Ajeeb Ladki Chapter 3: Ankaha Izhaar

Sameer didn’t know how long he sat there in that classroom, but finally on hearing some chatter outside; he stood up and wiped his eyes. The dejection was hard to deal with… He walked to the classroom, lost in those brief moments when Naina had accepted him close to her, responded to his emotions… It was like he had found heaven on earth. He knew now for sure what those emotions could be named as but unfortunately even before he could gather his thoughts and tell Naina about it he had been snubbed… His name from her lips had thrown him off-track; he hadn’t planned to kiss her like that; in fact he had the full speech ready of what he wanted to tell her, how he wanted to confess his feelings but all of that had gone for a toss… He should have said the words, he knew… But he had been unable to control in that moment, and had ultimately ended up ruining it.

As he crossed a classroom near the girl’s bathroom, he heard something that made him jerk to a halt… It was his own name… Some girl was exclaiming, “kya bol rahi hai tu? Sach me…? Sameer ke saath?”

He was puzzled, until he heard Kamya’s voice replying, “haan… Sameer ke saath… Aaj shaam ko…”

Some other girl excitedly asked, “kahan le jaane wala hai?”

“Mujhe nahi pata”, Kamya replied, “lekin usne date pe bulaya hai toh zaroor kisi achchi jagah le jayega… Waise bhi pehli date thodi na hai yeh… maine bataya tha na… Trip pe usne mujhe propose kiya uske baad yeh teesri baar bahar milenge hum log…”

He stood shocked on hearing the tales of him proposing Kamya on trip and the previous two supposed dates… The ones Kamya had been on with him… Except that, none of it had ever happened… He couldn’t decipher the chaat and pav-bhaji date in Law Garden, and his brain buzzed on listening how they had shared a pizza… What was this girl doing? Why was she lying? And it was then that he remembered how Naina had been angry ever since he had returned from the trip… He remembered her words, “kal shaam jo hua woh toh tumhe pata hona chahiye.” Was Naina talking about one of these supposed dates? Did Naina also hear from somewhere that he had proposed Kamya on trip? He recalled how his friends had teased him about Kamya, but he had ignored it thinking it was some foolish whim or joke because she had worn such clothes on the trip… Had there been more to that teasing?

Ab tere dil ki baat poori duniya padh payegi…

He almost shook with anger as he looked down at his own shirt, remembering Munna’s words from this afternoon, and to his dismay saw that indeed Kamya’s name was written on his chest, just below where Naina had written her initial… Wahan pe pehle se kisi ka naam likha hua hai. Dammit… How had Naina tolerated it? How had she not broken down or slapped him? Unable to bear the torment, he searched his pockets thanking himself for picking up the dropped marker before leaving the class. He had to end this madness now… He would stop this nonsense gossip… He couldn’t let Naina believe that he had proposed Kamya and then had the audacity to kiss her… How could she believe he would do that? Did she think he was capable of disrespecting her like this? He would grab hold of her and damn well keep her captured in his arms until she listened to the whole thing… And then he would kiss her… truly kiss her… But, first things first… Uncapping the marker he scratched off Kamya’s name from his shirt until not even a trace of it was visible… He scratched and rubbed so vigorously that he was sure some of the ink would have penetrated to his vest, and also maybe his skin would be red… But he didn’t care… Only one name belonged over his heart and in his heart – Naina.

Having done that task, he stormed inside the classroom, and demanded in a clear loud tone, “Kamya… mujhe tumse zaroori baat karni hai.”

He was satisfied to see Kamya’s face pale with fear and shock, even though the giggling of the remaining girls irked him. As soon as the girls left, he let loose of his temper, “tumhari himmat kaise hui itna bada jhooth bolne ki…? Samajhti kya ho tum apne aap ko? Kya bol rahi thi tum… Picnic trip pe maine tumhe propose kiya? Zara mujhe bhi sunao yeh story…”

Kamya stammered, “ma…main woh…”

He snapped, “kya woh woh kar rahi ho? Abhi abhi toh zubaan thak nahi rahi thi kahaniya banate hue… Aur kitne logo se yeh jhooth bola hai tumne? Aur kyun? Kya mila tumko aisa karke? Tumne jab mujhe propose kiya maine shaanti se tumhe mana kiya tha na? Samjhaya tha na that I am not interested? Phir mere baare me aisi baate failaneki himmat kaise ki tumne? Aur haan… yeh konse dates hai jiske lambe-lambe kisse bata rahi thi tum? Kab le gaya main tumhe bahar? How dare you Kamya? Do you even understand tumne kya kiya hai…” His voice choked as he continued, “tumhare iss jhooth ke wajah se… maine uss ladki ko kho diya jisme mujhe actually interest hai… jiske saath main sach me rehna chahta hun… sirf tumhare jhooth ke kaaran woh mujhse door chali gai…”

Afraid that he would lose control over himself and say something or do something that he would regret later on, he turned around and left from there. As he ran through the corridors he could see the startled faces of some girls, and he realized that his outburst had been overheard. He didn’t care… He just didn’t care about anything except Naina right now… He reached the classroom, but she wasn’t there, and a quick look told him that her bag was also gone… It meant she had gone home. Spotting Munna and Pandit, he asked, “tum logo ke paas Naina ka number hai?”

Pandit looked confused, “kyun? Koi notes chahiye kya?”

Sameer fumed, “notes notes notes… Aur kisi cheez ke liye Naina yaad nahi aati na kisiko? Classmate hai tum logo ki yeh kyun bhul jaate ho?”

Munna was perplexed at the outburst, “bhai… tujhe hua kya hai? Kya chahiye tujhe?”

“Naina chahiye”, he declared, “sirf Naina…”

His friends kept staring at him, and then Pandit slowly said, “hamare paas number nahi hai… class me dusro se puchke dekhte hai… Tension mat le… Dhund lenge number kaise bhi…”

Meanwhile, Naina reached home, frustrated at herself. How could she do that? How could she kiss him back? She knew he was involved with Kamya… He had proposed her… Then how could she feel happiness when he kissed her? How could she feel those sensations? It didn’t matter what she felt for him… He had no feelings for her… He had already shown that his preference was Kamya… Wasn’t that why he proposed her on trip? Wasn’t that why he took her out to dates? A particular scene of Sameer and Kamya meeting outside the school in evening flashed in her mind… They had looked so perfect… Handsome Sameer and beautiful Kamya… Both rich, both privileged, both popular… And who was she? Nothing… Just a girl who was convenient to reach out for notes and personal coaching…

