Feeling contended after eating his favourite paranthas, Sameer started his bike.

Naina perched herself on the narrow seat and put her hands on his shoulders... without hesitation.

Sameer was elated at her increased comfort level with their closeness.

They hit the road and this time Sameer did not have to go extra slow... though, at a few places, when the bike lurched due to bad roads, and he could feel her body touch his back, Naina immediately shifted a little, keeping enough distance between them.

He stopped in front of a large market area.

"Yahan kyon aaye hai hum? Tumhe kuch khareedna hai kya? " She asked, stepping down.

Sameer parked the bike and held her hand, walking towards the shops, "Mujhe nahi tumhe khareedna hai."

"Kya lena hai? Mujhe toh kisi cheez ki zaroorat nahi hai", Naina gave him a puzzled look.

He stopped and looked down at her,
" Kabhi kabhi zaroorat ke bina bhi kuch le lena chahiye... sirf khushi ke liye... aur aaj main chahta hun ki tum apni marzi se shopping karo... apne liye kuch bhi le lo... sirf aur sirf tumhari pasand se... aur yeh meri taraf se gift hoga".

Naina was touched by his thought.

Looking nervously at the big showrooms, she tightened her hold on his hand,  "Sameer, yeh toh bohot mehngi hongi na... chalo kahin aur dekhte hain. "

Sameer fondly looked at her hand clutching his own, and then at her face, all tensed up.

"Yahan tumhe bohot achcha samaan mil jaayega... hum yahin chalenge, " He pressed her hand in assurance.

They walked in a huge shop displaying all types of traditional and modern dresses.

Naina looked around anxiously.

"Hamein kuch achche dresses dikhaiye... inke liye." Sameer told the person at the counter, pointing at Naina.

Nodding, the sales person fetched several dresses and laid them on the counter. He started showing them one by one.

Naina glanced at each dress and then at Sameer, waiting for his opinion.
After a few, Sameer leaned towards her and whispered, "Tum meri nahi apni pasand se lo... jo bhi theek lage woh try karke dekh lena."

Hesitantly, she chose four dresses and walked to the trial room. A sales girl assisted her, waiting outside the trial room, holding other dresses.

Naina tried the first one but did not like it... she asked for the second one, tried it but didn't like it either. She put on the third one... blue colour... it looked nice... but a zipper at the back was too low and it was stuck... Naina could not close it. She decided to ask the sales girl for help.

"Aap please andar aake meri help kar dengi... yeh zip atak gayi hai", Naina called out to her.

" Jee", the girl stepped in the trial room.

Sameer was watching from a little distance. He wanted to see Naina in those outfits. But she did not come out of the trial room even once... and now the sales girl had gone in.

He immediately walked up to the small room and called out, "Naina, sab theek hai na?  Koi problem toh nahi hai?"

Naina answered, "Kuch nahi... bas woh ek dress mein kuch help chahiye thi. "

The sales girl could not fix the zipper after repeated attempts.

She asked Naina to wait, "Main aapko iska dusra piece laake deti hun", she stepped out and seeing Sameer waiting there, called back to Naina, " Ma'am, aap apne husband se yeh zip try karwa lijiye... waise main bhi doosra check kar leti hun."

Naina stood frozen inside the trial room and Sameer stood frozen outside. Both did not have the courage to speak till the girl came with another piece and handed it to Naina... who tried it with shaking hands.

She selected the dress, tried a few more and selected a white one too.
Sameer waited outside, looking at the clothes displayed on the dummies. His eyes caught one particular outfit... black jeans and a short sleeved pink top, barely reaching the band of the jeans...

"Agar Naina yeh pehenegi toh kaisi lagegi", His mind pictured her in the outfit and he instantly realised what a big mistake it was... his breath quickened and sweat beads appeared on his forehead. He gulped and closed his eyes.

Naina came out of the trial room and went to the counter, " Yeh dono de dijiye. "

She looked around and called out, "Sameer."

