"Main ab bhi keh raha hun ki agar ghoomne jaana hai toh aur bohot si jagah hain... Nainital hi kyon... Naina, wahan kuch khaas hai bhi nahi dekhne ko." Sameer tried to change Naina's decision even as he handed her the tickets.

"Hum Nainital hi jayenge... uss jagah mein kya achha hai yehi toh dhoondna hai humein." She studied the tickets, happy to see the date of two days later.

"Sirf un bhayanak yaadon ke alava wahan kuch nahi hai... aur na kabhi hoga." His face had a hateful, dejected look.

Naina held his hand as he turned to leave, "Pata hai, Sameer, agar kisi jagah hum sirf ek baar jaayein aur wahan hamare saath kuch bura ho jaaye toh humein uss jagah se hi nafrat ho jaati hai... yeh baat samajh aati hai, kyonki aisa hona swabhavik hai."

He gave her a puzzled look, wondering why she was insisting on going to Nainital when she was validating his hatred for the place.

"Lekin agar hamari buri yaadein uss jagah se judi ho jahan humne apni zindagi ka ek lamba arsa guzara hai toh uss jagah ko dosh dena theek nahi hota." Her soft voice did not soothe him like other times.

"Tumhe pata nahi hai, Naina... jab bhi unn sadkon se guzarta tha, mujhe iss baat ka ahsaas hota tha ki main sabse kitna door hota jaa raha hun... mujhe nafrat hoti thi hostel ka gate dekh ke kyonki uss jagah ne mujhe unse door kiya tha jinke paas rehna chahta tha main." His voice quivered at the end.

She made him sit on the couch, sitting next to him.

"Nainital ne tumhe nahi bulaya tha... hostel tumhe khud lekar nahi gaya tha." She looked into his eyes as she stated what he always knew but hid under the criticism for the place.

His eyes filled up with pain... had his mom not left him there, the mention of that place would not have evoked such bitterness in him.

"Nahi Sameer, kisi ko dosh mat do... waqt ki aur haalat ki majboori hoti hai jo humein buri yaadein deti hai... unn yaadon ke liye hum wahan jaana nahi chod sakte jahan humne unn palon ko jiya hai... main jaanti hun tumhe sab purani baatein yaad ayengi wahan jaake... lekin jab ussi jagah hum saath honge toh hamare khoobsurat pal uss bure waqt ko dhak denge... uske baad tum jab bhi yaad karoge toh hum dono ka khyal hi ayega wahan ke naam se." Her words clouded his eyes again.

A wave of agony flashed in her eyes, "Mere bachpan ke saare din toh yahin Ahmedabad mein beete hain... jo bhi hua, jo taiji, tauji aur papa ne..." she gulped, holding back the lump that formed in her throat, "Woh saari yaadein toh issi jagah ki hain na... chachaji ke ghar ki hain... hamare school ki hain... toh kya humein yeh jagah bhi chod deni chahiye?"

It jolted him out of the deep crevasses he was drifting into... she was right. She had seen much worse days, here in this city, in the very house that felt like home to him... and even to her. And, after observing Rakesh in two years in school, he had no doubt that his behaviour must have been more repugnant when a much younger and vulnerable Naina was facing him.

The anger in depth of his eyes gave her an inkling of what was going on in his mind.

"Lekin ab main jab bhi uss ghar ko yaad karti hun toh tum dikhte ho... kabhi balcony se upar aate hue, kabhi darwaze ke paas khade hue, kabhi chupke se kamre mein mujhe apni baahon mein lete hue... aur kabhi sehra baandh ke ghodi pe aate hue." The bliss she felt gave more radiance to her face.

A smile tugged the corner of his lips.

