"Lekin Sonali maine kabhi pehle pehni nahi hai," Naina was still apprehensive.

"Dekh Naina, tu Ahmedabad mein rehti thi... wahan ka mahaul alag tha... yeh Mumbai hai... yahan sab chalta hai... aur fir hum ghar pe hi toh hain... bas aas paas ke kuch doston ko bulaya hai jisse iss society mein hamari jaan pehchaan ho jaaye... toh darr kis baat ka hai... meri dress toh isse bhi aage hai." Sonali giggled as she again tried to soothe Naina's fears.

Seeing the confused expression on her face, she held her shoulders, "Lete time pehen ke dekhi thi na... toh kuch soch ke hi li hogi... fir ab kyon peeche hat rahi hai... aur shaadi mein bhi woh blouse pehena tha... woh bhi toh pehli baar tha... ab agar tune ek aur baar socha toh main party mein aaungi hi nahi... yahin kamre mein baithi rahungi aise hi."

Sonali made a grumpy face.

That settled it for Naina.

"Theek hai... zyaada drama mat kar... ab khareedi hai toh pehen lungi." She gave in, laughing at her friend's tactics.

Sonali beamed and hugged Naina. She quickly opened the dresser and brought out a bottle.

"Ab iski baari." She held it with a broad smile.

"Yeh kya hai?" Naina furrowed her brows.

"Face pack... bohot mast hai... mujhe gift mila tha shaadi mein... London se Rahul ki maasi laayi thi... bada achha hai... aaj dono lagate hain." Sonali opened the bottle to reveal a thick paste of light colour.

"Main nahi lagaungi... maine aaj tak dahi besan ke alawa kuch nahi lagaya... woh bhi taiji kehti thi ki bekaar hi koshish karti hun, meri shakal ka kuch nahi ho sakta." Naina was reminded of taiji's bitter words.

"Tu ye laga ya na laga, besan laga chahe dahi se muh dho, yeh dress pehen ya tere college ke shuru wale dheele dhale kapde... woh jo bahar hai na... uske liye tu hamesha sabse sundar aur special rahegi... teri taiji ki faltu baaton se na usse koi fark padta hai na tujhpe koi asar hona chahiye." Sonali stood with her hands on waist, infuriated at the lady she had never met.

"Aur ab tere koi nakhre nahi chalenge... hum dono yeh lagayenge... main abhi Rahul ko bolke aati hun ki humein aaadhe ghante tak disturb na kerein." Sonali left before Naina could say anything.

Sameer and Rahul were placing the speakers to create maximum sound effect for the party.

"Rahul, main aur Naina kuch zaruri kaam kar rahe hain... aadhe ghante tak darwaza nahi kholenge... toh aake tang mat karna... kuch bhi ho, darwaza nahi khulega." She turned and left.

Sameer gaped with open mouth.

"Tujhe kya hua?" Rahul looked up.

"Aadhe ghante... aisa kya kaam hai inko... aur darwaza kyon band karna hai... humein bhi nahi aane denge kya... itni der kya karenge?" Sameer was still looking in the direction where Sonali went.

Rahul straightened, "Tu toh aise pareshan ho raha hai jaise Naina kisi ladke ke saath hai."

Sameer turned sharply at Rahul, eyes blazing.

Rahul raised his hands in air, "Shaant bhai, main toh bas tujhe samjhane ke liye keh raha tha... arre kuch kapde wagerah try kar rahe honge... kya ho gaya... aur aadha ghanta toh humein bhi lag hi jayega yeh sab karne mein... abhi gaane bhi select karne hain... saari cassettes dhoond ke saamne rakhenge tabhi shaam ko mahaul banega."

Sameer got back to work, looking repeatedly towards the passage that led to Sonali's room... but no one emerged from there.

Naina and Sonali applied the face pack and sat down under the fan to let it dry. Naina liked the convenience of just taking out the pack from the bottle and applying... unlike the one at home where they had to mix the ingredients to reach the right consistency.

Sonali checked after twenty minutes and declared that the pack was ready to be washed off. Naina was surprised to see the effect. It had indeed made her skin smoother and softer to touch.

