"Ab hum yahan bhi saath hain." Sameer leaned against Naina's face, resting his cheek on hers.

She let out a shaky exhale... never had she seen such mehendi... but then, there was no other Sameer in the world. He was special... and everything he did was special... and by falling in love with her, he had made her special too.

She turned, burying herself in his chest, "Sameer ki Naina se achha koi naam nahi hai mere liye."

He engulfed her in his arms, "Ab tumhe Sameer ki Naina banne se koi nahi rok sakta... rok toh pehle bhi nahi sakta tha par ab hum khule aam apna pyar jata sakte hain."

A faint sound of a whistle of night watchman made her alert, "Khule aam pyar jatane ke liye abhi kal ka din baaki hai... humein ab chalna chahiye... isse pehle ki chowkidaar aa jaye."

He tightened his hold, "Naina, aaj rukne do na... kal ki raat toh fir se alag rehna hi padega."

"Bas kal ki raat hai, Sameer... fir tumhe kabhi jaane ko nahi kahungi... jab humne itna waqt nikal diya toh bas ek din bacha hai ab toh." She fiddled with the button on his shirt.

"Jo time nikala hai usmein tum mere saath thi... lekin jab se yahan aaye hain tumhare liye taras gaya hun, Naina... pata hai, main Munna Pandit ke saath bed pe sota tak nahi... neeche ek bed lagaya hai... darr lagta hai... tumhari aadat jo pad gayi hai... kahin raat ko unme se kisi ko Naina samajh liya toh." He sulked.

She knew he was sad, but she couldn't stop her giggles.

"Tum hans rahi ho mujhpe?" He glowered, holding her shoulders to look at her.

She kept a hand on her mouth, shaking her head in negative... stayed quiet for a few seconds... then burst into laughter.

He narrowed his eyes, "Zara ghar aao... fir dekhta hun kaun hansta hai... mera mazak uda rahi ho... pata hai ek raat ko neend mein tshirt nikaal di thi maine... takiya pakad ke so raha tha subah... itni der tak Munna Pandit ne mazak banaya ki takiye se kaam chalana padta hai mujhe."

She looked at the drooping corners of his mouth, and bit into her inner cheek to control her laugh.

"Unhe kya pata... yahan aane se pehle takiya nahi tha... meri Naina thi mere saath... meri baahon mein... har raat ko." His voice turned raspy in an instant as his hand went around her waist, rubbing on the skin as his fingers touched her through the slit of her kurta.

She gasped, squirming, "Sameer, chodo na... Preeti aa jayegi."

"Nahi aayegi." His eyes turned darker... he brought up his other hand which had mehendi on it, using his fingers to trace the side of her face.

"Chowkidaar aa jayega." She drew in a sharp breath.

"Nahi aayega." He reached her lips, tracing the lower one with his thumb.

"Koi... koi aur..." Her voice turned shaky as her lips quivered.

"Koi nahi aayega." He slipped the finger down her neck.

She closed her eyes... running out of excuses, feeling his fingers burn her skin as he slowly moved them along the neckline. The neck of her kurta was not low, just a little lower than collarbone... still his touch left her nerves in a jumbled mess.

"Naina, tum duniya ki sabse khoobsurat dulhan banogi... main intezar nahi kar sakta tumhe dulhan bana hua dekhne ka." He whispered in a throaty voice, seeing her blushing face.

She opened her eyes slowly, looking into his...

"Mat dekho aise... main raat bhar so nahi paunga." He sighed.

"Ab toh main bhi nahi so paungi, Sameer." Her own voice sounded different to her.

Pulling with a jerk, he crushed her in his arms, placing his lips on her... this is exactly what he wanted to do in the afternoon, talking to her from this same telephone booth.

A little later, they stepped out of the booth, looking in the direction of the car.

"Maine jaisa bataya tha Pandit ne kiya kya?" She asked.

She had called up a few hours earlier, telling him how they could make Preeti hear out what Pandit wanted to say.

"Waisa hi kiya hai... aur agar abhi tak Preeti car mein hai toh shayad yeh achha hi hai." He looked hopeful.

"Pata nahi... Preeti bilkul alag si ho gayi hai... na woh masti mazak, na khushi, na chidana... samajh nahi aa raha usse baat kaise karun." She was worried for her sister.

"Naina, hum yeh sab... matlab hum theek toh kar rahe hain na?" He was also in doubt now.

She looked up at him, "Kahin hum zabardasti inn dono ko ek dusre ki taraf toh nahi dhakel rahe?"

"Maine aur Munna ne mehsoos kiya tha ki Pandit sochta hai Preeti ke baare mein... jab usse baar baar poocha toh usne maana ki usse lagta hai uske dil mein kuch hai... par darta hai... badi mushkil se taiyar kiya hai usse bol dene ko... usse lagta hai Preeti ki dosti bhi na kho baithe kahin." Sameer explained Pandit's dilemma.

