The party was over but the excitement level in the college did not show any sign of dipping. The title winners were constantly being congratulated and pestered for treat. Though the three girls who won the title were always there to accept the greetings,  Mr Fresher was not seen anywhere. More often than not, students asked the three girls for his whereabouts, surprising them.

"Yaar ye sab hame hi kyon poochte hain Sameer ke bare mein? Mr Fresher bana hai... hamara Mr thodi bana hai?" Komal was visibly irritated after being asked for the umpteenth time. Sonali burst out laughing at her comment but Naina felt a burning feeling in her heart. Jealousy.

But the question was still unanswered. Where did Sameer Maheshwari disappear again and again... and how did he manage to come whenever he was needed.

"Mr India hai kya?" Naina started having doubts, "kal laal chashma lana padega... aakhir ye kabhi mujhe dikhta kyon nahi hai... cricket wale baaki boys to phir bhi kabhi dikh jaate hain par Sameer unke saath bhi nahi hota. Jaata kahan hai? Kahin kuch galat aadatein to nahi hain?" Naina shuddered at the thought.

Just then, she heard some gasps and looked up to see Neeraj walking in the room with an injury on his forehead, covered with a tape and a black eye. He also seemed to be limping... and his hand that held Naina's wrist was covered with heavy bandage. Everyone crowded around him, asking the reason of his injuries. Neeraj gave them a story of how he was attacked while driving back from the party and he fought alone with four goons, getting injured badly but not letting them take his bike and money. All were impressed with his bravery and praised him. As his eye caught Naina's, he lightly joined his palms and bowed his head, before quickly looking away.

Naina's eyes opened wide as realisation struck her. Sameer had done this to Neeraj. The story he was telling everyone was to save his face. "What had Sameer done to his hand? Did he break his fingers..." Naina shivered at the thought.

This realisation brought about a storm inside her. She could not focus on anything. Picking up the bag, she rushed to the library. Her table at the far corner was always empty. She loved to sit there as the huge window right next to it gave a view of the college gate and the garden.

Her steps halted. Someone was already occupying her place. No, not the seat... but the window.

Sameer was standing at the window, hands in pocket, his back to her.

She could sense that he was troubled. Something was bothering him.

Till now Sameer had come to her rescue... Naina decided that now it was her turn. 

"S... Sameer",  she softly called out.

He jerked his head in her direction, before looking away again. But in that fraction of a second Naina noticed that his face was stained with tears. He quickly wiped his face on the pretext of setting his hair and then turned towards her.

"Tum yahan? Class nahi attend kar rahi?" He enquired.

"Tum theek ho?" Naina asked him the question he had been asking her till now everytime they met, ignoring his query.

Her question brought a smile to his face. Naina thought her heart had stopped beating. Now was a good time to die... Sameer Maheshwari smiled at her.

"Tumhe kaam hoga yahan... main chalta hun," Sameer started to move.

"Kuch kar Naina... rok usse... bhagwanji ne itna acha mauka diya hai... aaj mat dar" Her mind voice screamed.

"Ruko..." Her sharp tone made him halt and turn back.

She took a few slow steps towards him, twisting her fingers.

"Kuch kaam hai mujhse?" He raised his eyebrows.

Naina took a deep breath to gain some strength, "Kya main do minute tumse baat kar sakti hun?"

Surprise was clearly visible on Sameer's face. He looked at her for a few seconds and then walked back to the window, settling down at the ledge.

Naina didn't know how to start now. She fidgeted with the side of her kurti. Sameer's eyes caught the action immediately. Before he could stop himself, he blurted, "Nervous kyon ho rahi ho,  bolo kya baat hai?"

Naina's eyes were wide open... how the hell did he know she was nervous.

Sameer tried to hide his folly, "laga mujhe ki nervous ho... wo maathe pe pasina aa raha tha isliye"

Naina decided to begin at the beginning, "tum mujhe kaise jaante ho?"

