Sameer tightened his hold, nuzzling more into her neck.

"Naina, tum inn chaaro din itni zyada sundar lag rahi thi ki main ab tak hosh mein nahi aaya hun." His voice was muffled against her hair.

"Achha?" She tried to keep the shivering in control.

"Hmm... har ek din tum alag dikh rahi thi... mere bechare dil ka haal bura kar diya tumne." His hot breath was on her ear.

"Tumhe toh main hamesha hi achhi lagti hun," she tried her best to sound normal.

"Auron ko bhi achhi lagi tabhi toh jisse dekho tumhare baare mein puch raha tha... har kisi ko Naina ki shaadi karwani thi." He whined, lifting his face to show his irritation.

"Puch toh tumhare baare mein bhi rahe the," making use of the chance given, she turned to look at him.

"Kisne pucha?" He furrowed his brows.

"Sonali ki mausi ko bohot pasand aaye tum." She said in a teasing tone.

"Sonali ki mausi... Naina, woh toh mujhse bohot badi hongi na?" He locked his hands on her back, putting an end to her efforts of moving out of his hold.

Naina laughed, "Budhu, unki beti ke liye... Sonali ki mausi ko thodi tumse shaadi karni hai."

"Aur na mujhe kisi aur se karni hai... mere liye bas tum ho... hamesha," he pulled her closer.

Naina placed her hands on his chest, "Ab chalein? Tumhe neend aa rahi hogi."

"Aa rahi hai... yahin so jaun... tumhari god mein?" He leaned.

"Apne kamre mein jao... yahan thodi baith sakte hain zameen pe... jaake aaram se so jao... nahi toh beemar ho jaoge." She moved her head sideways.

"Beemar hua bhi toh kya hai... tum fir se aa jaana, dhyaan rakhne." He reminded her about previous year.

"Tab toh Rahul ne madad ki thi, Sameer... ab Rahul bhi hostel se chala gaya hai... ab aana toh mushkil hoga isliye ab tum beemar nahi pad sakte." She ordered.

"Matlab Rahul hota toh mere beemar padne se tumhe koi problem nahi thi?" He raised one eyebrow.

She was taken aback, "Nahi, mera woh matlab nahi tha... main toh bas yeh keh rahi thi... "

He cut her short, "Chida raha hun Naina, mujhe pata hai... par sach kahun toh mujhe beemar hone se koi problem nahi hai agar pichli baar ki tarah tum mere kamre mein rahogi."

"Beemar pade tumhare dushman... dubara aisa mat bolna." She gave him an irate look.

He looked into her eyes, "Nahi bolunga... jab tum itna dhyan rakhogi toh mujhe kuch kyon hoga?"

His words again brought tears to her eyes... forgetting her resolve of keeping distance, she flung her arms around him, raising the heels to put her face in the crook of his neck.

Sameer circled his arms around her, thinking that she was just hugging him. When he felt the wetness on his neck, he was alarmed.

"Naina, ab kya hua? Ab kyon ro rahi ho?" He tried to move her a little apart so that he could see her but she wound her arms tighter, refusing to move away.

Sameer scooped her small frame in his arms... lifting her off the ground completely.

She jerked, "Sameer, kya kar rahe ho? Mujhe uthaya kyon? Neeche utaro... please."

She held onto him even tighter. The fear made her forget crying and look up at him... her face directly in front of him, their noses almost touching. Sameer looked at the misty eyes... her wet lashes were clamped together... the cheeks were flushed at being in this position... a slight pulling in of her lower lip indicated that she was holding it between her teeth.

Seeing his intense gaze on her face, Naina said in a shaky voice, "Utaro na."

Smiling, he put her down.

She tried to move her hands but he held onto them.

"Pehle bolo ab kyon ro rahi thi." He bent a little, his neck within the circle of her arms.

"Sameer, tum aisa kabhi mat bolna... ki tumhe kuch... kuch hoga." Her voice was still shaky, though for a different reason.

The mere mention of anything happening to him had brought tears to her eyes... it pierced his heart to see such concern. He had never seen anyone worrying so profoundly about his well being.

"Ab tum aur royi toh... toh..." He was at loss for words.

"Toh?" She gaped innocently.

"Toh main bhi ro dunga." He made a face.

She smacked lightly on the side of his head, "Budhu ho tum... chalo ab jaake khana khao aur fir so jaana. Kal lecture der se hai toh subah aaram se uthna jisse fresh lagega."

"Kyon? Kya karwana hai mujhse?" He winked.

"Baaki ke notes likhwane hain." She pushed him, moving behind.

"Notes toh main jaldi se likh dunga, uske baad?" He stepped ahead.

"Uske baad padhne hain woh notes." She continued moving back.

"Padh lenge... uske baad?" He took another step.

"Uske baad... uske baad tum apne hostel mein chaale jaana main apne mein chali jaungi." Another step behind and she hit the tree... there was no place to move back.

"Aur tumhe lagta hai mujhse itni padhai karwa ke main tumhe yun hi wapas jaane dunga?" His one step closed the distance between them.

"Haan jaane doge," she slipped out of the small space between him and the tree, ready to run.

He caught her wrist, making her spin back. One pull and she crashed against his chest.

"Dekha... nahi jaane diya na." He spoke in a rough voice.

"Good night, Sameer." She said softly, indicating that he needed to go.

