Cool breeze swept the white curtains of the window as Naina dressed up for college. The weather was beautiful... a thick cover of clouds, fine drizzle and soft breeze...

Naina chose to wear a long floral skirt with yellow, full sleeves shirt. She tied her hair in a pony and looked at herself in the mirror. Instead of her own, she saw Sameer's face reflecting in the mirror... laughing whole heartedly... and she felt a wave of extreme happiness pass through her. Smiling at her silliness, she picked up the bag and walked out of the room.

As she neared the classroom, she saw Sameer walking towards her... with a smile. And her heart missed a beat... again.

He was wearing a T-shirt today, peach coloured, with his light blue jeans. Carrying his books, he nodded slightly in her direction and entered the room, walking back to the second last bench. Naina sat on her usual bench. As the bell rang, Rahul came running and collapsed on the seat, almost falling on Naina. "Sorry, aaj late ho gaya uthne mein... kaise pohocha hun main hi jaanta hun" He tried to catch his breath. Everyone straightened as the professor entered. After the customary attendance, everyone's attention was on the board... except one person's.

Sameer was fuming. Sitting with Naina was a huge mistake on Rahul's part... on top of that he was about to fall on her... and now he was leaning towards her repeatedly, on the pretext of asking something or the other. Sameer wanted to get up right now, grab his collar and throw him out of the class. His eyes did not move from Rahul for the entire lecture. At the end of the period, he wasn't even aware what subject was taught.

The moment he saw the professor leaving, he rushed out, leaving a perplexed Naina staring after him.
Rahul was surprised to see Sameer in class. He leaned towards Naina again, "Aaj hamara hero class me aaya hai...kya baat hai."

Naina chose not to react.

Sameer did not return for next two lectures either. Now she was worried. "Jab aa gaya tha to phir se gayab kahan ho gaya? Aur kyon? Yeh ladka bhi... paas hona bhi hai ya nahi" She collected her things and went to the library.

Sameer was standing at the window, looking out.

"Arre Sameer, tum yaha kya kar rahe ho? Class mein kyon nahi aaye?" Naina relaxed, seeing him there.

Sameer turned to face her. His mouth was pressed in a grim line. Naina was surprised to see his changed expression. Placing her bag  on the table, she moved closer, "Tum theek ho?"

And his face eased into a smile. The question was becoming a sort of anthem between them.

He took a couple of steps and sat on the chair, asking Naina to sit with a gesture of his hand.

Settling on the adjacent chair, Naina questioned him again, "class me kyon nahi aaye?"

Sameer lowered his eyes, not been able to look at her while lying, "Itne dino se koi class attend nahi ki to kuch samajh nahi aa raha tha."

"Lekin tum aaoge nahi to kaise samajh aayega? Phir attendance bhi short ho sakti hai. Please, kal se classes zaroor attend karna." She almost pleaded.

And as an afterthought,  added softly,  "Tum chaho to ab tak ka syllabus main tumhe karwa sakti hun." She managed to surprise him again. He just nodded.

Naina took out a long notebook from her bag and started to explain something when a peon came looking for her.

"Aap Naina Agarwal hain? "

When she nodded, he conveyed, "Aapko abhi Principal madam ne bulaya hai, apne office mein."

Naina quickly got up to go, putting her notebook back but stopped. She extended it towards Sameer, "Yeh aaj tum le jao, ek baar reading kar lo, main kal samjha dungi."

He held the notebook with his own.

Seeing her feeling a little nervous, Sameer offered, "Main tumhare saath chalun?"

"Nahi nahi, koi punishment dene ko thori bulaya hai... kuch kaam hoga" She smiled.

"Tumhe kaise pata punishment nahi hogi?" He raised his eyebrow, mocking.

"Maine kuch galat kiya hi nahi", Naina said with confidence.

As she walked out, she gave him a side glance, " Shaam ko milte hain."

Sameer looked at her retreating figure and wondered what he was doing, "main Naina ke kareeb kyon jaa raha hun... mujhe to usko bachcha ke rakhna hai... khud se... phir main uske saath kya kar raha hun?"

But he wanted to meet her... ever since he had come to Mumbai, last night was the first time he had slept for the whole night... without nightmares. Naina's soothing words had such a balming effect on his aching heart.  Her touch was healing. A small touch... and Sameer could feel a calm, gentle feeling settling in him.

But he could not put Naina in danger for his own comfort. If he continues meeting her, she'll also have to leave him... like his father, his mother, his nanu...

"Nahi,  main aaj usse bata dunga ki main abse usse nahi mil sakta... keh dunga mujhe pasand nahi hai",  the notion itself made his eyes moist.
" Kam se kam usse dekh to sakta hun roz... agar woh bhi chali gayi toh... " He shuddered at the thought.

Later, as he waited under the tree at their spot, he speculated how to tell Naina. He was killing his newfound happiness with his own hands and the piercing pain was getting too much to bear. He decided to miss college again the next day.

