"Good morning Naina, Sameer nahi utha kya abhi?" Rahul was coming out of his room when Naina reached the dining table.

"Uth gaya, bas aa raha hai." She looked back at their door.

"Naina, sun idhar aa zara." Sonali peeked from the kitchen.

She walked in to hear what her friend had to say.

"Kya baat hai, Sonali?" She asked upon entering the kitchen.

"Abhi jaana zaroori hai kya... nahi main rukne ko nahi keh rahi... par raat ko chale jaana... hostel ki limit toh nau baje ki hai... tum log yahan se aath baje nikal jaana." Sonali tried to prolong their stay.

"Sonali, humne packing kar li hai... apne man ko bhi taiyar kar liya hai... abhi kamzor nahi padna chahti... hamara chale jaana hi theek hoga... bas abhi breakfast ke baad hi nikal jayenge... chaar din baad pehla exam hai... tab tak thoda adjust ho jayenge... warna yahan toh aadtein hi bigaad di hain tune aur Rahul ne." Naina explained her reason, smiling warmly as she appreciated their hospitality.

"Achha promise kar jis din aakhiri exam hai ussi din aa jaoge... agle din tak nahi rukoge... yaar Naina, mujhe na abhi se iss baat ki ghabrahat ho rahi hai ki tere Ahmedabad chale jaane ke baad tujhse milna kaise hoga... pata nahi kyon... par mujhe aisa lagta hai jaise meri behen ghar se vida ho rahi hai." Sonali blinked back the tears that welled up in her eyes.

Naina hugged her.

"Tujhse milne ke baad mujhe kabhi aisa laga hi nahi ki main yahan Mumbai mein akeli hun... shuru mein jab Sameer nahi tha mere saath tab toh sirf ek tujhe hi dekh ke apnapan lagta tha... tune sach mein mujhe ek behen de di hai, Sonali... aur teri family se mili toh kabhi paraye lage hi nahi woh sab... kab aa paungi yeh toh nahi keh sakti par haan, Mumbai sabse milne zaroor aaungi... aur tujhe bhi aana hoga Ahmedabad... humare ghar." She comforted Sonali.

Sameer was seated with Rahul when they took the plates and casserole out.

"Sameer, aaj tumhare liye alu paranthe banwaye hain... bohot saare... achhe se khana." Sonali cheerfully informed him.

He smiled, "Thank you, Sonali."

"Yaar, ab yeh har baat mein thank you mat bola kar... bada ajeeb lagta hai... teri bhabhi ne banaye hai... tera haq hai usse kuch bhi banwana... jaise main Naina ko bolunga jab Ahmedabad aaunga." Rahul said.

"Haan, haan, banwa lena... lekin main Sameer ki bhabhi nahi saali banungi... aakhir joote churane ke paise milenge." Sonali settled on the chair besides Rahul.

"Tum Ahmedabad aaogi mere joote churane? Yahin chura lo." Sameer chuckled.

"Chura leti... agar tum bulate shaadi mein toh... main court mein bhi chupa sakti thi." Sonali gave a determined look.

"Par court mein maine joote utare hi nahi." Sameer said matter of factly.

"Haan toh ab yeh log aayenge na Ahmedabad, shaadi mein... tab toh utaroge hi... pheron mein utar ke baith te hain." Naina informed him.

They continued to eat while making plans for their visit.

Though it was Sameer's favourite food, he could not eat more than two paranthas... the heaviness in his heart was too much for him to enjoy the meal, though he kept up the facade of being normal.

"Chal Sameer, ab college mein milte hain, exam wale din." Rahul hugged him as they stood near the main door.

Sonali handed a small packet to Naina, "Ismein kuch paranthe hain... Sameer ne khaye hi nahi... toh maine socha tum saath le jao... wahan kha lena."

Naina kept the packet in her bag... and hugged her thoughtful friend, "Abhi bye mat bolna... ek baar aur aana hai humein... yeh exams ek baar khatam ho jaayein fir aaram se saari planning karenge."

Sonali nodded, excited at the prospect of making plans for their formal wedding.

"Naina, main bohot baar ghar se hostel ke liye nikla hun... bachpan se... par aaj se pehle kabhi aisa khalipan nahi mehsoos kiya... sach kahun toh kabhi kuch mehsoos hi nahi kiya... aisa lagta tha jaise ek routine hai, ek jagah ke din khatam hue ab doosri sazaa kaatne jaana hai... lekin aaj dil kar raha hai ki mud ke wapas chala jaun... lag raha hai ki kuch chooth raha hai peeche... jabki yeh toh hamara ghar bhi nahi hai... kyon Naina... aisa kyon lag raha hai mujhe?" He asked as they hit the road.

She had no answer... wrapping her arms around him, she placed her head between his shoulders, fighting back the tears.

They reached the hostel in twenty minutes. Without a word, Sameer parked the bike, taking his bag as he walked towards Naina who stood in front of the gate, looking at the building.

