Together, they cleared the entire mess... Naina folded his clothes and Sameer placed them in the cupboard, he arranged the furniture properly and she cleaned the shards from the floor, he set the study table with all the books and she placed his toiletries back on the  cabinet.

"Chalo Naina, ab bahar chalte hain... yahan sab theek ho gaya", he looked around, rubbing his hands in satisfaction.

She pursed her lips, "Nahi... tum yahin ruko... main sabko yahin bulati hun."

He gave a perplexed look, "Yahan kyon? Hum chalte hain na bahar... Munna Pandit pareshan honge."

Smiling, she held his hand and said softly, "Isiliye yahan ka haal dikhana hai... jisse unhe pata chale ki toofan khatam ho gaya aur ab uske nishaan bhi nahi bache."

He stared at her, wondering how she could understand everyone's emotional needs.

Naina went out to ask Ramdhari to prepare breakfast, she knew nobody would have eaten anything since morning.

Munna Pandit and Preeti were sitting in the living room, each one tensed and lost.

Seeing her coming out, Pandit jumped, "Kaisa hai Sameer? Shant hua ya nahi? Waise kaafi der se uski awaz nahi aayi hai... bhabhi, aap theek ho na?"

Munna came rushing towards her, "Tumhe toh kuch nahi kaha na usne... kahin lagi wagi toh nahi... woh kuch bhi utha ke phenk deta hai bina dekhe", he rubbed the side of his head, which had borne the brunt of a heavy book that Sameer had thrown, not knowing that Munna had entered the room.

She smiled, "Tum sab khud jake dekh lo... Sameer andar hi hai."

Pandit stepped back in fear, "Nahi nahi, main toh yahin theek hun... jab Sameer aise tandav karta hai toh usse jitna dur ho sake utna hi rehna theek hai."

Munna also looked uncertain.

"Sameer ab gussa nahi hai... woh bilkul theek hai... tum log jao toh sahi... Preeti tu bhi jaa."

Pandit looked at her with wide eyes, "Kyon isse shaheed karwa rahi ho, bhabhi" he looked at Preeti, "Soch le... jaan hatheli pe leke jaana padega."

Preeti chided him, "Chup kar Pandit, jab Naina ne keh diya sab theek hai matlab sab badhiya hai... main toh jaa rahi hun jijaji se milne... tum darpok banke baithe raho."

She started walking to Sameer's room. Both boys ran behind her.

The door was already open.

Munna Pandit looked around in wonder. When they had last seen the room, it looked like a warzone... with books, clothes, cassettes and show pieces lying all around... some broken with the impact. The bed had been a mess too, pillows on the floor, blanket half on the couch and half under it.

And now everything was like earlier, before the storm struck... in fact, it was even better. A neatly made bed, folded blanket, arranged books on the shelf, stack of cassettes  on the table, next to the small cassette player... Even the dresser looked clean. The cupboard was shut but they were sure of its perfect state.

Sameer stood in the center of the room, hands in pocket, smiling.

"Bhai, jaadu ki chhadi ghuma di kya kamre pe? Aisa kaise kar diya? Jab yahan se nikle the toh aisa nahi tha, haina Munna?" Pandit closely looked at the arranged table.

Munna smiled, his eyes pooling up with unshed tears, "Pata tha, yaar, bhabhi sambhaal legi tujhe... tera ilaaj unke haath mein hi hai."

The three boys hugged each other as Preeti looked fondly at them, admiring their bond.

"Par kahan reh gayi hamari bhabhi... abhi toh bahar thi", Munna looked towards the door, wiping his eyes, trying to hide them from others.

Sameer placed his hand on Munna's shoulder, "Woh breakfast taiyar karwane gayi hai... bhook lagi hogi na tum logon ko."

"Bhook toh bohot zor se lag aayi hai jijaji, aapka muskurata hua chehra dekh ke... ab jaldi se pet pooja karwa do... aakhir pehli baar apki saali aapke ghar aayi hai", Preeti made her presence felt.

"Haan bhai, pet mein chuhe bhi kud kud ke thak gaye hain... ab toh uchalne ki awaaz bhi nahi aa rahi... chal naashta karte hain." Pandit started to move towards the door, rubbing his stomach.

Just then, Naina entered the room, holding a mat. Ramdhari followed, a huge tray in hand.

"Aaj hum sab yahin khayenge", she placed the mat in the center of his room, on the floor.

Sameer looked at her, puzzled, "Yahan kyon Naina? Aaram se table pe khate hain na."

"Nahi... hum yahi baithenge... saath mein... picnic jaisa lagega... aur aise khane mein zyada apnapan lagta hai", she held his arm and pulled him down to whisper, " aur tumhare zyaada kareeb baith paungi."

"Haan, Naina theek keh rahi hai... chalo baitho sab", Preeti settled down on the mat, picking up a plate.

Munna and Pandit happily joined her. Sameer kept standing like a statue, reeling from the effect of her words.

Naina, holding Sameer's hand, made him sit right next to her, not that he would have even thought of any other place.

There was a casserole of kachoris, alu parantha, curd, butter and halwa.

The two boys filled up their plates, Preeti giving them tough competition.

Naina placed two paranthas with butter and curd in a plate and held it to him.

He shook his head, indicating with his eyes that he wanted her to feed him. Naina looked at other three and raised her brows, wrinkling her nose. Sameer made a face and looked away. She nudged him but he didn't move.

"Khila de, behen, hum nahi dekh rahe, " Preeti said casually, not lifting her eyes from the plate.

"Haan, haan, bhabhi, hum na dekh rahe hain na kuch keh rahe hain." Munna chipped in, eyes on his food.

Naina turned red... and Sameer grinned, sliding a hand around her waist, pulling her closer.

