"Naina Agarwal."

A heavy voice boomed in the dining hall.

All faces looked up at the source of the voice, then at Naina.

She got up from the chair and walked up to the warden who stood at the door with her spectacles perched on the nose and same strict demeanor as always.

"Jee ma'am." She said politely.

"Aao mere saath." Warden turned and walked out.

Naina followed with a fluttering heart.

What could it be... has someone come to know about her relationship with Sameer... maybe someone has seen them meeting in the ground, or caught them going or leaving... or is it something else... her father...

Her heart sank... making it difficult to reach the office.

"Baith jao." The warden said in a voice that was one shade softer.

Naina was surprised, but quietly occupied the chair opposite her in the small office.

"Tumne bataya kyon nahi ki tumhari tabiyat kharab hai?" She asked.

"Jee?" Naina was shocked for a moment... recovering immediately, "itni bhi nahi thi ki batati... koi baat nahi, do teen din mein theek ho jayegi."

She didn't know what the warden was talking about but it definitely had something to do with Sameer.

"Tumhare ghar se phone aaya tha." Warden shocked her again.

Before Naina could ask for details, she herself started narrating, "Tumhari badi behen, jinke saath tum abhi ek hafta reh ke aayi ho, aaram karne ke liye, unka hi phone aaya tha... unhone bataya ki kuch dawayen tum bhool aayi thi... wohi bhijwa rahi hain."

That moment, there was a knock on the door and the guard entered, "Madam, yeh packet Naina Agarwal ke liye aaya hai."

He carried a packet wrapped in brown paper.

"De do inko." Warden waved at Naina.

The guard handed her the packet and left. Naina held it with straight face... her insides screaming to know whom did he ask to make the call.

"Dekho, main strict hun jisse yahan ke niyam bane rahein... lekin agar kisiko koi bhi problem ho toh main mana thodi karungi madad karne ke liye... ye dawayen le jao aur khana main kamre mein hi bhijwa dungi... aur kisi cheez ki zaroorat ho toh bata dena... tumhari behen ne kaha tha ki tum bohot darti ho kyonki main ghar se aaye phone aur saaman pasand nahi karti... woh sab isliye jisse har samay kisi ko phone aur gate ki duty pe na rehna pade... lekin yeh toh dawayen hain... yaad se samay pe le lena... ab jao aur aaram karo." Warden smiled, probably for the first time.

At least it was a first for Naina.

She thanked her and left, trying not to run up the stairs... to keep the facade of her cooked up illness.

Once in her room, she quickly locked it and opened the packet.

A gasp escaped her lips.

It had loads of things... few packets of biscuits and chips, a bottle of glucose, chocolates, two cans of coca cola... and a few small airtight containers...

She opened first one to find two gulab jamun...

"Pagal ho Sameer tum bhi." She laughed.

The next one was real tight. She opened with great difficulty... even before she could see, the smell gave out the contents the moment lid loosened.

The small container had gajre... fragrant white flowers tied up in string.

Her room filled up with the scent of his gift.

The last one revealed a new tube of ointment, along with a pain relief spray and a strip of painkiller tablets. She picked up the medicines to find a letter under them.

'Tumhare dard ki dawa toh tumne laga di thi. Yeh mere dard ki dawa hai... yaad se laga lo... warna main kal subah apne haathon se lagaunga... yeh mat pucho kaise... mujhe rokna mat... saath mein gulab jamun bhi khana... meri taraf se meetha... tumhare liye... tumhari taraf se apne liye bhi khareede hain... ab mujhe meethe ke bina neend nahi aati na... kya karu... '

She felt her cheeks go pink. Biting her lip, she read further...

'Ab aise mat karo... warna mujhe aana padega...'

Her eyes widened... how did he know...

'Aise aankhen bhi mat badi karo... mujhe sab pata hai tum kis baat pe sharmati ho, kis baat pe hansti ho, kis baat se chounk jaati ho, kis baat se ghabra jaati ho... Naina, college ki padhai toh main sirf tumhare liye karta hun... mera asli syllabus toh tum ho... aur ismein mujhe top karne se koi nahi rok sakta... tum bhi nahi... aur iss syllabus ka revision mujhe roz karna hai...'

