The next morning, Naina was already seated for the lecture, when Sameer entered. His eyes searched for the object of his interest and soon found it seated on her usual bench, back to being dressed demurely. He, on the other hand, was dressed to kill as always- a maroon polo Tee with dark blue jeans, his bag slinging over his shoulder as usual. Sameer smiled a little as he sauntered over to her, near her desk. She looked up, trying to act cool, but her heart was doing flip-flops. He stopped near her and slowly grazed his bag over her desk. "Is he going to sit here now?" Naina wondered. And then as if he read her eyes, he smirked and settled himself on the adjacent bench. "Itni bhi kya jaldi hai...lucky hoti hain wo ladkiyaan jo Sameer ke saath baith paati hain...," he exclaimed, loud enough for only her to hear. "Baithna kisko hai?" Naina snapped back. "Oh haan...tumhe to apne boyfriend Tibrewal ka intezaar hoga na...," Sameer whispered dramatically. "Seat pe bhi chipakne ke liye chewing gum lagata hai kya?" he added slyly, as Naina huffed. "Vaise aaj to uski pasand ke kapde bhi pehen ke aayi ho....kal raat jaisi 'transparent' sari hoti to shayad Sameer ke saath baith paati!" he flirted, his voice laced with arrogance. Naina did not respond, but looked the other way haughtily. "Arey muh kyun pher liya...Itni bhi sadi hui nahi hai tumhari shakal," Sameer wasn't in a mood to relent. Naina slapped her palm to her forehead in irritation, trying to ignore him. "Are re...sir me dard ho raha hai? Kal raat ko nind nahi aayi kya? Ab to 2 saal ho gaye...abhi tak aadat nahi huyi meri?" Sameer teased again, seeing Naina's contorted and angry face. "Nahi naa...jitni baar bhi tumhe dekhti hun, lagta hai...tumse sada hua, akdu aur badtameez ladka nahi hoga...lekin fir agle hi din, tum usse bhi zyada sade, akdu aur badtameez ho jate ho!" Naina retorted, her eyes breathing fire. Sameer laughed at her. And then Tibrewal entered, and Sameer's smile faltered, and soon led way to an irritated yet amused grin. "Lo aa gaya hero...," he sang in undertones, fully aware of Naina's scorching gaze on him.

"Tibrewal...aaj bada handsome lag raha hai," Sameer teased him as he sat down next to Naina as usual. Tibrewal ignored the taunt and absorbed himself in chatting with Naina. "Arey Naina, kal kitna maza aaya tha party mein...tumhe pata hai kal ki raat ekdum yaadgar ban gayi hamare liye!" Tibrewal started elaborating on the details of the party last night, while Naina and Sameer caught each other's eye momentarily. Both were drifted into their own memories of last night.

After the classes got over, Sameer moved to the canteen with his friends (or the name you give to people who are more than acquaintances, yet do not care for you the way you would prefer). Tibrewal and Naina too made their way to the canteen.

As he was sitting eating samosas, Sameer was fully aware of Naina stealing glances at him from the other table. He thought to himself, "lattu hai ye to mujhpe...," and smirked. He caught her eye and dramatically fluttered his eyelids at her. Annoyed and embarrassed at the same time, Naina turned her focus back to Tibrewal. The next moment, when Sameer saw her brushing something off Tibrewal's shoulders, his smile turned into a scowl. "This woman has no taste," he thought, disgusted, as he saw Naina smiling and locking eyes with Tibrewal. "Agarwal weds Tibrewal," he mocked at them as his friends laughed. "Maheshwari weds 'No one' se to better hai," Naina snapped back, to a tittering Tibrewal. Just then, she heard a girl's cry, "Sameerrrr!!!" A fair, gracile, elegant maiden moved across the aisle to where Sameer was sitting. Sameer looked up at the girl and a vague recollection passed through his mind. A snake rolled over Naina's chest as the girl flung her arms around Sameer in front of everyone, and pulled him up into a tight hug. "This woman is beautiful!" Naina thought in dismay. Sameer was taken by surprise, "Mm...Meghnaaa...tum?" He didn't really like being wrapped in that hug, but then his eyes caught Naina's petrified expression. Sameer let out a wicked smile and pulled Meghnaa closer to himself, his arms encasing her waist. Behind her back, he batted his eyelashes at Naina again, grinning maliciously. "Awww....Meghnaa....such a long time yaar!! How have you been?" he asked, trying to sound as sweet as he could. Naina felt as if she'd just tasted a bitter gourd. Forget that, a bitter gourd would have tasted like honey, as compared to what she was feeling for this suddenly appeared, and to her dismay, stunning creature, wrapped in Sameer's arms.