"Sameer", Naina's excited voice brought him to present. 

She had come running, it seemed... her breathing was fast... sweat beads were shining on her forehead, in spite of the cool weather...

She placed one hand on the tree trunk and clutched her stomach with the other as she bent a little, closing her eyes.

Sameer instantly got up... scared that she was not well. He could almost see his fears coming true. He tried to move but his legs were jammed. He broke into sweat.

Naina opened her eyes and saw his pale face.

" Isse pehle ki tum pucho, main bata deti hun ki main theek hun... wo daud ke aayi na isliye saans phool gai",  Naina clarified, grinning.

It took a while for Sameer to come back to normal. Again, he reminded himself of the decision he had taken. He had to stay away from her.

But Naina's next sentence stumped him.

"Tum mere liye bohot lucky ho. "

He gaped at her, open mouthed.

"Pata hai kaise?" She didn't wait for his response,  "Main jab bhi tumse milti hun, mere saath kuch acha hota hai... ab tum mujhpe hansoge ki main kaisi bewakoof hun jo ye faltu ki lucky, unlucky cheezon ke chakkar mein pad rahi hun... waise main bhi nahi manti... par kuch connection hai shayad... tumhara aur achchi khabaron ka" the blabbering button was switched on again.

Sameer kept staring at her.

"Mujhe Principal ne kyon bulaya tha pata hai...  Hamara college jis trust ke under aata hai wo ek newspaper aur kuch magazines bhi publish karte hain... Maine admission ke time unke liye articles contribute karne ke liye apply kiya tha... mujhe select kar liya gaya hai... ab mujhe har week ek article newspaper ke liye dena hai jiske mujhe 500 rupay per article milenge aur magazine ke liye diya to uska alag se milega."

The happiness on Naina's face was immense.

"Iska matlab samjhte ho tum... mujhe hostel aur mess ki fees chachaji se nahi leni padegi... main apna kharcha khud utha sakti hun. "

Sameer was surprised that her hostel fees was not paid by her father. Maybe, he paid her college fees and her chachaji paid for hostel and mess. He was aware that Naina's family was not very well off.

"Congratulations Naina... yeh to achcha hai... ab tumhe ghar se sirf college ki fees leni hogi"

"Thank you" Naina beamed,  "Waise meri college ki fees nahi hai... 100%  scholarship mili hai... isiliye to yahan aayi hun"

Sameer looked at her in amazement.

"Achcha wo chodo... tumhe pata hai main jab bhi tumse baat karti hun to agle ek do dino mein mere saath kuch achcha hota hai",  she chirped.

" Matlab",  Sameer was finding it impossible to believe her words... how could he bring any luck to anyone?

"Yaad hai jab main behosh hui thi aur tumne mujhse canteen mein baat ki thi?  Uske baad jab main Phulla bua ke ghar gai to unhone mujhe pink suit gift diya... itna sunder hai ki kya batau," she smiled dreamily and continued, "Phir jab freshers ke time tumne wo Neeraj se... matlab tab tumse baat ki to maine competition jeet liya... waise tumne bhi jeeta tha, to shayad keh sakte ho ki main bhi tumhare liye thodi lucky hun",  she pulled up her collars, giving him a sideways glance, " aur kal tumse baat hui to aaj yeh opportunity mil gayi... dekha, hue na tum lucky...
mere liye",  her smile was brightening his day, his life... bit by bit.

But the demons of past experiences raised their head again. "Naina, main lucky nahi hun... yeh sab to tum deserve karti ho to tumhe milna hi tha... mere aane se kuch achcha nahi hota", he could feel the darkness pouncing on him.

" Tum to cricket khelte ho... pata hoga na match ke time kaise sab log lucky unlucky mein doobe rehte hain",  she was not giving up,  " Mere ghar me bhi... papa ko lagta hai wo TV ke samne aaye to wicket gir jaayega, isliye wo darwaze ke baahar khade hokar match dekhte hain... Chachaji kuch khate nahi, poore match mein, unhe lagta hai khane ki cheez ko haath lagate hi koi out hoga... aur bhi bohot log aisa maante hain".

"Aur uss baarish wale din ke baad kya achcha hua tumhara saath?" Sameer's intense gaze bore into her.

And Naina's could feel her ears burning, deep streak of red going up from her neck to her temples. How could she tell him... how could she... that the best thing happened to her that day... for the first time she had felt that Sameer looked at her with something in his eyes... she had felt hopeful for the first time... about him... about them...

She lowered her face... unable to utter a word.

Sameer could not tear his eyes away... from her red face, her shy expression, her fidgeting fingers. She was so beautiful... her yellow top was making her skin glow even more... she was like sunshine... that could remove all traces of darkness... he wondered if this light was capable of clearing the deep set darkness of his life... or his dark demons will cloud this sun too... and snatch away his sunshine...

He could not tell Naina that he won't meet her again... he could not refuse when she asked him to come to college the next day...

And there was one more matter he had to deal with... Rahul.