Friendship is said to be the most pious relation sometimes. Here we meet strangers then get to know them. And then time comes when we could bait our life for them. Other relations sometimes fails to be same reliable and trustworthy as friendship is.

Same happened with Captain Naveen. He was framed for ammunition smuggling and selling them to bidders. Just in two days everything had come crushing down. His career, reputation, name, and most importantly his respect. The people who were singing in his praise, abashed him openly. They declared him traitor even when all allegations were not proved to be true. When everyone and everything was against him, there was one person who had his back.

Captain Rajveer Singh shekhawat!

He had at once flew to gurdaspur base where naveen was arrested with few rifles and a blue print of missile. He had rushed to him leaving his everything behind.....His career, his family in Delhi and perhaps some important mission or task whatever he was assigned to take care of. With his presence, Naveen could not feel more gloomy. His support was there. He could not feel same fear as before. He was relaxed for time. He was not tensed because raj was there to take care of his tensions. Raj was here......His best friend. With his trust in him, all allegations didnt matter to Naveen.

On the other hand, Raj' face had void of colour. It was full of fear. Naveen a traitor? A spy? No....Not in his dream. He could for a second turn his back but Naveen could never. Raj' feet trembled when he approached handcuffed naveen. Two soldiers were standing beside him with guns in hands. Raj couldn't meet their eyes. It was not he was ashamed of being Naveen' friend. He was ashamed on being late. If he were steady and fast,perhaps anaveen wouldn't be like this. Only if he were involved and way clever than the person who had trapped nav. But right now Naveen was no longer a captain because he was under investigation now.

What a turn in events!

Just few months ago he was complaining him about his desk load. How badly khanna had involved him in many kind of troubles starting from making reports on necessary improvement in uniform to distributing some rubbish tenders. For a second his mind drifted to that tender slut. Damn!

Before he could say anything, Naveen spoke up.

'Sale! Bachane aaya he ya aansu bahane! Gale lag..talk sweetly. Aise devdas banke kya khada he? Janaze par mahi aya he jo baccho jaise ro rha he. Abe...I need moral support. Hell broke on me...aur tujhe dekh kar lagta he ki gf teri bhagi he.'

Raj could not believe his ears. This guy was really from other world.

'Sale. Ek to khud hi trap ho gya...upar se mujhe bol rha he ki tensed na ho. Agar tujhe hail ho gayi to tere baccho ka kya hoga! Aur wo teri radha, meera, heera, kheera gfs he unka kya hoga? Chal...idhar aa...' he hugged him and felt his shoulders wet soon.

Naveen was crying. Yes. The facade was just to hide his broken self. Raj'eyes too were flooded now.

He turned to soldiers who were watching the convict to have his first ever consolation meeting. He asked them to wait for few minutes before they take him to cell.

'Sun. Ek ehsaan karega?'

'Pagal he...jaan he tu meri. Aur me apni jaan par ehsan nahi kar skata.'

'Sale...emotions ki ma bahan mt kar...kitna gay sound kar rha he tu...pata he tujhe! Damn! Kitna emotional scene banta...Tune dhajjiya uda di.' Naveen wiped his tears laughing maniacally. 'Sun..Gudiya ki shadi he...Chandigarh ke Cavanal Hill Resort me. If I am unable to reach within three hours, wo poori duniya sar par utha legi. Please...go and handle her. Koi bhi excuse de dena...just for a day. Kal to newspaper aur tv headlines par sabko pata lag hi jayega.'

Raj embraced him tighter....

'Abe maarega kya? I am alright. Ab nikal. Aur ha...Meri bahan ko daantna nahi...Warna muh tod dunga tera..'

Raj laughed hearing him. This guy was really something. He never let him feel how devastated he was feeling. How shameful this day was for him. How he had managed to smile even after hearing everyone' accusations and allegations! Only he knew how he had managed to sound so alive after falling to death when his loyality was questioned.

'Aaj tak apni gudiya ki ek pic nahi dikhayi...pahchanunga kaise?'

'Tere jaise logo se bacha kar rakha tha...samjha. marriage veneu ka adress de diya he..surname same he hamare...aur mere parents ko tu janta hi he.. ab aur kya batau? Uske fianceè ka naam? Captain Sanjay Gill. Ab jaa...aur mujje pakana chhod.'

'I am coming for you....Wih her. Bhoolna nahi. And dont worry....Me chain se nahi baithne wala ab.' He assured him pointing out how he was going to dig into his matter and solve it. Though he would be aware of naveen' undying belief in him. That guy could bait his life for him....without a further question, he still announced one more reason for nav to believe in him more. What are true friends for?

For kicking your ass when your fit and fine.

For kicking other' asses when your in trouble!

Raj after giving him a nod of assurance went away leaving a teary naveen behind.

If it wasnt for him, he had left his hopes to die. Raj was never going to let him suffer.....Never.

Cavanal Hill Resort.

MOHALI.

CHANDIGARH

Raj parked his jeep in parking place. He got down and looked around. Though the palace was decked up but here was not a bit hustle bustle. Bit of cheery noises and people wandering here and there were necessary to indicate there was something happy going on. But the outskirts of palace were deserted. Not a lone soul there. Was marriage done already? Or Naveen' gudiya had done something disasterous after knowing truth? Had everyone been oblivious to truth already? Damn! With tension building up in his mind he went in hurriedly.

And noise and people lacking outside were present inside. Murmurs going on...and people talking to each other.

