"Naina, mujhpe itna bharosa mat karo... tumhe dekh ke main khud ko sambhal nhi paata... agar maine hosh kho diye toh tumhe hi rokna hoga." He pulled her back to his arms.

"Agar tumhe hosh khone hote Sameer, toh mauke bohot the tumhare paas... lekin tumne kabhi mujhe aisa mehsoos nahi hone diya ki tum khud ko sambhal nahi sakte." She said in a low whisper against his ear.

He sank in her hair, hoping that he is able to keep this trust of hers intact... with her responding like she did a few minutes back, it would be a tremendous task.

"Achha yeh batao... ab toh tumne ek shaadi dekh li na... ab tumhein samajh aa gayi saari rasmein?" She asked a little later.

"Umm... haan... itni toh aa gayi ki apni shaadi mein koi galti nahi karunga." He replied after thinking for a while.

"Kaisi galti?" She gave him a perplexed look.

"Woh abhi rehne do... baad main bataunga." He gave a side glance, knowing fully well what her reaction would be if he told her.

"Kyon? Abhi batao na... mujhe bhi toh pata chale aisa kya galat hua jo hamare time nahi hona chahiye." She pestered.

"Naina, main toh bata dunga... agar tum promise karo ki bhagogi nahi." He gave a mischievous look.

Naina was not sure anymore. The way he said it, she knew it would make her go red... she racked her brain for any such thing during the ceremonies. He could not be thinking that all those instances when they were close were a mistake... Naina laughed silently... Sameer Maheshwari could never call those moments a mistake. What else could be wrong?

"Achha promise, nahi bhagungi... batao," finally her curiosity got better of her.

Sameer turned to face her, "Apni galti se maine yeh seekha ki shaadi ke pehle wali raat achhe se so lena chahiye jisse mujhe baad mein chaudah ghante ki neend na aa jaye."

It took her a few seconds to understand.

And then, she wasn't red.

She was beetroot, twisting to get her hand out of his hold.

Sameer kept looking at her lowered eyes, enjoying the play of colours on her face.

"Promise yaad hai na?" He pinned her hand to his chest.

Naina bit her lip.

"Pata hai Naina, jab school mein tumse pyar ka ehsaas hua tha toh bas yeh lagta tha ki haan, tumse pyar karta hun aur tumhare kareeb aake tumhe batana chahta hun...
kabhi socha nahi tha ki iss pyaar ki gehraai itni hogi ki ek pal bhi tumse door rehna mushkil hoga." He rubbed his thumb on her hand, looking down at it.

The mention of those painful school days brought back many memories for her, "Aur maine socha main iss kaabil hi nahi hun ki tum meri taraf dekho bhi... pyaar toh bohot door ki baat hai."

Her sad tone and forlorn look reminded him of his own misery, "Tum toh hamesha se sabse achhi thi Naina... main hi nahi samajh paya shuru mein... jab tumhe dekhna achha lagne laga tab bhi pata nahi tha ki yeh pyaar hai... kabhi kisi ke liye aisa mehsoos hi nahi kiya tha... main toh yeh bhi nahi jaanta tha ki main kisi ko aise chahne ke kaabil bhi hun... mere dil mein pyaar ke liye jagah chodi hi nahi thi meri un... un... mummy ne."

She took his hand in her palms, "Tumhara dil toh pyar se bhara hua hai, Sameer... tumhare saath itna sab hone ke baad bhi tum itni khushiyaan dete ho sabko... tumhari mummy se toh main mili nahi par nanaji ko jaanti thi... tum bilkul unhi pe gaye ho... utna hi narm, saaf aur maasoom dil hai tumhara, jo sirf pyaar karna jaanta hai."

"Tumse kaise koi pyaar nahi karega, Naina?" He said softly.

"Jaise tumse pehle kisi ne nahi kiya... sach Sameer, mujhse kabhi kisi ne aisa, iss tarah se pyar nahi kiya jaisa  tum karte ho... tum jitna khaas mujhe mehsoos karwate ho, utni main kabhi ho nahi sakti yeh janti hun... par fir bhi tumhare muh se sun ke har baat pe yakeen  ho jaata hai." She said genuinely.

He took her in his arms, "Kyonki tum khaas ho... sabse khaas... meri Naina."

She kept her head on his shoulder.

"Sameer, ab chalna chahiye... itna andhera ho gaya hai." Naina said after a few minutes.

"Tumhe andhere se darr lagta hai?" He moved back.

"Darr nahi lagta par late ho jayega toh mess band ho jayegi na... fir tumhe bhooka sona padega." She reminded him about the only other thing he needed.

"Kya Naina, hamesha kuch na kuch bahana laga ke chalne ko bolti ho tum." He grumbled.

"Ab isme bahana kya hai? Jaane ka time toh ho gaya hai na... thodi saari raat yahan baithna hai." She tried to move out of his grasp.

His hands tightened around her as his voice turned throaty, "Baith sakte hain... agar tum kaho toh."

A chill ran down her spine.

"Sameer, sach mein der ho rahi hai... kisi ne jaate hue dekha toh hungama ho jayega... please chalo na." She managed in a low voice.

"Naina, tumse door hone ka man nahi karta... jab tum paas hoti ho toh din ek pal mein nikal jaata hai aur jab tumse door hota hun toh ek ek pal mushkil se kat ta hai." He whined.

"Ab khana kha ke so jaana, fir subah toh wapas milna hi hai class ke liye." She gave a sweet smile.

