Sameer turned in bed... not able to sleep. He looked at his palm, and smiled. The name gave him immense contentment... he could now announce it to the world... he was indeed 'Naina ka Sameer'.

Keeping the palm on his heart, he folded one hand under his head... smile still on his lips. It was a matter of just one more day... and night. And then, Naina... his Naina... Sameer ki Naina... would be here, with him, in this house... never to go away.

He could not even imagine the time when they would be living together... for real. It was so close, yet so far. He had lived it in the past one month... but had yearned for it... for past one month. She had been with him... still, away from him.

"Kab aaogi, Naina?" He mumbled, pulling the quilt against his chest, hugging it hard.

"Aa jayegi, bhai... abhi bulane se kuch nahi hoga... do din shanti rakh." Munna's sleepy voice stunned him.

"Do din nahi, bas ek din." He blurted.

"Parson shaam ko jaana hai baraat leke tujhe... parson ka din bhi laga le... ya fir sooraj ugte hi ghodi chadne ka irada hai?" Pandit gave him some insight.

"Chup raho... parson ka din nahi ginte... woh shaadi ka din hai... uss din meri Naina dulhan banke aayegi yahan... iss ghar mein... woh khaas din hai... usse judai ka din mat bolo." He grumbled.

"Achha baba nahi bolenge... lekin tu bhi kuch mat bol... chup kar ke so ja... yeh tera bhabhi puraan sun sun ke kaan pak gaye hamare... ab toh tujhse zyada humein intezar hai teri shaadi ka... jisse hum chain se so sake." Munna rose up on his elbow, staring at Sameer with half open eyes.

He pursed his lips, holding his ears.

Munna turned his face to the other side and pulled a pillow over his head... saving himself from any more mutterings of his friend.

"Kaise kar sakti hun aisa... aur mujhe pata tak nahi chala... hey bhagwan... Preeti kya sochegi... agar koi aur hota toh... Pooja didi... yaa... chachiji... " Naina squeezed her eyes shut... mortified at the thought.

"Yeh sab Sameer ke bachhe ki wajah se ho raha hai... agar usne aise sone ki aadat nahi dali hoti toh thodi aisa karti main... upar se abhi bhi aisi baatein karta hai." She muttered, her head under the quilt.

She recalled how he looked at her in the phone booth... how he touched her... and her heart started to thud so hard she was scared Preeti could hear it.

"Sameer, please, ek din bacha hai shaadi mein... mat satao." She groaned.

A tap on the shoulder made her turn... Preeti pulled down the quilt from her face, a forced smile on her lips.

"Behen, pata hai ek din bacha hai shaadi mein... tu bhi so jaa aur mujhe bhi sone de... warna shaadi tak hum dono behosh ho jaayenge... neend aur thakaan se." Preeti folded her hands.

"Good night." Naina gritted her teeth, and closed her eyes, covering herself with the quilt again.

Morning was abuzz with the sound of banging hammers on metal. Sameer got up with a start. He had not been able to sleep almost the whole night... and now it felt as if he had closed his eyes just a few minutes back.

"Yeh... yeh kya hai?" He looked around with puzzled expression.

"Yeh tera sangeet hai." Munna said matter of factly.

"Huh?" He looked up at Munna, more confused now.

"Arre yaar, peeche taiyaari kar rahe hain... contractor tent lagwa raha hai... shaam ko function hai na... ya bhool gaya... raat bhar budbudata rehta hai... subah ullu ke jaise aankhen phad ke baith gaya." Pandit said in an irritated voice.

"Bhai gussa kyon ho raha hai... raat bhar budbuda toh tu bhi raha tha." Munna pressed Pandit's shoulder.

Flushed at this revelation, Pandit tried to get up, "Main naha ke aata hun."

"Ruk Pandit," Sameer was now properly awake, "Tune kal theek se poori baat nahi batayi... chal ab dono ko bata car mein kya hua... Preeti ne sach mein cassette sunke kuch nahi bola?"

Pandit looked at him, then at Munna, "Jaane do yaar, iss baat ko khatam karte hain... meri kismat mein pyar hai hi nahi."