I missed you on the trip Naina…

Did he really mean that? No… How could he? But at that time, she had heard the honesty in his voice, she had felt the genuineness when he had said those words… But how could he miss her? He had chosen Kamya… And then again, if he had chosen Kamya why did he keep pestering her after the trip? Why did he keep saying that they needed to talk? Why did he exert so much right on her that he didn’t even think before kissing her like that today? Frustrated at the situation, angry at herself for still feeling for him, irritated at him, she threw her bag on the bed… And out tumbled something that flashed red near the half-open zipper, catching her attention…

She frowned, opening her bag properly, and picking up the box wrapped in glossy red gift paper. Where did this come from? Was it for her? She turned the box looking at all the sides to search for a name, but there was none… should she open it? Curious, and thinking that given it was in her bag, someone must have kept it for her… But who? Swati? Maybe it was a farewell gift… Unable to resist, she gently opened the paper and saw a simple white cardboard box, and lifted the lid… There on top was a transparent plastic box containing spectacles… And they seemed to be familiar… She opened them to check, and sure enough, they were hers… Puzzled she lifted them out, and saw a note beneath. Her breath stuck as she read – I fixed the hinges so that it is bit tighter, and won’t slip off your nose… now you don’t have to adjust it repeatedly… ~ Sameer

Sameer… He had taken her glasses, and fixed them…? He had noticed that they kept slipping off her nose? When did he notice such a thing about her? And why?

Even more curious now she lifted out a brown envelope, that seemed to be handmade, and flipped the tab to reveal a dried flower, and one more note – I visited the gardens at Modhera, and every flower reminded me of the shine in your eyes that adds color to my days… ~ Sameer

Her heart thundered as she stroked the dry flower, and felt as if she was holding the most precious possession of her life. Another brown envelope contained photographs of birds, and another note – I kept running from tree-to-tree to click these pictures because all I could think of was your laughter if you had been there to witness the twittering birds… ~Sameer

There were tears in her eyes now, and she felt a strange heaviness inside her chest. With slightly trembling hands she pulled out the last item from the box. It was a miniature version of the majestic Modhera sun temple. A small card on which a cut-out was pasted… A cut-out of a photograph of floating leaf boats… She unfolded the cad to read – I missed you at the trip Naina… Every single minute I wished you were there with me… The water in the reservoir was cold, the birds were noisy, the flowers were beautiful, but all of it was incomplete without you. I even floated the leaf boats like you wished, and you know, two of them kept sailing steadily and together. Just like boats of our names were together, I wanted you to be there next to me to witness that sight… I guess I can’t spend a day without arguing with you… Can’t figure out why so? Do you know? If not, maybe we can find the answer together… ~Sameer

Dear God… Sameer… This was why he was trying to talk to her… He really missed her… And he had missed her so much… The tears in her eyes spilled over as she held the note close to her heart… She recalled how she had hurt him with her actions, with her words and today she had pushed him away, yelling at him… He felt for her… He felt the same things… Oh God… She couldn’t stop the wide smile that curved her lips…

But the next moment, her smile turned to a frown… If he felt like this for her then where did Kamya fall in picture? Was he cheating? Taking Kamya out on dates but at the same time also pursuing her… No… Her heart immediately refused this scenario. Sameer wouldn’t cheat on anyone… He had chosen to bear the humiliation of rustication, to fall in the eyes on his own Nanu to save two boys he believed to be friends… He was so rich, and yet he had made jalebi with his own hands for her… The gifts he had chosen for her reflected the depth of his thoughts and feelings both… Such a person couldn’t hurt her or anyone like this…

A sound from outside and a glance at the clock told her that it was time for Preeti to return, and she hastily stuffed her precious gifts back in the box and hid it in her bag. She wiped her face, checking in the mirror to ensure that no traces of tears were left. Preeti dashed inside the room like a hurricane, and quickly locked the door… Naina stared at her action, immediately knowing that there was something she wanted to share in confidence, because that was only time the door of their room was locked. Preeti dumped her school bag and sat on the bed next to her, her eyes wide with secrecy, “tu itni jaldi kyun aa gai?” Before Naina could reply, Preeti swayed her hand in a dismissive gesture to eager to spill out the gossip, “chod sab baate… yeh taaza-taaza khabar sunn… Aaj main aur Swati bathroom ke taraf jaa rahe the na, toh dhamakedaar baat suni… Woh Sameer hai na teri class me… Itni zor se Kamya pe cheekha hai na ke school ki deeware tak hilne lagi thi…”

Naina’s heart skipped a beat, “kyun?” As she heard Preeti regale the tale of false rumors and fabricated lies, Naina went through an upheaval of emotions… She felt outraged on Sameer’s behalf, she felt incomparable anger on Kamya, there was a surge of happiness inside her, and at the same time a dull ache also spread in her heart realizing how badly Sameer must be hurt… None of it was his fault… Kamya had spread those lies for her own reasons… And she had chosen to believe them, rather than asking Sameer if it was the truth… Not once had she thought of clarifying the matter with him even though she had felt his desperation to talk to her… God… She was an idiot… Preeti repeated the last line of Sameer’s dialogue with a flourish, “usne kaha – maine uss ladki ko kho diya jisme mujhe actually me interest hai… jiske saath main sach me rehna chahta hun…” And then added with a sigh, “kya jaane… Kaun hogi woh ladki? Kaash naam bhi bolta toh thodi aur gossip pata chalti…”

Naina didn’t know whether to smile at the realization that the girl was her, or curse herself for pushing him away… She closed her eyes, recalling the way he had kissed her tears away, the way his lips had felt against hers… It was a moment of bliss… The beautiful feeling of being so close to him, to have all his attention focused on her… just her… And she had ruined it… she had ruined their first kiss… Damn her…

Preeti poked her, “tu kya soch rahi hai?”

Naina bit her lip, and then wistfully replied, “kaash Sameer use wapas dhund le… usko sach bataneki koshish kare…”

Preeti thought about it for a minute, but romance wasn’t her department, and so leaving her sister to dream of a possible love story she got up to change and freshen up.

There was no school from the next day, but Naina could hardly focus on preparing for exams… She missed him… She wanted to talk to him… But how could she? They had never exchanged numbers… She had so much to tell him, and so much to apologize for… She wanted to meet him and hug him tight, assure him that she would never push him away… She kept praying to God daily that somehow a miracle would happen and she would be able to talk to Sameer… Each morning started with a hope and each night spent on dreams of being with him…

Four days later, her prayers were answered… Since that evening the phone at Agarwal house kept ringing repeatedly but each time they picked up no one talked from the other end… Naina kept feeling restless, wanting to receive one those calls, but didn’t dare to do it in-front of Taiji… Preeti was also not feeling well since evening, and so had gone to sleep early. Not wanting to disturb her with the lights, Naina had moved to the living room to study for the night. Sharp at 10pm the phone rang, and her eyes widened as she hastily snatched it up, but didn’t speak, wanting to hear the voice at other end first. However, once more there was silence… She took in a deep breath, waiting, and then finally snapped, “kuch bolna nahi hai toh baar baar phone kyun kar rahe ho?”

