The time after lunch was more difficult to spend alone. Sameer was feeling uncomfortable with the pain of his neck as well. Every time he tried to move his head, the neck hurt.

Naina was equally bothered by her arm and waist. The pain was not letting her do most of the work. She searched the first aid box and found an ointment for muscle pain. But the tube was nearing its end. It hardly had any left.

"Yeh Sameer ke liye le jaungi... uska dard zyada hai... main thoda garam paani ka sek kar leti hun... aaram aa jayega." She kept the ointment aside to carry with her when she met him in the evening.

Heating some water, she prepared the hot pack for herself and placed it on her waist. It was instantly soothing.

When Naina reached the spot, Sameer was waiting for her. Since he could not move his neck, he turned completely to look at her.

"Ab kaisa hai tumhara dard?" She asked.

"Dekh lo... ab bhi budhe ke jaise ghoom raha hun." He sighed, rubbing his stiff neck.

Naina smirked, "Oho, budhe se shaadi kar li kya maine?"

"Naina, aise mat kaho na... ek toh itna dard hai upar se tum mazak udda rahi ho." He whined.

"Ussi dard ka ilaaj layi hun tumhare liye." She pressed his shoulders to make him sit against the tree.

"Achha, kitne kiss milenge?" His eyes brightened.

"Ilaaj kaha maine... dawa layi hun... lagane ke liye." She feigned annoyance.

"Meri har mushkil ka ilaaj toh bas tum hi ho... agar raat ko tum saath hoti toh thodi main aise table pe sota... fir na yeh dard hota, na tum chidati, na daanti." He pouted, sitting down with his arms around knees.

"Ab nautanki mat karo aur batao kahan dard hai... main dawa laga deti hun." She stifled a laugh, sitting next to him.

"Yahan," he pointed to the base of his neck on one side.

"Yeh kya, madam? Dil pe kaboo nahi hai kya aaj?" He was surprised when she leaned to open the top button of his shirt.

"Sameer, tum maar khaoge ab... collar hategi tabhi toh dawai laga sakti hun na." She gave him a stern look.

"Aisa hai toh shirt utaar deta hun... tum achhe se laga do... aur baaki kuch bhi..." She had clasped his mouth with her palm.

"Agar aur kuch bola tumne toh main wapas jaa rahi hun." Her voice did not hold the anger she was trying to show.

"Uh Naina, tumhara chehra dekh nahi paa raha... tum sach mein gussa kar rahi hi ya sharmate hue keh rahi ho?" He asked innocently, removing her hand from his mouth.

She moved in front of him, pointing at her face.

"Dekho chehra, ekdum gusse wala hai." Gritting her teeth, she narrowed her eyes.

He leaned and dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose, "Mujhe yeh gusse mein laal naak bohot pasand hai."

She huffed, "Sameer, tumhe iski zaroorat hai bhi ya nahi?"

He looked at the tube she was waving at him... and pulled her in a swift motion... now her head was cradled in his arms as she lay looking up at him... her face against his thudding heart, his other arm behind her, palm resting on her lower back.

"Sabse zyada zaroorat toh tumhari hai... uske baare mein kya kehna hai?" He held her close, like a child.

"Pehle dawa lagwa lo fir jo bologe." She looked back into his eyes with same intensity.

They stayed in the same position for a few minutes, drowning in the depth of each other's eyes.

"Sameer, aise hi pakde rahoge toh gardan mein aur dard ho jayega." Naina managed to speak after a while.

He slowly brought her up, her face coming close to his. Before he could get any more ideas, she moved up and away.

"Ab seedhe baitho, main yeh laga deti hun... subah tak aaram ho jayega." She again folded her knees and sat on his side, pressing the arm which was again paining. The relief of hot water pack had waned away as well.

Pushing the collar aside, she started to rub the ointment on his skin with her fingertips. Once the base of his neck was covered, she moved to the side column, going up to the ear.

Sameer could feel a tingling sensation in his neck... he didn't know it was because of the ointment or her touch. But he did feel some relief... it was as if some coiled nerves softened with the feel of her hand on his skin.

Naina squeezed out whatever little was left in the tube and applied it on the back of neck as well.

"Abhi kuch theek lag raha hai?" She asked as she saw him sitting with closed eyes, a calm expression on his face.

The tingling feel was gone and a warmth spread all over the part where she had rubbed the cream.

"Naina, bohot achha lag raha hai... sach mein dard kam mehsoos ho raha hai." He said truthfully.

"Haan, yeh bohot achhi dawa hai, chachiji ne di thi." She replaced the cap on the tube, keeping it aside to take it back so to throw it in the dustbin.

"Tumne bhi yehi lagayi na... tumhara bhi dard theek ho gaya hoga fir toh." He still had his eyes shut.

Naina quickly moved her hand that was pressing onto the pain on her waist.

"Mujhe... mujhe zaroorat nahi padi... bas theek ho gaya waise hi... mujhe zyada tha bhi nahi." She lied.

Sameer turned to sit facing her, "Matlab nahi lagayi... do mujhe... main laga deta hun."

"Nahi... matlab zaroorat nahi hai, Sameer... mera dard kabka khatam ho gaya." She smoothed her kurta, not looking at him.

He caught hold of her arm suddenly...

