Next day in college, as Naina reached the class, Sonali came running and hugged her, "Thank you, thank you, Naina... tujhe pata nahi hai tune mere liye kya kia hai... mujhe toh kal raat bhar neend hi nahi aayi."

Naina was happy to see her blushing, "Agar mujhe maloom hota ki tu itni khush hogi toh yeh sab bohot pehle ho jaata... Rahul toh bechara kabse intezaar kar raha tha. "

Sonali looked down sheepishly, "Woh mujhe laga ki Rahul tujhe pasand karta hai."

Naina was shocked, "Mujhe?  Aisa kyon laga tujhe?"

"Tere saath baithta tha na first year mein... tujhse hi madad mangta tha... aur yaad hai, freshers party ke time tujhe kaise dekhkar kavita jaisa kuch bola tha?" Sonali reminded her.

Naina's eyes grew wider, "Freshers party? Matlab Sonali... tabse?"

Sonali again lowered her eyes, "Pehle din se."

Naina let out a sigh, "Aur Rahul aise hi dedh saal se papad bel raha hai... pehle nahi bata sakti thi? "

"Bola na... pehle laga usko tu pasand hai... phir jab tere aur Sameer ke baare mein pata chala... aur Rahul uss baat se itna khush tha toh... ",  she coloured again.

Naina lightly hit her head, " Usse hamesha se tu hi pasand thi."

Sonali smiled, "Ab pata hai... usne kal bataya... ki tere saath toh woh sirf mujh tak pohochane ke liye rehta tha... aur bataya kaise Sameer usse gussa tha jab usse bhi laga ki Rahul tere peeche pada hai."

They both had a good laugh.

As the weeks passed, Sameer continued with his practice sessions and Naina continued to keep notes ready for him when they  sat down to study in the library.

The cricket team cleared the initial qualifying matches and now had to play the finals. Eventually, the day of final match arrived. It was to be held in another college. Sonali and Naina decided to go to watch it... to cheer their boys.

The cricket team travelled together by bus and Naina, along with Sonali, took a rickshaw.

The stadium was full of students from various colleges. The match began with their team batting first. They made a decent score...  Sameer hitting a century and Rahul making 75 runs not out.

Naina cheered loudly, happy to see Sameer play so well.

After a short break, it was time for the other team to bat. They started well. But the bowlers were able to take three wickets in quick succession, making the other team edgy.

Sameer stood near the boundry. As he stopped the ball from hitting the boundry line, Naina cheered repeatedly.

Looking back at her, Sameer smiled. But suddenly his smile faded. He noticed a group of boys sitting right behind Naina and Sonali... seeing their gestures and the way they were looking at his girl, he knew their intentions were far from good.
But he had to concentrate on the match. As another wicket fell, and they waited for new batsman, Sameer tried to tell Naina to shift their seats.  But she couldn't understand due to the loud noise.

Thankfully, match rounded up soon, with their team claiming the trophy. Sameer looked in the direction of stands to see if the girls had moved out. He saw one of the boys touching Naina's hair, she jerked her head and he said sorry. Thinking it to be accidental due to the crowd, Naina moved from there without reacting.

Both girls waited outside the gate. The group of boys came out and noticed them. One of the boys walked up to Naina.

"Excuse me, time kitna hua hai? " He asked.

"Do baje hain", Naina looked at her watch and replied.

" Hamare toh barah baj gaye aapko dekhke", he winked.

Naina gave an angry look to him and moved to the other side, holding Sonali's hand.

He shouted from behind, "Arre naam toh batati jao... nahin toh tumhare college aake puchna padega."

Sameer had seen the interaction. He burned in anger. Moving closer to Rahul, he explained what was going on and Rahul looked up in the direction of those boys. There were four of them. Rahul quickly turned to speak to his team.

Then, walking up to them, Rahul smiled, "Thank you yaar, tum log hamara bohot hausala badha rahe the... ab trophy hamari hui hai toh party karte hain... tum bhi chalo hamaare saath."

They readily agreed.

The four boys went towards the stadium restaurant with the team.

Sameer walked up to Naina and Sonali, "Tum log jao... hum team ke saath aayenge... abhi coach andar kuch sign wagera karne gaye hain... unke aate hi hum log bus se aajayenge."

Naina was not happy with those boys going with the team, "Sameer, woh jo ladke hain na, Rahul leke gaya hai jinko, woh kuch theek nahi hai... tum log unke saath kyon jaa rahe ho?"

Sameer gazed at her for a moment, "Woh doosri team walon ke dost hain... hum to bas unhe restaurant ka rasta bataa rahe the."

The anger in his eyes could not remain hidden from Naina.

But she left with Sonia, thinking to ask him later why he was annoyed, instead of being happy for winning the match.

The team reached college after more than an hour. They received a grand welcome. Everyone was overjoyed to win the trophy for two consecutive years.

Naina could see some restraint in Sameer.  He was expressing his happiness like others but she could see that the laughter did not reach his eyes.

In the evening, she reached the spot and found him waiting, his back against the tree, eyes closed. As she reached closer, her eyes fell on his hands... there were bruises. She didn't recall him getting hurt during the game. Looking up in surprise, she was further shocked to see a cut on his forehead... it could not be noticed easily as his hair fell on it.
She lightly touched the wound... and Sameer opened his eyes.

"Dard ho raha hai? " She could feel his pain.

Sameer stood up with a jerk... and pulled her along.

