"Bolo Sameer, kya baat hai?" Anand asked.

Sameer explained about the apprehensions Naina had about Rakesh's visit to the college.

"Hmm... baat toh iski theek hai, Anand. Rakesh bina soche samjhe college ko sar pe utha lega." Phulla bua agreed with him.

Anand nodded, pondering over what Sameer had just said.

"Main iske baare mein thoda sochta hun... fir dekhte hain isko kaise sambhalenge." He said after a silence of few minutes.

After lunch, Naina helped her grandmother to clear the table.

While she was piling up the used dishes in the sink, bua dadi placed a hand on her shoulder, "Bas beta, yeh sab ab rehne de... subah se bhaag daud ho rahi hai... shaam ko tum dono ko wapas jana hai... tab tak thodi der aaram kar le."

"Nahi bua dadi, hum log abhi jayenge... mujhe saturday tak do episode dene hain aur kuch dino se likh bhi nahi paayi... pehle farewell ke chakkar mein aur kal... " Naina lowered her eyes, the shock and pain of the previous day appearing to be something of distant past... after today's events.

"Achaa... chal theek hai... lekin agle hafte aana zarur... ab jitne din yahan Mumbai mein bache hain tumhare, mujhse milne aate rehna." She patted Naina's cheek.

After packing her things, when she went out, Sameer was talking in low voice... and chachaji was listening intently.

She waited for them to finish their conversation.

"Shayad yehi theek rahega." Chachaji nodded at Sameer.

He smiled in relief, looking up. Seeing Naina standing with the bag, he stood up immediately.

"Arre Naina, tum taiyar ho gayi... lao mujhe de do." He took the bag from her.

Phulla bua and Anand bid an emotional goodbye, asking them not to worry about other family members... assuring them that one month's time that they had before going back to Ahmedabad was enough for him to make his elders accept this marriage.

Once out on the road, Sameer pulled her arm tighter on his waist, "Ab achhe se pakad lo, ab toh court ne bhi permission de di hai."

"Main toh pehle bhi achhe se hi pakadti thi... mere dil ne permission de rakhi thi." She placed her chin on his shoulder.

He looked at her through the mirror, "Kya Naina, humari shaadi hui hai... aur tumne na ek baar bhi gale lagaya na dhang se kiss kiya... madam, ab yeh sab main haq se maang sakta hun."

"Toh kya wahan court mein sabke saamne kiss karti?" She rounded her eyes.

"Isme kya burai hai... English movies mein toh aisa hi hota hai... jaise hi shaadi hoti hai, dulha dulhan kiss karte hain... sabke saamne... unka priest hi unhe aisa karne ko kehta hai." He showed off his knowledge.

"Haww... aise kaise... aur tum kab se English picture dekhne lage... har samay toh mere saath rehte ho... fir kahan dekhi?" Her brows furrowed.

Sameer was suddenly conscious. He had never mentioned to her how he went out to watch English movies with his so called friends in Nainital.

"Maine... bas woh ek do baar... Munna Pandit kabhi kabhi le aate the na... chhuttiyon mein." He gave a sheepish smile.

Her glare was scary... he didn't know whether she had caught his lie or not.

"Ab aise mat dekho jaise maine koi gunaah kar diya... shaadi hote hi biwi wala gussa dikhana shuru kar diya... yeh nahi ki thoda pyaar dikha do apne bechare pati ko." He sulked.

Though Naina was not sitting cross legged, she shifted closer to him, bringing both her hands on his chest, resting her cheek on his ear.

"Ab theek hai?" She whispered huskily.

"Bas abhi ke liye kaam chala leta hun... aage ka college jaane ke baad bataunga." He moved his face to touch her cheek.

She had the same churning feeling in her stomach again.

When there was no response from her, he looked at her reflection, "Yeh batao, hum apni anniversary kis din manayenge? Aur shaadi ka saal kaunsa hoga? December se shuru hui thi par abhi aur bhi rasmein baaki hain... toh hum kis din ko samjhe apni shaadi ka din?"

Naina was glad for the diversion to her thoughts.

"Pata nahi Sameer... dekha jaye toh aaj humein badon ka ashirwad mila hai toh aaj hi honi chahiye... lekin jab card chapenge toh unpe jo tareekh hogi wohi shaadi ki tareekh maani jati hai." She was equally puzzled.

Sameer pursed his lips.

Suddenly, she brightened, "Aisa karenge, sabke saath card wali shaadi ki anniversary mana lenge aur aaj wali apne gharwalon ke saath."

"Aur jo sirf hum dono ko pata hai woh hum dono hi manayenge... ek dusre ke saath." He gave a lopsided smile in the mirror.

Her thoughts drifted again. They were just about five minutes away from college.

The bike came to a halt in front of the gate. Naina got down, holding her bag.

"Main park karke aata hun." Sameer said.

He was back in a few minutes, "Chalein?"

She nodded, walking with him silently.

"Kya baat hai, Naina... tum itni chup kyon ho?" He reached for her hand.

Her fingers were ice cold...

"Nahi kuch nahi... bas thoda kaam karna hai wapas jaa ke ussi ke baare mein soch rahi thi." She said in a low voice.