"Dekh kaise chamak gayi hai... tu toh pehle se hi itni sundar lagti hai, aaj uss dress mein aur bhi nikhri hui lagegi... kaise rukta hai bechara Sameer." Sonali hugged Naina, admiring her glowing face.

"Kahan rukta hai?" Naina giggled, sending Sonali into peals of laughter.

"Uska bhi kasoor nahi hai... saara din saath rehta hai... kab tak bas dekh dekh ke kaam chalayega... mujhe bataya tha Rahul ne... tumhari koi secret jagah hai na milne ki shaam ko." Sonali winked.

Naina nodded, lowering her eyes, "Woh jagah pehle sirf apna dukh logon se chupane ki thi... aur ab woh hamare pyar ki duniya hai... hum roz milte hain wahan."

"Hayee mere laila, majnu... tum dono kitne pyare ho yaar, tumhari love story pe toh picture banni chahiye." Sonali was excited.

Naina laughed, "Tumhare upar bhi toh ban sakti hai... chal ab chod ye sab aur apni dress dikha."

Sonali rushed to the cupboard, taking out the long dress she planned to wear in the evening. It was in light blue, with sleeve only on one side and a thin strap on the other... the length was full but it had a slit till the knee on one side.

Naina widened her eyes, "Yeh pehenegi? Rahul kuch kahega nahi?"

"Rahul ne hi toh pasand ki hai... mujhe bhi laga ki shayad aisa pehenna theek nahi hoga par usne kaha abhi hi toh time hai yeh sab pehnne ka... enjoy karne ka."

Naina was reminded of Sameer's words.

She hesitantly looked at Sonali, "Umm... Sonali, ek baat puchu... agar tujhe theek na lage toh mat batana."

"Bol na." Sonali continued to smooth out the creases from her dress.

"Kya Rahul... matlab... woh tujhe... " Naina didn't know how to ask.

Sonali looked up, "Naina, tujhe kuch bhi kehna hai khul ke bol... hum dono toh behne hain... tu kuch bhi puch sakti hai."

Naina gathered courage at her assurance, "Kya Rahul tujhe alag alag tarah ke kapde pehenne ko kehta hai?"

"Yeh puchne mein itna kya darr rahi thi... haan Rahul ne itne saare dresses lekar rakhe the pehle se... kehta hai dekhna chahta tha unn dresses mein par kabhi bol nahi paaya... ab main uski pasand ke kapde pehenti hun jab bhi hum kahin bahar jaate hain... mujhe bhi achha lagta hai jab woh dil kholkar meri tareef karta hai." Sonali stated, blushing at the end.

When they went out after a few minutes, Sameer rushed to her side.

"Itni der se kya kar rahi thi? Aisa kya kaam tha jo tum log humein bhi aane nahi de sakte the?" He grabbed her arm.

"Arre bhai, hoti hain ladkiyon ki kuch baatein... tha kuch aisa kaam jismein ladkon ko shaamil nahi kar sakte the." Sonali smirked, seeing his restlessness.

"Sonali, please agli baar se Naina ko toh mat hi le jaana... dimaag kharab kar diya isne mera... kab aayegi Naina, kyon darwaza band hai, kya kaam hai, itni der ho gayi, aadha ghanta kaha tha abhi toh battees minute ho gaye." Rahul imitated Sameer.

He glared at Rahul. Sonali burst out laughing as Naina felt a wave of red wash over her.

"Aisa kuch nahi kaha maine." Sameer looked down, trying to hide his flushed cheeks.

"Achha yeh batao yahan sab set ho gaya?" Sonali held her stomach to control her laughter, focussing back on the preparations.

"Jee madam, aapki party ki saari taiyari ho gayi... bas ab hum sab ko ready hona baaki hai." Rahul side hugged his wife.

"Pehle chai peete hain... main John ko bol ke aati hun." Sonali walked to the kitchen to instruct the cook.

"Main zara haath dhoke aata hun." Rahul went to his room.

Sameer turned towards Naina. She looked even more beautiful... he could not take off his eyes from her face.

"Sameer, aise kya dekh rahe ho?" She waved a hand in front of him.

"Woh main... main... Naina... tum aur bhi sundar lag rahi ho." He blurted.

"Tum har samay bas aise hi bolte ho... mujhe toh ab yakeen bhi nahi hota." She turned sideways, dropping the corners of her mouth.

