So friends, here's my 100th chapter
Thanks to all of you that I have achieved this milestone...

And the story goes on...

Sameer sat on the bed, holding his head with both hands, elbows resting on the knees.

He could not believe what he had done. He had jerked away Naina's hand and left her alone... without an explanation. He had not even turned to look at her face... he couldn't have seen the tears which he was sure would have spilled out of her eyes.

But had he seen them... had he turned even once... maybe he would have understood the absurdity of his behaviour. Naina had tried so hard to bring him out of the dark wells of anger... and he had been successful also, to a great extent. But he had fallen back again... and over such a petty thing...

He squeezed his eyes shut... why could he not accept such things as petty... why snowball it into something so painful.

He got up in frustration, weaving his hand through the hair falling on his forehead. As the hand moved down from his hair, he looked at it. He had pulled away this hand from the person he wanted to hold it...

Fisting up, Sameer punched hard into the wall. A sharp pain shot up as the bones hit the hard surface... he hit again... and again...

He had to meet her... now.

He looked at the clock... was it possible to go to her room now? He sighed and decided against it... for her. If anyone saw him... Naina's reputation would be at stake. He could not risk that. There was still lot of time for their meeting under the tree.

But what if she didn't come...

He shivered at the thought... what if she got angry too... at his behavior, at his rudeness... what if she...

The thought released a flood of tears from his eyes as he collapsed on the floor, holding his swollen and bleeding hand.

After crying his heart out for a few minutes, he got up. There was only one way to find out. He wiped his tears and quickly opened the cupboard to take a handkerchief to tie around his hand. Something fell on the floor as he pulled out the hanky. He looked at it, then picked up and pocketed the thing. Somehow, he loosely wrapped the white cloth around his hand and ran out of the room.

Naina had been sitting in the same spot for more than an hour now. But the tears didn't stop... her only thought was... will he come?

She had decided... if he didn't show up, she would go to his room at night... she was not bothered about any rule or punishment... she had to meet him... at any cost.

After waiting for so long, after giving up the hope, after running away from each other, after suffering so much, they had found the love they were seeking... she could not let it slip away from her... this time she won't be able to take it.

"Sameer, wapas aa jao, please", she closed her eyes and prayed.

He reached the tree thinking that he'd wait for her for hours but here she was... waiting, crying, praying...

"Naina... " his voice was barely audible.

She heard it...

Opening her eyes, she slowly turned to look at him.

He sank on his knees.

Both could not stop the tears of relief falling from their eyes...

He did not have the courage to go to her, wipe her tears, ask for her forgiveness.

As he raised his hand to rid his eyes of the wetness that was blurring his vision, Naina saw the loosely hanging handkerchief on his hand.

She got up and ran, falling on her knees next to him.

"Yeh kya hua?" She held his hand with utmost care, slowly opening the wrapped cloth.

Sameer did not utter a single word. As the cover came off, she saw the swollen, bruised hand and a gasp escaped her lips.

She looked up at him in horror, "Kaise hua yeh? Sameer, tumne kisi se jhagda kiya?"

"Nahi Naina... maine koi jhagda nahi kiya", he quickly shook his head.

She looked at his injury and blew on it as her eyes watered again... a few drops fell on his hand.

She grabbed the edge of her dupatta, crushed it into a ball and blew into it, then placed it on his hand, repeating the process several times. Then she lifted his hand and kissed on it before placing it against her cheek.

All through this, Sameer sat like a statue, admiring her, wondering how she was more concerned about his pain than the one he had given her.

"Tumne khud ko chot pohochayi?" She asked in a choked voice.

"I'm sorry, Naina... maine tumhe bhi chot pohochayi." His voice was also heavy with emotion.

She gulped, trying to swallow the lump in her throat. Standing up, she tugged at his elbow, urging him to get up.

Sameer stood in front of Naina... not able to look at her... the guilt of making her cry eating him up.

"Ab bataoge ki hua kya? Main soch soch ke pagal ho gayi, Sameer... mujhe samajh hi nahi aaya ki tum achanak itne gussa kyon ho gaye... maine aisa kya kiya? Konsi baat buri lagi tumhe?" She looked at his downcast eyes.

He didn't know how to start, how to tell her that his selfish heart was not ready to accept anyone near her, anyone touching her.

"Bolo please", her pleading voice brought him out of his thoughts.

"Naina, main kaise samjhaun tumhe... main nahi jaanta aisa kyon hota hai... matlab main aisa kyon mehsoos karta hun... " He fumbled for the right words.

Naina waited patiently.

With a deep breath, he tried again, "Mujhe... mujhe achha nahi lagta jab koi tumhe choota hai."

"Par mujhe kisne chua aaj?" Naina thought he meant a touch with wrong intention, like Neeraj did.

He looked at her for a second, then looked down again, "Tum gussa toh nahi hogi?"

In spite of their condition, Naina couldn't help smiling, "Tum batao to sahi, gussa kyon houngi?"

He pressed the upper lip between his teeth, then gathered courage to let out his insecurities.

"Kisi ka bhi choona achha nahi lagta... jab Sonali ne tumhe gale lagaya, fir tumne usse... woh bhi itna kas ke... "

Her eyes widened beyond belief, she wasn't sure what she heard was right.

He lifted up his eyes to see her shocked expression.

