The morning was a calm, breezy lull. Fiery shades of sunrise embraced the tranquil blueness of the rising day. Sameer Maheshwari rode into the temple premises as the colours of dawn bloomed to morning glory. His hair caught the sultry summer breezes and his eyes the cow tied to the tree, who seemed to be glaring at him. There were a few people selling flowers and sweets but there was not much crowd. A few devotees had come to seek blessings and fulfilment of wishes from the pristine white marble statue of Lord Ganesha.
Climbing the stairs, a soothing feeling took over his heart. As if somehow his wishes would be granted, as if he would get his Naina. When he stepped onto the courtyard to remove his shoes, he stood struck.

Flying hair wrapped in a red dupatta, a content glow lining her cheeks, there stood amongst the early morning devouts the very girl he had come here to pray for. Naina Agrawal looked as beautiful as the winter rose, her luminous skin smooth and rosy, rosier still were her soft lips which were smiling in elation. He had come here to pray for her and he found her here. Maybe there truly was someone up there listening to your heart and soul. Perhaps it was destiny or perhaps it was the ardour of his feelings which led to this; he didn't know and didn't care, the girl of his dreams stood right there!
He went and stood right next to her, observing her for a long time, the warmth rolling off her hugged his cold shivering being. Sameer soaked it into his soul, a smile making its way to his lips as years of negligence seemed to be feeding into the nourishment her presence gave him. Closing his eyes, he wished for her smile to continue to blossom, for her storms to cease, and for her warmth to one day brighten up the dark crevices of his broken being.

He sensed someone watching him and his breath caught when he opened his eyes to see her deep midnight orbs peering at him. He wondered what she was thinking, why was she looking at him. Sameer wished he could read her thoughts through her immense gaze.

"Aap bhi yahan aate hai? Aap toh meri class mein hi hai na?" She voiced gently, these were the first words she had spoken to him and he stood looking at the movement of her petal soft lips.

A rush of blood went through his body and he skittered with its after effect. Duffer kuch bol. Ladki aage se baat kar rahi hai aur toh mooh kholkar khada hai. Gadha kahin ka. He chided himself mentally.

"Jjjjjjji. Mai yahan roz toh nahi ata magar aaj dil kiya toh aa gaya. Mai tumhare saath hi baithta hoon matlab tumhare saath nahi mera matlab..." he fumbled. Nanu sahi kehte hai mujh par yeh sab charm barbaad hai. Naina ab kya sochegi teri baare mein. Pati chod tujhe bhai na bana le. He shouted at himself mentally.

"Sameer."

He froze, wind rushing out of his lungs as his heart drudged up a hurricane. Her beautiful lips and honeyed voice had uttered his name. He forgot how to breathe, how to speak, where he was, and what he had come here for.

"Mai janti hoon aap mere saath wali seat par baithte hai na. Manoj ke saath. Aap Sameer hai, mujhe Swati ne bataya. Woh aapke saath 8th se padhti hai." She spoke gently as she took off her dupatta to let her hair out. She did things that made his heart soar as casually as breathing. He looked at the raven coloured tresses playing with the wind, their floral fragrance invading his senses.

Unable to form words, he nodded as he continued to look at her. Following her as she did the parikrama and chanted a mantra. Her voice as melodious as temple bells, forever will haunt his ears. Maybe she had prayed for her academics or her family he didn't know but doing the rounds of the tree, all he could think of was the rounds he wanted to take with her at the altar. The seven pheras which will make this gentle soul his and from then on his insomnia would disappear as her presence would calm him, his mornings would no longer be bleak as he would wake up to her beautiful face. He would no longer have to hear music to drown out silence as her sweet sonorous voice would fill up his ears and his days.

Later as they sat down at the bench in Rajeshri Park, he wondered if this would count as a date. Yes, they had fatefully met at the temple but she had chosen to stay back and spend time with him. A quick glance at his watch told him they had a little over an hour to go, he had been given this time and he had to make it count.

"Toh aap roz mandir aati hai?" He asked, looking into her eyes. For a slight second he thought he saw a flicker of emotion in them.

"Jee nahi. Har somvaar. Humare ghar mein manyata hai ki solah somvaar ka vrat aur pooja karne se manchaha var milta hai." She spoke, with a shy glint in her eyes. Hearing this, jealousy flared up in his core, his fists hardening. Did she already like someone for whom she was doing all this? Was his love meant to be futile and unfruitful?

"Toh kaun hai aapka manchaha var?" He asked, curtly.

