Sonali had been missing college quite often. Naina was happy to see her finally one morning.

"Kitni classes miss kardi tune abhi se... shaadi ke time bhi karegi... fir kaise tera course poora hoga, Sonali?" Naina was worried for her friend.

"Haan Naina, woh shopping ke chakkar mein college ki chutti ho gayi. Abhi bhi itna kaam baaki hai... lekin maine mummy ko keh diya ki aur chutti nahi lungi... baaki kaam ab shaam ko karenge... mujhe toh khud badi tension ho rahi hai... agar shaadi ke chakkar mein fail ho gayi toh sabke samne mazak ban jayega." Sonali was a nervous wreck.

Naina immediately consoled her, "Itna darne ki zaroorat nahi hai... main tujhe kara dungi... bas tu roz ek ghanta mere saath library mein padh liya kar... dekh Sonali, yeh final year hai... tu abhi tak achhe number laati rahi hai... thoda sa dhyaan de degi toh ab bhi aa jayenge... shaadi mein jitne din baaki hain utne din achhe se padh le."

It was decided that Naina would help her everyday in the morning, before lectures, since Sonali mostly had to leave immediately after the classes.

"Naina, tum roz subah jaldi aaogi toh breakfast kaise karogi?" Sameer was concerned for her.

"Breakfast toh saat baje se shuru ho jata hai... main Sonali se aath baje library mein milungi... kha ke hi aaungi, Sameer. Tum chinta mat karo." She explained the arrangement to him.

"Iska matlab ab tum roz library se class mein aaogi... matlab main jo gate se tumhare saath aata tha woh nahi aa sakta." He realised he would be missing their morning meetings outside her hostel.

She placed a hand on his cheek, "Thode din ki hi toh baat hai... apne doston ki madad hum nahi karenge toh kaun karega?"

He held her hand between his palms and smiled, wondering how she could be so giving... always willing to help others... going out of her way to do whatever she can for anyone who asks.

The sessions with Sonali started from the next day. Sometimes Rahul joined them too. Sonali was a good student, it did not take her much time to catch up... also she had a great teacher.

In less than a month, she had completed everything and was at the same pace as other students. Naina had helped her relax on this front at least.

One morning, when they were redoing some problems, Sonali suddenly remembered something.

"Naina, abhi tak ka toh tune kara diya. Ab agle mahine jab main chuttiyan lungi toh jo miss hoga woh bhi please baad mein karne mein help kar degi?" She pleaded.

"Ismein kehne wali kya baat hai... pakka help karungi... par tu koshish karna kam se kam chuttiyan lene ki." Naina instructed.

Sonia wrinkled her nose, "Kam kaise ho sakti hain... shaadi se dus din pehle se mummy bahar nikalna band kar dengi... Rahul se bhi nahi mil paungi."

"Oh!" Naina was surprised... ten days without meeting... would she need to stay away from Sameer for so long when they got married... she shuddered at the thought.

"Aur kya... ek baar ghar mein band hui toh Rahul se seedha shaadi wale din hi milungi... bas phone pe baat karke kaam chalana padega." She sighed.

"Phone pe? Ghar mein itne rishtedaar hote hain... phone pe har samay koi na koi baat kar raha hota hai... woh bhi mushkil hoga." Naina enlightened her friend, recalling the time of Pooja didi's marriage when their house was full of people for days together.

Sonali gave a relieved look, "Woh tension nahi hai... saare rishtedaron ke liye papa ne alag se do teen ghar karwaye hain... humari society mein hi hain par hamare ghar mein koi nahi rahega."

Naina was surprised, thinking that in her family if anyone was asked to stay elsewhere, they would have taken it as an insult and created a lot of drama over it. Maybe, people living in big cities were more accommodating.

"Lekin Tu mere saath hi rahegi... maine mummy se keh diya hai... tu bhi dus din pehle hi aa jana... warna main akeli ho jaungi." Sonali was not happy with the prospect of staying confined at home for ten days.

Naina widened her eyes, "Dus din... shaadi teri hai ya meri? Itne lectures nahi miss kar sakti... main ek din pehle aa jaungi."

Sonali shook her head vehemently, "Ek din pehle ka toh matlab hi nahi hai... chal, dus din na sahi par chaar din pehle aana padega... saari rasmein shuru ho jayengi... tune hi toh kaha tha teri bua dadi ne rasmon ke liye naye kapde banwa ke diye hain... unka kya karegi agar aayegi nahi toh?"

Naina gave in, "Theek hai, lekin chaar din... bas."

Sonali hugged her happily.

Sameer was waiting in the class when Naina reached there. He got up to let her sit on the same desk.
She shifted inside, smiling at him.

"Kab khatam hogi tumhari tuition... miss karta hun tumhe, " he said in a low voice, dropping the corners of his lips.

Naina smiled at his cuteness, wanting to pull his cheeks... but they were in the class.

