A day later, the telephone rang and the servant beckoned to Sameer. "Kiska phone hai Chintu?"

"Ji koi Noopur memsaab hain!" he replied as he handed the phone to him.

Sameer held the phone ensconsced between his ear and shoulder, as he struggled to secure his cufflinks. "Hello?"

"Hi Sameer...!"

"Haan Noopur bolo na...sab theek? Mujhe reject karne ke liye phone kar rahi ho?" he chuckled. His family had been going gaga over the anticipated response from the girl's side, which Sameer obviously knew would be a No.

"Pata nahi abhi! Acha farz karo shaadi ka soch rahe hain...toh ek baat batao...wo tumhari girlfriend...us ladki ki sach mein shaadi ho gayi hai?" she asked.

"Obviously...varna kya tumko dekhne aata?" Sameer rolled his eyes.

"Aur aage chalke...bhagwan na kare...uska divorce ho gaya toh..?" she queried.

"Kaash! Meri shaadi se pehle ho gaya to main use propose kar dunga. Lekin meri shaadi ke baad hua to firse involve nahi hounga...haan agar mera bhi divorce hua to baat alag hai...," he answered, amused at her questions.

"Maine shaadi ki to divorce nahi dungi...pehle hi bol rahi hun!"

"Good! Mere background se tumhe to pata hi hoga ki mujhe divorces se kitni chidh hai!"

"Aur non-veg? Non-veg mera favorite hai...hamare ghar pe chalta hai!"

"Bahar chalke khila dunga jab man kare tumhara!"

"Aur mujhe khana banana nahi aata!"

"Chintu hai, Sadashiv hai ghar pe uske liye!"

"Aur mera business?"

"Wo to maine kaha hi main okay hun!"

"Tumhari family- wo okay honge mere is kaam aur lifestyle ko leke?"

"Nahi maane to mana lunga...life meri hai, biwi meri hogi- mujhe issue nahi to unhe bhi nahi hone chahiye!"

"Aur mujhe bacche chahiye...!"

"Hmm...theek hai...koshish karenge!"

"Main apni firm jaldi se jaldi set up karne ki koshish karungi, toh 3-5 saal se kaam chalega?"

"Chalega...," Sameer smiled.

"Aur main abhi bhi tumhe sundar aur intelligent nahi lagti?"

"Mere level ki to nahi...but kaam chala lunga!"

"Main tumse zyada sundar hun...aur tez bhi!" Noopur declared.

"Acha baba ho...toh?"

"Toh meri haan hai...!" Noopur muttered shyly.

"Kya?" The receiver dropped from his hold in shock. He hastily bent down to pick it up.

"Tumhari haan hai?" he croaked in disbelief.

"Haan!" she answered.

"Wo sab jaanene ke baad...ki main tumse shayad kabhi pyaar nahi kar paaunga?" he reiterated, wondering if she forgot that particular part of their conversation at Coffee House yesterday.

"Haan...rahi baat tumhari toh umeed pe duniya kayam hai...papa kehte hain waqt ke saath sab badal jaata hai...tumhari haan naa jo bhi hai wo bata dena...us hisab se papa tumhare ghar pe shaadi ki baat kar sakte hain!" With this, the line went dead and Sameer looked at the phone in bewilderment.

She said 'yes'? He sat down on the sofa, thinking.

Perhaps it was for the best.

"Mummy?" he peeped into her room an hour later, when he'd regained his senses.

"Sameer...haan bolo...?"

"Mummy...wo Noopur mujhe pasand hai...uski taraf se bhi haan hai...aap families ek baar mil lijiye aur baat pakki kar lijiye...," he let out a feeble smile.

Vishakha turned ebullient with glee. She started calling out to her husband and her daughter, Deepika. "Sameer ne haan kar di...!" Within minutes, the family started planning his marriage along with Rohan's in December. Rohan was also telephoned and he was ecstatic and congratulated Sameer heartily.

Soon, Sameer was engulfed in a series of hugs and wishes. But as he retreated back to his room, he couldn't help but feel dismayed, even dejected that the girl he'd agreed to finally marry was not Naina. He picked up the phone in his room, thinking of informing Naina about his wedding. But then couldn't bear to relay the news to her and scrapped the idea. "Ise Arvind se phursat mile tab na!" Add to it, with all the preparations and the family hovering around him, the chances of being overheard were high.