"Oye, majnu ke jaise yeh baal bikhra ke roni surat mat bana... chal, pehle scene se sab kuch bata... koi baat kaatna mat." Munna pulled him back on the bed.

Sameer jumped and joined them to sit in front of Pandit on the bed.

He started narrating from the time Preeti played one cassette after the other, till she reached the one that had the recording... how she was shocked to hear his voice, and looked around... how she stopped once his monologue was over, and did not play the song further... and what she said after that...

Munna and Sameer gaped at him with open mouth.

"Usse koi interest nahi hai yaar... main zabardasti toh uske gale nahi pad sakta... jab woh baat karna hi nahi chahti toh faayda kya hai aise peeche pade rehne ka... sab gadbad ho gaya... kam se kam pehle dosti ke bahane mil toh paata tha... ab woh bhi khatam ho jayega." Pandit held his head in his hands.

Munna looked at Sameer, "Tujhe bhi wahi lag raha hai?"

Sameer nodded.

They grinned... and jumped on Pandit. He was taken aback at their reaction, wondering what had made them so happy.

"Tum dono dost ho ya dushman? Yahan meri love story ka shuru hone se pehle hi The End ho gaya aur tum log khush ho rahe ho?" He was peeved at their reaction.

"Abe gadhe, usne jo bola uska matlab samajh nahi aaya kya tujhe?" Munna smacked him on the head.

Pandit gave a perplexed look to him.

"Pandit, Preeti toh pehle se hi pyar karti hai... usne jo kaha uska matlab hai usne apne dil ko rok ke rakha hai, kyonki tune shayad kabhi aisa kuch mehsoos karaya hi nahi usse... yaar, yeh toh khushi ki hi baat hai... Preeti iss pyar se umeed kho rahi thi shayad... isliye woh samajh nahi paa rahi hai teri baat... bas thoda yakeen dilana padega." Sameer shook him, making him see the situation in a new light.

Pandit was flummoxed at this deduction... he had been too heartbroken when she didn't play the cassette further, the words didn't bring any meaning to him at that time... but now, as he thought about it, his friends seemed to be right.

Naina got up only when Preeti shook her, "Uth jaa behen, raat ko jaagne tak theek tha par din mein sona nahi chalega... abhi ek ek karke saare ghar wale aa jayenge dekhne ki Naina uthi kyon nahi... tu kahe toh bata dungi sabko... ki raat bhar toh jijaji ke liye karwate badal rahi thi... bechari abhi soyi hai toh sone do."

Naina rubbed her eyes, frowning at Preeti, "Chup kar, teri baari hogi tab puchungi... kitni yaad aati hai tujhe Pan... matlab..."

Preeti narrowed her eyes, "Naina, please... mat karo tum log ye sab... aisa mazak achha nahi hota."

Naina was about to say something when Bela's voice floated in the room, asking them to finish their bath soon.

"Jaa, tu pehle naha ke aaja." Preeti turned, thankful that they don't have to discuss this anymore.

Naina quietly went for her bath.

"Meri mehendi dekh... kitna gehra rang aaya hai." After coming out of the washroom, she showed her palms to Preeti.

"Waah Naina, itna achha rang... waise iski zaroorat nahi hai batane ke liye ki jijaji tujhse kitna pyar karte hain... dikhta hai sabko... unke pyar ke hisaab se toh teri mehendi ka rang kaala pad jaana chahiye tha... fir bhi unke pyar se kam rehta." Preeti held her palms, admiring the colour.

"Eekkk minute, yeh kya hai... aur kaise... Naina ka Sameer... tune toh sirf Sameer likhwaya tha... maine khud dekha tha." Preeti bent over her left palm, staring at the name.

Naina shyly told her about the names they wrote on each other's hands.

"Aye hayee, ab bas chat pe khade hoke chillana baki hai... baaki saare majnu wale kaam toh kar chuke hain hamare pyar mein pagal jijaji." Preeti teased her sister.

"Chup kar... tu dikha apni mehendi." Naina tried to hide her blush.

Preeti turned her face and held out her palms, her nose wrinkled. She had not even looked at her coloured hands.

Naina was shocked to see the letter P in her mehendi... she looked up at Preeti.

