Naina waited eagerly for Sameer's call. She checked her watch... it was past 12:30. Chachaji would have left for his office. Sameer should have been home by now...

She could not take the suspense anymore and dialled his number.

"Hellooo... "

The voice belonged to Ramdhari.

Naina contemplated for a moment whether to speak or not... Sameer was definitely not at home... Munna Pandit were not there either... otherwise Ramdhari would not have answered.

"Helloo... ji kaun bol raha hai?" His polite voice encouraged Naina.

"Ramdhari bhaiya... main Naina bol rahi hun... kaise hain aap? "She said softly.

"Namaste, bhabhi... hum maze mein hain", he beamed.

"Namaste... Sameer nahi hai kya?" She came straight to the point.

"Nahin bhabhi, Sameer bhaiya toh kahin bahar gaye hain subah se", he replied.

"Aur Munna Pandit?" They would definitely know where he had gone.

"Woh subah toh yahin the... fir koi phone aaya aur woh bhi jaldi se nikal gaye", he gave all information that he had.

Naina was disappointed and tensed, "Achha, teeno mein se koi bhi aaye toh kahiyega mujhe turant phone karein."

"Jee bhabhi, hum keh denge." He assured her.

She wondered what chachaji had said to him... most probably he only had called up Munna and Pandit. But where were they... and why?

Naina kept moving around in nervousness, wrenching her hands, checking the phone again and again to see if it was working.

Finally, after another hour, the shrill ring ended her wait.

She ran to pick up, stumbling as she hit the chair.

"Hello?" Her voice was laced with fear, concern, anxiety, anger... everything.

"Nainaa... kya hua tumhe? Tum theek toh ho? Aise awaaz mein kyon bol rahi ho?" Sameer was hyper, hearing the pain in her voice.

"Mera chodo... tum batao... tum theek ho na? Kahan the itni der se? Chachaji ne kya kaha? Bolo Sameer... " She was almost crying now.

"Naina, Naina, Naina... mere paas toh ek good news thi... par tum ro kyon rahi ho? Taiji ne fir se kuch kiya kya? Naina, mai abhi wahan aa raha hun." He was about to disconnect when her scream stopped him.

"Sameer ke bachche... yahan kuch nahi hua... tum chup chap baitho... chachaji ne kya kaha? Kya good news hai?" She had started to feel that the meeting had resulted in  something positive.

There was no response.

"Sameer?" She wondered if he was still there.

"Hmm... " His voice reached her.

Naina was irritated now, "Tum bata rahe ho ya main phone rakh dun... fir dobara mujhse kabhi baat mat karna".

"Tumne hi toh kaha chup chap baitho... fir kaise bataun?" He said in an innocent voice.

Naina didn't know whether to laugh at him or show annoyance.

"Sameer Maheshwari... tumhare paas do minute hain apni baat kehne ke liye... agar nahi kaha toh ek hafte tak na main tumse milungi na baat karungi", Naina resorted to the last trick that was sure to bring result.

"Chachaji ne kaha ki iss baar main aur tum saath mein train se Mumbai jaayein kyonki woh mujhpe bharosa karte hain aur unhone mujhe hi ticket book karane ko kaha aur hum shanivaar ko jaayenge aur main abhi hi Munna Pandit ke saath jake ticket leke aa gaya jisse chachaji apna irada na badal sakein", he gave the entire story in one breath.

The threat was too big...

Naina smiled at his cuteness, then her smile turned wider as she realised how much faith chachaji must have in Sameer if he is allowing Naina to go with him alone.

"Chachaji ne khud kaha tumse?" The anger and tension now forgotten, she was surprised by this decision.

"Haan... ab maine sab bata diya... ab toh baat karogi na? Aur milogi bhi?" He had to clarify.

Naina wanted to hug him right away, "Haan baba, milungi... nahi mili toh hum saath mein kaise jayenge?"

Sameer was on cloud nine, "Naina, main kabse yeh chahta tha... ab jaake mauka mila hai... woh bhi chachaji ki marzi se... mujhe lag raha hai main khushi se pagal ho jaunga", his happiness was reaching her through the phone.

When chachaji came home in the evening, he called Naina to his room.

"Naina, tumhari wapsi ki ticket maine Sameer ko karane ko keh diya hai... main jaa nahi sakta aur mujhe pata hai bhai sahab ke saath jaane se tumhhe thodi takleef hogi", he explained to her what she already knew.

