Time passed by as Naina and Sameer decided to limit their acrimony and became friends. They tried to ignore the aspect that they had been physical with each other and instead relied on a healthy, platonic friendship. How long this would last, they both did not know. The bond that had been developing between them, was again showing red alerts, which both were ignoring- again.

And then one day, Sameer decided to see if Naina indeed wants to sit besides him or was it more of her anti-Tibrewal mechanism in play. He left his usual mid-bench and settled down on the last desk in the corner row. Naina entered as usual and saw Sameer sitting at the back. She felt a little surprised at this sudden change, but eventually she came and sat down next to him. And as she did so, Sameer smiled on the inside. "Aaj piche?" Naina asked as a matter-of-fact. Sameer just shrugged his shoulders. Perhaps the truth was that he'd been sitting on that mid-bench, just so he could sit near to her all along. The truth that he himself hadn't realized till then!

Sameer too acted as a shield for Naina against Tibrewal. And somehow, he tried to break all association with Meghnaa. He didn't know why, but he felt livid whenever he saw her beautiful face around. He'd never cared who she kissed or did not kiss. But the way she and Tibrewal had acted that night, had made Sameer super angry at Meghnaa, in addition to Tibrewal. He'd decided that Naina was a simple and nice girl and after what all had happened between them that night, it was his duty to keep Tibrewal and Meghnaa far away from her. All the same, Meghnaa continued to hang out with Tibrewal and other men- before, during and after Tibrewal. But she had her eyes set on Sameer parallely. After all he was still available and too rich to be left alone. So she tried to find ways to bug him, and ignored his rude jibes, taunts and excuses that he always made to get away from her.

Naina remembered the time when Sameer had bunked college once. At the end of their lectures, Tibrewal had taken full advantage of Sameer's absence and had strolled over to Naina, glaring at her, as she was moving out of the class. Naina had turned a blind eye to him, but Tibrewal followed her in the corridors. By then, Naina was scared of Tibrewal's intentions and was trying to move away from him as quickly as possible. But Tibrewal had increased his pace as well. In panic, Naina didn't know what to do and she closed her eyes, and wished for Sameer. And just when that Tibrewal was about to catch hold of her, like a miracle, Sameer appeared out of nowhere and slid in between her and Tibrewal. Tibrewal stopped dead in his tracks and so did Naina. Sameer had crossed his hands across his chest as his eyes gleamed menacingly at Tibrewal. Sameer stood silent and kept looking at him in a "dare-you-come-an-inch-closer-to-Naina-again" look. And then, "Mujhe Naina se baat karni hai," Tibrewal had dared to utter. "Nahi kar sakta!" Sameer had responded coldly. "Kyun...kaun rokega mujhe...tu?" Tibrewal gathered courage, this time, trying to prepare himself in advance, for a fight. "Obviously...!" Sameer rolled his eyes at his stupidity. "Kyun teri kya lagti hai wo...tu uska boyfriend hai?" Tibrewal had yelled. "Haan....hoon main uska boyfriend...hai wo meri girlfriend...tujhe koi problem hai...," Sameer had snapped. "Aur problem ho bhi to mujhe koi fark nahi padta...bas apna ye thobda Naina se door rakh," he added and then said, flexing his arms once again, "aur haan mujhse bhi!" As Sameer turned to leave, he sensed that Tibrewal was trying to pounce upon him from behind. So before he could do so, Sameer coolly shifted to a side. Tibrewal lost balance and fell flat on his face. Everyone in the corridor started laughing at him. Even Naina and Sameer couldn't help but chuckle. Tibrewal felt ashamed as he got up and left from there in a rage. Naina smiled at Sameer in gratitude, which he returned. From that day on, Tibrewal didn't dare to bother either Naina or Sameer- at least directly.

***

2 months later, Naina and Sameer, being benchmates were put together on a project. So, they inadvertently had to spend some alone time with each other- in empty classrooms, under trees in college campus and in the canteen. And each of those moments, further strengthened the connection that had started a few months back. Sameer started behaving much less rudely whenever he was with her. And Naina too, became kinder towards him. They realized if they could only set their differences aside, they could really work in tandem.

