Always and Forever
Part - 27: Memories to Treasure

Her hand moved over his chest, soothing and arousing, her lips hot against his. He captured her moan in his mouth, as his hand moved beneath her skirt, fingers stroking her calf. Suddenly he lost her lips, but before he could grunt in displeasure, he felt them on his throat, and he groaned tilting his head back to let her do what she wanted. He couldn’t believe it. Head reeling from her actions, he opened his eyes to make sure that he wasn’t dreaming. He wasn’t… They were still in their school, in the classroom where they used to sit, on his usual bench. But oh God… This was surreal.

He had just confessed in-front of her everything that had happened to him in Delhi, everything that he had done, all the promises he had broken, and she… she hadn’t questioned him, she hadn’t turned away from him, she hadn’t looked at him with disgust. Rather, she had held him, let him cry in her arms,  and had whispered the three magical words that were his lifeline… that had made him hold his breath the first time he had heard them, and every time he had heard it since then. Not only that, she was yielding her body to his exploration unlike before… A skirt… She was wearing a skirt, for the first time since their Roka… and apart from looking like a million bucks in it; she had also managed to stir his imaginations of touching the territories he hadn’t yet.

The whimper from her mouth had almost made him withdraw, but just like always she had stopped him, she had told him without words that she was his… He was very much aware of the fact that they weren’t at home, but that didn’t stop her from unbuttoning his shirt, and neither did it stop him from trailing his hands up her skirt, anticipation making his blood run hot and fast.  God… He wanted her. No. He needed to stop. But oh her wandering mouth… He almost grinned as she placed open mouthed kisses on his chest. The woman loved to do this… he had realized that by now… and he felt thrilled whenever she did it… No matter how many times she did it.

He held her close with one hand spanning across her waist, her lips moist on his shoulders, and with a deep breath he gave himself the freedom to explore. Trailing up her leg, he cupped her knee, rubbing his thumb over the taut skin. Had he seen her knee before? Yes… He had… In school, when she would be in uniform. Why hadn’t he looked at her legs then? He frowned, trying to recall how he could have missed the treat. Ah yes… those socks she used to pull up to her knees. They obscured the view, but she had worn skirts too, and frocks… How had he not let his eyes trail? He had missed so much, he wondered as he gently stroked up the side of her thigh. She gasped against his neck, her hands clutching his back as she tried to hold on, balance herself in the storm that his hand was brining upon on her.

Pulling back for a moment, he looked at her face, but he couldn’t find any discomfort or uncertainty, so he caught her mouth in a heated kiss again. His hand under her skirt explored the smooth creamy flesh, and incredibly enough he felt her trying to come close. An inch… he was a fraction of an inch away from touching the soft lace she must have been wearing, and he could have… but he withdrew at that moment. He pulled back his hand, smoothed her skirt, and then tightened his hold on her almost pulling her on his lap. Wrenching his mouth away from her, he touched his lips to her forehead, and whispered for the second time after their Roka, “Naina… hume rukna hoga.”

Just like the first time, she acquiesced, nodding her head, understanding once again. Leaning on his shoulder, she stroked his chest, as if trying to calm him, as gently buttoned up his shirt as frantically she had opened it. A moment later when he felt her breath sighing on his neck, he cleared his throat, “firse sazaa to nahi dogi?”

She pulled back, frowning, “matlab?”

He grinned, kissing the tip of her nose, “tumko pata nahi hai… lekin tumhari peechli sazaa mummy ne dekh li thi… aur… unhone hum dono se honeymoon ki baat ki.” Her mouth fell open in surprise, and he teased further, “shayad unko laga hoga ke unki bahu se aur control nahi ho raha.”

Her cheeks flushed, and she buried her face in her hands, “hey bhagwaan… mummy ne pata nahi kya socha hoga.”

He sniggered, “unki baato se tumhe pata nahi chala ke unhone kya socha? Main samjhata hun… unhone socha ke hum dono sabse chupke, shayad hamare room me…” He trailed off as she pressed a hand over his mouth, her eyes wide in disbelief. His eyes softened as he kissed her palm, and she withdrew her hand, eyes lowering shyly, as he adored her. His fingers circled delicately on the side of her waist, and he nuzzled her ear, whispering, “ab tum aisai meri god me bethi rahi toh pakka mujhse aur control nahi hoga.” Gasping, she tried to scramble off his lap, and he laughed.

The final place to visit in their school was the canteen, this place didn’t hold as much memories as their college canteen, but still it was special. He recalled how they had sat of different chairs and chatted, how he had teased her about being her boyfriend, how he had made her recite her debate speech for him… Had he started losing his heart to her then? And what did it matter… as far as he could remember it always belonged to her. Suddenly he realized that she wasn’t with him, and he turned around to find her near the counter.

“Kya soch rahi ho?”, he queried.

She smiled, “Munna aur Pandit kaise ladte the na canteen wale aunty se… Hahaa… aur tum… thodi dur khade rehke bas dekhte rehte the.”