Holding her shoulders, he gave her a deep look with narrowed eyes, "Haan, bohot dard ho raha hai."

"Main dawa laga dun? " She did not move her gaze from his eyes.

Sameer stood still in the same manner for a few more moments... and then pulled her into his arms, drawing her more and more close to himself.

Naina wrapped her arms around his back, rubbing lightly... fully aware that he was disturbed about something.

He stood holding her for a long time...

Slowly, he released his hold but held her hands.

Naina's eyes went back to the cut on his forehead.

"Yeh kaise hua, Sameer? Match mein toh tumhe chot nahi lagi thi... phir yeh sab?" She was worried sick.

Sameer kept looking into her eyes... then his gaze drifted to her hair.

He pulled the band out... letting soft waves fall on her back. Sliding his fingers slowly through them, he gently picked a handful and brought close to his face.

Looking into her eyes again, he kissed the locks he was holding, "Inhi baalon ko chua tha na usne?"

Naina's breath stuck... Sameer had seen the boy troubling her at the stadium...

Her eyes went wide as she understood the reason of his anger, the team taking those boys away, and now these bruises and cuts.

"Tumne... tumne ladai ki unse? " She stuttered.

"Usne meri Naina ko chune ki himmat ki... kaise chod deta usse?" The red lines in his eyes darkened.

"Par tumhe kitni chot lagi hai... mujhe bhi toh isse taklif ho rahi hai." Her voice was soft.

Sameer took her palm and placed it on his chest, "Mujhe chot sirf yahan lagi hai... aur dard bhi yahin hua hai."

Her hand on his heart, his eyes on her face, her hair blowing in the breeze... the pain slowly melted away... she had untangled the knot he had felt seeing that boy... his heart had felt her warmth and all his anger vanished.

"Do minute doge mujhe... main bas abhi aati hun",  Naina waited for his answer.

Leaving her, he nodded.

She ran back, and came a few minutes later, with a mat and a small tube of ointment.

She spread the mat and asked him to sit. As he sat next to her, she started to sit up on her knees to be able to reach his forehead.

Sameer stopped her... smiling at her confusion.

And before she realised what he was doing, he had lied down on the mat, putting his head on her lap.

Naina turned red.

Sameer smiled at her, " Ab dawa lagaogi yaa aise hi laal hoke dekhti rahogi? Waise mujhe problem nahi hai... main toh saari zindagi aise hi reh sakta hun... achchi jagah hai." He winked.

Naina tried to control her blush and started applying the ointment... as she bent a little, her hair fell on his face... and Sameer was lost.

He had seen in movies... this type of scene was to show that the couple was kissing. Naina's hair had completely slipped on the side as she tilted her face to apply the ointment... both their faces, close to each other... were veiled on one side completely by her thick mane.

His breath became unstable... he could see the expanse of her slender neck, her chin, her narrowed eyes... and then she pressed her lower lip with her teeth...

Sameer groaned.

"Sorry, sorry,  dukha kya... koshish kar rahi hun halke se lagane ki",  Naina thought he was in pain.

His eyes closed.

" Naina, tum koshish nahi bhi karti toh bhi bohot kuch kar deti ho", he did not have the courage to open his eyes.

"Huh... ", Naina looked down at him in confusion... and noticed the curtain of hair... and her face bent on him... and his closed eyes... and his quickened breathing...

And she skipped several beats...

Bunching up her hair to take them on the other shoulder, she straightened, " Uh... sar pe dawa laga di hai... baith jao... haath pe bhi laga deti hun."

Without a word, Sameer sat up and brought his hands forward. Naina applied ointment on the grazed knuckles.

They sat quietly... trying to control the raging emotions.

When she could breathe again, Naina spoke in a voice little more than a whisper, "Tum khud ko chot mat lagne diya karo... mujhse dekha nahi jaata... dard hota hai."

He reached for her hand as she turned to look at him.

With a smile on his face, he dipped his head to one side, to show his acceptance.

"Ab cricket kahatam aur kal se padhai shuru... class ke baad library mein... theek hai na", she issued instructions for the coming up study sessions.

Sameer sighed. He knew she won't give him a chance to speak when it comes to studies. If she says his extra classes start tomorrow, they will.

After deciding the schedule for next week, Naina stood up to leave.

" Naina, thodi der ruko na...", Sameer made a kiddo face.

"Sameer, abhi bataya na padhai ka time hai... no romance", she reprimanded him.

Getting up, he came closer, " Padhai toh kal se hai... aaj romance kar sakte hain na",  he leaned towards her.

"Tumhe kuch aur soojhta hai,", her face was already showing the colour.

" Nahin... kuch nahi sujhta... aur tumhe dekhne ke baad toh bilkul nahi", he pulled her, making  her fall on him.

Putting a strand of hair behind her ear, he continued, "Waise tumne mujhe match jitne ka inaam nahi diya abhi tak."

Naina very well knew his intentions, "Trophy toh tum college ke liye laaye ho... inaam bhi college se hi milega."

"Kyon, tumhe khushi nahi hui?" He knew how to get what he wanted.

"Hui na, dekho kitni khush hun." She gave a broad smile.

Seeing her cheeks plump up with her smile, his hand moved to her face.

"Sa... Sam... Sameer... ",  she managed to utter, her smile frozen.

He lightly brushed his fingertips on her cheek and left her.

" Bye, Naina... ", he exhaled deeply.