College days passed with a lot of fun, frolic, and romance. Amidst this, all failed to notice that Preeti was frequently lost in her dream world.

One evening:
"Preeti...Preeti..." Naina came inside the room after finishing her usual late-night call with Sameer. Preeti was lost somewhere and finally Naina had to shake her to bring her out of her reverie.

"Ho gayi teri baat Jijaji se?" Preeti asked as if nothing had changed.

"Aaj kal kahan khoyi rehti hai tu? Kab se aawaz de rahi hoon, sun hi nahi rahi hai?" Naina wasn't letting her off the hook so easily.

"Arre kahi nahi, wo toh buss aise hi!" Preeti tried to shrug it off.

"Nahi, kuch toh chal raha hai tere dimaag mein....bahut din se dekh rahi hoon....actually, college shuru hua tab se dekh rahi hoon... kuch toh sochti rehti hai....bata naa....kya hua hai?"
Naina knew her sister and this was not her usual self.

"Bata doon"...Preeti blushed.

"Baap re...itna sharma rahi hai ki laal ho gayi hai"...Naina crinkled her brows and continued "kahi tujhe koi pasand toh nahi aa gaya?"

Preeti turned a dark shade of crimson, shocking Naina to the core.

"Kaun hai wo?" She smiled, teased, and prodded her sister into revealing the secret.

"Kartik" Preeti replied shyly.

The teasing smile faded and Naina was disgusted. "Chiiiiiiii.....tujhe aur koi nahi mila, wo Kartik....chiiiiiiiii"

Now, it was Preeti's turn to be annoyed. "Kya chi? Kitna handsome hai aur ameer bhi". She replied in his defense.

"Handsome aur ameer hone se koi achcha nahi ho jaata. Aur mujhe wo pasand nahi hai." Chided Naina.

"Tujhe pasand karna bhi nahi hai behen...tere paas toh pehle si Salman jaise Jijaji hai... ab main soch rahi hoon ki Kartik Sharukh Khan jaisa dikhta hai yaa Akshay Kumar jaisa". Preeti again doned the dreamy look.

"Soch Naina...teri tarah mere paas bhi rich and handsome boyfriend hoga.... Soch mere Jijaji Sameer, tere Jijaji ameer."

Naina imitated her "Mere Jijaji Sameer, tere Jijaji ameer" (Sorry guys, couldn't stop myself from lifting this off the show... it was so cute that it had to be reused).

"Chiiiiiii...Kartik toh mujhe bilkul handsome nahi lagta...aur waise bhi wo achcha ladka nahi hai... tu bhool gayi, usne college ke pehle din kaise bina baat ke ladayee ki thi, aur upar se use apni ameeri pe kitna ghamand hai." Naina tried to drill some sense into her sister.

"Wah Naina, yeh achcha hai...tere paas Jijaji jaisa boyfriend hai toh aur koi achcha hai hi nahi...uss din toh aise hi takrar ho gayi thi, usme kya hai? Uske baad toh kuch nahi hua na?" Preeti tried to defend her choice.

"Haan, nahi hua. Par iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki hoga bhi nahi. Hum sab usse durr rehte hain isiliye kuch nahi hua, par mujhe lagta hai wo koi mauka milega toh zaroor ladayee karega. Aur upar se wo toh shayad Sunaina ko pasand karta hai". Naina tried to reason with her.

"Par Sunaina toh Jijaji ko dekhti rehti hai... toh main Kartik ko dekh sakti hoon, aur tujhe itni kyon jalan ho rahi hai, tere paas tera hai nai... ab mujhe apna pakka karne de". Preeti was irritated with her sister and flopped down on the bed and went to sleep facing away from her.

Naina was exasperated but let her sleep, she reminded herself to be on a look-out for her and make sure to keep her away from the wrong guy.

Next day in college:

The girls and boys were sitting on adjacent benches. Kartik sat two benches ahead of them and diagonally opposite to Preeti. She kept on staring at his side profile with her usual dreamy look and Naina continued to distract her every now and then, warning her with eyes to look away from him and focus on the lecture.

