"Sameer, tumse kuch mangu toh mana toh nahi karoge?" Naina asked softly.

Sameer was surprised... he could never say no to her, she knew it... also, Naina had never asked for anything.

"Aaj pehli baar tum kuch maang rahi ho... mana kyon karunga? Bolo na... kya chahiye tumhe?" He held her hands.

"Umm... woh mujhe... " She stuttered.

Sameer leaned towards her, "Kuch bhi maang lo."

She looked up and he winked. Realising what all was going on in his mind, Naina blushed... lowering her eyes instantly.

"Abhi chahiye ya shaam ko, apni jagah pe... matlab yahan koi aa sakta hai na?" He whispered, earning a punch on his arm.

"Main aisa kuch nahi maang rahi jo tum soch rahe ho," she said in a sharp voice.

"Achha, aur main kya soch raha hu?" He raised his brows, eyes shining.

Naina was caught in her own web... she turned scarlet, trying to turn her back to him.

He held her shoulders, "Achha baba, kuch nahi bolunga... bas tum yeh chehra meri aankhon se door mat karo... aur batao kya chahiye tumhe?"

She kept looking down, "Woh jo photo kal tumne li thi... wapas dedo, please."

He looked at her shy face, speaking in a low voice, "Bas itni si baat... photo kya, tum jiski photo hai usse hi le jao... apne paas rakh lo."

"Dedo na please, tumne bhi toh apne paas meri photo rakhi hai... maine kuch kaha kya?" She pleaded.

"Tum photo le lo aur uski jagah khud aa jao... main toh bilkul kuch nahi kahunga." His finger traced her hairline.

The touch gave her goosebumps.

"Sameer, abhi ke liye toh photo hi chahiye na", she managed to whisper as his finger moved over her ear.

"Theek hai, de dunga, shaam ko... par uske badle mein kuch milna chahiye na", his eyes were on his finger curling a lock of hair around it.

"Kya?" She looked up at him.

The dark eyes darted back to hers, "Doosra dose... "

Her heart jumped to her mouth as she remembered the first one... unknowingly, her lower lip went under the teeth.

His thumb immediately came up to pull at it and his voice turned heavier, "Kaha tha na yeh mat karna."

His face came closer... Naina brought her hand between them, placing her fingers on his lips as they were just inches away from her, "Bahar se awaazein aane lagi hain... koi aa jayega yahan."

He stared at her for a few moments, dark eyes reflecting her face.

Then he straightened, grumbling, "Ab yeh shaam kab hogi."

Naina moved out of his grip, picking up the packet with his gift and hiding it in her bag.

She walked upto him, "Chalein?"

Letting out a deep breath, he forced a thin smile and followed her to the door, unlocking it.

Before he could pull it open, Naina turned, lifted her heels and pecked him on the lips.

She ran out of the room before he realised what had happened.

He touched his lips, a wide smile spreading on his face and quickly walked out behind her.

She was talking to Rahul and Sonali at the end of the passage. He reached them and stood beside her, smiling.

Rahul was surprised to see him, "Arre Sameer, tu wapas kab aaya? Maine raat ko dekha tab bhi tera room locked tha aur subah utha tab bhi... mujhe laga shayad aaj din mein aayega."

"Main raat ko der se aaya tha", he answered.

Rahul was puzzled, "Raat ko hi... fir subah se room band kyon tha? Aur tu breakfast karne bhi nahi aaya."

Naina turned her eyes to him, "Tumne breakfast nahi kiya?"

Sonali looked at her, pulling her hand, "Bhook kahan lagti hogi bechare ko... jaise tu yahan tadap rahi thi waise woh bhi toh bechain hoga."

Naina blushed as both Rahul and Sameer looked at her.

"Chal ab jaake canteen mein kuch khila de isko... aaj waise bhi lectures  cancel ho gaye hain... Sameer ke aane ki khushi mein." Sonali teased her friend.

"Sameer ke aane ki khushi mein?" Naina looked sharply at her.

Rahul laughed, pulling Sonali in a side hug, "Kyon ched rahi ho becharon ko."

He turned to Sameer, "Aaj meeting hai professors ki, isliye final year ki classes nahi hongi. Hum toh picture dekhne jaa rahe hain... tum chaloge?"

Sameer contemplated whether it was a good idea, recalling Naina's teary response to anything remotely emotional.

"Nahi, tum log jao... Sameer itne dino baad aaya hai, uski jo classes miss hui hai main uske notes usse samjha dungi aaj free time hai toh." Naina spoke up before he could say anything.

Rahul rolled up his eyes, "All the best, bhai."

Leaning closer to Sameer, he whispered, winking, "Teen din baad aaya hai... kitni padhai karega pata hai mujhe."

As they walked away, Naina turned to him with narrowed eyes, "Mujhse promise le liya khana time pe khane ka aur khud khate nahi ho... breakfast kyon nahi kiya?"

"Tumse milne ki khushi se pet pehle hi bhar gaya tha", he tilted his head, touching his lip with a finger.

Naina quickly pulled his hand down, looking around, "Kya kar rahe ho... college mein hain hum... chalo canteen chalte hain, kuch kha lo."

They entered the canteen, happy to find their seat next to the counter vacant.

"Achha batao, kya khaoge... main leke aati hun", Naina started to go after placing her bag on the chair.

Sameer held her shoulders and pushed her back in the seat, "Main laata hun... tum baitho."

He was back in a few moments, having placed the order for pao bhaji, samosa and pastry along with a soft drink.

As they waited for the food, Naina complained, "Tumne bataya kyon nahi ki subah se bhooke ho... tumse toh raha bhi nahi jaata khaye bina... fir aise kyon kiya? Wahan bhi theek se khate the ya nahi? Ab main bolun ki tumhara wazan kuch gram kam ho gaya hai toh?"

