They both stood absorbing each other in their soul... one mesmerised by white, other enchanted by black.

His hand moved to her waist, pulling her closer. Naina inhaled deeply as his musky smell filled her senses.

"Tum white shirt mein bohot achhe lagte ho, " she said in a muffled voice against his neck.

He smiled, tightening his hold, "Sachhi?"

She let her lips move on his neck, "Hmm."

"Naina, mujhe paseena aaya hua hai." He shifted his head back, away from her.

"Toh?" She looked at him with big eyes.

He stared at her.

"Mujhe tum har haal mein achhe lagte ho." She said, pulling him back to herself.

Sameer was filled with warmth as she placed light kisses on his neck.

He let his one hand move up her arm as the one around her waist rubbed the skin through her top.

She clutched his hair as her forehead rested on his chest.

"Tum shadi ke baad bhi sleeveless pehenna." He said softly, enjoying the feel of her satiny soft skin.

She looked at him again, "Sabke samne?"

"Nahi, sabke samne nahi... sirf mere samne... akele mein." He touched his nose to hers.

"Jo bologe woh pehen lungi tumhare samne, " she whispered, lowering her eyes.

His mind quickly started making a list of clothes that he would like to see her in, including everything from short dresses to backless blouses.

As the moon moved right on top of their heads, Naina picked up his blazer, handing it to him along with the trophy.

"Ab chalna chahiye, Sameer... bohot raat ho gayi hai."

"Aaj tumse door jaane ka man nahi kar raha." He said, pulling her extended hand along with the trophy.

"Man ki har baat nahi maan sakte... agar der raat ko kisi ne ghumte hue dekha toh sau sawal puchenge." She placed her hands on his chest.

He knew she was right. Reluctantly, he left her. Naina picked up the stole, wrapping around her, blocking the view of her delicate arms for him.

"Ek baar din mein bhi pehenna isse." He said.

She nodded.

Then, wrenching her hands, she hesitantly started, "Sameer, woh ek din tumne mera dupatta liya tha na... "

"Wapas mat mangna... main nahi dunga, " he had become used to sleeping with it next to his face, taking in her scent.

"Nahi woh nahi... kuch aur chahiye." She said in a low voice.

He raised his eyebrows in question, wondering why Naina was hesitating so much.

"Yeh shirt," she said in a voice so low he could have missed it had he not been this close.

"Abhi de deta hun," his hands reached the button.

She quickly put a hand over his, "Abhi nahi... kal la dena."

"Abhi le jao na, kal bhul gaya toh, " he teased.

She widened her eyes as his hands under hers moved over the buttons.

"Sameer," she panicked.

He chuckled, "Maine socha shayad yeh tumhari chaal hai mujhe bina shirt ke dekhne ki."

She coloured a deep shade of red.

"Bye," she said, swiftly turning around.

"Aise kaise bye... abhi thoda baaki hai, " he slid a hand around her waist, stopping her from running away.

"Kya?" She tried to calm her racing heartbeat.

He smiled, biting his lower lip.

As he started to lean towards her, Naina pushed him, moving out of his reach.

"Aaj ka ho gaya." She laughed, running towards her hostel building.

Sameer stood beside the tree, watching her as she moved through the ground in the moonlit night, her black outfit blending in darkness.

As she stopped to wave at him from a distance, her face was shining brighter than the moon.

He waved back at his moon.

Seeing him standing in the darkness, his shirt glowing more than the moon, Naina was elated to have her own personal moon.

Unknown to them, they gave the same name to each other.

The next day he gave the shirt to her as promised.

Winning the match and the subsequent trophy had made Sameer very popular in the college. He was often stopped by other students who wanted to congratulate him or just shake hands with him. At one time he got irritated when he had to leave Naina and talk to a group of second year boys who wanted to know something about cricket.

Once, while he stood outside the main building, talking to Naina, Rahul and Sonali, few girls came running.

"Aap Sameer Maheshwari hain na?" One of them asked him in a sweet voice.

He nodded, looking confused.

"Aap please hamare saath kuch photos click karenge? Humein dusre college ke apne friends ko dikhani hai... aap sabse bade star ho na hamare college ke." Another one requested him.

Sameer opened his mouth to refuse when he felt a gentle pressure on his hand. He looked back at Naina. She blinked... asking him to go.

Sameer walked to the front garden with the girls as Rahul and Sonali went away, laughing.

Initially, they posed for a few pictures standing around him. Suddenly, one girl shifted closer to him, touching her shoulder to his arm.

Sameer straightened immediately, trying to move away.

Naina, who was watching the scene from a distance, stiffened.

For the next photo, the girls on both his sides placed a hand on his arm.

Sameer pulled back his arms, frowning. He started to leave when another one caught his hand, "Please, do teen aur kheechne dijiye na."

Naina felt a flash of anger for a moment but the next, she burst out laughing, seeing his condition as he kept his arms tightly across his chest, giving a fake smile, running away as soon as he heard the click sound of camera.

"Badi hansi aa rahi hai tumhe." He made a face as he saw Naina smirking.

"Aisa lag raha tha Krishna ho tum... gopiyon se ghire hue." She teased.

"Toh gussa aana chahiye na tumhe... hans kyon rahi ho." He was annoyed.

She held his hand. He jerked it away.