There was a sound of shuddering breath, and then a deep voice whispered, “Naina…”

Shocked at the voice she almost dropped the receiver, and it took her a minute to stammer, “Sa…sameer…?”

He was so relieved to hear her voice that he sat down on the sofa and happily nodded, totally forgetting that she won’t be able to see him. Her hesitant voice reached his ears, “Sameer… Tum hi ho na?”

He chuckled, “haan… sorry… main bhool gaya tha ke hum phone pe hai toh tum dekh nahi paogi.”

She didn’t reply to that… There was a prolonged silence where both wondered how to start talking. Finally after a few minutes, they both said together, “we need to talk…”

Sameer sighed, “finally akkal aai tumko… Chasme ke bina akkal nahi aati lagta hai…”

Naina frowned, “hum itne din baad baat kar rahe hai… tum aaj bhi jhagadne wale ho?”

He bit his lip and broached the question he wanted to ask, “bataya toh tha ke tumse jhagda kare bina ek din bhi nahi reh paata… padha nahi?”

She blushed, “padha hai…”

He further queried, “aur dusre notes?”

She flipped her book, revealing the pages that hid the notes from him, “sab padhe hai… uss din se leke har roz.”

His heart thudded, “toh?”

She felt her breathing increase slightly, “toh?”

He softly whispered, “jawaab pata hai…?”

She smiled, “nahi… tumhe pata chala?”

He understood her tactic to dodge his question, but didn’t force her for answers as he still had a lot to say, “pata nahi Naina… socha tumse milke baat karunga toh samajh aayega… lekin tum kabhi ek jagah pe khadi hi nahi rehti… jab dekho tab mujhse door bhaagti ho…”

She recalled how she had fled every time he wanted to talk, “toh rok lete… kyun jaane diya apne se door?”

He closed his eyes, the hurt still evident in his tone, “tumne kaha maine galat kiya… I just couldn’t understand…”

“Sameer…”, she started to say.

But he interrupted, “Naina please… isse pehle ke tum phirse kuch ulta seedha socho mujhe ek baar apni baat batane do… Naina, main aur Kamya..”

“Saath nahi ho”, she completed his sentence, “mujhe pata chala…”

He sighed in relief, “thank God… Kab pata chala?”

She informed, “farewell wale din… school se aane ke baad. Preeti ne tumhari baate sun li thi aur mujhe bataya.”

He gasped, “itne din ho gaye aur tumne bataya bhi nahi… I kept feeling miserable thinking that you are angry on me… How could you? Ek baar bata nahi sakti thi…”

She countered, “kaise batati? School bandh ho gaya… Phone number pata nahi… Tum pehle phone nahi kar sakte the?”

He replied in an exasperated tone, “tum pata nahi konse duniya me rehti ho… Class me kisi bhi ladke ke paas tumhara number nahi hai… Jaanti bhi ho kitne papad belne pade tumhara number nikalwane ke liye?”

She paused for a moment, and then teased, “tum chahte ho ke ladko ke paas mera number ho?”

He was surprised by her question, “uh… umm… No.”

She laughed, and he felt his spirits lifting at that sound. How he had missed her voice, her laughter… Softly he asked, “Naina… hum mil sakte hai please?”

She thought about it for a minute, and then replied, “mujhe bhi tumse milna hai… lekin yeh preparatory leaves ke time mujhe ghar se nikalne nahi denge… Aur hamare exam centers bhi alag-alag hai. Toh hum exams ke baad mile? Vacation ke time Swati se milne ka bahana bana sakti hun…”

He didn’t like the proposition, “bahot zyada din hai Naina… Kaise rahunga main?”

“Hum roz baat karenge na”, she pacified, “raat ko aisai… chupke chupke… achcha nahi lag raha?”

He chuckled, “mujhe chupane ki zaroorat nahi hai… Nanu knows about you. Aur haan… chupke chupke sirf baate nahi, romance ho toh mazaa aaye.”

Her breath hitched at both statements, “Nanu ko pata hai?”

He grinned, “bhool gai kya… jalebi banaye the tumhare liye… he calls you my special friend.”

“Ohh”, she muttered, “special friend…”

He chuckled at the disappointment in her tone, and teased, “haan… ab jak tum mujhe woh dogi nahi tab tak sirf special friend hi rahogi na…”

Her eyes widened, “woh?”

He tried to control his laughter, “haan… woh…”

She mumbled, “mujhe nahi pata tum kya bol rahe ho.”

He dropped his voice by a decibel, moving his lips closer to the mouthpiece, “woh Naina… wahi jo maine tumhe… jab hum classroom me the… akele… yaad aaya?”

She stammered, “n…na…nahi…”

“Kitna kareeb tha main tumhare”, he rasped in the most romantic voice he could, “tum bhi mere paas thi… bahot paas… sirf hum dono the Naina… aur maine tumhe…”

She closed her eyes, her heartbeat erratic, “tumne mujhe?”

He could almost imagine her being in a trance… Grinning wide he replied, “aur maine tumhe jalebi ka dabba diya tha…”

Her eyes shot open, “kya?”

“Jalebi ka dabba Naina”, he repeated, “tumne toh apne paas hi rakh liya… wapas nahi karogi kya?”

She gaped, “tum… tum itni der se jalebi ke dabbe ki baat kar rahe the?”

He feigned ignorance, “haan… kyun tum kya samjhi?”

She was irked, “tum… Sameer… Ab jab bhi milenge na woh jalebi ka dabba tumhare sir pe maarungi…”

He promptly suggested, “theek hai… phir jab main behosh ho jaunga toh kiss karke hosh me laana… Uske baad main tumhe apni girlfriend bulaunga… Deal?”

“Shut up”, she furiously reprimanded.

He laughed, “haaye yeh gussa… kaash abhi wahan hota… toh tumko itni zor se hug karta ke mujhse door jaaneka soch bhi nahi paati.”

Colors tinged her cheek, “Sameer… hum pehli baar baat kar rahe hai aise… tum… thoda break lagao…”

He chided, “mere romance ki gaadi bina break ki hai…”

She giggled, “tum bhi na… chalo ab padhai karo… Kal wapas baat karenge…”

That night began their series of long conversations. He also gave Naina his number, but asked her not to call him as he was worried about anyone at her home getting to know from the telephone bill, especially her father. There was no confession of feelings, but it didn’t matter because they had so much to talk about… It started with what they ate, what they studied that day, and slowly began to cover things about their childhood, their likes and dislikes, their hobbies… Naina told him that Chachiji was planning to teach her and Preeti to cook properly in vacations and he happily told her his favorite dishes and even asked her to make them for him, as if he had complete right to do so, and she also agreed as if it was the most natural thing for her to fulfill his demand. Exams started but their late night talks didn’t stop… It was as if they were parched for information about each other… On the night before their last exams he asked, “Naina… kal exams khatam ho rahe hai… ab milne ka plan banaye?”

