Sameer stood at his window... the night had covered everything in darkness... but he didn't see the darkness, all he could see were the twinkling stars... shining bright... making the night beautiful.

Naina had similarly sprinkled the brightness in his life. He was indeed lucky... to meet such a beautiful soul... to be a part of her life.

He closed his eyes... a contented smile on his lips... Naina had voiced her feelings today, she had said those magical words to him... and she had hugged him.

Sameer could still feel the softness of her delicate body... how perfectly she had fit in his embrace, her arms tightening around him... Her head had rested right under his chin, and he had experienced the luxurious feel of her hair, he had smelt her shampoo... her fragrance had filled his mind... it still lingered there.

His arms itched to feel her again. He took a deep breath and lied down on the bed... waiting for morning to see her beautiful face again.

Naina was sitting in front of the mirror, combing her hair, lost in thoughts. Her eyes became moist again, thinking about Sameer's childhood. She could visualize a small boy sitting in a dark room, face wet with tears. How he would have coped up with his fears... with his loneliness?  Her heart went out to him... and she wanted to gather him in her arms and rub his back, telling him that he'll never be alone again... she'll be with him... forever.

And suddenly she was shy, recalling her tight hug... she had held him so tight... like she would never let him go... but then, she won't. She looked at herself in the mirror and closed her eyes.

"Thank you bhagwanji, Sameer ko meri zindagi me laane ke liye", she joined  her hands in prayer.

And went to bed, dreaming about him.

Next day, as the classes for the day got over, Naina got up to leave when Sameer crossed her, stopping for a moment to whisper in her ear, " Canteen".

He was gone before she could ask anything. She picked up her bag and slowly walked to the canteen.

Sameer was seated alone. She went and pulled the chair opposite him.

"Aaj canteen aane ka plan kyon?" She was curious.

Sameer gave a smile, "Tumhe treat deni hai"

Naina narrowed her eyes, " Treat?  Kis baat ki? "

His smile turned mischievous, "Woh baad mein bataunga... shaam ko".

Naina tried to rack her brain to think of a possible reason but nothing occured to her. She again raised her eyebrows at him.

Sameer ignored her question and asked, " Yeh batao kya khaogi? "

Naina decided to go with the flow,
"Pao bhaji... aur cola."

Sameer went to the counter and came back shortly with pao bhaji, sandwich and one cola.

"Tum nahi piyoge? " Naina asked, seeing only one bottle.

"Umm... dekhenge", he forwarded her plate of pao bhaji.

They started eating. Sameer observed how much Naina relished her food, taking few sips of her drink in between. Suddenly he started coughing. Naina instantly came to him and rubbed his back,
" Sameer kya hua... dheere, dheere khao na... ek minute", she looked around for water, and finding none, picked up the bottle of cola and made him have  a few sips. The coughing stopped. Naina, standing next to him, was worried, "Abhi theek lag raha hai? "

He smiled at her, "Haan, abhi sab theek hai, itni meethi cola jo pila di tumne", he winked.

Naina's eyes went wide. She could see his plan now... and her cheeks were coloured.

She went back to her seat and continued to eat her food. Unknowingly she picked up the bottle and took a sip... but the moment her lips touched the brim, the realisation struck her and she gave him a quick glance, hoping he was not looking.

But he was... with a grin.

She instantly placed the bottle back, lowering her eyes. After that, Naina could not touch her pao bhaji. When they left the canteen, Naina still could not meet his eye.

" Achcha suno, " he tried to make her comfortable, "Aaj tum shaam ko mujhe economics ka 5th chapter samjha dogi... thoda tough hai... mujhse ho nahi raha"

"Haan, bilkul, aur tough nahi hai, bus zara ghuma ke bataye hain concepts... main kara dungi tumhe",  the topic of studies never failed to excite Naina.

They went back to their rooms. Naina finished her new article for the newspaper and went to submit it to the Principal. She then decided to wash her hair as morning time was always rushed. After her bath, she wore a white dress she hadn't worn in college till now. Her hair were still damp when she left for the ground, so she left them open, carrying her band wrapped around her wrist so that she could tie it when it was completely dry.