"Subah toh bohot der mein hogi." He was still grumpy.

"Sameer, bachhon jaise zid mat karo... chalo utho." She had to be stern to make him give in.

He stood up with a grim expression, dusting his jeans... pulling her along. Naina gave a shake to her hair to straighten them and his eyes got stuck again.

Catching hold of her, he whispered, "Tumhari sazaa abhi baaki hai... yaad hai na?"

She shot a look at him... feeling the goosebumps strike her as his face rustled against hers.

"Kaisi sazaa?" She whispered back.

"Woh jo tumne mujhe itna sataya wahan shaadi mein aur... " He looked into her eyes.

"Aur?" Hers were innocently wide.

"Aur aaj jo library mein diya uske liye, " he rubbed his jaw where she had nipped him.

She felt her ears burn as she recalled how she had reacted to him in the library.

"Jaane do, Sameer, kal milte hain," she turned, not able to look at him.

He nuzzled his nose in her hair from behind, "Kal se pehle abhi sapnon mein milunga tumse... wahan tum mujhe rok nahi sakti."

Not able to take it anymore, she ran, pushing him with her elbow.

Sameer stood watching her flying hair and swaying form as she balanced herself on the stony ground.

And then, she turned, jerking her hair, and blew him a flying kiss, a wide smile on her face as he placed a hand on his heart, accepting her kiss.

After dinner, Naina changed into her usual white kurta and patiala. Sameer's mention of dreams had made her heart go into a tizzy... and his slightly darker jawline had already weakened her belly since she saw him.

Sleep was elusive with her heart and mind both working at the same time, creating images that made her erupt into goosebumps yet again.

She brought out his shirt from the cupboard. Inhaling it deeply, she felt him around. As her gaze fell on her reflection, it brought a glint to her eyes.

Quickly switching off the light, she changed into his shirt.

The reflection now was completely changed. She felt herself engulfed in him... his feel, his scent... she was with him now.

Naina slept in his shirt that night.

And Sameer slept with her dupatta next to him.

The lectures in the morning had just started when a peon entered the classroom with a notice. After reading it, the professor looked at Naina.

"Naina, Principal ne aapko bulaya hai... abhi... kuch urgent hai." He conveyed.

Sameer looked up in surprise. However much he wanted, it was not possible to go with her. He sulked in his seat as Naina pointed towards the notebook before leaving, asking him to pay attention.

She did not come back for any of the  classes. Sameer was worried now. He remembered a similar situation two years back... that time he had just started to talk to her... and still he was anxious. Today, the distance, the unknown requirement, the time taken, everything was killing him.

Somehow he sat through the classes, rushing out the moment last lecture got over. He went to the Principal's office. As usual, the door was closed, with a peon sitting outside.

"Andar koi student hai kya?" He asked casually.

"Aapko kya kaam hai?" The man gave a nonchalant look.

"Woh Principal madam ne kuch information mangwayi thi... uske baare mein batana tha." Sameer said in a secretive tone.

Thinking him to be one of the  appointment detective of the Principal, the peon said in a hushed voice, "Interview chal raha hai andar... TV wale aayein hain... shooting bhi kar rahe hain... madam ne mana kiya hai kisi ko bhi andar aane dene ko."

Sameer wondered where Naina was if the Principal was busy with some TV interview.

"Koi student toh nahi hai na unke saath?" He wanted to be sure.

"Hai na... woh final year ki ek student hai jo TV serial likhti hai... woh bhi andar hai subah se." He proudly gave the information which no one else had.

Sameer's face fell... Naina was stuck with some TV interview of the Principal.

"Lunch kab karne jayengi madam?" Sameer thought of waiting here till lunch time.

"Khana bhi office mein hi laane ko kaha hai... sabke liye... jisse jaldi kha ke kaam wapas shuru kar sakein... ek ghante baad lekar jaana hai." He crashed Sameer's hope of seeing Naina at lunch time.

Dejected, he went away... knowing that the talkative Principal would not let the TV crew leave easily.

After lunch, he spent time looking out of the window repeatedly, to check if the guests had left. But to his annoyance, the big white van parked outside didn't move.

He had no option but to wait till evening when she would meet him at the spot... and tell him everything about the interview... like she told him about the meeting with newspaper people in the first year.

The time to meet seemed to take forever today... he checked his watch again and again to be sure that it had not stopped working. He even removed the wall clock and changed its battery.

Finally half an hour before their time, he reached the ground. Naina had not arrived yet.

"Aa jayegi... main hi jaldi aa gaya hun." He consoled himself.

His patience started to wear off after an hour. He looked at Naina's room. Since it wasn't completely dark, he couldn't make out if the light was switched on. He decided to stand against the tree so that she could see him the moment she stepped into the ground.

The minutes ticked by, increasing his agitation. As darkness enveloped the surroundings, he could see her dark room. There was no light filtering out of the window or into the balcony.

To say it was the longest wait of his life would be an understatement. He felt he had grown roots... standing next to the tree for so long.

Naina didn't come... neither to their spot nor to her room... the absence of familiar glow spilling out into the quiet ground left him with no doubt.

Finally, when it was the time they usually left this place, Sameer walked back to his hostel with heavy steps.

Though there was nothing to be scared as she was within the college premises and with the Principal, he wondered why the interview had to last for the entire day, stretching into the night as well.

Just before entering his wing, he glanced at the gate... the silhouette of the white van parked outside was clearly visible.