The guilty feeling sprang up again, but he didn't look away.

"Tum na ek number ke bewakoof ho", she felt a wave of relief pass through her... all sorts of thoughts had tormented her since afternoon... but not in her wildest dreams could she have expected Sameer to be jealous of another girl hugging her.

He still looked at her with lost eyes.

Sameer carried on, "Aur Rahul ka toh haath hi pakad liya... Naina, kyon pakda uska haath?"

She was reminded of the day when she had shook hands with Rahul to congratulate him for winning the match in first year and Sameer had put up the same question... at that time they had not even reached the friendship level... if he was jealous then, Naina could very well understand his jealousy now.

"Maine sirf usko sagai ke liye congratulate kiya tha, Sameer. Yeh toh bohot normal hota hai... haath milana koi badi baat nahi hai agar aapka dil saaf hai toh... aur tum achhi tarah jante ho mera aur Rahul ka, dono ka dil bilkul saaf hai." She said softly.

Sameer observed her swollen eyes, tear stained cheeks, red nose and her soft expression, trying to make him understand. He wanted to kick himself... not even once did she get angry with him... she is rather pacifying him.

He was such a big fool. All he could do was hold his ears.

Naina smiled, holding his wrists to pull his hands down. Then she brought him near the tree, sitting down with him as their backs rested on the trunk.

She held his injured hand in her lap, slowly rubbing it.

"Sameer, ab sach sach batao tumhe kis se jalan hoti hai." She prompted him to say the truth.

He decided it was time to tell her clearly how he felt, "Tumhare liye toh sabse hoti hai, Naina... hamesha se... jab Ahmedabad mein tum Preeti aur Swati ko gale lagati ho, yahan Sonali aur dusri ladkiyon ko... tum bohot zor se pakadti ho na."

"Toh?" She raised her brows.

"Toh mujhe achha nahi lagta", he looked down sadly.

Naina realised it was his possessiveness for her that was causing him so much of pain... he had never had anyone to love him all his life, except his nanu... and he stayed with nanu for just two years. He was deprived of love, of belongingness, of relationship... she could understand his fear.

She delicately stroked his hand, "Sameer, ye sab rishte, parivaar ke ya dosti ke, ye sab humein ek doosre se baandke rakhne mein madad karte hain... tumhara aur mera rishta inn saare rishton se gehra hai par uske liye inko todna zaroori nahi hai... socho, Ahmedabad mein Swati, Preeti, Munna, Pandit humari kitni madad karte the milne mein... woh toh sabse zyaada khush hain ki hum saath hain. Kya tum Munna Pandit ko gale nahi lagate? Kya uss samay tumhe lagta hai ki tum mere hisse ka pyaar unhe de rahe ho?"

He gaped at her with open mouth. He had never once thought in this direction.

Naina smiled, "Aur aaj tumne bhi Rahul ko gale lagaya tha... kya mujhe bhi gussa hona chahiye?"

He was embarrassed now.

She patted his cheek, "Ghabrao mat, main gussa nahi hun... mujhe pata hai tumhare man mein mere liye kitna pyaar hai... aur ye pyaar kisi aur ko gale lagane se kam nahi hoga. Haan, parivaar ya doston ke alava kisi ladki ko kas ke gale lagaya toh main chodungi nahi... na tumhe na uss ladki ko."

He finally laughed.

She was relieved to see his tensions melting away.

"Sameer, hum chahe kahin bhi chale jayein, kuch bhi haasil kar lein lekin humare pair hamesha zameen se jude rehte hain... aise hi hum kitne bhi bade ghar mein rahein, hamesha aasman ki chat ke neeche hi rehte hain... kitne bhi ameer kyon na ho, saans lene ke liye hawa hi chahiye", she wrapped her palms around his hand.

"Tum meri woh zameen ho, aasman ho, hawa ho... mujhe tumse alag koi nahi kar sakta... na hi tumhare liye mera pyaar kabhi koi baant sakta hai... ye pyaar kam toh ho hi nahi sakta... ye toh har din badhta jaata hai... tum meri zindagi mein sabse zaroori ho, sabse pehle ho aur sabse khaas ho. " Her eyes brimmed with the love she felt for him.

Sameer was left spellbound by her words... she had reached the exact chord that hurt him... she had removed the fear that laid buried in some hidden corner of his heart...  a corner that he himself was not able to see.

He lifted her hand and kissed it.

"Naina,  Maine tumhe itna rulaya aaj, iske liye main kabhi khud ko maaf nahi kar sakta... kya tum mujhe maaf karogi?" He looked at her with guilty eyes.

When she looked at him, her eyes did not leave any doubt in his mind.

"Tum itni achhi kyon ho, Naina?" He felt his eyes filling up again.

She wiped his unshed tears.

"Aage se aisa karenge... jab bhi main kisi ko gale lagaungi... toh tum sochna ki woh tum ho... apna chehre dekhna unme... fir tumhe bura nahi lagega... theek hai", she gave a crooked smile.

Sameer had a better idea, "Ya phir aisa karenge, jab bhi tum kisi ko gale lagaogi to uske badle mein mujhe do cheezein milengi... ek hug aur ek kiss... ye zyaada theek hai."

She smacked him on the arm, "Achha, fir toh tum khud hi mujhe sabko gale lagane ke liye kahoge."

He realised she was right.