Only Mine Chapter 21: RAC

Kids played in the courtyard taking full advantage of the summer vacations, they didn’t seem to be bothered by the heat; few dogs slept in the shade snapping lazily at the flies; a vegetable vendor hollered his rates and sprinkled water on his wares to keep them fresh in the sun. Sameer Maheshwari stood in-front of the mirror in his apartment and held up different shirts to check what he should wear.

Suddenly everything he had seemed to be extremely plain and not quite suitable to meet an important family member of his prospective wife. Why couldn’t he have got a new shirt, he thought frustrated. But then sighed knowing it was because he was living off a limited budget and buying new shirts only for specific occasions was not in his monthly finance plan. He had seen the society where Naina lived now, and it was such an upscale one that he feared that if he wore anything less than acceptable people would peek out of their houses with a disapproving frown. And what if that frown was on Bua-Dadi’s face? What if she refused to get Naina married to him? What if she considered him unworthy for Naina?

Just then the phone rang, and he picked it up wondering who it might be, “Hello.”

“Sameer”, a disapproving voice replied, “why are you still at home?”

He frowned, “Naina… did you just call to check if I am at home or not?”

She bit her lip, but there was no apology in her tone, “yes, I did. I wanted to check if you are in a hurry to meet me or not.”

This time he chuckled, “what’s wrong? Can’t stay without me? Shall we get married today itself?”

She laughed, “even for that you have to be here. Why haven’t you left yet?”

He sighed, “I can’t find anything to wear. All shirts seem plain and boring for such an important day.”

She smiled, understanding him. Sameer Maheshwari might have been living on his own income but he still had the inherent urge to look perfect for every occasion. What he didn’t know was that no matter what he wore, he always looked perfect, at least to her. She softly queried, “do you remember the day of fair? Your special purple shirt that I had ruined? And then what you wore?”

“Yes, I do”, he replied with a smile, “I was so occupied in thinking about you that I wore a plain light pink shirt… Formals in a fair.”

“And what did I tell you? On the top of ferris wheel”, she further asked.

Furrowing his brows he recollected their conversation, “you told me you liked that shirt better than the purple one. You said it made me look like businessman.”

“Exactly”, she grinned, “what makes you think you need shiny and new things to look good? You wear just what you have… And PB isn’t going to rate you on your clothes. She already knows I like you. If she has to gauge you she will do so based on your nature.”

He smiled once again, “thanks Naina… I will choose one of the plain shirts.”

“Listen”, she stopped him, “do you have that pink shirt?”

He glanced at the stack, “yes I do… But it doesn’t fit anymore.”

She frowned in confusion, “doesn’t fit? What do you mean? You aren’t fat.”

He laughed, “no, I am not honey… but… umm… ah… the buttons on my chest don’t close any more.”

She blinked, realizing what he was saying. She had seen the difference in his chest and shoulders, felt they were wider, but that school time shirt not fitting him anymore made her realize that her observation was true. Clutching the phone tight, she let out a shaky breath, and mumbled, “wow.”

His eyes sparkled, as he understood that this simple statement affected her. He knew that she was trying to imagine or think how it was possible. His voice was low as he said, “I can show you the difference when I come today… maybe in your room.”

She blushed, and a small gasp escaped her lips. Clearing her throat she tried to divert the topic, “do you have a blue shirt that fits?”

He chuckled, giving in to her strategy, and replied, “yes madam.”

“Then wear that”, she demanded, “I love blue color.”

“As you wish”, he grinned, picking up the blue shirt he had discarded earlier, “now let me get ready, I will leave soon.”

She stopped him once again, “Sameer… I know you must be planning to take a taxi, but don’t. Come on your bike. I am not ashamed of the boy I am dating. Drive safe, and see you soon.”

Before he could say anything the phone disconnected, leaving him with a surprised smile on his face. How did she know that he was planning to take a taxi? He shrugged into the blue shirt, shaking his own head, and thinking that Naina knew and understood him since they were in school. Why should it be any different now?

Within next fifteen minutes he had dressed up, locked his home, and was now driving out of the society on his bike, sunglasses covering his eyes. His thoughts remained stuck on Naina. With time she was slowly coming out of the shell she had pushed herself into. She had started to exert her right on him bit by bit, she had started to be a little playful like before, she had started to give replies to his flirting, and most importantly she had stopped hiding her life from him. But there was still so much more… The path before him was clear but not really easy. He knew that being accused like that by her family had hurt her more than she could ever express. She was the same girl who hadn’t felt bad at the rudeness of her brother, and now she didn’t have any relationship with that brother. She was the same girl who had firmly explained that in family everyone loves and supports the other, but she hadn’t received the very things from her own family. On top of that she had thought that he had rejected her too. It wasn’t just her heart that had taken the hit of the incident, but her self-confidence too. She had tried to rebuild it with fashion and lifestyle change but the core inside her had remained hurt. And he knew that there was still sometime before she recovered totally, but once she did, he would have his original Naina back… And then… God save him.