She shut her eyes, holding the letter against her face, a shy smile on her lips.

There was more.

'Yeh jo khushboo hai, phoolon ki... tumhari khushboo se zyada achhi toh nahi hai par hum dono aise phool apne paas rakh le toh shayad doori ka ahsaas thoda kam ho... isliye dono ke liye laaya hun... bas inhe apne takiye ke paas rakh lena.
Ab dawa laga lo nahi toh main samjhunga ki tum mere haathon se hi lagwana chahti ho...

Naina, aisa hi hai kya?'

The pink blush turned to red in no time.

"Tum na, Sameer... " She kissed the letter, "Bohot zyada pyaare ho."

Picking up the tube of medicine, she applied it on her arm and waist, rubbing slowly... colouring again as she thought of Sameer doing the same for her.

The knock on the door made her jump. She looked at all the stuff lying on the bed... there was no time to put it away. Quickly covering it with a quilt, and went to answer the door.

It was the ayah... with her food. Taking the tray, she thanked the lady and closed the door, putting the tray on the table. After food, she picked up the bowl of gulab jamun. With the first bite she blushed again, recalling his words about the sweet...

By the time she went to bed later in the night, the pain was almost gone, thanks to the ointment.

"Inn sab ke liye to tumhe kal thanks kehna hi padega." She sucked in her lip, placing the fragrant flowers on her bed, next to the pillow.

The sleep was easy... the warmth of his gesture on her pain, the sweetness of his gift on her lips, the scent of his thoughts on her bed... she drifted off in no time.

Sameer was feeling relieved... he had waited hiding behind a bench when the person from the shop had delivered the packet to guard. Few minutes later, he saw Naina walking up the stairs with the same packet. So the things had reached their rightful destination. He slipped out in darkness and went to have dinner.

After knowing that she had used the entire ointment on him, not keeping anything for herself, he had this uneasy feeling that did not let him sit still. He had pocketed the empty tube. After meeting Naina, he picked up the keys and drove to a 24 hour pharmacy a little away from the hostel. The shopkeeper had his daughter helping him. Seeing the phone booth, Sameer decided to make it easy for Naina to receive the packet as he was aware how strict the warden was. He explained the situation to the girl and she made the phone call, happy to help a husband who wanted to take care of his wife staying in girls hostel.

When he left the shop, a big store next to it gave him the idea of buying more things. Naina could keep some eatables in her room to have when she overslept or... just felt hungry. Though he knew chances of both these scenarios were grim in her case, still he wanted to send.

"Kuch meetha lenge, sir?" The salesman asked as he piled up everything Sameer had selected on the counter.

And his mind started working again. Meetha... of course...

Two seperate containers of gulab jamun were also added to the bill. He made a special request to the salesman to deliver it to their hostel, paying him a handsome amount to do so. As he stepped out, a lady was selling the same fragrant strings of flowers that Naina liked so much. That was included too, buying some empty airtight box from the shop.

Sitting in his room now, he was sure Naina would sleep easy. He was also ready to get into bed, more relaxed as compared to last night.

He was in the library when she reached next morning.

"Sameer." She called out from behind.

And he turned his neck to see her.

"Shukr hai, tumhari gardan theek ho gayi." She flashed a big smile, taking the seat next to him.

He looked back again, to make sure that they were not in view of those who were in the library.

"Good morning, jaan." His arm went around her, pressing on the side of her arm.

She did not flinch... or show any sign of pain... rather, turned her face to him, "Good morning... jaan."

His eyes went wide... Naina calling him that was rare... she hadn't used such endearment more than twice in their entire period of knowing each other.

"Aaj kahan se sooraj nikla? Subah subah meri jaan ne meri jaan le li." He winked, leaning closer.

She blushed, pushing his face away, "Tumse hi seekha hai."

"Hayee, main toh kabse sikha raha hun... aur kya kya seekha?" He was not to let go after such a dose.

"Bataungi, par abhi library mein hain hum... zara dhyaan se baitho." She shifted her chair a little away from him.

"Uh... library mein koi nahi dekh raha humein... itni pyari subah aur itni pyari biwi... koi bewakoof hi hoga jo door rahega." He dragged his chair near her, joining the side of his leg with hers.