She slowly informed in a sad voice, “actually… hum nahi mil payenge.”

He was shocked, “kya? Kyun…? Tum… Tum kahin ab tak gussa toh nahi ho na?”

“Nahi nahi”, she hastily assured, “darasal… kal last exam hai aur phir shaam ki train se hum hamare gaanv jaa rahe hai… Chachaji ne aaj hi hume bataya… Surprise dene ke liye.”

He groaned, “Naina yeh surprise nahi, shock hai.”

She pouted, “jaanti hun… lekin kya karu… jab bhi gaanv jaaneki baat hoti hai main aur Preeti bahot khush ho jaate hai… Par iss baar toh mujhe bilkul khushi nahi ho rahi…”

He promptly demanded, “toh mana kar do na… bahana bana do… akele reh jao… hume aur mazaa aayega.”

She chuckled, “main 18 saal ki bhi nahi hui hun ab tak… mujhe aise akela chodke nahi jayega koi… aur kya bahana banau? Mujhe nahi jaana kyun mujhe kisise pya… ummm… milna hai…”

“Pehla wala word theek bol rahi thi”, he urged, “finish it… mujhe sunna hai…”

She blushed, “mujhe nahi pata konsa word tha…”

“Jhoothi”, he murmured, “milne nahi wali ho toh kamsekam itna toh bol hi sakti ho na…”

She was silent for a moment, and then replied, “milenge tab…”

He sighed, “tum bahot ajeeb ho Naina… Itna tadpati ho na ke man kar raha hai abhi tumhare balcony pe aa jau… Lekin yeh silsila abhi shuru karna nahi chahta… college ke time pe karunga… tumhare liye, sirf tumhare liye main wait kar lunga… But I need some incentive… itne time nahi milogi toh you have to give me something… abhi…”

She cautiously asked, “kya?”

“Ek kiss”, he demanded, “achche se… proper and loud… awaaz sunai dena chahiye mujhe… tabhi toh thoda feel aayega.”

She gasped, “Sameer… humne abhi toh yeh sab shuru kiya hai… pehle theek se dating…”

“Excuse me”, he interrupted, “in case you forgot… hum kiss kar chuke hai… do baar…” She blushed, closing her eyes, and he chuckled, “itna sharmao mat…”

She frowned, “tumhe kaise pata?”

He proudly said, “mujhe apna effect pata hai… chalo ab… baate mat banao… give me a kiss…”

She didn’t reply… He kept waiting… But finally after few minutes, he sighed once more, “fine… waise toh Sameer Maheshwari ko hamesha jo chahiye woh le hi leta hai… But once again, for you I will wait…”

She smiled, “agar Sameer Maheshwari sirf mere liye wait karneko ready hai toh main use wait kaise karwa sakti hun… Uski har demand puri hogi…”

His brows furrowed, “matlab?”

She pursed her lips and blew a kiss through the receiver, loud enough to make him skip several heartbeats and collapse back on the sofa… She queried, “Sameer tum theek ho?”

He grinned happily, “ekdum amazing… kal wapas milega?”

She smiled sadly, “kal raat ko main yahan nahi hun na…”

A determined glint entered his eyes, but he kept his voice soft, “theek hai… koi baat nahi… jao abhi so jao… Kal ke liye all the best…”

“Same to you”, she wished.

He jested, “mujhe luck ki zaroorat nahi hai… kal chemistry hai… aur mujhe har tarah ki chemistry ki bahot achchi knowledge hai.” As he had expected, she laughed. They wished good night to each other and then disconnected.

Next day Naina’s exams went well, and she walked out of the center with Preeti lost in thoughts as she tried to formulate a plan where she could ditch her family for some time this evening, and somehow call Sameer from a telephone booth… Maybe if she had Preeti’s help it would be easier, she thought… Debating for few more minutes, she decided to confide in her sister, and said, “Preeti sunn… mujhe kuch baat batani thi…”

Preeti stopped walking, “haan bolna…”

“Baat yeh hai ke…”, she started in a hesitant tone, but just then she was interrupted by a couple of girls walking by and giggling, as one of them said, “kitna handsome hai yaar…” Another girl commented, “movie ke hero jaisa hai bilkul…”

Naina stilled… She had been coming to this center for exams for more than a week… No one had behaved like this… Such praises weren’t uttered for any boy… There was only one, in her knowledge, who would command this kind of attention and admiration… Could it be… Him…??

She saw Preeti’s eyes widen in surprise, and at the same time a low voice spoke in her ear, “aye chasmish…”

She swiftly turned to look at Sameer… Happiness sparkled in her eyes, but it was mixed with anger as she demanded, “tum…? Tum yahan kya kar rahe ho? Kahin paper adhura toh nahi chod diya tumne?”

“Relax chasmish”, he chuckled, “paper poora karke aaya hun… you see… Chemistry tumne itni achche se sikhai thi, toh sab kuch jaldi jaldi ho gaya… Toh maine socha dusri chemistry pe bhi thoda dhyan de du…”

She frowned, “dusri chemistry?”

He shook his head, “sach me ajeeb ladki ho… padhai ke maamle me mote-mote reference books samajh aa jaate hai… aur yahan main itni dur se tumhe milne aaya and you can’t understand what chemistry I am talking about… Here, this one…”

Naina blinked at the red rose that he pulled out from his back, and held in-front of her, happy anticipation dancing in his eyes… Her cheeks flushed with color as she looked around to see several people staring at them, but then she slowly took it from his hands, “thank you…”

From beside her, Preeti suddenly squealed, “oh my God… Woh ladki tu hai?? Tu…?”

Sameer jerked on hearing the loud voice, and muttered, “tumhare khandaan me sabhi ajeeb hai kya?”

Naina chuckled, and then hushed her sister, “chup ho jaa… main baad me sab kuch bataungi…”

“Haan… Train me batana… upper berth me bethke”, Preeti rubbed her hands in glee, “mazaa aayega…”

“Theek hai”, Naina agreed, “ab thodi der baat karne de mujhe…”

Preeti nodded, “okay… par dhyan rakhna… bhaiya kisi bhi waqt aate honge.”

As Preeti wandered away, Sameer queried, “bhaiya?”

Naina informed, “haan… exam center dur hai na ghar se toh cycle leke nahi aa paate the… Isiliye roz bhaiya car me chodne aate hai aur lene aate hai.”

