Naina and Sameer both had to go back to Ahemdabad for their winter vacations. And it was at this time that they were missing each other the most. It was New Year's Eve and Naina found herself wishing that she was there with Sameer. But he'd told her that he had plans for a party with Munna and Pandit. Naina knew that Nanaji was keeping Sameer extremely busy with work related to their business and that he was going to meet Munna and Pandit after months. Naina was also aware that it wasn't possible for her to meet him at his place, and his coming over to her home was obviously out of question. And what with her family surrounding her all the time, she wasn't able to talk to him much over the phone as well.

"Bhai...ye le cigarette...!" Pandit offered. "Hmmm?" Sameer asked as his eyes darted from the wall clock to Pandit's face. "Kahan khoya hai tu bey?" Pandit questioned. "Kahin nahi yaar! Abhi bhi sahi nahi lag raha...thodi fresh air leke aata hun!" Sameer excused himself from his room. "Yaar ye banda thoda alag nahi lag raha tujhe? Chuttiyon mein kitna kam ghar aata hai ab...pehle to char din mile nai ki bhaag aata tha Nanu aur hamare pass!" Munna hiccupped. Pandit and Munna had had too much to drink and it wasn't even 12 now. "Wahi toh...agar ye Sameer na hoke koi aur hota na...to mujhe lagta ise pyaar ho gaya hai...dekh na ek bhi cigarette nahi pi...keh raha hai khaansi ho rai hai...!" Pandit tried to exert his brain. "Pyaar...aur Sameer...ponga Pandat...kuch bhi...Sameer ka pyaar sirf cigarette aur daru hai bey...aur aisi kaun ladki hogi to jhelegi is pagal ko!" Munna tried to counter the irrational thought that had entered Pandit's mind. Initially, Sameer had told them that he was drinking slowly as he was feeling queasy tonight. And later, Munna and Pandit had been so drunk that they'd failed to notice that Sameer had had hardly two pegs.

Sameer came out into the still and chilly night. He pulled his jacket closer around him, as he rubbed his hands for some warmth. He then propped himself onto the swing in their garden and started rocking back and forth. His eyes went upto the moon, peeking in and out through the wisps of pale clouds in the otherwise velvety sky. As he gazed at the moon, all he could recall were the moments he'd spent with Naina. He knew he was missing her but didn't want Munna and Pandit to know about it. Naina was aware that they had plans to drink tonight, but still somehow he hadn't felt upto it. Sameer sat swinging silently, clutching the jacket tightly. When he next glanced at his watch, he realized it was 11.15 already. He'd been out for almost an hour. He should go back to his friends. Munna and Pandit would be waiting for him. It was the first time he was meeting them in months, yet his excitement was marred by not having Naina by his side. Sameer sighed as he got up to go inside.

"Munna! Pandit! Sirf paintaalis (45) minute bache hain New Year aane mein...," Sameer voiced as he entered the room. But as he looked inside, he found Munna snoring on his bed, one leg dangling at the edge, while Pandit was nuzzled up on his couch. "Abey...pehle hi so gaye...Munna uth! Pandit uth na!" Sameer tried to wake them both. "Abey sone de na...," Pandit whimpered and Munna continued snoring. "Naya saal aane wala hai...utho tum dono!" Sameer tried to jerk them upright one by one. But the next instant, Pandit coiled himself back onto the sofa and burrowed his face in his chest. While Munna's head bobbed up and down his neck and his eyes remained tightly shut. "Ye dono to uthne ka naam hi nahi le rahe...ab kya karun," Sameer thought irritatedly. And then he suddenly smiled to himself. He checked once more that both his friends were fast asleep as he picked up the phone in his room and dialed Naina's number. If not these two, he can at least try to wish her a Happy New Year! And then as if his own words gave him an idea, he slammed the receiver down before the call could get connected. Sameer grabbed his bike keys and rushed outside again into the cold night.

It was still 15 minutes to 12 when he reached her house. He made sure the coast was clear and gave their two-honk secret signal. There was a high probability that Naina would be fast asleep by now. The Agarwals had never really liked the concept of a party in their house, so the girls had no option but to go to bed latest by 10.

