Naina sat in the living room, holding the cushion tight. She was sure that Preeti's teasings will go many levels higher now.

To her surprise, Preeti came running from the room and hugged her.

Swati followed, smiling.

"Sachhi Naina, main tere liye bohot khush hun... itna achha laga sunke ki jijaji ko rukhi sukhi Naina nahi jhelni padti".

Preeti's words made her go red and widened her eyes at the same moment.

Swati burst out laughing, " Rukhi sukhi toh bilkul nahi hai, Preeti, dekha nahi kaise Sameer iske aage peeche ghumta hai, kuch toh baat hai... Mumbai jaake kaafi kuch seekh gayi lagti hai."

Naina threw one cushion at Swati and picked up another to hide her face in it.

"Achha ab meri behen ko koi tang nahi karega" Preeti again wrapped her hands around Naina's shoulders.

"Ab chup... " Swati kept a finger on her lips.

After a silence of few seconds, Naina peeped at them from behind the cushion... seeing them quiet, she put the cushion away.

And the room resonated with peals of laughter... Naina joining in this time as Swati hugged both of them.

Preeti looked at Swati and Naina once they were in control, "Yaar, tum dono toh set ho gayi... ab main akeli reh jaungi jab tumhari shaadi ho jaayegi."

"Tu bhi dhoond le kisi ko... fir saath mein shaadi kar lenge." Swati gave her the solution.

This was the biggest grievance of Preeti's life, "Bas yehi ek dikkat hai yaar... kabse dhoond rahi hun... milta hi nahi... pata nahi konse bill mein ghuske baitha hai".

They went on to chat and tease each other till the ring of the phone halted their conversation.

"Munna ka hoga", Swati ran.

"Hello", she excitedly said after picking up the phone.

Munna and Swati talked for a long time.

Naina was hoping to talk to Sameer but Swati did not seem to be in a mood to end her call.

Finally, she picked up her night suit and went to the bathroom to change.

"Naina... Nainaa" Swati's voice reached her inside.

"Kya hai Swati, bathroom mein hun", she gave an irritated reply.

"Sameer ko tujhse baat karni hai", Swati shouted.

Naina quickly changed and ran out, snatching the phone from Swati.

"Hello Sameer, " she spoke into the phone urgently.

"Naina... kitni der se phone pakadke khada hun... tumhe mujhse baat nahi karni thi kya?" He complained.

Naina smiled, "Main toh khud kabse baithi thi ki Swati ki baatein khatam ho toh tumse baat kar sakun."

"Main bhi... main toh aate hi baat karne wala tha par inn dono ne chedna shuru kar diya aur phone chupa diya", he looked at his friends  irritatedly.

"Ab bata do... aisi kya baat thi jo jaate hi phone karna tha", her voice was low.

His tone changed, to match hers, "Aaj man nahi kar raha tha wapas aane ka... tumhare saath hi rehna tha mujhe."

"Waise saath hi ho tum... abhi bhi... mere dil mein", she placed a hand on her heart.

Sameer closed his eyes, seeing her image, "Aur paas, Naina."

She could feel his hot breath through the phone.

Trying to divert him, she asked, "Achha batao, abhi kya kar rahe ho tum log?"

He glanced back, "Munna Pandit meri purani photos dekh rahe hain."

Naina was excited, "Hayee... mujhe bhi dekhni hai."

"Toh aajao... dikha dunga... saari album."

It was impossible to divert Sameer Maheshwari.

She tried again, "Umm... agli baar aungi toh dikhana... waise ab tum log bhi sone wale hoge na?"

"Abhi kahan... abhi toh ek aur picture dekhne ka plan hai."

"Picture!! Konsi? " She squealed.

"Horror movie", he whispered, giving the effect.

Naina's eyes went wide, " Horror film dekhoge? Woh bhi raat ko? Darr nahi lagega?"

Sameer laughed at her innocence, "Yeh film hai, Naina... sach thodi hai... hum log toh bohot baar dekhte hain... aur hanste hain nakli bhooton ko dekhkar."

Naina shivered, "Pata hai sach nahi hota par jab dekhte hain toh mujhe sab sach hi lagta hai."

"Haan, maloom hai... dekha aaj maine... kaise ro rahi thi picture mein... Naina main tumhare saath picture dekhne kabhi nahi jaunga... aise rote hue nahi dekh sakta tumhe." He was reminded of her tear stained face.

"Main toh jaungi... tumhare saath... aur jab roungi toh tum firse mere aansu ponch dena." She smiled.

"Lekin iss baar rumaal se nahi pochunga", his voice began to get effected.

Naina rolled her eyes, realising something, " Umm, Sameer, tumne kapde badal liye?"

He looked down at his night suit, "Haan... kyon? Aana hai kya? Phir se badal lunga bulaogi toh?"

"Offo... main isliye puch rahi thi ki woh rumal kahan hai? Matlab dhone daal diya kya?"

He thought about the collection of handkerchiefs he had... ones which had the traces of her fragrance.

"Woh sambhaal ke rakh diya... usme tumhare aansu the naa... tumhari har cheez mere liye anmol hai... toh usse bhi pehle wale rumalon ke saath ek khaas jagah rakha hai."

"Haww... aise hi rakh diya? Bina dekhe?" Her disappointment was evident.

He was confused, "Kya dekhna tha?"

Naina took a long breath, "Chalo chodo... ab tumhe pata hi nahi toh kya bolun."

Sameer narrowed his eyes for a moment, then ran to his cupboard, fishing out the handkerchief. He clutched it and went out to the other room, away from the loud chatter of his friends.