Affair… Such a dubious and inadequate term to define a relationship that a boy and a girl might have. A love story on TV could make everyone go all dreamy eyed and crave for a fairytale romance themselves. But as soon as they got to know that someone in real life had the possibility of a romantic relationship, it somehow turned into a crime for society and family. He had been outraged when Naina had told him of the assumptions her neighbors and family had made about her. His anger at that time was not because he thought that such a relationship was not for school time, or that Naina couldn’t have had a boyfriend… but rather it was because he knew and understood that even if Naina had some relationship like that with someone it would never be superficial. She was too honest and too caring to be in any frivolous relationships, and on top of that she would never do anything that could hurt her family. Even if she loved someone, she would want her family to be witness to that relationship, she would fight for the boy, but she would never demean her family values. All she had done was to be seen with a boy – him – and that too she wasn’t touching him or neither were they smiling at each other. In fact he clearly remembered the distance he had maintained that day. If anything their faces reflected sadness. But her neighbor had seen an unwanted affair… God knows what twisted imaginations she must have added to the scene. Naina hadn’t detailed, and he didn’t know if she even knew or was in a frame of mind at time to listen. She had said that her father and Taiji had hit her… How could they? How could anyone with a heart want to hurt her like that? Did they know how much a slap could sting, especially if it was from the one person from whom love and understanding was expected? He had been on the receiving end of several such slaps from his mother, for one reason or another and every time it had broken his heart a bit more. The thought that Naina had to go through that kind of an experience made him want to destroy something. How had she stayed silent? How had she not blurted his name? Had she cared for him so much?

Meanwhile at the other end, Naina fluttered around in the kitchen adding fruits to the custard and placing the big bowl in the fridge. That morning she had got up and went to the kitchen to request Revathi, the cook, to teach her. PB had been surprised at this, and asked, “what’s gotten into you?”

Naina had smiled, “I used to learn cooking in Ahmedabad, but gave it up after I came here. But now… I want to learn again.”

PB had enquired if it was for Sameer, and she had not refrained from saying yes. She had spent the morning in the kitchen, helping in whatever was prepared for lunch, and diligently taking notes of recipes. And finally she had taken up the onus of preparing the dessert herself. Wiping her forehead, she smiled, satisfied with how the custard had turned out. She only hoped Sameer would like it.

The doorbell rang, and her smile widened as she rushed out of the kitchen to open the door. And there he was, dressed in blue shirt like she had demanded, and windswept hair. His eyes were covered with sunglasses but still she could see them shining behind the glass. His lips curved in a lopsided smirk, “if you have stared enough then can I come in?”

Faint color tinged her cheeks, and she nodded, stepping aside. She gestured to the sofa, “sit… PB will be here soon. I will get some water for you.”

Sameer sat on the sofa as instructed and looked around the big house. He wasn’t overwhelmed or surprised because his home in Ahmedabad was equally large and grand, but still he felt a bit fidgety having lost touch of lavish lifestyle. It seemed his and Naina’s lifestyle had reversed in Mumbai. Even now she looked stylish dressed in grey capri pants with black top. He smiled when she came back with water, and drank it in one go; nervousness making his stomach uneasy.

She chuckled, “do you want more?”

He shook his head, and hesitantly asked, “am I looking okay? Should I do this button?”

His hand reached up to do the second button on his shirt that he was used to leave open, but she swatted his hand away, “no… let it be. It looks good. Just… umm…”

He frowned, “what?”

She bit her lower lip, and raised her hand to adjust his hair. He dragged in a breath staring at her with a mixture of surprise and desire as her fingers sifted through his hair setting them properly. Gazing at him, she smiled, “I know you don’t like anyone touching your hair.”

“You are not anyone”, he immediately whispered, “I want you to touch me.”

Her eyes glazed over at his statement, and she seemed lost in some trance as she skimmed her fingers down the side of his face from his hair. “You shaved”, she observed, stroking his jaw, and then wiped his mouth with her thumb, mumbling slowly, “water…”

He swallowed, fisting his hands to stop himself from pulling her to him. Closing his eyes he muttered, “Naina… your Bua-dadi will see us.”

She smiled, drawing her hand back, leaving him craving for more, “PB… you can call her PB.”

He exhaled, opening his eyes, “if she allows me then I will.”

“And I will decide that today”, PB said from the staircase as she descended. Sameer immediately stood up, turning to look at the woman coming down the stairs. She was walking with the support of a stick, yet somehow managed to not look frail. There was authority on her face that was framed in round golden glasses, and she was dressed like the rich woman she was. As she came closer, Sameer saw her gaze shift to Naina, and he immediately noticed how her eyes softened with love and kindness. He smiled, instantly starting to like her, because anyone in Naina’s family who understood that she needed love and affection was someone definitely worth liking. Kneeling to take blessings, he greeted her, and out of customary habit PB placed her hand on his head immediately blessing him.

Surprised, PB smiled as he straightened, “I thought you will shake hands.”

“I can do that too”, he replied extending his hand, “but Nanu has always taught me to take blessings from elders.”

PB shook his hand, nodding in approval, and gestured him to sit. She asked him about his background, his education, and his work profile. He answered everything honestly, even being open with how and why he was staying in Mumbai. PB adjusted her glasses, “I have always told Naina that Mumbai is a city of dreams… it looks like you knew it too.”

Sameer nodded, “yes… there is a different charm here and nobody can escape it. Somehow struggling to fulfill dreams doesn’t make you an odd one out. I have found understanding and support here, but my home is still in Ahmedabad, with Nanu.”

