Prem Vivah

• Heads And Tails •

"This is impossible," Sameer told her in a soft voice.

"I don't know anything. But this was so insulting, maine yeh expect nahi kiya tha." Namrata said acrimoniously while holding back her tears which contained pain and anger for being humiliated.

"I am sorry Namrata, really very sorry, I swear yeh sab ek misunderstanding hain, nothing else. I know Naina, woh itni cheap harkat kar hi nahi sakti, karna toh door soch bhi nahi sakti." Sameer spoke with genuine confidence and belief in his fiance, and Namrata asked him furiously - "Toh kya main jhoot bol rahi hoon Sameer? Main yeh sab story bana rahi hoon? Agar believe na hona tumhe toh jake puch lo watchman se."

"I believe you, of course, but I trust Naina as well...and I can't doubt her at any cost, woh toh shaam se mere saath hi hai, kaha use yeh sab sochne aur karne ka time milega batao mujhe," Sameer asked his friend in a gentle voice while rubbing his forehead, wondering how this misunderstanding happened.

"Main nahi janti kya sach hai aur kya jhoot but I never felt so humiliated. Meri life me kisi ne meri aisi beizzati nahi ki hai, now don't expect me to attend your wedding." Namrata said in a stern voice and disconnected the call with sheer resentment leaking through her words and threats.

Sameer stared at his cell phone with a disgruntled expression, sewing his eyes in frustration as he wasn't able to comprehend why Naina would do something so disgusting and disrespectful. She isn't like this at all, and he trusts her intentions, actions, and words more than himself. There must be a huge misconception, and he should quickly find out the real culprit who plotted against his naive fiance and his friend. Taking a deep breath, he walked towards the entrance gate and saw the watchman standing there, doing his duty.

"Yahan koi ladki aayi thi Namrata naam ki?" Sameer asked him in a soft voice.

"Haa sir, aur maine unhe gate se hi bhej diya bahar." The watchman said with a small smile.

"Kyun? Kisne kaha tha aisa karney? Kiske kehne par kiya yeh?" Sameer questioned him in a firm voice while keeping his hands on either side of his waist, staring at the scared man with unrestrained anger.

"Sir Naina ma'am ke kehne par maine yeh sab kiya hai, unka hi order tha ki koi bhi Namrata naam ki ladki hall ke andar nahi aani chahiye hai." The watchman said with an innocent expression, and Sameer gaped at him in utter disbelief.

"What? Naina ne kaha yeh sab? Woh khud bolke gayi yahan aake?" Sameer asked him to confirm his doubt, and it took a few seconds for the middle-aged man to nod his head. However, he looked puzzled.

"I can't believe this." He exclaimed shockingly while clenching his jaw.

"I am sure Naina aisa kabhi nahi kar sakti." Sameer said after a minute with a confident expression.

"Sir, abhi humein yaad aaya ki woh ladki Naina mam nahi thi, koi aur thi jisne mujhse yeh sab karne kaha tha." The watchman said after a minute, recalling the face of that woman who commanded him to not allow any girl named Namrata to enter the banquet hall.

"Kaun thi?" Sameer asked him curiously, a part of his heart relieved that his trust in Naina stayed intact.

"Unka naam humein nahi pata, sirf chehra thoda yaad hai." He said ruefully.

"Andar se koi aayi thi ya bahar se koi thi?" Sameer questioned him.

"Andar se sir, taiyar huwi thi ekdum." The watchman informed the young boy.

Sameer knitted his thick eyebrows in puzzlement, pondering who does know about Namrata other than Naina. He can't remember telling Ankita, Radhika, Sonali, Anjali, or Pratiksha about his school friend, and even if they knew about her, why would they behave mercilessly towards that human who they didn't ever meet in person?