Kabhi to nazar milao

Gift

As the exam date drew closer, the environment in the college changed from fun to serious... every corner and every bench had students pouring over their books and notes.

Naina had put strict restrictions on Sameer... no studies during the day meant no meeting in the evening. He could never think of giving up the evening session... so he diverted all his attention to studies during the day.

She was aware of what motivated him... and promised a big gift if he surpassed his last year's result.

Half of his day went by, thinking what a big gift could mean... would it be a material thing... he hoped not. Other thoughts coming to his mind made him blush... he looked around to  check if anyone was watching him.... but their table in the library had the cover of book cabinets.

"Tum phir kho gaye... aise hi baithe rahoge toh ho gayi padhai aur aa gaye marks",  she reprimanded him.

Coming back from his world of various scenarios of receiving a gift from Naina pictured before him, he looked back at the books with a new interest.

Naina was pleasantly surprised at his increased attention span and more interest in studies.

One day, while sitting together at their spot, Sameer asked her about a concept he was finding difficult to grasp. It was something unlike him... he had always valued this time at this place and when a few times she had  tried to bring up the topic of studies here, he would stop her... saying that this short period belonged only to them.

Clearing his doubts on the topic, Naina gave him a look of pride, "Sameer, mujhe bohot achcha lag raha hai yeh dekhke ki tum apni padhai ke liye itne serious ho".

" Result lana hai na mujhe",  he leaned a bit.

Naina smiled at his dedication, "Haan, achche result se kitni khushi hoti hai... khud ko bhi aur baaki sabko bhi."

Sameer smiled back.

He could not tell her that he was not bothered about the result... but the end result.

Exams were a cake walk for him. All those studying sessions had made it possible for him to feel that he was closer to his goal.

On the day of their last exam, Naina waited for Sameer in the corridor.

He had been writing till the last minute. As the bell rang and students were asked to put their pens down and leave, he took a deep breath of relief and ran out.

Seeing her standing at the end of pasaage, swaying a little, chewing the end of pen she was holding, he stopped in his tracks... she looked breathtakingly beautiful in a yellow skirt and white top. She had pulled her long pony in front and it rested on her shoulder.

Sameer slowly walked to her... drinking in the sight.

"Arre, aa gaye tum? Kaisa hua paper?" Naina enthusiastically asked, the moment she saw him.

"Bilkul tumhare jaisa... ekdum top class",  his wide grin showed his confidence.

Naina was elated. She was not much worried about him. He had been working hard and whenever they discussed any topic, he showed his understanding of it completely.

They discussed the paper for a while and went back to their room, looking forward to the evening.

Sameer was too excited to sit... he kept pacing in his room... wondering why the results had to take an awfully long time of two months to be declared. Why they could not get them in a week's time, like school.

School brought back the thought of Naina in school... he cursed himself for not talking to her then. How much of precious time got wasted. He could have known her for four years now, rather than two... they would have had so many memories... he kicked the bed... hurting his foot... wincing in pain... telling himself that he deserved it for losing out on love filled moments with her.