PB queried, “what happens when you move back? Do you become the chairman of Maheshwari industries?”

“Nanu would want that”, he answered, “but I would like to take a bit more time.”

“Why?” PB asked, “are you scared of responsibilities?”

He shook his head, “no madam… I just want to fulfill my responsibilities properly.”

PB further enquired, “and what do you plan to do in the time you take?”

“Learn”, he replied, “I have learned about life and responsibilities here. In Ahmedabad I want to learn about the work that happens in our industry and the nuances of business.”

“Naina’s family won’t wait that long for wedding”, she informed.

He smiled, glancing once at Naina, “I am not scared of getting married. If Naina agrees, we will get married after our graduation.”

Naina blushed, adjusting her hair. PB smiled, “have you asked her?”

His face split in a grin, “is there a need? I have already told her I won’t marry anyone else.”

PB was surprised, “is it? She never told me…”

Naina’s face flushed even more, “I… I didn’t know how to…”

He looked over at her, his eyes shining with love that PB immediately noticed and felt happy about. But there was more to talk, something which she didn’t want to discuss in-front of Naina. And so she asked, “Naina… is lunch ready? Or something needs to be done?”

Naina straightened, “everything is cooked. I just need to cut salad and set the table.”

PB nodded, and stood up, “do it along with Revathi. I will show Sameer our library.”

Puzzled Naina looked at Sameer, wondering why there was a need to show him the library. He however understood that PB wanted to talk to him without Naina’s presence. Blinking in assurance at Naina, he stood up and followed PB out of the living room.

The library was in the opposite direction of kitchen. A narrow corridor lined with colored glass windows that blocked most of the heat of sun, led to an arched door, which opened to the biggest private collection of books he had ever seen. The library in itself was a work of art with ceiling-to-floor shelves stacked with more books than he could ever read, and a wide window on one side let the sun in. A sturdy oak table stood near the window along with a plush leather chair. The flooring gleamed with wood varnish, and the monotony of brown was broken by couple of colorful ottomans and a low beige sofa. The entire setting screamed luxury and style.

PB sat on the sofa, leaving him to look around while she contemplated how to start talking about what she had in mind. Her attention was captured when Sameer pulled a book down, and she smiled, “do you like reading?”

He turned to look at her, “I read… sometimes. It’s not a hobby, but I know Naina loves reading. This must be her favorite room.”

PB laughed, “it is her second favorite place in this house, the first is her balcony where she has a swing.”

“She likes swings”, he muttered, “I will remember that.”

Taking a few moments more to organize her thoughts, she then said, “I wanted to talk to you about Naina. I don’t know if she has told you the real reason she in here in Mumbai…”

“She has”, he interrupted, “I know why she is here. And I couldn’t thank you enough for believing in her.”

PB was surprised, “she has told you? When? And what did you say?”

Sameer kept the book back in the shelf, and went to sit on a blue ottoman, “she told me everything yesterday. There… there was a lot we needed to share with each other.”

PB was silent for a long time, and then nervously said, “Sameer I don’t think Naina had any affair… There has to be some misunderstanding.”

He queried, “why didn’t you ask her?”

She sighed, suddenly her age visible on her face, “because when she came here she was in no condition to talk about what happened. I had never seen her so silent. I didn’t want to hurt her any more than she already was.”

Sameer felt his respect increase for the lady in-front of him, “I never thought Naina had any affair… That’s what I told her… And now I know she didn’t.”

PB delicately asked, “you know?”

He debated for a moment, and then confessed, “the boy she was seen with is me.”

“What?” PB exclaimed, “you!? What do you mean by that? Naina told me she knew you in school but I never thought she meant a relationship…”

“We didn’t”, Sameer interrupted, “we had something, but if you are implying a romantic relationship then we didn’t. Our schools were nearby, and one day I accidentally splashed muddy water on her cycle. Our interactions started with pranks, and progressed to friendship. We cared about each other, but none of us understood the depth of our own feelings.”

PB said, “I know some of this… what happened next?”

He sighed, “I can’t tell you everything without Naina… but I can tell you what happened on the last day. We had a misunderstanding because of which I thought she didn’t care for me, and she thought I had rejected her. On that day, her cycle collided with my bike and she fell down. I was so worried about her that I followed her home, and when we were saying sad goodbyes some inquisitive neighbor spotted us and made a tale of Naina’s affair.” His tone changed from resignation to anger as he continued, “I can’t believe that her family believed such a thing… They hit her… How could they? I want to meet each one of them.”

PB looked at his expressions and felt a kind of strange satisfaction, but still reminded, “they are her family, and after you marry her they will be yours too.”

He looked up at her, “they are already my family. Everyone associated to Naina is… But that doesn’t give anyone the right to hurt her. And no one… no one can hit her.”

“I can see you already love her”, she observed with a smile.

He nodded, simply accepting, “yes, I love her.”

PB grinned, “have you told her?”

He smiled, “no… she needs time. I understand that. And besides I don’t think that saying I love you is the only way to confess our feelings. I know she is mine.”

“Well… I have to say when the prospect came from her family I was skeptical about it”, PB said, “even after she met you for the first time, I wasn’t so sure. But now… I am surprised that her Tauji found such a good match for Naina.”