Two days later, Sameer and Noopur had a small traditional roka ceremony, where they were officially engaged to wed. The priests of both families set about finding an auspicious wedding date- which was as soon as possible, for both the families were worried that one of these children will have a change of mind very soon and back out of the marriage.

The morning when he went to his office after a break of nearly a week, Rita had loads of messages and pending appointments for him to consider.

"Sir aap itne din chutti pe achanak se...tabyat theek hai na aapki?" Rita exclaimed.

Sameer smiled, and decided that he needed to break the news to his employees as well. And then slowly, he let in her on the news of his Roka ceremony. He ordered sweets to be distributed to the entire staff on his behalf. Rita's face lost some colour but she regained her composure and congratulated him and then briskly, started briefing him on the impending deadlines and appointments and the messages he'd missed.

"Rita?" Sameer interjected.

Rita looked up in attention. "Yes sir?"

"Wo Reena madam aayi thi beech mein?"

"Sir unhone do teen baar call kiya aapke liye...fir unhone kaha ki aapne bola tha to ek baar aayi thi parso...Arjit sir se mili thi...!"

Sameer nodded, "okay!" Then deciding something, added, "Rita, please mujhe 10-15 minute do...main pehle yeh files dekh lun...fir purana kaam start karte hain?"

Rita nodded and retreated, thankful that she could now fully acknowledge her disappointment. No matter how despicable a boss Sameer was, she still felt a pang of hurt that he was taken.

As soon as she was out of sight, Sameer shifted the already completed file away and picked up the receiver, intending to call Naina and then ended up staring at it. He would need to inform her eventually! Never had he thought he'd be sharing the news of his marriage with Naina.

Sameer knew he'd been quite rude to her that evening at her home and he would need to check with Arjit on the status of her book as well. Well first things first. He'd apologize to her and ask her to come over as he wanted to talk about something important with her. Then not finding in him the courage to place the phone call himself, he buzzed Rita to set up an appointment with her on his behalf.

As the telephone rang, Naina hastily picked up, hoping it was Sameer. Rita's voice caused her slight dismay, but when she informed her that Sameer had requested an appointment with her, her heart was relieved. Till now, Naina had been oblivious to the happenings in Sameer's life and had spent the time apart from him contemplating his behavior on the evening of his visit.

After Sameer had left in a sullen mood, that night while switching off the lights in the drawing room and securing the doors, she'd found that one of the photoframes had fallen face down. That had been weird for she'd dusted the entire living room that very morning and had cleaned and placed all the showpieces at their places.

Sameer had been in a jovial mood when he'd come in. What had happened while she'd been busy preparing coffee? He'd been strolling about, inspecting the living room. Had he seen this picture? Could he...could he have...? No, no! That was of course quite impossible. Why would he?

He'd been still cheerful when she handed over the coffee mug to him. What had happened at that time? What was it that she'd said that he found so inappropriate? She was only telling him about the cake and how it was Arvind's birthday...

And then suddenly her eyes darted back to the photoframe. She stared at the picture, at her bedecked laughing self, standing next to Arvind.

Did he think...? Could he have been...jealous? He did not know the truth behind Arvind. Ohh Lord, that seemed too good to be true.

And since then, her heart had been debating with her mind on the possible scenarios that had played out that evening and had led to a sudden abrupt change in his mood. If he was really jealous, he was probably in love with her and if so, she must reveal the truth to him as soon as possible. She didn't want to take any more chances. She'd had enough of this lying game now. And if he wasn't jealous?...Well, she would still take the chance. He had a biological right upon his daughter and she would let him propose a way out.

She'd tried to get in touch with him that entire week, but was told by Rita that he was out on some work, the details of which even she did not know. Impatiently she'd waited. Meanwhile she'd kept her word and discussed with the other editor in Sameer's team, Arjit. He'd given her a lot of good suggestions, but her mind had been on Sameer half the time. Why hasn't he called and said sorry?