"Tune... tune yeh likhwaya hai?" She  asked in a low voice.

Preeti jerked her head to see what Naina was saying.

Her mouth fell open... a bold, dark P stared at her...

"Preeti...?" Naina gave her a questioning look.

"Yeh kaise aaya... kyon... maine toh kaha tha uss mehendi wali se... fir... kaise?" Preeti stared at her hand with wide eyes.

Suddenly, she started to rub her palm vigorously, over the alphabet.

"Yeh kya kar rahi hai... pagal hai kya... pen ka nishan nahi hai... ab yeh rang dheere dheere hi jayega." Naina held her hand.

"Maine nahi kaha tha Naina... yeh kyon likh diya usne... maine bola tha mujhe kuch nahi likhwana." Her eyes pooled up.

Naina pulled her into a hug, "Rone ki kya baat hai... shayad yeh koi ishara ho."

"Mujhe nahi chahiye aisa ishara, itni mushkil se khud ko sambhala hai... fir se dil mein umeed nahi jagani... usse kabhi samajh nahi aayega... uske liye sab kuch mazak hai." She broke down on Naina's shoulder.

Stroking her back, Naina tried to comprehend what she had just heard...

A smile spread on her face... all would be well now that she knew what was in Preeti's heart.

"Sun Naina, aaj kya pehenegi?" Pooja didi barged in... stopping suddenly to see them crying.

"Kya hua? Ro kyon rahi hai, Preeti?" She quickly came to stroke Preeti's head.

"Woh Preeti ko lag raha hai ki kal ke baad main yahan nahi rahungi, isliye uska dil bhar aya." Naina saved Preeti from any explanation.

"Hat pagal... rote thodi hain... main bhi toh gayi thi... hayee... tum dono mere jaane pe toh nahi royi... mere jaane ka kisi ko dukh nahi hua kya?" Pooja pouted.

"Pooja didi, aap jab gayi thi tab hum school mein the... tab toh khushi hui thi ki chalo ab kamra hamara ho gaya... almari mein bhi koi hissa nahi mangega... humein toh bada maza aaya tha." Naina chuckled.

Preeti also giggled, wiping her eyes.

The sisters sat down to check out the outfits for the evening. Naina's new dress was ready. Preeti was wearing a lehenga that she had got made on Swati's engagement.

Naina waited for everyone to get busy before she called Sameer.

"Good morning, jaan." He said softly.

"Sameer... kaisa rang hai tumhari mehendi ka?" She asked.

He looked at his palm, "Bilkul tumhare pyar jaisa... ekdam gehra."

"Mera bhi... tumhare pyar jaisa hi hai." She smiled.

"Naina, aaj shaam ko humein saath mein dance karna hai... taiyar ho na tum?" He reminded her.

"Hmm... ab koi dar nahi hai... aaj sab humein ek saath dekh ke na sirf khush honge balki humein ashirwaad bhi denge ki hum aise hi ek doosre se pyar karte rahein... yehi toh chahiye tha humein." She exhaled with satisfaction.

"Ab saari rukaawatein mit gayi hain, Naina... aur jo doori hai woh kal mit jaayegi... bas ab kal ka intezar hai... kal raat bhi tumhari yaad mein neend nahi aayi... Munna Pandit ched rahe the mujhe." He whined.

"Kal toh mujhe..." Naina stopped herself.

"Tumhe kya?" He raised his brows.

"Nahi, kuch nahi." She bit her lip.

"Bolo... nahi toh wahan aake puchna padega mujhe." He said in a deep voice.

"Sameer, please na... baad mein bata dungi." She pleaded.

"Mujhe abhi sunna hai." He was adamant.

She gulped... her pulse racing at his reaction.

"Main intezar kar raha hun." He demanded.

"Woh... kal raat... Preeti keh rahi thi ki main... main... raat ko... woh baar baar tumhara naam leke... " She turned scarlet.

"Mera naam leke kya?" He prodded.

She shut her eyes, "Tumhari hi galti hai... kyon tumne aadat daali... aise bina tshirt ke saath mein sone ki... mujhe laga tum ho... toh main Preeti ko... "

If she could see him, the glint in his eyes would have turned her into a puddle.