They were done with the report a week before it was due. Naina had kept it on her study table, amongst her other books. The night before it was due to be presented, Sameer was about to go to bed when he heard a tap on his door. He opened it and saw the peon there, "bhaiya...aapke liye ek phone hai...warden ke office mein...". "Who would call him this late at night? Nanu? His mom?" Sameer rushed to the warden's office and picked up the telephone. "Hello...," he said. "Sameer....," he heard Naina's tensed voice at the other end. "Nain...Nani...," he changed the word, seeing the warden eyeing him. "Nani?" thought Naina confusedly. "Boliye na nani...," he asked, surprised to get a call from Naina at this hour. Once the warden got convinced that Sameer was indeed speaking to his grandmother, he left him alone. "Sameer...wo project...project kisi ne chura liya hai...hamari saari mehnat...maine apne room me rakha tha....dinner karke aayi aur tabse dhundh rahi hun...mil hi nahi raha....," she was on the verge of tears.

Sameer was shocked. "Their project was stolen?" "Sameer...ab kya karenge....hum fail ho jayenge...mere gharwale mujhe bahar nikal denge....," Naina had started sobbing now. Sameer thought for a moment and then looked at his watch. "Ghabrao mat...abhi puri raat bachi hai...hum firse bana lenge....," he looked around and whispered into the receiver. "Firse...?" Naina sounded a tad bit hopeful now. "Par kaise....warden to mujhe bahar nikalne nahi dengi abhi....," she said. "Hmm....," Sameer thought again. And then he said the inevitable. "Agar tum okay ho to main tumhare room pe aa jaun....?" he whispered still softly. There was a silence at the other end. And then he heard the expected yell, "Kya...?" "Tumhara dimag kharab hai....jaante ho na pichli baar jab hum saath me ek room me the to kya hua tha...!" Naina blurted angrily. "Ab ya to tum uski chinta karo ya to fail hone ki...aur koi option nahi hai!" Sameer responded coldly. After two long minutes, Naina finally acquiesced, "theek hai....lekin tum andar aaoge kaise?" The mere thought of failing an exam, could make her do the impossible- allow Sameer inside her room at night. "Main chupke se tumhare room ke khidki ke niche aaunga...kuch rassi ya duppatta fekna...pipe hai aas pass...?" Sameer asked. They both spoke on the phone for another 5 minutes and decided the way Sameer would be able to enter Naina's room clandestinely.

Twenty minutes later, Sameer was pulling himself up towards Naina's window, trying not to be caught. "This is the first time he was climbing a pipe, to reach to a girl's window...wo bhi Naina the padhaku...kya din aa gaye...!" he thought to himself. Soon, Naina helped him come inside and closed the window and immediately drew the curtains over it. She had the material ready and both of them sat down to work, talking in whispers, lest any girl from the adjacent room would hear. It was almost 1 am by the time they'd finished. They both were exhausted and sleepy. Redoing the work of a whole month, in three hours was an extremely uphill task!

"Coffee?" Naina asked. Sameer agreed. While Naina was making them both a cup of coffee, Sameer couldn't help eyeing her from the back. He felt the strange sensations come back. He knew he shouldn't be looking at her like this, especially inside her room, at night, when both of them were all alone. And he wasn't even drunk! Heck! What was wrong with him? He tried to avert his eyes from her creamy, chiseled legs which were partly hidden by her skirt, much to his irritation. And then his gaze wandered over to the perfect 36 inch, and then to the slender 26- the exact circumference for Sameer's arms. Her silky, wavy hair was eager to be let loose- out from the bun that was holding them together. On an urge, he got up and came and stood just behind her. Naina sensed his presence, but didn't move. She just added a spoon of coffee in the boiling water. Slowly, as if on impulse, he pulled out the bun pin, and her hair gushed down in twirls and setted themselves on her back. Naina stood frozen now- the whiff of coffee clouding their senses. And then without thinking, without warning, as if of their own will, Sameer's arms slithered across her waist. He didn't know what to expect. Probably a slap would have been Naina-like and would have put him back to his senses, but to his surprise, Naina heaved and pushed herself closer against him. Finally, she turned slightly to look into his eyes. The two dazed pair of eyes met and then without wasting another moment, their lips began to kiss each other's. It had been 3 months since they'd been together. And again the unfulfilled, pent-up desires got the better of them. History repeated as Sameer and Naina made love to each other, while the coffee kept simmering in the pot.