One could imagine that the sudden phone call with a message from Sameer requesting a meeting with her seemed like the olive branch she'd been hoping for. Her spirits high, she'd immediately agreed to a meeting that very day during lunch and had then spent the entire morning reigning in her beating heart, and rehearsing what she wanted to say to him. She picked out the yellow chikankari churidaar for their 'date', for she knew that yellow suited her. And more so, she wanted him to remember the memories of that rainy night in his car. If he'd really intended to kiss her that night as well? The thoughts made Naina blush and her insides squirmed with delight. If...if all goes well, she'll speak to Arvind and tell him the truth.

***

Naina hurried down the hallway of the office and greeted Rita, Sameer's secretary happily.

The secretary, however seemed less bubbly than usual today.

"Hello ma'am!" she greeted in a subdued fashion. "Abhi to bas 12.15 hi baje hain...aapki appointment to 1 baje hai na?"

"Haan...wo mera kaam thoda jaldi hi finish ho gaya to main aa gayi...I'll wait- not a problem!" Naina chirped.

"Sir meeting mein hai, par shayad 10-15 minute mein free ho jayenge. Aap tab tak intezaar kijiye. Main chai coffee kuch mangwa dun...?" she politely asked, her voice still dull.

"Nahi...main theek hun...," Naina responded and settled down on the rexine sofa set in the lobby. A few minutes later, a peon waded in with a box of sweets- malai burfi perhaps, and offered it to Rita, "madam aapne mithai khayi ke nahi?" he asked jovially.

"Office mein koi kaam nahi tum logon ko...das baar ek hi cheez ki mithai khila rahe ho!" she snapped irritably. The peon retreated, shocked by her anger, and Naina looked up at her in surpise- at the sudden change in her demeanour. The peon muttered an apology to the secretary who'd already gone back to her work. He looked around and spotted Naina sitting in the lobby.

"Madam sahiba...yeh lijiye...aapne khaayi mithai?" he offered the sweets to her.

Naina smiled and took a piece, "thank you...kis khushi mein hai?" she enquired.

"Arey Sameer sahab ka roka ho gaya hai na...!" the peon beamed.

Her smile vanished in an instant. The colour faded from her cheeks. The merriment in the surroundings were suddenly replaced by a lugubrious lament.

"R...roka?" she couldn't help asking as the sweet lay fixed between her fingers.

"Haan madam...kitni khushi ki baat hai na...sahab sabko office mein mithai baant rahe hain...arey humein to laga hi nahi tha ki wo kabhi shaadi karenge...par bhagwan ka laakh shukar hai...shaadi December mein hai...madam bahot achi hain suna hai...bahot ache ghar se hain....," he continued, but the words were lost upon Naina. She felt herself sucked into gloom yet again. He was getting married? Married? To someone else? He was okay to marry someone else, but not her? So he was in love with someone! She'd been foolish to think that he was jealous...that he had feelings for her! Idiot Naina!

"Ohh Ravinder...tumhara pravachan ho gaya? Isse pehle tum shaadi ke mantar padhna shuru karo...jao jaake ye file Sir ko de aao!" Rita snapped.

Ravinder, the peon grimaced at Rita. He walked over and roughly took the file from the desk and made way for Sameer's cabin. As the door opened, a piece of laughter escaped from the room. Sameer's laughter! He was happy! And this brought Naina back into the present. She eyed the piece of sweet in her hand, suddenly feeling nauseated by it. She got up from the sofa and told Rita she'd remembered some urgent work and would come back later.

Once outside in fresh air, she immediately flung the expensive sweet into the dustbin in disgust. She rubbed her palm and fingers together to get rid of the sweet stickly syrup, wiping furiously with her handkerchief when it didn't help.

"Shaadi kar raha hai! Kya samajhta hai wo ladkiyon ko? Iski biwi ko pata bhi hai yeh kitna kameena aadmi hai..meri to zindagi barbaad kar di...aur ab khushiyaan mana raha hai...tujhe bhi isi se pyaar karna tha Naina?" She tried to hold back the tears that threatened to spill out from her eyes. She couldn't cry here- in public.

Naina took several deep breaths to calm herself and just as she boarded an auto outside, Sameer appeared out of his cabin into the lobby, to see off his clients. He was happy that he'd been able to sign the deal for translations of some popular Marathi and Gujarati novels.