Sameer smirked, “he didn’t… My Nanu found him, and proposed this wedding. Nanu liked Naina since school time, and he understood my feelings way before I did it myself. He always knew that if I ever fall in love it will always be with Naina. And so he found a way to make us meet forever.”

Surprised PB let out a laugh, “I was so bitter giving her Tauji the credit… thank you for telling me this. Now I am even happier.”

Sameer smiled at her, “madam… is there something more you want to talk about? Or shall we go? If I am not wrong Naina would be at the door knocking any moment now.”

Just then indeed there was a knock on the door, and PB chuckled, “yes, let’s go. And you don’t need to call me madam… you can call me PB.”

He grinned and they opened the door to find Naina nervously wringing her hands. PB smiled at her and then moved ahead leaving them alone. As soon as PB was out of earshot, Naina quickly asked, “what happened? What did she say?”

Sameer looped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, “PB said she thinks that we rock together.”

She frowned, “rock together? What are you saying?”

He chuckled and leaned down, “rock together means we look good together. Although now I do have another meaning in my head.”

Unable to resist she asked, “and what’s that?”

He smirked, and whispered, “we can rock the bed together.”

Her eyes rounded in shock, and she pushed him away before escaping from there, her face red with mortification. He grinned, shaking his head and followed her down the corridor. The more time he spent with her, the more he talked about his feelings, the more difficult it was getting to give her the space she needed. He kept wanting to feel her close… When they were sitting on the sofa and she was touching his face, he had been in such a tough situation. He had been this close to grabbing her and kissing her. Was it okay to feel like this? Or would she feel that such stuff was not okay before wedding? He had no idea… but he did know that if she wanted to wait so long then also he wouldn’t object. But he wished she would at least agree for a kiss.

As the trio ate lunch Sameer sought permission about Ahmedabad trip. PB agreed and said she could book flights, but Sameer shook his head, “please don’t. We will go by train. Naina has already agreed.”

PB thought for some time, and then nodded, “fine… but not sleeper class. Book AC compartments… And take care of Naina.”

“I will”, Sameer assured with a smile.

After lunch, Naina handed over bowls of custards to everyone, and PB asked her to show Sameer around. Holding the cold dessert, together they walked through the big bungalow, with Naina describing every room. When they went upstairs, she took him to a room at the far end, and said, “this is my room.”

Smiling, he pushed the door open and stepped inside, immediately spotting the tiger soft-toy on her bed. Excited, he walked towards it, “wow… you keep it on your bed.”

She chuckled, letting the door close, “yes, I do. But that’s the only thing I have. I didn’t even have your photograph to look at when I missed you.”

He kept the custard bowl down on the bedside table, and pulled her to him, “You have me now… Look all you want, and do all you wish.”

Blushing hard, she pushed him away, and he stumbled, sprawling backwards on the bed. He gasped in mock surprise, “you want me on bed? So soon… Wow… But please lock the door.”

“Sameer”, she said in an irked tone and tried to pick up a pillow to hit him. But he caught her hand and tugged her, making her fall on top of him. She sucked in a surprised breath, her palms landing on his chest, her nose inches away from his, her open hair creating a curtain on the side of their faces giving them an illusion of privacy. His hands moved to her waist, fingers spanning her back, as he whispered, “do you have any idea what you do to me?”

She gulped, wanting to say yes, because she could feel very clearly the effect she was having on him. And today wasn’t the first time… Yesterday too when he had pulled her on his lap, she had been surprised by his immediate response. For a moment she had wondered if she was really feeling his hardness, or it was something else, but then she had discarded the thought, knowing for sure it was him, unless he was carrying around a steel torch in his jeans. When he had set her aside from his lap, she had been surprised at his action… She hadn’t expected that. In her mind the most plausible action for any boy in that condition would be to try and make the next move, especially since they had been alone at his home. But he hadn’t done that… And today too, she could feel him, but she could also feel him gently trying to shift his legs away from her body so that she wouldn’t know about his need. Sameer Maheshwari was always the gentleman… and it made her care for him a bit more, feel a bit more for him, and also want him a bit more.

Wanting to know what he would say, she asked, “what?”

He smiled, one of his hands stroking up and down her back, making her want to arch and stretch. God she could get used to it… Lying on top of him, and his big hand stroking her back… She felt like a contented kitten, she was afraid she would purr any moment. He tried to keep his eyes focused on her face and not at the hint of swells that was visible near the neckline of her top because of way she was lying on him. Gazing at her he tried to frame his feelings, and softly said, “it’s been years since I have been trying to understand what you make me feel. Why I was not at all mad when you just kept on defacing my bike? Why did I wait for your pranks? Why was I not angry when I got to know that you had entered my room? I never realized why I was so willing to share everything with you… You make me feel mad and sane at the same time… You make me feel peace and chaos together… You make me feel worthy Naina. When I am with you I feel as if I am capable of doing something, there is some direction in my life… I want you in every way a man could want a woman.”

Her breathing was heavy, her eyes dreamy, “what’s that way?”

