Naina was too dazed to register when Sonali helped her to reach her hostel room, when she informed the warden about her health and requested her to get meals sent to the room as an exception, when the lights of the day faded and darkness engulfed the room... she mechanically went about doing chores, eating her meals and then lying down on the bed, trying to sleep.

But sleep was faraway from her eyes.

However hard she tried,  she could not conjure an image of Naina Agarwal being carried in Sameer Maheshwari's arms.

If only she could get a fraction of recollection...

Did Sameer recognise her? This question was gnawing her senses ever since she came to know what had happened.

"What is there to recognise,  Naina?" she reprimanded herself, "He never gave you a single glance in school... when he paid no attention to Kamya, the most beautiful and stylish girl of our school, how can you even think that he would notice you... neither then nor now. He did whatever he did only to help a fellow student... had it been any other girl, he would have done the same."

Naina grimaced at her own words. Just the thought of him picking up some other girl in his arms brought a sharp pain to her heart.

Oh God!  She needed Preeti and Swati.  The only people who knew about her feelings for Sameer. She badly wanted them here... to share with them, cry with them, listen to their teasing tone in knowing that Sameer had actually picked her up in his arms... whatever the circumstances, and also to ease her frustration at not remembering anything at all. Her two lifelines could have eased her pain... or, at least, understood it.  They would have consoled her. They would have let her cry on their shoulder. The thought broke her again and the tears came rushing back.

Naina did not remember the next morning when she had fallen asleep but the pillow still had wetness of her tears.

She could not gather enough courage to attend the college today so she decided to stay in her room. However, she did not skip any meal, knowing fully well that her family would be informed if she fell sick or fainted again. She didn't want taiji to get any excuse to call her back.

Sonali came to check on her in between the classes. She was happy to see her friend looking better than yesterday, though the emptiness in her eyes made her wonder if there was some family problem.

"Naina, ab jaldi se theek ho ja... freshers ka time nazdeek aa raha hai... aise party mein aayegi kya?" She tried to cheer up her friend.

"Maine bataya tha na... party mein aane ki permission nahi milegi." Naina said in a disheartened voice.

"Aur maine bhi kaha tha ki permission mangna hi mat... college mein hi to hai party... bas ready ho aur aaja." She was determined to not let Naina get away.

"Aur agar usi din ghar se phone aa gaya toh? Pata hai kitni daant padegi... kahin wapas bula liya toh ho gayi meri padhai." Naina knew the dynamics of her family.

"To jhooth bol dena ki debate competition tha college mein... pehle kabhi jhooth nahi bola kya apne gharwalon se?"

Naina looked at Sonali in wonder, her thoughts drifting back to a school day.

******

It was the initial month of class XII. Naina was walking towards the water cooler during a break when Munna and Pandit came running to her, panting for breath.

"Naina, Naina... ruk do minute." She glared at them.

Boys did not call out her name at this pitch in the corridor. And she hardly ever spoke to them. What was this sudden rush?

"Naina woh tere papa ke scooter ki headlight toot gayi hamse." Munna somehow managed to say, still breathing hard.

"Kaise toot gayi?  Ab papa se tumhe koi nahi bacha sakta." Naina could visualise her father's temper and red faces of these two boys.

The fear reflected in their eyes too.

"Please Naina... hame bacha le... woh hum Sameer ke saath cricket practice kar rahe the jab achanak Sameer ka ek shot seedha us safa... matlab tere papa ke scooter ki light pe aake laga." Pandit pleaded with folded hands.

Naina could feel the lump in her throat... Sameer... No she could not let Sameer come in the anger line of her father. He did not like Sameer from the beginning and would not spare any chance to insult him. Naina could not bear the thought of her father raining slaps on Sameer's face. Her mind started racing.

"Tum logon ko kisine dekha to nahi aisa karte hue?" They shook their heads together.

"Theek hai tum jao... aur agar koi pooche to keh dena tumne kuch nahi kiya... Sam ... apne dost ko bhi chup rehne ko bolna." She formed a plan.

"Aur haan, wahan se kaanch ke saare tukde hata do aur mujhe la ke dedo... abhi... ek bhi tukda dikhai na de scooter ke aas paas." She added as an afterthought.

They did not question her. Just nodded and ran outside to follow her instructions.

Next period was games and everyone was in the ground when the screaming voice of her father from the parking area brought the realisation that he had seen the damage to his scooter.