Finally, the lecture was over and everyone started to file out, including Kartik but not before he noticed Preeti eyeing him. He thought something, smirked and left. But, Preeti was still lost. Now, Naina lost her patience, she had to make her sister see through just his facial appearance.

When only the gang was left in the class, Naina scolded her sister. "Buss kar, chala gaya wo. Aur maine mana kiya na tujhe, uske baarein mein mat soch, wo achcha ladka nahi hai".

Preeti jumped off her seat in frustration. "Tu buss kar Naina, aajkal har baat mein teri dadagiri badh gayi hai...mujhe toh laga tha ki jaise tere waqt par main hamesha tere saath khadi thi, tu bhi mera saath degi, par nahi, tujhe tou buss apni hi chalani hai...tere paas Sameer jaisa rich, handsome, aur achcha boyfriend hai toh baaki sab bure ho gaye."

"Main tujhe yahi tou samjha rahi hoon kabse, ki Sameer achca hai, par wo achcha nahi hai. Aur rahi baat Sameer ke handsome aur ameer hone ki, toh jab mujhe usse pyar hua tha, tab maine use dekha bhi nahi tha, toh wo handsome hai ya nahi, pataa nahi tha aur jab dekh liya aur jaan liya toh pyar aur gehra ho gaya; uski ameeri ke baarein mein toh bahut baad mein pataa chala.... Hamara rishta pyar ka hai, paise ya sundarta ka nahi... please meri baat samajh, wo sahi ladka nahi hai", Naina calmly tried to explain to her.

Sameer was smiling listening to Naina's love confession and feeling lucky and satisfied as to how much she loved only him, and nothing else mattered to her.

But Preeti was in no mood to understand. "Rehne de Naina, tu behen ka farz bhool gayi hai" and she stormed out of the class.

Naina tried to holler and stop her but she was in no mood to relent or listen to any logic.

The rest of the gang was surprised and shocked to see the sisters fight like this openly for the first time.

Naina sat back on the bench with her head in her hands and Swati consoled her. Naina had already hinted to her that Preeti liked someone but it was the wrong guy.

Pandit was standing closest to her "Kya hua bhabhi? Aap dono ko aise ladte huye itne saalon mein nahi dekha."

"Kya hua hai Naina, Preeti tumse itni naaraz kyon hai, kya use koiii..ummm...ladka pasand hai?" Sameer asked her skeptically.

Naina just nodded.

Sameer smiled and was happy for his Saaliji. "Tou isme problem kya hai? Yeh toh achchi baat hai? Kya wo ladka Preeti ko pasand nahi karta?" Sameer asked again.

"Haan bhabhi, tum buss naam batao, hum uska kaan pakadke kheench ke le aayenge aur pyar karva hi denge" quipped Munna.

Pandit had mixed feelings about this revealation, but he was happy if everyone else was happy "haan batao na, kaun hai wo?"

Sameer also prodded further "bataona Naina, kaun hai wo?"

Naina murmured slowly with head bent down "Kartik."

All three boys voiced their surprise in disgust "Kyaaaaaa? Kartik?" Naina nodded.

"Hamare class ka ladka Kartik?" Pandit questioned, Naina nodded again.

"Wo trustee ka beta, bigdail ameerzaada?" Munna used the term that was used frequently used to address Sameer in school by Safari suit.

Sameer glared at him, but Naina nodded.

"Par wo achcha ladka nahi hai". Sameer voiced his concern for Preeti.

"Naina kabse Preeti ko yahi samjha rahi hai, par wo samajh hi nahi rahi, ulta dono mein ladayi ho gayi", explained Swati.

"Preeti ko lagta hai ki main uska saath nahi de rahi hoon...ab main use kaise samajhaun ki sahi ladke ko pasand karegi tou uski behen uske liye thappad bhi kha legi aur gaaliyan bhi sun legi." Naina tried to reason.

"Tum chinta mat karo, hum sab milkar use samjhayenge, use koi galat kadam nahi uthane denge." Sameer assured her and calmed her fears.