He dragged in a deep breath, his chest lifting and she felt slightly unsteady as if riding a wave, and a warmth rose inside her as it caused his body to rub against her. Keeping a firm hold on her, he tried to explain, “I want to touch you, kiss you… and more… But it is not just the physical part of it… I want to be with you, spend my life with you. Eat breakfast, lunch and dinner with you… Sleep with you in my arms… Watch movies with you… Go on trips with you… Watch the sunrise and sunsets with you…”

She dropped her head on his chest, quite taken in by the description, and gently said, “movies in winters with a blanket around us… sunrise and sunsets with my head on your shoulder… I also want to sleep with you in the garden or terrace and watch the stars…”

He closed his eyes, his lips curving in a smile as happiness seeped in every pore of his body on hearing her words. She might not have confessed that she loved him, but everything she said now told him that she felt the same way he did. The words can wait, what mattered was the trust she had on him, the comfort she shared with him, and the dreams she had of them being together.

Suddenly, she whispered, “Sameer…” He hummed, and she continued, “I have started to learn to cook once again.”

Unexpected tears pricked his eyelids as he realized that his old Naina was coming out of her shell. Swallowing once to gain control over his voice, he said, “I will look forward to my favorite dishes then.”

She lifted her head and asked, “what do you like?”

He opened his eyes, “carrot halwa, chole-puri, paneer, pulao.”

“I will cook halwa in winter”, she assured, “today was so hot so I made custard.”

He smiled, “it’s delicious.” She grinned in happiness at just that simple praise. A noise from somewhere in the house made them conscious about how they were lying on bed, and he unwrapped his arms from around her, helping her to sit up. She didn’t meet his gaze, and he could see a faint blush on her cheeks. In an attempt to ease the awkwardness, he picked up the custard again, starting to gobble it up, “umm… this is so tasty… When will you make it again?”

She laughed, “whenever you want. When are we going to get the tickets?”

He checked his watch, “we can leave now. It’s better not to delay.”

She nodded, “I will get my purse.”

He finished the custard, and kept the bowl back, “Naina… can I use your bathroom?”

She frowned, “why are you even asking? It’s that door… Let me know if you need anything.”

He smiled and went inside to freshen up; when he came out he saw Naina near the dresser combing her hair, and had this strange urge to go up behind her and hug her. As if in a spell he moved forward, but before he could reach her, she turned and smiled saying she was ready to leave. He cleared his throat, and nodded, “let’s go.”

As they bade goodbye to PB and left, she automatically wrapped her arms around his waist making him grin. The train station was vibrant, and crowded as always, the humidity making the overall atmosphere hotter than it was. There was a small queue at the ticket window, and he kept Naina along his side, holding onto her hand all the time. When it was their turn, Sameer enquired about the price of a ticket for Third-AC, and the man said it would be Rs. 510 per person. Naina stopped Sameer, and said, “ummm… maybe we should get sleeper class.”

He smiled, “don’t worry… it’s okay. I have money.”

Order was placed for two tickets, and the man informed them that one was in RAC and given the date of travel was so soon it might not get confirmed. Still they bought it, because any delay would mean both the tickets on RAC which would be a trouble. Naina still kept bothering about the price, so he calmed her down, “relax. Even if PB hadn’t asked, I would have booked AC coach… I have seen you travel in general compartment daily, I know you are uneasy in a crowd of people. And I do care for your safety.”

She tried to object, “but… the price…”

“Is fair”, he finished her sentence, “and plus an ideal boyfriend keeps looking for romance opportunities… do you know what RAC means?”

She smiled a bit, knowing he was up to some mischief once again, “it means reservation against cancellation?”

He rolled his eyes, “no honey… it means Romance Accommodating Condition.”

She laughingly asked, “what?”

He nodded with a smirk, “yes… one seat confirmed and one not… so that means we get to spend the entire night on the same seat… maybe you could sleep on me.”

Biting her lip, she tried to control her grin, and hit him lightly, “Sameer… is that all you think of?”

He had a complete serious expression as he said, “yes… I am still kiss-starved… remember? And there was no butter in today’s lunch.”

She couldn’t help but laugh, “oh… my bad… I should have added butter in your meal.”

“Or maybe given me a kiss”, he prompted immediately.

Blushing slightly she glanced around to check that no one was hearing their conversation, and then asked, “and… what happens after we kiss?”

He took her hand, walking back to the bike, “we kiss again.”

She chuckled, “no… not that… I… I have heard that once a girl and boy kiss then the boy loses interest.”

He stopped dead on his tracks, turning to her with an incredulous expression, “is that why you haven’t been kissing me?”

Her eyes widened, and she shook her head, “no… no… I just asked…”

His gaze softened, and he cupped her face, “if you are wondering if I would lose interest in you then forget it… it’s never going to happen. You can believe my words… or you can try me.”

She grinned, “maybe I will try you.”

The deep brown of his eyes immediately darkened further and a glimmer lit up the depths, his thumb stroked her cheek, and his voice was so low that it could barely be heard, “when?”

She was so lost in his eyes that her hand lifted to his shirt, fisting lightly near the buttons at his chest, she took a step closer as if she was unable to bear any distance. The afternoon heat had faded for her, and she was completely oblivious to her surroundings as her gaze roamed over his face. However, he was in complete sense and so he took a step back, and held her arms, “wrong spot Naina… you can’t try me here.”

Her brows furrowed in confusion, and as a few horns beeped, she looked around. “Oh God”, a soft whisper escaped her lips, “what… I… I am sorry.”

He chuckled, “yes… I am sorry too that we are not at home. Looks like I will have to pacify myself with butter once again.”

