Completed one month of writing this story... myself surprised to see where Sameer and Naina have reached in 30 days.

As Naina stepped out of the house, chachiji called out, "Naina, beta kahan thi... kab se dhoond rahi hun!"

Naina struggled to keep her voice normal, "Woh Swati ki mausi ne kuch samaan andar rakhne ko diya tha... wohi rakhne gayi thi".

Chachiji pulled her, " Achha chal, Swati aur damadji ko badhai de aate hain... tere liye hi ruke the hum."

They went on the stage. Naina and Preeti hugged Swati as chachaji and chachiji blessed the couple. Walking back, they came face to face with Sameer.

Naina missed a beat, as he smiled at the elders.

"Arre beta, tum abhi bhi idhar udhar kaam karte ghum rahe ho... jao apne dost ke paas baitho",  chachiji insisted.

"Auntyji kuch khaas samaan ka khyaal rakh raha tha andar... woh kaam mere alawa koi nahi kar sakta..." He gave a fleeting look to Naina and she turned red.

Chachiji marvelled at his sense of responsibility, "Bohot achhe beta, aise hi apni zimmedaari nibhate raho... bhagwan tumhe khush rakhe."

He smiled and walked towards the stage... but not before winking at a blushing Naina.

Sameer and Pandit went to Munna, getting a few photos clicked. Then Sameer whispered something in Munna's ear and he bent towards Swati, explaining something. She nodded.

They both got up from the sofa and posed for some different types of photos... Sameer helping them with the poses and instructing the photographer which angle to capture it from.

Then, Munna called his friends for a group picture. Swati also asked one of her cousin to call Naina and Preeti.

Four of them got some nice shots clicked with the newly engaged couple. No one could see the linked hands of the boy standing next to Munna and the girl standing next to Swati. Only one of their hand was visible in the picture... the other one appeared to be behind their friends.

"Chal ab hum bhi kuch kha lete hain",  Preeti pulled Naina to the food area. They picked up the plates and started filling them up with their favourites.

Talking to each other, they started to move away from the table when Naina crashed into someone... and the contents of her plate spilled on that person. Thankfully she had only a few items in her plate.

"Sorry, sorry... maine dekha nahi... aapko lagi toh nahi," Naina apologised to the boy standing in front of her.

"Koi baat nahi... main theek hun", he looked down at his shirt, which had a few sticky drops from the gulab jamun.

Naina was embarrassed at her clumsiness, "Meri galti ki wajah se aapki shirt kharab ho gayi... sorry".

He looked at her for a moment, then smiled, " Dekhiye, aap pareshaan mat hoyiye... thodi kharab hui hai par saaf ho jayegi."

Still feeling guilty, Naina walked away with Preeti.

"Itni baar sorry bolne ki kya zaroorat thi uss champu ko? Woh bhi toh dekh kar nahi chal raha tha... usne toh ek baar bhi sorry nahi bola." Preeti blasted at Naina the minute they were out of his hearing distance.

"Theek hai na Preeti, uske kapde meri wajah se kharab ho gaye... sorry bolne mein koi kharabi thodi hai", Naina calmed her sister.

"Naina, woh lifafe rakhe the na Munna ke parivaar walon ke liye... beta woh zara le aa Swati ki almari se", Swati's mother called out softly.

"Main abhi lati hun," Naina walked inside the house.

Sameer had witnessed the whole scene. He had seen Naina spilling her food on a boy... he saw her apologising... he saw her walking away with Preeti.

He also saw what the girls didn't... after Naina left, that boy touched his shirt and looked back at her... and smiled. Sameer clenched his fists... his blood boiling.

Watching Naina going inside the house, he followed her.

She went directly to Swati's room and opened her cupboard, searching for the envelopes her mother had asked for. They were on the second shelf.

Before she could pick them up, she heard a sound and looked behind. Sameer had closed the door.

She smiled, remembering that he wanted to meet her before leaving. But Sameer had a serious expression on his face.  As he stepped closer, Naina saw the flash of anger in his eyes.