"Toh?" He raised his brows.

"Toh main bhi gussa kar sakti hu na... jaise tumne kaha tha tum karoge agar mera wazan kam hua." She stated.

"Aur tumhe kaise pata chalega agar mera wazan kam hua bhi toh?" His eyes sparkled with a naughty glint.

"Jaise tumhe pata chalega mere baare mein", Naina failed to see what he was doing.

"Main jaise tumhe dekhta hun tum waise mujhe nahi dekhti... toh tumhe pata nahi chal sakta", his voice conveyed his line of thoughts.

Naina felt her hands tremble as she saw his eyes... her own lowering instantly.

Then, she slowly looked up, staring straight into his, "Tumhe pata hi nahi main tumhe kaise dekhti hun."

Before he could recover from the shock, the canteen boy started placing their food on the table.

Sameer gaped at her with wide eyes as Naina kept her attention on the table, her own heart beating wildly at what she had just confessed.

She pushed the plate towards him, "Khao na."

Sameer held her hand, "Jo abhi bola uska kya matlab hai?"

Gaining some control over herself, she looked up innocently, "Matlab... kya matlab hoga... yehi ki main bhi tumhara dhyaan rakhti hun jaise tum mera rakhte ho."

His eyes narrowed, trying to read hers, but she had her own carefully masked.

He did not register what all he ate, not realising that Naina fed him everything that was on the table. As he took a sip from the soft drink bottle, his eyes drifted to empty plates.

"Tumne khaya na?" He tried to remember who had what.

She smiled, "Haan baba, khaya... tumhara pet bhara? Ya kuch aur loge?"

Passing the bottle to her, he said in a low voice, "Kuch aur lena toh hai... par yahan se nahi."

She almost choked on the sip she was taking, making the drops spill down her chin to the neck of her white dress.

He quickly leaned with a tissue in hand... stopping in time as a group of students noisily walked in the door. He gave the tissue to her and Naina cleaned her chin, rubbing at the stain on her dress.

"Nishan gaya?" She asked him, not able to see it herself.

He shook his head.

She got up, "Chalo, abhi saaf karna padega nahi toh dress kharab ho jayegi."

They went to the water cooler. Naina took her handkerchief and wet it under the tap.

Rubbing over the stain, she mumbled, "Aaj hi light ko kharab hona tha... achha bhala pink pehen rahi thi... uspe zyaada dikhta bhi nahi ye nishan."

"Tum pink pehenne wali thi?" He caught her words.

She nodded.

He wanted to hug her again... sighing as the place was not right.

"Dekho saaf hua?" She lifted her face, leaving the expanse of her neck to his view.

He gulped, itching to place his lips on the soft, white skin.

"Boloo... " She asked impatiently.

"Umm... halka sa baaki hai... main kar dun?" He stepped closer.

"Aaj tum college se niklawa ke hi manna... peeche raho." She stepped away, looking around.

He smiled at her way of admonition, full of love.

She cleaned some more after wetting the handkerchief again, till he dipped his head to say all stains were gone.

"Library chalte hain... tumne jo miss kiya hai woh dekh lena." She suggested brightly.

Sameer groaned, remembering Rahul's words.

"Naina, kyon na yahan garden mein baithen?" He suggested.

"Yahan kitni garmi hai, Sameer... yahan kyon baithen?" She wrinkled her nose.

He plucked a flower from a nearby bush,  giving it to her, "Phul toh garden mein hi hote hain na."

She took the flower, laughing at his antics, "Zyaada filmy mat bano... chalo."

"Naina, chalo hum bhi film dekhne chalte hain... matlab koi romantic si, jisme rona dhona na ho." He leaned towards her.

She pursed her lips, staring at him with hands on waist.

"Kya yaar Naina, hamesha padhne ko hi bolti ho... kabhi toh maan jao meri baat." He sulked.

Holding his hand, she started walking to the library.

Exhaling loudly, Sameer followed.

They reached the place but instead of entering the door, Naina continued to walk up the stairs leading to the terrace.

He grinned, walking fast with lighter steps.

The moment they reached up, Sameer pulled her close, "Kya baat hai... aaj toh meri heroine poore mood mein lag rahi hai."

"Tumne hi toh kaha hamesha padhne ko bolti hun... ab isse pehle tum fir se mujhe padhaku behenji bulana shuru kardo, maine socha aaj padhai ko chutti de dete hain." She said slowly, hands flat on his chest.

"Maine kab tumhe padhaku behenji kaha?" He made a face.

"Kyon? School mein kehte hoge na... baaki sab ki tarah." She raised her brows.

"Nahi Naina, maine kabhi aisa nahi kaha... balki kuch time mere saath rehne ke baad Munna Pandit ne bhi tumhare liye aise bolna chod diya tha." He told her.

Her eyes turned soft, "Toh kya bulate the tum school mein... jab mere baare mein baat karte the."

"Main kisi se baat karta hi nahi tha tumhare baare mein... pehle toh kabhi socha nahi, aur jab tak ehsaas hua tumhare hone ka... tab tak tum meri jaan ban gayi thi... kaise tumhe kuch aur bulata?" He cupped her face lovingly.

"Mere liye toh tum pehle din se meri jaan the... aur uss time chahe jitna door rehte the mujhse, meri aankhon ke aage bas tumhara hi chehra rehta tha." She placed her hand over his.

He smiled.

"Mujhe wohi chehra fir se dekhna hai." Her voice became low.

He brought his face closer, "Dekh lo... tumhare ekdum paas hai."

"Photo wala... please dedo na photo wapas." She looked straight into his eyes.