"Ab kaunsi appointment hai meri?" Sameer asked Rita, who he noticed seemed a bit too professional since he met her in the morning.

"Sir, wo Reena madam thodi jaldi aa gayi thi- boli kaam jaldi ho gaya unka...phir 10 minute baad boli ki unhe kuch aur urgent kaam yaad aa gaya to wo chali gayi...shayad reschedule karna padega...uske baad yeh Mr. Sanghi ke contract ke baare mein dekhna hai...3.30 baje...".

Sameer did not listen further. Naina had come there and he'd missed her? He'd been thinking on how to apprise her of his impending marriage and had decided to explain everything- right from his behavior that evening at her home, to respecting her feelings and boundaries. He might even tell her frankly that he'd been in love with her- still was. But on the other hand, her acceptance or rejection of his love made no sense whatsoever. Naina belonged to some other man and he too had bequeathed himself to some other woman. All Sameer wanted was to lay everything out in the open, his reasons for marrying Noopur and promising to Naina that she would not have any problems with him in future. He would solely stick to having professional relations with her.

"...aur haan sir...Noopur madam ne aadhe ghante pehle phone kiya tha jab aap meeting me the...wo puchna chah rahi thi ki aap aaj lunch ke liye available ho?" Rita asked, trying to keep her face devoid of emotion.

"Haan...aaj? Reena ji ka pakka cancel hai na...hmm...Noopur ke sath hmmm...Uhh...nahi...wo inke contracts ke baare mein dekhna hai...aaj busy hun...main unse khud baat kar lunga!"

Half an hour later, Naina reached her home and fell onto her bed. Big blots of tears tumbled out from her eyes as she rocked in agony. Why was her destiny doomed? Why couldn't she have the love of the man she loved? What wrong had she committed to be subjected to such misfortune? She scrunched the corners of her bedsheets in her hands, and pushed her face into the pillows to muffle her howling. Her eyes swollen and aching with all the weeping couldn't sustain anymore. Very soon, a blanket of sleep fell over her, giving her but a brief respite from her heartache.

***

"Mumma....yeh Sweety ko saree pehenao na...merese nahi ho raha...aaj uski shaadi hai!" Diya chimed and held out the Barbie that Sameer uncle had gifted her. Diya had fixed her Barbie's wedding with one of her older dolls and was busy in preparing the food items with colored clay, to be served in utensils of her tiny Kitchen set, the attires for the bride and groom, the tent with a bedsheet she'd sneaked in from the cupboard.

Naina's chain of thoughts was broken and she eyed Diya, and for the first time that evening realized what she was upto. "Gudde-guddi ka khel!" she smiled sadly.

Diya stood up and hurried towards her mother and thrust her doll as well as the makeshift saree, torn out of a piece of Naina's old dupatta at her.

Naina took the doll unfeelingly and then slowly wrapped layer upon layer of fabric around the Barbie- Sameer's first and perhaps last gift to his daughter. Diya was looking at her in awe, as her fingers weaved through the fabric, securing it in place.

If only she too had a chance to get ready to be Sameer's bride- but that place was taken by someone else. Did she know her? Had he always been involved with her or had he met her in Delhi? Was it a love marriage or an arranged one? An arranged one it seemed, as the peon had told her how unlikely it was that their boss had agreed to marry. The Sameer she knew, had always feared commitment, then what had changed now? Had he fallen for this girl?

Her reverie was broken by Diya's squeal of delight and Naina realized the doll was ready for the pseudo wedding planned by Diya. Her daughter eyed the doll and the perfect drape of the saree approvingly.

"Mummy...Sweety ki jab beti hogi na...to uska ka naam bhi main Diya rakhungi!" Diya exclaimed happily.

Naina was overwhelmed. Pushing away the tears in her eyes, she pulled Diya onto her lap and held her close, wrapping her arms tightly around her. She was the only thing which made Naina look forward to life. She held her little fingers and caressed them and prayed to God for a miracle- for Diya to get her father's love.

***

Two days later, Naina received another call from Rita. "Madam...sir ne aapko phone karne ke liye pucha hai ki wo manuscript ka kaam finish karna hai to aap kab free hongi?"