Big, black eyes, done to perfection with a mascara and eye liner! Luscious lips dabbed with a seductive red shade of lipstick. Beautiful, silky, straight hair which went down to her waist. A pair of extremely slender legs, revealed through the denim mini skirt she was wearing, paired with a cut-sleeves white top. All-in-all a very attractive and sexy woman was what one would have said, had they been not feeling as jealous and as insecure as Naina. Naina saw her legs moving around in those white stilletoes as she laughed and patted Sameer's chest playfully. She seemed just the perfect height for him. She was cupping his face and leaving no stone unturned to display affection for him, publically. To add fuel to the fire, Sameer seemed to be cozying around her too. And what in the world was so interesting in her hand that Sameer was caressing it fondly, looking at it every now and then. "English padhne aaya hai ya palmistry! Flirt kahin ka!" Naina was seething with anger deep down. And then, Sameer literally pulled Meghnaa into another tight hug. Naina couldn't take it anymore. Tibrewal's words were lost on her as she explored envy at a whole new level. Oblivious to Meghnaa and Tibrewal, Sameer noticed this very well.

Two days later, Naina got to know that Meghnaa- 'Meghnaa with a double a', as she always explained, was Sameer's ex-girlfriend from Nainital. The fling he'd boasted about in Mt. Abu! Her father had been in the Army and had recently been transferred to Ahemdabad and so she had joined their college, much to Naina's displeasure. What was worse was that everytime she saw Sameer, she would throw herself in his arms, play with his cheeks and his silky hair (he never allowed anyone to touch his hair), forcefully grab his hand and take him along with her to places. This killed Naina! How she longed to slap her in front of everyone and tear those slender, perfectly manicured hands away from Sameer! And what the hell was wrong with him? Couldn't he behave a little decently for a change? Naina would burn with envy whenever she saw Sameer flirting with her, praising her, holding her hands and pulling her into completely unnecessary hugs. There was one thing Naina noticed though- it was only when Sameer saw Naina around, that he would began his antics around Meghnaa. Apart from that, people told her, he hardly seemed to even look at her. Was he trying to make her jealous? But why would he? He doesn't need to use jealousy to make a girl fall for him! And anyways, even if he was, who cares, Naina's mighty brain would suggest her.

It had been two months and this Meghnaa girl was not leaving him in peace. Much to Sameer's irritation, she would keep touching him, even in places he did not like (no, not that...he meant his silky hair) and holding his hands, asking for coffee or lunches- in short, she was trying to take full advantage of Sameer's wealth and his looks! Sameer did seem to be a combo package, and fit well with Meghnaa's description of a trophy boyfriend. But Sameer wasn't easy! He too left no stone unturned to give it back to Meghnaa in her style. The truth was he felt suffocated whenever she threw her arms around him. He would always attempt to take out his hand from her hold everytime, except when that behenji was around. The look on her face when she would see the two of them together, Sameer would think amusedly. She was a goner. He now knew for sure, she liked him. No infact, she adored him! Well then, she must bear the brunt of his chewing gum called Meghnaa. Sameer would deliberately grab Meghna's hand and start caressing it softly, whenever Naina was around. And Naina would respond by flirting with Tibrewal. It was as if trying to make each other's lives miserable had become Sameer and Naina's topmost priority.

Time passed and this silent war continued for over another year- until the next freshers party. Life took a strange turn that night.

***

Sameer as usual was by the bar. His drinking was surely spinning out of control, even he realized it now. He'd become so cranky that even Munna and Pandit had given up on trying to make him understand the side effects of excessive alcohol. No amount of lectures they would give him over phone or in person could dissuade Sameer from drinking and smoking.

Sameer took another puff of cigarette and through the smoke, his eyes followed the girl chattering away with Tibrewal- the chewing gum or 'Fevicol' as Sameer now additionally called him. Sameer felt that by now, even she'd gotten used to or perhaps started feeling comfortable with Sanjay. Sameer did not like it. He wasn't especially clear, but he had since long believed that seeing Naina miserable, made his day. Though that by no means, interfered in the thoughts that had been crowding his mind for the past three years, and had turned quite intense since their freshers party. Naina was sexy! She had a perfect hourglass figure! Her long, thick, raven hair could make heads turn. She was in the prime of her youth now, and the heavenly glow on her face accentuated her already beautiful face. And what's more! She'd finally found some style in the past one year. Sameer wasn't entirely sure that if it was the insistence of that friend of hers, Shefali, that she had revamped her wardrobe, or maybe it was because she felt jealous of Meghnaa or maybe, Sameer mused, she had given up after seeing Sameer ogle at her even through her baggy T-shirts. Whatever it was, it worked for him! He had absolutely no problems in exploring her body with his eyes or his hands, if life permitted. "Shut-up Sameer!" he scolded himself everytime he thought about all that he could do to her with his hands. He took a few consecutive sips of vodka as he saw her eyeing Tibrewal with adoration. Tibrewal on the other hand, had turned pretty arrogant by now- what with his excellent grades for the past two years and him finally getting some female attention had made him pretty stuck-up. A few minutes later, Sameer saw Naina's eyes drift furtively over to the bar and linger onto him.

There he was! As usual! A glass of alcohol in one hand, and a cigarette in the other, and a sullen expression on his otherwise handsome face! She felt like snatching that cigarette and throwing it on the ground in front of him. But why he was sitting alone? "Where was that Meghnaa with the double a?" Naina thought, mocking at her deep down. Naina had realized by now that she couldn't give up on thinking about Sameer, trying to look at Sameer, or dream about Sameer how much ever she tried to. So she continued doing all that, but was careful not to let that arrogant young man know that she liked him. Though Sameer might be the one she liked, but by now she'd convinced herself that Sanjay was her destiny. After all he did show a lot of care and attention towards her which Sameer could never do. Could he? Yet, despite all this, she'd had hardly heard a word of Tibrewal's tirade on how he was going to win a Pulitzer some day.

