Sameer felt Naina tremble in his arms.
"Kya baat hai, Naina... tum aaj kis baat se itni tension mein ho?" He turned her to face him.
She shook her head.
"Main kal gaya tha chachaji ko phone karne... par phone laga hi nahi... kaafi koshish ki... aaj shaam ko hum dono chal padenge... aaj toh hostel ke rules nahi hai na." He smiled as he remembered that they were free of all bindings.
"Theek hai... fir abhi books nikal lein... time kharab nahi hona chahiye na." Her voice was restrained.
He watched as she opened her bag to take out books and placed them on the table.
The room was a spacious one with a big bed, a table with two chairs, one couch and a dresser with a round mirror. A glass door opened into a balcony. Another door in the corner probably led to the washroom. The cupboard was big enough to hold all his clothes from the hostel room... and would still have space.
Naina did not pay attention to anything... occupying one of the chairs to study.
He could see the pain on her face... but she was not speaking up. There was something deeply disturbing her. Was she so uncomfortable to share the room with him... he felt a stab of disappointment.
An hour passed with her concentrating on the books while he kept checking her expression in between his own work. More than once, he found her eyes closed... it appeared that she was holding her breath.
Naina was struggling to sit straight... it was one of the difficult months... the spasms of pain jolted her every few minutes... her back was stiff as a board... she badly wanted to clutch her abdomen tightly... but all this would make Sameer suspicious.
"Naina, main abhi aata hun... zara paani leke." He got up to go.
"Uh, Sameer... zara Sonali ko bula doge, please." She almost pleaded.
It surprised him even more... Naina would have herself gone to Sonali if she was her normal self.
He went to the kitchen first to get water. Sonali was coming out after telling the cook about lunch.
"Kuch chahiye, Sameer?" She asked.
"Main paani lene aaya hun... khud le lunga, tumhe zara Naina bula rahi hai." He conveyed.
Sonali nodded and quickly walked to the room at the end of the corridor.
He had water... then picked a bottle along with a glass to take to the room.
When he opened the door softly, Sonali was standing with her back to it. Naina was hidden from his view but it appeared that Sonali was rubbing her back.
"Laga le na... tabhi aaram milega... kab tak chupayegi... aise do teen din mein toh marne jaisi haalat ho jayegi teri." Sonali said in a low voice.
He could not hear Naina's answer but her voice seemed to be full of pain. He stepped out again, closing the door. After a wait of few seconds, he knocked and entered.
Sonali patted Naina's shoulder before leaving.
"Naina, kuch toh hai jo tum chupa rahi ho... please batao na kya baat hai... mujhe aisa lag raha hai jaise maine kuch galti kar di hai aur tum mujhse naraaz ho." He stood next to her, worried like hell now.
Naina got up in a flash of a second and hugged him tight... making him stumble.
He managed to keep his balance, holding her close, waiting for her to speak up. The wetness on his shirt made him realise that she was crying.
