Sameer could hardly sleep the whole night. He kept thinking about the time when they would be alone... for hours together. He had wanted to book a first class coupe... to be with her in solitude. But it would have been difficult to explain to chachaji... even to Naina. Now they had to travel with a compartment full of people... but they'll all be strangers... he smiled in satisfaction.

As the first hint of light started to appear in the sky, Sameer Maheshwari fell asleep.

Ramdhari had prepared alu paranthe for train along with some sandwiches and kachori. When neither Sameer, nor Munna Pandit came to the kitchen till eight, he went to their room and knocked.

Repeated knocking also did not bring any result. Ramdhari opened the door a crack and peeped inside.

All three were fast asleep. He went inside, fully aware that Sameer had a train to catch.

"Sameer bhaiya... Sameer bhaiya." He tried several times but no one moved.

Left with no choice, he picked up the jug and sprinkled water on the sleeping boys.

They stirred, wiped their faces and went back to sleep.

Ramdhari, at the risk of facing wrath of Sameer, splashed the whole jug on three of them, focusing mainly on Sameer.

All three sat up with a jerk. They took some time to comprehend what happened.

When Sameer realised it was done by Ramdhari, he was filled with anger.

"Tera dimag toh kharab nahi hai? Teeno ko poora bhiga diya... aisi kya jaldi thi uthane ki... hum roz uthte hain na? Toh aaj bhi uth jaate." He screamed.

Ramdhari was prepared for this outburst, "Sameer bhaiya, aapko Mumbai jaana hai... dus baje ki train hai."

They stared at him... shocked. Then, together turned their eyes to the wall clock... it showed the time as 8:15.

The train was to leave Ahmedabad station at ten.

Suddenly, all hell broke loose... three of them started to run around... falling off the bed, pushing each other, stumbling over things...

Pandit ran to the bathroom and locked the door as Munna banged.
Sameer pushed Munna aside and shouted, "Pandit bahar nikal... meri train choot jayegi... tujhe kahan jaana hai jo sabse pehle andar jaake baitha hai."

Pandit opened the door, "Arre haan bhai, jaldi toh tujhe hai... mujhe thodi kahin jaana hai."

Before Sameer could enter the bathroom, Pandit closed the door shut...

Sameer raised his hand to bang again when he opened it, with a sheepish smile, "Sorry, bahar aana bhool gaya tha."

Pulling him out, Sameer ran into the bathroom.

Half an hour later, he was standing in the living room along with the suitcase and a bag.

Ramdhari had packed all food items in a box which Sameer adjusted in his bag.

He looked at the watch and screamed, "Agar tum dono mein se koi do minute mein bahar nahi aaya toh main rickshaw se chala jaunga."

Munna hurried out, adjusting his hair with fingers, "Chal bhai, main chod deta hun... Pandit toh bathroom se nikalne ka naam hi nahi le raha."

They placed the luggage in his car. Sameer looked back at the door, but there was no sign of Pandit. Waiting any longer was not possible.

He sighed, "Theek hai Munna, chalte hain... Pandit ko meri taraf se gale laga lena."

Munna placed the keys in ignition. As he was about to start, back door opened and a panting Pandit jumped in, "Aise kaise jaa rahe the... mujhse mile bina nahi jaa sakta bhai."

Sameer grinned as Munna raced the car towards railway station.

Naina had reached the station around 9:30, along with chachaji. She waited anxiously for Sameer, hoping that he doesn't get late. She wanted his good impression on chachaji to remain unchanged.

Twenty minutes later, the train chugged into the station.

Chachaji was also tensed now, "Yeh Sameer kahan reh gaya... ab toh train bhi lag gayi hai."

He turned towards Naina, "Beta, usse yaad hai na ki aaj ki hi train hai?"

"Yaad hai chachaji, sorry thoda late ho gaya", Sameer's voice reached them from behind.

Naina exhaled in relief.

Chachaji turned and smiled at the three boys, "Ghar se thoda jaldi nikla karo, Sameer... kabhi raste mein car kharab ho jaye toh train choot jayegi."

"Main aage se khyaal rakhunga, chachaji." Munna Pandit picked up the luggage of both Naina and Sameer and entered the coach, checking the seat number.

Chachaji blessed both of them, asking them to take care of themselves and each other, and left... satisfied that Naina was in safe hands.

