Naina was still lost when Shalu, a girl from the next room informed her that a phone call from home was waiting for her. She ran down to the booth. Chachaji and chachaji showered affection on her and Naina happily gave them the news of her selection for writing articles and the subsequent payment. Chachaji was a little apprehensive about it, saying that she needs to devote time to studies... but Naina convinced him that she would be able to handle both easily. Knowing her capability to work hard, chachaji gave in and blessed her. Chachiji fussed about how she was eating and what all was served in meals. They both then left the room to let Preeti talk to her dear sister freely.

"Naina, sun, bohot zaroori baat batani hai", Preeti's serious tone scared Naina.

" Kya hua Preeti? Ghar pe sab theek hai na?" She felt a shiver run down her spine, not prepared for a bad news.

"Naina wo Sameer ke nanu ab nahi rahe... Kal Pandit se pucha maine to pata chala." Preeti was also feeling sad at the loss of such a noble person.

"Oh! Mujhe pata hai yeh to", Naina's reply jolted Preeti.

" Kya???  Tujhe pata hai... par kaise?? " Preeti was sure Naina could not have called anyone, it was STD call and she wouldn't have gone out alone to the booth.

"Sameer ne bataya".

If Preeti was shocked earlier, now she was frozen... at comolete loss of words.

" Haan Preeti, meri Sameer se bohot baatein hui... aur usne khud bataya ki kaise uske nanu ko heart attack aaya tha aur kaise wo wahan ke ghar mein nahi reh paas raha tha akele isliye yahan aa gaya." Naina tried to revive her sister.

"Sameer ne tujhse itni baatein kari?",  the shock still had not left her.

Naina was more than happy to share her new experiences with Preeti,  " Main Sameer ko padha rahi hun... usne match ki wajah se classes miss kari thi na, isliye".

"Aur aaj woh mere liye Maggi leke aaya tha... usse padhane ke chakkar mein mera lunch time nikal gaya tha to woh apne mess se banwa ke laya tha", Naina went on.

Another jolt for Preeti.

" Behen, aaj to mujhe bhi lagta hai heart attack aa hi jaayega", Preeti wasn't sure if she was dreaming or actually talking to Naina.

Naina giggled at Preeti's dazed condition. She went on to tell about their conversation, carefully leaving out the last part where she had embarrassed herself to the root... and again colouring at the memory.

Preeti was thawing, "Sach Naina, agar Sameer tujhse aise khul ke baat kar raha hai to jaldi hi tumhaari dosti ho jaayegi aur phir aage to kuch bhi ho sakta hai, behen," the Preeti touch was back.

"Chup kar, Preeti, abhi se itna mat soch, " Naina tried to shut her.

A little later, Naina lay in her bed, her thoughts galloping... Sameer had not reacted to her blurting out. When she had opened her eyes, she found him looking at her, but not in anger... as she has been expecting. His face had a soft expression and his eyes were... wait... did they?  She could have sweared that his eyes had a dreamy look. But as he saw her looking back, he dropped the veil again.

"Chalein?" He had instantly got up, dusting his jeans and bending down to pick up the used plates and other items... not looking at her once.

Naina quietly got up and they moved towards their hostels... no one said anything... no one looked back.

The question remained. He had not answered.

Replaying the day's events in her mind, Naina kept swaying between elation, confusion and gloom... till she finally drifted off to sleep.

*****

Sameer had walked back from the ground, feeling on top of the world. He had quickly stolen a glance at her just before she entered her building... and smiled. How could anyone resist the innocent charm of this girl? Looked like some more people agreed with him...

As he entered the dining hall later, Rahul joined him. They picked up a plate each, filling it up with food. Sameer felt a bit irritated when Rahul sat with him at the table... he wanted to be left alone... to go back to thinking about Naina.

"Teri Naina se baat hui kya aaj? " Rahul's question made Sameer look up sharply at him.

"Kya baat?" He didn't get what Rahul wanted to know.

"Woh puch rahi thi tere baare mein... jab tu class mein nahi aa raha tha... tune jo books li thi library se, wo chahiye thi Naina ko... bataya nahi usne tujhe?"

Sameer was blank for a moment... and then got his girl's secret message. He smiled to himself, "Yeh Naina bhi... har baat mein topper hai."

