"Achha ye batao tumne yeh sab kaise kiya? Subah toh itni jaldi tum ghar pe aa gaye the." Naina was still mesmerised by all the preparations he had done.

"Woh Sameer Maheshwari ka khaas talent hai... woh nahi bata sakta", he raised his collars.

Naina tugged at his sleeve, blinking her eyes innocently, "Main khaas nahi hun kya?"

Without warning, he kissed her cheek, not able to resist the innocent expression. Naina blushed at the unexpected kiss, instantly lowering her eyes.

"Tum toh sabse khaas ho", he lifted her face, placing a finger under the chin.

"Baat mat talo... batao kaise kiya", she said slowly, trying to control her racing heartbeat.

"Kal shaam ko yahan aaya tha... yeh balloons toh tab hi laga diye the...woh andar jo board hai woh bhi kal hi bana liya tha... phool lene aaj subah paanch baje gaya tha... fir yahan aake saare phool lagaye... uske baad ghar aaya. Restaurant waalon ko kal hi maine paise de diye the aaj poore din ke liye... mujhe pakka nahi tha ki hum kis time aayenge bua dadi ke ghar se." He gave her all details.

Naina was puzzled, "Sameer, maine toh kal raat ko phone pe tumhe bataya ki bua dadi ne tumhe ghar pe bulaya hai... fir tumne yeh jagah pehle hi kaise chun li? Agar unhone nahi bulaya hota toh thodi tum yahan aate."

He scratched his head, "Woh Naina, main tumhe lene aane wala tha... gussa mat karna... par maine socha tha ki tumhara wahin intezaar karunga jahan ek baar pehle tumhe lene aaya tha... rickshaw stand ke paas... mera man nahi manta tumhe akele rickshaw mein aane dene ko."

She didn't know what to say.

Suddenly, she realised that it could not be a one day plan... he must have been thinking about it for some time... all those gifts... he must have carefully thought of all these things.

"Yeh saare gifts toh tumne kal nahi liye honge... kabse socha hua tha yeh sab?" She raised her brows.

"Yeh saare gifts maine Ahmedabad mein hi le liye the... soch ke rakha tha ki yahan aake pehla mauka milte hi tumhe ye sab dunga. Iss restaurant ko kai baar aate jaate dekha tha maine... zyada log aate nahi hai yahan... ek baar maine andar aake bhi dekha tha... khana toh pasand nahi aaya par iska yeh garden bohot achha laga... kal jab yahan aake baat ki toh yeh log khushi khushi mujhe ek din ke liye dene ko maan gaye."

His thought, his gesture, his efforts, the planning, preparations, his resourcefulness... everything left her overwhelmed.

They left a while later, after Naina had carefully packed all the gifts.

It was already dark when they reached the college. As she started to turn towards her building, Sameer stopped her "Umm... Naina... mere saath candle light dinner pe chalogi?"

She looked at him, surprised, "Sameer, dinner pe kaise jaa sakte hain? Abhi thodi der mein gate band ho jayega."

He smiled, "Bahar nahi jaana... peeche ground mein... apni jagah... tum bas woh bua dadi wale alu paranthe le aana."

She had forgotten about the paranthe. Since Phulla bua had specially made them for him, she agreed to meet him for dinner.

In her room, Naina placed the saree and the dress on her bed, fascinated at what he had done today. She took the rose and put it in a thick book, wanting to preserve it forever. Glancing at the bracelet, she brought it to her lips and kissed it.

"Tum yeh jo choti choti baaton mein bhi itna pyaar bhar dete ho na, Sameer, iske liye toh main tumhe zindagi bhar bhi thank you bolti rahun toh kam padega." She lovingly stroked the saree and the dress.

And her eyes lit up... she knew what she could do to make the dinner special for him.

Sameer waited at their spot. The place was engulfed in darkness, the hostel buildings too far away to let their light brighten this place. There was no moon either. Only the stars covered the inky sky, making its vastness hide behind their tiny identity. He looked at the brightest star, twinkling in the middle of various big and small ones... it was like his Naina... with all of them, yet standing out because of its brightness and twinkle.

Hearing a sound, he looked behind. And his breath got stuck in his throat.

Naina stood there wearing the pink dress he had gifted her today. The dress fitted her perfectly... he bit his lip as he remembered how... when he had taken Naina shopping last year, he had secretly seen the size she was buying... keeping it in his mind.

She walked up to him slowly, open hair flying in the slight breeze.

He had put a mat on the ground... placing paper plates on it, along with a bottle of water and one soft drink. She put the container she was carrying next to the plates, then turned to him.

"Tumhare liye... saree abhi nahi pehen sakti par yeh toh pehen sakti hun", she smiled.

His gaze slowly moved from bottom to her face, taking in each detail unabashedly.

Naina could feel his burning eyes... thankful that the dress was long, with full sleeves and a closed neck... though it didn't seem to stop the darkening of his eyes.

Before he could move towards her, she sat down, opening the container of paranthas.

"Aao na Sameer, khana khate hain..." She urged him to join her.

Sameer took a while to bring his breathing in control, running his fingers through the silky locks, before settling down on the mat in front of her.

"Ek minute", he stopped her as she placed the alu paranthe in his plate.

He took out a candle from his pocket... placed it in a small glass bottle he had brought and lit it up with a matchbox again fished out from his pocket.

"Candle light dinner hai", he grinned as she looked in amazement.

Naina had also brought some snacks that chachiji had packed for them.

They finished the paranthas in no time, with Sameer eating up most of it as Naina kept putting one after the other in his plate.

He forwarded the bottle of soft drink for her to have some.

Naina took two sips and he snatched it back.

"Arre, adha adha lena tha na... tumne toh do ghoont mein hi wapas le liya", she pouted.