He shrugged, “mujhe khane ke liye ladna achcha nahi lagta tha… waise bhi… main roz toh samose khata nahi tha.”

“Nahi”, she agreed, “tum cola pite the, aur rasna girl ki nakal maarte the.”

He laughed aloud, “tumne dekha tha mujhe tab?”

She turned to him and nodded, “haan… aur suna bhi tha. Bas… Rasna ke jagah Naina sunn liya.”

He chuckled, and his eyes sparkled as he spotted some empty cold drink bottles on the floor at one end. He went to pick one up, and then turned to her, struck the same pose as rasna girl, a thousand watt smile illuminating his face, and he chimed, “I love you Naina.”

Her melodious laughter rang out through the canteen, and she leaned against the counter staring at him, “I love you too… aur haan, uss din se rasna mera favorite drink hai.”

He wrinkled his nose, “mujhe nahi pasand… mujhe bas cola pasand hai. Par tumhara favorite hai toh ghar pe rakha karenge.”

She smiled at his future plans, then looked at one table and reminisced, “main wahan bethi thi uss din… jab tumko woh gaana gaate hue suna tha.”

“Jaanta hun”, he informed. She was confused, “tumhe kaise pata hoga? Tumne thodi na mujhe dekha tha?”

He grinned, “nahi… tumko nahi dekha tha. Lekin tumhara tiffin box khula pada tha aur…”, he bowed courteously, “tumhara woh aloo paratha chor main hi hun.”

“Haww”, she gasped, “tumne churaya tha… aur mujhe aaj bata rahe ho.”

He went up to her, “haan churaya tha… haq se… aur kya fark pad raha hai? Uss din galti se tumhara jhootha kha liya… toh achcha hi hua na. Waise bhi kismat hum dono ko baar baar ishare de rahi thi… market me chewing gum wala kissa… aur fir tumhara hara dupatta, woh aur kisike nahi mere hi haath ke chot pe laga tha… kabhi joote badal jaate the, toh kabhi principal sir hume saath speech likhne ko kehte the… baar baar… har baar, kuch na kuch mujhe tumhari aur khinchta tha. Aur fir woh shart… aaj tak samajh nahi aata ke shart lagani hi thi toh kuch aur lagata. Tumhari insult karne ki toh kitne tareeke the… par nahi, dimag me se shart bhi pyaar ka nikla. Jis ladke ne kabhi kisi ladki se dus minute baat bhi nahi ki thi, woh achanak pyaar ka natak karne nikal pada.”

She stared at him in wonder, was he really confessing that he hadn’t known why he had placed that bet, that it was a subconscious attempt to know her or destiny that wanted to bring them together. And how did it even matter anymore? And what did he say… that dupatta had been torn by him? She remembered Taiji saying that she had torn it off and tied it on some boy’s hand as a token of her love, and almost laughed aloud thinking now that she hadn’t been far off the mark. So what if she hadn’t seen Sameer… she had always loved him… only him… wasn’t that why she used to feel those gentle gusts of wind blow across her whenever he was near? She had felt like that even before seeing him, so that meant every time she had felt those waves of awareness it had been him around her. Sameer… How well justified his name was.

He watched her lost in thoughts and wondered what it was, so he snapped his fingers in front of her face, “kahan kho gai?”

“Tumme”, she replied instantly, incredibly enough making him blush. She grinned, loving to see his reaction to her words, “toh…?”

He looked up surprised, “toh…?”

She inched closer to him, “toh… yahan kiss nahi karoge?”

He was taken aback for a moment, before laughing out loud, and then said, “hmmm… par usse pehle kuch puchna hai.”

She was intrigued, “kya?”

He held her hand, and knelt before her, much like he had done after the rome-juliet play, but this time she didn’t try to pull her hand back, this time he knew that she won’t slap him for his audacity, this time he was sure that if anything she would fling her own arms around him. But still… the moment so reminded him of that time, that he took a deep breath before looking into her eyes, and then slowly lowering his lips to her hand, brushing a light kiss across the back of her palm. She kept gazing at him with eyes glistening with tears, as she too recalled the same moment. Their innocent fight over pani-puri, and class lectures made her smile through her tears.

Sameer rubbed his thumb on her knuckles, “uss waqt hamara jhagda hua tha, aur class me announce kiya gaya tha ke Mt. Abu ki trip hogi… aur tumne kaha tha ke…”

“Main nahi aaungi”, she interrupted, “maine kaha tha ke hume bahar unn logo ke saath jaana chahiye jinpar hume bharosa ho.”

He smiled, looking down at her hand in his, “aur yeh bhi kaha tha ke class me kuch log hai jinka koi class nahi hai.” Glancing up at her, he held her gaze, “Naina… kya ab itna bharosa hai ke tum mere saath ghumne chalo? Kya ab iss ladke me woh class hai jo uss time nahi tha? Mere saath Mt. Abu chalogi, ek baar fir?”

She stared at him dumbfounded, the tears finally spilling over. He frowned, “jaldi bolo. Paav dard kar raha hai.”