He quickly walked back to her, asking if she was done, and they came out after making the payment.

"Chalo kuch khate hain", Sameer suggested.

" Abhi toh tumne chaar alu paranthe khaaye the... itni jaldi kaise bhook lag gayi?" Naina was amazed.

"Arre, kaise nahi lagegi?  Pata hai kitni mehnat karni padi mujhko? " Sameer replied.

She stopped. Placing her hands on the waist, she joined her brows, "Tumne kya mehnat ki?  Dresses toh main try kar rahi thi. "

"Haan par unn dresses mein tumhe sochne ka kaam toh main hi kar raha tha na... aur sochne ke baad jo apne dil ko sambhalna pada... sach mein bohot mehnat lagi",  he winked.

Naina blushed.

This boy could make her go red even in a crowded market place.

They chose a small restaurant to eat. It had just a few tables with two chairs each. As they settled down at a table, a middle aged lady came to them, " Welcome beta ji, bataiye aap kya khayenge?"

They were surprised to see a woman serving... till now they had only seen men as waiters.

"Jee... woh... aap... aap order lengi?" Sameer was a little embarrassed to consider her as someone serving them.

" Haan, beta ji, ghabrao mat, yeh mera hi restaurant hai... khana bhi main hi banati hun aur khilati bhi main hi hun... bas ek Bobby ko rakha hua hai madad ke liye... woh abhi zara kuch samaan lene gaya hai... aap mujhe batao kya loge aap dono",  her voice was warm and welcoming.

Naina smiled and told her, "Aunty, aap hamein aap mat boliye... hum aapse bohot chote hai... aur haan, aapke haath ka khana toh hum zaroor khayenge... yahan hostel mein kha kha ke pareshan ho gaye hain, aapke haathon ke khane mein ghar ka swad milega."

The lady looked at her affectionately and nodded.

They gave their order and waited, as she went to prepare the food.

Sameer was looking at Naina with pride, "Tumne toh ek jhatke mein unn aunty se rishta jod liya. "

Naina glanced in the direction of kitchen, "Unhone itne pyaar se baat ki... mujhe laga jaise koi apna ho... kya pata unki koi majboori ho jiski wajah se woh yahan akele sab kuch kar rahi hain... ya shayad unka sapna ho jisse woh aise poora kar rahi hain."

She never failed to amaze him, "Tum itna sab kaise dekh leti ho?"

Her understanding of people and compassion astounded him.

The food was delicious. They finished all of it in no time.

The lady came to them again, "Beta ji, khana pasand aaya?"

"Jee auntyji, bohot tasty tha! " Sameer genuinely praised the food.

"Agar tum logon ko pasand aaya toh apne doston ko yahan ke baare mein batana... kya hai na, advertisement ke paise zyaada lagte hain toh thoda mushkil hai... isliye jisko achcha lagta hai woh auron ko bata de toh mera kuch faayda ho jaayega." She requested.

"Zaroor auntyji, hum sabko batayenge bhi aur khud bhi phir se aayenge", Naina assured her.

She thanked them.

As they were walking out, she called out, " Suno beta ji."

They halted and looked at her.

"Tum dono ki jodi badi sundar hai... hamesha itna hi pyaar banaye rakhna", she blessed them.

Both Naina and Sameer blushed at her compliment.

As they reached the parking area, Naina looked at the bag in her hand and hit her forehead, " Sameer, mere paas to ek hi bag hai... lagta hai dusri dress main wahan dukaan mein hi bhul aayi... tum bike nikalo, main leke aati hun."

Sameer moved to park the bike again, "Main bhi chalta hun."

Naina placed a hand on his arm, "Tum bike nikalo, main abhi gai aur abhi aai."

And she ran, not waiting for him.

She was back in a few minutes, "Mil gaya... main toh dar gayi thi." Relief clearly reflected on her face.

They drove down to Marine Drive as Naina wanted to see it in real, having seen it many times in movies.