Composing himself, he answered without looking at Rahul, "De dunga, sirf wohi books hain kya library mein? "

Rahul's anger was evident from his voice, "Dekh Sameer, tu toh padhai karta nahi hai... phir Naina ko zaroorat hai to deta kyon nahi... usse pareshani hui to theek nahi hoga."

Senses on alert, Sameer gave a piercing look to Rahul, "Matlab?"

Rahul was aware that he was no match to Sameer when it came to physical strength, so he mellowed down, giving a sheepish smile, "Yaar ab tu toh dost hai... tujhse kya chupana... woh bohot achchi hai... matlab shuru mein kuch khaas nahi lagi thi... par freshers party mein dekha to pata chala kitni sunder hai... try kar raha hun... baat to karti hai par kuch khaas bhaav nahi deti... shayad darti hai... par main set kar lunga."

Rahul went on dreamily, not seeing the temperature soaring at the next seat. Sameer was fuming. He wanted to thrash Rahul then and there. But he knew the repercussions... so he controlled himself, clenching his fists and narrowing his eyes.

Rahul went on, "Aajkal saath baithta hun uske... paddhati bhi hai mujhe... lekin usse dekhne ke baad padhai mein dil kahan lagta hai... lekin pata nahi itni simple banke kyon aati hai... thodi dhang se taiyar ho, freshers ke jaise, to achchi dikhegi."

Sameer got up with a jolt, sending the table crashing on the floor, with both their plates.

Entire Hall stopped to look at them... in silence.

"Sorry, pair ulajh gaya table mein", he tried to sound apologetic to the caretaker.

Looking at Rahul, who was still staring open mouthed at him, he said, "Sorry, tumhara khana gir gaya... dusri plate le lo."

"Aur tum?" Rahul managed to mumble.

"Mera ho gaya... tabiyat theek nahi lag rahi... main apne room mein jaa raha hun" he somehow managed the facade of normalcy.

Once in his room, the anger rose back. He kicked the table, not registering the pain, picked up the bedsheet and blanket and threw it across the room, brought the books crashing down from the table with a sweep of his hand.

"Uski himmat kaise hui", he ran his fingers through his hair fallen on the forehead. He was fuming. Pacing back and forth in his room, he was missing his punching bag... In Ahmedabad, whenever he was frustrated, he could vent out raining punches on the lifeless object till his hands ached. He did not know what to do here, to calm himself. He went to the window and stared out at the empty garden and closed gate. It was drizzling outside.

The vision of Naina trying to walk down to the hostel, holding her saree against the strong wind flashed before his eyes and his heart felt calmer. Her petite frame had swayed delicately... he had been scared that she would fall. And when he had offered the umbrella, she had stood rooted to the spot.  How natural it was to hold her hand and guide her,  there was no awkwardness. But then, a view of her back and it was his turn to freeze. And when he collided with her, the contact burned him and soothed him at the same moment. She had not moved either, standing transfixed against his chest. Sameer closed his eyes to control his emotions. It did not help... another image from today afternoon flashed. The way she had licked her fingers after taking a handful from his plate, how she ran her tongue on her lips after polishing off the entire thing... and when that thin sliver of water had trickled down her throat... he just wanted to wipe it with his thumb.

He kept one hand on his wildly thumping heart, stepping backwards till his legs hit the bed... and he gave in... falling back on the bed, a smile playing on his lips.

She had calmed him again... without being there, without speaking a word... without knowing.

When Sameer got up in the morning, he was surprised to see the condition of his room.  Then the events of last night came back... how angry he was... and how he relaxed when Naina's thoughts invaded his mind. Getting up with a smile, he cleared the room, putting everything back in place. He dressed hurriedly, not intending to miss a single minute that he could spend with Naina.

He had been waiting for almost half an hour before he saw her rushing out of the hostel. She came up to him with quick steps and without stopping, gave him a side glance, "Sorry, aaj late ho gayi."

Both reached the classroom and occupied their seats.

"Naina, sun na, aaj movie dekhne chalegi?" Sonali called out from behind.

