"Hello Naina,  please jaldi ghar aaja... bohot badi mushkil ho gayi hai",  the panic in Swati's voice scared Naina.

In no time, she got ready and left for Swati's house.

Her mother had a harried look on her face, "Ab tum dono hi sambhalo usko... main toh thak gayi... sagai mein yeh haal hai... shaadi mein toh yeh ladki hamein pagal kar degi".

They both ran to Swati's room, dreading what they'll hear or see.

The moment she saw her friends, Swati hugged both of them and started crying, "Dekho na... teen din mein meri sagai hai... aur mere baal parlour wali ne kaise kar diye."

Preeti consoled her, "Ro kyon rahi hai... dikha kya hua hai?"

Wiping her tears, Swati turned to show her hair... she had gone for a trim and the girl at the parlour had given a clearly uneven cut, making the hair look shabby. Preeti checked her from all angles and smiled in satisfaction.

"Zyada nahi bigde hain... Tu kahe toh main theek kar sakti hun... bas thode chote ho jaayenge... chalega na?" She confirmed with her friend.

Swati looked at Naina and then at Preeti, "Tu kar paayegi? Matlab abhi toh tu seekh hi rahi hai... isse zyaada kharab ho gaye toh kahin Munna mujhe sagai karne ko mana hi na karde".

Naina tried to pacify her, "Preeti kar legi... abhi toh seekh bhi rahi hai... mere baal isne school mei kaate the... aur tune dekha hi tha kitne achhe kaate the."

That assured Swati.

Preeti made her sit on a chair in front of the mirror and went on to do her job for fifteen minutes.

At the end of it, Swati looked at herself and was astonished...  her hair looked great, reaching a little below her shoulders, they were cut in layers, giving a good volume... first layer falling on her face.

She beamed at her reflection, "Preeti yeh toh bohot hi achha lag raha hai... ekdum kamaal... Karishma Kapoor jaisa".

Naina also gave an admiring look to her sister... Preeti pulled up her imaginary collars.

This problem out of the way, Swati started showing her sarees to both girls. She had short listed two sarees... one in red and one in orange... and she wasn't sure which one to wear.

"Mere khyaal se toh tujhe laal wali pehenni chahiye", Preeti adviced her.

Naina looked at both and gave her opinion, " Yeh orange wali bhi achchi hai... kuch alag si hai... laal toh shaadi pe pehen lena... abhi yeh pehen le."

Swati picked the orange one, keeping it on one shoulder and checking out in the mirror, "Haan, baat toh teri theek hai, Naina... yehi pehen leti hun."

They started to select the accessories to go with it. Swati realised that jewelry was ok but she didn't have bangles to go with it.

"Chalo tum log, market se chudiyaan le aate hain... tum saath chaloge toh mummy mana bhi nahi karengi",  Swati urged them to accompany her.

Preeti sighed, getting up, "Mujhe toh parlour jana hai class ke liye... tu Naina ko le jaa."

The thought of going to the market brought back the memories of her trip two days back... and she shivered. When Sameer had told her that he had seen her that day, trying out the lehenga... she was stunned.

She and Preeti were mindlessly doing anything that day... she was extremely embarrassed. And Sameer had seen everything... her dress, her movements, her stupid reactions to what Preeti said...

She had not dared to go out of the house for two days... nor had she talked to him on phone. She had asked Preeti to tell him that she was asleep. He had repeatedly requested Preeti to call her on phone but Naina didn't relent... she could not forget how he had reacted to seeing her that day... and it made her blush to the roots. Preeti also asked her why she was avoiding Sameer, thinking that she had fought with him.

"Kab tak jijaji se gussa rahegi... unka haal toh dekh... phone pe rone wale ho rahe the",  Preeti had tried to make her talk.

Naina could not muster up the courage to talk.

"Nainaa... kahan kho gayi?  Chal na main aur tu jaake chudiyaan le aate hain", Swati shook her out of Sameer's thoughts.

She was not so keen, " Swati, shaam ko Preeti ke saath chali jaana... main... mujhe nahi jaana market."

Preeti gave an impatient look to her, "Tune kya sanyaas le liya? Na bahar jana hai... na market jaana hai... na jijaji se baat karti hai... woh bechare roz phone karke ek baar baat karaane ki bheekh maangte hain."

"Kyaa... Naina tu baat kyon nahi karti Sameer se? Tumhari ladai hui hai kya?" Swati was surprised.

Preeti was irritated, "Pata nahi kya hua hai... jijaji toh gussa nahi lagte... waise gussa toh yeh bhi nahi lagti... phir bhi baat nahi kar rahi."

Both girls frowned at Naina... hands on waist.

She looked from one to another.

"Koi ladai nahi hui... bas woh... woh Sameer ne... matlab Sameer keh raha tha... uski baatein... " She could not go on, colour creeping up her neck.

"Oh! Lagta hai hamare jijaji ka romance kuch zyada ho gaya... aisa kya keh diya ki tujhe baat karne mein bhi sharam aa rahi hai", Swati being the experienced one deciphered the look on her friend's face.

Naina just hid her face in her hands.

Both girls burst out laughing.

Finally, Naina was not left with any option but to go with Swati, after Preeti had left.

In the market, she was alert... looking around... not ready for another surprise... or rather shock.
Swati entered the shop for accessories. They spent some time selecting the matching shade of bangles and a few more things that she decided to buy.

