Dinner comprised of Sameer's favourite dishes... all of them... jeera alu, masala gobhi, boondi raita and poori... followed by kheer. Seeing the dishes laid on table he got so lost that the thought of similarity with something of past took a backseat and he attacked the food.

His large appetite had become even bigger tonight... he lost the count of pooris he had eaten... and topped it with two bowls of kheer.

"Khaana kaisa laga, beta?" Bua dadi asked when they were done and Naina had taken the almost empty dishes back to kitchen.

"Yeh saari cheezein meri pasand ki hain... nanu ke saath jab do saal tha diwali pe toh woh yehi banate the mere liye... lekin aapko kaise pata chala?" He was surprised to see the same menu... even Naina was not aware of this... he had never mentioned.

"Mujhe Naina ne bataya... ussi ne kaha aaj yeh sab banane ko... tujhe pasand hai isliye." Phulla bua lovingly placed a hand on his head, feeling sad for his life spent without any family... she silently prayed he never has to spend any festival alone anymore... he deserved all the love.

"Naina ko kaise pata?" He wondered aloud.

"Ab yeh toh tu khud hi pooch lena." She shrugged, a mischievous smile on her face.

Naina had been busy sorting the kitchen. Most of the dinner had already been prepared by Phulla bua... she had just helped with the pooris. Now, after dinner, she had insisted that her grandmother takes rest... herself taking up the responsibility of cleaning up the kitchen.

"Jaa, ab Naina ki madad kar sab kuch sametne mein... main apne kamre mein jaa rahi hun... usse kehna kaam khatam karke aa jayegi, " Phulla bua got up to go for her much needed rest.

Sameer did not need to be told twice to be with Naina... the moment bua dadi said so, he was in the kitchen.

"Bataiye madam, aapki kya madad kar sakta hun?" He leaned against the marble platform crossing his arms.

Naina looked back at him, "Bas ho gaya, Sameer. Tum jao aur kapde badal lo... kahin iss kurte pe koi daag na lag jaye."

He looked so delectable in the blue kurta, standing in the kitchen while she worked... Naina could feel the tightening in her stomach. It was not right for her system to be close to him in this house with the afternoon experience still making her go red every time she saw the two open buttons of kurta. The thought of her cheek pressed on his chest while his shirt lay open made her break into a sweat again.

He walked up to stand behind her... she was wiping the platform with a damp cloth, rubbing at the same place while the images from this afternoon came alive in her mind.

He put a hand on hers, making the movement stop, 'Yeh main kar deta hun."

She shook her head, trying to keep her jumping heart in place as the silk of his kurta rustled against her arm, "Yeh bas ho gaya... bartan sink mein rakhke yahan ka kaam khatam hai... main kar lungi... tum jao na."

He lowered his face to place his chin on her shoulder, "Jabse shaam ko iss  suit me taiyar hoke aayi ho mauke ka intezar kar raha hun... aur ab mauka mila hai toh jaane dun... itna bewakoof toh nahi hun."

"Sameer, bua dadi aa jayengi... kya kar rahe ho?" She tried to move away, not wanting to show her vulnerability when her grandmother was present just outside the kitchen.

His hand slid around her waist as he straightened, touching his chest to her back, "Woh sone gayi... aur mujhe kaha hai tumhari madad karne ko," he brought his lips near her face, "Ab unhone kaha hai toh karni padegi na... unki baat kaise taal sakte hain."

She gave in, leaning back on him, "Subah bataungi unko ki tumne kya madad ki."

He kissed her head, before bringing his face down to place his cheek against hers, "Bata dena... woh kuch nahi kahengi... unhe pata hai kitna pyaar karta hun tumhe... shayad humein thoda time dene ke liye hi unhone mujhe yahan bheja hai."

She took a deep breath, closing her eyes, "Bua dadi jaise koi kar sakta hai ghar mein yeh toh main sapne mein bhi nahi soch sakti thi, Sameer."