"Aur school ke naam par toh tumhara woh mujhse pehli baar takrana, nahi, takrate takrate bach jaana... aisa lagta hai meri zindagi ussi pal mein shuru hui thi... saari yaadein tumse hi judi hain, Sameer... chahe school mein hum baat nahi karte the par tumhe dekhne se hi mera dil khushi se jhoom jaata tha... sachhi Sameer, har jagah se juda tumhara koi khyal mann ko gher leta tha... gate se bike pe aate hue tumhare baalon ka udna, parking mein baith ke doston se baatein karna, ground mein kabhi basketball kabhi cricket aur kabhi kho kho khelna, jhuk ke nal se paani peena, corridor mein idhar udhar dekhte hue tez kadmon se chalna, Munna Pandit ke liye meri class mein aana aur desk pe ulte baithna..." Her eyes glittered at each memory.

Sameer got lost with her, in the trail of all those times she was mentioning with a dreamy look. He was equally affected by her in school though he had not shown anything at that time. His mind started to see vivid images of many occasions when he had admired her, hiding somewhere so that his secret remained safe.

"Aise hi yaad karoge tum Nainital ko bhi... dekhna." Naina gave a contented smile, seeing the pain in his eyes get replaced with affection and ardour.

He looked at her tenderly, "Fir se ghuma di na apni jaadu ki chadi... ab toh mera dil bhi chahta hai ki hum wahan nayi yaadein banayen."

Beaming in relief, she lunged at him, taking him in a crushing hug. Sameer wrapped his arms around her, looking at the picture of nanu behind her, smiling at him.

"Thank you, nanu... shayad aapne hi upar jaakar bhagwanji ko meri kismat badalne ko kaha hoga... isliye unhone apni sabse zyada pyar karne wali pari bhej di mere paas." His thoughts seemed to reach nanu as the smile in picture appeared to get brighter.

"Thank you bhagwanji, shayad wahan jaakar hi Sameer ko unn yaadon se azaad kara sakti hun... aur shayad mummy ke paas bhi le jaa sakti hun." Naina thought at the same time.

She was happy to see him helping with the packing, not gloomy anymore.

"Sameer, abhi wahan thand hogi na, toh humein garam kapde bhi le jaane honge?" She asked.

"Haan, rakh lo. Nainital mein iss waqt thand shuru ho jaati hai." He pulled out the jackets from top shelf.

They had to shop for Naina as she didn't have much woollens.

"Naina, yeh jacket bohot hoga... hum do din ke liye hi toh jaa rahe hain." Sameer suggested when she selected two cardigans as well.

"Dilli mein bhi toh sardi hogi na." She said nonchalantly.

"Dilli mein abhi itni..." He halted abruptly.

Naina saw the tension appear again on his face.

"Arre isliye keh rahi hun ki flight se toh Dilli hi jayenge na, wahan se aage ke liye car book karayi hai tumne... ab Dilli ke mausam ke liye bhi toh sochna hoga." She shrugged.

Sameer pursed his lips, "Dilli mein abhi sardi shuru nahi hui hai... wahan zaroorat nahi padegi... do din mein mausam kuch badalne wala nahi hai."

"Achha ek toh le hi leti hun... agar humein thode din aur rukne ka dil kiya toh kaam ayega." She didn't wait for his reply, walking quickly towards the counter with her hands full of clothes.

When they walked out, he found the bag to be much heavier for just one jacket and cardigan.

"Kitne bhaari hain tumhare kapde... inhe pehenogi kaise?" He peered into the bag.

Naina immediately snatched it from him, "Tumhe thodi pehenne hain, jab mujhe koi problem nahi hai toh tum kyon pareshan ho rahe ho?"

Sameer was surprised, "Main toh isliye keh raha tha ki..."

"Chodo na, Sameer, chalo kulfi khaate hain." She didn't let him talk further, dragging him to a kulfi stall.

After a few hours in office next day, they went to meet Anand and Bela, informing them about the trip to Nainital.

"Itni thand mein? Naina, main apna garam wala shawl de deti hun... aur haan, muffler bhi rakh lena aur dastane bhi... main tujhe thoda kadha bana ke de dungi jisse agar zara bhi sardi ho toh pi lena dono... aur subah shaam..." Anand laughed aloud, making Bela pause her frantic instructions.

She frowned, "Aap hans kyon rahe hain... maine kya galat kaha?"

