After they finished their dinner, Munna Pandit decided to watch a movie with Sameer. Checking out their collection, they chose their favourite... Maine Pyaar Kiya. Although they had seen it numerous times, it was always fresh... reminding them of their school days... Munna getting lost in the thoughts of Swati, Pandit hoping to find someone like Suman... the heroine of the movie, Sameer dreaming about Naina.

Polishing off the bowls of wafers and popcorn, in spite of a heavy dinner, the two boys remained engrossed in the movie while the third one was playing his own movie in his mind.

When he saw Naina in the market, he just wanted to run and take her in his arms. She looked so petite, so delicate... even more fragile than what she looked in Mumbai. Dressed in a simple pastel green skirt and top, hair tied in a low pony, something she never did in Mumbai... she still managed to take his breath away.

And then the super tight hugs of these girls... he sighed.

Naina definitely seemed to be fond of tight hugs... he remembered the one time she had hugged him... trying to crush him completely... how much he had loved it... how much he wanted it again...

Closing his eyes, he picked up the pillow and held it tightly... making do with it for now.

And the way she had given her phone number to him... he was spellbound. This girl was something. He recalled their phone call... how she had whispered 'mera Sameer'...

"Mere rang mein rangne wali... ",  the song started playing on the screen, dragging him out of his Nainaworld... but for Sameer, every world was Nainaworld.

The song made him more desperate to be with her. He could not take it anymore.

Getting up, he grabbed his bike keys, looking at his friends, " Main Naina se milne jaa raha hun."

He got their attention instantly.

"Aye ponga, dekh hamara bhai khudkushi karne chala hai", Munna was scared.

Pandit tried to explain, " Dekh bhai, abhi raat ke dus baj rahe hain... uska poora parivaar ghar pe hoga... maar, maar ke ganja kar denge woh log hamein, " He was almost crying, "Mujhe to abhi tak tumhaari bhabhi bhi nahi mili aur ganja ho gaya toh kabhi milegi bhi nahi... bhai, reham kar apne bhai pe",  he pleaded with folded hands.

Sameer looked at their drama in amusement and declared, " Main to jaa raha hun... tum logon ko aana hai toh aao nahi toh apni nautanki karo yahan baith ke... bas mujhe bata do uska ghar kahan hai. "

Pandit looked at Munna in exasperation. They both let out a long breath and followed their friend. Munna directed Sameer to Naina's locality. He parked the bike a little away from her building.

Walking down to the gate of her society, Munna pointed towards the balcony,  "Yeh hai Naina Preeti ka kamra... do baar Swati ko yahan choda hai maine to pata hai... Preeti yahin se ishare karke batati thi ki Swati neeche aa rahi hai, " he shyly revealed his source.

Sameer looked around. There was a public phone booth right in front of her society. He walked in and dialled the number, hoping Naina will pick up.

The shrill ring of phone rang in the quiet house. Preeti had come to the kitchen to have water. She ran to pick it up before it could disturb the sleep of her parents.

"Hello."

No response.

"Hellooo... bolo bhai... baat nahi karni to itni raat ko kyun phone mila rahe ho? Ullu ho kya jo sone ke time pe phone kar rahe ho woh bhi baat nahi karne ke liye. "

Sameer held the receiver a little away from his ear and looked at it with a frown... both sisters had the same habit of blabbering.

He smiled and brought it back to his mouth, " Preeti... main Sameer. "

This was the first time Preeti was talking to Sameer. She could not control her excitement... and screamed, "Jijajiiii".

"Varun damaadji ka phone hai? Itni raat ko? De mujhe, kya ho gaya?" Her mother's concerned voice panicked Preeti.

"Nahiiiii... woh toh wrong number hai... mujhe laga jijaji hain... par woh nahi hain... wrong number hai... jijaji hote toh phir phone karte... haina... paanch minute baad... aap so jao mummy, " Preeti tried to handle both fronts... hoping Sameer will understand.

Bela looked at her oddly and came closer, taking the phone and putting it to her ear. Thankfully, Sameer had disconnected.

"Achcha so jaa tu bhi... pata nahi kisiko bhi damadji samajh leti hai... pagal hai bilkul", She instructed and went back to her room.