She started feeding him his favourite parantha... after a few bites, he took one piece and fed her.
They finished their breakfast... getting a sense of repletion.

After the dishes were cleared, they all went to the living room.

Preeti looked at her watch and got up, "Naina, main parlour ke liye nikalti hun... tu dopaher ko aa jana fir hum saath ghar chal padenge."

Naina got up with her, "Preeti main bhi aati hun... ab chachiji ko kaha hai toh parlour chal padti hun."

"Naina, tum ruko na, main tumhe baad mein chod dunga, jab ghar jaane ka time hoga", Sameer held her hand.

"Tu kya karegi aake... tu ruk yahan...  jijaji, isse hamesha ke time pe le aana." Preeti picked up her bag.

"Chal Pandit, hum Preeti ko chod aate hain", Munna grabbed Pandit's arm.

He was sprawled on the sofa after a heavy meal, in no mood to move, "Tu chala ja... main toh aaram kar raha hun."

Munna and Preeti looked at each other, then Munna smacked him on the head, "Chalta hai ya nahi? Kal kaha tha na Bholaram ki dukaan se jalebi layenge... Preeti ko chod ke jalebi samose leke aate hain."

Hearing the name of samosa, Pandit jumped up and they left, leaving Sameer and Naina alone.

He looked at her, "Jab sabne mauka diya hai toh faayda uthana chahiye na?"

She was already feeling embarrassed at the way her sister and friends had left them alone.

"Sameer, tum har samay bas aisi hi baatein kara karo... aur koi kaam nahi hai?" She tried to move.

But Sameer was not the one to let such a moment slip away... he kept one hand firmly on her waist, pinning her to the sofa.

"Aur koi kaam nahi hai... jab tak result nahi aata tab tak toh padhna bhi nahi hai", he whispered in her ear.

Suddenly remembering something, he got excited, "Naina, tumhe apna waada yaad hai na?"

She gave him a quizzical look.

He raised his eyebrows, "Tumne kaha tha agar mera result first year se bhi achha aaya toh tum mujhe khaas gift dogi."

She recollected promising him something good if he studied well.

"Yaad hai mujhe... mil jayega gift... par result toh aane do".

"Umm... mujhe aur kuch nahi chahiye bas tum... umm... bas tum meetha de dena", he raised a finger to his lower lip.

Naina pulled his hand down, lookin behind to see if Ramdhari was around.

Guessing her concern, Sameer pacified her, "Woh nahi aayega Naina".

She sat fidgeting with her dupatta.

He pulled the dupatta out of her grip, "Tumne bataya nahi... dogi na jo maine manga?"

"Gift mange nahi jaate... dene wala jo dena chahe wohi khushi khushi le lena chahiye", she said haughtily.

Sameer curved his fingers and placed them under her chin, tilting her face to look at him, "Par main toh maang sakta hun... mera haq hai tumse mangne ka... hai na?"

His deep, low voice melted her, she was lost in his eyes, not able to utter anything.

He kept looking at her... unknowingly, his thumb reached her lips, gliding over them.

Naina gasped, her hot breath burning the skin on his thumb.

"Naina, tumhe jadoo aata hai kya?" He asked in a soft voice.

She shook her head,  whispering "Kyon?"

"Kyonki tum kuch bhi kar deti ho", he lightly traced his finger from her forehead to the ear, pulling a strand loose from her pony.

"Kya kiya maine?" She managed to ask, shivering at his light touch.

"Jitna main apni puri zindagi mein nahi padha utna tumne mujhe college ke do saal mein padha diya... mere jis gusse se mujhe khud darr lagta hai usse tumne itni jaldi shaant kar diya... abhi mujhme koi gussa baki nahi hai... tumne sab udha diya... furrrr."

"Furrrr?" She smiled at his cute pronounciation.

He nodded, "Tum jo chaho kar leti ho... boys hostel mein aa gayi... saari raat mere kamre mein mere paas baithi rahi aur mujhe theek bhi kar diya... aisa lagta hai tum koi jaadu karti ho... jisse na hone wale kaam bhi ho jaate hain."

She was herself lost in the magic he was weaving on her with his eyes and voice.

"Ek aur jaadu kardo?" He looked at her expectantly, rolling the loose tendril around his finger.

She gave a quick lift to her eyebrows.

"Mere marks achhe dilwa do... pichle saal se zyaada... mujhe bas tumse khaas gift chahiye." His voice has turned heavier.

She tried to move out of his grip, not able to look at him.

He clutched her waist tighter, "Aaj nahi jaane dunga... tum jab marzi sharma ke bhaag jaati ho aur jab marzi ekdum se pyaar barsa deti ho... Naina, kyon sharmati ho itna? Main toh tumhara apna hun... kya shaadi ke baad bhi aise hi sharmaogi mujhse?"

Her breathing was out of control now, whatever she had discovered a few weeks back in the library came rushing back... a chill ran down her spine... she had accepted the theory part of the book but now, sitting so close to him, his fingers brushing her face, his eyes boring into hers, his palm on her waist, his warmth turning into burning desire... sweat beads formed on her forehead and her throat went dry.

Sameer noticed everything, her confusion, her nervousness, her fear... the rapid rise and fall of her chest was a sign of her racing heartbeat.

He shut his eyes... groaning.

"Sameer... " her low voice was close... and he felt a soft hand on his face.

He opened his eyes, looking directly into hers.

"Main jaadu kar dungi... dekh lena tumhare marks zyaada aayenge." Her voice was full of promise.

She shifted more towards him, settling into his arms, resting her head on his drumming heart...

As the sound of his rapid heartbeat reached her, she tilted her head to see his face, smiled and planted a kiss on his heart.

Sameer sighed, wondering how she had cast a spell on him... wishing that the spell was forever.