Naina chuckled, sat down in-front of him, and hugged him tight, “class tab bhi tha aur aaj bhi hai… bharosa tab bhi tha aur aaj bhi hai… Tum jahan le jaana chahte ho wahan chalungi… Jab tum kahoge tab chalungi.”

He sighed, holding her to him, “30 December ko.”

“Thike”, she agreed without any hesitation.

Amused, he held back his grin, and teased, “uhmm… thanks Naina… Lekin ghar pe kya bolenge? Chachaji aur Chachiji ko… Aur Tauji, Rakesh Sir… Ab tak toh hamari shaadi nahi hui… Aur ghar pe ijazat toh lena padega na.”

She pulled back, and scowled. He was right. He had asked, and she had said yes… but still things were not as simple as this for them. How would they go? Last time also, in school, when he had asked her to come with him, she had wished with all her heart that she could say yes and just go with him. At the time she had controlled her heart’s desire, and escaped from there without giving a reply. But, this time she had said yes immediately… and yet, she didn’t have the freedom to go with him.  A distressed expression crossed her face, and she looked up at him, “kaise jayenge?”

Distress and tears were something that he could never bear on her face, so he immediately gave up the pretense, making her stand he cupped her cheeks in his hands, “hum jayenge. Maine chachaji se baat kar li hai. Hum sab jayenge… tum, main, Preeti, Swati, Munna, Pandit, Rohan, chachaji aur chachiji…”

Her pretty eyes widened in surprise, and he felt a sudden incredible urge to kiss her, but unlike college he didn’t have to hold back now, and so he leaned forward and tasted her. With a little whimper, she melted against him, and responded to his lips moving agonizingly slow against hers. A minute later when he drew back, she huffed for breath, and asked, “kaise hoga yeh?”

He smirked, “tumko kya lagta hai woh lottery ki tickets Taiji ko kaise mili? Tumne toh pehle hi andaaza laga liya tha na ke koi dukaan itna bada inaam nahi de sakta.” He explained to her about his discussion with Chachaji and how he had given his permission, the plan he had hatched, and finally the events that had started rolling since yesterday.

She thought about what she heard, then slowly asked, “iska matlab tumne firse… cycle ki tarah iss baar chaar-dhaam yatra. Par Sameer… isme toh bahot kharcha hua hoga? Chaar log…”

He tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, “tum kharche ki chinta mat karo… iss trip ke liye jo zaruri hoga main karunga. Aur fir teen logo ki ticket deta ginke toh ajeeb lagta, aur do ki deta to bhi problem hoti. Aur maine socha… kya pata… chaar logo ki ticket hai toh shayad Taiji apne saath Rakesh sir ko bhi le jaaye.”

Naina let out a small laugh, “yeh toh ho hi nahi sakta tha. Taiji kabhi bhi papa ko nahi le jayegi. Unhone toh mana bhi kar diya.”

He nodded, “jaanta hun. Chachaji ne bataya.”

“Toh ab…?”, Naina enquired uncertainly.

Sameer shrugged, as if he was not at all worried, “tension mat lo… sab kuch set hai. bas dekhti jao…” He checked his watch and noticed it was past their lunch time… funny how they kept missing food timings when they were together. He would have to keep a better track of time, he thought, such regular indiscipline in food timings would not be good for Naina’s health. He took her hand, “chalo… bahar lunch kar lete hai. Aur uske baad hum bus dekhne jaate hai.”

Puzzled she followed his tug and asked, “bus dekhne?”

“Haan, trip ke liye”, he replied.

Before leaving he said he needed to visit the washroom, and she teased, “iss baar boys wale me hi jaana… warna firse koi dekh lega.”

He smirked, and teased back, “koi aur kyun, tum hi dekh lo.”

She tilted her head, “kaafi saal pehle dekh chuki tumko… orange shirt me…” He was still stuttering in surprise when her eyes sparkled as she said, “aur ab dekhna hi hoga toh… ghar wala bathroom zyada achcha hai.” she winked at him and left to wait for him near the notice boards. He came back after a few minutes but didn’t say anything, the delicate color tinging his cheekbones amusing her.

She kept thinking about it as they sat back in the car, and wondered since how long he must have been planning this thing. He was usually very organized when it came to something that he wanted to do. Take the trade exhibition for example, even though he had only one week to prepare, he had prepared so perfectly for it. But this one… it must have been in his mind since a long time… else how could he have skipped his hair cut, and arranged for the perfect clothes, even the watch was the same. He said they would go look for a bus… she still couldn’t believe it… that she would be going to Mt. Abu again, and that too before their wedding, and with Chachaji’s permission. How had he convinced Chachaji to do this? What kind of magic charm had he performed? Because this was no less than a miracle… Chachaji had not only agreed for the trip, but had also agreed in hiding it from Tauji, Taiji and her father… something he had never done before and neither approved of. She still remembered the huge ruckus at home when Chachiji had met a prospective groom’s family for Pooja  didi’s wedding alone. He had not approved of it; it was as if the foundation of their family had been shaken. But this time, he had not only agreed, but had also helped Sameer in tricking them.