Naina had forgotten about the book in her misery. That has to completed. Naina apologized to Rita about leaving in a rush that day and assured her that she would be there for the appointment today.

Two hours later, Naina was ushered into his cabin by Rita and Sameer walked up to greet her with a smile. "Hi...finally tum mili to sahi...baitho!"

His smile wasn't reciprocated as Naina sat down onto the sofa in his cabin and started taking out bunches of paper of the editing that she'd been doing. Sameer felt a little disconcerted. "Ab tak naraaz hai us din ki harkat se..," he thought.

He cleared his throat. "Kaisi ho Naina? Aur Diya kaisi hai? A...Arvind...," he managed to utter the word with difficulty, "kaise hain?"

"Theek hai!" came the crisp response. She did not lift her eyes to him.

"Us din bina bataye chali gayi...main intezaar kar raha tha!"

"Kaam aa gaya tha kuch."

"Hmmm!"

An uncomfortable silence ensued.

"Chai coffee kya logi...?" Sameer asked, helplessly trying to lighten the mood.

"No thank you...ghar se peeke aayi hun...ab please kaam pe focus karein...mujhe yeh jaldi nipta ke khatam karna hai...!" Naina responded brusquely and suddenly her eyes bored into his as if challenging him to say otherwise.

"Vaise main Arjit ji se discuss karun ya aapse yeh bhi clarify kar do...kabhi kuch bolte ho kabhi kuch...yeh notes Arjit ji ne diye the chapter 24 aur 25 pe...kaafi badhiya suggestions diye hain unhone," she pronounced, handing him the sheath of papers.

Sameer winced slightly on Arjit's praise and mumbled weakly, "Arjit dusre aur authors ke saath busy hai...main hi dekh lunga!"

Then without another word, he began screening through her work. Rita peeped in once or twice about a meeting or two, but Sameer asked her to postpone his appointments as he wished to finish off the discussion on this manuscript first.

As the clock ticked by, Sameer and Naina absorbed themselves in work. Sameer stole furtive glances at her in between. She seemed really angry. Even after all these years, Sameer was still afraid of her anger.

Naina, in turn, took her chance to glower at Sameer as well, to study him when he was not noticing, but turned away the moment he looked at her. Finally around lunchtime, Sameer asked Naina what she would like for lunch, and she curtly refused saying she wasn't hungry and would wait till he was back from lunch.

"Yaar itne kharab mood me rahegi to kaise bataunga ise!" Sameer thought dejectedly.

Not in a mood to go out and leave her alone, Sameer ordered a few sandwiches, hoping that Naina may take a bite. But to no avail. Finally, unable to take it anymore, he voiced, "Naina...tum khaogi nahi to weak ho jaogi...dekho manta hun tumhe mujhpe gussa hai..."

"Mujhe koi gussa vussa nahi hai aur na hi tumhe meri fikar karne ki zarurat hai...main yahan sirf apne kaam ke liye aayi hun...aur behtar yeh hoga ki tum bhi kaam pe focus karo!" she shouted.

This did it for Sameer. His temper raced back. He slammed the pile of manuscripts onto the table. "Tum samjhati kya ho khud ko...tum ehsaan kar rahi ho mujhpe apni kitaab chapwa kar?"

Naina stood seated, fuming herself.

"Itne time se hum ek dusre ko jaante hain...dost hain...yeh sab kya hai?"

"Dost hain hum? Jab tumhara man kare jhaad ke chale jao....jab man kare pyaar se pesh aao...aise hote hain dost?"

Sameer bit his tongue to prevent a retort. He knew this time the fault lied with him. Quietly he got up and opened his drawer. He extracted a small gift-wrapped rectangular box and handed it to Naina.

He inhaled deeply and began, "Yeh lo...I'm sorry, maine us din kaafi kharab se behave kiya tha!"

"Yeh kya hai?"

"Arvind ke liye birthday gift hai meri taraf se...Parker pen hai...Rohan London se laaya tha last time aaya tha!"

"Toh tum rakho!" Naina snapped and handed over the box to him.

"Dekho Naina...agar tum aise mood mein rahogi to hamara saath me kaam karna impossible hai...waqt ki barbaadi hai! Gift nahi lena theek hai...but please cooperate...abse tumhe mujhse koi problem nahi hogi!"