Naina was still mortified at her own actions. How could she forget where they were? Was she really thinking of kissing him on the road in-front of railway station? Could she have found any place more crowded than this?

Sameer started the bike and asked her to sit, she obeyed immediately. He thought about her reaction, wondering if she would be really embarrassed. However, next moment he felt her arms around him, and smiled, understanding that even if she was embarrassed it wasn’t stopping her from being close to him. That was all that mattered for now.

As he drove out of the parking, he asked, “should I drop you home?”

She denied, “no… let’s go to Jimmy’s café. I want to try the cold coffee there.”

He was surprised at her demand, but happy that he would get to spend more time with her. Jimmy’s café was one of the older famous coffee shops in city with 70’s black and white décor. Sometimes they played old Hindi classic songs or sometimes in evening they would have a small live performance. The drinks ranged from juices to coffee and tea, and the food selection was also decent. It was a nice place to spend the evening with friends or even with family.

As he parked in-front of the café, Naina quickly got down and looked at him. He turned off the bike, and was about to get down when he spotted her scrutinizing him. Frowning he asked, “what?”

She smiled, and did a similar ritual like afternoon. Lifting her hand she removed his sunglasses, hanging it on his shirt, and then combed his hair with her fingers. Curious he asked, “why now?”

She shrugged, “just like that… was looking for an excuse to touch your hair.”

He chuckled, “nice… keep doing whatever you want, and I will enjoy. Shall we go?”

She nodded and he got down from bike. Grabbing his hand, she pulled him inside the café, and to his extreme surprise, waved at a group of people, “Hi…”

He frowned, halting and pulling her to a stop as well, “Naina… what’s this? I thought we are here for cold coffee… but… your friends…”

She smiled, “I know I didn’t tell you before… but I want you to meet them.”

“I had already told you that…”, he started to remind, but she interrupted with a pleading look, “Sameer… please… for me.”

He sighed and let her pull him to the table where her friends were assembled, still not sure how to deal with the situation. Who was he? How should he introduce himself? A friend? Someone Naina knew from school? He couldn’t even bring forth a smile as they reached the table and sat side-by-side. A waiter immediately placed a laminated menu in-front of them, and he looked down at it, thinking to devote time to choosing a coffee.

Naina pulled the menu from his hands, and gestured him to look at the people on the table, “meet my friends from college… Chaaya, she is a Mumbai local and our best guide. Gurdeep, the guy in our gang who finds out the best street-food places. And this is Bikram, the one who competes with me on marks and eats up all the food in sight.”

Sameer nodded at each one of them, smiling a bit while the three friends looked at him curiously. Naina continued, “ever since I came to Mumbai, you three have always been there for me… be it to cheer me up, fight with me or fight for me, introduce me to Mumbai culture, or tolerate my rants on how much I love rain. You are important in my life… And that’s why before I go to Ahmedabad this time, I wanted you all to meet him.” She glanced at Sameer, her gaze softening, as she linked her fingers with him, surprising him and then said in a clear soft voice, “this is Sameer Maheshwari… He is mine… Only Mine.”

Sameer’s heart skipped a beat, and his eyes widened in surprise at her words. She blinked her eyes at him, as if assuring that it was indeed happening, because honestly he thought it was a dream. Naina had just acknowledged their relationship in-front of her friends and that too so beautifully… and possessively. Good lord… What was she? Her friends gasped in shock, and then started asking several questions; Naina looked away from him to answer them while he just kept staring at her.

Is he your boyfriend?

Yes.

You lied to us that day? You said he was an old friend.

He is an old friend. I know him since I was 16.

Were you dating all these years?

No… this is recent.

Is it serious? Or can I steal him?

Naturally that was Chaaya, and Naina laughed, “no chance…”

How serious it is?

Enough to have our families involved.

Are you going to be married?

Naina paused, and turned to look at him. Until then he had been staring at her with a mixture of surprise and adoration. But now he almost started to frown on her silence, when suddenly she grinned, and declared, “I would have it no other way.”

His hand trembled in her hold, and he exhaled through his mouth, his heart thundering. Thank God he was sitting, because he was sure his legs had turned to jelly at her statement. Even as her friends whooped and demanded a treat, he was simply unable to take his eyes off her. She chuckled, “go get whatever you want… and one cold coffee and chocolate brownie for me and Sameer.”

Bikram looked puzzled, “one or two?”

She grinned, “one… we always share.”

Chaaya let out a long awww, and then went along with the boys to the counter. Naina raised her eyebrows at him, “are you okay?” He nodded, and she smiled, “I remember you had told me that you would only meet them on the day I was ready to accept you as my boyfriend. I thought to get you to meet them several times, but I always felt that we still had a lot between us that we hadn’t shared. But now… it’s the perfect time.”

He looped an arm around her neck, and pulled her to him, leaning to touch his forehead with hers, “honey… you choose the damndest of time for things… First that kiss hint near railway station, and now this declaration of wedding in a café.”

Her smile widened, “don’t worry… I am not saying yes to you until you propose properly.”

He straightened, looking down at her, “and what’s properly?”

“I am sure you will figure it out”, she said and leaned on his shoulder, “I have never been so happy Sameer… I am almost scared to go to Ahmedabad. I keep feeling uneasy.”

He rubbed her arm, “don’t you trust me?”