To her immense surprise, Sameer took her to Kanchi Kora Restaurant for lunch, the same place where he had celebrated his first birthday party in Ahmedabad. She sat stunned. How does he even manage to think of such things? School trip, dress up like he used to, the song, the impromptu enactment of Rasna girl… and now this. She recalled how she had lied at home, just because Sameer had said that he wouldn’t cut his cake without her, and if she doesn’t forgive him then he would leave forever. The fear of losing him had been too great, and of course by then she had known that he was innocent. She reminisced the excitement she had felt while dressing up, the tale of lies she had to spin, her late entry, and still… Sameer had been so patient with her. That cake cutting had been so perfect, she mused. No one… absolutely no one could have guessed that Sameer was acting to be interested.

He opened her door, and extended a hand which she accepted and stepped out. As they walked to the gates, he commented, “waise yaadein share karne ke liye hoti hai… kabse akele akele kya soch rahi ho?”

She laughed, “kuch khaas nahi… bas itna hi ke uss din maine kitne jhooth bole ghar pe yahan aane ke liye… aur woh cake cutting… mera matlab… koi keh hi nahi sakta tha ke tum natak kar rahe ho.”

He was silent for a moment, before asking softly, “tumse kisne kaha ke main natak kar raha tha?” Before she could recover from her surprise, and answer him back, he had shifted his attention to a man in suit and was enquiring about his reservation. They were taken to a table for two that was set perfectly. Even though now she had been to several high-end restaurants with Sameer, the precise arrangements still fascinated her. She took her time, noticing how they had placed the napkin and cutleries, thinking that she might need to set the table in a similar manner after marriage. Sameer wouldn’t need it daily, but it would be nice to lay out things in such an eye-pleasing manner when they would have guests.

He ordered for both of them, and then sat back, his arms folded and his scrutinizing gaze fixed on her, “hmmm… toh ab bolo kya bol rahi thi… tumko aisa kyun laga ke main uss din natak kar raha tha?”

She shrugged, trying to sound casual, “kyunki tum toh woh sab apni shart ke liye kar rahe the na.”

He sighed, and explained, “haan… shart ke liye hi kar raha tha. Lekin main pehle bhi keh chuka hun tumko ke main itna achcha actor nahi hun ke itne din natak karu… Naina… maine aaj hi tumko bataya ke hamare library sessions me bhi main kuch toh feel karta tha. Aur mere birthday ke din bhi… maana main tumpe bahot gussa tha… tumne mujhe chor kaha isiliye… aur fir mujhe laga ke mere itna sab karneke bawjud tum party me nahi aai. Gussa iss baat ka tha ke woh shart wale ladke keh rahe the ke main nakamyab raha tumko patane me, iss baat ka bhi tha ke main itna handsome hun fir bhi tumpe iska koi asar nahi ho raha, aur iss baat ka bhi tha ke tum itni simple si ho fir bhi main tumko patane ke liye itne papad bel raha hun… Lekin jaanti ho sabse zyada gussa kis baat ka tha?”

When she shook her head in negative, he continued, “sabse zyada gussa iss baat ka tha ke tum aai nahi… Tum mere birthday party me nahi aai. Mujhe tumhara attention chahiye tha. Lekin tumhara naa aana iss baat ka sabut tha ke main tumhare liye important nahi hun. Aur yeh pata nahi kyun… mujhse bardasht nahi ho raha tha. Achanak se uss party ka, mere birthday ka, mile hue saare gifts ka koi importance nahi tha. Mujhe tum chahiye thi… aur tum nahi thi… sab kuch beswaad aur fika pad gaya tha. Isiliye main bat leke sab tod raha tha… party ka namo-nishaan mitana chahta tha. Par fir… tum aai… nahi…”

A small smile curved his lips as he reminisced, the past moving like picture slides in-front of his eyes, “sabse pehle tumhari aahat aai… halki si… lekin pata nahi kaise mujhe samajh aa gaya ke tum hi ho. Aur fir, tum dikhi… khule baal, chehre pe thoda sa darr, aur woh ajeeb sa brown dress… mujhe aisa laga jaise meri ruki hui saanse firse chal padi. Jab tum paas aai aur mujhe wish kiya, mera saara gussa gayab ho gaya. Soch raha tha ke yeh kya ho raha hai, aur yahi samajhne ke liye tumhe dekhta hi jaa raha tha… uss din pehli baar mujhe khushi mili jab Nanu ne mujhe gala lagaya tha, aur dusri baar jab tumne apna cake lene se pehle mere liye ek piece cut kiya. Tumne mere baare me socha… jo kabhi koi nahi karta tha woh tumne kiya. Shart ki baat toh main bhul hi gaya tha tab, aur shayad waisa hi rehta agar uss waqt achanak Pandit naa aa gaya hota toh.”