He was taken by surprise. "Tum aur main isi college me hai... class bhi ek hai... aur abhi freshers mein hum dono ko title bhi mila hai",  his eyes held a glint of amusement now.

Naina did not falter, " Aur usse pehle? Kya tum pehle kabhi mile the mujhe?"

His eyes showed some expression that she couldn't decipher. Then he looked down and she lost the view. When he looked up again, there was the same emptiness, "Naina, shayad tumne notice na kiya ho par main bhi PVKM school me tha... do saal. Main bhi Ahmedabad se hun."

Now it was Naina's turn to hide her emotions. But she was not as good at it as Sameer... so she turned her back to him. He had taken her name for the first time. And it did not go well with her heart... her mouth had gone dry... he was reminding her that he was in her school for two years... God! She had not done anything except look at him and think about him for that whole time... even after that... even now... even till this moment... all she could think about was HIM.

"Naina" He spoke so softly that she thought she had imagined it.

Slowly she turned, trying to gain some control over herself, "Mujhe pata hai... Hum ek hi school mein the... mujhe laga shayad tumhe na yaad ho isliye poocha tha."

He pursed his lips and looked out.

"Tum apne nanu ke saath kyon nahi ho? Yahan kyon aa gaye?"

Sameer didn't turn his face... she waited.

Suddenly he got up. "Mera practice ka time ho gaya hai... baad mein baat karta hun" he walked away without looking at her.

Naina kept looking at the empty doorway through which Sameer walked out... she lost the sense of time. Only when she felt a sharp pain in her legs did she realise that she had been standing in the same position since God knows when.
She sat down heavily on the chair, holding her head in her hands, "Dealing with this Sameer is even more difficult than dealing with the one in school" Naina muttered to herself, the pain in her heart reaching a new height.

Naina Agarwal, who never imagined that she could bunk any class,  did not get up to attend any lecture that day.

*****

Sameer had a tough time controlling his tears... Naina's questions had opened up his wounds again... not that they had dried up... but he was trying... till Naina came along.

Nanu... his nanu... his everything... the person he loved most in his life... left him. One fine day. No... it couldn't be called a fine day. Nanu was happy with Sameer's board result. So was Sameer.  He had planned to take admission in the same college as Munna and Pandit, his friends who were like brothers to him... even more. Nanu asked them to enjoy their day... go out and have fun. Sameer was getting dressed while Munna and Pandit jumped around, looking for something to eat in the kitchen when there was a loud thud sound. Sameer came running, thinking that his friends has done something. They were equally puzzled. The realisation dawned on all three at the same time and they ran towards nanu's room.

The old man was lying flat on the floor... eyes shut tight. Sameer froze on the spot. He just kept staring at his lifeline... gone straight. It was his friends who quickly called for ambulance and rushed nanu to the hospital. The rest of the day went by in a haze for Sameer. Doctors rushing past him, equipments wheeled in and out, nurses shouting for some medicine or the other, Munna Pandit running frantically to provide everything the doctors asked for... and he kept sitting like a statue amidst the whole chaos.

By evening, the doctors had given up. Munna Pandit came to him and tried to shake him out of his dazed state. Still not fully aware of his surroundings, he walked into the room where nanu was lying... attached to various tubes.

And slowly the fog in his mind cleared. His eyes widened in shock. He looked back at his friends who just nodded with tearful eyes. Sameer again looked at nanu who was now smiling at him.

Sameer fell on his knees next to the bed and held onto nanu's hand, crying bitterly. No one stopped him.

When nanu heard his hiccups, he gently placed his other hand on Sameer's head.

"Mere bachche... meri taraf dekh",  nanu's voice was full of love for him. Sameer slowly lifted his face and looked at him.