Finally, unable to control herself, she excused herself from Tibrewal and made her way torwards the bar. Sameer saw her inching towards him and his heart began to beat rapidly, fervently as if it would miss a few beats altogether. And by now Sameer knew it wasn't the alcohol. There was something in this girl, which turned him on, even when she was in her most dowdy clothes, even when she was in her best behenji avatar. Not tonight though! Tonight, she'd worn a blood-red, sleeveless, frilly, satin top, with a flowy, black, above knee-length skirt, Sameer observed. She'd let her hair down and it was dancing in the breeze, just falling short of her waist. She would leave them open only for certain occasions and she made sure Sameer was present on all those occasions. Her face spoke of light makeup. Her eyes were lined with kohl and her lips had a bright red lipstick on. "Ummm those lips are definitely something he would want to try sometime...," he contemplated as he saw her come still closer. The palpitations in his heart were increasing. "In your dreams, Sameer Maheshwari", he reprimanded himself for thinking about kissing an old-fashioned girl like her. She ambled over to him and sat down on a chair next to him. Sameer's gaze fell upon her exposed calves, "sleek...perfect curves...tempting", he summed them up. And those 3 inch heels complemented her legs perfectly, making them more alluring than they already were.

Sameer came out of his lustful reverie as Naina spoke, "aaj tumhari girlfriend nahi hai tumhare saath?" "Kaunsi wali - Sushma, Shreya, Anjali, Reena, Meghnaa ya...Naina?" Sameer deliberately paused before the last name, laying special emphasis on it as he took another swig from his newly refilled glass. Naina's anger rose. "Mujhe deserve nahi karte tum!" she snapped. "Naina Chaudhary! Commerce!" Sameer responded slyly, his eyes not leaving her face, an evil grin on his lips. Naina blushed at her goof-up. "Jo bhi ho...," she snapped back, albeit, self-consciously. Sameer smirked. Yeah, she was still jealous. She waited another minute. "Vaise main Meghnaa ke bare me puch rahi thi...dikh nahi rahi...," she asked again. "Hogi kahin...maine theka liya hai kya," Sameer responded rudely. "Ohh...lagta hai usne tumhe ditch kar diya hai, isliye akele baith ke pi rahe ho," Naina taunted. "Wo commit karne walon me se hoti to ditch karegi na...vaise bhi main use bahot ache se jaanta hun...chalu cheez hai...kabhi yahan, kabhi wahan....khair tumhe uski itni kyun padi hai...ya fir....meri padi hai?" he added the last part after a brief pause, with a mischevious twinkle in his eyes.

Naina looked over at him- all alone, sitting at the bar, drinking, no friends, without his girlfriend, no one to talk to at a party. Come to think of it- he hardly ever laughed! The last time Naina had seen him happy was probably back in 12th, when he was chatting with Munna and Pandit after their board exams. Tonight, she didn't feel angry at his words. Instead, she felt sorry for him, probably for the first time. "Sameer...aise cigarette-sharab pi ke gham nahi bhula sakta koi...wo nahi to koi aur hogi...," Naina said, her voice laced with concern. Sameer looked up at her, taken aback. This was the first time she'd spoken kindly to him. He couldn't speak for a few seconds. Then suddenly, he regained his demeanour and started clapping, sniggering hard, "wow...toh tum motivational speaker bhi ho...awesome!" "Tumse to do shabd kisi se dhang se nahi bole jate...main kham-a-kha Sanjay ko chodkar tumhare pass aayi," Naina exclaimed in a huff. Sameer was taken by surprise again. "Sach me Sanjay ko chodkar mere pass aayi?" he asked, a little softly this time. Naina's eyes met his. Sameer didn't know why, but her gaze provided an uncanny solace, an unexplained warmth to him right now. And then she made to leave. "Ek baat bolta hun...muft ki advice hai...us chewing gum ke chakkar me mat padna...wo sahi aadmi nahi hai...," Sameer called after her. Naina looked at him in a mixture of wonder and disgust and finally strode off. Sameer continued to drink, but his eyes did not leave Naina.

He saw her moving here and there, looking for Sanjay, but he was nowhere to be seen. She went towards the college garden and Sameer's eyes followed her from the counter. And then he saw her freeze. Her back was facing him as she stood looking at a distance. Sameer couldn't make out what it was. He took a sip of Rum from his glass and waited for her to move. But she stayed put, as if in a trance. A voice inside Sameer's head told him something was wrong. He immediately put his drink down and ushered towards her. Why had he suddenly felt the urge to check upon her, he didn't know and neither had he the time to think about it! And then he saw it too! Just inches in front of Naina, two figures were busy smooching each other under a tree. And as Sameer looked closely, he got the shock of his life. The two figures were Tibrewal and Meghnaa...