She smiled, her heart easing as she realized that not everything was about bet for him, it never had been. She had forgiven him long back, but the memories wouldn’t leave, and she treasured part of them simply because they were related to him. Just like the shampoo bottle which was still treasured… even though she had hated him for some time, wanted nothing but to forget him, yet… yet she had been unable to throw away the things that were associated with him. Even though he would have bought the shampoo so that he could keep on talking to her, but still… he had bought it, he had given a thought to what she would need rather than just picking any random gift that could have landed her in trouble at home. Today with the school trip, reliving those moments, and his several confessions, everything had made her treasure those memories even further. And she had felt happy that she had listened to her heart and had never hated those memories.

He was still lost in thoughts, probably reminiscing just like she had been. She placed her hand on his, and he came back to present with a slight shake of his head. She grinned and suggested, “hum na shaadi ke baad sach me Pandit ko peetenge, aur main panditji ki baat nahi kar rahi.” He laughed aloud at how she wanted to beat up their friend for ruining one moment so many years ago. Suddenly an idea clicked in her brain, and her eyes lit up, “tumhara next birthday na hum ghar pe manayenge. Main cake banaungi, aur hum sabko bulayenge. Bahot mazaa aayega.”

He grinned at her enthusiastic plan, and asked, “aur tumhara birthday?”

She thought about it for a moment, then simply answered, “woh tum decide karna.”

Their food arrived at that moment, and Sameer immediately busied himself with the sizzlers and noodles, though taking care to serve her as well. After a hearty meal, he took her to a small transport office that advertised rental cars and buses. She had never known that such places existed, but then she thought that of course it did, otherwise how would schools and colleges rent buses for their picnics. But cars… did people really hire out cars? The owner was only too happy to cater to new customers; a mini-bus for 15 people for 5 nights would earn him quite a good amount of money. They chose a white bus with blue zig-zag slashes running down one side. This one was much better than the bus which they had used in school, and the seats were more comfortable. However it was also expensive. When Naina asked him to select an option with less cost, Sameer told her that comfort of family was first for him. Chachaji and Chachiji are not used to traveling long distance, and neither are they young anymore, so having comfortable seating was important.

When they left the shop, and were again in the car, she enquired, “ab kahan jaa rahe hai?”

“Hamare rachaye hue khel ka ek hissa dekhne”, he replied jovially.

She was perplexed until he stopped the car in a familiar lane, and then took her to a big electronic appliances shop. The owner immediately greeted Sameer, and said, “abhi thodi der hai aur.”

Sameer nodded, “haan. Hum andar bethte hai.” He took her to a small office type cubicle with a door, and asked if she would like to drink something. Naina shook her head, and asked, “hum yahan kyun aaye hai?”

He grinned, “bas paanch minute aur…”

True to his prediction, in five minutes a familiar voice wheezed from the shop, “Oh bai! Kitni dur hai yeh dukaan… kuch thanda pila do.”

Inside the cabin Naina’s eyes widened, and Sameer grinned. He tugged her hand, “yahan aao.”

Parting the door just and inch or so, he signaled her to slid under his arm and stand in-front of her. She did. And together they spied on Tauji and Taiji, their eyes and smiles widening like kids succeeding in a mischief.

The shopkeeper dutifully offered water, and enquired about their identity. Tauji produced some id proofs which they couldn’t see, and then Taiji swelled with pride and happiness as they were offered cold drink. To her, of course, this meant that they were super important customers. Some forms were diligently filled, a helper boy was sent to get copies of the id proofs, and then finally a big envelope with tickets and some itinerary papers were handed over to them. As Taiji greedily pored over the papers, Naina tilted her head back to stare up at Sameer. He looked down, and wiggled his brows, eyes sparkling with mischief, and she almost giggled.

Finally, when Tauji and Taiji left, they emerged from the cabin, and Sameer thanked the shopkeeper for helping him. To Naina’s amusement, the shopkeeper blessed Sameer wholeheartedly saying how rare it was to see children doing such things for their relatives. While stepping out of the shop when Naina raised her brows in question, Sameer shrugged and grinned, flicking his locks of hair. He dropped her home with a quick stolen hand kiss, and a promise to meet soon.

That evening everyone at Agarwal house was treated to the tale of the VIP treatment that Taiji received in the shop, while Naina tried to control her smile. Rakesh grumbled and kept making plans, “sunlo Anand… tum keh rahe ho toh main yahan rahunga, lekin main tinde nahi kha sakta roz roz.”

Bela replied immediately, “bhagwaan jhuth na bulaye bhaisaab, ab shardi ke mausam me tinde milte bhi nahi hai. Isiye to main matar banati hun.”

“Haan toh… usi matar me kabhi kabhi paneer bhi daal diya karo”, Rakesh admonished.

Anand intervened, “aap gussa mat kariye bhaisaab. Main paneer laa dunga. Bela wahi banayegi.”

The next day Naina sneaked out of the house after bath, and went to a small shop, bought light-blue and white wool balls and tiptoed back inside the house. If Sameer was going to recreate memories for her, then she would too… and the first memory to recreate would be the sweater that had been her first gift to him. Even though she didn’t need to hide anymore, she still went inside the bathroom and upturned the bucket, sitting on it. As she checked the wool, her eyes sparkled reminiscing how she had been stumped because she hadn’t known his size and had wished that if she had hugged him then that wouldn’t have been a problem. Well… now she had hugged him, not once, but many times. She held the wool close to her heart, and closed her eyes, the visions of herself tracing his bare shoulders and chest with her fingers flashing before her mind. “Iss baar mujhe tumhari shirt nahi chahiye”, she muttered and started looping the soft wool on the knitting needles.