Preeti heaved a sigh of relief... picking up the cordless phone, she ran to her room.

" Naina, Naina... jijaji ka phone... abhi aaya tha... phir se aayega",  she happily handed the instrument to Naina.

They both waited.

Exactly five minutes later, the phone rang again. Naina picked up before the first ring was over.

"Sameer... "

"Oh!  Toh mera intezaar ho raha tha? " He was happy to hear her voice again.

"Tum na marwayoge... abhi chachiji pakad leti... itni raat ko kyon phone kiya? " Naina tried to control her nervousness by showing fake anger.

"Tumhe dekhna tha... so nahi pata tumhe dekhe bina", he answered innocently.

Naina giggled, " Yeh na phone hai... ispe sunta hai... dikhta nahi hai... Pagal".

"Pagal hi toh hun... tumhare liye... isliye phone se hi dekh lunga".

Naina was perplexed, " Kaise? "

"Bahar balcony mein aao... abhi", his answer confused her further, but she walked out, looking around.

The shock made her speechless for a few moments, Munna Pandit gave her a slight wave from across the road. Seeing her in the balcony, Sameer placed the phone on the side and stepped out of the booth, arms spread wide and a big smile on his face.

Naina's heart fell to the pit of her stomach... she looked around... but the street was deserted... lights were off in most of the houses... but still, this was her society.

She gave a pleading look to Sameer. He went back to the booth and picked up the phone again, inserting more coins to continue the call.

" Yeh kya kar rahe ho, Sameer... koi dekh lega! " Naina almost cried.

"Yahan koi nahi hai... aur main kya kar raha hun... tum hi toh jab apne doston se kuch dinon baad milti ho toh unhe kas ke gale lagati ho... mujhse bhi toh nahi mili kuch dino se... toh mujhe bhi gale laga lo na", he was at it again, looking at her face all the time... watching the changing expressions.

He could not see clearly because of the darkness, but he was sure Naina was all red by now. He gave a cheeky smile.

She was all red, indeed. And she wanted to fulfill his wish, she realised, colouring even more.

" Sameer, tum itni raat ko kyon aaye?" Naina tried to clear her mind.

"Tumse milne... ab mujhse ruka nahi jaa raha... mujhe milna hai... pass se dekhna hai tumko... pata hai poore 50 ghante aur terah minute ho chuke hain tumhe kareeb se dekhe hue... " He pouted.

"Dekhna toh mujhe bhi hai... umm... main na kal Swati se puchungi... uske paas koi idea hoga... usse bhi toh Munna se milna hoga na...",Naina suggested.

Sameer wanted to meet her soon, very soon... but seeing no such opportunity, he agreed to wait.

" Achcha Naina... kya tum mere sath bike pe chalogi? Yahan ek bohot khoobsurat jagah hai jo main tumhe dikhana chahta hun." Sameer was making plans to somehow get her out of the house alone.

"Bilkul nahi, Sameer... yahan toh koi bhi mil sakta hai pehchaan wala... yahan to main aisa soch bhi nahi sakti. " Naina was horrified at the idea.

Sameer didn't lose hope, "Toh phir movie dekhne chalein? "

Naina hated to disappoint him, "Nahi, Hall mein bhi koi mil sakta hai... main bataungi tumhe Swati se baat karke. "

Then, she added sweetly, "Main jahan bolu waha chalne ko mana to nahi karoge? "...  mentioning a temple was not right at this time.

"Tumhare saath toh main kahin bhi chal sakta hun... bas tum haath pakde rehna", he said with a tilt of his head.

Naina could feel the goosebumps.

Even though they were talking on phone, the experience of being able to look at each other while doing so made it very special... it was almost like they were in front of each other.

Even after disconnecting the call, Sameer stood leaning against the phone booth... filling his eyes with the vision of her simple beauty.

When Naina gestured, asking him to go, reluctantly he dragged himself away.

Naina smiled and hit the cordless on her forehead,  " Budhu",  rubbing her forehead as the cordless hurt more than her hand.