"Kya hua, Sameer? Tum gusse mein kyon ho?" She was suddenly gripped with an unknown fear.

He did not utter a single word till he reached her.

Then, in a controlled voice, he asked, "Tumhe chot toh nahi lagi?"

Naina was surprised, "Chot? Mujhe chot kyon lagegi?"

"Tum takra gayi thi na",  his voice had a hint of pain.

Naina understood.

She placed a hand on his chest, directly over his heart and looked into his eyes.

"Iss dil pe jiska naam likha hai na, woh ladki tumse bohot pyaar karti hai... apni jaan se bhi zyada... aur hamesha karti rahegi... sirf iss janam mein nahi... aane wale sabhi janmon mein... ", she could feel the rising heartbeat.

He placed his hand over hers, "Tumhare pyaar pe khud se zyada bharosa hai mujhe... par mera dil bardaasht nahi kar pata agar tumhe koi aur chuta hai toh... chahe woh galti se hi ho."

Naina rose on her toes, circled her hands around his neck, sticking her body to his and looked into his eyes, "Lo, tumhare paas aake maine har kisi ke nishan ko mita diya... ab mujhpar sirf tumhare chune ka nishan hai... aur bas yehi rahega."

Sameer instantly held her shoulders, moving his hands over the length of her arms around his neck, then brought his arms back to her shoulders and slowly slid them down till her waist, resting his palms in the back of her small waist.

The movement of his hands made her weak in the knees...

"Maine bhi mita diye nishan", his eyes were deep, but still had some traces of anger.

Naina held his gaze, "Dekho Sameer, kal ko jab main aur tum bahar ki duniya mein kadam rakhenge toh jaane anjaane mein dusre logon se milna hoga... kabhi takrana bhi ho sakta hai... agar hamesha tum aise hi gussa karoge toh mujhe lagega ki tumhe pasand nahi mera kahin jaana ya kisi se bhi milna... "

He took a deep breath, "Main toh chahta hun tum bohot unchi udaan bharo... apne saare sapne poore karo... par iss dil ka kya karun... kisi ko tumhare paas dekhkar aag lag jaati hai mere andar."

She loved his possesiveness.  Moving her eyes from his face, she brought them down to his chest... and placed a kiss on his heart.

The sensation made him go numb.

Looking back at him, she smiled, "Mujhpar tumhara haq hai... aur tum par mera... bas yehi ek sach hai... hamein kisi se kuch farq nahi padna chahiye jab tak humare dil mein yeh pyaar ki aag hai. "

Slowly his eyes softened and voice turned husky, "Haq hai... achha? Yeh haq jatane kyon nahi deti?"

How could he send her heartbeat into a frenzy within a second?

He brought her wrists in front, running his fingers on the bangles, making them clink... then he lifted one hand and kissed the inside of her wrist, making her tremble.

"Sameer, mujhe jaana hai... auntyji ne kuch kaam diya tha... mera intezaar kar rahi hongi, " she tried to push him away, getting out of his grip.

His one hand moved to her waist and other one to her hair, as he bent her head back slightly, "Aur main jo intezaar kar raha hun... kabse?"

His gaze moved slowly from her eyes to her lips.

"Tumhara intezaar bhi khatam hoga", she said in a low voice.

His eyes shone with hope, " Kab?"

"Ek din", she pinched his nose.

"Aah... Naina", his face twitched as his hold on her loosened.

She quickly turned to pick up the stack of envelopes she had spotted just before he came... and ran to the door.

His voice stopped her, "Main umeed karunga woh din jaldi aaye."

Naina just wanted to turn and end his wait... but her feet remained glued...

When she could move, she ran out, blushing hard at her own thought.

The ceremony got over and after having food, the rituals of giving gifts to the family and relatives of boy's side were performed.

By the time everyone left, it had started to get dark.

Naina, along with Preeti, helped Swati and her parents to sort out the gifts and put things back in place.

When they reached home, Preeti straight away plonked herself on the bed... tired.