Preeti who had finally been told about Sameer’s plan last night, was still slightly angry that she had literally been the last to know of it. A conversation with Sameer had ensued over the phone, wherein she had demanded as box full of chocolates to start talking again. Sameer had smirked and said, “chocolates bhi chahiye? Rohan aa raha hai woh kaafi nahi hai?” Preeti had blushed and kept the phone down, diverting her anger of Naina whom she gauged to be the weaker target. However all her anger had vanished, when she had received an excited phone call from Rohan this morning, and a small box of chocolates from Sameer that had been delivered by his driver.

Now she banged on the bathroom door, “Naina kya kar rahi hai kabse andar? Pet kharab hai kya?”

Naina slapped her forehead, and then gathered all the paraphernalia and stepped out. She glared at her sister, “kya chahiye tujhe? Bathroom jaana hai toh jaa na.”

Preeti narrowed her eyes, “oye… main tujhse naraz hun. Tu kyun itne tevar dikha rahi hai? Aur yeh kya chupa rahi hai peeche… dikha mujhe.”

Naina tried to hide all the stuff in vain, Preeti grabbed the needles, and exclaimed, “sweater!!?? Tu firse bathroom me sweater bana rahi hai? Ab kiske liye?”

Naina rolled her eyes, “aur kiske liye banaungi?”

Preeti gave up her pretense of anger, and grinned, “toh zaruri hai kya ke har baar bathroom me banaye? Iss baar toh danke ki chot pe kahegi toh bhi koi mana nahi karega.”

Naina smiled, “jaanti hun… main toh bas… purani yaadein taaza kar rahi thi.”

“Thike thike”, Preeti snorted, “woh sab chod, aur yeh dekh… Jijaji ne mere liye chocolates bheje hai.”

Naina’s eyes widened, “aur mere liye?”

Preeti looked confused, “kuch nahi.”

Naina frowned, and a sulky expression adorned her face. Preeti laughed, “aree jijaji ko marna hai kya jo tere liye kuch naa bheje. Woh rahe dekh tere gifts.”

There on the dressing table sat a large bouquet of roses, and the two big bars of chocolate. Naina sighed, a smile blooming on her face. Preeti eyed her sister mischievously, and said, “ek aur gift hai jijaji ke taraf se.”

Naina turned to her, excited, “kya?”

“Yeh”, Preeti said and swiftly kissed Naina on the cheek.

Naina stood stunned for a moment before chasing Preeti around the room, shrieks and laughter ringing in the air, before both the sisters collapsed on the bed panting for breath. Preeti chuckled, “kitna sharmati hai yaar tu? Pata nahi mere jijaji ka kya hoga.”

Slowly, hesitantly, Naina replied, “kuch nahi hoga… unko yeh gift dena hoga toh khud de denge.”

Preeti gasped, before jackknifing off the bed and looking down at her sister, “kya kaha tune? Iska matlab… jijaji ne tujhe… kiss kiya hai?”

Naina blushed. Preeti whooped and then asked, “kahan? Haath pe… Gaal pe… ya fir…”

Recalling their intimate moments, Naina bit her lip and her cheeks flushed with color even more. Preeti took the lip biting as answer and pumped her fists in the air, “wow! Yeh toh bilkul movies wali kiss hai… Jijaji ko congrats bolna padega. Waise meri bholi si behen… tu kabse yeh sab karne lagi? Aur tere uss pravachan ka kya hua? Mere liye yeh sab shaadi ke baad…”

Naina turned over, burying her face in the pillow and Preeti giggled. She had noticed the level of comfort, and had felt that something had changed in the equation; however she hadn’t known how to enquire this from Naina. But today… Naina had finally shared with her… and now she felt extremely happy for her sister and jijaji, along with spinning new dreams for herself too.

That whole evening Preeti kept teasing Naina with flying kisses, until Naina threw every pillow and cushion in the house at her, much to the amusement of Chachiji. When Sameer called that night, Preeti snatched the phone from Naina, and teased him, “aaj toh double celebration banta hai jijaji…” When Sameer was confused, she explained, “aapne meri sidhi-sadhi behen ko itna jo bigaad diya… tabhi main sochu ke yeh Naina aaj kal lip-gloss kyun le jaane lagi hai purse me.”

Sameer stuttered at the other end, and Naina snatched the phone back, shooing off Preeti. Gaining his control back, he asked her, “tumne sab bata diya?”

Naina smiled, “nahi. Bas… kiss wali baat.”

“Konsi kiss?”, Sameer asked, suddenly horrified at the idea of Naina discussing their kissing sessions with Preeti.