Preeti had been sitting on the passenger seat in front in the empty car for sometime when she saw a few cassettes lying on the dashboard. Picking up one, she inserted in the music system... it had some very old movie songs. She listened for a while, then decided to try another one, thinking that probably the old songs were from nanaji's collection. The second cassette had heavy metal, english songs. The loud music and difficult to understand lyrics made her stop it in less than a minute. The next one started to play the song 'Aate jaate' from Maine Pyar Kiya the moment she inserted it in the system. She leaned back on the seat, closing her eyes.

The moment male voice stanza was over, the music stopped. She opened her eyes, frustrated at the disruption, and extended her hand to check the cassette.

"Mujhe pata hai tumhe achha nahi laga ki gaana beech mein band ho gaya." Pandit's voice echoed in the car.

Her hand froze in mid air... she quickly looked back... there was no one.

"Idhar udhar mat dekho... wahan nahi hun main."

She stared at the music system... his voice was recorded...

"Preeti, badi himmat karke yeh baat keh raha hun... pata nahi tumko achha lagega ya nahi... par main ek baar tumhe apne dil ki baat batana chahta hun... uske baad tum jo chaho woh faisla le lena... main tumhe kisi baat ke liye majboor nahi kar raha... bas ek baar mujhse baat karne ke liye haan keh do... gussa aaye toh joote maar lena chahe thappad laga dena... bas ek baar meri baat sun lo."

Preeti quickly pressed the stop button.

She was shocked... not knowing how to react. She thought of going back... but Naina has asked for one hour... and it had been just fifteen minutes... she couldn't disturb her sister.

With shivering hands, she played the cassette again.

"Agar tumhe meri baat manzoor na ho toh keh dena... lekin mujhse dosti mat todna... main tum jaisi dost ko khona nahi chahta... Preeti, main... main... kehna chahta hun... mujhe... matlab... mujhe... jo batana hai... woh main... kehna hai ki... aajkal tumhari bohot yaad aati hai, Preeti... college tha toh roz milti thi tum... par exams ke baad koi bahana nahi bacha... kabhi kabhi lagta hai hum dono fail ho jaayein toh achha rahega... ek saal aur tumhare saath college jaane ko milega... par aisa hoga nahi... hum har saal kisi tarah paas ho hi jaate hain... fir kaise milun tumse... Sameer ki shaadi ki wajah se abhi kuch din ka saath mil jayega... uske bad kya... Preeti, kya tumhe aisa kuch lagta hai... kya tum milna chahti ho mujhse... kya tum bhi college ke din yaad karti ho... agar haan, toh bas ek baar meri baat sun lo... ab woh gaana fir se shuru hoga... agar tum milne ko taiyar ho toh woh gaana poora sun lena... fir cassette ko nikal dena... main samajh jaunga... warna... warna tum abhi nikal do cassette ko... main yeh bhi samajh jaunga, Preeti."

She pressed the stop button... but her fingers did not move from the system. There was silence in the car, silence outside... but a storm roared within her. What was happening... why... why now? She had accepted everything, giving up every hope, crushing the seed of feelings that had started to set roots in her heart... and when she had almost stopped the thoughts from giving her pain, all this has started. She had not even told Naina about it... didn't want to say it on phone. And after Naina came back, there was so much happening in their house, regarding her marriage... she had pushed all this at the back of her mind. Pandit always cribbed over the lack of a girl in his life, but he had said on numerous occasions that he was thankful he had no issues of bearing the difficulties of being in love... first when Munna and Swati were trying to get their parents agree... and then at the time of Naina and Sameer's court marriage. The group used to discuss in college how her family would react and how difficult it would be to make tauji - taiji and Rakesh tauji understand.

"Achha hua bhai, main iss pyar vyar ke chakkar mein nahi pada... tera aur Sameer ka haal dekhke lagta hai kyon koi apne hi pairon pe kulhadi maarta hai." He had said.

Munna smiled at him, "Pandit, yeh kulhadi nahi hai... tu tabhi samjhega jab tu bhi kisi se pyar karega... dil se... hum apne pyar ke liye kuch bhi karne ko taiyar ho jaate hain, kisi se bhi ladne ko taiyar ho jaate hain."

"Abe, par ladna kyon hai... zaroorat kya hai ghar walo ke joote khaane ki... main toh chup chap wahin shaadi kar lunga jahan woh kahenge." He had said with finality.

So what was all this now... Preeti felt a hammering in her head... the pain that had started at the time of his phone call became more intense.

"Yeh kyon kar raha hai, Pandit... yeh sab tere liye bas mazak hai... par main ek baar apne dil ko bohot mushkil se isme se nikal paayi hun... ab fir se yeh sab nahi sochungi... mujhe pata hai tere liye inn baton ka koi matlab nahi hai... pata nahi tu mere saath aisa mazak kyon kar raha hai... shayad tujhe ahsaas hi nahi hai ki pyar ka matlab kya hota hai... main apne andar ke uss pyar ko khatam karne ki koshish kar rahi hun."

The words were like a stab on Pandit's heart.

Hiding behind the driver seat, he had hoped that Preeti would play the song after his recording. He was to show himself then... and talk to her. But she didn't play the cassette again... and now all this... what was she saying... why was she not ready to listen to him... did she love someone else...

It was another jolt for him... his heart sank... and he didn't have the courage to show himself... to face her.