"Preeti, kapde toh badal le... kharab ho jaayenge", Naina nudged her as she came out of the bathroom in her night suit, wiping her face.

"Haan... abhi jaati hun",Preeti's sleepy voice didn't sound like she would make any effort to move now.

Naina sat on the bed, thinking about Sameer...

As if on cue, the phone started ringing.

She picked it up before the second ring could start, " Hello?"

"Naina"

"Hmm... ",  she rested her head on the backrest as his voice filled her with warmth.

"Mere baare mein soch rahi ho na?"

She was surprised, "Tumhe kaise pata?"

He smiled at the other end, "Kyonki main bhi tumhare baare mein soch raha tha."

She pressed her lower lip with her teeth, "Kya... kya soch rahe the mere baare mein?"

She heard him taking a deep breath, "Yehi ki tum aaj kitni sundar lag rahi thi aur main tumhe bata bhi nahi paaya... "

"Achha... toh ab bata do", she prompted.

"Umm... bata dun? Par tumhe sharmate hue kaise dekhunga?" He teased.

"Main kyon sharmaungi... tum tareef karoge toh khush houngi na... sharmaungi thodi", Naina played along, clutching the pillow against her chest.

"Dekhte hain", he challenged.

"Dekhoge kaise... sirf sun sakte ho",  she giggled.

His low, deep voice made her tremble, "Tumhe sunke bhi main dekh sakta hun... abhi tumne safed rang ka lucknawi kurta pehna hoga, baalon ka dheela sa juda banaya hoga aur takiye ko dil se laga rakha hoga."

She sat upright... looking first at her white kurta, then searching around... the pillow slipping away...

He laughed, "Daro nahi... main wahan nahi hun... par mera dil wahin hai".

Naina felt the colour rising up her cheeks.

"Ab bataun kaisi lag rahi thi tum?"

"Hmm... "

His voice gave her goosebumps, "Ekdum mere sapno ki pari... mere liye tumne jo pink suit khareeda, usse dekh ke man kar raha tha ki duniya mein jitni pink dress hain sab tumhare liye le lun... tumhari chudiyaan ab tak mere kaano mein baj rahi hain, aur mere hothon pe ab tak tumhari mithaas hai ... tumhare gale ki woh chain, usne mujhe bandh liya hai... tumhari khushboo...."

"Bas Sameer", she was already breathing hard.

He was not the one to stop now, "Abhi se bas? Abhi toh tum sirf laal hui ho... aage bohot kuch hai."

"Mujhe... mujhe... nahi su... sunna", she stuttered.

He smiled, "Apni tareef toh tum saari zindagi sunogi.. abhi suna raha hun... baad mein karke dikhaunga".

Sweat broke on Naina's face,  her breath lost somewhere... she tightly closed her eyes, but the images that appeared made her open them the next instant.

"Kya hua, meri jaan, sapne dekhne lagi?"

She clutched the phone tight, her fingers turning white... he was bent upon killing her today.

"Main rakhti hun", she wanted to end the torment.

He was quick, "Wahan aa jaunga agar phone rakh diya tumne."

She knew he could do that.

"Naina, kal milogi?" His voice was hopeful.

"Shayad nahi, Sameer... kal chachaji dilli ja rahe hain... ek hafte ke liye... toh subah se chachiji ki madad karungi unke liye nashta wagerah banane mein... dopaher ko unki train hai... shaam ko shayad nikalna nahi ho payega", she felt bad about dashing his hopes.

He could not spend one full day without seeing her...

"Andhera hone ke baad tumhari gali mein aaunga... balcony mein aa jana... tumhe dekh lunga kam se kam",  his voice showed his desperation.

"Sameer... " Naina whispered.

"Bolo",  he thought someone has come to her room.

"I Love You"

And she blew a kiss into the phone... before keeping it down.

Sameer stood like a statue, holding the phone to his ear. Then he slowly brought it down, staring at it.

His face broke into a wide grin... and he jumped in triumph.

Waiting for tomorrow would be difficult now.