“Of course I do”, she immediately replied without any hesitation.

He drew back and cupped her face with one hand, “then believe me… nothing will go wrong.”

She smiled up at him, rubbing her cheek on his palm, and he almost stopped breathing on seeing the love shining in her eyes. Naina was getting more and more expressive… It had been just yesterday that they had hugged for first time, and it was already getting difficult to not give in to his temptations of kissing her. Drawn in by the pull of her eyes, he started to inch forward slowly… She raised her eyes staring at his throat as his lips moved closer to her forehead… She felt his breath in her hair, and her heartbeats increased…

“Uhu Uhu”, a couple of people cleared their throat and Sameer hastily moved back, leaving her.

Naina blushed on seeing her friends, and Chaaya teased, “control love birds… this is café… not your bedroom.”

The boys laughed and sat down, passing on a coffee and brownie to Sameer. Naina glared at Chaaya who stuck her tongue out cheekily. The next hour was filled with lots of questions from the group, plans to meet after Ahmedabad trip, Sameer holding Naina’s hand beneath the table, and both of them sharing the delicious cold-coffee and almond brownie.

After that Sameer dropped Naina home, and said he would pick her up on Friday on his way to the central station. Not exactly sure of what would they do when they met each other’s families, Naina took PB’s advice and bought a small bronze Ganesh idol for Nanu, while Sameer bought a couple of handicraft items upon Nanu’s recommendation. The packing was easy because it was only for a week, and they didn’t need to carry many clothes either. PB asked their cook to prepare food for Sameer and Naina both, so that they don’t have to buy any unhygienic stuff in the train.

Finally Friday arrived and Sameer took a taxi to Naina’s home. Naina was already waiting for him in the living room, dressed in jeans and green kurti, with her hair tied up in a ponytail. PB waved them goodbye, asking them to take care, and call her after they reached. As they were enroute to the station, Sameer casually commented, “I like open hair better.”

She smiled, “I will remember that… but now it’s too hot to keep my hair open.”

He agreed with that fact. They reached the station with twenty minutes still left for the train to arrive and so Sameer bought a bottle of water, and a cold flavored sweet milk to share. Her eyes lit up, “oh I love this sweet milk.”

He chuckled, “shall I get more?”

She shook her head, “no… we will buy something else on train.”

He frowned, “PB asked us not to eat anything in train.”

She laughed, “what’s the fun if we don’t eat on train… all those yummy stuff that they come to sell… and I am always hungry while traveling.”

“Alright”, he smiled, “we will do whatever you want.”

Soon the train arrived, and they boarded. Given they still had one ticket on RAC their seat already had two people sitting on it, which was not much of a concern for Sameer because it meant that he could sit closer to Naina to whom he offered the window seat. Their luggage was stuffed under the seat and didn’t take up much space.

Within thirty minutes Naina pulled out a thin shawl from her purse, and slipped off her sandals to sit cross-legged. The sun had already set, so there weren’t much view to see, and the glass window in AC compartment blocked even the minimum views. And so the conversation started about their previous train rides with Naina entertaining him with tales of their family trips. Sameer also told her of his trips with Nanu, Munna and Pandit; especially the one during last holiday. The vendors kept coming in to sell some food items, and Naina insisted on buying several.

Sameer watched in amazed as she ate half dish of long sliced cucumbers, two boiled eggs, drank cold-drink and then opened a packet of gems, separating them by colors first. Curious he asked, “what are you doing?”

She replied in a completely normal tone, “you should eat same colored gems together.”

Still not clear, he asked, “why so?”

She frowned, “have you ever thought if you eat a blue and yellow colored gems together that basically means you are eating a green gems? Why would you do that when you have real green gems?”

He gaped at her logic, and she smiled, popping a red gems in his mouth. He chewed on it; all the while staring with fascination as she carefully placed a blue gems on her tongue, and then sucked it diligently. He was just about to ask once again what she was doing, when she stuck her tongue out to check, and he could see that the candy had lost its color… It was white now… Satisfied she drew her tongue back inside and chewed slowly savoring the taste. Suddenly after a couple of gems, she turned, “is it blue already?”, and stuck her tongue out once again.

He swallowed and nodded. As he kept watching her eating each gems from the pack with such careful consideration he couldn’t help but think if that’s how she would kiss too. Taste his lips cautiously, flick his tongue, and then withdraw to check the effect she had on him, and then again kiss him, savoring his mouth. Oh man… Suddenly he stood up, and Naina caught his hand, “where are you going?”

He cleared his throat, “uh… bathroom… will be back soon.”

She smiled, “okay… then we can buy dinner.”

Blinking in surprise, he left without a word his thoughts overlapped with the image of her suckling on those gems and wondering how she could eat so much just because she was in train. When he returned after five minutes, she had already finished all the gems, and was now sitting leaning against the window. As he sat beside her, she straightened and scrunched her nose, “you took so much time.”

He chuckled, “your fault.”

Puzzled she queried, “mine?”

He bit his lip, “ya… all that milk and cold-drink.”

She rolled her eyes, “ya okay… I get it.”

No you don’t.

He thought but didn’t elaborate. Instead he laughed because she asked about dinner, “goodness… I would really need to keep a lot of stock of food whenever we will travel in future.”