"Honk! Honk!" the signal woke up Naina. "Shhh!" she slapped herself. "I'm again dreaming about him! Abhi Ahemdabad mein hai tu Naina!" she smiled at her silliness and turned around to sleep again, when she heard the bike horn again, clearly. "Wait...I'm not asleep as yet! Fir wo...lekin kaise...," she didn't have time to think as she rushed out to the balcony. And there he was, standing leaning against his bike, his eyes on her balcony. Naina's happiness knew no bounds. She was seeing the love of her life after so many days. Sameer gave her a small wave and then winked and pouted his lips in a kiss to her. He again looked around in the deserted street and then gestured her to come down.

"Abhi?" Naina asked. Sameer looked at her imploringly, "thodi der ke liye!" he mouthed. Naina thought for a moment. Everyone would be fast asleep by now. She could go, meet him and come back quickly. Hopefully, no one will notice. Naina ran back to her room to get her shawl as she made sure chacha, chachi and Preeti were all sleeping. She quickly sneaked out of the house and tip-toed down the stairs. As Naina and Sameer finally stood face-to-face, they felt the chill of the night evaporate and a warmth spread inside their veins. Naina beamed widely at him, and then turned and started walking ahead. Sameer understood the signal and followed her on foot. Naina entered a nearby park, secluded from the residential area, with Sameer on her heels. And finally, they were alone and together. Naina happily jumped and they squeezed each other into a big hug. "Yahan kaise aaye...tum to Munna- Pandit ke saath the na?" Naina asked incredulously. Sameer narrated the entire incident to her and then he looked at his watch. It was a few seconds to strike 12. He looked up at Naina again and a big smile crept onto his lips. And then the clock struck 12.

"Happy New Year Darling!" Sameer said as he sealed her lips with his own. "Happy New Year to you too Sameer!" Naina replied, overjoyed, as she reciprocated the kiss. Finally they'd been able to kiss at dot 12 on New Years Day. Now that she too had started watching some English films on Sameer's insistence, Naina believed that a kiss at 12 O' clock on New Years was lucky for the couple.

A few minutes later, they'd settled themselves on a bench in the park. Sameer was lying with his head on her lap. "Ek saal aur beet gaya!" he spoke. "Mmmm!" Naina replied as she caressed his hair softly. "Sameer! Ek baat kahun?" Naina suddenly asked. "Hmmm...," Sameer prodded. "Sameer...wo main kehna chahti thi ki...wo Sameer...I...I...," Naina couldn't complete the sentence. The rare strength she'd mustered seconds back to confess her love to him, faltered as he looked at her expectantly, "I...kya Naina?" "I...I...missed you Sameer!" she completed, albeit half-heartedly. She didn't know why she could never bring herself to confess her true feelings towards him. Perhaps she always feared rejection from his side- a rejection she knew very well she wouldn't be able to handle, not anymore.

"I missed you too yaar!" Sameer clasped her hand in his own tightly and kissed it. Sameer's eyes were back on the moon again and Naina's were focused on Sameer. The park was completely silent, barring the chirping of the crickets. "Chandni jab tak raat, deta hai har koi saath, tum magar andheron mein na chodna mera haath...!" The sound mingled with the rattle of an auto rickshaw that must have whizzed nearby, with its radio on. Sameer clutched her hand tightly a second later, as the lyrics reverberated in his ears. Naina's eyes too lingered over to the moon and then back to him as she sighed, hoping that he would promise to be by her side forever. But Sameer kept looking at the sky, his fingers playing with hers.

They remained there for another 10 minutes, when Naina exclaimed, "ab mujhe jaana chahiye...koi jaag gaya toh!" Sameer got up slowly too, her hands still in his, "thodi der aur nahi ruk sakti...? "Der ho rahi hai...kisi ne dekh liya to mushkil ho jayegi...," Naina whispered. Their eyes met, and then he embraced her again. Sameer patted her hair and back as he enjoyed the warmth of her body. He checked his watch again- a quarter to 1? Time passed so quickly with her. "Chalo...sach mein der ho gayi hai...tumhe ghar chod aata hun!" he uttered, though he had no wish to let her go. Sameer made sure she reached her home safely, without being noticed. Naina reappeared on the balcony again as she waved him good night. Though she was back to being a simpleton when in Ahemdabad, Sameer's eyes refused to leave her; even when she was in her best behenji avatar- oiled hair knotted into a pigtail, a pale, loose-fitting salwar kameez; and a tattered old shawl protecting her from the cold. "Ab jao!" Naina widened her eyes and prodded him on. He climbed back on his bike and with one last look at her, left the locality.

