▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Naina walked into the cabin. A smile crept on Sameer's face sensing her presence. She placed her palms on his warm cheeks and instead of pushing them away, he closed his eyes, “That feels good."

Naina giggled as she palmed his face, “That’s because you're coldhearted.” 

Sameer opened his eyes, raising his eyebrow as Naina laughed. He tugged her hand, pulling her on his lap. “For everyone else, maybe. But not for you.” He stared at her, noticing  her eyelids drooped instinctively as his thumb caressed her cheeks while his other hand rested on her baby bump.

"Why did you call me here, Mr Maheshwari?" His figure tensed up as she asked. Naina, who had noticed it, traced her fingers over the stubble of his jaw.

"I–I wanted to tell you about everything. Everything about myself. I have committed a lot of sins in my past and I don't want our relationship to begin with any lies or secrets." Sameer spoke.

"Did I disturb you guys?" Shrikha asked as she knocked on the door. Kabir gave a lopsided smile seeing Naina sitting on Sameer's lap. 

"So you both are already together." Sameer rolled his eyes while Naina hid her face in his chest listening to Kabir's comment. 

"I wanted to shop so came here to ask Naina if she can accompany me. And that's when I realised that I would have to take permission from you to take your sweet wife with me for a few hours." Shrikha spoke as she rested her arms on the table placed.

"Naina won't go anywhere and if she wishes to, then I will come with you guys," Sameer said as he allowed Naina to wriggle out of his hold.

"You did not tell me Shri. Sameer if you are busy I will go with them—" 

" Naina and I will go to the mall and you guys are not going to follow us. We will take care of ourselves." Shrikha said, passing a genuine smile to Naina who was sitting on the sofa. 

"Take one of my guard along."

"No Sameer, I understand your concern but I promise I will be with Naina. She is strong enough to protect herself but I will protect her before myself if any such situation occurs." Sameer nods his head finally giving in.

"Now tell me the reason you guys have come here," Sameer questioned. Kabir scratched the back of his neck, as his cheeks flushed. Shrikha chuckled seeing his antics.

"We have overcome our insecurities and issues. It's nearly been seven months that we have dated and years of knowing each other. So we have finally decided to get married." Shrikha spoke. Sameer glanced at Kabir who nodded his head a bit to assure him.

"Congratulations!" Naina squealed, opening her arms, gesturing them to hug her. Sameer got up from his chair and hugged Kabir and Shrikha, being genuinely happy for his friends.

"But you will always be my first love," Kabir mumbled dramatically, making them laugh.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

"It's late, isn't it?" Naina mumbled as she checked the time in the watch. Shrikha nodded her head in a way of yes, handing her coffee.

"It's fine though. Even we need a break from our respective insane men." Naina giggled listening to her comment as she sipped her coffee. Shrikha surfed on her phone, glancing at people sitting in the cafe.

"I have booked a cab, Naina." She informed me with a sweet smile on her face as she texted someone. After they finished eating the food they had ordered, they left the cafe. 

"Shrikha where are we goin–" Naina's words stalled in her mouth as she felt the presence of a person close to her. Before she could comprehend the happenings, she stared at a person wearing a black coat which had a symbol of a wolf on the ground, whining in pain. She glanced at Shrikha who was blowing air on her busted knuckles.

"Let's go." She said, intervening her hands with Naina's.

"Who is he? Why–" 

"He was following us, maybe he is a rival of Sameer. We have to leave now, I have informed Sameer about this man. Don't panic, it's okay." Shrikha said as she patted her head gently.

"Your hand?" Naina uttered in concern.

"It's hurting but that's fine. Shit!" She mumbled as she saw a group of people wearing the same kind of jackets approaching them from a distance. Naina's hands began to tremble while her other hand reached her bump.

"We should have not come here," Naina said. Shrikha shut her eyes tightly and opened them. She pulled Naina along with her, dodging off people.

"Don't think about the possibilities that could have been done. Sameer will arrive here soon so believe me, you will be safe."

"I want our child to be safe," Naina uttered as a lone tear rolled down her eyes. Shrikha and Naina sneaked into the staff's room and shut the door. Naina sat on the steel chair. 

"Are you okay?" Shrikha asked in concern.

"My legs are hurting." She mumbled.

"I am sorry for getting you into such a situation. I must have not acted like a jerk." Shrikha said as she cursed herself.

"But if it was not you, that man could have hurt me. Only if I would have not been pregnant, I would have knocked off those bastards." Naina huffed angrily.

"Feisty, just like your husband," Shrikha said as she let out a chuckle while Naina smiled sheepishly. Their hearts gripped with fear as somebody banged the door.

