Three days later, Sameer was feeling quite alright. The pain in his leg had subsided and he was able to ride the bike. He came to class that morning, much to Naina's relief. She hadn't been able to speak to him these three days, but she got the news of his recovery from the boys in their class. He seemed okay now, she thought. He was walking without a limp. Sameer looked at Naina as he entered the class. He was a bit late. The class had already started. Their eyelock was broken as Sameer was pushed to a side by Siddharth, who too had come in late as usual. Siddharth's eyes darted here and there and saw Naina sitting alone. He rushed to sit besides her before Sameer could react. Naina wanted to tell Siddharth that she'd reserved the place for Sameer but by then, she saw Sameer had already settled himself onto another bench. He assumed that the Universe was trying to tell him to stick to his resolve and keep as far away from Naina as possible. All through the classes, Naina and Sameer kept stealing glances at each other. After three excruciatingly long hours as per Naina, the lectures finally ended and the class scurried out in glee. Siddharth too rushed outside. It was only Naina and Sameer who remained now. Naina passed him a small smile, expecting him to return it back. And there Sameer fought against his will to talk to her. Instead he focused on packing his bag and then left the class, without giving another look at Naina.

That did it! Naina could not take it anymore. She was unable to understand how he could become so friendly at one instant and then completely aloof the other. Was it because she'd kissed him? Was it because he did not like to be with her? Naina's brain was bursting with questions, the answers to which were all unknown to her. She was trying to figure out various scenarios, probabilities, possibilities of his mood swings, but in the end, she burst into tears again. How she wished he would come back to her!

Ten minutes later, Sameer realized he'd forgotten his book in class in a hurry to leave before Naina came upto him. He'd just entered to take it back when he saw Naina sitting propped up on the desk facing the wall, sobbing. Something writhed inside Sameer's heart. She was in pain! Wasn't he the reason behind it? He strode over to his desk to collect his book, while Naina who'd sensed his presence, hushed her tears and looked away. Sameer paused, unsure of what to do. Finally, he mustered the courage and walked upto her with an idea to console her and to let her know as well, that their night in her room had been a mistake- for both of them. And that it would never happen again. He would not let it happen again. Naina looked up at him and all of a sudden, Sameer's resolve faltered. The intensity of her gaze made him forget all that he'd been about to say. He stood there silently, gaping like a fool in front of her. And when he realized he wouldn't be able to say what he wanted to, he turned around to leave.

On impulse, Naina held his arm to stop him. Sameer looked at her. Her eyes mirrored his confusion. And then, he took a deep breath, deciding that he would need to be the sensible one here. He tried to free himself from her hold, but Naina didn't let go. Sameer's eyes drifted from her tear-stained pretty face, down to her shirt, the two open buttons and a glimpse of the stunning view he'd had been greeted with for two amazing nights he'd spent with her. He could feel himself aroused- again! Oh God! What was wrong with him? Was he turning into some lusting pyscho? "Don't think about that Sameer! You have to forget it!" he reminded himself. With great difficulty, he took control of his emotions and snapped, "haath chodo mera...!" Naina sensed his anger brimming again, but she didn't accede. She just kept staring at him with a firm, yet pleading gaze. Sameer felt himself weaken again. He was desperate, helpless and angry. "Tumhe samajh nahi aa raha hai ki mujhe tumhare saath nahi rehna hai...nahi rehna chahiye...!" he spluttered as he finally jerked his hand out from her grip.

Naina was now frightened by the tone of his voice. Sameer held her by her shoulders and shook her hard as he continued, "Naina...tumhara dimag kharab hai kya....tumhe samajh nahi aa raha hai ki hum dono jo ye sab...ye sab kar rahe hain...wo sahi nahi hai...tum iska matlab samajhti ho? Main manta hun galti meri hai...mujhe us din tumhare kareeb nahi aana chahiye tha...lekin tumhe kya hua hai...kya kar rahi ho tum mere saath... bhul gayi tum kaun ho...kya ho...kaisi ho...Tumne bhi mujhe nahi roka...aur upar se mujhe kiss pe kiss kar rahi ho...kya samajhti ho tum...kya rishta hai hum dono ka...kuch nahi!" Naina remained silent, trying to absorb all that he was saying. "Naina dekho...main is lafde me aur nahi padna chahta aur main jaanta hun, tum bhi nahi....Aur iska bas yahi matlab hota hai ki humein ek dusre se jitni door ho sake...rehna chahiye! Main nahi chahta ki meri wajah se tumhari zindagi me aur complications hon...Tum please ye sab bhul jao aur apni padhai pe dhyaan do...," Sameer was exasperated by now. "Please samajhne ki koshish karo Naina...main tumhare saath hota hun to pata nahi kya ho jata hai mujhe...main khud ko nahi rok paata...aur ye hum dono ke liye sahi nahi hai...haina?" he asked, feeling extremely helpless as he looked at the morose girl in front of him.