Slowly, he opened the folds of the hanky.

He stopped breathing... staring at it wide eyed.

There was a mark of Naina's lips... in bright red.

"Sameer? Tum ho? Kahan chale gaye? Hello... " Her voice seemed to be coming from far.

"Naina... " He whispered.

"Hello... kya hua?" She got worried.

"Yeh rumal... ", His throat constricted.

She got it... and bit her lip.

She had applied Swati's red lipstick and kissed his handkerchief... leaving a bold stain. She had seen his eyes earlier... hungrily moving to her lips... many times... but she could not gather enough courage. When he gave her the hanky, her mind replayed a movie scene she had once seen... and she went to Swati's room. Being fond of makeup, she was sure that unlike her, Swati would have a good collection of lipsticks. And she instantly found a deep, red one. After applying it properly, she had pressed her lips hard on the hanky... blushing at her action when she saw the mark. But she had not thought that Sameer might not see it. In fact, she had been expecting his call ever since he reached home.

"Naina, yeh tumne kiya?" His voice brought her to present.

She frowned, "Aur kon karega tumhare rumal pe?"

He was still breathing hard, "Mujhe bhi de deti."

It was her turn to stop breathing.

He brought the handkerchief to his lips and kissed directly over the mark, the sound travelling to Naina through the phone.

She gulped, instinctively raising her fingers to touch her lips... and a deep red streak crept up her neck, covering her face.

Few seconds of silence prevailed... none of them was in a condition to speak.

Then, his deep voice reached her, "Main wahan aa raha hun."

"Nahi Sameer," Naina looked around, scared, " Yahan mat aana... koi dekhega toh Swati ke liye mushkil hogi."

He realised she was right...

"Naina... ab mujhe saari raat neend nahi aayegi... pehle tumhari yaad mein nahi so pa raha tha, ab tumhara ye nishaan jagayega mujhe", he stared at the mark.

"Yeh nishaan isiliye diya hai jisse tum aaram se so jao... jab meri yaad aaye toh isse apne paas rakh lena."

He could see her blushing image.

His voice turned husky, "Paas nahi... hothon pe rakhunga... jaanti ho na kyon?"

She clutched the phone tight.

"Aur tab tak rakhta rahunga jab tak tum khud... " his voice trailed off.

Her heart fluttered and goosebumps erupted all over.

"Kuch bologi nahi?" He wanted to hear her voice.

"Hmm... " With her heart drumming in her ears, it was difficult to speak.

"Naina, I Love You... itna ki main batana chahte hue bhi bata nahi sakta... itna ki dikhana chahte hue bhi dikha nahi sakta... itna ki mere har pal mein bas tum ho... Naina... tum rahogi na mere saath hamesha?"

Her heart wrenched at his fear, "Sameer, tum ab tak darr rahe ho? Tumhe mere pyaar pe bharosa nahi hai kya?"

He closed his eyes, "Tumhare pyaar pe khud se zyaada bharosa hai... bas apni kismat pe nahi hai... usne itni baar mujhse sab kuch cheena hai ki dar lagta hai."

"Mujhe apni kismat se koi shikayat nahi hai... mujhe bhi bohot kuch nahi mil paya... lekin jo mila hai woh sabse anmol hai... aur uske liye main apni kismat pe naaz karti hun... tum meri sabse badi khushi ho, Sameer, aur tumhari kismat ab mujhse judi hai... isliye har darr ko apne dil se nikal do", her voice was soothing... erasing his fears.

He let her words calm his nervousness... then opened his eyes to look at the hanky again, bringing it to his lips, "Agar tum yeh kehke nahi kar ke batati toh zyaada achha lagta."

Naina let out a sigh, wondering how he could switch to such talks any time, "Tumhe aur kuch aata hai?"

"Aata hai na... bataun?"

"Bye", she kept the phone down.

They both spent a sleepless night...

Next morning, the girls finished their breakfast and spent some time checking out new magazines for designs of outfits that Swati needed to get stitched for the wedding rituals. She promised to visit Naina in Mumbai once and go shopping with her.

In the afternoon, Swati's parents were back. Preeti and Naina left for their house.

The day being a holiday for a local festival, chachaji was at home.

The moment Naina and Preeti entered the house, he came happily to Naina and held her shoulders.

"Naina, mere paas tumhare liye itni achhi khabar hai ki tum uchal padogi", he beamed.

Both girls looked at each other... wondering what could be so great.

"Kya hua chachaji?" She was curious.

Chachaji handed her a letter.

She read it... eyes widening as she went on...

Clasping the letter, she looked at her father figure, and hugged him.

Chachaji stroked her head, smiling with tearful eyes.

"Koi mujhe bhi batayega ki kya hua hai?" Preeti was staring from one to other, getting impatient.

Her mother came with a plate of sweets and stuffed one in her mouth, "Pehle tu muh meetha kar... phir batayenge."

Preeti munched on the sweet and when she could speak again, gave an annoyed look to her mother, "Aapko bhi pata hai... toh mujhse kyon chupa rahe ho? Main aapki beti nahi hun kya?"

Everyone looked at her as she looked at each one of them... frustrated.

"Naina, mujhe yahan koi pyaar nahi karta... par tu toh karti hai na... behen, bata na kya likha hai iss chithhi mein?" She tugged at her sister's hand.

Naina decided not to trouble her anymore, "Batati hun... yeh chithhi pata hai kahan se aayi hai?"

Preeti raised her eyebrows.