***

"Mmmm Sameer!" the moan escaped Naina's lips in between the kisses. Her hands were locked across his neck, and her lips were fiercely plastered onto his. Naina and Sameer had got back two days before the winter vacation ended, just so they could enjoy some personal time together. And the couple had got yet another chance for an uninterrupted escapade inside Sameer's room. "Uhh...Mmm...!" Sameer responded, as he tried to fumble with the lock on his door. Two weeks of separation had taken a toll on both their thinking faculties! Finally, it clicked open and in the next instant, he'd pushed Naina inside the room, kissing her wildly. He slammed the door shut behind them, and unzipped her top as Naina pulled out his T-shirt. Her hands grazed his chest and her lips planted kisses onto his neck and shoulders.

"Nainaaaa...!" he gasped as he pushed her onto the bed and wrenched out her top completely. His eyes scanned the familiar, yet arousing sight of her partially undressed and then he pulled her into a deep kiss again. Naina scrambled closer to him, responding with pleasure, when her half-open eyes darted over to the wall on the side. There was something off there. Wait! She hadn't seen this before. Her attention drifted slightly away from the kiss. Sameer jerked her face away from the wall, back to his lips. Naina kissed him for a second or two, when impulsively her eyes whisked to the wall again. Her brain could decipher it clearly now. "Sameer!" she mumbled, her lips on Sameer's and her eyes on that wall, as he again tried to bring her attention back to him. "Mmmm," he mumbled, as he continued to kiss her. "Sameer...!" Naina spoke again, in between the kiss. "Kyaaa...!" Sameer was still not paying attention. "Sameer!" Naina jerked herself away from him. Sameer looked at her, in a mixture of pleading and irritation. "Kyaa?" he asked again, now exasperatedly.

"Wo kya hai?" Naina asked pointing to the wall. Sameer turned to see where she was pointing and the effect of the arousal diminished instantly. He sat upright immediately as his eyes darted back and forth from Naina's displeased expression to the wall with his new Julia Roberts poster. Sameer gulped, racing his mind on how to pacify Naina. "Kya hai yeh?" Naina reiterated, now visibly disgusted. "Woo...uhh...Julia Roberts ka poster hai na...dekhi thi na uski movie!" Sameer answered meekly. "Itni gandi photo...chee...sharam nahi aati tumhe!" Naina started ranting in anger. Sameer gave himself a mental smack. "How could he forget to take this one down before bringing Naina to his room!" "Yaar...sirf poster hai...tumhe pata to hai meri favourite hai...!" he tried to explain. "Ohh favourite hai na...toh use hi ghura karo...mujhe kyun laaye ho!" she snarled at him. "Yaar Naina...just ek actress hai wo...isliye ek poster liya tha bas!" he elaborated, but in vain.

"Aisa poster?" Naina rolled her eyes in contempt. "Kitne kam kapde pehne hain isne...!" she hollered. "Shh...Naina! Dheere yaar! Naina dekho...mera koi galat iraada nahi tha...wo bas...chuttiyon mein bahar ghum raha tha to ye poster dikha...mujhe acha laga to maine le liya!" Sameer stuttered. "Tumhe aise...aise poster ache lagte hain....ye aise kapdon mein...aise...aise..s..ss...," she started. "Sexy pose mein?" Sameer couldn't help but grin. Naina looked at him with fire in her eyes as she crossed her arms and sat down on the bed sulking.

"Nainaaaa!" Sameer implored as he tried to grab her attention. But Naina ignored him completely. Sameer sighed in defeat and then got up and went to the poster. "Bye bye dear Julia!" he murmured to himself as he removed the cellotapes holding the poster onto the wall. He eyed Naina as he pulled the poster down, and rolled it and kept it to a side. Naina finally looked at him briefly, and saw Sameer's hand move to his ears in apology. "Sorry!" he uttered. Naina softened a bit. "Aisa koi poster laata hai kya?" she exclaimed. "Yaar....sach mein kuch itna bura nahi hai is poster mein...but fir bhi...ye lo...tum ise fek sakti ho...bas please tum mat gussa ho!" Sameer pleaded. "Kaise baithi thi wo...chee!" Naina shook her head again in disagreement. Sameer came and sat besides her on the bed and said, "mujhe sabse zyada sexy tum hi lagti ho...tum chaho to tum vaisa pose de sakti ho...I don't mind!" he teased. Naina was looking daggers at him now, though he noticed a tinge of red on her cheeks. "Acha baba pakka...ab nahi launga aisa koi poster okay!" Sameer's attempts to make her smile finally worked as she relented and allowed him to pull her back into his arms.