"Good night toh kiss ke saath hota hai... woh dedo fir chali jaana." He leaned.

She kissed his cheek.

"Yahan nahi." He gave a crooked smile.

"Sameer, main... main... woh..." She was conscious of not even washing her face after she got up from sleep.

"Fir se mat kehna ki tum brush karke nahi aayi ya naha ke nahi aayi." He titled his head to read her expression.

She lowered her eyes.

He smiled at her innocence. Cupping her face, he brushed his lips against her... and stepped back.

"Ab theek hai?" He asked in a low voice.

Naina looked at him, and ran away before he could say anything else... the tinkling sound of her payal filling the quiet surroundings with soft melody.

He ran a hand through his hair and walked back to his room, the sound ringing in his ears

Once there, he decided to stretch his aching back for a while before going for dinner.

When he opened his eyes again, the clock showed the time as half past twelve.

"Light band karna bhul gaya main aur aise hi so gaya." He switched off the bedside lamp. The room was still lit. He checked the overhead light. It was off.

"Kahan ki light on reh gayi, yaar?" He got up from the bed wearily.

There were no lights on... the brightness in the room was of the afternoon sun.

He looked at the clock again... then pulled away the curtain. The sharp sunlight made him shut his eyes for a few seconds.

"Kitne ghanto se so raha hun main?" Rubbing them, he wondered aloud.

And suddenly, his mind opened up. The morning lecture was at ten today. They had classes till one.

Naina.

He picked up the towel and ran inside washroom.

By the time he came out, it was one. Quickly running a brush in his hair, be rushed out, not stopping to lock the door.

The classroom was empty. He looked around. There was no familiar face amongst the students in the corridor. He sprinted up the stairs, heading to the library.

Naina was seated at their usual table. He took long strides, not breaking the rules of the library by running.

"Naina, sorry... aaj main so gaya." He held one ear.

She would have smiled without this gesture also but his sorry in this manner made her heart flip.

He pulled a chair next to her, "Jab meri aankh khuli toh sadhe barah baj rahe the... mujhe laga raat ke hain... jab samajh aaya toh ghabra gaya... tum pareshan ho gayi hogi na?"

"Mujhe laga tha tum so rahe hoge... do din ki neend thi... balki shaadi mein bhi roz raat ko der se sote the toh uski bhi thakaan thi... achha hua jo aaram se so gaye... kam se kam neend poori toh hui." She was relieved to see him all fresh... there were no lines on his forehead.

She cursed herself for letting her gaze move away from his eyes. The darkened jawline and wet hair which turned at the end made her knees go weak. She averted her gaze.

"Naina, mujhe bohot bhook lagi hai... raat ko khana khane se pehle hi so gaya tha... please, kuch khaane chalo na." He placed a hand on his stomach that was grumbling.

Her eyes went wide, "Tumne kal dopaher ke baad se kuch nahi khaya? Pagal ho tum, chalo jaldi."

They went to the canteen. Naina forcefully made him sit. She went to the counter and ordered pao bhaji, dosa, samosa and cold coffee for him.

It did not take Sameer long to finish everything.

"Agar humare ghar mein tum kabhi aise der se uthoge toh main tumhe alu parantha banake khilaungi." She watched him finish the last morsel.

"Fir toh main roz der se uthunga." He sipped the cold coffee.

"Arre, aisa nahi hai ki jaldi uthoge toh nahi khilaungi... sirf ek paranthe ke liye der tak thodi sona hai." She showed fake annoyance.

His eyes fell go her neck. There was a red mark on the side.

"Naina, yeh chot kaise lagi?" He tilted his head to see clearly.

Her hand flew to cover the mark. She had worn a dress with higher neck the previous day. Today morning she had also got up late and took out the one which was kept ironed, forgetting about the mark.

"Dikhao," he did not touch it as there were other students in the canteen but he wanted to see it clearly.

"Kuch nahi... woh zara dress se lag gaya tha." Naina brought a portion of her hair in front to rest on the neck.

"Dress se? Konsi dress se? Kal wali mein toh aisa kuch tha hi nahi... iss wali mein zip hai kya? Par yeh aaj ka toh nahi lag raha." He tried to take a look by shifting her hair.

"Sameer tum kya kar rahe ho? Hum canteen mein hain." She pulled back her hair.

He realized she was right. Quickly gulping down his coffee, he got up.

"Chalo," he waited.

"Kahan?" She gave him a confused look.

"Chalo toh," he extended his hand towards hers but Naina got up herself.

She followed him out. He kept going till they reached the classroom. He entered.

"Yahan kya karne aaye ho? Ab koi class nahi hai." She walked in behind him.

"Mujhe pata hai, isiliye aaya hun." He pulled her towards himself.

Naina stiffened.

He removed her hair and touched the mark with his thumb lighly, tracing the line on her soft skin. Then looked at her.

"Bataya kyon nahi?" His voice conveyed to her that he knew how she got it.

Naina lowered her eyes.

"Sorry." He placed a hand on her cheek.

Her eyes shot up, "Sorry mat bolo."

"Aage se aisa kuch mat pehenna jiske tutne se tumhe chot lage." His voice turned low.

"Par tutna kyon hai?" She frowned.

"Agar mere raste mein aayega toh main todunga hi na." His eyes were dark.