Naina giggled, “Sameer… tum pagal ho kya. Maine detail me thodi na discuss kiya kuch. Woh toh Preeti ne mujhe aaj gaal pe kiss kiya aur kaha ke tumne gift bheja hai… Toh maine bhi keh diya ke yeh gift toh tum khud bhi de sakte ho. Bas fir kya tha… usko sab jaana the ke tumne mujhe kahan kiss kiya hai… aur maine kuch bola nahi fir bhi usne maan liye ke…” She trailed off suddenly shy to talk about it.

Sameer however had started enjoying the conversation, “ke? Aage bolo Naina.”

Suddenly breathless, she slowly whispered, “ke tumne mujhe lips pe…”

He grinned, “haan toh… galat kya socha… sirf lips pe nahi… maine toh tumko…”

“Sameer”, she spoke urgently, “kya bol rahe ho?”

“Aaye haaye”, he pestered, “bolne me itni sharam… aur jab milti ho tab to sidhe shirt utarne lagti ho, fir chahe hum ghar me ho ya bahar.”

Naina gasped, “jaao main baat nahi kar rahi tumse… good night.”

He laughed, “thike… mat karo baat… main balcony pe aa jaunga.”

She moaned his name, desperate to stop his teasing, but it had a very profound impact of Sameer at the other end. His breathing suddenly heavy, he whispered her name. Naina understood, and asked, “umm… hum college kab jaa rahe hai?”

“Parso”, he replied, “lekin uss din college chalu hoga. Wahan permission nahi mili chutti ke din jaaneki. School me toh main hi trustee hun toh koi mana nahi kar paaya.”

She smiled, “koi baat nahi.”

He remembered something, “achcha suno… main kal tumhare ghar kuch pamphlets bhijwa dunga. Color options hai… Shaadi se pehle ghar me color karvana hai na. Toh main soch raha tha ke agar furniture aane se pehle ho jaaye, aur hum log bhi Mt. Abu me honge toh ghar khali rahega uss dauran.”

Naina agreed, “thike. Tumne jo select kare woh bhi mark kar dena. Baki main dekh lungi.”

They talked for a little bit more time, before wishing their good byes. Naina wondered if Sameer would make plans to meet at home again, but that seemed slightly unlikely, as with days the control he had over himself was thinning, and probably he wouldn’t want to take risk. Also, soon the color work will also start, so that meant no privacy. She sighed, understanding, yet hoping that she could steal some more such moments before their wedding.

The next day brought in a long list of preparations from Taiji. It seemed as if she wasn’t going to char-dham yatra but rather a foreign trip. Her lectures on self-importance continued, and so did her rants on how useless both Naina and Preeti were. Once during the day, Taiji hinted that she will get special puja done in Dwarka, to wash away the sins that Naina had committed. Naina just rolled her eyes, and thought if what she had done with Sameer was sin, then she was looking forward to a sinful life.  There was a long list of snacks to be prepared, which caused Chachiji to angrily mutter as to how she would do all this along with her daily housework. Naina just pacified her saying that the one week of freedom this would earn was a good trade-off. And so started the mathri, chewda and several other farsan preparations.

That evening Naina wondered about what should she wear to college. Even though she hadn’t known that Sameer was going to recreate their school memories, coincidentally her outfit had matched perfectly to something she would have worn in those days. Also, well… she blushed as she recalled the other advantages of wearing a skirt. But wearing a skirt daily was not an option, plus she didn’t think her poor heart could tolerate one more session like that… So she pulled out her jeans, and the white and gold kurti that Sameer had brought from Delhi.

Next morning, after breakfast she helped Chachiji in the kitchen to prepare some methi mathri, and then got ready. Sameer came to pick her up at 11am, and Taiji excitedly told him about their good fortune to win a lottery. He grinned, and heartily congratulated them, even saying that he would personally come to drop them off to the station. Taiji beamed at her bholuram, and didn’t even bat an eye when he left with Naina.

As they sat in the car, he said, “tumko yaad hai, hamare college ke pehle din main tumhe pick karne aaya tha?”

She nodded, “haan, lekin yahan se nahi… baju wali gali se.”

He chuckled, “yahan se karta toh usi waqt bhaagke shaadi karni padti.”

“Toh kar lete”, she teased.

He slipped on his sunglasses, and navigated the car out, “kar toh leta. Lekin uss tarah se karna nahi chahta tha. Hamesha se socha tha ke bhagake nahi, balki puri duniya me elan karke tumhe le jaunga… pure maan-samman ke saath.”

She smiled at him, her gaze moving over the blue t-shirt and white jacket. She knew why he had worn that, because she had told him of how she had felt when she would see him in it. He had been driving silently, but he had not missed the fluctuating emotions on her face. He knew that she loved to see him in this outfit, he knew that she understood why he wore this, and he knew right now her gaze was raking possessively over him… Maybe she would kiss him today after all, damn the college full of students. He almost hummed in anticipation.