Thankfully, she had the whole day to absorb the news... otherwise it would have been difficult to contain the excitement now... she blushed at the thought of behaving like that in front of chachaji.

"Sameer pe tumhara yakeen dekh ke mujhe laga ki main bhi uspe bharosa kar sakta hun... jab zindagi ka safar saath mein tay karne ka  faisla kar liya toh yeh toh bas ek chota sa safar hai... " He smiled and placed a hand on Naina's head.

She smiled at him in gratitude... hoping that when she and Sameer were grown up, they are also able to have this type of understanding for their children.

"Thank you, chachaji", she managed to say with a choked throat.

Sameer called up next day in the evening and told Anand about the tickets booked for Saturday morning train. They would reach Mumbai by evening.

Next few days went by in preparations. Naina was more careful in deciding her outfits this year, having seen the effect it had on Sameer. She added a few accessories as well, all belonging to Preeti.

Preeti happily parted with whatever  Naina wanted, glad that her sister was planning to dress up for her jijaji.

Naina packed the saree that Sameer had gifted her, hiding it in a paper bag and placing it at the bottom of her suit case.

Chachiji prepared a variety of snacks to be taken along, packing extra for Sameer.

"Sameer ko bhi khila dena", she instructed as Naina placed the packets in her bag.

"Ab uss bechare ke liye toh koi ghar pe yeh sab karega nahi", her eyes misted at the thought of his loneliness, then brightened immediately, "koi baat nahi, usko kehna abse main woh sab uske liye bhi bhejungi jo tere liye banati hun... aakhir uski bhi toh chachi hun na."

Naina hugged her, thankful for the unconditional love.

Munna Pandit thought of planning a party...

"Yaar, jab tum log wapas aaoge tab tak meri shaadi ki taiyariyan shuru ho jayengi... uske baad teri shaadi ke baare mein sochna hai... time nahi milega... isliye ek baar abhi hi dhamaal karte hain... sab ek saath", Munna suggested.

Sameer was always happy with every plan that gave him a chance to be with Naina.

"Tum log apni gaadi daudate raho... meri toh kisi ko chinta tak nahi hai", Pandit sulked.

"Ab tujhe kya hua? Tujhe bhi toh rakhenge na saath... tere bina party thode hi kar rahe hain", Munna said.

Pandit clutched a cushion and stared out of the window with dreamy eyes, "Yaar, agar mere saath bhi tumhari bhabhi hoti toh socho party mein kitni raunak hoti... hum dono saath mein samose khate."

Munna smacked him on the head, breaking his dream, "Jab samose se aage badhega tab kahin hamari bhabhi ke milne ke aasaar honge."

Pandit was confused, "Samose se aage badhu? Matlab bread pakoda khana shuru kar dun?"

Munna and Sameer slapped their forehead.

Later, when Sameer mentioned the idea of party to Naina, she was not sure how they would manage to come. Preeti's classes at the parlour were over. If they mentioned a party at Swati's house, chachiji might call up her mother, offering help.

They discussed various options but nothing sounded worth implementing.

Finally, they ended the call, giving up on the idea.

But Sameer could not let it go easily... he kept pacing his room, thinking about how they could go about it.

The only solution that came to him was risky... but he was determined to try.

Chachaji walked down the lane in front of their society, planning to take a rickshaw at the end of the road.

"Namaste chachaji", Sameer greeted him a few metres before the rickshaw stand.

Chachaji was surprised, "Arre, Sameer tum? Namaste beta... yahan kaise?"

He nervously pursed his lips, "Aapse kuch baat karni hai."

"Haan, bolo kya baat hai." Chachaji's encouraging tone gave him some courage.

He went on to explain how his friends wanted to plan a party at home and he wanted permission for Naina and Preeti to come, adding that Swati would also be there.

"Chachaji, mere ghar mein toh koi aur hai nahi... aap aur chachiji bhi saath aayenge toh humein achha lagega."

Anand pondered over his invitation for a few minutes, increasing Sameer's restlessness with each passing second.

Then he smiled, "Main office pohoch ke Bela ko phone kar dunga... woh bhej degi Naina Preeti ko... hum dono fir kabhi aayenge... theek hai?"

Sameer gave a wide grin.