Naina scowled. "Problem kaise hogi...koi dusri jo hai tumhare pass," she mused. "Okay!" she said coldly, declaring peace for time being but making sure he knew he wasn't forgiven.

Sameer understood. "Ab please yeh kha lo...main aur mangwa deta hun...!"

Naina obeyed and took the sandwich, reminding herself that she shouldn't land in a temper. Sameer does not, should not mean anything to her now. What mattered to her was the money she could hopefully gather from the publication of this book, which could put an end to her financial woes and pay back all that Sameer invested on Diya with due interest.

Sameer's phone rang a few minutes later. He got up from the sofa to pick it up, while Naina continued to rewrite the paragraphs that Sameer had suggested her to work upon.

"Hi handsome!" Noopur's lively voice chirped.

"Tum?" Sameer knew he'd shouted, because Naina looked up at him questioningly. He tried to focus between Naina and his fiancé, wondering how to talk to her in front of Naina.

"Haan main! Aur kaun- tumhari purani girlfriend?" she chuckled.

Sameer swallowed audibly. He was suddenly feeling guilty of not having told Noopur that he was working with Naina today, or the fact that he was working with her at all, and then of not having informed Naina about Noopur and his impending marriage in the way he'd set about to.

"Nahi...kaisi ho?" Sameer croaked.

"Tum itne busy ho ki hone wali biwi ko time hi nahi dete...teen din se lunch ke liye piche hun...aaj bhi bhul gaye? Hmmm, acha hai...achi jamegi apni...," she giggled and Sameer couldn't help with grin himself. Her laughter was contagious.

"Sorry wo kaam mein phas gaya tha to time ka dhyaan nahi raha! Sunday ko milte hain?" he mumbled into the phone.

Naina's eyes widened with horror. She was appalled at the way Sameer was blushing and talking over the phone. No, he wasn't blushing. He was! Nope! Yes...maybe she didn't know. Her sense of judgement, her sub-conscious which strived for peace and wanted to get the work done as fast as possible, vanished all of a sudden. Naina tried hard to tame her seething anger. How could it be that she was still so possessive for this man? That too, after what he'd done to her! And why in the world does he have to talk so much to her? It is almost a minute and he's still on the phone.

"Haan pakka...kal shaam ko milenge na shopping ka dekhne ke liye...sure...!" Sameer spoke, his eyes on Naina, who seemed to be busy in writing. Did she not feel jealous? Why would she Sameer? She's happily married remember? Dejectly, he replaced the receiver and headed back to where Naina was sitting.

She ignored him completely as she continued to write. "Naina, yeh line thodi galat hai...iski grammar dekho...," his voice trailed as he saw the murderous look in her eyes, as she snatched the paper and began thinking and scribbling onto it.

He knew it wasn't wise to bring up the topic of his wedding right now, but it had to be done. "Naina...wo actually...".

She glanced up at him coldly, waiting for him to begin.

"Umm," he cleared his throat. "Actually...ek good news hai...I'm...I'm getting married."

His words lashed at her and Naina listened dumbfounded. It was as if she'd been expecting the news to be false, a misconception, but hearing Sameer talk about it himself made all her doubts wash away.

"...ladki ka naam Noopur hai...mom ke kitty ke friend thi unki beti hai...parso roka tha...,"

The words were lost upon her.

"Naina? Tum kuch bol kyun nahi rahi?" Sameer asked hesitantly. "Kya tum mere liye khush nahi ho?"

Naina turned towards him. The look in her eyes was distant as she enquired expectantly, "tum khush ho?"

Sameer peered into her eyes and slowly nodded, "I think so!"

She pulled herself together and put on a smiling front, "bas fir main bhi khush hun...congratulations!" She held her hand out for him to shake.

His eyes boring into hers, his hand laced against her soft fingers. And momentarily, again, he felt a warmth unsurpassed, an affection he wanted for himself, love he still craved, and his heart sighed. He wanted to pull her to himself right then, and to beg her to accept him, by some chance.

His touch made her yearn for him. She wanted to scream out to him to break off that engagement, that Diya was his child- to please give them both a chance in his life. She'll forget everything- the past. But now, she needed him.

