Naina was waiting outside her hostel when Sameer stepped out of his building. One look at her face and he knew she had also been up the whole night.

Walking up to her, he held her hands, "Naina, tum itni pareshan mat ho... chachaji aur Phulla bua dono humare saath hain... woh kuch galat thodi sochenge humare liye... aur sirf ghar hi toh bulaya hai... kaunsa wapas Ahmedabad bula rahe hain jo tum itna darr rahi ho."

Naina had been thinking about all possible scenarios that could have caused this summon... the scariest was that her father had somehow come to know about Sameer and now he wanted Naina to leave Mumbai. When she shared it with Sameer, he was also tensed, but decided to stand up for his love this time.

"School mein hamesha tumhare papa ke baare mein soch ke main peeche hat gaya, Naina... lekin iss baar nahi... ab agar tumhare papa ne humein alag karne ki koshish ki toh main kuch bhi kar sakta hun... jaanta hun woh tumhare pita hain par unhe hum dono ke beech mein nahi aane dunga... kya tum mera saath dogi?" He knew it would be difficult for her to go against her father but he had to know.

Naina thought about all the times when Rakesh had ignored her existence, giving all his attention to Arjun.

"Main tumhare saath hun, Sameer... agar iske liye mujhe papa ke khilaaf bhi jaana pada toh main ek second ke liye bhi nahi sochungi... tumse alag hone ka toh sawaal hi nahi uthta... aur papa kabhi mere saath the hi nahi jo mujhe unse alag jaane ka dukh ho." Her voice was firm.

They looked at each other with a new determination and some sense of relief.

The ride to Phulla bua's house took about half an hour. Sameer stopped her as she was about to ring the bell.

Placing his hands on her shoulders, he looked into her eyes, "I Love You."

Without any hesitation, Naina went into his arms, "I Love You too, Sameer... bohot zyada."

They felt much calmer when they entered the house five minutes later.

Phulla bua was seated on the sofa while Anand stood next to her after opening the door. The grim lines on their faces conveyed the seriousness of the matter.

Sameer touched bua dadi's and chachaji's feet as mark of respect. Anand stroked Naina's head as she hugged him.

When she looked at bua dadi, the old lady spread her arms, giving an emotional smile.

Naina sat with her immediately, resting her head on bua dadi's chest.

"Tere baap ko iss zindagi mein toh akal aane se rahi... bete ke aage usse kuch dikhayi nahi deta." She muttered, clutching Naina against her heart.

Naina realised that everything had to do with her father's phone call.

"Kya hua hai, chachaji? Papa kyon aana chahte hain yahan pe?" She asked, straightening up.

Anand settled on a chair opposite Sameer. He looked at both of them, then at Phulla bua.

She nodded, "Bade ho gaye hain yeh ab, inhe sab pata hona chahiye... aakhir zindagi toh inki hi hai... bata de."

Anand lowered his eyes, "Naina, tum toh jaanti ho Rakesh bhaisahab ke liye Arjun ka cricket team mein selection kitni ahmiyat rakhta hai... apna saara paisa aur samay unhone issi kaam mein laga diya hai itne saalon se."

Naina was well aware of her father's desire to see Arjun bhaiya get selected for the national team. She used to feel bad earlier that he gave no importance to her needs and achievements. But over the years, the need for a father figure in her life had been limited to chachaji and she felt no requirement for her own father's love.

"Hum sabne kabhi unhe nahi roka... yeh soch ke ki agar aisa ho jaata hai toh Arjun ki zindagi ban jayegi." Anand continued.

Sameer wondered how his and Naina's life was connected to Arjun and her father's dream.

Anand took a deep breath, "Lekin ab bhaisahab Arjun ke liye jo keemat chukana chahte hain woh bohot badi hai... aur yeh hum log nahi hone de sakte."

Naina gulped... maybe her father wanted to sell the little gold her mother had left for her... if that was the case, she would happily offer whatever amount of money he asked for... but the two gold chains and a set of silver anklets was all she had as her mother's remembrance and she would not part with it.

"Kya keemat mangi hai papa ne... mere paas paise hain... woh jitne kahenge main de sakti hun." She offered.

