The long corridor to their classroom felt to Sameer like the winding trail of his life ahead. His injured hand clasped between her two soft and warm hands as they walked to their class made him realise that the long night he had been living in all his life had finally ended. And along with that had ceased his recklessness, his delinquency, and his bad habits. Naina's love had made him want to be capable enough to take her responsibility. To not just win her heart but also her family's someday. With this thought in his head he promised himself that he would become the man Naina would, one day, be proud to call her husband.

As they entered the classroom, Naina left his hand and rushed to the cupboard to find the First Aid Box. His girl was quick but he was still dazed and reeling from her first touch. Her hands were imprinted on his, their memory meant to thrive in his veins for life.

"Sameer wahan kya kar rahe ho tum? Idhar aakar baitho!" She yelled. And who was he to defy his queen's order?

He went and sat with her, making sure to sit very close to her. So close that the proximity made his cheeks redden from the delicious feminine heat of her body. She, however, was too concerned about his wounds to pay attention to the rising heat in the atmosphere and the colour on his cheeks.

"Bilkul khyaal nahi hai apna. Dekho toh kya haal bana rakha hai tumne apne haath ka. Kab lagi yeh chot?! Sameer tum na sachme bahut hi.." she stopped her rant the second she looked up and momentarily lost herself in his eyes.

"Mai kya Naina? Bolo na? Mai kya?" He could hear his own voice choked with the onslaught of emotions. This is what he had missed in his life: this pampering, this care, and this worry. This warmth which was only Naina's.

"Sameer tumhe apna bilkul khyaal nahi hai. Yeh chot  purani hai na?" when he nodded, a fury burst through in her gaze "Toh fir patti kyon nahi bandhi iss par? Tumhe malum hai tetanus ka injection lagana padta hai warna infection hosakta hai..." her rant continued and so did her tears.
And Sameer absorbed them like a white cloth soaks up colour. Her warmth and love reached into cold empty corners of his being, which were sitting bleak and colourless akin to discarded fabric. Soft and slow tears dropped from his eyes like the drizzling rain.Washing out darkness as colours of her making spread through him.

"Kyon Naina? Kyon hai tumhe meri itni fikar? Bolo na. Dard toh mujhe horaha lekin aansoon tumhare nikal rahe hai? Kyun?" He spoke, his voice choking with emotions.

"Sameer ab tumhe nahi hai toh kisi ko toh fikar karne hogi na." She ranted off, only to colour the next second after realising the truth she had let slip.

"Acha. Toh tum karogi parwah. Magar kyun?" He asked, the fingers of his injured hand now entwining with her's. Trapping her to him, pulling the lines of their hands together; refusing to let her falter. Now or ahead in life.

"Sameer..."

"Nahi hai na jawab tumhare paas. Shayad iss liye kyonki tum bhi mujhse pyaar karti ho. Lekin mai janta hoon ki tum nahi kahogi magar tumhari aankhon se tapakti huye yeh boondon ne mujhe bata diya hai tumhara sach. Aur ab mai yeh vada karta hoon ki mai bhi tumhe manakar rahunga. Dekh lena Naina Agrawal yeh Sameer Maheshwari shart lagata hai ki agle mahine tak tum meri baahon mein mujhe woh teen shabd keh rahi hogi." He said and squeezing her soft hand one last time, let her go.

She was at the far end of the room when something caught his attention. Day before yesterday when he had flirted with her in the library she had shied away but had been welcoming towards his proximity. Today she had plain refused. There was only one thing that was unusual since that day to today. A brainwave caught him as instinct travelled through his supine spine.

"Ruko Naina."

She paused and turned with askance in her eyes.

"Apna scarf utaro."

She went pale at his demand and he knew his instinct had been correct. How could it not be where she was concerned?

Shaking her head, she stood looking down. He walked to her and with a whoosh of his hand removed her scarf. Two long braids tumbled down with a serpentine perfection. And there on her cheeks were visible fingerprints: stark, furious, red.

"Kisne kiya Naina? Tauji ne?" She shook her head. "Taiji." His voice rang out with a seething certainty. Fisting his hands tight, fury coursed through his brain. Blinding him with rage. "Kyon?" He said banging his hand hard on the door.

"Sameer tumhara haath.." "bhad mein gaya mera haath! Kya hua naina? Please batao, tumhe meri kasam." He asked, his voice curdled as rage blinded him.

"Woh unhone mujhe khule baalon ke saath dekha aur shak hogaya ki mai kisi par dore dalne ki koshish kar rahi hoon. Kehne lagi maa ko khagayi, surat bhi achi nahi hai, bas ek baalon ke zariye mai jaal bun sakti hoon kisi ladke par." She spoke, sobbing as the cyclone of emotions finally exploded. Pain dropped hot and salty from her eyes, it corroded his soul.

Not wanting to go too far or take advantage of her vulnerability, Sameer lightly patted her silky head; mussing and ruffling her soft hair. Trying to calm down the storm that had been unleashed. He swore he could murder that fat taiji of hers for this!