"Aise toh koi nahi hai magar mujhe koi aisa chahiye jo mujhe samjhe aur mere sapno ko bhi." She said with a thoughtful look in her eyes.

Instantly, Sameer relaxed as relief washed over him. "Aur jo tumse tutkar pyaar kare? Woh nahi hai kya manchaha var." He asked, slightly leaning in, his eyes boring into her's.

"Woh toh hoga hi magar agar woh pyaar na bhi kare toh koi baat nahi mera pyaar hi kaafi hoga hum dono ke liye." She spoke with a faraway look and he knew that she had once again drifted off to an inescapable past.

He sat there, slightly amazed at what he had heard; astounded at the selflessness of the girl next to him. She was already deeply loving her upcoming life partner by fasting and praying for him, a strange mystical entity of tomorrow for whom she was presently laying down a bed of roses in her big heart. A love that was so unconditional she didn't care if he loved her back, she just wanted his support and understanding. And here he sat, a solemn insecure soul who a minute ago was ready to burst with jealousy at the thought of his love being futile. Sameer looked at her, realising that the reason he had been so attracted to her from her first glimpse was because of her immense heart and warmth which he could see in her eyes. She was a soul so beautifully human, it shook his soul with awareness. And just as easily as breathing, Sameer fell for her deeper, harder, and stronger.

"Tum. Tum yaha kyun aaye ho? Kabhi socha nahi tha ki tum jaisa cool aur hero types ladka bhi mandir aata hoga." She said as he smirked. They had somehow taken up the casual reference of 'tum' in their conversations already. And was she also charmed by his cool and hero persona? He really really hoped so. He wanted her now, more fiercely than before and he would try everything possible to earn her love.

"Mai yahan kuch special mangne aya hoon. Aisa kuch jo mujhe apni jaan se bhi zyada azeez hai." He spoke, his eyes looking at her urging her to open up to his ardent feelings.

"Kya mangne aaye ho tum?" She asked, her eyes lit up with curiosity.

"Tumhe"
He said, lost in her.

"Kya?" She asked, mortified.

"Mera matlab tumhe malum nahi ki kabhi bhi apni wish nahi batate warna woh puri nahi hoti." He said, eyeing the blissful shade of red on her cheeks. Was she just embarrassed or was that a blush of affection? Did he make her heart flutter like she did his?

"Oh acha. Fir toh mai bhi aapko apna sapna nahi bataungi kyonki mai chahti hoon woh pura ho." She said, with a tease in her voice and a smirk on her lips. He swore he could hear whistles in his ear with the rush of blood he felt at that moment, he could only gaze at her soft pink lips. So alluring, he knew theirs would be a taste so heavenly he would burst with sheer pleasure.

"Waise tum yahan ahemdabad mein nayi aayi ho? Pehle kahan rehti thi?" He asked, eager to know all he could about her.

"Haan. Mai pehle Ahemdabad mein hi thi lekin fir 7th class mein mujhe Kota ke ek school mein admission mil gaya toh mai wahi padhti thi. Abhi wapas aayi hoon apne Chachaji ke saath rehne." She spoke.

That seemed slightly odd. Why would she live with her Chachaji? "Tum apne Chachaji ke saath rehti ho?"
She nodded, her eyes had a deep gaze of affection at the mention of him. Clearly, this was a man she revered. His respect for her Chachaji instantly increased.

"Tumhare ma aur papa kahan hai?" He asked her, dreading his question the next moment as she went pale.

" Ma toh mujhe janam dete huye hi guzar gayi aur papa unki yaad mein saal bhar mein hi mar gaye. Tabse mujhe mere chacha aur chachi ne hi pala hai." She said, a profound sadness settling in her eyes, one he understood too well.

"Mai samajh sakta hoon. Mere papa ko maine 6 saal ki Umar mein hi Kho diya tha aur ma mujhe hostel chodke chali gayi thi kisi se shaadi karke. 8th mein, nanu ki sehat jab heart attack ke baad thodi sambhli tab woh mujhe apne saath rehne ke liye lekar aaye. Mai toh unhe kabhi kabhi mummy kehkar bulata hoon." He said, his voice wavering.

"Mai bhi kabhi kabhi Chachaji ko papa aur chachiji ko mummy kehti hoon."

"Naina humare jo dard hai na ekdum same to same hai." Sameer said, as his eyes sought hers. When he had fallen for her, he had no idea they would be so similar but as he listened to her he realised that Naina was probably the one person in this world who truly understood his loss and his anguish. Maybe she would be able to smoothen his roughened edges and he her's. The fragments of their broken hearts could intertwine to form one.