Sameer was waiting, when he craned his neck to see if she was coming... and his breath hitched. Dressed in white, her hair open, she looked no less than a fairy.

As she reached the tree... she smiled at him.

" Notebooks laaye ho na? " She enquired, reaching the place where they sat.

Getting no answer, she looked back at him... he was still looking at her with glazed eyes.

"Sameer",  she was louder.

" Hn... kya... kya kaha tumne? " He tried to focus.

"Maine kaha economics ki notebook laaye ho na? " Naina repeated patiently.

"Economics? Kyon? Laani thi kya?" The effect was still there.

"Kahan khoye rehte ho tum? Tumne hi to kaha tha 5th chapter padhna hai", Naina pressed her hand to her forehead.

Sameer closed his eyes... his control was at great risk today... Naina was bent upon teasing his senses... and did not even know what she was doing.

" Offo Sameer... ab aankhen kholo... sone thodi aaye ho yahan", Naina wondered why he was not paying any attention to her.

"Tum baal khol ke kyon aayi ho", she immediately noticed the change in his tone, the heaviness in his voice giving her goosebumps.

" Woh sukhe nahi the... shaam ko dhoye the isliye... abhi baandh leti hun",  she mumbled, and held her hair to tie them up.

Sameer's hand shot up... holding her wrist, "Nahi... bandho mat... dekhne do... Main kabse dekhna chahta tha tumhare khule baal. "

Naina looked at him in surprise, "Dekhe to the... freshers party mein... aur uss din baarish mein tumne hi to mera hairband... ", she shut her eyes. She had done it again.

Her image from that day flashed in front of his eyes, " Uss din baal dekh hi kahan paaya tha... tumhara wo blouse... ", he spoke, coming closer to her face.

She squeezed her eyes tighter... feeling his breath fanning her face... her heartbeat breaking all records.

" Naina, tum aise kapde mat pehna karo", he said huskily.

Naina's eyes flew open... and the same moment she found her face just inches away from him.

"Bolo, nahi pehnogi naa? " He pestered.

Naina managed a small shake of her head... asking for a reason did not occur to her.

"Pata hai kyon?", Sameer wanted to give her one, "kyonki koi bhi tumhe waise dekh ke pagal ho jaayega... aur main nahi chahta koi tumhe waise dekhe... mere alawa."

The colour on her face was getting deeper.

"Tum shaadi ke baad sirf mere liye aise kapde pehenna."

As Naina tried to move away from him, twisting her wrist to free herself... her hair fell on Sameer's face... and he closed his eyes, inhaling their scent.

They sat frozen in the moment, till Sameer tilted his head a little to look at her, "Baal aise hi rakha karo naa... kitne khoobsurat hain."

"Khule rakhna achcha nahi hota... taiji kehti hain", Naina gave him the only reason she had.

Sameer marvelled at her innocence... how she readily accepted whatever was told to her... without questions.

He left her wrist and settled next to her, maintaining the distance they always did. He was aware of Naina's inhibitions.

Before she could open the book, he asked, " Tumhe kuch puchna tha... bhool gayi? "

Naina tried to remember, "Puchna kya tha? Mujhe to padhana tha tumhe... economics".

" Treat ke baare mein... canteen... kuch yaad aaya? " He teased.

"Arre haan... ab batao, tumne treat kyon di? " She recalled their conversation.

"Kyonki ek bhullakad, budhu ladki ne kal mujhse apne pyaar ka izhaar kiya tha... par lagta hai aaj bhool gayi... pata nahi mujhe kitne din yaad rakhegi? Kal ko bhool gayi to?" He pouted.

Naina looked at him lovingly, "Kuch nahi bhooli... yaad hai mujhe... aur kal jo kaha tha woh hamesha kahungi... aur tumhe bhulna to iss janam mein kya, kisi janam mein nahi ho sakta... jab tum baat nahi karte the tab bhi sirf tumhe hi yaad rakhti thi phir ab to... "

"Nainaaaaaa",  her mind voice was fed up of admonishing her.

