Sameer was frozen. He had not expected such a bold action from Naina...

"Yeh iss haath ka inaam hai... jisne itne achche papers likhe", she gave him a cheeky smile.

He looked down at his palm, then back at her face, " Umm... Naina... waise main kabhi kabhi doosre haath se bhi likh leta hun."

She looked at him in astonishment, wondering how someone could write with both hands... and saw the mischief in his eyes.

Then she got it...

"Sameer ke bachche... ", she gave a smack on his arm.

" Bachche bhi honge, Naina... par kya unki mummy unko aise maaregi? " He raised his brows at her innocently.

Naina coloured at the thought.

They sat under the tree later, their backs resting on the massive trunk, closer to each other but not touching.

"Yeh naya dress liya tumne?" Sameer asked, admiring her pink dress.

"Haan... aur bhi banwaye hain... chachiji ne kaha ek saal baad aayi hun toh naye kapde toh lene hi padenge",  she happily informed him.

" Tumhe pata hai pink colour tum pe kitna achcha lagta hai? " He was unable to take his eyes off her.

Naina lowered her eyes, "Pata hai... tumhe pasand hai isiliye banwaya hai... tumne pehle bhi bataya tha."

Sameer was impressed that she gave so much importance to his choice, "Toh tum meri pasand ke kapde pehnna chahti ho?"

"Meri toh koi pasand hi nahi thi... pehle taiji jaise kapde banwati thi, wohi hum pehente the... hamein achche nahi lagte the par kisiki himmat nahi hoti unke aage bolne ki... school khatam hone ke baad chachaji ek, do baar mujhe aur Preeti ko lekar gaye the market... college ke liye kuch kharidari karwaane... tab bhi humne zyadatar chachiji ke bataye hue kapde liye... aadat hi nahi hai apne liye kuch chunne ki...  ab Preeti apne design dekar silwane  lagi hai... Swati ki tarah... usne hi mere liye bhi design diye tailor ko",  Naina gave him the entire story.

" Ek baat puchu... phir se maarogi toh nahi",  he gave her a fearful look, rubbing his arm.

Naina laughed, "Nautanki mat karo... bolo kya kehna hai. "

Sameer looked at her expectantly,
"Mere saath shopping chalogi?"

Naina gave him a wide eyes look, "Tumhe pasand nahi mere kapde?"

Sameer groaned, "Mujhe toh tumhara sab kuch pasand hai... lekin yahan baat tumhari pasand ki hai... main chahta hun tum khud apne liye kuch khareedo... kisi aur ke hisaab se nahi. "

Naina was filled with a warmth at his words... no one had ever given so much importance to her choice.

"Sameer, main kaise le sakti hun? Mujhe to chunna bhi nahi aata... pata nahi meri pasand bhi kaisi hogi? " She was suddenly scared at being given this freedom.

"Pasand toh tumhari best hai... dekho na... sabse handsome ladka dhoonda tha tumne school mein, pyaar karne ke liye", He leaned towards her with a wink.

Naina pushed him away, smiling at him lovingly.