The family settled down on the soft mattresses spread on the floor, covered with crisp, pristine white sheets.

Naina sat down with the girls who were happy to have been able to get jijaji's shoes.

The ritual started with the usual chanting and lighting of fire. In the beginning, Sonali was made to sit a little away as pooja was to be done only with Rahul. Naina whispered something to the girls and got up to go outside. Sameer could not sit and wait. He followed her right away.

"Naina, kahan jaa rahi ho?" He called out as he saw her going towards the dining area.

Naina turned to see him right behind her. Her heartbeat became faster at the thought of what happened in the house.

"Bas haath dhone jaa rahi thi... joote uthaye the... abhi phool dalne honge isliye." She replied softly, with lowered eyes.

Sameer glanced at the dining area. There was no one from the family. Only the helpers were moving around, clearing the table of dinner dishes. Just a couple of tables were left with arrangement of hot and cold beverages, some snacks and sweets.

"Tum yahin ruko, main paani laata hun." He didn't want her to be around all those people alone.

Naina waited while he fetched a glass of water. She extended her hand but he indicated her to bring her hands over a corner flower bed.
Naina washed her hands as he poured water. Quickly, he fished out his handkerchief and offered to her. As Naina wiped her hands, he washed his and went back to return the glass. She gave him the handkerchief to wipe his hands. When they were done, she turned to go.

"Naina, suno," he stopped her.

Her heart again missed a beat. They were at a place where half the people present there could easily see them.

"Sameer, hum abhi bahar... " She turned to speak but paused as she saw him holding a roll towards her.

She looked at the roll, then raised her brows at him, taking the gaze off him instantly.

"Tumhare liye paranthe hain... tumne kuch khaya nahi hai na." He said softly.

"Tumne khaya?" She was not sure he had eaten what she gave him.

He nodded.

Naina took the roll and unwrapped it. She offered it to him. He shook his head. She mouthed a soft 'Please.'

Sameer took a bite. Naina took the next. She offered it again to him.

He refused, "Maine kha liya, Naina... yeh tumhara hai... main khaunga toh tumhara pet nahi bharega."

"Rahul aur Sonali ne ek dusre ko khilaya hai... jiski shaadi hoti hai sab aisa hi karte hain." She finally looked into his eyes.

Sameer held the roll, keeping his hand over hers, and took a bite, then took it for her to eat.

They finished the two paranthas together. He offered the handkerchief again and Naina wiped her hands with the damp handkerchief. She then dabbed it around her mouth and gave it back to Sameer. He kissed it, folded and kept it in his pocket.

Naina stood watching him for a few seconds, then turned and walked back to sit with others where the next and the last ritual of marriage was to be performed.

Sameer wanted to stop her, make her stand with him for some more time... he wanted to know what she had been thinking when she looked at him with such intense eyes...

But she was gone.

Panditji  called for the bride and Sonali occupied the place next to Rahul.

By now, Sameer was back too. Instead of sitting with Rishi and other boys, he sat a little behind Naina, watching her listening keenly to what the panditji was explaining about marriage. No more than a few seconds had passed when she looked back and smiled, as if she knew he would be there... right behind her.

They watched as the dupatta of Sonali was tied with Rahul's... to symbolise their binding with each other.

The rounds of holy fire along with the pledges taken for each other and for them as a couple completed the pheras. A decorated plate with a small box of sindoor was brought. Rahul took some red vermillion in the coin and put it in the parting of Sonali's hair.

Naina was sitting with her legs folded. Seeing the red colour adorn her friends forehead, she had an urge to touch hers. She placed her hand on the side. When his hand covered hers, she just let his warmth reach her through the hand, giving the solace she needed.
The tying of mangalsutra made her feel a little emotional.

Sameer saw her wiping the eyes. He was surprised. She cried while watching movies, she was crying at her friend's wedding... what other times she cried?

Once the marriage was solemnised, everyone showered flower petals on the newly married couple. Sonali's mother and bhabhi hugged her.

Now it was time for the boy's family to leave along with the new bride. But the groom needed his shoes first.

"Aise nahi jijaji, pocket dheeli kijiye. Poore do hazaar lenge hum toh." The saalis started their negotiations.

"Kaisi behne ho tum log, apni badi behen ke itne paise kharch karwaogi? Arre uski nai nai shaadi hui hai, shopping karegi, ghumegi... aur tum log uske saare paise khatam karwa rahe ho." Rahul remarked with a frown.

"Hum Sonu ke paise kahan kharch karwa rahe hain... hum toh aapse maang rahe hain." One girl retorted.

"Toh mere paise ab aapki Sonu ke hi toh hain... aakhir pati hun iska... iklauta." Rahul smiled at his new wife, making her blush.

"Yeh aap gol gol baaton se humein budhu mat banao... paise toh dene hi padenge... warna aise hi ghar jao." Another much younger cousin chipped in.

"Nahi, nahi, aise kyon jaoge... aakhir apni dulhan leke jaa rahe ho... shaan se jaana chahiye. Joote toh aapko lene hi padenge humse." The elder girl shushed her younger sibling.

"Haan, haan beta, jitna aap log kahoge utna hi dega. Yeh toh aap logon ka haq hai. Rahul, chal jaldi paise de." His father directed him.