"Chachaji, mera sab kuch Naina ka bhi hai... woh jo bhi maange hum de sakte hain." Sameer offered, confident that this time Naina will let him spend money.

They both looked hopefully at Anand.

"Bhaisahab ko paise nahi chahiye, Naina... iss baar woh keemat tum ho." His voice was low but clear.

Sameer and Naina looked at each other in confusion... they did not understand how Naina could help in Arjun's career.

Bua dadi pressed chachaji's shoulder, giving him courage to go on.

He looked up at his niece, "Woh tumhari shaadi karane aa rahe hain... agle hafte."

Sameer felt a sudden darkness descend on him... the air around was not enough for him to breathe.

Naina sat like a stone... motionless... her eyes frozen as she stared at chachaji.

"Haan beta, Arjun ke selectors ki team ke jo chairman hain, bhaisahab unke paas gaye the baat karne... woh gaye toh rishwat ki baat karne the par ussi samay unka beta wahan aaya... woh dimaag se thoda kamzor tha... Rakesh bhaisahab chairman ke haav bhaav se samajh gaye ki unko apne bete se kitna pyaar hai... baat karne pe unhe pata chala ki woh unka iklauta beta hai... dimaag se thoda peeche hai isliye sixth class ke baad padhai nahi ki... ab woh chahte hain kisi padhi likhi samajhdaar ladki se agar uski shaadi ho jaaye toh unke paas jo itna paisa hai uska koi faayda nahi utha payega unke jaane ke baad... bhaisahab ne fauran tumhari baat ki aur woh ab shaadi ke liye tumhe shagun dene aa rahe hain." Anand explained the whole matter.

Naina and Sameer were still in a frozen state.

"Rakesh ne toh kisi ko na pucha na bataya... uska irada hai seedhe tere college pohoch ke baat pakki kar de aur tere exam hote hi shaadi karwa de." Bua dadi was equally bitter.

"Lekin Arjun se yeh baat bardaasht nahi hui... woh tumhari zindagi aise barbaad nahi hone dena chahta... usne bhaisahab se chup ke PCO se mujhe phone kiya aur sab bata diya... Arjun Sameer ke baare mein nahi janta par woh nahi chahta ki tumhari zindagi ke saath aise khilwad kiya jaye... isliye usne mujhse kaha ki main kisi bhi tarah tumhe yahan se kahin le jaun jisse jab Rakesh bhaisahab aayein toh unki mulakaat na ho sake." Anand was grateful to Arjun for telling everything in time.

"Beta, tu chinta mat kar, hum tere saath aisa nahi hone denge... tere baap ne apni khud ki zindagi nark bana rakhi hai par usse tere saath aisa karne ka koi haq nahi hai." Bua dadi consoled Naina.

"Main... main abhi aayi." Naina got up suddenly, moving towards the kitchen.

Sameer was still sitting with his gaze fixed on the carpet, his hands tightly clasped together.

Anand started to talk to him, "Sameer, beta maine tumhe isliye saath bulaya hai kyonki Naina se judi har baat..."

"Naina..." Sameer looked up with a jerk, cutting chachaji's sentence midway.

"Kya hua, beta... Naina abhi aa rahi hai." Anand gave a perplexed look.

"Naina... kuch hua hai usse," Sameer ran towards the kitchen, other two following him.

She lay on the floor, unconscious.

In a fraction of a second, Sameer was next to her, picking her to hold against his chest.

"Aankhen kholo, Naina... kya hua... utho na... dekho, hum sab theek kar lenge... tumhe kuch nahi hone dunga... kahi nahi jaane dunga... Naina, utho, please." Unmindful of the presence of elders, he crushed her in his arms as tears ran down his cheeks.

"Sameer, beta isse andar le jao... main doctor ko phone karta hun." Chachaji crouched next to them, gently touching Sameer's shoulder.

He picked her up and quickly walked to the bedroom, placing her carefully on the bed. Kneeling beside her, he held her hand while stroking her forehead with the other one.

Bua dadi brought a glass of water. Sameer quickly sat next to her and supported her head to let a few drops of water touch her mouth. The water trickled down her chin. He quickly wiped the wetness with his fingers, not moving from her side till the doctor arrived.