Shortly after, they'd resumed kissing softly, though the pace of their love making had slowed down. "Nainaaaa...!" Sameer whimpered as he kissed her. "Sameerrrrr...!" Naina responded as her fingers raked through his hair. "Knock! Knock!" There was a knock on Sameer's door. They immediately pulled away. Sameer's eyebrows crinkled in exasperation. He was furious at being disturbed again. "Ab kaun hai yaar!" he mouthed, as he eyed Naina helplessly. The taps on the door repeated. Naina and Sameer dressed up quickly as they contemplated which was the best place for Naina to hide. "Bed ke niche!" Sameer suggested. "Kya?" Naina looked at him as if he'd gone mad. "Ab yahi option hai...bathroom mein koi chala gaya toh!" he tried to explain.

"Knock! Knock!" the knocks sounded yet again, and Naina had no option but to slither under the bed. Sameer pulled the bedsheet down till the floor to hide her completely, as he straightened himself and went to open the door. The sight which greeted him was something he hadn't expected at all, and somehow wasn't welcome now at all. "Mmm...Meghnaa!" he stammered. "Hakla kyun rahe ho!" Meghnaa said, as she allowed herself inside. Sameer could only gape at her, "ye kahan se aa gayi?" "Ab wahi khade rahoge kya...darwaza band karo aur aao yahaan!" Meghnaa called. Sameer obeyed her, thinking he should have checked his horoscope in the morning newspaper before inviting Naina to his room today.

"Tum yahaan kaise...hostel toh...chuttiyaan hain toh...kyun?" Sameer mumbled, aware of Naina's muted angry sighs beneath the bed. "Arey...main to ghar gayi hi nahi thi is baar...aur fir Sudhir ne bataya ki tum aa gaye ho toh...tumse milne aayi hun...kuch galat kiya kya?" Meghnaa sounded innocently. "Uhh...nahi...lekin aise boys hostel mein...room pe....bula leti mujhe...kuch kaam tha kya?" Sameer started stuttering again. "Abey yaar...baitho toh mere pass pehle!" Meghnaa pulled him by his arm onto the bed besides her. "Uff...ye Bombay ki garmi haina! God mujhse to bardasht hi nahi hoti!" Meghnaa said, and under that pretext, she took off her jacket, revealing a very deep necked, sleeveless top. "Garmi? January mein?" Naina was irritated. Sameer looked at Meghnaa in alarm. "So much of cleavage!" he tried to avert his eyes from there. But Meghnaa wasn't done seducing him. She inched closer to him, as she propped her leg onto the other, making sure Sameer had a good view of her partially bare thighs and legs through her mini skirt. She took off her heels and again slid closer to him. Sameer gulped and moved farther away from her.

"Kya hua tumhe...but kyun ban gaye ho...tumhe garmi nahi lag rahi?" Meghnaa asked in a sultry tone, trying to remove his jacket. Beneath the bed, Naina was fuming in anger, "25 degree pe kaunsa ye jhulsi jaa rahi hai? How dare she? Aa gayi dore daalne firse!" "Uhhhh...nahi...main theek hun...!" Sameer uttered as he moved still away from her. But Meghnaa wasn't going to let him off the hook so easily. "He'd dared to say no to her- that too more than once. Now, she would entice him so that he would beg to have her!" she mused, an evil smile now lacing her lips. Her toes slithered onto Sameer's foot, and grazed up his jeans, as she eyed him naughtily. Sameer was left stunned at Meghaa's actions. He found himself rooted to the spot. He could barely move. He felt a lump form in his throat, preventing him for telling her off. Even though he was never interested in Meghnaa, her proximity was making him uncomfortable.

