This is the reward for such quick response

He is sipping his drink standing silently. Observing this voluptuous party and feel Of Her standing next to him running parallel in his mind.

While She is breathing in the laughter of her batchmates enjoying their lame jokes they throw on each other. Watching them pull each other's legs in brutal way. Taking in that she has come with him to this party and both are standing next to each other.

Karan points to Raj.

'Ye last game he. You'll have to play. Never Have I Ever. Raj and Naina...Specially for you guys.' A hooting laughter erupts.

Raj' ear suddenly turns red. He barely nods his head.

'Tu ruk Ek minute. Drink khatm kar ke aata hu.'

'Drink chhod. Tu aise hi aaja.' Karan calls him.

Rajveer barely nods his head. He looks at Naina who is amused.

Their group of friends looking at them and Raj has deciphered the meaning.

He looks at Naina and she returns his gaze. Flabbergasted he looks at his watch reading time. He whispers to her...

'Wo..Its Ten already. Umm..Ghar chalte he?'

Naina surprisingly turns to him. His eyes showing something tender. She silently asks him..

'Abhi to time he. Chalte he na baaad me. Aur ye game bhi to khelna he.'

He is beating his head with the glass.

'Ye...These people will roast us. You...aur hume ghar bhi to jana he..'

Naina laughs.

'Chalta he na. They are friends.'

He has held his head..

'Nainaa.. this is adult game. You know na what I mean.'

Her cheek turns red. She hurriedly gets up followed by Raj.

'Kaha ja rha he Raj? Oyee Sachin! pakad ise. Hamesha ki tarah aaj bhi bhaag rha he.' Riya catches him and makes him sit.

Raj is rooted, fearing in mind what these people will do with them. Its not like they get him daily..and its in million times that they have gotten him with his fianceè. The fear of those obscene questions and the rounds of teasing being followed is just not so...so his cup of tea. Naina may not like this. She will feel horrible?

'Okay. My turn.' Azhar has thumped his drink down.

'Never have I ever made out in public and that includes dry humping.'

Six out of ten sips their drinks. Everybody leaves Kriti and Chhaya..and looks at Rajveer and Naina.

'Never have I ever done a role play.'

Again Rajveer and Naina..

'Never have I ever orgasmed with oral only!' Half drunk Riya slurs this time.

'Never have I ever-' sachin is cut off by Akhil. Raj' fellow Captain.

'Oye Ruk. Raj. What have you done? You guys are engaged. Have you ever even had sex?'

Raj shuts his eyes. His drink is still fresh in his hand. He has not touched it. When he looks at Naina she is flushed. These guys are rogue. Raj accidentally drops his liquor on himself and runs...

'Wo..I'll be back. Ye saaf kar ke ata hu.'

'Raj! Wapas aana padrga. Dont be spoil sport. Abhi to shuru Kiya he. We are enjoying...' Riya is adamant on having his head and heart both today. They are enjoying.....May be they are but he is not.

Soon he is out of this bar. Naina follows him. And without a word he is in his jeep. The jeep starts and silence prevails only the temperate has risen.

His mind lingers to those question. They were legit but..he has no idea what stopped him from participating. The are engaged. The stone on her hand and a band in his finger reminds him daily. This does feel good but suddenly there are some foggy emotions. Not named but existing like the dark matter..prevailing and pushing him. Questions running in his mind. And he goes so cautious around her.

He steals a look on her. She is looking outside. Her cheeks now not that red as they were earlier. He feels her breeze tickling his cheek.

"I am sorry for my friends
Bohot bade nalayak hain sabke sab"
He finally found the courage to apologise.

"That's how friends are....."
She said with a suppressed smile

He gave an embarrassing chuckle and taking some deep sighs continued his words.

"Naina kuch batana hai tumhe"
He said

And she gave him her attention

"Meri next posting ke bare mein"
He completed the statement.

"Kya
Koi problem hai"
She asked out of curiosity due to the suspense he is building up."

"Nahi problem nahi hai
Bas ek issue hai
I mean..... tumne kabhi pucha nahi aur
Maine tumhe kabhi bataya nahi
But ab batana zaruri hai

Like main chupa nahi raha tha
But I just didn't felt that it's important to mention about it.

But now the circumstances are different and u need to know everything
And that's why"

"Raj.....
Just relax"

She said keeping her hand on his arm as if to give him a reassurance.
His name from her mouth everytime ignite a small spark in his chest.

"Just say it
What is bothering you"

And he took in control that feeling of a 16 yr old boy who just got a smile  from his crush

"Meri x girlfriend Nandini
She is assigned with me for my next operation"
He said in a single breath

And saw her face to read her mind

She kept staring at him and putting that irritating hair lock behind her ear she asked

"Han to issue kya hai"

She asked still trying to figure out... Waiting for him to continue

He saw her calm reaction and got confused.