"Haan Sameer. Aur humare rishte bhi same to same hai. Jaise mere liye Chachaji waise tumhare liye nanaji. Tum toh meri tarah hostel mein bhi rahe ho. Tum shayad samajh sakte ho ki apno se duur rehna kitna mushkil hota hai." Naina spoke as she weaved together their separate narratives. He hoped that some day this story would no longer be his or hers but theirs.

As the sky brightened signalling the coming of the day, the two souls sat lost in conversations of their past. At times exchanging bittersweet memories of their dead parent to stories of exhilaration and lonely hostel life.

Closer to 7:30 am, the two souls rode out together. If Sameer kept stopping his bike to match the pace of her cycle, Naina too kept a look out for him; warning him of branches and paths to take. A steep curve close to school, saw the two of them riding in close quarters, too close for comfort. Sameer registered the deepening crimson on Naina's cheeks, wondering if it was from the exertion or their proximity, which was also driving the beats of his heart to the storms. The skittering effect got deeper as the radio at a tea stall played the Aashiqui song that reverberated in the air every desire and plea of Sameer's mind:

Dheere dheere se meri zindagi mein aana
Dheere dheere se mere dil ko churana
Tumse pyaar hume hai kitna jane jana
Tumse milkar tumko hai batana

Over the next few weeks, Sameer and Naina drifted closer. The casual greetings in class turned to long conversations in Rajeshri Park. The glint in Sameer's eyes turned brighter and his love for Naina eons deeper.  He could easily share his every thought, every mischief, and every happiness with her. She in turn, shared with him her darkest to sweetest memories, from Taiji labelling her as manhoos for 'killing' her parents to her sister Preeti giving her the new haircut, which she had been flaunting since the beginning of school. Comfort sprouted and grew from a sapling to a shrouding tree. As did their friendship. It became common for them to ride to school and ride away from school together. While Sameer did not live anywhere close to Naina, he would travel 30 minutes extra to her society and pretend to live in the next block as he bid her goodbye.

As his grandson would return late in the afternoon his shirt mudded, sweat lining his forehead, and a triumphant smile on his face; Jaiprakash Maheshwari knew something sweet and beautiful was brewing in Sameer's life. He decided to donate some sweets to the poor; after all loneliness was slowly fading out and warmth steadily seeping in.

Sameer, however, was getting desperate to confess to Naina. First semester exams were around the corner and knowing Naina, he was sure their time together would come to a halt till semester two starts. He felt rather insecure about the time they would have to spend apart, he had made no proclamations of commitment to her, and he shuddered to think that someone might sweep her off her feet as she remained single and far from his reach. He didn't even have her number, for god's sake!

Munna and Pandit kept trying to calm him and resolve his fears but to no use. The only person who could soothe Sameer's insecurities was the one who had aroused them: Naina.

The answer came to him when one afternoon, a month after their meeting in the temple, Sameer's search for Naina led him to the library. She stood by a tall shelf of books, stretching up on toes to get hold of the material. For a few minutes, he stood watching her cute antics. Amused and tempted to lift her delectable body in his arms and guide her, he leaned by the side of the shelf gazing at her curves and cuts. She was so petite and fragile, everything about her so delicately carved that he knew he could spend his entire life admiring her and it still wouldn't be enough.Her hair was tied into two braids which was unusual for her but it only made her look cuter as she scrunched her nose trying to get hold of the book that had so caught her eye.

Unable to see her struggle any longer he went and stood behind her stretching his arm next to hers as he grasped the thick black spine of the book 'dhumrapan ek rog'. Strange selection he thought before his breath froze in his lungs realising the proximity between them. They were standing barely a breath apart, the heat off her back seared his chest as his heart rang loud and clear to his ears (and probably hers too). The scent of coconut oil mixed with her floral scent ricocheted to his nostrils, assaulting his thoughts. All his life he had avoided applying coconut oil in his hair as he found its smell revolting but now applied on her hair, it no longer repulsed him. Rather, it attracted him to her even more than usual. Somehow it fused beautifully with her floral musk. And then it happened, what really shook him inside out.

Naina's body too stiffened under his proximity but she didn't move away. A deep crimson adorned her cheeks as hints of a smile appeared on her face. Her shoulders frantically moved up and down, and she clutched her stomach tight with her long slender arms as if...as if butterflies had made their appearance! That she would be nervous was no surprise but that she grew shy and gushing is what made his heart jump in elation.