The long walkway next to the sea, lined with benches and trees was breathtaking.

Naina was delighted to be there finally. She held Sameer's hand and pulled him to the low, cemented wall meant for sitting. She pointed out the huge ships in distance and marvelled at the vastness of the sea.

Later, they sat on the same cemented structure... legs dangling.

" Kya soch rahe ho, Sameer? " Naina observed he had been quiet for sometime.

He looked at her with dreamy eyes, "Uss sapne ke baare mein jo aaj sabne dikhaya."

"Matlab? " Naina didn't understand.

"Subah Phulla bua ne apna ashirwaad bheja... paranthon ke roop mein... phir uss sales girl ne hamein husband wife kaha... aur phir restaurant wali aunty ne hamari jodi aur hamare pyaar ki tareef ki... tabse main soch raha hun ki jab hamari shaadi hogi toh hamari zindagi kaisi hogi."

Naina's heart was filled with various emotions at the same time... joy, excitement, love, nervousness, fear... it all felt so beautiful, so rosy but so difficult to attain.

She shifted closer to Sameer and rested her head on his shoulder, linking their hands... he was surprised at her initiative to reduce the distance... that too in a public place.

"Sab maan jayenge na, Sameer?" Her voice trembled a bit.

Sameer tilted his head to lightly place it on hers and pressed her hand, "Hum mana lenge. "

They kept sitting for sometime... drawing strength from each other.

Naina got a whiff of something and looked behind, "Dekho bhutta, main laati hun... tum yahin ruko. "

Before Sameer could say anything, she was gone.

He sat watching her as she started checking the pieces to select the best ones.

"Oye... woh dekh", a rough voice fell in his ears.

" Kahan? " Another one, equally gruff.

"Woh peeli wali... kya mast hai, yaar", the tone was annoying.

Sameer looked around to notice two boys, dressed in flashy clothes, looking in the same direction.

He followed their gaze.

To his horror, he realised that they were looking at Naina... with a lecherous expression... and their dirty comments were also about his girl.

" Chal zara pass se dekhen... yahan se to solid lag rahi hai", said one with his shirt buttons open till almost his belt.

Before they could move, Sameer was besides his girl,  "Naina, chalo yahan se... yeh jagah theek nahi hai."

"Arre Sameer, bhutte to lene do... bas do minute mein ho jaayenge",  Naina protested.

" Nahi chahiye... bas chalo", he looked back to see the boys staring at them.

"Maine paise bhi de diye hain", she wanted her money's worth.

Sameer's voice had a tinge of anger, " Paise jaane do... aao mere saath."

Naina felt the change in his voice and looked at him sharply.

Seeing his red eyes, she realised something was wrong and immediately walked with him, in the direction of his bike.

Without any word, they had been driving for sometime when Sameer felt the pressure of her hand on his arm, she was trying to soothe him.

He stopped the bike near a coconut water stand.

As he got down to buy, Naina called out, "Bas ek hi lena",  he was annoyed that she was refusing to have it because he didn't let her buy bhutta... but her next words put him at ease instantly, " aur do straw. "

They leaned on the bike, sipping from the same coconut, as his anger melted slowly.

Looking into her eyes from so close, he could not remember anything else.

Naina didn't ask anything about the sudden change in his mood.

"Wapas chalein? " Sameer asked, after they were done with the coconut.

Naina nodded and they headed back to their hostel.

Getting down at the gate, she stopped him before he could take his bike in, "Aaj raat ko aaoge ground mein? "

"Raat ko? " Sameer was surprised at her request.

"Agar wahan tumse nahi milti toh kuch adhura sa lagta hai... kal bhi nahi mili thi... aaj thodi der ke liye aa jao, please", her tone was pleading.

Sameer wanted to scream and say he would come any time of the day... or night... for her... she didn't have to request.

On face, he just smiled and nodded.

They both went to their own rooms.