Few students rushed to see who was bearing the brunt of librarian's anger today...  mostly, however,  carried on with their activities, terming it to be a regular affair. Naina quickly moved close to the hedge to check.

Rakesh was shouting at everyone in general, "Ye gundagardi karne aate ho tum log yahan?  Ground itna bada hai phir bhi mera hi scooter mila tumhe nishaana banane ko? Kiski harkat hai yeh? Main chorunga nahi usse. "

Spotting Sameer sitting with Munna and Pandit, holding his bat, Rakesh hollered in their direction, "Oye baalon ki dukaan,  tune kiya hai na ye? Tere dono bandar aur tu aaj nahi bachoge...  aaj to saari amiri ka ghamand tor ke rahunga...  apne shikshak ke saath aisa karte hue tumhe sharam nahi aati?"

Before he could say anything else or raise his hand, Naina stepped out to stand in front of him.

"Pa... Sir, wo scooter ki light ghar se hi tuti hui thi... maine subah aate hue dekha... aapko batana chahti thi par school ke liye der ho rahi thi isliye wapas upar nahi aayi", Naina spoke haltingly, trying not to show the fear.

"Subah kaise toot sakti hai... maine to nahi dekhi." Rakesh did not lower his tone.

"Sach mein Pa.. Sir. Wahan kuch kaanch ke tukde bhi pade the... shayad gali ke ladkon se toot gayi... woh Arjun bhaiya shaam ko cricket khelte hain na apne doston ke saath." Arjun's name did the trick.

Rakesh looked at the broken light in confusion,  "Achcha, phir maine subah dekha kyon nahi?"

"Aap shayad jaldi mein honge to dhyaan nahi gaya," Naina tried to carry her lie with grace.

Rakesh went back to the school building, still muttering to himself about how he could oversee such an important thing.

Munna and Pandit almost collided with Naina as they came running, "Thank you, thank you Naina... aaj to tune bacha liya... aaj ka din hum yaad rakhenge... kabhi bhi tujhe koi madad chahiye to humein bolna... tere liye haazir rahenge."

Naina smiled at them and gestured with a finger on her lips, indicating to keep quiet about the incident. She asked for the broken glass pieces and they handed the shards, tied in a white handkerchief. She planned to scatter a few near the place where Rakesh parked his scooter under their building.

She looked around, only to see Sameer entering the building... she was disappointed. At least he could have thanked her for saving him.  But he walked away without any expression. Naina understood that she had no place even in his wider periphery of acquaintances.

******

"Nainaaa,  kahan kho gayi? Bata na, chalegi na party mein?" Sonali shook her,  bringing her out of the memories.

"Acha sochungi... abhi tu jaa. Class ka time ho raha hai" Naina pushed her friend lightly.

Sonali beamed at her answer and hugged her before rushing out.

As the sunrays brightened her room the next day, Naina started to get ready to go back to college.  She had decided to not hide in her misery anymore. Whatever happened the other day meant nothing for Sameer... and she had to bring back her iron control, to hide her feelings from the world and also from Sameer. She dressed up in a white floral top, with a blue long skirt. Tying her hair in a pony,  she picked up her bag and went to the mess to have breakfast before leaving for college.

First few hours of studying made everyone tired and hungry.  As the ringing bell indicated end of second lecture, students rushed to the canteen. Sonali, Komal and Nisha dragged a reluctant Naina with them, saying that she could at least have some juice. After spending some time with them, Naina decided to go to the library... also to avoid their constant pestering to eat something along with juice... she could not spend any more money. She had taken a few steps towards the door when it opened with a force and Sameer walked in. He was dressed in white jeans and blue T-shirt, with a white jacket. She stood rooted to the spot.

As always, he walked towards her without sparing a look and crossed her, slightly shifting his body sideways, to avoid any accidental brush. Naina realised she had been holding her breath. As she pulled herself together, wondering whether she should thank him for helping her the other day, he stopped and turned in her direction.

"Ab tum theek ho?" His deep voice jolted her and she swiftly turned to look at him.

Yes, he was addressing her... Naina Agarwal... she could see her image reflecting in his black eyes.

She could not utter a word...

"Theek se khaya karo," He said in a flat tone and walked away.

Naina stood there with shocked expression... forgetting her surroundings, till Sonali nudged her.

"Yehi hai Sameer jisne teri help ki thi... tu to pehchanti bhi nahi hogi nahi to thank you keh deti, haina",  Sonali's words brought Naina back to the present.

She just nodded weakly and walked out.