The gang had stayed back yet again after all the college lectures were over for the day, as they did on most days now. They were all headed towards the staircase at the back of the arts wing which had sort of turned into their hangout area. The lectures in that wing finished much earlier than their own and hence the area would be fairly deserted most late afternoons.

Sameer and Munna were teasing Pandit about his latest crush, some girl from the science stream. Naina had shown her Durga like avatar when she had heard Pandit's plan a couple of weeks back about trying to get back at Mitali by making her fall in love with him. She had given all the three boys an earful about how they seemed to have forgotten just how badly they had hurt her in school with a similar plan. She had been especially miffed at Sameer and it had taken a couple of days and lots of apologising and promises from him and her Devars before things returned to normal.

Preeti was sulking slightly as nobody seemed supportive of her idea of Karthik as her hero. Seeing her sister enjoying this romantic phase, Preeti too had her heart set on finding a boyfriend for herself. And someone just like her Jijaji... dashing and rich!

Earlier that day in the canteen she had been arguing with Naina about this. Sameer had wisely decided to stay out of this argument and had just listened in. On one hand he knew he owed so much to Preeti and would have liked to help her in any way he could... but at the same time based on whatever interactions that he had with Karthik so far Sameer wasn't convinced that he was the right guy for Preeti.

Preeti: Behen, cum se cum mujhe tujhse toh yeh ummeed nahi thi. Maine teri aur Jijaji ki itni madaat ki hai aur tu hai ke..

Naina gently but firmly: Preeti, ek baat such such bata.. kya tujhe Kartik pasand hai?

Preeti fumbling a little with her answer: Pasand??.. ha.. kyun nahi.. matlab itna ameer hai.. aur dekhne me bhi thik thak hi toh hai..

Naina: Wo sab jo ho so ho.. par kya tujhe wo pasand hai? Agar wo ameer na ho toh?

Preeti sounding irritated: Ye achaa hai.. tune toh khud ke liye Jijaji jaisa ladka dhundh liya.. aur aab mujhe aasie sawal kyu pooch rahi hai?!

Naina calmly went on: Aare mujhe jab Sameer achaa laga tab mujhe yeh thodi pata tha ke wo kaun hai...

Kamya interrupted at this point: Kya baat kar rahi hai tu Naina? Jab Sameer peheli baar humare class mein aaya tha tabhi se sab jaante thay ke wo kaun hai. Mujhe to aaj bhi yaad hai jab wo uss din apni car mein school aaya tha...

Naina explained innocently: Aare wo toh baad ki baat hai na... Main toh tab ki baat kar rahi hu jab maine usse pehli baar dekha tha... jab hum almost takraye thay (Naina had a dreamy look on her face as she remembered the magic of that moment once again). Us waqt mujhe wo kaun hai ye thodi pata tha.. aur agar wo Car ki jaga uss din cycle pe aaya hota toh mujhe koi farak nahi padta.

Munna put his arm around Sameer's shoulder and whispered happily in his ear: Yaar, Bhabhi to ekdum peheli nazaar mein hi teri deewani ho gayi thi!

Sameer sat there feeling surreal, watching her in awe. He had known she had liked him from way before he fell for her. But, she had never told him clearly that it was from that first moment that she saw him. She really had fallen for 'just him' in that moment... his family or connections or wealth had played no part in it. He completely believed her when she said it wouldn't have mattered to her if he had come from a family that wasn't that well off. Had he really been worthy of such pure love? Well, he wasn't sure if he had been worthy or not, but he was resolved to make himself worthy of her for the rest of his days.

Naina continued looking at Preeti lovingly: Issiliye pooch rahi hu.. kya tujhe Karthik pasand hai? Aur na tu bilkul fikar mat kar, hum tere liya koi bohoot hi accha ladka dhundhenge.

Preeti had seemed a little unconvinced but had not talked about it anymore as they rushed back to their class for another lecture.

Preeti was still a bit moody after the lectures as they headed to their hangout. Oblivious to that the rest of the gang carried on with their usual chit chat. Swati sharing the latest Bollywood gossip that she had come across a magazine at her aunts place the day before. Kamya trying to perfect her walk in the new heels. And Munna trying to recollect all of Pandit's previous crushes.