He scowled, “tumhare paas mere liye zara bhi waqt nahi hota na kabhi… Kehti ho milna hai par naa toh milne ka time deti ho, aur ab aaya hun toh bhi time nahi hai…”

She held her ears, “sorry na… kya karu bolo… jo baate tumse karni hai woh phone pe nahi karni… Aur milne me abhi thodi dikkat hai… Lekin gaanv se wapas aake college ke applications honge na, toh poore 15 din honge… Tab mil sakte hai araam se…”

“You mean, ek mahine baad aaogi tab”, he huffed, “aur tab tak milna toh door phone pe bhi baat nahi hogi.”

She wondered how to pacify him, “milke aise udaas rahoge kya? Muskura do na…”

He grumbled, “ek shart pe…”

She asked, “kaisi shart?”

“Mujhe wahi chahiye jo kal raat phone pe diya tha”, he demanded, “K… I…”

Her eyes widened, and she quickly stopped him, “shsh… kya kar rahe ho? Aise logo ke beech me koi maangta hai kya… besharam insaan…”

He pouted, “ab tum akele mil nahi rahi toh kya karu?”

She looked down the road to see her brother’s car approaching, and panicked, “bhaiya aa rahe hai… please jao yahan se.”

He stood his ground, “pehle maine jo maanga woh do…”

“Abhi nahi”, she hurriedly said, “par waada karti hun gaanv se aane se pehle de dungi… apna address do mujhe…” He couldn’t understand why she was asking for address, but nevertheless gave it to her. She quickly repeated to remember, and then said, “jao ab… please Sameer… mere liye…”

He took a chocolate out of his pocket, thrusting it in her hand, and squeezed her fingers for a brief moment… “I will miss you”, he whispered, and then melted back among a group of students exiting the center. As Naina left in her brother’s car, she peeped out of the window, her eyes scanning the crowd… Soon she spotted him, waving at her, looking sad, and she glanced for a second at her brother ensuring that he wasn’t looking, and then kissed her own hand, and blew on it towards him… His eyes widened momentarily, and then he made a snatching movement with his hand, as if he was stealing her flying kiss from the air and placed his hand over his heart, grinning happily at her…

The vacation time was too boring it seemed. Sameer tried to occupy his time totally in cricket, exploring Ahmedbad and surrounding areas. Quite often his mind slipped back to gloominess of possessing the badluck of having a girlfriend and still not have her beside him… But he kept the memory of her last flying kiss fresh in his mind… God… when would he be able to meet her…?

Fifteen days later, the postman brought a bunch of letters to Maheshwari bungalow. Nanu handed over one of them to him, and asked, “Sameer… yeh tumhare liye hai… Lekin tumhe kaun letter likh raha hai.”

He shrugged, “pata nahi… dekhta hun…” A glance at the address told him who had written the letter because he could recognize that handwriting anywhere… He hurriedly opened the envelope, pulling out the letter eager to read what she had written, but as soon as the page opened, his eyes widened and he promptly blushed.

Nanu stared at him amused, “ahan… toh yeh ussi special friend ka letter hai… Naina…”

Sameer bit his lip, “uh… main upar jaata hun Nanu…”

Nanu laughed as he dashed upstairs, and mused, “milna padega iss Naina se.”

Upstairs in his room, Sameer looked at the paper again, amazement and disbelief warring on his face… He couldn’t believe that Naina could do this… And he was amazed at the way she fulfilled his demands… A kiss… He had asked for a kiss… And that day itself she had given him a flying kiss… But she also knew very well how much he must be missing her, and so she had sent this letter… A letter with a red kiss mark at the bottom… She had sent a kiss to him… He lifted his shaky hands and pressed his lips on that mark, his overactive mind somersaulting to that one moment when he had been unable to control and kissed her lips and she had responded… It had been like burning in inferno and yet experiencing that soothing cool winds… He read the letter, his heart lifting at how she described the village for him so that he could feel that he had also seen it along with her, how she kept repeating that she was thinking of him all the time… Like a pond reminded her of the leaf boats, and an evening jaunt to buy imlis reminded her that she hadn’t told him how much she liked imli, also the sight of moon made her imagine that he stood by the window or maybe a balcony at his home and stared at it even though she wasn’t sure if that was true. He kept re-reading the letter and that night he whispered a promise to the night air while staring at the moon, “jis din tumse milunga usi din I am going to kiss you.”

Another fifteen days later, Naina arrived in Ahmedabad, eager to once more talk to Sameer. They needed to plan when to meet and where to meet… She would call him tonight, the phone bill be damned… After all today was the day the exam results would be out… So it has to be a good day. By that afternoon she got to know that she had scored 85%… As soon as her family dropped off for the night she called Sameer…

He picked up immediately, “hello…”

She laughed, “sirf hello… chasmish nahi?”

“Naina”, he uttered in surprise, “tumne phone kyun kiya? Kisiko bill se…”

She interrupted, “uff-o… tension thoda kam lo… ek din me kuch nahi hoga… ab pehle yeh batao tum kaise ho? Khana kha liya? Nanu kaise hai? Aur tumhare exams ke marks kitne aaye?”

He felt his heart thud with happiness… When his mother had called that evening she hadn’t even bothered to ask how he was, rather had jumped straight to his marks… And needless to say she wasn’t satisfied on hearing his percentage, and of course Rohan had scored much better. He wondered what Naina’s reaction would be, as he answered, “main theek hun… Nanu bhi… Khana bhi kha liya humne… Aur mujhe 67% mile hai…”

She squealed in happiness, “oh my God Sameer… This is your best this year… Main itni khush hun na ke man kar raha hai zor se tumhare gaal khinchu aur tum jo maango woh tumhe de du…”

He grinned, “sach me khush ho?”

She assured, “haan… iss percentage se tumhe kaafi saare college me admission mil sakta hai… tumhare paas options honge… Nanu khush hai tumhare marks se?”

“Haan”, he replied, “Nanu khush hai… lekin meri mummy nahi… unhone kaha main kisi laayak nahi hun.”

She sighed on listening to this… She had a gist of his past from what he had told her but she didn’t know the extent to which the relationship between him and his mom was strained. Sameer had scored well… It might not be a distinction, but it was definitely much better than what he had been getting in past… She felt that if nothing, at least him mom should appreciate the effort Sameer was putting in… But right now it was no time to think of all this… She needed to cheer him up, and so she said, “it’s okay Sameer… tum dekh lena… ek din aayega zaroor jab tumhari mummy khud saamne se tumhe bolegi ke unko tumpe garv hai.”

He scoffed, “impossible…”

She smiled, “possible hai… mera dil kehta hai… aur main hun na tumhare saath har impossible ko possible karne ke liye… Ab batao hum kab milenge… Itne dino se miss kar rahi hun tumhe ab aur raha nahi jaa raha.”