They entered the coach, going to the seats where Munna Pandit had secured the suitcases. Sameer hugged his friends.

"Chal bhai... ab toh tu agle saal hi aayega." Munna could not hide his moist eyes.

Pandit placed a hand on his shoulder, "Bhai tu dukhi mat ho... tere samose aur falooda ka bill main de dunga."

After a second, all four burst into laughter.

Sound of the whistle forced the two boys to get off.

They continued to wave at Naina and Sameer who stood at the door of their coach, waving back.

As the train left station, Sameer pulled Naina away from the door.

He leaned back, crossing his arms, and looked at her.

Dresses in a yellow suit, she looked fresh and bright.

"Bohot sundar lag rahi ho", he smiled.

Naina wanted to be annoyed with him for coming late... but his one sentence made her forget all about anger and she lowered her eyes, playing with the edge of her dupatta.

He extended one hand and she held it. Pulling swiftly, he made her stand next to him, one hand around her shoulder.

"Toh?" He said, tilting his head towards her.

Naina looked up, "Toh kya?"

"Toh kya iraada hai, Mrs Maheshwari?" He arched his brow.

She narrowed her eyes, "Shayad aap bhool rahe hain, Mr Maheshwari, abhi humari shaadi hui nahi hai."

Sameer  gave a mysterious smile... and pulled out something from his pocket, placing a piece of paper in her hand.

Naina opened it and her eyes went wide, "Sameer, yeh tumne kya kiya?  Pagal ho gaye ho kya?"

"Haan, ho gaya hun... tumhare pyar mein", he leaned closer.

Naina placed a hand on his chest... pushing him back to keep a safe distance between them.

Dazed, she stared at the paper in her hand... train tickets booked in the name of Mr Sameer Maheshwari and Mrs Naina Maheshwari.

Sameer pressed her closer to his side, "Ab tum meri biwi ho... iss safar mein."

Naina looked at him... the intense love in those black eyes melting her.

He leaned closer, bringing his face near hers when a sound of people approaching made him straighten up. But his hand never left Naina's shoulder... even when a few people crossed them.

"Sameer, andar chalein? Yahan kab tak khade rahenge?" Naina felt conscious of the stares of each passerby.

He nodded.

They went to their seats...

Naina sat besides the window, Sameer on her side. There were three more people in the coupe... one couple and one middle aged man. The couple sat opposite them while the man was sitting next to Sameer.

Naina rested her head on the seat, looking out of the window. The passing fields with all their greenery giving a soothing feeling.

After sometime, Sameer tapped her shoulder, "Naina, kuch khaa lein? Bohot bhookh lagi hai."

"Sameer, abhi toh train mein baithke bas ek ghanta hua hai... abhi se tumhe bhookh lagne lagi?" She gave him a surprised look.

He nodded, "Woh maine subah se kuch khaya nahi hai."

Naina got up immediately, "Kya? Tum breakfast karke nahi aaye? Pehle kyon nahi bataya?"

With a worried expression, she quickly picked up her small bag, taking out a packet.

"Naina, Ramdhari ne alu paranthe diye hain... woh khaa sakte hain." He offered.

She looked up, "Main bhi alu paranthe layi thi, tumhare liye... aaj maine khud banaye hain."

His happiness knew no bounds, "Fir toh main yehi khaunga."

Naina spread a newspaper on the seat, placing a container with paranthas wrapped in a soft kitchen napkin.

Before she could fish out paper plates, Sameer rolled one parantha and took a huge bite... savouring it with closed eyes.

Amused at his unending love for such a simple food item, she opened another container and offered it to the couple on the opposite seat. The girl accepted half a piece, smiling back at Naina, saying a polite 'thank you'. She tore off half of what she had taken and offered it to the boy with her.

Following her actions, Sameer offered it to the man sitting with him.

When he refused, Sameer insisted, "Thoda toh lijiye, uncle... meri wife bohot achha banati hai."

The man could not help but smile and took a small piece.

When Sameer looked back at Naina, her face had gone red at his open declaration.

Taking a piece, he offered her. Silently, Naina ate it... not in a position to argue with him.

After the meal, Sameer helped Naina to put back everything in the bag, and then leaned back, satiated.
Naina bent down to put the bag under the seat... unknowingly, her hand rested on Sameer's knee as she pushed the bag.