"Fir chalo use dhoondhkar aate hai, pataa nahi kahan gayi?" Pandit chimed. Naina also got up to go in search of her sister.

"Nahi Naina, thodi der use akela rehne de, gussa shant ho jaayega, abhi gubbare jaisa muh fulakar baithi hogi. Tu abhi jaayegi uske paas toh pakka thappad pad jayega, yaad hai na, uss din shaadi ke waqt jab use Sameer ke baare mein pataa chala tha, toh kitni gussa ho gayi thi aur tujhe dou thappad bhi jad diye the?"

Swati reminded her how angry Preeti could get, although it was rare, but it was hazardous.
Swati continued "Hum Red Rose chalte hai, wo thodi der mein shaant hokar aa jayegi".

Naina didn't wish to leave her but agreed to give her sister a few moments of privacy, but she was firm that in this matter she was not letting Preeti get her way as it was for her own good. She silently sent a prayer that God help her see some sense and understand that Kartik was not the right guy.

"Tum log chalo, main washroom jaake aata hoon", Pandit urged them to move ahead.

After a few minutes, Preeti's anger had subsided. "Mujhe Naina se itni buri tarah se baat nahi karni chahiye thi. Aakhir behen hai meri. Mera achcha hi chahegi. Buss mujhe use yakeen dilana hoga ki Kartik achcha ladka hai, fir toh mera saath zaroor degi. Aakhir hum sirf behne nahi, pakki dost bhi toh hai. Ab jaati hoon, warna pareshaan ho jayegi".

Preeti calmed herself and determined to sort out the matter with Naina, she got up from her sulking corner in the library as she was sure that library would be the last place they would look for her. While she was making her way to Red Rose as it was their given hangout, a guy suddenly appeared in front of her and blocked her way.

She looked up and saw that it was Kartik. Before she could go all dreamy on him again, he sniggered at her "Yeh dekho doston...Sameer ki dost. Waise toh Sameer bada tashan deta hai, par yeh ladki class mein sabke saamne mujhe sapnon bhari nazron se dekhti rehti hai".

Preeti was surprised that he had noticed her looking at him and was flabbergasted that he had declared this out in the open.

Inadvertently, she compared him with Sameer who never did anything in public that embarrassed Naina.

"Aur tumhari wo behen, kya naam hai uska?... haan... Naina Agarwal, suna hai tumhare school ki topper hai... toh teacherji yahan bhi aa gayi apna gyaan dene. Samajhti kya hai khudko? Sabke samne mera insult karegi aur main badla bhi nahi loonga?" Kartik stated his vengeful intentions.

"Par wo behenji toh yahan hai hi nahi", Priyank interrupted.

"Arre wo nahi hai toh kya hua, yeh toh hai, waise bhi ise dekhkar lagta hai ki yeh mere pyar mein pad gayi hai...dekho dekho sablog". Kartik prompted his friends and everyone started mocking her.

Preeti felt so insulted that no words came out of her mouth and her eyes misted with tears, but she was determined to not cry in front of him. Instead she pulled herself together and counteracted him "Mujhe laga tha ki uss din jo hua, wo buss aise hi bina baat ki tashan thi, par lagta hai Naina tumhare baarein mein sahi thi. Tumhe toh laadkiyon se baat karne ki bhi tameez nahi hai."

This remark angered Kartik. "Main dikhata hoon tumhe tameez. Pyar ka shauq hai na tumhe? Pataa hai pyar mein kya hota hai?" He came closer to intimidate her with the intention of holding her hand and kissing her in front of everyone so that he could humiliate the whole gang just by one action.

Just when he was about to hold her hand that were clutching the books so tightly to her bosom that her knuckles went white, another hand firmly gripped his and stopped his advent.

"Tune himmat bhi kaise ki ise haath lagane ki? Tere ghar mein Maa Behen nahi hai kya, jo iss tarah se ladki ko pareshan karte ho?" Preeti was amazed to see such an angry Pandit that his eyes had red threads. This was totally new to her.

"Aye...." Kartik and Priyank were irked and in a mood for fight.