He sighed, “miss toh main bhi tumhe kar raha hun Naina… lekin jaise pehle tumhari majboori thi, ab main majboor hun… Hum mil nahi payenge.”

She was shocked, “kya? Kyun…?”

He once more sighed dramatically, “Nanu… he is so happy with my results… dekhte hi turant trip plan kar liya… Kal subah jaldi nikal rahe hai… Mussoorie jayenge… 15 din ke liye…”

She gasped, “15 din…!? Lekin college applications? Aise kaise jaa sakte ho tum?”

He shrugged, “Nanu ne pehle hi kaafi colleges me apply karke rakha tha mere liye… aaj jaise hi marks mile toh Nanu ne woh bhi bhijwa diye Munshiji ke haatho… Toh ab… bas mujhe jahan admission mile wahan jaunga…”

She muttered in an unhappy tone, “aur hum?”

“Milenge na”, he softly assured, “alag college honge shayad hamare lekin mil toh sakte hi hai na… I will call you when I come back from Mussoorie… Tab plan karenge…”

She wanted to demand to meet right now, she wanted to throw a tantrum asking him to not go… She wanted a lot of things… She wanted him… It had been so many days they hadn’t met or even talked… And now there would be a separation of fifteen more days. How would she live? But at the same time she understood… She had to go when her family wanted… And he would have to do the same… So there really was no other way but to wait… Reluctantly she agreed, but asked him to try and call her from Mussoorie at least once.

However, days flew by without any call from Sameer… There was simply no news. On the sixteenth day, she waited for his call, but it didn’t come. Desperate to talk, she dialed his number around midnight, but no one picked up. College applications were done, and tomorrow she would know which colleges she got admission in, and would know which one to pick. But what about him? Where was he? When morning came, her excitement of choosing college was dampened as she didn’t know what was happening with Sameer. She managed to call him once in afternoon, but someone called Ramdhari informed that their trip was extended by a week. A week…!! That would mean college would start, and he would miss the first day… How could he do that? Chachaji picked H.L. College of Commerce for her, and VJN for Preeti owing to the difference in marks… Naina hardly noticed as she agreed without a word of protest, which shocked Preeti because she was trying to be in same college as her sister. This incident resulted in an argument between the sisters as Preeti claimed that she can’t think of anything else except Sameer… However, this quarrel was resolved in a couple of days since Preeti was too excited about her sister’s secret love life, but Naina’s agitation had no resolution.

Soon the first day of college arrived, and yet there was no news of Sameer… She had called twice more but each time there had been the same answer from his home… She walked inside the gates of her new college, lost in thoughts.

College ka first day kaun miss karta hai…

As she reached her class, couple of girls wished her, and she smiled, wondering how will she adjust here. There were a few familiar faces from her school, but none that she felt comfortable with. A boy called Sanjay came up to wish her, and said, “tum bilkul alag lag rahi ho jeans aur top me… Kabhi aise nahi dekha.”

Naina knew him from school, but they had hardly talked, and now suddenly he was commenting on her clothes. Consciously she tugged her top down, “uh… thank you.”

“Mere saath bethona”, he offered, “last bench pe kabza kar liya hai maine.”

She shuddered, “no thanks… main yahan second bench pe bethungi.”

Sanjay started to say something more, but just then the bell rang and students scurried to sit. Naina pulled out a book, and kept her head down, pretending to read. The lecturer walked in, and she stood up… Just then someone slid on the bench next to her. She turned, thinking to tell the person that she wanted to sit alone, but the words never left her mouth…

Sameer…

What in the world? Was she dreaming? How could he be here? She was so lost in staring at him that she didn’t notice everyone had sat down. Sameer also sat and tugged her hand, making her sit, and then murmured, “bahar meri bike ke jagah pe tumhari cycle parked hai… ab desk se bhi hatane wali ho kya?” She shook her head as if in a trance, her mouth still open in shock, her eyes wide. He smirked, whispering, “mujhe pata hai itna handsome ladka tumne kabhi nahi dekha… Par aise ghoorti rahogi toh hum dono ko pehle din hi professor class se bahar nikaal denge. Aur aise chance mat maaro… mere life me pehle se hi ek ajeeb ladki hai…”

That had the desired effect on her… She quickly sat straight, focusing on what was being taught. Sometime later, when she felt she was in complete sense, she looked to her side again… Sameer was still there, listening to the professor explain accountancy, a small smile on his lips. Needing answers she tore off a bit of paper, and wrote down, “tum yahan kaise?”

He accepted the passed on note, read and then grinned at her, but didn’t reply. She poked him, and he used that as an excuse to hold her hand, leaving her face flushed. His thumb persistently rubbing the insides of her wrist made her feel as if she was going to explode with the warmth it caused in her body… It was the first day of college, and the girl who used to have single-minded focus on studies was unable to concentrate. This continued for the next three lectures, and finally there was a break…

Sameer suddenly thrust something in her hand, and left from the classroom. She sat there, trying to regulate her breathing, her fist tightening over the thing he had given. After few minutes, she opened her palm to see a note. As she unfolded it, she lost her breath again – second floor, right side, third classroom. Come soon.

This was it… The time had come for them to talk. She clutched the note tight and rushed out of the classroom, following the directions he had given. Just outside the classroom, she stopped to catch her breath and frame the questions in her mind. But before she could gather her thoughts she was pulled inside the classroom, behind the door and against the wall, just like last time. But this time the shock was pleasant enough to make her smile. He stood staring at her, his eyes roving over her face as if he wanted to memorize every detail. She gazed up at him, a blush creeping up her cheeks at the way he was looking at her, and she slowly stammered, “tum… tum yahan? Kaise…? Tum toh…”

He smirked, “kyun? Tumhe kya lagta hai ke sirf tum mujhe tadpa sakti ho?”

Her brows furrowed in confusion as she tried to comprehend his statement. He helpfully supplied, “main toh ek hafte pehle hi wapas aa gaya tha Mussoorie se… Lekin itne din tumse baat nahi ki kyunki tumne mujhe bahot tadpaya aur main bhi tumhe waise hi tadpana chahta tha… punishment… mujhe itne din khud se door rakhne ke liye.”

Her temper spiked, her fingers curled, and her small fists repeatedly barreled his shoulders, “tum aisa kaise kar sakte ho?”

He was tempted to chuckle… Her hands were so light and small that the blows barely had any impact… But her question did… And he grabbed her hand, pushing them up against the wall on each side of her head… Her eyes widened as she started to struggle, but he kept his hold tight on her wrist, and took a step towards her, “you asked this same question last time, in another classroom… lekin jawaab deneka mauka nahi diya.”