She pouted, and he immediately agreed to buy a dish of biryani and vada-pav. All of it was polished off, including the paratha-sabji PB had packed, and then also a melted chocolate which she again had a unique way to eat… Given it was melted and she couldn’t bite, she would pick up a bit of it on her fingertip and lick. And once again Sameer stared wondering if he would need another bathroom trip. Next moment however she took him by surprise by lifting her finger to his mouth, “want some?”

His eyes widened in surprise, and he whispered, “I can?” She nodded, and he glanced around, “uh… Naina… let’s eat this in a while. Everyone wants to sleep; we need to get the berths down. Our seat is on upper berth, is that okay with you?”

She nodded, and stood up, letting him and the other people on their seat to lower the middle berth. Once it was secured the elderly woman took the lower berth, while the man grabbed a blanket and climbed up in the middle berth. Naina handed over the melted chocolate to Sameer, and instructed “I will be back from the bathroom. Take care of this… Don’t squish and don’t drop.”

He had an urge to laugh. Was she kidding? She was going to feed him this with her own finger… Honest to God… He would protect it more than his wallet. When she came back, he showed her the chocolate so that she was satisfied he had it safe, and then asked her to climb up first. As soon as she was up, he handed over the chocolate and bottle of water to her, and then followed her. She was at the far end, sitting cross-legged, sideways so that she faced him as he came up. He sat down in the same posture, though the gap from ceiling to seat was bit of an issue as he was tall.

“Chocolate”, he demanded immediately.

She grinned, opening the pack carefully again, “do you also like melted chocolate?”

He hummed, his entire focus on her hand as she scooped a bit and held it up for him. Gazing into her eyes, he caught her hand, and slowly opened his mouth, dipping to her finger, and then his lips closed on her finger in a soft suction. Naina had been smiling until then, but as his tongue swirled over her finger she sucked in a breath, her heartbeats increased and her lips parted unknowingly. He didn’t leave her finger even after a minute, and she bit her lip, “Sameer… it’s over.”

He smiled, drawing back, and whispered, “I could still taste it.” Something fluttered inside her belly and she looked away from him. He softly asked, “aren’t you going to give me more?”

Her cheeks flushed with color, and she extended the chocolate to him, still not meeting his eyes, “you eat… I am done.”

He took the chocolate from her hand, and picking a bit of the semi-liquid on his finger, he quickly smudged it on the corner of her mouth. She gasped, looking at the woman who was sleeping on the opposite berth thankfully facing the other side, and then at him, wondering what he was up to. A familiar smirk curved his lips, and his eyes had the same glitter that she had so often witnessed. He quirked an eyebrow at her, and nervously she licked off the chocolate from the side of her mouth. His smile widened, and he lifted his hand, wiping that spot with his thumb, and showing the tiny smudge to her, “little bit left.” Saying so he sucked his own thumb, once again causing a series of strange reactions inside her, and she squeezed her eyes shut. Thinking he had teased her enough, he carefully wrapped the chocolate and kept it inside the small net on the side of the panel.

Taking her hand in his, he tugged gently, “open your eyes honey.” She did so, slowly, and he smiled, pursing his lips to blow a kiss at her. Her eyes widened, he grinned and winked, “that’s all you are going to get in train.”

Surprised, she covered her face with her hand and giggled, amazed at the way he made a simple chocolate eating sensuous and then lightened the situation with their first flying kiss. He checked the time and offered, “I will sit in that corner… Why don’t you sleep for some time?”

She thought for a moment, and then said, “no… doesn’t make sense. You will have a bad neck pain if you sit like that. I can sit here properly… you sleep.”

He shook his head, “no Naina… you also need rest. We can take turns.”

She hushed him, “honestly… I can lean back and sleep like this… You lie down. If I am uncomfortable I will wake you up.”

He tried to convince her, but she didn’t relent. So he gave her the pillow so that she could lean comfortably. And finally he slid down the seat, preparing to lie down. But before his head could hit the seat, she placed her hand beneath, and he looked up to see her frowning, as she softly reprimanded, “what are you doing? You gave me the pillow and now you would sleep like this?”

He smiled, “it’s alright… there’s not many hours to spend. Besides you need the pillow more because you are sitting.”

She rolled her eyes, “yes okay… but don’t sleep on the seat… it’s too uncomfortable. Sleep here.”

He looked at her indicating her lap, and asked in surprise, “what? You sure?”

She nodded firmly, “yes… either sleep on my lap or take the pillow back.”

He didn’t need to be told twice as he adjusted his position, and placed his head on her lap, trying to soak in this new freedom. “Tell me immediately if your legs hurt”, he requested. She smiled, threading her fingers in his hair, “I will… don’t worry. Now sleep.”

He kept his eyes open for a long time, staring at her, and she too kept looking at him… None of them spoke anything. He took her hand, holding it over his heart, and she kept stroking his hair with her other hand. Slowly, his eyes closed, peace reigning utmost inside him, even more than he had ever experienced at his special place. She smiled softly on seeing him sleep, and gently blew him a kiss, “that’s all you get too… for now.” Very soon she also closed her eyes, as the train rocked to its destination, the RAC ticket becoming a blessing rather than a problem, as they spent their first night together, yet apart… for now. Naina’s last thought before sleeping was that, indeed RAC meant Romance Accommodating Condition.