He sighed, "Nanu bhi aise hi the... agar woh hote toh bilkul bua dadi jaisa pyaar dete hum dono ko." 

He suddenly remembered the food they had for dinner and straightened, holding Naina's shoulders to turn her towards himself, "Naina, yeh batao tumne saara khana meri pasand ka kaise banwaya? Maine toh kabhi nahi bataya... fir kaise pata chala ki nanu mere liye diwali pe kya banate the?"

Naina smiled at his confusion, "Maine toh socha tha tum khana dekhte hi puchoge par tum toh itne kho gaye sab kuch dekhke ki bas toot pade."

He pursed his lips, giving a sheepish look, "Woh main... sorry."

She laughed, "Jab uss din raat ko bua dadi ka phone aaya aur unhone humein yahan aane ko kaha toh agle din subah subah main bahar gayi thi... Ramdhari bhaiya ko phone karke pucha ki tumhare yahan kya khana banta tha diwali pe... unhone bataya ki jab tum the toh nanaji yehi sab banate the... fir maine bua dadi ko phone kiya aur bata diya... tumhare liye ghar jaisi diwali banana chahti thi."

He was overwhelmed... she had made this Diwali complete for him... along with her grandmother, she had given a homely feeling to the celebration... something he always craved for.

He kissed her forehead, "Thank you meri jaan."

The endearment never failed to make her ears burn, though she tried to show fake anger, "Sameer, kya bol rahe ho... bua dadi ne suna toh kya kahengi."

He shrugged, "Kuch nahi kahengi... khush hongi woh toh... unhone toh poori tarah se mujhe apna damad maan liya hai... dekha nahi aaj pooja bhi saath mein karne ko kaha."

Her eyes were filled with happiness, "Haan, main toh soch bhi nahi sakti thi ki shaadi se pehle hum diwali ki pooja ek saath karenge."

"Sach Naina, yeh saath mein pooja mein baithna, ek saath aarti karna, ek hi table pe khana... woh bhi sab meri  pasand ka, yun mil ke kitchen mein kaam karna... aisa lagta hai jaise hamari aane wali zindagi ki jhalak hai... bua dadi ne humein aane wale kal ka trailer dikha diya." He had a dreamy look.

She could see the dream too... together with him... it was their dream... slowly turning into reality.

"Ab hato... mere haath gande hain... kaam khatam karke haath dhone do... tum jao apne kamre mein." She said after a few minutes.

He pulled her away from the platform, taking the dishcloth from her.

"Sam... " Her words were stopped midway as he put a finger on her lips, shaking his head.

Naina stood quietly as he cleaned the entire slab... took all dishes to the sink and cleared the work area. Stepping back, he observed the spic and span kitchen and looked at Naina with a questioning look. She smiled, pursing her lips as she nodded, showing appreciation for the job done.

After washing their hands, Naina walked to the room where Sameer was staying. His eyes turned wide.

"Aaj toh lagta hai shaadi ke baad ka trailer nahi poori film dikhane wali ho." He whispered as she looked around... knowing it was safe to joke as she would not understand.

She bit her lip, thankful that she was not facing him... the beetroot red on her face would have put doubts in his mind.

"Woh dabba... sui dhaage wala... woh gir gaya tha na... woh... woh... dekhne aayi hun." She stammered.

Her eyes fell on the sewing box kept on the table, everything neatly placed in it. Without looking back at him, she picked it and placed it back in the cupboard. Sameer kept watching her, standing near the bed.

She turned... his intense eyes made her shiver.

"Main chalti hun," she moved past him when he held her hand and pulled.

She landed on his chest... palms flat on his kurta.

He placed a finger under her chin and lifted her face, "Aise kaise jaogi... good night toh bolo."

Her lips quivered, "Go... good night."

His eyes darkened, "Sirf good night?"

"Sam... Sameer, woh... mujhe jaana hai." She stared... without blinking.

"Toh jao," he tightened his arm around her waist, moving one finger from her cheek to the neck.