Next morning, there was a lot of activity in the house. Naina got up and saw chachiji hurriedly packing a bag while chachaji moved around trying to call up someone.

She ran to  Bela, "Kya hua, chachiji?  Aap yeh kya kar rahe ho... sab theek hai na? "

Bela gave her a tensed look, "Beta, woh meri badi behen hai na Gandhinagar mein, unka accident ho gaya hai... main aur tere chachaji abhi nikal rahe hai... hum kal aane ki koshish karenge... tu aur Preeti  akele rahoge...  waise to Bhabhiji hain par main janti hun unke hone se tumhe kitna sahara milega, " She sighed.

"Koi baat nahi, chachiji... aap yahan ki fikr mat kijiye... main aur Preeti sambhaal lenge... aap mausiji ka dhyaan rakhiye, " Naina comforted chachiji.

She quickly woke up Preeti and both sisters prepared some food for the elders to carry with them. Soon, they found themselves alone at home. They cleaned up the house and sat down to think what they could do to make the best of this freedom.

"Sabse pehle to Swati ko bula lete hain",  Preeti exclaimed, " Aur phir ek ke baad ek teen picture dekhenge".

Naina agreed happily. She called up Swati who joined them in less than an hour.

As the girls were thinking of which movie to watch first, the phone rang.

Naina picked up and instructed Preeti, "Maine kaha na Maine Pyar Kiya"... and then, into the phone, "Hello".

" Yeh kisko kaha jaa raha hai maine pyaar kiya?  Mere alawa sochna bhi mat kisiko aisa kehne ka... ", Sameer's annoyed tone reached her.

Naina smiled, " Tumse bhi pehle kisiko keh chuki hun... ", it was her turn to tease.

Sameer was agitated, " Kisko kaha hai... jaldi bolo... Naina, tumne pehle toh kuch nahi bataya. "

"Salman Khan ko... jab yeh picture dekhi... tabhi se woh mera favourite ban gaya. " Naina could not bear his trembling voice.

Sameer was still jealous, "Achcha ji...  aapke paas aapka personal Salman hai phir bhi dusre ko dekha ja raha hai".

Naina laughed at his self praise, " Par tum toh ho nahi yahan... toh ussi ko dekh ke kaam chala leti hun".

Before he could say anything, he heard a heavy, irritating voice at the other end,  "Nainaaa... O bai, yahan kya bhoot ki tarah khadi hai... jaa mere liye Bela ka woh neela purse le aa... mujhe aur tere tauji ko unke ek client ke yahan pooja mein jaana hai... Rakesh aur Arjun bhi Baroda gaye hue hain... toh tum dono shaam tak dhyaan rakhna... aur zyaada matargashti karne ka to sochna bhi mat... ghar ko saaf rakhna... yeh nahi ki thoos thoos ke khati raho tum dono... aur kapde dho ke daal dena... meri chaar saariyan hai... unhe press karke rakh dena... samajh gayi ya shakal ko tarah dimaag bhi kaala pad gaya hai? "

Naina said in a small voice, "Samajh gayi, taiji... sab kar dungi."

Preeti had brought the blue purse which she snatched and went away. The girls heaved a sigh of relief... then Naina remembered that she had just put the cordless aside, without disconnecting, when taiji had come charging. She picked up the phone to see if Sameer was still there.

"Hello? "

"Kaun thi yeh Naina? "

Her heart sank... Sameer had heard everything.

She tried to lighten the impact,  "Arre woh meri taiji hain... thodi sakht hain... par hamein aadat hai... phone pe baat karte dekhke gussa hoti isliye maine side pe rakh diya tha. "

Sameer was still in shock over the way the irritating voice had spoken to Naina... but something else caught his attention, "Tumhare ghar pe koi nahi hai? "

Naina replied innocently, "Nahi... chachaji aur chachiji Gandhinagar gaye hai, tauji aur taiji kisi pooja mein, aur  ", she could not complete as Preeti increased the volume of TV for the song 'Aate jaate' as the movie started.

" Hello Naina",  Sameer tried to say something.

She knew Preeti will watch this song at full volume, so she decided to end the conversation for now, "Bye Sameer, baad mein baat karti hun. "