The week went by preparing for the coming papers, library sessions in the morning and short one hour meetings in the ground in the evenings. Sameer wanted to come to her room a few times but Naina stopped him, saying that it would disrupt with their study pattern and they should not let any such thing happen. He knew she was right. She never refused him anything when he went to her room... but it played havoc with his system, making him lose sleep and concentration. He accepted her decision.

The next week was extremely tough and tiring. They had three papers with just one day gap each. The evening meetings were discontinued. They carried on with studies in the library... not wavering their attention from the books at all. Once the three exams were done, it was a big sense of relief. With only one paper left, that too after one week, the excited chatters in the corridor could be easily mistaken for the happy babble of those who had just come out after writing their last exam.

"Iss hafte ne toh jaan hi le li... ab kam se kam aaj toh main kisi book ko haath nahi lagane wala... Sonali, bolna bhi mat." Rahul perched on the parepet of college garden, feeling relaxed.

"Tumhe kya bolungi, main toh khud hi nahi padhne wali aaj... aisa lag raha hai jab se paida hui hun padh hi rahi hun... yeh aakhiri hafta khatam ho toh main prashad chada ke aaungi." Sonali leaned against her husband, placing her arm on his leg.

Naina laughed at her exaggeration, "Keh toh aise rahi hai jaise poore saal books mein doobi hui thi."

"Sun Naina, tere wali bimari nahi hai mujhe... teen mahine ki lagatar padhai na mujhe bohot zyada lagti hai... yaar hum itna padhte kyon hai? Matlab har insaan yeh sab seekh ke kya karega? Kuch aisa ho jiski humein zaroorat ho toh samajh bhi aata hai. Iss syllabus ki aadhi se zyada cheezein kabhi kaam nahi aayengi." Sonali seemed to be really frustrated.

"Aye haye, aaj meri biwi badi krantikaari ho rahi hai... chalo tumhe lunch karata hun kahin achha sa... Sameer, tum log bhi chalo na." Rahul wrapped one arm around Sonali's shoulder.

"Lunch... pata nahi... Naina... " Sameer wasn't sure Naina would be keen or not.

"Haan, chalte hain na, Sameer. Thoda change ho jayega... aaj sach mein aisa lag raha hai jaise exam khatam hi ho gaye." Naina accepted the invitation.

They left on their bikes. Naina had worn a suit. She could not sit cross legged but wound her arm around his waist the moment they reached the road.

Sameer pulled her arm to place her hand on his heart, "Dekho kaise dhadak raha hai mera dil... tumhare paas aate hi... ek hafte ke upvaas ke baad aaj kareeb aayi ho tum... ab itne din ki kasar toh poori karni padegi madam."

"Tumhare akele ka thodi tha, mera bhi toh tha upvaas." Naina shifted closer, resting her chin on his shoulder.

"Main bilkul taiyar hun har kasar ko poora karne ke liye... tum bas batao kab... baaki mera kaam hai." His voice had already gone heavy as he glanced at her through the mirror.

"Abhi aapka kaam saamne dekhke bike chalana hai... hum dono ko haddiyan nahi tudwani na... shaadi hai hamari." She held his chin to turn his face to the road.

"Hayee, yeh shaadi ki baat karke tumne aur ghantiyan baja di dil mein." He winked at her reflection.

"Kyon nahi, jab meri taiji ke taano ki ghanti bajegi toh kitna mazaa ayega tumhe aur jab papa ke thappadon ka ghanta bajega tab toh pagal hi ho jaoge tum." She teased.

"Tumhare liye sab manzoor hai... mujhe kisi ke pyaar ki zaroorat nahi hai tumhare alava... taane maare, thappad lagaye chahe ghar se nikal de... bas tumhe mere saath bhej de." He said softly.

She brought her other arm to hold him around the shoulder, "Aana toh saath hi hai tumhare, Sameer... yeh sirf ek koshish hogi... jisse kal ko dil mein yeh baat na reh jaaye ki shayad hum samjha paate sabko toh rishte behtar hote."

He blinked in assurance at her in the mirror.

She cleared her throat, "Umm... kya... kya tum bhi... matlab kya humein tumhari mummy..."

"Naina, jinki meri zindagi mein koi jagah nahi hai aur usse bhi zaroori baat... jinki zindagi mein mera koi wajood nahi hai... unhe main apni kisi khushi ka hissa nahi banana chahta." His tone was suddenly dry.

"Lekin Sameer, aakhir hain toh tumhari maa... tumhari family." She tried again.

"Tumhari maa kaun hai, Naina?" He flummoxed her with his question.

"Sameer, tum jaante ho na..." She had gone quiet.

"Jaanta hun... par tumhi kehti ho ki Bela chachi tumhari maa hain... tumne hi kaha tha ki sirf janm dene wali hi maa ho aisa nahi hai... Bela chachi ne tumko woh sab diya jo ek maa deti hai... isliye woh hain tumhari maa... par mere paas aisa koi nahi hai... aur janm dene wali ko main yeh darja de nahi sakta... unhone janm ke alava mujhe kuch nahi diya... apna naam tak nahi... main apne nanu ke naam se jaana jaata hun... Sameer Maheshwari, Jai Prakash Maheshwari ka naati... mujhe iss baat se takleef nahi hai...nanu se badhkar mere liye kabhi koi nahi tha... lekin apne papa ko janne ka haq toh tha na mujhe... sab apne maa baap ke naam ko apnate hain na... unhone mere papa ki pehchan tak cheen li mujhse... main unko kaise apni family maanu Naina, jab unke liye main itna bhi zaroori nahi ki woh ek baar kabhi mera haal chaal puch le." He let out the deepest of his pains.

