The level of excitement in college had incresed as the days of farewell drew closer. The discussions shifted from notes and projects to outfits and preparation.

"Sameer, tum kaunsa suit pehenoge?" Naina asked him as they were seated in the canteen with Rahul and Sonali.

"Black wala?" He raised his brows.

She nodded, happy to see him in a suit again... last time when he had worn it for the school farewell, he looked handsome beyond words... but she could not tell him so... she had wanted to go close to him, touch him and reveal her feelings to him... but she could not do any of it... this time she would tell him exactly how he looked in a dark suit with white shirt.

The click of fingers brought her back to present.

"Kya soch ke itna muskura rahi hai, Naina," Sonali smiled as Naina looked up to find everyone staring at her.

She lowered her eyes... her cheeks flaring up.

Sameer held her hand under the table. Naina glanced at him, he blinked assuringly... pressing her hand.

"Tera sab samaan set ho gaya na?" Sonali asked.

"Dekehegi?" Naina grabbed the opportunity to get away.

Sonali was excited, "Rahul, tum yahin rukna, main thodi der mein aati hun."

"Jaldi aana, pata hai na aaj mummy ke yahan jaana hai lunch ke liye." Rahul reminded her of their visit to Sonali's parents house.

She nodded.

Sameer dipped his head to the side when Naina looked at him... they didn't need words to understand each other.

Once they were out of the canteen, Sonali nudged, "Kya soch rahi thi abhi... bata na... mujhe toh bata sakti hai."

"Maine Sameer ko sirf ek baar suit mein dekha tha... school ki farewell pe... lekin tab hum baat nahi karte the isliye main usse bata nahi paayi ki woh kitna achha lag raha the... par ab zaroor bataungi... bas yehi soch rahi thi." Naina shared her thoughts.

"Tum bilkul bhi baat nahi karte the?" Sonali was surprised how he could appear so oblivious of her existence in spite of having such intense feelings for her.

"Nahi... kabhi nahi ki school mein... yahan jab Sameer ne mere behosh hone ke baad canteen mein tere samne baat ki thi woh pehli baar thi." Naina still remembered each and every moment of that interaction.

"Itne lambe time tak kaise koi itna pyar chupa ke rakh sakta hai... Sameer jaisa maine koi nahi dekha." She admired the depth of his love for Naina.

"Sameer jaisa koi hai hi nahi... isiliye toh usse batana hai ki woh kitna khaas hai." Naina was again lost.

"Pakka batana... aur sirf farewell par hi kyon... jab bhi man kare bata dena... usko achha lagega." Sonali warmly side hugged Naina as they walked.

"Apni tareef sunna toh usse bohot achha lagta hai... waise woh hai bhi tareef ke kabil... mera man toh hamesha yahi karta hai ki... " She stopped suddenly, realising that she was speaking her thoughts aloud.

Sonali fondly looped her hand with Naina as they climbed the stairs of her hostel room, "Jo tera man karta hai woh keh diya kar... ya kar bhi sakti hai."

Naina blushed at her friend's teasing.

They entered her room. Sonali waited as she took out the saree and blouse from the cupboard.

"Hayee... kitni pyari saree hai... aur tune achha combination banaya hai iss blouse ke saath." Sonali praised the different blouse Naina had picked up.

"Aur kya pehenegi?" She asked.

Naina was perplexed, "Aur kya pehnu?"

"Arre matlab jewelry kya pehenegi?" Sonali raised her brows.

"Oh... kaano mein kuch bhi pehen lungi, bohot hain mere paas aur gale ke liye ek pendent hai jo Sameer ne diya tha." Naina got up to get her jewelry box from the drawer.

"Kya baat hai... Sameer ki choice badi achhi hai... kitna sundar hai yeh pendent." Sonali was genuinely impressed seeing the pendent.

"Toh fir ho gaya na sab kuch? Pehen sakti hun na?" Naina jokingly asked for permission.

"Jab aapke hero ne khud sab pasand kiya hai toh koi aur kya keh sakta hai... bilkul pehno." Sonali giggled.

Naina kept everything back in the cupboard, laughing along with Sonali.

As they walked back, they found Rahul waiting near the pillar where Sameer always waited for Naina.

"Tum yahan kyon khade ho?" Sonali asked.

"Woh koi first year ke ladke aaye the kehne ki Sameer ki bike mein kuch problem hai toh hum dekhne gaye the... bike puncture ho gayi hai... Sameer tyre nikal raha hai, mujhe yahan khade rehne ko bola jisse tum log dhundte na raho... ab tum dono ruko, hum meri bike pe jaake tyre mein puncture lagwa ke laate hain." Rahul explained.

They decided to wait in the garden as Rahul ran back to Sameer.

It was about twenty minutes later when they saw Rahul's bike entering the college gate.

Before the girls got up to go to them, Rahul was back.

"Naina, Sameer ne kaha hai tum apne room pe chali jao... woh tyre change kar raha hai." Rahul looked at Naina.

"Akele kar raha hai?" Naina was instantly worried.

"Maine kaha ki main karwa deta hun par usne mana kar diya ki meri yeh shirt kharab ho jayegi... humein Sonali ke ghar jaana hai yahan se seedhe," Rahul pointed to his light blue shirt.

They walked up to the parking area. Sameer was crouched next to the bike, fitting in the repaired tyre.

"Arre, tum log yahan kyon aa gaye? Rahul, tumhara time ho gaya hai na, tum dono jao... yeh bas ho gaya... Naina, tum bhi apne room mein jao." Sameer glanced up for a moment before going back to his work.