Naina could feel all tiny hair on her face and neck spring to life. His finger looped around the chain and pulled it out of her dupatta. Holding the pendant, he brought it up and placed a kiss on it, not taking his eyes off her.

Naina felt the chain fall back as he left it.

"Good night," he whispered, freeing her and stepped back.

Naina took a few seconds to realise that she was free to go. Turning slowly, she started to walk out, hearing his footsteps as he followed her, stopping at the door.

"Raat ko milne aunga tumse," his low voice stopped her... she looked back, startled.

"Sapne mein." His wink made her heart miss a beat as she quickly turned.

Smiling shyly, she took two steps... then looked back again... he was still standing at the door of his room, watching her.

Sameer realised what had happened only after he heard the door of Naina's room close.

One moment she was moving away from him and next moment she was next to him, on her toes, kissing his cheek... murmuring a soft 'Happy Diwali' in his ear.

It happened so swiftly that he could just stand and stare at the closed door, a hand on his cheek, the feeling of her soft lips lingering on his skin.

"Trailer khatam, Sameer beta... aage ki picture ke liye toh abhi bohot intezaar karna hai." He sighed and walked back to change into his tracks.

When there was no sleep even after two hours, he got up to get some water.

Coming back from the kitchen, he noticed the sliver of faint light under Naina's door.

"Kya Naina bhi jaag rahi hai?" His mind started racing.

Quickly going to his room, he searched for a paper and pen. Picking up the thin writing pad, he walked back, sitting down on the floor outside her room.

"Jaag rahi ho?" He wrote and slipped the paper under the door, holding onto one edge in case she was sleeping and he had to take the paper back... bua dadi might see it in the morning before Naina got up.

Naina had been sitting curled up in the chair, holding onto her pendant, dreaming about their life when it would be like today, staying together.

A rustling sound made her jump as her eyes fell on the paper moving in under the door.

She rushed to see what Sameer wanted, settling down on the floor like him.

"Tum bhi jaag rahe ho." She wrote under his sentence,  picking up a pencil from the side table and slipped the paper out.

"Tumhari yaad aa rahi thi." He wrote.

"Yaad toh mujhe bhi aa rahi hai... par ab subah hi mil sakte hain." She sighed, writing back, sliding the same paper out.

"Kya tum bhi wohi soch rahi thi jo main soch raha tha?" His next message made her blush.

"Main toh soch rahi thi abhi kitna syllabus baaki hai jo humein exams ke liye padhna hai." She wrote with a chuckle.

He gave a silent laugh, "Syllabus ke saath saath soch rahi hogi ki mujhe kaise padhaogi?"

Naina smiled and scribbled down, "Haan, tumhe padhana bhi zaroori hai... tabhi toh tumhe inaam milega."

His eyes brightened at her words. The paper had no space left so he tore off another one from the pad.

"Ussi inaam ke baare mein soch ke meri neend udd gayi hai." He wrote with a crooked smile.

Her hand trembled as she gave the reply, "Pehle padhai mein neend udao... fir aage ka sochna."

He could see her frown as he read it, writing back, "Main toh aage ka hi sochunga... padhai ke liye tum ho
na... tum mujhe padhane ka socho main tumhe padhane ka sochunga."

Naina could not write back for a few moments...

Another paper slipped in, "Kya hua... jawab toh do."

"Ab saare jawab kal lena... abhi jao." Her answer on the new paper slid out.

She had not returned the previous one.

"Jaane ka man nahi hai... saari raat aise hi baat karte hain na." He tried.

The expected reply came out, "Nahi, agar dadi bua  beech mein uth gayi toh theek nahi hoga... kal milenge... abhi so jao."

He sighed, "Ok... tum bhi so jao... tabhi toh main sapne mein aunga."

And he made a heart along with a pair of lips, adding, "Yeh tumhari pehle wali 'happy diwali' ka jawab. Trailer hai... poora jawab kal dunga."

Naina turned scarlet reading his last message.