His fingers grazed her cheeks... finding them even softer than earlier, he leaned and rubbed his nose on it, making her go numb.

"Sameer... " She looked at both the doors simultaneously, expecting Rahul or Sonali to be there any moment.

"Makhan." He said.

"Huh," she gave a perplexed look.

"Makhan jaisi lag rahi ho... kha ke yakeen dilaun?" He jerked his head towards her, clamping his teeth in a biting motion.

She jumped back, eyes rounding in shock.

Sonali was back at that moment, followed by the servant with a tray.

Rahul also joined them and they sat down to have tea, discussing about the evening program for another half an hour.

"Ab thoda rest kar lete hain... guests toh shaam ko aath baje ke baad aayenge... ek ghante aaram karke fir ready hoke aath baje milte hain." Rahul suggested, getting up.

Naina helped Sonali to take the cups back to the kitchen. Sameer and Rahul were gone when she came back.

"Chal Naina, shaam ko milte hain... aur wohi dress pehenna." Sonali stressed again before going to her room.

Naina looked around, noticing the balcony outside the hall. She walked out. The view from this height was mesmerizing. She could see the garden of the society, few kids were playing on the swings... the benches were mostly vacant. She again crossed her arms, leaning against the wall, her mind drifting to thoughts similar to those she had in the morning.

And this time, the warmth she was craving for, surrounded her. She leaned back into him as his hands wound around her waist.

"Kya soch rahi ho?" He pressed his nose on the side of her head.

"Tumhare baare mein." She raised her eyes back at him.

"Mujhe zyada lucky toh mera khyaal hai jo har waqt tumhare saath rehta hai." He nuzzled in her hair.

"Par sirf khyaal kaafi nahi hai... mujhe tum chahiye ho... har waqt." She pulled his hands around her tighter.

Sameer placed a kiss on her head, "Mujhe bhi, Naina... jab bhi tum paas nahi hoti ho bas tumhe miss karta hun. Aaj Rahul aur Sonali ko dekhke laga hum kab aise apne ghar mein rahenge?"

Naina smiled at the likeness in their thoughts, "Main bhi aisa hi kuch soch rahi thi."

"Jab hum apne ghar mein honge toh main saara time humare liye rakhunga... koi aur nahi aayega distrub karne." He trailed his lips down her neck as he spoke.

Naina hitched up her shoulder as the hair at the back of her neck stood up.

"Aisa thodi hota hai, Sameer... bulana padta hai doston ko, rishtedaron ko." She tried to divert him.

"Sab baad mein... pehle sirf tum aur main... saalon ka intezar hai, Naina... itni jaldi kisi ko beech mein nahi aane dunga." He crushed her in his arms.

"Achha ab chalo... ready hona hai na... nahi toh Rahul fir chidayega aur tum fir gussa karoge." She took a step ahead.

Sameer pulled her back, "Tumhe dekhna hai uss red dress mein... main toh kabse soch raha hun kaisi dikhogi tum."

"Maine pehen ke dikhayi thi na tumhe... waisi hi lagungi." She attempted to move again, only to be held against him even tighter.

"Pata nahi kyon par tum kuch zyaada hi khili hui lag rahi ho... iss ghar mein aakar shayad zyada khush ho." He nestled back in her neck, not able to move apart.

Naina wanted to tell him about the face pack but remained quiet.

"Agar yahan aisa asar hua hai toh apne ghar mein kaisa hoga, Naina?"

She trembled as his hot breath teased her neck.

Half an hour later, Naina was ready. Sameer had mentioned the red dress again... but she was sure he would not complain.

She looked at herself in the mirror in her room. The black dress fitted her well. It ended just above her knees. Naina had never worn anything this short, but today she felt confident to wear it. Her arms were left bare, the round neck and no sleeves making her milky skin shine even more against the black dress. The zipper at the back made it fit well till her waist, then it widened with a little flair.

Leaving her hair open, Naina added pearl earrings to her ears, rejecting the idea of a string... the fate of the previous one sending shivers up to her fingertips.

Applying some clear gloss to her lips, she lined her eyes to make her lids darker... and she was done.

The black open toed ballerina shoes completed her look.