After an hour, Preeti left the car and went towards the phone booth. Naina was waiting outside, with Sameer. Their anxious faces made her frown... were they aware of this? Obviously they were... she recalled how they used to plan to make Swati understand Munna's love when they were still in school.

"Chalein Naina?" She said with a straight face.

"Aaj saaliji ne mujhe bataya nahi ki main kitna handsome lag raha hun." Sameer tried to gauge her mood.

"Aap toh hamesha hi achhe dikhte ho, jijaji... par meri behen ko jalan hoti hai jab main aapki tareef karti hun, isliye nahi bola." She tried to give a big smile.

Both Naina and Sameer could see the emptiness in her eyes.

"Tu kar lena jitni tareef karna chahe... abhi chal nahi toh koi uth jayega." Naina held her hand, dragging her towards the building.

Sameer waved at them, and walked back to the car.

Pandit was sitting on the back seat, a grave expression on his face.

"Baat ki tune?" Sameer asked the moment he entered the car.

"Usne cassette nahi chalaya." He said in a low voice.

Sameer turned sharply in driver's seat, to look at him, "Preeti ne suna nahi jo tune record kiya tha?"

"Nahi, woh toh sun liya... par aage ka gaana nahi suna... usse nahi milna mujhse... usse baat nahi karni." He looked at Sameer, swallowing the lump in his throat.

Sameer gaped with open mouth... none of them had thought about this situation.

"Preeti, umm... tu kuch soch rahi hai kya?" Naina asked her as they got into the bed.

"Haan, soch rahi hun kab teri shaadi ki rasmein khatam ho aur tu apne ghar jaye... jisse main fir se iss kamre mein akele maze kar sakun." Preeti made a face at her.

"Akele toh tu bhi nahi reh payegi zyada din... chachaji aaj hi Phulla bua se keh rahe the ki jaldi hi teri bhi shaadi karwa denge." Naina gave a sideways glance to her.

Preeti felt her heart sink, "Mujhe nahi karni koi shaadi vaadi."

Naina turned towards her with wide eyes, "Arre, chaar din pehle tak toh keh rahi thi tere liye bhi koi dhoond dun... ab dhoond diya hai toh... "

Preeti jerked to look at her, as Naina bit her lip, realising her folly.

"Toh main sahi soch rahi thi... tum sab shaamil ho isme... kyon Naina... mere saath hi kyon aisa mazaak kar rahe ho... theek hai shaadi mein thoda chedna, mazak karna chalta hai par tum sab milke mere saath hi... yeh umeed nahi thi tujhse." Preeti gave an agitated look to her.

Naina shifted closer, "Preeti, tujhe yeh sab mazak kyon lag raha hai? Pandit sach keh raha hai... aaj usne bataya nahi tujhe?"

"Suni thi uski recording... gussa aaya ki main hi mili hun tum sabko iss natak ke liye." Her voice showed the anger she felt.

"Recording... umm... Pandit se baat nahi hui kya?" Naina didn't know how to ask directly.

"Baat kaise hoti... cassette se nikal ke aata kya... film chal rahi hai koi?" She gave an exasperated look.

Naina perceived that maybe Pandit didn't show up himself... what happened in the car will be clear only when she talked to Sameer tomorrow morning.

"Yeh koi mazak nahi hai... Pandit tujhse..." She stopped herself in time... it was for him to tell her.

"Achha chal chod, aaja sote hain... bohot raat ho gayi hai." Naina laid on the pillow.

As Preeti laid down too, Naina went closer to her, putting one arm on her waist.

"Sun, tu na zara door hoke hi so jaa." Preeti squirmed, putting her hand away.

"Haww... kyon... pehle bhi toh kitni baar aise hi sote the hum." Naina scrunched her nose.

"Par pehle kabhi tune woh sab nahi kiya jo ab karti hai." Preeti winked.

Naina sat up, eyes turning into saucers, "Kya... kya kiya maine?"

She was reminded of Sameer's incident with the pillow.

"Tune parson raat ko itni zor se kheencha mujhe... aur usse pehle din... chee... bata bhi nahi sakti." Preeti shook her head.

Naina gulped, "P... Preeti... ba... bata... kya kiya maine?"

"Sharam aati hai bolte hue... pata nahi kaise sapne dekhti hai tu." Preeti rolled her eyes.

Naina held her shoulders, shaking her, "Please bata na... mujhe tension ho rahi hai."

"Mujhe bhi ho gayi thi... jab tu mere kurte ke button... matlab koshish kar rahi thi... maine tera haath hata diya." Preeti gave her a mischievous smile.

Naina was appalled... she was laughing at Sameer... and she had gone one step ahead... oh God... what would Preeti think.

"Woh main... main shayad sapne mein kapde badal rahi hongi." She stuttered.

"Kapdon ka naam bhi Sameer hai kya... jo tu saari raat japti rehti hai." Preeti smirked at her discomfort.

Hiding her face in her palms, Naina shifted to the edge of her side of the bed, turning her back to Preeti... and pulled up the quilt over her head.

Preeti's laugh could still be heard, making her turn beetroot.