Pandit also pointed his finger at them "Aye...." But he realized that he was alone and might not be able to take all the guys at the same time. So, he tried his age-old technique to intimidate them and started snapping his fingers in an angry mode and taking slow steps towards them. Kartik and gang started backing off unknowingly.

Just then Principal madam passed the corridor, and seeing the commotion, "Kya ho raha hai yahan par?" She came to the boys and asked "Kya ho raha hai? Kya kar rahe ho tum log?" Ma'am was eyeing both boys suspiciously.

Preeti immediately came to Pandit's rescue.
"Ma'am wo Kartik aur uske dost mujhe pareshan kar rahe the, darane ki koshish kar rahe the... Pandit toh mera dost hai, buss meri madad kar raha tha."

"Yeh mera college hai, yahan rules aur discipline se chalna padega...Aur tum Kartik, trustee ke bete ho iska matlab yeh nahi hai ki apni manmani karoge. Koi badtameezi ki toh main strict action loongi, rusticate bhi kar sakti hoon. Yeh meri pehli aur aakhri warning hai. Ab iss ladki ko sorry bolo aur sabke samne kaho ki aajse yeh tumahri behen hai."

Preeti was surprised that the Rakhi system prevailed even in college, Pandit was amused that at least now he wouldn't trouble her, while Kartik was stupefied. He mumbled an apology and accepted Preeti as his sister and promised to not trouble her or any other girl ever again.
Principal ordered the crowd to disperse.

Everyone left except Pandit and Preeti. They looked at each other for few seconds, and then, burst out laughing.

"Mujhe toh laga tha yeh behen banane wala system sirf school tak hi tha, par Principal madam toh ise college mein bhi le kar aa gayi". Pandit exclaimed.

"Pakka hamare PVKM ke principal sir se, aur Rakesh Tauji aur Taiji se mili hongi". They laughed all the way to Red Rose.

Naina was relieved seeing her happy and surprised to see her with Pandit.

When asked, Preeti narrated the whole incident, which alarmed the rest. Sameer and Munna were boiling because of such ill-treatment with Preeti and that they weren't around when Pandit needed help. While, Naina and Swati felt bad about her insult.

"Are, tum sab log shaant ho jao. Ab sab theek hai. Pandit ne use dara diya aur Principal ma'am ne daant diya". Then, she also told them about how he was asked to consider her as sister henceforth and everyone burst out laughing.

Then in all seriousness, Preeti turned to Naina "Sorry Naina, teri baat na sunne ke liye aur tujhpe gussa karne ke liye. Aur pataa nahi gusse mein tujhe kya kya bol diya. Plz maaf kar de".

"Chal chup kar paagal, tu sirf meri behen nahi, pakkiwali dost bhi hai, aur doston mein toh ladayi hoti rehti hai, koi baat nahi". Naina had no qualms about anything. Her concern was only her sister's well-being.

"Dost toh hum bhi hai na Naina, par hum toh lagbhag kabhi nahi ladte, toh matlab hum pakkewale dost nahi hai" Swati asked with a worried expression.

"Arre buddhu...hum pakke dost hai par Preeti aur main dost bhi hai aur behen bhi hai na... toh ladna toh banta hai." All three girls laughed and hugged each other in their trio hug.

The boys were happy seeing them together, it was indeed a precious bond.

"Chal, isse ek baat toh achchi hui, tujhe pata chal gaya ki Kartik achcha ladka nahi hai aur tu galat insaan ke chakkar mein padne se bach gayi." Naina concluded.

"Haan Naina, kaash pehle hi teri baat maan li hoti. Chal... aaj ek promise karti hoon... main usi ladke se pyar aur shaadi karoongi jo tujhe pasand aayega mere liye".

Pandit smiled hearing this, without realizing it.
Then remembering something she continued in her playful tone... "Par wo ameer aur handsome hona chahiye....bilkul mere Jijaji ki tarah..." Naina rolled her eyes and Sameer shook his head and smiled.

The sisters hugged but no one noticed that Pandit's face fell; he quickly regained his jovial manner as the boys patted him for his brave act and the girls thanked him for taking a stand.