Naina looked at him teary-eyed and nodded. He was right. The way they were proceeding in their assumed relationship was not proper. "Mujhe nahi pata maine wo sab kyun kiya Sameer...main bhi khud ko rok nahi paati...!" Naina replied, partly truthfully through her tears. Sameer felt his heart droop as he saw Naina agree to him. What else did he expect? That she'll fling her arms around him and tell him that she doesn't want to stay away from him? Naina on the other hand didn't know, if it was the right time to express what she felt for him. He too wanted to be with her, she now knew. But probably he was afraid that he was having a bad effect on her.

And then, Sameer involuntarily let go of her, and took a few steps back. Their eyes met again. It was as if the words which could not have been said were being spoken through their eyes. The empty college corridors and classrooms echoed their feelings. A heavy silence lingered in the air between them- the summer afternoon heat adding to the lull. Their hearts were beating in trepidation. And there was something else in the space separating them- that familiar magnetic pull, which was again trying to jerk these two closer- more closer to each other. Sameer and Naina resisted their best as their minds told them not to give in again. And then his patience broke. His bag dropped from his shoulders as he rushed and pulled Naina's face towards him and crashed his lips onto hers. She responded with the same zeal as she pulled him to her tightly as she drank in the nectar his lips had to offer.

How would a man feel if he'd been walking in the middle of a blaring hot desert, without a drop of water to drink for days. And then all of a sudden, he spots an oasis, brimming with the elixir of life. The man would obviously forget everything and relish the taste, and try to drink as much as he could. Who knows when, or if, he'll get it the next time! That had been Sameer and Naina's exact condition at that moment. As their lips met, a sense of relief dawned over both of them. Their thirst mellowed down for a while, as they felt contended- as if life had been breathed into them again. And then the thirst aggravated- making them determined to take in as much of each other as they could. They did not know what lay in future for them, nor did they want to think about it. They were together, and that was all that seemed to matter.

Sameer nibbled at her lips as she bit him softly, and they went deep. Their moans accentuated their arousal as Sameer pulled her up from the bench and down onto the floor, in his arms, away from the view through the windows. Oblivious to anything, they kissed and fondled each other.

A few minutes later, Sameer and Naina broke for breath. His eyes asked hers, "Your room or mine?" "Hostel me abhi sari ladkiyaan hongi...," she stammered. And he replied, gasping for breath too, "lekin sab ladke bahar cricket khel rahe honge...!" They didn't waste a second as they grabbed their bags and ran over to Sameer's bike in the parking, hand-in-hand. Sameer kickstarted the engine as Naina quickly propped herself at the back and they sped off towards his room- to another of their secret love excursions.

***

After that day, Naina and Sameer accepted that staying apart was not an option for both of them. Both tried to keep their carnal urges in control whenever they were around each other- but it never worked out. Sameer did not know what he found so attractive in Naina that he couldn't get their nights together, out of his head. But all along, he played cool.

Naina and Sameer used to secretly visit each others' hostels, make passionate love to each other throughout the night, and many a times, lie down post that in each other's arms, talking about their respective lives. Sameer had told Naina briefly about how his mom had remarried and how his step-father was hell-bent on making his life miserable. He told her that his biological mother was way more attached to her step-son than to him. Irritated with all the negligence, Sameer had decided to stay away from emotion. The only person in his family, who could make him happy was his Nanu. Naina had been touched by his story and had consoled him with fervent kisses.

Naina on the other hand had told him how she'd lost her mother as soon as she was born. As a result, her elder aunt and uncle had always thought of her as a bad omen. She only had her studies to rely upon and try and make a mark for herself and stand on her own feet. Sameer had been impressed by her courage and scolded himself deep down for making fun of her studious nature. He smiled as he played with her hair and nuzzled his nose against her cheeks, which again turned him on and ready to delve deeper into Naina once again.

***

Naina would sometimes feel that Sameer was getting what a boy needs from a girl and it was she who was being the fool here. Other times, she would listen to her heart and be sure that he was in love with her. That is why he cared for her so much and couldn't see her in pain! And wasn't that why, he'd made sure that Naina had never skipped a meal after that fateful day. Though by this time, her family had relented as well, and started sending money for her expenditure- which Naina knew must have been because of Chachaji's persuasion. After all, a boy like Sameer needs time to express his love. And even when it is not explicity said, love does prevail. It is a mutual understanding- a commitment that binds them together.

Sameer, on the other hand felt- through their fornications, Naina was making him more and more emotionally dependent on her. This was something new to him. He had never been so open about his life to anyone, nor had voiced his likes and dislikes to people the way he did with Naina. And when that day, he'd got a cold and a 101 deg fever- how she'd taken care of him! She had made him a tulsi-adrak kaadha, given him medicines, made him eat his meal and then let him sleep as she covered him with a blanket. He knew she'd been up all night long, making sure the fever was coming down. Because when he woke up the next morning, he found her leaning across his bedside, her eyes red and drowsy for the lack of sleep. Sameer was touched by this gesture of hers. For the first time in life, he felt lucky! He had a person like Naina in his life.