She forcefully held it again, dragging him to the canteen.

"Kab tak ruthe rahoge... chalo kuch khate hain." She tried to bring him out of his grumpy mood.

"Naina, tumhe bura lagna chahiye tha na jab woh ladkiyan mujhe aise pakad rahi thi... kya tumhe koi fark nahi pada ki koi aur mujhe chu raha tha?" He was still angry with her laughter.

She placed her hand over his on the table, "Jab unhone pehli baar tumhe haath lagaya toh mujhe bohot gussa aaya tha... jab dubara pakda toh man kiya aake tumhe kheench ke unse door kar dun."

He looked on in satisfaction.

Naina continued, "Lekin fir maine dekha tumhe kitna bura lag raha hai... bas meri saari jalan, saara gussa thanda pad gaya... jalan tab hoti jab tum kisi aur ko nazar uthakar dekhte... woh tum kabhi kar hi nahi sakte... toh agar koi tumhe dekhke aanhen bhare ya tumhari tareef kare toh mujhe garv hona chahiye ki jisse sab pasand karte hain woh mera hai... isliye main khush hun... koi kitni bhi photo kheench le tumhare saath, rahoge toh tum mere hi... sirf mere."

She had again made him speechless.

He smiled, placing his other hand on hers, "Sirf tumhara... hamesha."

They carried on their study sessions in the library, Naina making him put in little more efforts this year.

"Iss baar aur achhe number aayenge toh kitna achha hoga na, Sameer." She tried to motivate himhim one evening when they were in the ground.

"Pichle saal toh tumhare special gift ke liye maine itni mehnat ki thi... ab iss saal fir se kyon padhun?" He sulked.

"Achha, agar gift mil gaya toh ab uska koi mol nahi raha." She gave him an angry look.

He shifted closer as they sat against the tree, "Mol toh abhi bhi sabse zyada hai... tum subah shaam roz de diya karo... jitna bologi main utna padh lunga."

She blushed, "Chup raho... kuch bhi bolte ho."

"Galat thodi hai... ab college ke kuch hi mahine toh baaki hain... bas fir toh tum kabhi chup kara hi nahi sakti mujhe... ek baar biwi ban gayi toh sirf subah shaam ke dose se bhi kaam nahi chalega." He leaned, touching the side of his head to hers.

"Hum padhai ki baat kar rahe the... toh ussi pe raho," she reprimanded him, trying to keep her voice from trembling at his suggestive words.

He slipped down to put his head in her lap, "Theek hai... padhai ki baat karte hain... agar iss saal bhi rank aa gayi toh kya dogi?"

She was finding it difficult to breathe as his head pressed against her legs.

"Bolo na... kya dogi... jitna bada gift, utni zyada mehnat." He declared.

She looked at his expectant face.

"Main tumse shaadi kar lungi."

He placed his hand behind her head and pulled it down to peck her lips, "Bas ab rank pakka."

In the coming days, he engrossed himself in studies... not because Naina had promised to marry him... she would marry him even if he flunked, he thought to himself... he was studying because he wanted to make her proud.

They made a few trips to Phulla bua's house on some weekends. Every time, Sameer went to pick up Naina the next morning. Everytime Phulla bua showered them with love and affection. She gave the suits to Naina that she had got stitched for her. The beautiful gold work done on them made them perfect to wear for the wedding functions of Sonali.

"Aur tu kya pehnega hero?" Phulla bua looked at Sameer as he enjoyed the breakfast of alu paranthas one morning.

"Main toh kuch bhi pehen lunga, bua dadi... koi bhi shirt aur pant." He kept his attention on food.

"Kuch bhi kaise pehen lega... tujhe bhi toh Naina ki takkar ka lagna hai na... warna sab kahenge ki itni sundar ladki ko kaisa budhu ladka mila hai." Her sharp voice made him go silent as Naina smiled, knowing it was just fake anger.

"Sameer jo bhi pehne, sabse achha lagega... usse kisi ko takkar dene ki zaroorat nahi hai." She looked at him with eyes brimming with love.

Phulla bua looked at her granddaughter with pride, "Tera hero toh hai hi laakhon mein ek... fir bhi main soch rahi hun iske liye kuch alag leke aaun."

She narrowed her eyes at Sameer.

Getting up, she went behind him, placing her palms horizontally on his back.

"Kya kar rahi hai aap, bua dadi?" He tried to get up.

She smacked him on the shoulder, "Baitha reh, khada hoga toh kaise naap lungi tera... ab iss umar mein kursi pe thodi khadi ho sakti hun."

He remained seated as she made a mental note after putting her palms around his shoulder.

Sitting back in her chair, she declared, "Ab agli baar aoge toh iske liye bhi banwa ke rakhungi... dekhna mera kamaal."

"Aap kyon pareshan hoti hain... main kuch khareed lunga." He was feeling embarrassed.

Phulla bua patted his head, "Apne bachhon ke liye kuch karna pareshan hona nahi hota... mujhe khushi hogi."

And as per her promise, she got him an embroidered kurta in rust and yellow and a pink shirt with a half jacket in deep red over it.

Sameer was himself surprised to see how well it fitted him and how good he looked in it.

"Ab toh pakka takkar de sakta hun tumhe", he whispered to Naina as she admired the outfit on him.