Naina looked back and sadly smiled, "Nahi yaar, mujhe apna article complete karna hai... aaj to lecture bhi miss karungi... pehle do attend karke library mein baith ke ye kaam khatam karna padega."

"Arre yaar, socha tha hum chaaron chalenge... mazaa aayega," Sonali was clearly disappointed, but brightened suddenly, "kal chalegi? Aaj ka program cancel karte hain... kal tu bhi free rahegi"

Going out for a movie meant expenditure... and Naina didn't want that.

"Tum log jao... meri wajah se apna program mat badlo... ho sakta hai kal tak article poora na kar paaun, " she tried to wriggle out.

Sonali sighed and agreed to carry on with other two.

Just then, Rahul entered and smiling at Naina, went to the other row and sat with another boy.

Then, he looked back at Sameer's stunned expression and winked, giving a small smile, before diverting his attention back to the professor entering the class.

Sameer took a long breath of relief... though, was bewildered at Rahul's act.

At the end of second lecture, Naina said bye to Sonali and other girls and walked out, without looking at Sameer. He was in a fix... is she angry... but why... he had not done anything... his mind was flooded with questions.

His eyes narrowed as something struck him. Was she upset?  She had got late in the morning... then Rahul had not sat with her, rather winked at him... then she did not wait for the next lecture...

Did Naina have a fight with Rahul... if yes, why did it effect her so much... damn!  He clenched his teeth and left before the professor arrived for the next class.

He went straight to the library. The seat at the end was empty. He  searched in the canteen. No one. He ran to the garden, hoping to find her there on the bench near parking area... but the place had no sign of Naina.

Now he was worried...

"Kahan ho Naina?",  he collapsed on the bench, running his fingers through his hair.

The fears came rushing back... did something happen to her? He had spent last few days with her... did his bad luck land her in problem? Questions were endless... and no answer.

He sat for a long time, slipping into despair.

" Nahin, iss baar maine faisla kiya hai haar nahi manunga... Naina, tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga", he got up and ran to the boys hostel. Seeing no one at the entrance, he entered the phone booth and dialled the extension of girls hostel.

"Hello", the voice of caretaker boomed through.

" Hello... madam... mujhe Naina Agarwal se baat karni hai... main Arjun bol raha hun... uska bhai",  he said with great difficulty, keeping two fingers of his other hand crossed.

"Dekhti hun... shayad abhi wo college mein ho... hold karo",  warden kept the receiver and asked the ayah to check for Naina.

Sameer said sorry hundred times to bhagwanji for calling himself Naina's brother... but he knew that no other relation could be acceptable from a guy calling up for a girl in hostel. He remembered Arjun from school days.

" Hello Arjun bhaiya... kya hua? Sab theek hai na? Iss time kyon phone kiya?" Naina's voice laden with worry melted in his ears.

"Naina kuch bolna mat, please, main Sameer hun", he pleaded with her to stay quiet lest someone came to know.

" S... Sa... Sa... Sab theek hai bhaiya... main aaj class se jaldi aa gayi thi... kuch kaam poora karna tha... aap theek hain na?" She tried to bring her voice to normal after initial shock.

Sameer smiled. All was well.

He decided not to take the lie too far... and asking Naina to meet him at the same time, disconnected the call.

After the class, Naina had decided to go back to her room to work on the newspaper article as she was still feeling a little conscious around Sameer, after her stupid blabbering yesterday.

And he had not even answered her question. She had accepted him as a friend but he had not said anything. Did he not consider her even a friend?  Then why he asked her to meet him everyday? He was unhappy about Rahul sitting with her... why? If she was not a friend, why was he worried... or jealous?
Naina sighed and climbed back to her room.

At their usual time, Sameer was waiting for her, keeping himself hidden from her view. When he saw her coming, he adjusted the walkman.

As Naina neared the tree, balancing the notebooks she was carrying for him, the sound of a song from her favourite movie reached her ears

Tum ladki ho, main ladka hun
Tum aayi to sach kehta hun
Aaya mausam dosti ka
Ke aaya mausam dosti ka...

She quickly went around the tree to see Sameer leaning against it, arms crossed, a smile playing on his lips and the melodious voice crooning out from a walkman he was holding in his hand.

Naina stood transfixed... looking at him smiling down at her.