Love in Mt. Abu- A SamAina FF

Part 1: Mount Abu Trip Begins

It had been a beautiful day. Naina was all smiles. And surprisingly so was Sameer. Naina and Sameer had finally reached Mount Abu. As people started de-boarding the bus, Naina moved to the side and coughed twice to stop him from getting down from the bus. Sameer looked at her and smiled his big smile. Naina smiled back. When the bus got empty, she quickly fished into her sandook and handed Sameer his gift. Sameer asked "Ye kya hai Naina?" She said, "Tumhare liye ek chota sa gift". Sameer was surprised and looked at the parcel in his hand. He opened it and took out the sweater and was shocked to see a home-knit sweater. "Naina- ye to ghar ka buna hua sweater hai. Kya ye tumne...? Mera matlab tumne mere liye buna?" Naina smiled shyly and looked down. "Lekin kab, kaise?" "Wo maine tumhe Munna, Pandit se baat karte hue suna. Socha maa ke hath ka na sahi, mere haathon se hi sweater bana du tumhare liye. Pata nahi tumhe kaisa laga...agar pasand na aaye to koi baat nahi". "Naina!" Sameer interrupted her. "Ye sweater bahot khubsurat hai and looked into her eyes." Song plays. Sameer carried on, "aur haan ab samajh aaya mera favorite color kyun janana tha tumhe". Then Sameer smiled and says, "toh tumne 2 din me mere liye sweater buna...meri itni fikar?" Naina blushed and looked down. Naina said, "maine pehli baar sweater banaya, wo bhi sirf tumhare liye". Sameer was touched and left looking into her eyes. He said, "Naina, vaise ek gift to main bhi laaya hu tumhare liye, but tumhare jitna special nahi hai". Sameer took out a box wrapped in gifting paper and handed it over to Naina. "Hamari pehli trip ke naam", said Sameer. Naina was pleasantly surprised. "Khol ke dekho", said Sameer. Naina unwrapped the paper and opened the box. Inside were two beautiful dazzling stone jhumkas. "Sameer, ye..", stammered Naina. "Pasand nahi aaya kya? Nahi to hum return karke tumhari pasand ka kuch le sakte hain", said a nervous Sameer. "Nahi, itne khubsurat earrings to maine zindagi me kabhi nahi dekhe", said Naina, "par ye bahot keemti lag rahe hain, ye main nahi le sakti". "Arey, jo sab tum mere liye karti ho, kya usse bhi zyada keemti hain?" said Sameer and smiled. "Main bahot pyaar se laaya hun tumhare liye. Agar tum inhe pehnogi to mujhe bahot khushi hogi Naina. Bolo na, pehnogi na- mere liye? Please?" Naina was smiling and blushing. She nodded her head in affirmation and murmured, "thank y—". "A ah- dosti mein no sorry, no thank you", said a happy Sameer.

They both got down from the bus and headed to their respective hostels. Both were smiling and looking at each other happily. "Vaise Naina, maine magazine me check kiya tha, yahan pass me ek Shiv ji ka mandir hai. Kya tum kal subah mere sath wahan chalogi darshan ke liye?" Naina said yes. Sameer said, "Great, to main kal tumhara hostel ke niche subah 6 baje intezaar karunga". "Ab bas yahan koi pakad na le, nahi to fir tumhe gai se maar khani padegi", teased Naina and ran to her hostel laughing. Sameer chased her, laughing too- the genuine smile evident on his face.

The night dawned, and the school sat down for dinner. Sameer was facing Naina and the two were stealing glances at each other as and when they got a chance. Sameer was wearing the sweater Naina knit for him. It fit him perfectly and looked so good on him. The moment he had reached his hostel room, he'd dumped his bag on the floor and rushed to try on the sweater. His first. First ever hand knit sweater, made only for him. Naina, sweet Naina. Sameer was looking at the sweater and smiling despite himself. His face had a big smile, which became bigger and bigger seeing the sweater. He tried it on, and for the first time in life, felt sheer love. Love of someone who had cared for him like no one else had before. The sweater was warm, not only because of the wool, but because it exuded Naina's warmth and love. Sameer could not help but think about her throughout. She was such a kind hearted girl. How he had misunderstood her. And the bet. The bet. Sameer's smile suddenly left his face and was replaced by guilt. Guilt that was worsening day-by-day. How could he do this to her? She loves him. And he is playing with her feelings? Why? For a stupid bet? She saved his lifeline, his nanu and this is what he had to give her in return. Heartbreak? No. This was too much for him. He felt he was a wretched person. Naina had won over his heart. He remembered Nanu's words. Naina had actually sacrificed all her saved money, her time, her food, her sleep- just so she could knit him a sweater on time. She somehow always knew what his heart yearned for and strived to fulfill it. She really had become a special person now for Sameer. Like Nanu says, his special friend. But did he deserve her friendship and care? No, he felt. Sameer, he thought to himself, you valued friendship over everything else. You cannot break Naina's heart. She has to know the truth. The bet- it doesn't matter. What's the worst, he will have to cut his locks off. They can grow back, but Naina- no, he will tell her the truth. He can't risk losing his special friend over something as silly as this. And then, and then, they can have a fresh, new start- that is, if Naina would forgive him. He hoped she would. He would make it all right. Naina should smile all the time. He likes it if she is happy. It makes him happy. He will tell the truth to Naina, thought a determined Sameer.

Sameer was jerked from his thoughts by Naina's coughing. She gestured to ask where he was lost. He smiled naughtily and pointed out to her in gesture. Naina blushed again. She finished her dinner and went to get some water. Sameer followed her. Sameer said, "Naina, ye rabdi bahot achi hai, tumne try nahi ki". Naina said, "ohh, maine to plate rakh di". Sameer looked at her, and then looked at the school crowd. All were far away and busy chatting with each other. Making sure no one was looking at them, Sameer took a spoonful of rabdi from his plate and offered it to Naina. Then maybe, he realized it might be uncomfortable for her, he said, "Sorry, mera matlab tum meri plate se try kar sakti ho chaho toh". Naina smiled at him, brought the spoon towards her and ate the rabdi from his hand. Sameer whispered, "Kaisi lagi?""Ab tumhare haathon se khayi to rabdi ki mithas aur badh gayi. Ye meri life ki ab tak ki best sweet hai". Both kept looking into each other's eyes. Suddenly, Sameer broke the trance, his guilt building up. "Kal subah 6 baje, hostel ke bahar", said Sameer, determined to tell her all tomorrow morning. Both moved to join their respective friends to hostel.