The college gates brought back memories of the excitement that had flooded through them at the thought of being big enough to attend college, and the freedom that they would get. The parking lot surprisingly had an empty spot, the usual one where Sameer parked. Even he was surprised, and grinned as he parked the car. Three years… They had spent three years in this campus. The familiar structure, the sprawling gardens, the benches on which they had sat after classes… everything brought a smile on their faces. Naina turned to see the gates from which they had entered, and felt as if she could see Sameer riding in on his bike, dressed just like today, his hair flying in the wind, and headphones covering his ears.

Sameer looked at the dreamy expression on her face as she stared at the gate, and understood what she was thinking. He leaned down, and whispered in her ear, “thik se dekho. Tum bhi ho mere peeche bike pe.”

Astonished, she shifted her gaze to him, and he smiled. A couple of girls walked by, their appreciative gaze on Sameer, which was completely usual. While he ignored them, Naina seethed and held his hand, tilting her chin up at the girls who glanced at their linked hands and were disappointed. Sameer chuckled, and pulled her close to him, wrapping his arm around her waist, “andar chale?” The girls were even more disappointed, and scanned Naina up and down, wondering how she had landed such an handsome boy.

They walked inside, moving through the familiar corridors, peeking inside classes. They spotted a couple trying to sneak some cozy moments in an empty classroom, and reminisced how they would sit and spend time alone. They met the principal and a couple of teachers who didn’t have any lectures. The empty music room reminded them of how Sameer would sometimes play guitar for her. Sitting in the canteen, they ordered some snacks and gorged on them, while talking about the three years in college. An enthusiastic boy eyed Naina in the canteen, and Sameer angrily shifted his chair closer, glaring at the boy. She laughed, and leaned on his arm, feeling amused that someone would stare at her.

Sameer glanced at her expressions, and frowned, “muskura kyun rahi ho?”

“Soch rahi hun ke koi mujhe kyun ghurta hai”, she mused.

His scowl deepened, “matlab kya hai? Tumne apne aap ko dekha hai thik se kabhi? Kitni khubsurat lagti ho…”

She smiled, “woh toh isiliye na kyunki tum mujhse pyaar karte ho.”

“Yeh Taiji ki toh main”, he muttered, realizing how deep the gashes on her confidence had been over these years. If he had understood that before, in school, he would have made sure she knew every day how beautiful he found her. But, even though he had known that Naina felt bad, he hadn’t understood that she had just accepted that she wasn’t good looking. Frustrated, he turned her to face him, “ek baat abhi suno aur achche se samajh lo… Itne saalo se Taiji ne jo bhi bola hai tumko woh sab jhooth hai. Tum bahot khubsurat ho… aur main sirf tumhare dil ki baat nahi kar raha. Tumhare baal toh mujhe school se hi achche lagte the, aur main sochta tha ke jab aur lambe honge toh kaise dikhenge… I think, tumko ab tak toh samajh aa hi gaya hoga ke mujhe kitna achcha lagta hai tumko khule baalo me dekhna. Tumhari aankhen itni badi hai aur itni gehri, ke main hamesha unme kho jaata hun… Tumhari skin itni achchi hai, soft aur clear ekdum. Hazaaro ladkiya parlour me jaane ke baad bhi aisi skin nahi paa sakti. Aur tumhare lips… kya kahu ab main… mujhe toh yaad bhi nahi kitne sapne dekhe hai maine inko kiss karneke.”

Her eyes kept widening as she listened to him, her heart thudding as she let each sentence soak in her soul. He continued speaking, “aur haan… apne figure ki baat toh mujhse naa hi bulvao toh achcha hai. Agar college me tumne books pe se aur mujhpe se dhyan hataya hota toh tumko samajh aata ke kitne ladke tumko dekhte the. Mera man karta tha sabke daant tod du. Isiliye keh raha hun… itne saal jo bhi suna hai tumne Taiji se woh please bhul jao… abhi… hamesha ke liye. Agar tumko lagta hai ke tum khubsurat nahi ho toh bahot galat lagta hai… Tum beautiful ho, cute ho, sexy ho, hot ho… aur sirf meri ho.”

She blinked the tears that had gathered in her eyes, and smiled up at him, amazed at how he could always say those things that soothed her heart. And suddenly just sitting there with him was not enough. She grabbed his hand, and stood up, “chalo mere saath.”

He stood up too, “kahan?”

She didn’t answer as she literally pulled him out of the canteen and through the corridors, making quite a few heads turn at the way she held his hand. They reached a place near the staircase which led to the second floor, and pulled him aside. This had been one of the few places where they would sit holding hands, usually on days when he would be too exhausted from office work. There on the wall, he had inscribed a heart on one Valentine’s day and added their names inside it. And now, Naina drew him against the same wall, and stood up on tiptoes, grabbed his ears and pulled him down, fusing her mouth to his. All this happened so quickly that his eyes widened in surprise, he glanced at the inscription on the wall near her head, and then shut his eyes wrapping his arms around her, and deepening the kiss. The chaos of college corridors faded away, time lost its meaning, as buried her hands in his hair, and he lost himself in her, finally fulfilling another fantasy that he had spun on that long ago Valentine’s day when he had drawn that heart.