As they all reached their spot, Sameer gestured Naina to come sit with him a few steps higher than the rest of the gang on the staircase so that they could talk privately. She was wearing her long flowing Demin skirt with a white and pink floral top and he was wearing her favourite light Yellow shirt as per their mutual wishes expressed on the phone last night. Sameer had thanked his stars numerous times that Naina and he were finally in the same college and were able to spend so much time together. He never tired of looking at her and noticed the smallest of things about her. He loved how she left her hair open these days just the way he liked them. Though surprisingly he did feel a little nostalgic about her cute pigtails sometimes as he reminisced about their school days. He had always wanted to pull them but had never got a chance with his abrupt departure from the school and Ahmedabad. He made a mental note to ask her to wear her hair in pigtails once again for him, just so that he could get the satisfaction of pulling them to his heart's content and troubling her! He chuckled inwardly at this thought.

He was about to fish something out of his pocket for her when Naina turned to him and said forlornly: Sameer, Bittu Didi bhi bohoot dukhi hongi na... Unhe bhi toh kitne din ho gaye na ab yeha aaye.

Sameer just nodded not sure what to say. Well, Bittu Didi did seem a little off sometimes but he wasn't sure if she was terribly sad. She seemed more angry and grumpy than sad.

Naina continued: Pooja Didi toh bohoot dukhi hai. Wo sabko dikhati nahi par akele mein bohoot roti hai.

Pooja had finally confided in Naina and Preeti about the on-going issue in her in-laws house with regards to the fight between her and Bittu after they once found her in tears. The rest of the family was still not aware of the specific issue but were starting to get a little uneasy about her extended unplanned stay. Especially Taiji kept on trying to figure out via a lot of direct and indirect questioning. All said and done the woman did have a fairly strong sixth sense about a lot of things!

Naina's antenna had picked up some signals of the possible connections between Pooja and Bittu, which had been established after a lot of further questioning and comparing of facts about the house Pooja had visited when she went to apologise to Bittu and the people she met there. Naina had been reminded of her own encounter with Sameer's formidable Mami and sympathised with Pooja Didi. She had then spoken to Sameer about this unfortunate connection. Sameer had questioned Poonam Bhabhi covertly and gathered as much intel as he could about the situation.

Sameer and Naina had compared notes but hadn't been able to come up with any ideas of what they could do to help resolve this situation. Naina had refrained from laying any blame on Bittu so far, not wanting to put Sameer in an uncomfortable situation. She knew how difficult his time in the Delhi household had been and was happy to see him settling in so well with his Mama's family. He was positively basking in all the attention being lavished on him which was a fairly new experience for him. Naina felt he deserved this sense of peace and belonging. And his sense of contentment left her feeling content too. But, that did not stop her from feeling out of sorts every time she thought of Pooja Didi's situation. Sameer could sense that though she was not saying much she was quite unnerved by this event, after all she had grown up regarding Pooja as an elder sister.

Sameer tried to reassure her: Naina, tum chinta mat karo. I am sure sab kuch jaldi thik ho jayega. Zara soocho, jis halat mein Bittu Didi aur Pooja Didi hai, dono Jijaji kaise bohoot din tak unse dur reh sakte hai? Unhe bhi toh jaldi ho rahi hogi na aapi biwi ko ghar le jaane ki... Aakhir itna Khushi ka waqt hai toh dono sath hi beetana chahenge, right?

Naina: Sameer, mujhe bhi yahi baat samajh mein nahi aati. Jijaji aab tak aaye kyu nahi? Aur usse bhi badi baat ke pehele unhe maike bhej hi kaise diya? Mujhe nahi pata dono Didiyo ki kitni galti hai... par agar galti ho bhi toh, itni bhi badi nahi hai na ki unhe aape ghar se hi nikaal diya jaaye.

Suddenly tears sprung to her eyes as she looked at Sameer in horror and said: Agar mujhse koi galti ho jaye toh kya tum bhi mere sath aaisa hi karoge?!

Sameer was shocked: Pagal ho gayi ho kya? Main aaisa kuch karunga ye tum sooch bhi kaise sakti ho! Galtiyan to sab se hoti hai... mujhse bhi toh kitni sari hui hain. Naina, tum jaanti ho main tumse kitna jyada pyar karta hu.

Naina interrupted: Toh kya Jijaji Didi se pyar nahi karte? Wo bhi baade aarmano se shaadi karke Didi ko apne sath le gaye thay na?

Sameer didn't know how to answer this question. He couldn't fathom, how their sister's in-laws could treat them so shabbily, especially the husbands! It was completely beyond his comprehension. He realised he hadn't really dwelt too much on this situation previously but this conversation with Naina was forcing him to think about it and decide where he would stand in a situation like this. Obviously with his Naina! He knew he would always stand by her... with her. There could never be two ways about it.