Naina was aware that Sameer did not like her to be in the parking area where boys often huddled together for a smoke and talked nonsense. But she did not want to leave him alone after Rahul and Sonali left.

"Main yahin rukungi... tum chup chap apna kaam karo." She said with finality.

Sameer stood up, wiping the sweat off his forehead, leaving a stain of black, "Naina, yahan theek nahi hai... tum abhi jao, hum shaam ko milenge... abhi toh seedhe wapas jaake mujhe nahana padega... dekho kya haal ho gaya hai." He spread his hands to show how dirty they had become.

Naina saw the black mark on his forehead. She fished out her handkerchief and came closer to him. Lifting herself on the toes, she started to rub the mark. Sameer held her wrist.

"Naina, yahan students hain." He looked around.

She continued to look into his eyes, bringing the other hand up to take the handkerchief. Going on her toes again, she started to clean the stain on his forehead.

Their joined hands straightened as he linked his fingers with hers, dirt and grease forgotten.

After cleaning the stain, Naina dabbed the handkerchief on his face, to wipe off the sweat.

"Ab apna kaam poora kar lo." She whispered.

"Ab toh kuch aur hi kaam poora karna padega." He leaned, still holding her one hand.

"Mr Maheshwari, aapki bike ko aapki zyada zaroorat hai." She placed a hand on his chest, pushing him back.

"Aur mujhe? Mujhe kiski zaroorat hai?" He raised one brow.

"Tum yeh khatam karo jaldi... hum saath hi chalenge." She indicated at the bike.

"Kahan chalenge?" He was not ready to leave.

"Wapas hostel... aur kahan?" She joined her eyebrows.

"Akele?" His voice dropped a few decibels as he pulled her hand towards himself, drawing her closer.

Naina almost crashed into his chest.

"Abhi toh akele, par iska agla part shaam ko," she looked straight into his eyes, her own full of promise.

She felt the hand holding hers tremble.

"Naina, yeh shaam kab hogi?" His voice was already rough.

"Yahan se jayenge toh shaam ka mauka aayega na." Her gaze was intense.

Had they been anywhere else where the crowd around was of unknown people, he would have made her fulfil the promise right away... but this was a college... with students around who recognised them.

Steeling himself, Sameer let go of her hand, kneeling down to fix the bike.

Naina waited.

Ten minutes later, they stood in front of his building.

"Aaj jaldi aana." His voice was strained.

"Haan, jaldi aaungi... aaj din mein kuch padha nahi tumhare saath toh andhera hone se pehle thodi padhai kar lenge."

She was gone before he could answer that.

Reaching her wing, Naina turned to find him standing motionless, still looking in her direction.

The wait was unbearable for Sameer. He could hardly study. The target for the day was far from completion but his mind was occupied by other things.

After what seemed to be ages, the afternoon sun descended closer to the horizon, making the brightness of the day turn softer.

Sameer ran to their spot. The last few minutes of wait were even tougher than the hours he had spent in his room.

As Naina approached the tree, he stood hidden at the edge. The moment she reached, he pulled her hand and pinned her against the tree.

"Tum der se kyon aayi?" He placed one hand on her cheek, gazing into her eyes.

Naina was breathing hard due to the sudden pull, "Der... der se kahan... main toh jaldi aayi hun."

"Thoda aur... thoda aur jaldi aana chahiye tha... mere paas." He rubbed his thumb on her cheek.

"Main toh hamesha hi tumhare paas rehti hun na... yahan." She kept one hand on his heart.

"Yahan rehti ho par mujhe aur paas lana hai tumhe." His eyes bore into hers.

Naina moved a few inches closer, "Itna?"

"Thoda aur," the voice was hoarse.

She wound her arms around his neck, "Itna?"

"Thoda aur."

Their faces were almost touching... all she could see were his eyes, other features gone out of focus... his breath fanning her face was coming in gasps... his hand moved from her cheek to the hair, slipping back behind her head... other one rested on her waist, clutching hard. Naina felt the same tightening in her abdomen as her knees became weak, knowing what was coming.

He did not move.

Her one hand moved in his silky hair, while the other one stroked the back of his neck, "Aur kitna, Sameer?"

"Thoda aur." He whispered.

She placed a kiss on his chin.

"Thoda aur."

She kissed his cheeks one by one.

"Thoda aur."

Her heart was pounding with a thunderous roar... she was sure he could hear it.

She lifted her heels to kiss his forehead but he caught her in between... claiming the mouth that was teasing him for so long.

His starved mouth took her hungrily, not bothering to keep it soft... the weight of his frame pushed her more into the tree, crushing her between the two. Somehow, the weight did not bother her, rather it comforted the pain in her limbs and stomach...

Her fingers bunched the hair ends at the back of his neck... one hand digging into his back, feeling his rippling muscles through the fabric.

When he finally moved, the need to breathe forcing him to do so, they both leaned onto each other for support.

He cupped her face, once the lungs were functioning again, "Naina, tumne meri zindagi mein aake mere liye sab kuch itna khubsurat bana diya hai ki mujhe ab kisi se koi shikayat nahi hai... har taraf khushi bikher di hai tumne... tumhare saath ne meri neend udda bhi di hai aur mujhe sukoon bhi diya hai... samajh nahi aata kaise bataun tumhe ki main tumse kitna pyaar karta hun."

The purity of his soul was in his words... she could die for him this very instant.

Threading her fingers through his hair, she brought his face closer, "Jis tareeke se abhi bataya woh bhi chalega mujhe."

The glint in his eyes burned her as he bent to take what she offered.