Done with the shopping, Swati suggested a round of paani poori.

"Swati, chalte hain na, der ho jaayegi", Naina wanted to leave the place as early as possible.

"Haan, abhi chalte hain... bas zara paani poori kha lein... kitne dino baad mauka mil raha hai", Swati was adamant.

They went to their favourite stall... a plate of chaat is the best mood lifter... Naina was feeling much better at the end of it... and agreed to her friend's suggestion of going to Law garden for kulfi.

Swati hailed a rickshaw.

As the two girls walked to the kulfi stall, Naina saw Munna walking towards them.

"Oh!  Toh isliye kulfi khani thi tujhe... jijaji se milne ka bahana tha... seedhe seedhe bol deti", Naina chided Swati, stealing a glance around to check for Sameer.

He was nowhere.

She was not sure if she was relieved or disappointed.

"Bhabhi, apne kya keh diya Sameer se... uski halat bohot kharab ho gayi hai", Munna addressed her before talking to Swati.

The ground beneath her feet slipped away, " Ky... kya hua Sameer ko?"

"Kal raat se khana peena sab band hai uska... subah se toh utha bhi nahi... doctor ke paas le jaa raha hun",  his words were like a blow to her.

"Kahan hai Sameer", she managed to say, fighting back her tears.

"Wahan car mein bitha ke aaya hun... bas doctor hi ab usse theek kar sakta hai... humein toh samajh nahi aa raha", Naina was running towards the parked car before he could complete his sentence.

Sameer sat on the rear seat, head resting on the back, eyes closed. Naina opened the door and got in.

" Sameer... Sameer... ",  she placed her hand on his forehead... it was cold.

He didn't open his eyes or move.

Naina panicked... shaking him again, but he showed no reaction.

The tears spilled out, " Sameer, ankhein kholo na... kya hua tumhe?" She held his face and turned towards herself.

Sameer opened his eyes... and looked into hers,  speaking softly "Mujhe pyaar hua hai... pagalon ki tarah... itna ki agar ek din bhi tum na milo toh mujhse saha nahi jaata... aur tumne toh mujhse do din se baat bhi nahi ki, Naina".

She kept looking at the sadness in his eyes, hating herself for causing so much pain to him. Her hands moved from his face and went around his neck, as she hugged him.

Their sitting position brought her closer to his height and her face rested on his shoulder, while his face was in her hair.

"Sorry Sameer, meri wajah se tumhe itna dukh pohoncha hai... mujhe maaf kar do",  she could not stop her tears.

He pressed his hands on her back, pulling her closer, " Maaf kar dunga agar meri ek baat manogi."

"Jo bhi kahoge woh manungi, bolo kya karun?" Naina was ready to bear the consequences of her stupidity.

Sameer straightened, looking at her tear stained face, "Ab aur mat rona".

She nodded, swallowing the tears back, hands still at his nape.

He kept watching her... filling up the void created inside by not seeing her face or hearing her voice for two days.

Slowly, he leaned... and brought his lips to the tear drops on her cheek...

Naina closed her eyes as her breath hitched.

His lips reached the other cheek, taking in the drops resting on her soft skin.

Her hands fisted into his hair... breath coming out in gasps, as she felt the tightening of her stomach... a painful knot making its presence felt.

He saw the agony on her face change into pleasure.

"Naina", his voice had the longing she had felt earlier... in their phone conversation.

Her eyes flew open.

His face was just a couple of inches away... his breath fanned her face... the lips still had the wetness of her salted tears... and his eyes...

His eyes had gone darker than she had ever seen... his one hand clutched her waist tighter as the other one slowly moved up her back, coming to rest in the hair right behind her neck.

He sat holding her, neither coming closer nor moving away... his thumb rubbing the pulse beating wildly at the base of her neck...

When she could not bear it any longer, Naina closed the distance... pulling him into her arms again.

He exhaled deeply... tightening his hold.

Realising that they were in the car and anyone could walk in the parking area, Sameer pulled back after sometime.

Naina looked at him, relieved to see the lines of tension erased from his forehead.

Holding his hand, she lowered her eyes, " Aage se kabhi tang nahi karungi. "

Sameer kept his other hand on hers, "Theek hai... par main toh karunga."

She looked up at him in surprise.

Not moving his gaze from her, he whispered, "Maine tumhara... aur mera... favourite lehenga khareed liya."

The butterflies that were slowly coming in control, suddenly became more than active at his statement... the knot that was melting in her stomach suddenly became tighter... the breathing that was getting back to normal went erratic.

He gave a cheeky smile seeing the changing expressions on her face.

Sameer felt some activity in his peripheral vision and sat straight... as Munna and Swati walked up to the car.

Opening the door, Naina stepped out from her side as Sameer stepped out from the other side.

Munna smiled at Sameer, "Kyon bhai, doctor ne ilaaj kar diya? Ab sab theek hai?"

Naina looked at him, astonished... and then turned to Swati.

"Sorry Naina, tujhe bahane se yahan lana pada", she gave a sheepish look.

Munna and Swati went on to explain how she had agreed to help Sameer when Munna told her about his restlessness and Naina's reluctance to meet... even talk. She planned to bring her friend here on some pretext and soften her by saying that Sameer has to be taken to a doctor.

"Waise galat kya kaha... ab tumse bada koi doctor nahi hai iske liye, bhabhi",  Munna said matter of factly.