"Ye issue nahi hai"?
He asked as according to him it was a really serious issue.

"Apko kyun lagta hai ke ye issue hai"
She asked amused at this side of him.

"I mean wo meri x hai to......"
The communication expert was finding it difficult to express himself
She mentally chuckled again.

"Wo kya hai
I don't care.....
Mujhe bas itna pata hai ke main apki kya hun...
Aur jo main aj hun apke liye
Wo aur koi kabhi nahi ban sakta...."

She tried to keep it short and simple.

And he felt like he fell in love with her all over again.

He can't help but to give her those look of hopeless lover.

While she blushed under his gaze and with her own words she just said.

They are not habitual of indulging in such romantic chats.
Always maintaining decorum .

But today breaking the pattern he went to reach for her hand....
Which turned cold that instant.

Rajveer - Naina
What I have with you.... I never felt like that for Nandini.
It's like we were meant to be
Like it was already written
Fated I guess.
It's like I have been waiting for you

He said first time with confidence in his eyes.

"I love you"

While she castes her eyes down out of shyness.

"Don't worry.
You don't need to reply it."

He said as he leave her hand .....
He know she need time to come to the other side of the line

She is standing where he left her....

The night is cold. She just realised it. She hugs herself...closing herself in her own arms. And a smile looms. He is such a cute cute gentleman. They are engaged now. And it sure is the turn where the paths haven't crossed but mixed up in a way that the road is one but travellers are two. Having a guy like him is dream come true.

अदायें भी हैं, मोहब्बत भी है
शराफ़त भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में
वो दीवानापन, वो जालिम अदा
शरारत भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में

Naina looks on his speeding jeep.. The innocent side of him makes her fall more for him daily..

SOME OTHER DAY..

Sea is so wide. It never seemed so wkde before. And the blooming darkness is making it more beautiful. Sje looks up in sky.. when will those stars come out! She wants them now. The reflection in sea will blow his mind. The beauty that lies in nature sure has a way to calm your tempest. She looks at him. He is her station where her battle stops and she takes a rain check from every damn thing.

ना पूछो मेरा दिल कहा खो गया
तुझे देखते ही तेरा हो गया
आँखों में तू, मेरे ख्वाबों में तू है
यादों के महके गुलाबों में तू है
वो सहमी नज़र, वो कमसीन उमर
चाहत भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में

वो दीवानापन, वो मासूमियत
शरारत भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में

Naina keeps loitering around him the way moth swarms around fire and this is not her doom. He is not flame, he is sun. Sun of her life.

For rajveer it always amazes him to see how she takes the changed scenario of their relation. This new step they have taken together is like a morning to her aesthetic soul. She is so free and light about it. Her waving form around him makes him wonder many things. He withers many times. It is not so odd but real in actual. A fright sometimes a hesitation or sometimes some other demon wakes up inside him. And every time when he sees her there with him he is amazed to see that she smiles all the time. She breathes in him. But he asphyxiates sometimes. And its her mouth that brings him back.

He stops when she points to something. The night is dark. Twinkle of star is brighter than ever. Sea reflects that shiny light and midst the night it sure is wonderful.

Naina is his star. She is shining bright But he is glooming like night. 

साँसों की बहती लहर रुक गयी
मुझे शर्म आयी, नज़र झूक गयी
के हम उन के कितने करीब आ गये
ये सोच के हम तो घबरा गये
वो बांकपन, वो दीवानगी
इनायत भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में

वो दीवानापन, वो जालिम अदा
शरारत भी है, मेरे मेहबूब में

She hugs his half frame putting her head on his chest. Her breathing calm and even. His heart goes irratic. He looks at her again...this time discovering something. That this...this is the opportunity for her..to be a star and she has seized it.

He covers her with his hand. His gloom turning in glow as the night grows. Instead of getting darker he feels blazed in most cheerful way. Emotions washing over him as waves wets his feet. Cool sea breeze hits him again and again. Her hair reeks of fruits specially of apples. He feels her besides him....

And suddenly the moment is a bliss. He recognizes one of the constellation in sky. The polaris in north. Then there is Ursa major. And at the farthest end the horizon dipping his head into valley of dawn.

A realization hitting him..that this night, this moment and this holding hand of her will never be same. The Polaris may be still forever but entire northern sky revolves. It changes its position and moves around Polaris. The same way time never stops. The same way life never stays same.

He hugs her..seizing whatever he can with her. Naina may be same as Polaris but life happens so he has to hold her before his whole world goes down.

---------------

Credit - Mona darling
riemannianmanifold