Nanu smiled. " Ab time aa gaya hai ki tu bada ho jaaye... Maine hamesha tera saath diya hai par yahan se aage tujhe akele hi chalna hoga... main jaanta hun mera baccha itna samajhdaar hai ki sab sambhaal lega...  par tujhe abhi se business ki tension lene ki zaroorat nahi hai... Maine munshiji ko wo zimmedaari saunp di hai...  bas kabhi kabhi thoda unke saath baith kar dekh lena... abhi tujhe apna college khatam karna zyaada zaroori hai...  man lagake padhai kar... phir tu tayyar hoga... Sameer Jai Prakash Maheshwari banne ke liye."

Sameer felt fresh tears flooding his eyes, "mujhe kuch nahi banna nanu,  mujhe bas aapka Sameer banke rehna hai...  mujhe aapke saath rehna hai, nanu",  he broke down again.

Nanu patted his head, " beta, ye to bhagwaan ki marzi hai... main nahi rahunga to kya, mera aashirvaad hamesha rahega tere liye... aur phir ek din tujhe apni jeevan saathi milegi jo tujhe itna pyaar degi ki tera jeevan mehak jaayega... mujhe poora yakeen hai... tujhe saari khushiyaan uske saath milengi... ek sone ke dil wali gudiya... jo mere bachche ka har dard samet kar uske chehre par hamesha ke liye muskaan bikher degi."

"Mujhe koi nahi chahiye nanu, bas aap chahiye... aap hi mere sab kuch ho...  aapke bina main nahi reh paunga... main bhi mar jaunga," Sameer cried in pain.

Nanu gently smacked his head, "aisa nahi kehte, pagal ladke... teri nani bhi to mujhe chor ke gai thi na... main bhi zinda raha unke bagair... Tu bhi rehna seekh jaayega... mat ro mere bache... main tera muskurata chehra dekhte hue jaana chahta hun... meri aakhiri ichcha poori nahi karega?"

Sameer wiped his eyes and quickly got up to stand beside his nanu's bed, still holding his hand. He tried to smile, as fresh set of tears started pooling in his eyes. Nanu gave him a smile and lifted his other hand to give a thumbs up sign.

And then his hand fell, lifeless.

The monitor behind his bed, which was beeping till now, showed a straight line.

Sameer didn't have much recollection of what happened after that.  There was a lot of activity suddenly and then everything stopped. Silence.

He felt Munna Pandit hugging him and crying. Soon, they left for home,   taking nanu along, covered in white sheet.

The house remained full of people for a few days. His mom and her family from Delhi had also come. Everyone hugged him and cried.

And then, slowly everyone went away. One evening, the day before his mom was to leave for Delhi with her family, he came down to take a bottle of water from kitchen when he heard Vishakha talking to her mother in law.
"Mujhe Sameer ki badi fikr hai mummyji... kaise rahega akele... soch rahi hun usse bhi Delhi le chalun... wahin college mein admission karwa denge."

Her cunning mother in law did not like the idea one bit, "Vishakha ye galti kabhi mat karna... yeh ladka theek nahi hai... iske saath koi khush nahi reh sakta... jiske saath bhi yeh apnapan dikhata hai unki maut to nishchit hai... pehle apne papa ko swargwasi kar diya phir apne nanu ko... tum bach gayi kyonki woh tumse naaraaz rehta hai... agar Delhi aake hum logon se pyaar karne laga to hamari bhi khair nahi... yeh hum sabse nakhush rahe aur door rahe isi mein hum sabki bhalai hai... manhoos hai tumhara beta."

Sameer held onto the kitchen sink to keep himself from collapsing on the floor.

When he thought about dadi's words later, he realised that she did make sense. He was indeed unlucky for those whom he loved.

That was the time he decided to shift to Mumbai college, away from all those who were important to him, who loved him, whom he loved.

Phew... this chapter was very tough to write. I had goosebumps while typing and now I'm emotionally drained. Please accept my apologies in advance for I'll not be able to post any more updates till tomorrow afternoon. Also, I didn't have the heart to re read it for any mistakes or typos... Kindly bear it with me.

And please don't stop showing your love to this story because of all the pain shown in this update... Things will improve.