He squeezed her hand as they reached the building, "Tum apna kaam poora kar lo... mujhe pata hai tumhe episodes dene hain... hum shaam ko milte hain."

She gave a small smile before going up the stairs as Sameer stood watching her.

Later, in his room, he thought about her hesitation to talk to him... Naina was scared... she was dreading his reaction to the sudden new relationship between them.

Had it been a proper marriage, she would have been prepared... she would have had ample time to accept the change... of course they were together for so long and they had shared physical proximity... that itself was a huge step for her. In school, she had hardly spoken to any boy... except Munna Pandit a couple of times... that too because she wanted to ask about him or help him. In less than three years, Naina had trusted him enough to be in his room the whole night... she had accepted his advances... even reciprocated... but this marriage at one day notice had changed everything. Accompanied by the tension given by her father, it must be hard on her.

Naina could not write... she could not think... she could not focus on anything. Constantly pacing around the room, she kept wrenching the hands against her stomach. Her mind was occupied with the fear she could not share with Sameer. The marriage had caught her off guard... exams were just two weeks away... and she was caught in a vortex of confused feelings, mixed emotions, sudden fears and apprehensions about Sameer's behavior.

She sat down heavily on the bed, holding her head in hands.

"Ab kya karegi, Naina... yahan saath bhi rehna hai aur alag bhi... kaise hoga... Sameer ko kya bolegi... aur Sameer ko kaisa lagega sunke... abhi tak toh hamesha shaadi ka naam leke rok diya usse... ab toh shaadi bhi ho gayi Naina... teri kismat mein sab kuch itna uljha hua kyon hai?"

A touch on her shoulder made her jump.

"Sameer tum?" She screamed, "Tum abhi yahan kaise aaye... koi dekh... "

Her words died inside as his hand covered her mouth.

Few moments of silence followed as they stared at each other.

Finally, he removed his hand, "Tum aayi nahi toh mujhe aana pada."

"Aayi nahi? Abhi kahan..." She turned to glance at the table clock.

The time showed half an hour past their meeting time... she turned sharply to see that it was dark outside.

Only then she realised the darkness spread in the room... she had been lost for almost three hours.

"Main... maine dekha nahi... matlab mujhe pata nahi chala... matlab kaam mein time dekhna bhool gayi." She fumbled.

"Naina, tum andhere mein baithi ho itni der se, kaam kahan kar rahi thi." His voice was soft as his gaze scanned the clean study table...

"Oh... haan... light... light jala deti hun." She turned sharply... and banged her knee on the bed.

"Ahh." She lurched.

His arms were around her in an instant.

"Sameer, woh... " She shivered.

"Shhh... ab kuch nahi bolna." He whispered, keeping her close to himself.

She remained stiff, holding her breath... hands fisting her kurta on both sides.

He stood there, breathing against her hair, one hand stroking her back while other rested behind her head.

As minutes ticked by, Naina felt his warmth melting her... slowly, her arms went around him as a deep breath filled up her lungs.

Sameer felt her relax. The touch of her hands on his back taking away some of his worries.

Few minutes later, Naina lifted her head to look at him.

He smiled, "Ab meri biwi mujhse baat kar sakti hai ya abhi thode aur bahane baaki hain?"

The sound of rumbling from outside made them aware of the sudden change in weather... dark clouds that had started to gather about an hour back now burst into a heavy downpour.

A flash of lightening brightened the room for a moment, giving him a glimpse of the redness spread on her face.

He made her sit on the bed, going near the door to switch on the light.

"Ruko" She cried out in alarm, second time in the day.

He stopped, turning to look at her in confusion...

She rushed past him, putting the latch on the door. The room brightened with warm glow as she flicked on the switch next to the main entrance.

Standing against the door that she had locked a minute back, Naina placed a hand on her chest, relieved that no one entered the room all this while.

Sameer saw her breathing heavily, pursing her lips, the features were a bit relaxed though her eyes were shut. But the moment she opened them, he saw the tautness grip her face again... her hand went back to bunch the kurta at the side.

In one long stride, Sameer was in front of her, keeping a few inches between them.

He placed his hands on the door on either sides of her head, "Kyon Naina... kis se darr rahi ho tum... mujhse... itna bhi bharosa nahi hai mujhpe ki tumhe mujhse kuch kehne ke liye itna sochna padta hai... maine suna jab tum khud se baatein kar rahi thi... kya main tumhe yeh vishwas bhi nahi dila paya ki tum sab kuch khulkar mujhse share kar sako?"

She heard his monologue with lowered eyes.

When the silence prevailed again, she lifted her face up.

His dark eyes bore a look of deep hurt... Naina felt like she had been punched in the gut...

He withdrew his hands, "Main jaa raha hu, Naina... tumhe so jaana chahiye... tumhe aaram ki zaroorat hai."

The sound of hard rain outside became more intense.

He turned and walked towards the balcony door.

His hand was on the knob when she crashed against his back, arms coming around him in a tight grip.

"Mat jao, Sameer."

The chapter was getting too long so it's been divided into two parts. I'll post the next part in the evening.

It's better for those who read it in the office or while commuting.