Waiting outside the closed door with chachaji, Sameer impatiently paced the room, wrenching his hands.

"Sameer, beta tum ghabrao mat, Naina bas darr se behosh ho gayi hogi... uske saath pehle bhi aisa ho chuka hai." Anand's words did not give him much relief though he had himself seen her faint once in college.

When the door opened, Sameer rushed to the doctor, "Kya hua Naina ko... usse hosh kyon nahi aa raha... kab uthegi?"

"Naina ab hosh mein hai... shayad koi shock ya trauma ki wajah se behosh ho gayi thi... abhi theek hai... aap mil sakte hain." Sameer ran to the room.

Bua dadi was sitting with Naina, who was now seated against the backrest.

"Naina, kaisi ho tum? Abhi theek lag raha hai? Aaj fir se breakfast nahi kiya na? Bola hai tumhe khana time pe khaya karo... par tumhe kisi ki fikr nahi hai... bas apni manmaani karni hai." His voice choked as he kneeled again next to her bed.

Bua dadi got up and pulled the chair from behind. Making him sit on it, she kissed his forehead.

"Ab tu yahan baith aur iska khayal rakh, main zara Anand se kuch baat kar lu." She said before leaving.

Sameer looked at her pale face... she  noticed his swollen eyes...

He shifted on the bed and took her in his arms.

The sound of sniffing made him move back, he held her from shoulders to see her face.

"Naina, tumhari tabiyat theek nahi hai... aise rone se aur kharab ho jayegi." He tried to pacify her.

"Sameer, yeh sab kya ho raha hai? Papa... unhone kabhi kisi ki baat nahi maani... hamesha apni marzi se sab kuch karte hain... agar... agar... " Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.

He held her face, "Suno, ek baat samajh lo... agar kisi ne bhi tumhe mujhse chinne ki koshish ki toh main tumhe bhaga ke le jaunga... log kya kahenge isse mujhe koi fark nahi padta... par tumse alag toh ab main hone ka soch bhi nahi sakta."

"Main abhi chalne ko taiyar hun, Sameer... chalo hum abhi bhag ke shaadi kar lete hain." She sat up straight.

"Shh... abhi nahi... agar inn baaton se pareshan hoke chachaji yahan aaye hain toh ek baar unki baat toh sun lein... wada karta hun tumse ki agar koi aur hal nahi nikla toh hum baith kar tumhare papa ke aane ka intezar nahi karenge... usse pehle hi shaadi kar lenge." He wiped her tears with his thumb.

Outside, Phulla bua agreed to what Anand told her.

"Yehi theek rahega... inn bachhon ko aur takleef mein nahi dekh sakti main... dono ne kya kam dukh sahe hain apni zindagi mein jo ab bhi inke imtihaan khatam hi nahi ho rahe... yeh Rakesh ko toh baap kehlane ka haq hi nahi hai... jab usse parwah nahi hai kisi ki toh hum kyon uski parwah karein... tu in dono ko bata de... ab koi aur rasta nahi bacha." She patted his head.

"Jee buaji." Anand nodded, "Aaj Sameer ko Naina ki aise fikr karte dekhkar laga ki humse bhi zyada usse Naina ki chinta hai... ek pal mein usse Naina ki takleef ka ahsaas ho gaya jabki humme se kisi ko pata nahi chala ki woh behosh hui hai... jiss tarah se bina hichkichaye usne Naina ko utha liya aur gale se lagaya usse yeh bhi pata chal gaya ki Naina uspe kitna bharosa karti hai... ab kuch aur sochne ki zaroorat nahi rahi."

He called out to Naina and Sameer.

When they were seated in front of him, he asked Naina if she was feeling better. When she nodded, he smiled with pursed lips.

"Bachhon, abhi tak maine bataya tha ki Rakesh bhaisahab kya karne wale hain... ab main bataunga ki main kya karna chahta hun... agar tum dono ko manzoor ho toh." He said in a soft voice.

Sameer and Naina looked at each other, then looked back at him.

"Main tumhari shaadi karwana chahta hun... court mein... kal hi."

Without realising, they reached out for each other's hand, holding it tightly in the space between them on the sofa, seeking the strength they needed to comprehend what they just heard.

Phulla bua smiled fondly, showing her support.