Almost an entire minute passed before he saw her shaking her head and moving away from him. Her innocence after the heated moment they had shared was like the fresh morning breeze to his mind. He treasured her purity and he wouldn't be the one to stain it. Her consent and her respect were foremost for him, first the confession then closeness. Sameer control yourself no touching before I love yous. He commanded as he gazed at her blush. Lovestruck as he was he watched the colour of his love rise up like the wildling roses on her soft cheeks.

He couldn't touch but he could flirt and will flirt. The more he does the closer they to get to accepting emotions that had now started to run deep in his soul. Leaning against the shelf, he smirked at her, meeting her shy gaze he recited "kya hai ab yeh indradhanush Ghalib, unke chehre ki laali ab hai humari iss andheri zindagani ka sabse khoobsoorat rang"

"Ss sameer kya hogaya hai tumhe? Yeh tum kya keh rahe ho?" She asked, her eyes stealing away from his gaze as her blush grew more profound.

"Acha. Sharma tum rahi ho aur puch rahi ho mujhe kya hogaya hai." He spoke, leaning closer to her height, his arms caging her to the bookshelf as his tall frame towered over her.

"Mai Mai nahi sharma rahi. Tum aisi ajeeb harkaten kyon kar rahe ho?" She asked, he observed the sumptuous swells of her chest tremble at his almost embrace. Up close her eyes looked more luminous and her lips even pinker, sending his hormones on a rough terrain.

"Naina tumhare yeh Gulabi gaal sachme bahut pyaare lag rahe hai. Waise agar tum chaho toh mai bata sakta hoon ki mujhe kya hua aur kaise." He whispered huskily in her ear, making them both shiver.

"Kaho. Bata doon mujhe kya hua hai." He asked, his nose nuzzling the parting of her hair as he breathed her in. The scent that was purely hers, untouched by the grime and filth of this world.

"Sameer tum please aisi baatein mat karo." She stuttered out.
" Acha. Aisi nahi toh fir kaisi baatein karun? Tum hi bata do." He asked, his nose gliding in the soft expanse of black on her head.

"Mai mujhe tum...dekho tum..." "kaho na Naina. Kya dekhoon mai?" He asked, his head moving back to look into her eyes. Her liquid dark gaze caught him off guard, her dilated pupils and desire laden specks in her eyes distracted him as she bent under his right arm and ran to the adjoining table.

He chuckled at her shyness and turned around holding out the book to her. "Jane se pehle yeh toh le lo."

She slung her bag on one shoulder and made her way to him. Still looking down as her cheeks continued to shine a deep scarlet, she whispered "Mai bhi tumhare liye kuch layi hoon."

Elated, he could only gaze at her feeling an anticipation rise up in his bones. His fingers curled in as he watched her open the top zip of her orange bag and take out a peach journal. He bit his lip taking it from her, his eyebrow arching at her.

"Woh yeh meri woh kitaab jisme mai apne sapne chupakar rakhti hoon. Please kisiko mat dikhana aur isse jaan se sambhal kar rakhna. Ismen likha hua har shabd mere dil ke kareeb hai. Bahut kareeb." She spoke, her eyes looking at her shoes as her hand fidgeted with the hem of her uniform.

"Naina Mai isko apne seene se lagakar rakhungi. Magar yeh batao agar tumhare liye yeh itni important toh tumne mujhe kyon Di?" He asked, his heart soaring at the way she had opened up to him so beautifully.

" Sameer Mujhe woh dhumrapaan wali kitaab dedo." She requested, her eyes refusing to meet his. But he didn't need to see them to know what was blooming in her heart, the red of her cheeks and her precious item in his hand told him everything he needed to know.

"Sameer please pareshaan mat karo. Kitaab dedo na." She said holding one end of the thick black book.

"Theek hai le lo." He said before pulling the end in his hand causing her to once again come close to him. Leaning down he whispered in her ear "abhi toh jane de raha hoon magar kab tak tum iss ehsaas aur khud se bhagti rahogi Naina? Ek na ek din toh tumhe kehna padega jo tumhare dil mein hai. Kyonki ab mai bhi peeche nahi hatunga iss jazbaat ki baarish mein bheegne se."

As she ran off, Sameer stood ruffling his hair. Her blush, her riveting gaze, her hyper breaths, and her proximity had swept him up in a storm of her making. Clutching the notebook close to his heart, he walked out with a spring in his step as the moments he had spent with her washed away some of his earlier insecurities.

I work really hard for these updates and would appreciate it if you could vote please.