"Sameer, dhyan se dekho... yeh jagah jisse aaj hum bheegi aankhon se dekh rahe hain, yeh koi sazaa kaatne ki jagah nahi hai... yeh toh woh zariya hai jisne humein milaya tha... ghar se door, apno se door, yeh jagah hamare liye woh saaya bani jahan humnein apne pyar ko paaya... aisa pyar jo aaj hamari saanson se bhi zyada zaroori hai... hamari dhadkan se zyada baar dhadakta hai dil mein... kisi bhi ujale se zyada roshan karta hai hamari zindagi ko... har khusbu se zyada mehkata hai hamare tan man ko... kisi aur sahaare se zyada sukoon deta hai humein... har pooja se zyada shaanti deta hai dil ko... woh pyar Sameer, jo isse pehle hamare dil mein toh tha par sirf dard banke... yahan aake woh pyar hamare har dard ki dawa ban gaya... hamari har khushi ka sabab ban gaya... hamare jeene ki wajah ban gaya." She did not feel the few drops trickling down her cheeks.

"Maine yahan aake sabse badi khushi paayi hai apni zindagi ki... mere liye toh yeh jagah sab se zyada khaas hai." She continued to stare at the college and hostel buildings that had been their home for three years.

Sameer felt a curtain lift up from his eyes. It was like a layer had formed over his thoughts that Naina's words had managed to remove... the dust of separation that had settled on his heart was washed off by her tears.

Yes, this was the luckiest place for him... it gave him everything he wanted in life but never had. Knowingly or unknowingly, whatever he had craved for, now belonged to him.

Naina... his Naina...

She had brought the light of love, the warmth of a companion, the bond of relationship, the promise of a family... the loneliness that had always lived with him ever since he could remember, was gone... she surrounded him with such happiness that his life had turned from a curse to bliss.

Yes, this place could never bring any sad feeling in him.

The gloomy veil lifted...

They looked at each other, smiling through wet eyes. They entered the college together, holding hands... their feet springy, their hearts much lighter.

"Shaam ko?" He asked as they reached the path where they had to turn in different directions.

She nodded, "Lekin andhera hone lage tab, aajkal sab college mein hi rehte honge isliye main nahi chahti koi humein dekhe."

With a squeeze of hand, they said bye to each other, smiling.

The room looked strange to Sameer today. It was as if he had never stayed here... it was too unfamiliar. He opened the cupboard to put the bag in, and his eyes fell on her dupatta.

A smile spread on his face... Naina was everywhere... he turned towards the bed... he could see her sitting on a chair next to it, her head resting on the bed, over her folded arms. He walked up to the place, stroking the sheet where her hair had spilled over as she dozed off. His eyes drifted to the window. Quickly he went to stand in front of it... he could see her walking through the gate, swaying in the wind, shielding her eyes from the flying leaves and dust, holding onto the green saree... getting soaked in rain.

Turning back, he saw the foil wrapped packet... she had handed over the alu paranthe to him when they reached college... whomsoever prepared them, for him it was Naina who gave them to him...

He laid down on the bed, picking up the pillow and clutching it to his chest. His Naina pillow... when he had christened it as Naina pillow he couldn't recall... but he had always kept it close to his heart... trying to feel that he was holding her. Now he knew exactly how she felt in his arms... how her feminine curves moulded against his hard chest... how she pulled him even closer, pressing her hands on his back... still the pillow was special. It had given him the much needed warmth when she was too shy to come close.

Naina was right. This place, this room, this building, these corridors, these classrooms, the library, terrace, these gardens, the benches, abandoned playground at the back... their favorite spot under the tree... all these cherished places will be a part of his memories forever. He should not spend the last few days brooding... rather enjoy this time and make more memories. The distance between them... the imposing college building between two hostels did bring a piercing pain to his heart but the thought of sweet moments after this separation filled him up with ecstasy.

He had kept his promise to himself... of waiting for the day of their formal wedding... one week with Naina, alone, the wall of inhibitions shedding bit by bit with each passing day... he had come close to losing himself many a times... but managed to hold on.

If he could resist such temptations, he could bear these few days of meeting only for a couple of hours. No, he won't crib about it, rather focus on how to make her life beautiful when she stepped into his house.

He had no idea what all should be provided in the house to make it fit for a woman. When nanu was alive, he had kept everything according to his and his grandson's needs. Maybe he could have helped him... after all he had spent years with his wife and daughter... two women. But nanu was gone.

So was his wife... and daughter. His mother was the last person in the world who could help him. Naina's name itself would make her raise a storm. In fact, she would try every trick in the book to keep Naina away from the house... or make it uncomfortable for her if he went against her wishes. She defied every definition of a mother... was totally opposite of the image he had seen in movies.

A lone tear escaped the corner of his eye. Wiping it, he got back to thinking about any reliable person who could help. Munna Pandit... his lifelines... they were the best choice had he wanted to plan a circus.

The thought made him chuckle... they would have been the chimpanzees themselves... the amount of jumping around they did...

No, they wouldn't be of much use in setting up a house for Naina's comfort. Who else...

He sat up suddenly... Swati!

Yes, Swati was the perfect answer. That she was Naina's best friend was an added advantage. A feminine touch to the house did not seem unattainable anymore.

Naina would be surprised to see when she arrived. He would ask Swati and Munna Pandit to keep all this a secret from her. He would love to see the beautiful, brown eyes go wide in wonder.

He did not come to know when he drifted off to sleep, holding the pillow close to himself, a satiated smile on his lips.