Naina stepped closer to the door with very soft steps, putting her ear on the panel.

The knock was repeated, along with a low voice, "Naina."

She quickly opened, relieved to hear Rahul's voice.

He stood with a small rolled up pack, "Tumne kuch khaya nahi hai... yeh tumhare liye laya hun."

Naina was about to speak when he interrupted, "Kha lo... tumhe toh beemar nahi padna hai na... aur haan, isme kuch cake ke piece hain... Sameer ko pasand hain... agar usse bhook lage toh... woh mere room mein the toh le aaya."

Naina could not thank him enough.

He looked around, "Ab darwaza band karlo... main raat ko aaunga."

She nodded and closed the door after he left.

The package contained two chapatis, rolled with a filling of dry vegetable of beans and potatoes. A small paper napkin had four pieces of cake.

She ate the chapatis and had some water. After cleaning her hands, she went to Sameer and placed her palm on his forehead to check if the medicine had some effect. He was sweating. The forehead was wet, so was his face and neck, making the collar of his t-shirt damp.

That was a good sign. His fever was coming down. Naina checked around for a thermometer but couldn't find one. She sighed and went up to get his towel from the bathroom. Wiping his face and neck again with the wet handkerchief, she cleaned with his towel.

She noticed his hair had become damp too, and so had the pillow. There was another pillow in the lower shelf of cupboard, she had noticed. Bringing it out, she went to replace it with the damp one.

Slipping her arm under his neck, she lifted his head, trying to pull out the pillow. It was still stuck under him. She bent some more, bringing his head closer... and his face rested on her bosom. Naina's breath hitched. Her hear rate plummeted. The heat from his face was burning her skin. Even if his skin had not been hot, this contact would have made her go up in flames.

With shaking hands, she pulled out the pillow and placed the fresh one. She lowered his head... but at the same moment, his arm came around her, pressing her closer to him.

Her breathing had altogether stopped... though her heart raced... the blood rushing to her ears.

Sameer had hugged her many times but his hand had never gone below her shoulders, never had he circled her waist... but today... in the present state of drugged sleep... he tightened his hold on her slender waist as his other hand pressed her back, making her face touch his hair... and his face digging into her.

"Nainaaa... ", he mumbled, the longing in his voice very clear.

She remained locked in that position, holding his head with one hand, while the other one was placed on his side, to balance herself.

Her breathing had started coming in small gasps now.... as his palm flattened on her waist.

" Naina, mujhe chod ke mat jaana... main mar jaunga",  his muffled voice reached her.

She was stunned... why was he still scared?  Did he have any doubt on her love for him? Did he not believe in their future together?  Naina promised herself that she'll completely erase such insecurities from his mind.

She brought her other hand around his head and pressed him closer, sofly whispering in his ears, "Main tumhe chod ke kahin nahi jaungi, Sameer... kabhi nahi."

A few drops of tears escaped her eyes, getting lost in his hair.

Somehow, the closeness felt just right... she belonged to him, forever,  and if he needed her to comfort him in his vulnerable state, she'll not step back.

After a while, she felt his grip on her waist getting lose... she realised he had gone back to deep sleep from his state of delirium sometime back.

Slowly removing her hands from under him, she untangled herself from his grip. Smiling down at him, she saw the contended expression on his face.

Unable to stop, she bent and placed a kiss on his forehead. His lips curved in a smile.

Naina blushed... thinking about his reaction had he been awake.

She sat down on the chair, feeling a little uncomfortable in the clothes she was wearing. She wished there was some way to get her clothes here. Another blush crept up her face, thinking about putting her clothes in his cupboard.

With these thoughts, she rested her head on the chair.

Sound of someone talking made her jump up. The darkness in the room had increased. She realised she had dozed off on the chair. Sameer was shaking his head restlessly, speaking incoherently. She quickly reached his side. Placing her hand on his forehead confirmed her doubt, his fever had shot up again.

She ran to the bathroom and got the mug of water again. For half an hour, she continued to put wet strip on his forehead and wiped his neck.
She placed a hand on his head to steady him... his restlessness and mumbling reduced but did not go away.

Naina held his hand and was alarmed to find it burning hot. She quickly refilled the mug and started wiping his palm and arms... up to the hem of his sleeve. She moved to his feet and covered them in the damp cloth... rubbing his soles with wet hands.

He relaxed after a few minutes. And his voice was audible, "Naina, I love you."

She smiled at him with wet eyes.

"Bohot kismat wali hai tu, Naina... Sameer tujhse itna pyaar karta hai... aisi haalat mein bhi sirf tujhe yaad kar raha hai",  she was overwhelmed.

Every few minutes, she checked his hand and forehead for any rise in temperature but it was under control.

The room had become quite dark. She pulled the curtains to cover the windows completely and switched on the lamp on side table.

The room was bathed in a soft, warm glow.