She gasped, recalling how she had pushed him away from her, the hurt in his eyes… Her anger dissipated in thin air, and her voice was regretful, “I am sorry Sameer… uss din mujhe laga tum Kamya ke saath ho… aur main…”

He seethed, “tum kya? Side me spare girlfriend? Convenience? Kya laga tumko? How could you even think like that? Tumhe lagta hai ke main Kamya ke saath hota toh tumhe kiss karta?”

She shook her head, “nahi… lekin woh khayal baad me aaya… uss waqt bas mujhe bura laga.”

“Tumhe bura laga”, he scoffed, “aur mujhe? You hurt me Naina… You pushed me away… Agar uss din maine Kamya ki baate nahi suni hoti toh mujhe tumhare gusse ki wajah tak nahi pata lagti… Yahan-wahan se kuch suna toh ek baar puch nahi sakti thi mujhse? Itne mahino se mere saath thi, mujhe itne achche se jaan gai thi, toh itna bhi samajh nahi aa raha tha tumhe ke main pagalo ki tarah tumhare aage peeche kyun bhaag raha hun?”

She sniffed, trying to blink back her tears, “I am sorry… lekin… tum…tum bhi toh usse school ke bahar milte the…”

Puzzled he asked, “school ke bahar? Kahan?”

“Maine dekha tha tum dono ko”, she informed, moving her gaze away, “Law Garden me… Jis din hamara… umm… woh corridor wala kissa hua usi din… shaam ko main Chachaji ke saath gai thi aur tum wahan the… Kamya bhi thi…”

He groaned in frustration, leaning forward to gently bang his forehead on the wall… She gasped as his action pressed his body onto hers, so close that she could feel the exhilarating warmth emanating from him and that made her want to lean onto him. She even moved a bit, subconsciously, but her hands were still held captive against the wall. It was such a vulnerable position to be in, but there was not an ounce of fear inside her… All that existed was the glow of heat and buzz of desire…

He murmured next to her ear, “Naina… God… Tum bahot zyada ajeeb ho… Main apne dosto ke saath Law Garden gaya tha, taaki kisi tarah apna dimag shaant kar paau… Ek toh woh kiss aur upar se tumhara silent treatment… mujhe kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha… Kamya toh mujhe achanak se mil gai wahan… usne mujhe trip pe propose kiya tha aur maine mana kar diya tha.. tabse jab bhi usko mauka milta tha mujhse puchne lagti thi ke maine mana kyun kiya… Law Garden me bhi wahi kar rahi thi and I just asked her to stop annoying me…”

She shuddered at the close proximity, at the way she could feel his breath on her, the smell of his cologne teased her senses. He drew back a bit to look in her eyes, “tumhe dekhke kuch samajh nahi aaya? Main usse teen feet dur khada tha… Girlfriend hoti toh abhi jaise khada hun waise khada hota…”

“Law Garden tha woh”, she quipped, “khali classroom nahi.”

He quirked a brow, “tum chalo mere saath law garden me… dikhata hun tumko ke main apni girlfriend ke saath kaise ghumunga.”

She blushed, biting her lip, and tried to pull one hand down. He let her do that, assured that she wasn’t going anywhere. Her hand came down on his chest, over his heart making him draw in a sudden deep breath. “Aur uss din”, she whispered, “Kamya ka naam yahan kyun tha? Kyun likhne diya usko?”

He wrapped his free hand around her waist, pulling her close, “do you think main usko aisa karne dunga? Jisse likhwana chahta tha uske paas main khud aaya tha… Mujhe toh pata bhi nahi tha ke uska naam likha hua hai mere shirt pe… Munna aur Pandit ne bhi Kamya ki bakwaas gossip suni thi, aur mujhe chidaate the… Mujhe inn rumours ke baare me kuch nahi pata tha… lekin mujhe laga tha ke jis tarah se woh mera attention paane ki koshish karti hai aur trip pe bhi short skirt pehenke aai thi uss wajah se shayad mere dost chidate the… uss din Munna ne woh naam likha tha…”

She closed her eyes, sighing in relief and murmured, “munna kisi din milega na toh usko zor se maarungi.”

He chuckled, “main uska naam usi din apne shirt pe kaat diya… red marker se… I am sorry tumhe woh dekhna pada… Tumne bola bhi… lekin mujhe samajh nahi aaya uss waqt.”

She smiled, leaning on his chest, her hand fisting on his shirt, “it’s okay… tumhari koi galti nahi thi… bas haalaat hi aise bana diye the Kamya ne ke mujhe tumse baat karte hue bhi darr lagta tha… Aisa lagta tha ke baat kiya toh tum khushi-khushi mujhe apne aur Kamya ke baare me bataoge, aur mujhme itni himmat nahi thi ke main woh tumhare muh se sunn saku.”

“Oh Naina”, he sighed leaving her other wrist, and wrapped that arm around her as well, tightening the hug, “I wish uss din kiss karne se pehle tumhe apne dil ki baat keh di hoti… ya usse bhi pehle corridor me hi tumhe pakadke bol deta.”

Her hands moved from his chest to his back, “koi baat nahi… ab toh hum yahan hai na.” After a moment she asked, “Sameer… Kamya ne short skirt pehna tha?”

He pressed his lips to control his smile, “haan… knees ke bhi upar tha… Golden color ka… Aur saath me purple top… ek shoulder gayab tha… you know… off shoulder…”

She scowled, trying to pull back, “itna sab kyun yaad hai tumhe? Ghoor rahe the kya?”

He tightened his hold, pressing her head back to his chest, “dosto ne dikhaya… maine dekha bhi… lekin kuch interest nahi aaya… shayad tumhari tarah ghutno tak socks pehenke aati toh shayad…”

“Shut up”, she reprimanded lightly, blushing at the thought that even after seeing Kamya’s short skirt he had just thought of her…

He smiled, dipping to kiss the top of her head, and teased, “tel kahan gaya baalo me se?”

She giggled, drawing back from him, “college me tel thodi na lagaungi… woh toh school me thi isiliye… college me thodi toh achchi dikhu…”

He frowned, “mujhe achchi lagti ho already… aur kisiko kyun achcha lagna hai?”

She scrunched her nose, “kyun? Tum chahte ho main achchi na dikhu taaki sirf tumhari tareef hoti rahe?”

He grinned, hooking a finger beneath her chin, tilting her head up to look in her eyes, “waise… ab hamare purane classmates ko pata chal gaya hai ke mujhe Kamya nahi Naina me interest hai…”

She looked puzzled, “kaise?”

He replied, “thanks to you… Tum uss din jaise bhaag gai achanak… Main sabse tumhara number puch raha tha… Toh zaahir hai ke sabko pata lag gaya… Aur kuch logo ne mujhe Kamya pe chillate hue bhi sunn liya tha… Do you mind?”