The love making session was nowhere near its end with just one take. They both yearned for more of each other. Morals were long forgotten as they crept into each other's arms again, with Sameer ready to take her for the second time that night. The showers of kisses, the heavenly touches, the gratification they received as they came together, seemed other-worldly! How could you want someone like this? And want them again and again! It must have been 4 am, when Sameer awoke and saw the gorgeous woman cuddled in his arms. And then, as of their own volition, his palms started grazing her body wantonly. A smiled quivered on her lips as Naina opened her eyes and responded to his touch with heaving and moaning. The passion that was welling up in him again, was simmering inside her too. She turned to look into his desire-laden eyes. And then her fingers grazed his chest, stroked his bare shoulders and then moved into his hair. She just loved to ruffle his hair- even in the most sensuous of moments. And considering how possessive Sameer was about his hair, he never minded Naina's fingers running through them. Infact, he rather enjoyed the feeling. Naina pulled him closer to her as she planted her lips onto his. Sameer didn't waste a second as he took control, his wild side unleashed. He rushed on top of her and another session ensued- wild and passionate. Hardly an hour or so later, the seductress inside Naina snaked her arms around Sameer's waist and pushed him down with force, with sensuality, whilst she scrambled over on top of him, devouring every piece of his body with greed. Sameer moaned in ecstasy at each touch of her lips, at each caress of her hand. What was this woman? She was so bold, so wild already! He was enjoying this hidden side of Naina to the hilt. The bed creaked as the two fought for dominance over the other- and the fight culminated in bliss again.

They made out four times that night to be precise. Naina didn't know what had gotten into her. This time, she couldn't attribute her actions to alcohol. Sameer too didn't know why he couldn't have enough of her. The night gave way to dawn and the two bodies lay entwined together. Naina's alarm clock started ringing at 9am, which woke them up from their slumber- the literal one and the one that they were in last night. They rubbed their eyes and looked at each other and knew what should not have happened, had happened, yet again! This time though, neither of them looked uncomfortable. Naina merely got up and pulled the sheets over her as she went to dress up. Sameer too wore his clothes. "Sab log class me chale gaye honge...hum nikal sakte hain...," she told Sameer as she collected the project work. "Not one word about what happened last night?" he thought. Naina came upto him and cradled his face in her hands and gave him a long, deep kiss on his lips. She was definitely in her senses now. Why she did, what she did, Naina did not know. She just listened to her heart as Sameer looked on, confused.

Naina soon ushered him out of the hostel in secret. There was no time to get ready and Sameer offered her a lift to class. Naina propped herself on the back of his bike and put her hands over his shoulders. Maybe she felt that was the most she could have of Sameer, after the events of last night. What if he was bored by now and had decided he didn't want anything more to do with her? And Sameer on the other hand, was completely dumb-founded by this bold avatar of Naina. He wanted to put sense back into her, to chastise her that what she was doing with him was downright immoral. But somehow his tongue was glued to his mouth, and he couldn't bring himself to say all that should have been said to her. Instead, he merely relished the touch of her palms on his shoulders as they made their way towards the class on his bike. They reached the class, and entered 5 minutes apart, lest anyone would think they'd come together. In due time, the presentation was over and the professor was incredibly happy with their work. The entire class clapped- well, except for Tibrewal. He was eyeing them, seething with anger and hatred. His plan had failed. Very cleverly, he'd teamed up with Kritika- the new 1st year he was dating now- to steal the project report from Naina's room. Kritika's room was next to Naina's and she'd cleverly filched the report from Naina's table when she'd gone for dinner. Kritika had handed over the report to Sanjay, who felt finally at ease. He could now avenge his insults from Naina and Sameer- by flunking them both! But now, Sanjay was at his wit's end as to how this new project report appeared, when the one they'd made was lying safely locked in his cupboard. Maybe, they'd made two copies and Sameer had one? Clever duo! Or maybe...But no...that wasn't possible...They could not really be a couple! Even he could not suspect that something was brewing between them. The thought of innocent Naina falling for that depraved Sameer was too much for even Tibrewal to pay attention to. It would never work out! And then, he had not forgotten the punch Sameer had given him that afternoon in the canteen.