Anand held her shoulders, making her sit with them, "Galat nahi kaha, lekin itna sab karne ki zaroorat nahi hai... woh log Nainital jaa rahe hain, Russia nahi."

Bela narrowed her eyes, "Woh Nainital se zyada thanda hai kya? Nainital mein toh barf padti hai."

Sameer smiled, "Aap fikr mat kijiye, chachiji, abhi se barf nahi padegi... thoda hi thanda hoga abhi... ek garam jacket kaafi rahega."

"Aur Russia alag desh hai, duniya ka sabse thanda desh." Anand informed his wife.

"Oh, toh wahan kyon jaana hai? Nahi, nahi, tum log Nainital se hi wapas aa jaana." Bela told them clearly.

Anand patted her hand, smiling fondly, "Acha baba, jaisa tum kahogi waisa hi karenge... ab zara bachhon ko woh halwa toh khilao jo tumne banaya hai."

"Naina, aa zara meri madad kar." She stood up, waving at Naina.

Once in the kitchen, her worries were back, "Dekh beta, tum dono akele itni door jaa rahe ho... woh bhi uss jagah jahan ke naam se Sameer ki ankhen nam ho jaati hain... wahan jaake uska bohot dhyaan rakhna... ab tum dono ne faisla kiya hai toh kuch soch ke hi kiya hoga lekin khyal rahe ki dard jitna purana hota hai utna hi gehra hota hai aur usse mitana utna hi mushkil... lekin pyar ka marham har dard ko daba sakta hai... waise toh tu khud hi samajhdar hai lekin bas itna dekhna ki Sameer ko koi chot na pohoche."

Naina held her hand, assuring her, "Aap bilkul chinta mat kijiye, chachiji... Sameer ki yaadon se dard nikal jaaye isliye hi hum wahan jaa rahe hain... main uska poora khyal rakhungi... aur apna bhi."

"Teri fiqr nahi hai mujhe. Sameer hai na tera dhyan rakhne ko... koi andha bhi keh sakta hai ki hamare damaadji ko Naina ke alava koi aur khyal rehta hi nahi hoga." Bela cupped her chin, giving a loving smile.

Naina tucked a lock of hair behind the ear, biting her lip as her cheeks turned scarlet.

Sameer wondered what could be the reason of her blush when she offered him the plate of halwa.

"Sameer, kya tumhe ghar pe ek baar bhi taiji ka khyal aaya?" Naina asked when they were driving back home after an hour.

It was a shocking realisation for him. Indeed, not even once did he think about any disturbing moment with taiji while they were at chachaji's house... he was only admiring their care and concern, and the love and understanding between them.

"Mujhe bhi nahi aaya. Jab chachiji ne halwa plate mein daala toh mujhe bas woh din yaad raha jab Preeti ke roke pe maine tumhe barfi khilayi thi... kitchen mein." Her impish smile reminded him of the incident.

"Achha isliye itni laal ho rahi thi tum... kaho toh raaste mein barfi le lein?" He looked at her from the corner of his eye, holding back the smile.

"Kal subah ki flight hai Dilli ki, isliye aaj jaldi sona hai... kuch aur sochne ki zaroorat nahi hai." She crossed her arms, looking straight ahead with a serious expression.

"Ghar chalke bataunga kya soch raha hun." He gave a mischievous grin, winking when she looked at him.

They obviously could not sleep early but were ready on time next morning.

"Uff Naina, do din ke liye itne kapde? Tumne toh aise packing ki hai jaise ek mahine ke liye jaa rahe hain." Sameer heaved as he lifted the heavy suitcase.

"Nakhre mat karo. Mrs Maheshwari ka style hai yeh... aakhir wahan sabko lagna chahiye na ki main apne hero ki heroine hun." She flipped up imaginary collars.

Sameer raised one brow, smirking.

"Ek mahina toh nahi par shayad ek hafta lag hi jayega, Sameer... shayad mana hi lungi tumhe mummy ke ghar chalne ke liye... shayad." Naina thought as the cab sped towards the airport.

Next update tomorrow evening