Naina continued: Sameer, tumhe yaad hai na Pooja Didi ki shaadi ke waqt Chachaji Chachiji se naraaz thay... Mana Chachiji se thodi galti bhi hui thi, par uss waqt bhi mujhe yeh bikul nahi samjh aaya tha ke ek pal mein Chachaji ne unhe ghar se nikal jaane ke liye kaise kaha tha? Matlab chahe ladki uss ghar mein nayi naweli bahu ho ya ussne apni zindagi ke bees saal uss ghar ko diye ho... kya wo ghar kabhi bhi such mein uska ghar nahi bunta? Aaisa kyu hai Sameer?

Sameer looked at her fidgeting with her hands. Her inner turmoil clearly reflecting on her face. Sameer gently held her hands in his hands trying to calm her.

Sameer softly said: Naina, mujhe nahi pata ke Jijaji ya Chachaji aaisa kaise kar sakte hai... aur mere hisaab se toh ye bohoot hi galat hai. Par mera bharosa karo main kabhi bhi aaisa kuch bhi nahi karunga.

Naina: Par agar tumhare ghar walo ne aaisa chaha toh? Agar tumhari Ma ya Mami mujhse naraaz ho gayi toh?

Sameer: Naina, mere liye tum mera sab kuch ho. Mere liye aur koi bhi rishta humare rishtay se jyada important ho hi nahi sakta! Main humesha tumhara hi sath dunga aur.

After a few moments of quite, Sameer now trying to lighten the mood continued: Infact, maine toh decide kar liya hai ke main to tumhe maike jaane hi nahi dunga!

Naina surprised: Kya?!

Sameer replied with a thoughtful expression on his face: Hain, main tumhe cum se cum bees saal tak toh nahi jaane dunga. Akhir tumhari zingadi ke jitne saal tumne un sab ke sath gujare hain, mujhe bhi utne toh milne hi chahiye. I think that's fair, right?

Naina: Sameer! Mazaak mat karo...

Sameer: Aare main bikul serious hu. Aacha chalo, tum ek baar teen dino ke liye jaa sakti ho.

When Naina looked confused, Sameer continued: Mt Abu jo tumhe bheja tha tumhare gharwalo ne... toh teen din ki duri main seh lunga. Par hain, tumhe yaad hain na tumhare pujya pitaji akhri din waha sara maja kharab karne aa poohunche thay? Toh main bhi ek din aake rahunga aur unhe bilkul unki naani yaad dela dunga! Jamaai ko toh thappad marne se rahe...

Hearing him plotting his revenge Naina couldn't help but smile. Naina was thinking to herself just how adorable he looked at that moment. She really wanted to hug him right now and feel his warmth. And then suddenly realising the direction of her thoughts she blushed profusely. Sameer got a chocolate out of his pocket and offered it which she happily accepted and proceeded to unwrap. Watching her eat a chocolate with that look of pure pleasure had become his latest addiction and of course the associated fantasies that kept him awake at night!

Sameer called her as usual that night. Naina was feeling much more settled post their conversation though she was still worried about Pooja Didi.

Sameer: Ab thik ho?

Naina: Ha... pehele se bohoot behetar.

Sameer: Naina, main kuch sooch raha tha... wo shaadi ke baad jab tum ghar aayongi na...

Naina thinking he was heading in some naughty direction: Sameer, abhi toh bohoot der hain usske liye...

Sameer realising what she was thinking and smirking: Ha... waqt toh hain par hum uss baare mein baat toh kar hi sakte hain. Main sooch raha tha ke jab tum dulhan bun kar aayongi aur ghoonghat lekar mera intezaar karog humare kamre mein...

Naina: Sameer please aaisi baate mat karo! Warna main phone rakh dungi..

Sameer: Aare suno toh.. main ne decide kiya hai main tumhe muh dikhayi mein kya dunga.

Naina now intrigued: Muh dikhayi... kya doge?

Sameer: Main aapna ghar tumhare naam kar dunga! Phir tumhe kabhi bhi ye dar nahi hoga ke main ya koi bhi aur tumhe waha se nikal sakta hain. Infact, soocho tumhari sari saas iss dar mein rahegi ke kahi tum unnhe hi na nikal do! He chuckled softly.

Naina feeling overwhelmed: Nahi, mere nahi... ghar humare naam hoga.

Naina then continued teasingly: Main nahi chahati ke tum bhi iss dar mein raho ke kahi main tumhe hi bahaar nikal du!

Both had a good laugh and continued some romantic talks for the reminder of their call. That night Naina slept with a feeling of contentment and Sameer crushing the pillow his head full of chocolate fantasies.