"Ek baat puchu?" Sameer asked softly.
He sat against the tree, his legs straight ahead, crossed at the ankles. Naina leaned against his shoulder, wrapping her hands around his arm.
"Hmm, pucho." She answered.
"Aaj tum canteen mein kya soch rahi thi aisa jo ekdum laal ho gayi?" He shifted his gaze to her.
Naina lowered her eyes, "Tumhare baare mein."
He swiftly moved to sit in front of her, hands on bent knees, "Batao na, please... main bhi toh sunu ki maine aisa kya kiya tumhare khyalon mein jo tum itna sharma gayi."
"Tumne kuch nahi kiya." She laughed at his eagerness.
He gave her a suspicious look, "Achha... kuch nahi kiya toh tumhara chehra aisa kyon ho gaya tha... batao na... khyalon mein toh tum mujhe nahi rokti na?"
He leaned towards her with his last sentence.
The colour was back on her face, "Main toh bas yeh soch rahi thi ki tum black suit mein kaise lagoge... school ki farewell pe jab tumne suit pehena tha tab main chori chori bas tumhe hi dekh rahi thi."
He recalled the school farewell. Naina looked like a doll... her soft, innocent beauty pulling him like a magnet... but he had maintained the facade... the only thing he wanted was to click a picture with her... but everytime a group picture was taken, they ended up in opposite corners.
Her voice brought him out of the thoughts, "Uss din school mein tumhe dekh ke main batana chahti thi ki tum kaise lag rahe ho... par tumhare aas paas bhi aane ki himmat nahi hui... bas door se dekh ke sochti rahi ki kaash hum saath mein ek photo le paate... woh bhi nahi hua."
He placed a finger under her chin, "Main bhi uss din tumse baat karna chahta tha... tumhare saath photo lena chahta tha... tumhe batana chahta tha ki tum kitni sundar lag rahi ho... ekdum gudiya jaisi... uss din tumse chup ke tumhe dekhna kitna mushkil ho raha tha yeh mujhe aaj bhi achhe se yaad hai... kitni baar socha abhi baat karun par tumhare papa saamne dikh jaate the... aur itna toh main jaan gaya tha ki woh tumhe kisi ladke se baat karte hue nahi dekh sakte."
Though he had told about his feelings for her since school days, but the realisation that he was as desperate on that day gave her a new sense of exhilaration.
"Waise tum ab bata sakti ho... jo tum uss din kehna chahti thi." He went back to his position against the tree, sliding one hand around her waist.
Naina leaned on his chest, "Jab dubara suit pehnoge toh bata dungi."
"Main bata dun tum kaisi lagi rahi thi?" His arms around her tightened.
Before she could answer, he turned her to face him.
Looking deeply into her eyes, he whispered, "Tumhe pehli baar saree mein dekha tha... aur sochne laga ki tum dulhan banke kitni sundar lagogi... meri dulhan... uss din ke baad jab bhi tumhe saree mein dekha bas apni dulhan hi samjha... aur iss farewell pe toh tum sach much meri aadhi dulhan ban chuki ho."
His fingers lightly touched the parting of her hair, reminding her of the day his tilak had left a mark there.
The touch was as light as feather... it still sent shivers down her spine as she remembered the meaning of that red mark in her hair.
The week flew by in no time. The day of farewell was a holiday in college as the staff was busy in preparations.
Naina decided to complete the new episodes that she was working upon after lunch. The party was to begin around four. She could get ready in less than half an hour. Once at her table, she was lost to the world, immersed in her characters and their life. As the ideas for new episodes kept forming, she continued to pen them. When finally she looked up, the clock showed the time as fifteen minutes to four.
