It was just after dinner that the phone started to ring. Rahul took the call, listened for a moment and looked at Sameer.
"Tumhare liye hai, Ahmedabad se... Naina ke chachaji." He said in a serious tone.
Naina looked at Sameer, her palms going damp... the news about her father's reaction was here... and the fact that chachaji wanted to speak to Sameer and not her made her more nervous.
Blinking at her in assurance, Sameer got up to answer the call.
"Namaste chachaji, kaise hain aap?" He greeted Anand.
The next few minutes were hardest for Naina... she kept looking at him, searching his face for any sign that could indicate what chachaji was saying.
The entire conversation was from the other side, with just a few "Jee chachaji" interspersed by Sameer.
Naina sat with bated breath... the scenario seemed more grave than they had expected.
Sonali and Rahul were equally tensed, worried about the fate of their friends.
Sameer did not look up even once during the whole talk, keeping his eyes fixed on a point on the floor... neither did he show any expression.
When Naina could bear it no more, she got up to go near him... Sameer stopped her... holding up his hand towards her without looking in her direction.
Naina fought back the tears, blinking hard.
He disconnected after a while.
Three sets of eyes peered at him.
"Sameer, kya... kya kaha ch... chachaji ne?" Naina asked in a shaky voice.
He took a step towards her.
"Please bata do kya hua... meri jaan nikal rahi hai." Her voice was choked.
Sameer took two long strides and cupped her face, beaming, "Naina, Naina... jo tum soch bhi nahi sakti woh hua."
This was not the expression other three expected from him. They stared dumbfounded.
"Tumhare papa ne tumhari shaadi karwa di." He said excitedly.
It was a jolt to Naina... and he was jubilant about it.
"Sameer, tu pagal ho gaya hai kya... bol kya raha hai?" Rahul asked in confusion.
"Main sach mein pagal ho gaya hun... khushi se... aur woh khushi mujhe Naina ke papa ne di hai." He seemed to be ecstatic.
Naina felt she would faint... his words made no sense... the joy he showed did not match his words...
He had definitely gone insane.
Rahul walked up to him and roughly shook his shoulder, "Sameer... hosh mein aa aur bataa kya hua hai... yeh drama band kar... Naina ki haalat toh dekh."
Sameer gave a look to his friend, not able to wipe off the wide smile from his face... and turned back to Naina... crushing her in his arms.
She would have collapsed had it not been for his tight hold.
"Naina, tumhare papa nahi aayenge... na hi unko humari shaadi ke baare mein kuch pata chala... aur jo woh karwana chahte the uski kahaani bhi khatam ho gayi." He stated.
Naina felt she could breathe again... she pushed at his chest, "Saari baat batao, kaise hua yeh sab."
He made her sit on the chair, sitting down on the floor in front, resting his arms on her knees, "Arjun aur Rakesh sir Rajkot gaye the na, match ke liye... wahan Arjun ne apni haarti hui team ko double century maar ke jita diya... aur naya record banaya sabse jaldi itne run banane ka... wahan Chief Minister aaye hue the... unhone Arjun ko award dete hue usse state team ka captain ghoshit kar diya aur kaha ki woh uska naam national team ke liye aage bhejenge."