"Kya woh kabhi phone nahi karti tumhe?" She stroked his heart.

"Karti hai... aksar karti hain... par sirf mujhe apne hisaab se dhalne ke liye... unko mere college khatam karne ka intezar hai jisse woh mujhe ek zariya bana sake apne pati ke business ko faayda dilwane ka... main Rohan nahi hun... isliye meri pasand, napasand, ichha, marzi, zaroorat... kisi cheez ka ahsaas nahi hai unhe." His voice held the insecurities he had been keeping within himself for how long, she had no idea.

"Sameer, tum wahan left le lo... Rahul udhar hi muda hai." She knew he would have missed noticing Rahul, occupied with the thoughts of his so called family.

When Sameer was parking the bike, Naina went to Rahul and Sonali, telling them that Sameer was presently disturbed due to his mom and it would be better if they carried on with the lunch plan some other day. Rahul had a fair idea about his equation with his real mother. He nodded and left instantly with Sonali.

"Arre, yeh Rahul kaha gaya?" Sameer looked around, surprised to see both Rahul and Sonali missing.

"Woh chale gaye, unhe kuch kaam yaad aa gaya tha... Sameer, kya hum wahan pahadi wali jagah par jaa sakte hain?" She touched his arm softly.

He wanted to be alone with her too... at some soothing place. And the hill was the perfect answer.

They reached the place outside the city in half an hour.

When they were seated on the edge, looking at the bustling city from a height, she held his hand within hers.

"Main jaanti hun tumhe kitni kami mehsoos hoti hai apni maa ki." She said in a soft voice.

"Nahi, aisa nahi hai... mujhe unki koi zaroorat nahi hai." He lowered his head.

"Sameer, mujhse zyada achi tarah iss khalipan ko koi nahi samajh sakta... isse maine bhi apni zindagi mein bhugta hai... lekin tumhara ghaav aur bhi gehra hai... mere papa ne mere sage bhai pe saara pyar lutaya lekin tumhari mummy ne jinke liye tumse dooriyaan badhai woh tumhare sage nahi hain... apne hisse ka pyar kisi aur ke paas jaate hue dekhna aasan nahi hota... unke kya kaaran the humein nahi pata... mere papa ka jaanti hun... woh mujhe zimmedaar mante hain meri maa ki maut ka... lekin ismein meri kya galti hai... aise hi shayad tumhari mummy ke dil mein bhi koi baat ho... par ismein unn bachhon ki kya galti hai...main yeh nahi keh rahi ki tum unhe apna lo par apne dil se saari kadwahat nikal do...dil mein jitne aise khyal honge utna hi pyar ko kam jagah milti hai... humein apne pyar ke liye apna dil har nafrat se khaali rakhna chahiye." She kept providing the warmth from her hands.

"Jo bhi ho... ab mere liye unn sab baaton ka koi matlab  nahi hai... jo log itne bade hoke yeh nahin samajh sakte ki bachche ko uske maa baap ki maut ka kaaran nahi maan sakte unka bada hona hi ek sawal hai... ab woh apna pyar jahan chahe lutayen... ab na unki kami hai meri zindagi mein na koi jagah... par yeh bhoolna aasan nahi hai ki kuch parayon ke liye main aisi zindagi jeene pe majboor hua." The bitterness in his voice caught her.

She stood up, pulling him along.

Turning towards him, she cupped his face, "Hamare saath ab tak jo hua tha woh peeche reh gaya... ab hum ek nayi duniya banayenge... apni khud ki family... jismein sab ek dusre se pyar karenge... behad... Sameer, hum apne bachhon ko kabhi koi kami nahi hone denge... na pyar ki, na apnepan ki... aur na hi unhe khud se door karenge." Her voice choked at the end.

Sameer looked at the short, delicate girl standing in front of him... holding him together when he was about to shatter, filling up the vacuum that had been a constant in his life... lack of family, promising him to give one which would make his life complete... this tiny girl had alone filled up every dry nook and crevice in his soul, soaking him with her love...

He had thought that he had erased all bitterness he harboured for his mom and her family... but the deeply ingrained insecurity he had about losing out to his step siblings cropped up suddenly today. The jealousy that was hidden under the cloak of indifference came out in open. He had never shown this side of his to anyone... scared of their reaction... not even nanu, or Munna Pandit... they always had the impression that he didn't care about his mother's children.

Today, Naina touched the sore part of his heart... and placed her healing hand on it instantly. The mere mention of having his own family... one where he would belong completely to someone and would be responsible for someone brought a new serenity to his life... to his dreams of future.

He looked into her eyes... the promise, the determination, the glimpse of future was all there... asking him to wipe off the darkness and accept the light that was ready to brighten his life.

He crushed her in his arms...

"Naina, main duniya ka sabse khushkismat insaan hun... kyonki tum mujhe mili... shayad bhagwaan ne mujhe itne andhere diye hi isliye the kyonki unko meri aane wali zindagi itni zyada roshan karni thi... itne saalon ke akelepan ko jaise tumne itni jaldi mita diya, mere andar jo bhi kadwahat bachi hai, mujhe yakeen hai usse khatam hone mein zyada samay nahi lagega." He rested his cheek on her hair.

Naina let out a deep exhale, satisfied that he was able to accept the past with less pain.

They sat for a long time before heading back to the hostel, stopping in between to have some food as they had missed lunch.

The darkness had spread around when they entered the college premises.

"Aaj ground mein jaane ka time toh nikal gaya... kal subah library mein milte hain." Naina looked up at him as they walked to their building.

He nodded... and puckered his lips to blow a kiss, taking advantage of darkness.

Her shy smile was all the warmth his bruised heart needed.