She looked around... besides the bed and study table, there was a bedside table and a small cabinet near the door, probably for shoes. A built in cupboard was there for clothes but quite a few of his clothes lay scattered on the study table and some hung on the footboard of his bed. She folded all the clothes and placed them neatly in his cupboard, not touching anything inside it. Picking up all his shoes, she placed them in pairs near the cabinet. The table had a few books and notebooks which she placed in a neat stack.

Satisfied with the neatness, she checked the time and realised Sameer had to take his next dose of medicine.

She sat next to him and picked up his head to rest against her body.

" Sameer, thoda sa kha lo", she tried to wake him up by patting his cheek. 

He stirred a bit, "Hmm... "

She brought a piece of cake to his mouth and he ate the entire piece, taking small bites. She then placed the tablets in his mouth one by one and he swallowed with water.

Naina sat for sometime in the same position, stroking his hair. This time she did not feel uncomfortable when he buried his face deeper into her ribs.

When Rahul came after dinner, he was carrying food again, "Woh maine socha tumhare dining hall ka time toh khatam ho gaya hoga... isliye khana laya hun... apne kamre mein jaa ke kha lena... main tumhe bahar tak chod deta hun."

Naina took a deep breath and conveyed her decision.

"Main yahin rukungi, Rahul. Sameer ko iss halat mein chod ke nahi jaa sakti... uska bukhar baar baar tez ho jaata hai."

Rahul was astounded, "Tumhe pata hai tum kya keh rahi ho? Agar kisi ko pata chala toh tumhe rusticate kar denge... Naina, nikal denge hostel se aur college se bhi. "

Naina did not waver, "Iss samay mere liye Sameer se zyaada zaroori kuch nahi hai... main subah jaldi chali jaungi... tum mat aana... itni subah koi nahi hoga aas paas. "

"Soch lo, Naina... shayad yeh sahi nahi hoga," Rahul tried to reason with her, fully aware that if anything happened, Sameer won't be able to take it.

"Main kuch nahi hone dungi, Rahul,  na Sameer ko, na hi khud ko",  she assured him.

Marvelling at her courage, Rahul took a decision to help her, " Main subah sadhe chaar baje aaunga... paanch baje mess wale bhaiya aa jaate hain... usse pehle tumhe chod dunga."

Naina nodded and thanked him.

She bolted the room again after he had left.

There was a single bed and no other place to lie down... she had no option but to rest on the chair. Checking the temperature again, she found him sweating. Maybe it was the effect of medicine. She rubbed his head, face and neck with the towel, changing his pillow again as the previous one had dried by now.

Sameer moved and turned to his side, changing his position for the first time since she had come. She lovingly stroked his cheek and placed a kiss on his temple.

Sameer opened his eyes.

Naina gasped.

He looked at her for a few moments, smiled and closed his eyes again.

She placed a hand on her heart, "Hosh mein nahi hai abhi bhi... dara diya, Sameer ke bachche."

When her breathing returned to normal, she sat down to eat. It was again two rolled chapatis with jeera alu. Naina started her dinner, eyes fixed on the sleeping form. She didn't realize when a few pieces of vegetable fell on the t shirt she was wearing.

She ran to the bathroom... the t shirt belonged to someone else and she couldn't let a stain form on it.

There was no soap for washing clothes. She tried to clean with the normal soap but that required more effort. Finally, she went to the cupboard and picked up one of Sameer's t shirt. Changing into it, she washed the one she had been wearing and put it to dry on the towel hanger.

Back in the room, she checked his temperature and satisfied that it was not very high, she sat on the chair.

Sameer opened his eyes, trying to focus on the surroundings. The room was enveloped in the soft light of lamp. He shifted a bit and felt something hampering his movement. He could not believe what he saw... Sitting on the chair, Naina had put her head on the bed, resting on her folded hands. Her open hair spilled on the bed, framing her face and forming a halo around her in the soft light. Her head was so close to his chest. He raised his hand and let his fingers move through her beautiful hair. Bending a little, he inhaled deeply and was filled with her distinct smell, combined with the rosy smell of her shampoo.

"Kitna khoobsurat sapna hai... kaash sach hota", he sighed and closed his eyes, resting his palm on her cheek.

Naina got up with a start. She felt Sameer's hand on her cheek and realised that she had fallen asleep resting her head on the bed. She checked the time... it was 3:30 in the morning.

Getting up quickly, she touched his forehead... it was cool. She let out a satisfied long breath.

When she checked the t shirt she had washed last night, it was still wet. She cursed herself mentally for not putting it in the room under the fan. Now she'll have to go in Sameer's t shirt.

She tied her hair again and put the cap.

Settling back on the chair, she looked at Sameer. He was still sleeping on his side. But his face was relaxed. His lips had a hint of smile... she had  a sudden urge to touch them. Sitting up straight, she remembered how Sameer had slowly moved his thumb over her lips.

Emboldened by the lack of much light and his state of medicine induced sleep, she placed her palm on his face... and lightly ran her thumb over his lips.

And Sameer kissed her thumb.