Taking a big gulp, Sameer offered the bottle again, "Adha adha hi hai par jhoota khane peene se pyaar badhta hai na... isliye."

She took one gulp and stood up with the bottle in her hand, "Aaj ke liye itna pyaar kaafi hai... ab chalein?"

Sameer immediately got up, his hand on her wrist, "Kaafi toh kabhi nahi hoga, Naina... tumhara pyaar hamesha mujhe zyaada, aur zyaada chahiye hoga."

She kept her hand on his, "Zyaada hi toh ho raha hai... har din badhta jaa raha hai... tumhari baatein... tumhari harakatein... tumhara chehra... sab kuch mujhe har baar pehle se zyaada achha lagne lagta hai."

His eyes brightened instantly, "Achha?"

Pulling her into his arms, he traced a finger along the hairline, "Kabhi kabhi tareef karti raha karo... tumhare muh se apni tareef sunna bohot achha lagta hai."

"Oh! Toh aaj aapko apni tareef sunni hai... umm... kis kis cheez ki tareef karun... tum toh ekdum perfect ho." Her eyes were full of admiration.

"Fir bhi, tumhe mujhmein sabse achha kya lagta hai?" He insisted.

Naina thought for a while, then raised her hand to rub his jaw, "Jab tum kuch din shave nahi karte toh mujhe woh bohot achha lagta hai... nazar hi nahi hat ti... lekin aajkal tum roz shave kar lete ho... maine bataya tha na pehle bhi tumhe... fir kabhi kabhi meri baat bhi maan liya karo."

He looked at her with guilty eyes, "Woh Naina... uh... woh main... "

She was surprised to see him fumbling, "Kya hua Sameer? Dekho, agar koi problem hoti hai aisa karne mein toh koi baat nahi... tumhe aisa karne ki zaroorat nahi hai... maine toh aise hi keh diya tha... mujhe pata nahi tha isme kuch mushkil bhi ho sakti hai... please, tum aage se roz shave kar lena."

She mentally chided herself for putting up a demand about which she had no idea.

Sameer felt his heart melt at her concern for him... she was happily giving up her demand for his comfort.

He decided to come clean, "Naina, uss din jab hum tumhari terrace pe mile the tab tumne mujhe bataya tha... umm... uss din tumhara saara dhyaan sirf issi pe tha... woh... matlab... aur kuch toh tum dekh hi nahi rahi thi... toh... mujhe laga ki... ki... "

He found it difficult to go on... she was totally confused.

"Kya laga Sameer?" She asked softly, urging him to go on.

He bit his lip, "Mujhe laga ki agar main shave nahi karta toh tum ek bhi baar meri aankhon mein nahi dekhti... tumhari nazar jaise inn balon mein atak jaati hai... mujhe... mujhe jalan hone lagi."

His voice had dropped to a whisper towards the end.

Naina stared at him, stunned... then, suddenly, burst out laughing.

It was his turn to be shocked... at her reaction... he had expected anger... and she was doubling in laughter, holding her stomach.

He watched open mouthed till she got some control over herself. Wiping her eyes that had teared up due to excessive laughing, she looked at him.

"Sameer, tum shayad duniya ke akele aise insaan hoge jo khud se bhi jalta hai... matlab apni hi kisi cheez se jalta hai." She said in a breathless voice.

He narrowed his eyes.

"Nahi sach mein... matlab kya chahte ho tum? Tumhari kisi ek cheez ki tareef na karun? Mujhe toh tumhare yeh lehrate baal bhi bohot pasand hain... kya inhe bhi katwa doge?" She tried to suppress another bout of laughter coming up.

Sameer suddenly pulled her again to him, "Badi hansi aa rahi hai tumhe... agar maine batana shuru kiya na ki mujhe tumhara kya kya pasand hai tab dekhte hain yeh hansi kitni der chalti hai."

Her laugh got stuck somewhere in her throat... she could make out from his intense look that he was not joking.

"Uhh... achha nahi hasungi... par chodo toh sahi... mujhe jaana hai." She wriggled, trying to get away.

His hands kept her pinned to himself, "Naina, jaise main tumhari har ek cheez se behad pyaar karta hun aise hi mujhe lagta hai ki tum roz meri har cheez ko pasand karo... tumhara dhyaan ek jagah atak gaya tha toh mujhe laga ki agar yeh nahi ho toh kya tum mujhe kam pasand karogi?"

Her eyes softened, "Sameer, aisa khyaal kabhi apne dimaag mein mat laana... mera pyaar tumhare liye kam toh kabhi ho hi nahi sakta... tumhe bhi toh mere baal khule hue pasand hain... agar kal ko kisi wajah se maine baal katwa liye toh tum mujhe pyaar karna chod doge? Nahi naa... toh fir aisi faltu ki baatein kyon sochte ho?"

He saw the logic in her argument, wondering why such a simple thing did not occur to him.

She wrapped her arms around his neck, tilting her head, "Jabse tumhe pehli baar dekha tha na, Sameer Maheshwari, tab se tumse toot ke pyaar kiya hai... poore ke poore Sameer se... warna tumhe kya lagta hai, yeh padhaku, behenji Naina Agarwal kisi ladke ko apne kareeb aane deti... woh bhi itna?"

Her words were like magic for him, "Iss Naina Agarwal ko jab tak Naina Maheshwari nahi bana dunga tab tak aise hi baahon mein gher ke rakhunga... jab kareeb aane diya hai toh yeh Sameer Maheshwari bhi mauke ka faayda uthana jaanta hai."

She gasped as his nose traced the outline of her ear while his hands gripped her waist tighter.

So this was specially for you sapphirecreationss and akasonker... hope you like it.