A little while later when she calmed down he gently held her hand and made her sit. As she sipped water, he bent in front of her and fished out his handkerchief wiping off the tears that had tainted the smooth skin of his angel; the red scars making his heart ache. Hearing the sprinting footsteps of students in the corridor, Naina gestured a concerned Sameer to sit at his place.

The first half of school passed in a blur as Sameer gazed at Naina and caught her staring back at him; time and again. His mind forgot the concepts of economics-or were they equations of mathematics?- he didn't know, all he could think about were the redness on Naina's cheeks and the deep potent gaze which Naina had bestowed him with. He chuckled at his own madness, if her mere blush could drive his heart to thins what would happen to him when she would confess?

It was when the bell for break rang that Sameer finally tumbled back into the present with a roaring hungry stomach. Only for sweat beads to form on his forehead when he realised he had forgotten to take his wallet from his side table this morning. He cursed himself for being so distracted; staying hungry was something that always frustrated him. "Pagal kahin ka! Ab bhar apna paet pyaar se!' Sameer muttered to himself, only to be heard by Munna-Pandit and the girl who had elicited in him a newfound aching hunger.
He had no food and no money, and his friends dragged him with them to the canteen. He kept refusing whatever was offered to him, he was hungry yes but a queasy sensation in his stomach wouldn't let him eat the smelly canteen food. Just as he was about to get up, Naina kept a tiffin in front of him with a strip of Hajmola.

"Dikh raha hai ki tumne kuch nahi khaya hai. Khalo. Mere haathon ke banne hue aloo paranthe hai, mai Preeti ka tifin share karlungi. Subah breakfast toh karke nahi aaye hoge na tum? Tabhi acidity si horahi hogi, yeh hajmola khalo saath mein. Aur haan iss sabka galat matlab mat nikalna samajh gaye." She prattled off in her soft voice, standing with her back to him; depriving him off the view of her face which he was sure would be red by now.

Quickly he held her hand under the table as he said in a husky voice: " theek hai galat matlab nahi sahi matlab nika lunga ki tum mujhse itna pyaar karti ho ki apni bhook tak tyaag di tumne." He ruffled his hair with a triumphant smirk on his lips as she ran off, her two braids dangling behind her. He could get used to these braids, they were cute.
That day Sameer Maheshwari realised that food didn't just nourish one's body but also heart and soul. The buttery taste of Aloo paranthas prepared by his girl's soft hands made his insides melt as the tiny morsels filled his stomach: it was an act of romance that was subtle but impactful. He could taste the flavour of her hands in the dough she had kneaded, the warmth of her skin in the potatoes she had cooked, and he blushed to himself as he ate each bite as if he was kissing her hand. A satisfied burp escaped him at the end of the meal, maybe love could fill one's stomach after all.

Later that evening, the Agrawal family was surprised to find a huge chocolate cake delivered to their cosy two bedroom flat. The 'S' scribbled in topical white frosting towards the edge went ignored by all except one, who demanded her slice to be cut from that particular side. If some suspicion regarding the sender lingered, it was ignored through Taiji's constant persuasion.

The night brought with it a new comfortable and lovable routine between Sameer and Naina. Sameer would call Naina every night and sing her songs to woo her. He was set on breaking down her walls and win her love. After three times of her picking up his phone post two rings, it became a silent code between them. Two symbolised that the other was calling, longing to be heard, and yearning for their beloved.

Mornings brightened with Sameer stationing himself close to her society, the warm ginger tea being sold at a tapri (stall) was the perfect excuse to see her face early every day. After all, how would his days begin without the sight of his sun?
The first morning, Naina had appeared in her balcony in a ratty old white salwar suit, her hands rubbing oil in her hair. Mid yawn she had caught sight of him, her mouth open wide as she blinked to confirm it was really him, and then reddened to the roots as she realised her state. He winked at her, smiling as she ran inside, her hands frantically gathering and tying her messy unkempt hair.
Subsequent mornings were slow, calm, and beautiful. Naina would come outside in a satin night suit, hair open and flying in the air, looking fresh like the morning bloom. His heart would flutter at seeing her, and on more than one occasion Sameer's warm glass of tea had fallen. He was now called 'Majnu Saheb' by Kala babu, the tapri owner.
The third morning after this had happened, Kala babu decided to add a bit more sweet in his Majnu Saheb's morning tea by playing romantic songs in the background as he waited for his love. Smooth tunes of affection early in the morning made Sameer dream of his future with Naina. Mornings when he would cuddle with her in bed, hug her to fill up the emptiness inside of him. Her face fresh and blushed up, hair open and him lost in her fragrance. So lost was he, Sameer almost missed Naina's entry in the balcony save for the pick up of his heartbeat; his body's instinctual response to her.
He looked up to see her in a peach night suit with blue patterns, hair tied leaning against the pillar as she gazed down at him. The song that came up described his poor heart which had been taken by a girl with deep stormy eyes; like a cyclone, with layers of emotions that had destroyed the iron wall around his heart:

Kuch hogaya ? Haan hogaya
Kya hogaya bata?
Chand ke desh mein
Dil mera udd gaya
Udd gaya udd gaya

While two hearts in love floated afresh at the sight of each other every morning, Sameer Maheshwari shed love on his girl all day every day. Trying every possible way to make her see how beautiful she was to him and how mad he was solely for her in his world filled with solemn strangers and shattering silence. From two honks of his bike to the two taps of his pen on the desk: every moment he tried to remind her that in his every breath he was only thinking of her, missing her, craving for her closeness. Every morning as she rode out of her society, he would ride with her, singing songs for her on the way. Each break brought with it a new dish: sometimes a samosa, sometimes pav bhaji. At the end of school he would bid farewell to her with a rose, which he sneaked in from his Nanu's lawn.

As his stock of red roses kept depleting, Jaiprakash Maheshwari would smile and clap his hands while the gardener would scratch his head out of trepidation. Of course, it was Sameer's demand of increasing pocket money that made Jaiprakashji tease him quite directly with questions like "kya hua barkhurdaar girlfriend banakar dates par jate ho kya ki paise khatam ho rahe hai?" The red cheeks of his grandson would give him the pleasure that even a thousand rupee note couldn't buy.

It was, however, the sunset like redness of Naina's cheeks that had come to define Sameer's fantasies. As his love for her increased with every smile and every look they exchanged so did his hunger. Her alluring pink lips and blushing face haunted him, resulting in quite a few sleepless nights. Having had enough, his frustration reaching peak Sameer confronted Naina by the water tap one afternoon.
She stood, bending as she drank from a tap and Sameer pulled by a magnetic force, went to stand by her side. He observed the rosiness of her lips, their natural wetness making him ache as drops of water decorated her mouth. Leaning by the edge of the stony sink with multiple faucets, he watched her drink with utter fascination. Each sip teasing him, causing flutters in his heart. His thirst magnified as she quenched hers. Finishing her drink, she turned red to find him gazing at her.
Leaving the tap running, she stood transfixed by his eyes as he stood enchanted by her wet and sweet looking mouth. He inched forward towards her as she gushingly walked back; this back and forth of footsteps continued till he finally stopped. She let out a sigh: whether from relief or disappointment he knew not.

His blood heating up, he locked his eyes with her as he bent to drink from the same tap she had; his fingers caressing the metallic surface as if it were her soft pink petals. He took his time, drinking with leisure as he continued to gaze at her, watching the redness of her cheeks grow more profound and the brown of her orbs darken. Maybe it was the feminine warmth of her body or the lingering essence of her sweet mouth: the water seemed to taste like nectar.
Straightening up as he closed the tap, the glint in her eyes broke his control and he cornered her to the edge of the giant sink, his body almost touching hers. Feeding off her delicious heat.

"Toh"
He whispered huskily.

"Toh kya?"
She whispered back, her eyes still darkened from desire.

"Toh kya tum kuch bolna chahogi?"
He asked, trying to inch closer to her though mindful of not touching her.

"Mai woh kya?"
She asked, this time looking down.

"Woh three magical words jinhe sunne ke liye mera dil beqarar hai."
He replied, his eyes melting into hers as he tilted his head.

"Tum....tum.." she stuttered as her blush grew deep enough to resemble Kashmiri apples. God he wanted to kiss her cheeks.

"Bolo na..Mai kya" he asked, his patient thinning with each word.

"Tum pagal ho." She said with a mischievous and nervous glint in her eyes as she made to run from the side.

Not so soon, Mrs Naina Sameer Maheshwari. I will not let you go. He thought to himself and blushed at the way her name sounded with his.
He held her hand, his fingers gliding against her soft warm flesh, and pulled her. Her back almost collided with his front making his heart tickle. Her fragrance wafted to him, weaving a spell of Naina around his senses. She smelled like newly blossomed roses: fresh and intense. And so so seductive.
Leaning in, he whispered in her ear "Haan Mai pagal hoon sirf aur sirf tumhare liye, tumhare pyaar mein. Aur mai bhi tumse woh teen shabd sunkar hi manunga, my beautiful darling."
Her cheeks flamed up at his words, her body visibly shivering. She pulled her hand and he let her go, deciding that his shy girl couldn't take anymore flirtations for the day.

That night the phone rang loud and clear in the Agrawal house but Sameer knew she wouldn't answer. And somewhere he didn't want her to either. Her shyness, her blushing, her glinting eyes were a declaration of her love for him. He adored this side of her: so utterly feminine and innocent it played with his heart. Almost a week had passed since he had set the bet and he knew there was still a long way to go for Naina to feel secure enough to shed her inhibitions. All he could do was love and pamper her but ultimately saying those words to him would be about how potent her love was for him. Would it triumph over her lifelong insecurities or would they triumph over their lifetime of togetherness?

This update is specially for my meduvada.
Happy birthday Sugu!