"Bas do teen din aur... fir Sonali ka kaam ho jayega... thodi si problems bachi hain, woh khatam karte hi library mein roz padhne ki zaroorat nahi rahegi." She cleared his doubt.

"Zaroorat toh rahegi, lekin mujhe... ab tum mujhe padhaogi nahi toh number kaise aayenge... bohot padhna hai Naina... tumhe kya pata iss result se mere kitne sapne sach honge, " he winked, making her blush.

"Bas aisi hi baatein karte raha karo... aur kuch mat karna," she showed fake anger, burying her face in books to hide her pink cheeks.

"Aisi batein? Kaisi baatein? Iss result ke baad jab main factory join karunga toh socho sabko kitna garv hoga... main toh iss sapne ki baat kar raha tha." He said innocently.

When she turned sharply towards him, he leaned closer, "Tumhe kya laga? Waise jo laga woh bhi theek tha... tumhare hi sapne dekh dekh ke padhai karta hun... ki kab meri Naina mujhe inaam degi."

If she was blushing earlier, now she turned into a puddle... turning crimson.

Sameer moved his hand towards hers but the professor entered the class... and she was saved from going a deeper shade of red.

When she reached the tree in the evening, Sameer instantly pulled her into his arms. Without any question, she wrapped her hands around him.

He pulled out the band, making her hair free of the restriction... Naina usually kept her hair open now... only sometimes she tied them in a pony.

His nose dipped into the soft waves as his hand rubbed her waist.

Naina started to feel the tightening in her stomach.

"Kal ka din tumko dekhke hi shuru karunga... subah kitne baje milogi?" He muffled against her hair.

"Kal library nahi jaana... parson milna hai Sonali se... kal lecture ke liye hi aaungi." She whispered in a shaky voice as his lips grazed her ear.

"Main raat ko aaun tumhare room mein?" He said against her ear, his breath making the hair at the back of her neck stand.

Her voice got stuck in the throat.

"Matlab aa jaun?" He probed.

"Nahi, " she managed a feeble reply.

His lips moved to her neck, "Aane do na, Naina."

She lifted her shoulder towards her ear, trying to stop the shuddering his lips were evoking.

"Sameer, aajkal kabhi kabhi saath wale room ki Shalu hai na... woh aati hai padhne." She stepped back a little.

"Kya Naina, sabko tuition dena tumhara hi kaam hai kya? Mere liye toh time hi nahi hai tumhare paas." He made a face.

Naina could not help smiling at the grown up kid, "Tumhare liye time hai tabhi toh yahan aayi hun."

He pulled her close again, "Par mujhe aur time chahiye."

Her eyes reflected his face, "Saara time tumhara hai... mere dil mein toh har samay tum hi rehte ho."

"Dil mein kaafi nahi hai... ankhon ke samne, baahon mein rehna hai." He leaned towards her face.

She placed a hand on his chest, jerking her face back, "Thoda sabr karo."

He crushed her to himself, "Main toh kabse sabr kar raha hun, Naina... tumhe pata tak nahi kitna."

Taking her hands behind him, she kissed over his heart, "Bas kuch mahine aur... fir main har samay tumhare paas hi rahungi."

"Tab main tuition dunga tumhe." He was barely audible... but she caught his words.

The implication made her shiver, making her hands clench behind his back.

His hands moved on her waist, going over the back, slowly reaching her head. His fingers weaved through her hair before he firmly held her head and bent it backward.

Naina looked into the dark pools laden with longing.

She inhaled, parting her lips. His eyes trailed down the invitation.

She could sense his hesitation... he was controlling himself... for her...

Taking her hand back to his neck, she applied a little pressure. It was all that he was waiting for.

His mouth closed over hers, slow yet demanding. She lost the count of sensations that hit her at the same time... the throbbing inside her belly spreading to the entire body, up to her fingertips.

Her fingers bunched his hair... and she kissed him back... with the same urgency.

It was his turn to shiver. The way she let her tongue move, his muscles tensed... he knew she would have a sensuous side but the unraveling of it would effect him like this was not known to him.

She felt the muscles on his back contracting as her hand moved over them.

When she moved, he felt a sudden loss... a vacuum.

Naina looked at him... his eyes had clouded, lips quivered and nostrils flared with each breath.

She was suddenly conscious of her action... she had taken the control of their kiss... she had kissed him with the passion she had been keeping hidden.

She jerked, trying to move away... but could only turn her back to him... as his hands on her waist remained firm.

He shifted her hair to one shoulder, bending down to kiss the back of her neck, not stopping at one.

She could hear the pounding of blood in her veins... as his lips delicately brushed over the sensitive skin. Not able to take it anymore she collapsed against his chest.

"Tumhe zyaada tution ki zaroorat nahi padegi, " he murmured against her in a husky voice.

Naina swallowed, wondering how he would react when he comes to know...

Later, in his room, Sameer relived the moment innumerable times... thinking about her response, about her dominance.

He was sure there were lots of surprises in store for him... once she came home.