She did not move away this time, playing with her pen... hiding a controlled smile.

His arm slid around her waist, pulling her closer.

"Sameer, ab zyada ho raha hai." She straightened, looking behind.

"Main bas check kar raha tha ki abhi dard toh nahi hai." He gave a cheeky smile.

"Dard kaise hota... tumne jo saara dard mita diya." She brought his hand away from her waist, holding it between her palms.

Suddenly remembering something, she turned to him, "Yeh batao, meri behen kise banaya tumne? Itni raat ko kaunsi ladki se mile? Yahan hostel ki toh koi ho nahi sakti... fir kaise mili? Jaante ho kya pehle se usko? Kahan rehti hai? Aaj tak bataya kyon nahi? Kab milte ho usse?"

He stared at her in wonder, how could she think of such a big list of questions in an instant?

"Bolo... chup kyon ho gaye? Sameer, dekho, sach sach batana kaun hai... warna achha nahi hoga." She raised her brows to strengthen her threat.

"Shaant, Jhansi ki Rani, shaant... tum shuru hoti ho toh rulne ka naam hi nahi leti... arre baba, main nahi jaanta kisi ko... woh toh pharmacy wale uncle ki beti thi... jab maine bataya ki meri wife yahan hostel mein rehti hai aur usse kisi se milne ki permission nahi hai toh woh meri madad karne ko taiyar ho gayi." He calmed her.

"Sach bol rahe ho na... pehle kabhi nahi mile usse?" She narrowed her eyes.

"Kasam se." He pinched his throat.

A satisfied smile appeared on her face, "Waise mujhe pata hai tum aisa kuch kar hi nahi sakte... main toh bas aise hi puch rahi thi."

"Achha... yeh jo CID ki tarah meri class laga di tumne woh bas aise hi?" He was amused.

"Haan toh... thoda sa puch liya toh kya hua?" She shrugged nonchalantly, getting up to go and stand near the window, hidden from the entire room.

"Yeh thoda tha toh zyada kya hoga?" He said in a low voice, going to stand in front of her with a mischievous glint.

Naina placed her hands on his shoulders, "Zyada dekhna hai toh ek baar koshish karke dekho."

Sameer could see the fierce possesiveness in her, "Meri saari koshish bas tumhare liye hain, madam... bataya tha na... mera woh syllabus ho tum jiska mujhe roz revision karna hai."

"Tum na... har baat bas ghuma fira ke ek hi jagah le aate ho." She still had the same determined look but a hint of colour on cheeks made her look softer.

He encircled her waist, "Waise tum dawa nahi lagati toh mujhe khushi hoti."

"Kyon? Tumhi ne toh bheji thi." She was perplexed.

"Haan, par thoda dard reh jaata toh main khud apne haathon se mita deta usse." His fingers slippped under her kurta slit, rubbing the skin of her waist.

She jerked his hand away, moving back to her seat, "Tum library se hi nahi college se bhi nikalwaoge."

Chuckling, Sameer too settled on his chair, "College se toh tum nikalwa rahi ho."

She was again confused.

"Arre, ab itna padh ke fail toh ho nahi sakte... toh paas hoke nikal hi jayenge na college se." He pulled her cheek.

"Woh toh hai," she let out a relieved breath, "ab jaane wale hain toh tumne itna sab kyon bhijwaya kal? Itna kaise kha sakti hun main inn thode se dinon mein?"

"Bas mera dil kiya... agar tumhe der raat ko bhook lage ya kabhi mess ke khane ke time na jaa pao tab ke liye... glucose isliye ki tum jo itna kaam karti ho toh kahin behosh na ho jao... aur meetha toh tumhe pata hi hai." He winked.

"Pata hai, aur maine kha bhi liya tha... aur woh jo khusbu bheji thi na... uske saath badi achhi neend aayi." She returned his wink.

Sameer was taken aback. He had expected her to blush, and ask him to be quiet... she was a little different today.

"Main soch rahi thi dekh ke aayein terrace waisi hi hai ya kuch badal gaya hai." She was not done with shocking him yet.

Sameer stood up as soon as he could fathom what she proposed, holding her arm to leave before she changed her mind.