All his senses jumped to attention at a simple touch...

"Naina, chalo haath dho aate hain", he said in a low voice.

She didn't have to look at him to know that his eyes had gone darker.

They walked to the basin at the end of their coach. As Naina placed her hands under open tap, Sameer covered them with his, gently rubbing her fingers.

Naina trembled as he turned her palm upwards and stroked with his thumbs, then brought the fingers under running water and cleaned the tips... moving down the back of her hand, he traced his fingers over hers before he slowly intertwined them.

Naina could hear the drumming of his heart as he stood half behind her, his heart close to her right ear. Her own seemed to be completely out of control, threatening to jump out. The sound of train got lost for them as the loud thudding in their ears was the only thing they could hear.

Sameer had his eyes fixed on her, observing the play of colour on her face as it turned from a blush to pink to red to a deeper shade now.

He closed the tap and fished out his handkerchief. Taking her hands in his again, he wiped them dry. Then, bringing them to his lips, he kissed her soft hands.

"Aaj pehli baar tumhare haath ke paranthe khaye hain... yeh uska thank you hai." He said softly.

Naina had turned beetroot.

He leaned closer, "Uff Naina, paranthe ke thank you se aisi laal ho gayi ho... jab poore khane ka thank you bolunga toh kya karogi?"

She bit her lower lip to stop the quivering. His voice had awakened the numerous butterflies that stayed in her stomach... and now they fluttered wildly, moving to other parts of her body as well.

His thumb stroked the back of her hands, making the butterflies grow bigger in size.

A sudden brake by the driver made Naina fall back against the metal wall as Sameer fell on her, pinning her against the cold metal.

His arms protectively closed around her as his face touched the hair. Grabbing the opportunity, he rubbed his nose in the soft skin behind her ear.

Already in a mess, Naina swayed as his breath fanned her neck. She clutched onto his shirt for support.

They felt the train slow down as the screeching sound on metal tracks brought them out of their dazed state.

Straightening up, they held onto the hand rail to balance themselves as Naina avoided his eyes. Sameer could look nowhere else.

The train stopped at a deserted station. It had a lone stall a little away from their coach. Except the person sitting at the stall, there was no one visible on the entire strech.

The train started to move in less than two minutes and they went back to their seats.

Unable to stay away, Sameer slid his  hand behind her as they sat, resting his palm on her lower back.

Naina looked at him with pleading eyes... his smile clearly indicated that he had no intention of giving in to her plea.

Her senses played havoc inside her as his fingers carried on their torture, pressing into the skin, lightly rubbing, tapping, even pinching softly.

"Sameer, sab hain yahan... kya kar rahe ho tum?" She muttered when his hand clutched the curve of her waist.

"Main toh bas apni biwi ke saath baitha hun... pyaar se", the naughty glint in his eyes making her sigh.

When the ticket checker arrived, Sameer had to remove his hand to show the tickets. He glanced at the names, looked at both of them and moved to the next seat.

Naina realised she had stopped breathing... for the first time in her life she had cheated... travelling on a false name was no less than cheating.

"Sameer, agar unhe pata chal jata toh?" She voiced her fear.

"Toh? Isme jhooth kya hai? Naina, mere liye toh tum kabse Mrs Naina Sameer Maheshwari ho... aur jaldi hi saari duniya ke liye bhi ho jaogi." He winked.

Naina wondered how she would last till the end of this journey.

They had their lunch when others around them started eating. After the meal, most of the passengers laid down for a siesta.

Sameer saw this as the right time to spend with his Naina. He dragged her out to the passage.

"Suno na, ab toh yahan koi nahi hai... ab toh mera gift de do", he whispered, holding her close.

Naina traced a finger along his hairline, "Gift rakha hai na hostel mein. Wahan jaake de dungi... pakka."

His face fell, "Naina, maine toh tumhe apni wife tak maan liya aur tum meri ek baat nahi maan sakti?"

"Maine bhi toh pati maankar hi tumhare liye paranthe banaye the", she looked directly into his eyes as her finger moved down his face, trailing down the neck, moving along the exposed collarbone and came to rest at the end of it, in the hollow of his neck.

Naina could see the goosebumps on his skin... her eyes shining with golden sparks against his dark ones.