Naina sensed the build up of tension beneath the bed and realized she couldn't take it anymore. She slapped the back of Sameer's ankle in anger. "Oww...!" Sameer held his ankle up as his contact with Meghnaa was broken. "Kya hua...?" Meghnaa asked alarmed. "Kk...kuch nahi...kuch chubha shayad!" Sameer lied. Meghnaa did not look convinced, but decided to ignore it. "Ummm...okay...Vaise Sameer...wo Naina aur tumhara kuch chal raha hai kya? Matlab...mujhe pata hai tumhara taste itna bhi kharaab nahi hai vaise...par fir socha puch hi lun!" Sameer looked at her in shock. "Main aur Naina! Wo Naina Agarwal?" Sameer repeated as Meghnaa nodded. "Kaisi baatein kar rahi ho tum...Tumhe to pata hai na Meghnaa...mera taste kaisa hai...kahaan wo pakau behenji type, padhaku si, bholi-bhaali...aur kahaan main stud type!" Sameer started, knowing pretty well that Naina could hear him. "Owwwwww!" Naina had pinched his ankle from under the bed. "Ab kya hua?" Meghnaa asked incredulously. It was then that an idea struck Sameer. "Shayad wahi hain!" he uttered. "Kaun hain?" Meghnaa asked again. "Chuhe!" said Sameer. "Kya?" Meghnaa looked at him with horror-stricken eyes. "Haan chuhe ho gaye hain na mere room pe...wahi kaat rahe honge!" Sameer explained, trying to keep a perfectly straight face. Meghnaa immediately propped her feet onto his bed. "Haan jab main kal raat ko aaya na wapis...to dekha ki chuhe ho gaye hain room pe...kaafi din se room ki safai nahi ho paa rahi thi na...!" he added, suddenly glad he hadn't cleaned his room after returning from the vacation. Meghnaa looked around. The room did look quite messy, with piles of clothes on the chair, dust settled on the table. "Uhh....oh ohkkaay...!" she muttered, suddenly feeling uneasy. She had never liked mice.

"Hhhh....Haan...okay Sameer...main chalti hun...theek hai?" she suggested. "Arey abhi to aayi ho...itni jaldi kyun jaa rahi ho...ruko na aaram se mere pass," Sameer batted his eyelids at her. "Ouch!" he received another sharp pinch from Naina at this. "Fff firse...Firse chuha?" Meghnaa stammered, horrified now. "Nah...ye chuhiya thi pakka!" Sameer replied promptly. "Dekho jo chuha hota hai na....wo jab kaatata hai to apne daanton se wo aiisee...tum notice karna agar tumhe kaate toh...," Sameer started, trying to sound as filthy as possible, "par jab chuhiya kaatati hai na toh uske daant kaise...!" "Sameer!" she cut him off, now quite convinced that the room indeed had mice. Meghnaa had had enough now. She looked around for an excuse as Sameer too got up, feeling elated that his plan had worked. Meghnaa tucked her hair behind her ear and decided to make a hasty retreat, lest any rat would bite her.

Meghnaa dashed to the door, her eyes scanning the floor for any potential rodent. "Uhh...Sameer! Ek kaam karo...tum na pehle room ki cleaning kara lo haan...hum to milte hi rahenge...!" she called out from the doorway. "Arey thodi der to baith jao Meghnaa...zyada bhi chuhe nahi hai...bas 5-6 hi to hain...!" he called after her. "Pppaaanch cheh....Uhhh nahi wo kuch urgent kaam yaad gaya...bye!" she yelled as she darted down the hallway. Sameer looked down at her running form and started sniggering. As he made sure she was out of sight, he bolted the door again and called out to Naina. "Gayi wo...ab bahar aa ja meri chuhiya!" Naina clambered out from beneath the bed and propped herself onto the bed. "Pheww!" she panted as Sameer plopped right besides her. Naina looked at him and threw a pillow at him, "kya tha wo- behenji hun main?" Sameer caught the pillow before it could hit him. "Yaar...wo suddenly aa gayi...chance maarne lagi!" he explained. "Tumne pair kyun nahi hataya?" she demanded. "Wo meri chuhiya thi na mujhe bachane ke liye isliye!" Sameer winked at her, as they broke into peals of laughter at how dumb Meghnaa was. They seemed sure that they'd got rid of her permanently. "Aur haan...Behenji nahi hun main...tumhari to bilkul nahi samjhe!" Naina suddenly interrupted. "Acha to phir kya ho?" Sameer mumbled seductively as he again trapped her in his arms as he approached her. "Sexy hun...tumhari wo Julia Roberts se bhi zyada...!" Naina winked, as they began kissing again.