She shook her head, “nahi… achcha hi hua… kamsekam ab Kamya tumhare peeche nahi aayegi.”

He grinned, “aur college me koi aayi toh? You know… Tum maano ya naa maano main wakai me handsom hun… Nanu bhi kehte hai…”

“Nanu sach kehte hai”, she interrupted, “tum bahot handsome ho…”

His expressions turned ecstatic, “sach me? Par tum toh…”

“I liked teasing you”, she informed with a cheeky grin, “pehle din se hi tum itne confident the apne looks ko leke aur upar se uss din subah subah Swati mera dimag kha gayi thi… poore raste cycle pe class me aaye hue naye handsome ladke ke baare me suna… Aura ate hi tum dikh gaye… Phir tumko laga ke mujhe English nahi aati toh maine bhi soch liya ke tumhe zara bhi attention nahi dungi… Waise hi sabne sir pe chadha rakha tha… maano sirf hi shakal hi sab kuch hoti hai…”

“Nahi hoti…”, he promptly responded, “you know what attracted me towards you… mujhe pata tha ke main handsome hun lekin phir bhi tum mujhe bilkul normally treat karti thi… aise nahi jaise koi tumhare fantasy se bahar nikalke aa gaya ho… I am glad ke school me tumne kabhi mujhse kaha nahi ke main handsome hun… And I am happy ke abhi tumne maana ke main handsome hun, kyunki mujhe sirf tumse apni tareef sunni hai, aur kisise nahi…”

Mischief flickered in her eyes, “lekin main toh abhi tumko chidaungi… kyunki main jab bhi kehi hun ke tum handsome nahi ho tab tum bahot cute si shakal banate ho.”

He groaned, “Naina… you really need to learn ke boyfriend ki tareef kaise karte hai… handsome aur cute ek sentence me?”

She laughed, and he closed his eyes letting the sound wrap around him, as he had missed it the most… His hands on her body tightened, pulling her closer, and he whispered, “Naina… I missed you so much…”

She looked up at him, “bas miss hi karte ho? Aur kuch nahi…”

He opened his eyes meeting her soft gaze, “bahot kuch hai… par kehke bataunga toh kya mazaa… Waise bhi jis din tumhara sexy wala letter mila tha uss raat chaand ko dekhke kuch waada kiya tha.”

She tilted her head, “kaisa waada?”

His one hand came up to cup her nape, his thumb teasing the sensitive whorl of her ear, his long fingers sinking in her hair… His eyes glittered with faithful promises and fathomless desires… Her breath hitched, her body stiffening for a minute before she relaxed in his arms, surrendering to him… His voice was low, laced with something potent and intoxicating as he said, “aaj khudse dur nahi kar dogi na?”

She smiled, “try karke dekh lo…”

He kept staring at her for a moment. She thought he would directly kiss her on lips… But her heart skipped beats when he placed a tender kiss on her forehead. It was followed by a soft peck on her nose, and he chuckled softly when she immediately scrunched it. He moved to trace the gentle curves of her cheeks, feeling the satiny texture. The way her hands clenched on his back elated him… Holding her gaze, he lightly brushed his lips with hers, noticing the way both their breaths hitched. Her gaze was languid with pleasure, and he knew there was no doubt or objection in her mind… He pressed his lips to hers, his eyes closing in delight at the sensations that made him shudder. She also quivered in his arms, her eyelids fluttering shut, and she whimpered. He made a rough sound at the back of his throat, tilting her head further to the side, and deepened the kiss so instantly that she didn’t even have time to register the surprise she felt… In a blink of an eye her body stiffened, relaxed and then melted against him… All she knew next was that she somehow had her hands in his hairs and was kissing him back with equal urgency. His body was pinning her to the wall, his one hand on her back, the other tangled in her hair, and his lips worked their magic… The strokes of his tongue, the gentle pressure of his lips, the deep groan that seemed to rumble from his chest made her feel dizzy… She felt as if there wasn’t air enough to breath… She swayed, and he grabbed her tigther, slowly softening the kiss, sipping at her lips one by one. When he lifted his head, she gasped for breath, her eyes squeezed shut… He panted, his breath bellowing as his chest surged up and down… She dropped her head on his chest, unable to stand straight, like a flower too heavy for its stem. He rested his cheek on her head, and slowly opened his eyes trying to make sense of the surroundings.

God… What was that? A kiss… How could a kiss make him feel like this? It was as if his whole body was tingling with need, his muscles strung tight, and he felt hot, the clothes too much restricting. Naina was pressed to him, her hands loosely draped around his neck. Taking one hand down, he lovingly stroked the fingers, and smiled on spotting the baby pink nail polish. He pressed a kiss to her fingers, and then placed her palm against his cheek, rubbing his face. She giggled, “gud-gudi ho rahi hai…”

He hummed, “haan… 19 ka hone aaya na toh dadhi aane lagi hai.”

She drew back and bit, placing her other hand on his cheek too, feeling the texture of his stubble. He smiled at her exploration, and asked, “jawaab mila?”

Her eyes sparkled and then she teasingly said, “nahi… ab tak pata nahi chala… par chinta mat karo… teen saal hai na… dhund lenge jawaab…”

He frowned, “Naina… main teen saal wait nahi karunga… mujhe sunna hai…”

“Mujhe bhi”, she assured, “ummm… par aise yahan khali classroom me nahi… I mean, pehli kiss toh ho chuki… kuch kar nahi sakte par woh bolneka… I was hoping kuch special ho…”

He pouted, “kiss special nahi tha?”

She chuckled, “bahot special tha… lekin… kaise samjhau…”

“It’s okay”, he gently said, “I understand… aur mere paas ek idea hai… mera birthday aa raha hai, August me… mujhe gift dogi?”

She queried, “kaisi gift?”

He bit his lip and proposed, “hamari first date… iss college se, hamare ghar se dur… Modhera Sun Temple me… jahan main har ek moment tumhare saath phirse jeena chahta hun… Aur wahin pe patto ki naav bahate hue, nadi ke kinaare, tumhe kuch kehna chahta hun, kyunki wahi pal tha jab mujhe apne feelings ka ehsaas hua.”

Her eyes filled up with tears, “oh Sameer… yeh bilkul perfect hoga…”

“Yes”, he determinedly stated, “tum mere saath ho toh sab perfect hi hai ab.”

She swallowed, staring into his chocolaty gaze, and muttered, “mujhe phirse jawaab dhundne me help karo na…”

He looked surprised for a moment, but then grinned and cupped her face. He whispered, “meri ajeeb Naina”, against her lips and kissed her again, their actions conveying the words they hadn’t yet confessed.

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