But neither said a word, and solemnly broke the handshake.

***

"Sameer?"

"Hmmm?" he said, amidst a mouthful of popcorn.

"Ek baat puchun?"

"Pucho!"

"Tumhare sach mein itni saree ladkiyon ke sath affair the ki tum fenk rahe the?"

Sameer averted his eyes from the theatre screen where Shahrukh was romancing with Aishwarya Rai on 'Humko hamein se chura lo...dil me kahin tum basa lo...,' and stared at her. "Tumko kya hua achanak se?"

"Yahi ki tumko kuch nahi hua!" she muttered petulantly.

"Main kuch samjha nahi Noopur," Sameer appeared nonplussed.

"Yaar Sameer...itna romantic gaana chal raha hai...hum itni dates pe gaye hain...lekin tum to mera haath tak nahi pakadte!"

The popcorn got lodged in his throat and Sameer violently coughed. "Uhh...hmmm...wo sab to shaadi ke baad hota hai na!"

"Kaunse zamane mein ho tum? 1960? Sameer...2000 chal raha hai...main to kiss expect kar rahi thi...tumhari to hath pakadne me hi halat dheeli hai! Ram jaane aage kya hoga!"

Sameer grinned and whispered. "Itni betaab ho rahi ho?"

Noopur blushed instantly and fixed her eyes on the movie screen.

"Hmmm...!" With that, Sameer slithered his hand around to hers and clasped her fingers in his. Noopur looked at him in surprise and then flushed again. Clearly, his touch was sending tingles down her spine. But what bothered Sameer was that he couldn't feel them. Even an accidental grazing against Naina's hand could turn him on, but his being was not reacting the same way towards Noopur. Irked, he pulled her closer by her hand and planted a gentle kiss onto her cheeks.

"Sameer...koi dekh lega..," Noopur whispered, though clearly enjoying his proximity.

He hardly heard her. Still nothing special. No sparks! He remembered how Naina had felt under his very lips. He shook his head to rid of the imagery in his mind, and tried to adjust his fingers with hers to get a comfortable hold. But somehow Noopur's hand felt too alien to him, and just when he thought he'd gotten her fingers to fit perfectly in his, his palms started feeling clammy and sweaty despite the airconditioning.

Finally on the pretext of scooping out popcorn, Sameer freed his hand from the awkward hold and determinedly focused on the screen on Shahrukh's lessons on love. When Noopur looked at him in surprise, he smiled and whispered an excuse, "shaadi mein abhi bahot time hai...thodi dooriyan bhi zaruri hain!"

Though Sameer and Noopur had started hanging out more with each other and thoroughly enjoyed the conversation and the company of the other, the fact remained that even after so many meetings, Sameer never felt a pang of attraction for her, the way he felt for Naina, and this made him uncomfortable. To say he never felt drawn towards Noopur would be wrong. But the way his heart blazed in fiery passion with Naina, was merely stoking some embers with Noopur. Handholds with her were platonic at best. He pulled her into embraces, but that failed to stir up the passion in him as well. It was probable that he was always comparing Noopur to Naina, so he tried to assuage himself by thinking that such feelings were but natural. He'd known Naina for a very long time. He couldn't just replicate that bond with someone else in a matter of weeks. Noopur was a fantastic person, she could make him laugh during his gloomiest days and was basically a soul with a golden heart. Sameer loved all this about her, but deep down, he knew he wasn't in love with her. Not as yet perhaps. It was good that she didn't expect more than what he'd promised her. She wasn't pinning her hopes on him falling for her. Or was she? Or maybe she would in future. Would he be able to love her then? Well, not every marriage comes with that romance, that level of intimacy. And maybe when they get married, with time, he would come around to it.  

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Friends, this is my ode to our beloved show! Tomorrow would be the last episode and I feel sad. It was because of the show which made me relive our past- the 90s! I made a lot of friends through this show and finally started writing, which I never believed I could. 

Thank you for all the love that you have given me! I wanted to give more of Samaina moments and pen down a romantic update. Haven't been getting inspiration- any ideas would be welcome! :) <3 If possible, I will try to give a separate small romantic update to EU soon!