"Aise kaise de dega bhai, papa? Pehle joote laake toh dikhayein yeh log... inka koi bharosa nahi... paise leke bhi nahi diye toh? " Rishi took side of his brother.

"Aisa kyon karenge? Humein aapke bhai ke jooton se kya kaam hoga jo rakhenge?" Another cousin showed annoyance.

"Jao phir leke aao... hum abhi paise dete hain." Rishi ordered.

The girls looked at Naina. She dipped her head to the side. Sameer was amused to see that she had become their gang leader.

The girls were soon back with a box and opened it to show the shoes.

"Ab dijiye paise." They demanded.

Finally Rahul fished out two thousand rupees and gave to them. The girls were ecstatic.

The fun part was over. Now it was time for Sonali to bid farewell to her family and leave her house for a new one. A sudden sadness descended on everyone. Amit got her suitcase from the house and placed it in Rahul's car.

Sonali hugged her family members one by one, tears spilling from everyone's eyes.

After she met her cousins, she came to Naina.

"Waise toh hum college mein milenge par abhi lag raha hai apni behen ko chod ke jaa rahi hun." She hugged her friend and both cried.

When it was bhabhi's turn, she patted Sonali's head, "Rona kyon hai? Tujhe toh khush hona chahiye ki Rahul jaisa itna achha saathi mila hai tujhe. Sonu, hum ladkiyan itni khushnaseeb hoti hain pata hai... humein ek nahi do do gharon mein pyaar milta hai... do gharon mein khushiyaan baantne ma mauka milta hai... tu bhi iss baat ka khyal rakhna... jaise yahan sabko pyar diya waise hi wahan bhi dena... apna samajh ke... hamesha yaad rakhna ki woh uske ghar wale hain jisse tu sabse zyada pyar karti hai...  isliye unka bhi waisa hi samman karna."

Sonali's mom came to her, smiling lovingly at her daughter in law, "Sonu, bhabhi ki baat hamesha yaad rakhna... iske jaisi banke rehna jisse tere parivaar ko bhi tujhpe naaz ho jaise humein teri bhabhi pe hai."

All three hugged and Naina could not help crying at the scene in front of her.

Sameer gave a damn to the surroundings and placed an arm around her shoulder, pressing it to comfort her. Naina winced.

He looked at her strangely, wondering why she jerked... even though she did not try to move away or remove his hand.

The couple sat in the car that was beautifully decorated with flowers. Amit and his father gave the customary push as the car left their society. Other guests from grooms side also left after saying goodbye to the girls family.

Rishi called out to Sameer to join them in their car and he left with a heavy heart, not happy to see Naina still sniffing.

Once all guests were gone, the family went home, the relatives going to the houses they were staying in. Almost everyone was to leave the next morning.

Naina went to the room she had been sharing with Sonali for the last four days. However, it felt as if she had been living here forever. Though Sonali had been her friend from the first day of college, the closeness they felt in these few days was such that Naina felt her own sister had left... she missed her too much.

Bhabhi came to the room.

"Naina," she knocked.

"Arre bhabhi aap andar aaiye na,"  Naina looked at her, smiling.

Bhabhi came inside and sat on the bed.

She placed a hand on Naina's cheek, "Tu theek hai na?"

Naina nodded, though her eyes again got misty.

"Pagal ladki, abhi itna royegi toh apni shaadi mein kya karegi?" Bhabhi gave a playful pat on her cheek.

Naina lowered her eyes.

"Main yeh puchne aayi thi ki aaj akele ghabrayegi toh nahi? Tu kahe toh main so jaati hun tere paas." She  asked gently.

Naina shook her head, "Uski zaroorat nahi hai, bhabhi. Main toh hostel mein akeli hi rehti hun... mujhe koi problem nahi hai... aur kuch ghanto ki hi toh baat hai... subah main wapas chali jaungi."

"Theek hai, tu aaram kar, thak gayi hogi. Kuch khana hai?" She was concerned.

"Kuch nahi chahiye... aap so jaiye." Naina was touched.

"Waise tu kahe toh Sameer ko bula deti hun... woh bhi akela hoga... Rahul toh Sonali ko naye ghar leke gaya hai." Bhabhi winked at her.

Naina felt her ears heat  up as she remembered Sameer in this room few hours back.

"Oho! Tune mana nahi kiya... matlab bula dun kya?" She teased.

Naina was mortified... she barely managed to shake her head in negative.

Laughing, bhabhi left the room, closing the door behind her.

Naina locked the door. She came back to stand in front of the mirror, looking at her flamed cheeks.

She started to remove the pins of her dupatta.

After a tedious task of twenty minutes, finally she had changed into her night dress, feeling relieved.

As she sat in the bed, the phone rang. She picked up in one ring so that no one gets disturbed.

"Hello?"

"Naina?" Sameer's voice made her feel relaxed instantly.

"Sameer, tum soye nahi abhi tak?" She glanced at the clock. It showed thirty minutes past two.

"Tum bhi kahan soyi ho." He said softly.

"Woh mujhe change karne mein kaafi time laga... bohot saare pins the." She told him.

"I Love You, Naina."

She held her breath, at his sudden confession.