Sameer's eyes lit up,  " Naina, kya kaha tumne? Jab baat nahi karta tha tab kya?  Matlab school mein? Matlab tum tabse mujhe phasane ki koshish kar rahi ho?" How could he leave the chance to tease her.

Naina fell to the bait, "Main kyon phasaungi? Main kya tumhe aisi ladki lagti hun? kabhi dekha hai mujhe ladkon se baat karte? Tumse tak to school mein do saal mein kabhi baat ki nahi maine jabki hamesha se tumse pyaar karti thi to aur kisi se... "

Her mind voice gave up. "Naina, tera kuch nahi ho sakta. "

She looked at him dumbfounded. What had she blurted out?

Sameer's expression did not change. He kept looking at her lovingly.

And then, to her utter disbelief, he said, "Main bhi."

If it was possible, Naina's eyes would have gone wider, but she was already stretching them to their maximum capacity due to her own blabbering... Sameer's confession turned her into a statue.

After a few minutes, when Naina didn't blink or move, he  waved his hand in front of her eyes. No reaction. He touched her shoulder lightly and shook her, "Naina."

She gasped. As if she had just surfaced from under water.

"Haan, Naina, main bhi school ke time se pyaar karta hun tumse... bas tab keh nahi paya." He laid her doubts to rest, she was not hallucinating.

It took some time for Naina to find her voice, "Toh kal jo tum keh rahe the ki apni dosti aur pyaar ko bachane ke liye tum unse soor hona chahte the... woh... woh tum... "

"Woh main tumhare liye hi keh raha tha",  he clarified.

" Aur mujhe laga tum... koi aur... school mein... matlab... kisi aur", she was still in shock.

"Koi aur nahi... kabhi nahi... na thi, na hogi... mere liye sirf tum ho... meri pari",  he poured all his love.

Naina was too stunned to blush,  "Par kaise, Sameer? Tumne to kabhi mujhe dekha bhi nahi school mein?" Her mind was going slow, very slow.

Sameer decided it was time to clear all her confusion.

"Naina, main tumhe chup ke dekhta tha... mujhe ehsaas tha ki tum mujhe pasand karti ho... shuru mein zyaada dhyaan nahi diya... woh kya tha na ladkiyaan hamesha se mujhe aise hi dekhti thi... " he raised his collar with a smirk.

Naina hit him lightly on his arm.

"Phir laga tum alag ho... kabhi tum mera dhyaan khichne ki koshish nahi karti thi... kabhi saj dhaj ke saamne nahi aayi, dusri ladkiyon ki tarah... tum bas chup chap mujhe niharti thi... tumhari saadgi mujhe chu gayi".

This time she blushed.

Sameer saw the colour on her cheeks and longed to touch it. But he controlled himself, "Tumhara mere liye jhooth bolna bohot badi baat thi... main to tabhi tumse kehna chahta tha par tumhare papa har samay aas pass dikh jaate the... Maine socha, school ke baad hum sab ek saath college jaayenge to keh dunga apne dil ki baat... par woh mauka hi nahi aaya."

Naina saw a flash of grief in his eyes again, but it was instantly replaced with the love she was seeing for so long.

"Mujhe toh yakeen hi nahi ho raha... main sochti thi tumhe maloom hi nahi hoga ki Naina Agarwal naam ki ladki tumhare school mein hai",  all this was too much for her to accept.

Suddenly, a thought struck her and she shuddered, " Sameer, agar main iss college mein nahi aati toh tum toh bina kuch kahe mujhse door aa gaye the... phir toh hum kabhi nahi mil pate", the fear was evident in her voice.

Sameer was calm, "Kaise nahi aati tum? Hamari kismat ek dusre se judi hui hain, Naina... tabhi toh anjaane mein hum ghar se itni door, ek saath, ek hi jagah par hai. Kismat ne hamein pehle hi ek doosre se jod diya tha... tabhi to main tum se takraya school mein... tabhi tumhare papa ke scooter ki light todi... aut tabhi tumhare saath yahan hun".

Naina heaved a big sigh of relief, "Kismat hamare saath aise hi rahe, bhagwanji. "