The breeze was making the room cooler when Naina opened her eyes. She pulled the light quilt closer to her chest and turned. Sameer's picture was kept next to the pillow.

She picked it up and smiled, "Good morning... jaan."

She blushed at her own endearment. Whenever Sameer called her that, she loved it. She had tried to use similar words of affection for him but courage failed her except once.

"Tumse hi himmat aati hai aur tumhare saamne hi kamzor pad jaati hun... yeh kya kar dete ho tum mujhe?" She traced her thumb on his features.

He seemed to be smiling at her... his eyes teasing her.

And she blushed.

"Hato," putting the picture upside down she got up from the bed.

As she walked towards the cupboard, her eyes fell on the reflection in the mirror. His shirt did look good on her. Tying up her hair in a messy bun on top of the head, she observed herself from all angles.

"Sach mein Sameer se zyada achhi mujhpe lag rahi hai kya? Aisa toh nahi hai... kitni badi hai mujhe... fir usne aisa kyon kaha... aisi badi shirt pehen ke thodi rahungi shaadi ke baad... itne saare naye kapde honge mere paas... toh uski shirt hi kyon pehnu... yeh Sameer bhi na pagal hai... kuch bhi bolta hai." She pondered over his suggestion, discarding it as nothing but silly.

After her bath, Naina decided to wear a pale pink suit with mint green dupatta. She brushed her hair till they fell in soft waves over her shoulders.

Sameer was waiting for her at his usual place.

"Aaj pink... kya Naina... roz naye naye tareekon se maarti ho tum." He grumbled.

She hit his arm, "Aur roz har baat pe chidate ho tum."

He rubbed his arm, "Ahh... abhi se apne pati ko maarna shuru kar diya? Maine toh suna tha aisa shaadi ke kuch saal baad hota hai."

Naina chuckled, "Zyaada drama mar karo... tum kisse aisi baatein karte ho jo yeh sab sunke aaye ho?"

He laughed, joining her as she walked towards the class.

They attended the two lectures scheduled for the day. After they were done, Naina asked him to come to the library.

Their usual table was vacant. Naina sat on a chair with her back to the open window. Sameer took the seat with the window on his side.

She opened the notebook and started to copy the notes from Sameer's register while he opened the book to give a reading to the chapter they were presently doing in the class.

The wind was a little stronger today, and the gushes coming through the window made a few strands of hair fall on Naina's face.

She pushed them behind her ears a couple of times. When the errant strands continued to trouble her, she got irritated.

Sameer watched in fascination as Naina bunched her hair with one hand and rolled them a couple of times to let the loose bun rest behind her neck. The mischievous, impish pranksters were tamed instantly.

As she got back to her work, he leaned and tugged at the bun, causing the hair to fall again on her back.

She looked at him with pursed lips... and tied them again. He pulled the bun with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

Naina frowned, but quietly raised her hand to tie them again.

He held her wrist, "Rehne do na... inki khushbu jo hawa mein ghul rahi hai usse main pagal ho raha hun."

She could not help but smile, "Aaj kuch zyaada hi drama kar rahe ho... kahan se seekh ke aaye ho?"

He leaned, "Kal raat toh tumhare hi saath tha... jo bhi seekha hai tumne hi sikhaya hoga."

The colour crept up her neck, spreading on the face. The images of previous night woke up the butterflies in her stomach, making them flutter at a rapid speed.

Sameer held one strand and started to wind it around his finger. Naina felt the pull as the circles on his finger grew in number.

When her face was just a few inches away from him, Naina felt the thundering of her heartbeat in her ears. She tried to pull away but was jerked back as he held onto her hair. She felt the stretch on her scalp and a soft yelp escaped her lips.

Sameer saw her lowered eyes, coloured cheeks, loose tendrils falling on the face, slight quivering of lips... and he wanted to kiss her.

He leaned closer... Naina held a hand to his chest, "Library hai, Sameer."

With a sigh, he moved away, letting her hair fall from his finger. Next moment, two students appeared in that section, searching for some books in the shelves behind Sameer. He was thankful Naina stopped him.

But she was still reeling with the affect he had on her. Not able to concentrate on her work anymore, Naina decided to take it to her room.

"Main yeh notebook le jaun? Room mein khatam karke shaam ko lauta dungi." She stood up, collecting the things from the table.

He remained seated, with his cheek resting on the palm, "Puch kya rahi ho... jo marzi le jao... sab tumhara hai... tum Sameer ko le jao."

She coloured again and rushed out the door. Sameer pushed back his chair, running after her.

When they reached outside the college building, Sameer held her hand.

"Yeh dopaher itni lambi kyon hoti hai, Naina... ab itni der intezaar karna padega tumhe." He gave a crooked smile.

She furrowed her brows, "Mujhe kis cheez ka intezar karna padega itni der?"

He leaned, whispering in a husky voice, "Pink pehenne ka inaam lene ke liye."

She jerked her hand from his hold and ran away. Sameer smiled,  weaving his fingers through the falling locks on his forehead.

Naina completed the rest of the notes after lunch. Once she was done, she decided to work on the show, writing new episodes.

When she finally stretched herself, the evening had started to set in. She went out to the balcony, looking at the tree... and she wanted to be there. Grabbing her dupatta, she locked the door and went to the ground, smiling at the thought of surprising Sameer by reaching early today.