"Shri, are you okay? Naina?" 
Shrikha sighed in relief and opened the door. She smiled softly seeing Kabir, whose eyes had swollen due to crying. He scooped her into his embrace.

"You scared me, Shri," Kabir uttered as he held her as close as he could. Shrikha wrapped her arms around his neck. 

"Mr Maheshwari," Naina murmured in horror as she saw him enter the room. Blood was draining over his shirt while his hairs were messed up. He staggered towards Naina and kneeled before her. Raising his hands, he touched her face. "You scared me, Khaza." 

"I am perfectly, perfect." She replied, adjusting his hair. He kissed her all over her face and she giggled. "I am fine, Mr. Maheshwari." She said, placing her palms on either side of his face, leaning to rest her forehead on his. He smiled softly and  turned to look at Shrikha and Kabir. Kabir was caressing her wound still sniffling.

"Thank you, Shrikha. I owe you." 

"Your apology is not accepted. She's like a younger sister to me and I will always protect her. Still, if you wish to repay me, treat me with food." She said, making everyone present, smile.

◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇◆◇

"Aap yaha? You should have slept by now Naina." Sameer uttered as he noticed Naina. Her red skirt swayed due to the breeze, while her hairs were tied into plates.

"I was searching for you." She mumbled, sitting next to him. She held his palm and glanced at him. His hands were cold while his smile worried her. He was pretending while his eyes held unspoken threats and malice. "You can always speak about anything to me, Mr Maheshwari." She mumbled as she touched his face slightly.

"Do you want to stay with a person like me?"

"You are kind, not as people say about you. And by now I don't care about what people think of you. I am not going to leave you even if you push me away. I actually hid something from you." She took a short pause as he looked at her, narrowing his eyes.

"I have been getting a few calls recently. Ri–my father was the one who had been calling me, to apologise. I understand what he did in the past was wrong but I do not want our pasts to affect our child in any way. So I decided to forgive him with the condition that I will never meet him nor will I ever speak to him." She said, Sameer just nodded his head in a way of understanding.

"It's your decision, Naina. I won't force you to keep any sort of relationship with that man if you ain't wish to." Both of them stayed quiet for a while, he stared at her palm doodling on it.

"Vishaka Maa and Baba were never my parents." He mumbled, Naina widened her eyes trying to absorb the new information. "Nobody knew what Nanu meant to me. I was an orphan, who used to stay in the slums. Nanu brought me to his house and took care of me as his grandson." 

"Why did he bring you to his home?" 

"He wanted me to take care of his grandson, who was just a few months old. Nanu was involved in the mafia and was getting threats. It was then for the safety of their heir, they hired me. Unfortunately, that child was unable to live due to a few health complications but people tagged me with names. They felt that I had purposely killed him. I was a child then, why would I ever do such a thing? Nobody trusted me except Maa, Baba and Nanu. I had never received  love in my life, Naina. I never had a family, I never knew what a family felt like. But that bastard, he snatched everything from me. My Maa, sh–h..they ki...killed her and hanged. Baba was dragged downstairs mercilessly and sta–stabbed. That day I vowed to avenge my parent's death. I have killed so many people, Naina. Do you still want to stay with a person like me?" He questioned as a lone tear ran down his cheeks.

"Even if you don't like me or do not want me to stay here, I won't leave this place. I will always stay by you, for you, Mr Maheshwari." She said as she wiped his tears. He leaned towards her, burying his face in her shoulders, wrapping his arms around her frame. She ran her fingers in his hair to calm him. "It's a strange feeling, isn’t it?” he asked, bringing his hands to her cheeks.

"What is it?” She asked breathlessly, her mouth so close to his. 

"This magnetic connection between us. It's like we're two pieces of the same puzzles. I don't know what such feelings are termed as." He mumbled more to himself. Naina pursed her lips listening to him. She wrung her hands, which were still between their two bodies.

"Am I pretty?" 

"Every girl is pretty, Naina." He said as he shifted back, not before flicking her forehead. His lips tugged a bit as he noticed her mumbling something to herself. She glanced at him, pulling her lips into a pout.

“Don't you even like me a little?” 
She questioned, raising her thumb and forefinger in the air.

“A little,” He repeated with only a small curve to the corners of his mouth. Naina giggled softly, Sameer smiled as his heart filled suddenly with inexpressible joy. He hardly remembered the last time he ever smiled this much. He can’t even recall when he felt this kind of pure, unburdened bliss. She rested her head on his shoulder with a soulful smile plastered on her face while he wrapped his arm around her waist, staring at the infinite stars in the dark sky.

"I can't promise to fix all your problems. But, I can promise that you won't face them alone." 

▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰

Thank you for reading!

Do not forget to vote and comment down your views💜

Do you guys want an epilogue or season 2 of BBH?