"Ahh." The involuntary yelp made her lie lay bare.

He looked at the sleeve of her kurta that was not loose enough to be folded to enable him to apply the ointment.

"Achha theek hai... haath pe tum wapas jaake laga lena par kamar pe toh laga sakta hun na?" He flattened his palm in front of her for the tube.

She wasn't left with any choice now. Picking up the empty tube, she placed it on his palm.

Sameer stared at it... the realisation dawning on him that whatever little ointment it had, she had saved it for him.

"Naina, yeh kya kiya tumne? Sab mujhe laga di? Tumhe takleef mein dekh ke mera dard kaise theek hoga?" His voice was pained.

She lifted her eyes, "Bohot kam thi ismein."

"Agar ek ka hi theek hona tha toh tumhara kyon nahi?" He asked softly.

"Sameer, mera hi toh dard kam hua hai... mujhe sabse zyada dard tumhari takleef se tha." She placed a hand on his cheek.

"Oh, Naina." He softly stroked her arm.

"Ab itni bhi badi baat nahi hai... itne pareshan mat ho... theek ho jayega ek do din mein... gardan wala zyada tang karta hai... idhar udhar dekh bhi nahi sakte." She smiled, trying to make light of her problem.

"Achha, tumhe kaise pata sab ke baare mein?" He quizzed.

"Main koi pehli baar thodi giri hun... yahan toh fir bhi kam ho gaya hai... Ahmedabad mein thi toh hafte mein ek baar pakka girti thi... ghar mein, raaste mein, market mein, school mein... girna hota hi tha mujhe... agar kuch din tak koi chot ya dard na ho toh chachiji puchti thi 'Naina beta, sach mein kahin nahi lagi na, tu chupa toh nahi rahi mujhse'... Preeti kehti hai ki main chot ko khud dhoond ke laati hun aur Swati toh itna chedti thi ki Sameer ko bolna tujhe hamesha god mein uthakar ghoome jisse tere girne ka chance hi na rahe."

The mischievous smirk on his face made her realise what she had said... and her face turned beetroot.

"Woh... woh... school mein... matlab... kabhi kabhi aise hi chedti thi." She stuttered.

"Waah Naina, main sochta hun ki main hi romance karta hun par tum toh saalon pehle se planning karne mein lagi ho." His voice was husky.

She covered her face with her hands.

"Aur batao na... aur kya kya kehti thi Swati? Main sab kuch karne ko taiyar hun." He tugged at her wrists.

"Sameer, please, woh galti se nikal gaya." She mentally cursed herself.

"Par baaki ka batana padega... mujhe janna hai... bolo na... kya kya tay karke rakha tha tumne mere liye?" He persistent.

She was aware of his stubbornness. He wouldn't leave this topic now unless she told him.

"Woh kehti thi ki Sameer ki pasand sabse alag hai isliye mere liye har cheez khaas leke aayega... aur yeh bhi ki tum jab shaadi karoge toh..." She hesitated.

"Toh?" He raised one brow.

"Toh safed ghodi pe aaoge... bilkul kisi rajkumaar ki tarah." She whispered.

"Kya tum bhi aisa hi chahti ho?" He looked into her eyes.

She covered them with the veil of her thick lashes.

"Bolo Naina, kya tum bhi chahti ho ki main safed ghodi pe aaun?" He hooked a finger under her chin, lifting her face up.

"Tumhe rajkumaar lagne ke liye kisi cheez ki zaroorat nahi hai, Sameer... tum toh mere liye waise hi rajkumaar ho... mujhe ab koi fark nahi padta chahe tum jaise bhi aao..
bas baarat lekar mere darwaze pe aana aur mujhe sabke saamne apni dulhan bana ke le jaana... jisse saari duniya ko pata chal jaye ki tum mere ho." Her voice showed the love she felt for him.

He was overwhelmed.

Taking her into his arms, he whispered, "Main jo bhi hun, Naina, tumne hi banaya hai... warna main toh ek toota hua taara tha... jiske paas na aasman tha na girne ko zameen... bas kho jaane ke liye toot ke gir raha tha."

"Tum woh taare ho jo mere liye chamakte ho, dekho aasmaan ke yeh sab taare sab ko roshni dete hain, par tum sirf meri roshni ho... mera taara ho."

He crushed her in his arms, feeling the warmth he wanted since morning.

Later, as they sat looking at the stars, she said in a low voice, "Aaj bhi raat ko nahi aa sakte tum... promise karo."

He was disappointed, " Kya Naina, ab aaj kya problem hai?"

"Nahi Sameer, warden aajkal chakkar lagati hai raat ko... hum aisa risk nahi le sakte... main kal milungi tumse library mein." She was knowing that he would attempt it tonight.

Feeling dejected, he rested his forehead on her shoulder, "Yaar Naina, yeh kaisi majboori hai... hum saath hokar bhi alag hain... paas hokar bhi door hain."

"Bas Sameer, yeh majbooriyaan bhi khatam hone wali hain... chalo, abhi chalne ka time ho gaya hai." She patted his cheek.

They got up with a heavy heart.

He circled her waist lightly, "Aaj dhyaan se sona... fir se mat gir jaana."

She smiled, "Koshish karungi."

He leaned... the kiss had to be good enough to let him last through the night alone.