Anand started to walk, then stopped and looked back at Sameer, "Bas ek baat ka dhyan rakhna... shaam che baje tak dono ghar wapas aa jaayein."

"Jee chachaji... main khud unhe che baje se pehle chod jaunga." He was more than happy to accept his terms.

Sameer didn't wait to reach home... he called up Naina from a nearby phone booth.

"Hello?" Her voice was dull.

"Naina, ek aur good news", he poured all his excitement into the phone.

She was instantly smiling, "Kya hua? Result aa gaya kya?"

Sameer looked at the phone, wondering when his girl would start thinking beyond studies, exams and results.

"Arre baba, result nahi party... Maine chachaji se baat kar li... woh tumhe aur Preeti ko bhejne ke liye maan gaye... ek baje taiyar rehna." He told her everything.

Naina was shocked beyond belief. Sameer had directly spoken to chachaji... and he had allowed the girls to go to his house...

"Naina? Suna na tumne... Munna Swati ko lene aayega... tum logon ko bhi saath le aayega", he told her.

"Sameer, tumne seedhe chachaji se baat ki... agar woh naraaz ho jaate toh?" She was still not over the initial shock.

Sameer recalled how he had got the courage to do this, "Naraaz nahi hote... jab unhone uss din baat ki thi tab mujhe pata chala unhe mujhpe kitna bharosa hai... Naina, jab woh tumhe mere saath akele bhej sakte hain toh kya sab doston ke saath milne se mana karenge? Aur mujhse zyaada toh unhe tum pe bharosa hai... main jaanta tha woh maan jayenge."

Bela informed them a little later about the same thing... and the girls excitedly started to get ready for the party.

Sameer and Pandit had decorated the living room with balloons... the table was filled with different types of food items... samosa, chips, cream rolls, noodles, sandwiches and some more.

The girls were surprised to see the preparations.

"Aao, aao bhabhi 1 aur bhabhi 2 aur bhabhi ki behen", Pandit greeted the girls.

Sameer rushed to Naina to hug her but her stern look made him restrict to holding hands.

They all had a good time eating, laughing, playing antakshari and dancing to their favourite songs.

Sameer asked Ramdhari to get some more soft drinks from the market when they had finished all that were at home.

After a while, Naina got up to get water as the singing and dancing had made her throat dry.

Seeing the jug on the table empty, she went to the kitchen to refill it.

As she stood transferring the cold water to the jug, two arms snaked around her waist from behind. Her hands trembled and some water spilled on the platform.

"Kya kar rahe ho, Sameer?" She chided him playfully.

"Wohi jo karne ke liye tadap raha tha jabse tum aayi ho... par tum mauka hi nahi deti", he nuzzled his face in the soft skin of her neck, inhaling the scent.

Naina felt her legs go weak as his nose moved behind her neck, tickling at the nape.

She clutched the marble platform, leaning back into him for support.

Sameer looked at her face, the porcelain cheeks looked more plump from this angle. He placed his lips on them, putting more pressure than ever before.

Naina's hands immediately came over his, as his hard kiss made her pulse go racing... the knot in her stomach was back. Pressing his hands more into her belly, she hoped for the tightness to go away, but the muscles clenched even more as she felt Sameer plant feathery kisses on her jaw.

The sound of doorbell brought them out of their spell. Knowing that it would be Ramdhari, Sameer immediately left the kitchen while Naina tried to control her heavy breathing.

"Bhabhi aap yahan kya kar rahi hain? Humein bata dijiye... aap bahar baithiye." Ramdhari took the jug from her as he entered the kitchen.

Naina gave him a small smile and left.

Her red cheeks did not go unnoticed by Swati.

"Kya hua? Sameer toh tujhe aise dekhta nahi... fir ye gaal pe nishaan kaise aaya?" Swati whispered in her ear.

Naina immediately wiped her cheek.

Her friend's knowing smile made her realise that she was teasing her... and Naina had fallen for it.

Turning red in embarrassment, she got up and ran to the washroom... not seeing Sameer who was coming out of his room.

They collided and before she lost her balance, Sameer held her safe in his arms.

Their friends looked in their direction but did not get up, knowing that Naina was in the most secured place.

Naina had closed her eyes, holding onto Sameer's shirt tightly.

"Ab tum ankhen khol sakti ho", he said in a low voice, " waise achha idea tha mujhe gale lagane ka."

Her eyes flew open... to catch him winking at her... as his arms held her close.