Sameer was ready to go as the clock neared their meeting time. He quickly locked his room and sprinted down the stairs, hands grazing on the metal railing. In his rush, he failed to see the crack at the end of the railing and a sharp cry escaped his lips as the sharp end dug into his palm.

Without giving it a look, he ran to the tree.

"Naina, tum itni jaldi kaise aa gayi?" He was surprised to see her standing with folded hands against the tree.

She turned towards him with a smile... and froze.

Seeing the drops of blood dripping from his hand, she was next to him immediately, holding his hand to see.

"Yeh kya hua? Chot kaise lagi tumhe?" She panicked to see the cut.

Sameer looked down at his hand, himself surprised at the oozing out blood, "Railing ka kona toota hua tha... uspe haath lag gaya."

Naina picked up the bottle of water she had started carrying to this place off late and washed his hand, wiping it with one end of her dupatta. And then, she tore off the other end and tied it around his hand, covering the wound.

Sameer looked at her tying the piece of dupatta and securing it with a knot... and he got a feeling of deja vu.

"Ek baar pehle bhi mere haath ki chot ko aise hi ek dupatte ne aaram diya tha." He said aloud.

Naina felt his words hit her sharply as pangs of jealousy spread over her.

"Tumhe kisi ladki ne apna dupatta bandha tha? Kab? Kon thi woh?" She asked in a restrained voice.

"Ladki ne toh nahi par shayad tha kisi ladki ka hi." He recalled.

She burned even more, "Kiska?"

"Pata nahi. Main Nainital se aaya uske do din ke baad ki baat hai. Mere hostel se bhaagne ki khabar milte hi woh... woh... aayi thi Delhi se... mujhe gussa kiya, fir kehne lagi ki wapas hostel toh jaana hi padega... nanu ki baat bhi nahi sun rahi thi... maine bhi gusse mein keh diya ki ab main yahin padhunga... aur aise hi ghar se bahar nikal gaya... chalte hue market pohoch gaya... wahan cold drink khareeda... usse kholte hue haath pe uske dhakkan se chot lag gayi... maine idhar udhar dekha toh saamne khambe mein ek kapda atka hua tha... maine usme se ek tukda phada aur haath pe baandh liya... jab ghar pohocha toh nanu ne dekha... unhone bataya ki yeh toh kisi ke dupatte ka tukda hai... aur fir mujhe chidane lage ki meri wajah se kisi ladki ko ghar mein daant pad rahi hogi ki apna dupatta kisi aashiq ki chot pe baandh aayi hai... maine kitna kaha nanu ko ki aisa kuch nahi ho raha hoga... shayad kisi ka dupatta udd ke waha gir gaya ho... par woh chidate rahe... par Naina, main sach mein nahi jaanta ki woh kisi ladki ka tha ya nahi."

She looked at him with a calm on her face, "Ab jaan lo, woh dupatta ek ladki ka hi tha... aur nanaji sahi the... usse ghar pe daant bhi padi."

He gave a perplexed look.

"Sameer, uss shaam market mein joker aaya hua tha na... rickshaw pe woh log loudspeaker leke aane wale circus ke baare mein bata rahe the." She reminded him.

He narrowed his eyes, "Haan, aaya tha... bohot bheed bhi thi market mein... par tumhe kaise pata?"

She felt her eyes moisten, "Main aur Preeti bhi wahin the... aur mera hara dupatta ek khambe mein ulajh gaya tha... jab maine dhyaan diya toh uska ek kinara phata hua tha... aur jab ghar pohochi toh taiji ne kya zabardast daant lagayi... kaha ki maine hi zaroor kisi aashiq ke haath pe patti ke jaise baandha hoga... bilkul jaisa nanaji ne bola tha waisa hi nazara tha mere ghar mein."

Sameer gaped at her with open mouth, shocked at the coincidence.

"Naina, iska matlab tum tab se mere chot pe marham laga rahi ho? Tab se mere jalte hue dil ko aaram de rahi ho jab humne ek dusre ko dekha tak nahi tha?" His shock was quite evident in his voice.

She held his hand and stroked the wound lightly, over the dupatta.

He looked at the green piece on his palm, "Iss hare rang ne humein kab se kareeb laana shuru kar diya tha... kaise kadiyan judti chali gayi... uss din bina dekhe aur fir yahan tumhe uss... umm... matlab woh baarish wale din bhi."

She placed a palm on his cheek, "Sameer, kasam sirf yeh na puchne ki di hai ki main woh saree kab pehnungi... uske baare mein baat na karne ko nahi kaha... tum bol sakte ho."

He brightened, "Achha, bol sakta hun... Naina, uss hare dupatte ne agar humein baandha tha toh tumhari uss hari saree ne mujhe pagal kar diya tha... uss din mujhe laga ki tumse door rehne ka faisla lena bohot mushkil hai... tum jaisi lag rahi thi meri saans atak gayi thi... man kiya ki bas abhi baahon mein bhar ke tumhe apne aap mein aise chupa lun ki koi tumhe waise na dekh sake... par main dekhna chahta tha... abhi bhi chahta hun... tumhare hare rang ne mujhe aisa deewana kiya hai ki na main hosh mein aaya hun na aana chahta hun." He said in a deep, throaty voice.

The mention of green colour made Naina go red all over.