'Batao...Ab koi kaise deshdrohiyo ke khandan se rishta jod le! Kya pata bahan bhi deshdrohi ho'

'Wahi to bahan ji. Ek baar ko chota mota criminal chal jayega, lekin desh droh. Hum log society me muh kaha dikhayenge?'

Perpetrators were better than traitors.

Raj understood why outside no one was present.

He excused talking ladies and went in further. There he saw besides altar, a bride in veil standing motionless. Naveen' parents were also there. Both were requesting and falling in feet of two other people. Raj guessed them to be sanjay' parents. His anger rose when he saw Sanjay' father almost kicking his turban. He rushed to the place.

'Bhai sahab. Naveen mar jayega lekin desh se gaddari kabhi nahi karega.' Naveen' mom spoke.

'To kya ye khabar jooth he! Rahne dijiye aap. Hum log itne bhi bewkoof nahi he. Shadi ke pahle na sahi atleast shadi wale din to he'd be here. Lekin he is not here. Is ka Matlab kya huya? He is arrested. Koi special mission par nahi he wo. Aur agar Naveen is not arrested, call him. Baat karayiye hamari us se. Hum wada karte he aapse khud maafi mangenge aur ye shadi bhi hogi...chaliye. call him.' When Sanjay' mom put forward her condition, Raj saw nav' mom ducking her head helplessly.

'Ab aap log hume rok kar hamara majak mat banayiye..Ye shadi nahi hogi. Hum kyu apne bete ki jindagi barbaad kare! Kya kahenge log hamare sanjay ko? Deshdrohi ka jeeja! Is se axcha he ki wo kunwara mar jaaye. Lekin aap log kya jaane izzat kya hoti he? Agar aap logo me thodi bhi sharm hoti to aap khud hi piche hat jate. Lekin nahi.. aapko apna kalank hamare sar madna he. Cheee...Ek baar bhi aapne nahi socha ki hamari izzat ka kya hoga! Sochenge bhi kyu? Beta deshdrohi aur beti...pata nahi isne bhi kya kya gul khilaye honge! Jab bhai thode se paiso ke liye bik sakta he to bahan kyu nahi?'

This sentence brought some old memories back. Raj felt like throwing up. Damn! He was just trying to stay away from that particular memory...but always something brought that up. But naveen' sister could not be like her. Come on. Naveen is not traitor at first place. His blood boiled hearing those allegations.

'Naveen par sirf allegations he. Kya aapke paas suboot he ki he sold himself for wades of notes? Nahi na...then how could you blame someone?' He asked sanjay' mom.

'Huh. Hamara beta bhi army me he. Hum koi doodh peete bacche nahi. Aur aap. Abhi bhi man nahi bhara beizzati kara ke. Aur tamasha baki he kya? Sanjay! Tu chal. Ab me yaha ek second khadi nahi hone wali...' she held sanjay' hand and moved out. After them sanjay' father too rushed. Naveen' parents were left begging and crying. Soon whole hall was empty leaving five persons.

Naveen' parents and his sister...

Priest...

And Raj.

'Meera...rone se kya fayda! Jo hona tha ho gya...' nav' father yash supported his wife..

'Yash! Kabhi socha he.. ki naina kaise jiye gi apni waki ki jindagi? Aaj jo huya.. usme meri bacchi ki koi galti nahi. In fact mere dono baccho ka koi kasoor nahi. Naveen kabhi bhi itna niche nahi girega. Usko jald hi bekasoor sabit kar diya jayega. Lekin hamari beti! Yash. Iski shadi tooti he..Ye daag kabhi nahi dhulega. Do you have any idea how people are gonna treat her now? If a girl is alone in this world, sab bhediyo jaise toot padte he us par. Meri bacchi kaha kaha kis se ladegi? Naveen to sahi salamat aa jayega.. lekin naina ka kya? Aaj ke baad uske daman me daag hi daag honge...Koi nahi thamega iska haath...aur hamari bacchi akeli rah jayegi...ghut kar jiyegi...aur phir ek din...' she broke in sobs..

Raj heard her. Really! Was this world going to turn this much cruel? Was naina never going to get same respect as before? But this was not her fault. She was innocent. Naveen's alleged. It should be naveen' part where all the stains'd come. Why this girl? And why her left out alliance was going to put huge and bad impact on her remaining life?

Was marriage really important for her? That too now? Was marriage only solution for her happily after? Would she live as before is she is married?

Raj pondered for a while..

Let it be..

'Aunty....agar shadi se aapki naina ki baki bachi life acchi ho sakti he, let her get married.'

'Kaun karega is se shadi? Raj beta.' She sobbed.

'Me..Naveen ki bahan meri bhi responsibility he..Let it be a proper one. I am ready to marry her. Agar aapko koi problem na ho to.' He sparred a glance at the veiled girl who was still motionless. Here her future was going to decide and she was still acting like a dead body.

For a moment, yash and meera fumbled. They couldn't form a proper word. Raj was nav' best friend. He would have come here par naveen' instructions. Now he was proposing marriage for his sister. Was he ok with it?

If he wasnt, he wouldn't have proposed.

What about naina?

Did she protest before? Nope.

Let it be.

Soon Raj was sitting beside Naveen' gudiya. He had not thought in dream that he was going to marry his best friend' sister. Fate!
Nothing else..

Priest chanted holy verses. Raj didnt heard any of them. He was sure naina too didnt. Then they were told to stand up for taking seven rounds of holy altar.

They did it.

He was asked to tie nuptial chain around her neck.

He did.....without looking at her face...

When he was told to fill her partition,......

He stole a glance.

And his world stopped!

He was fulfilling his duties and responsibilities when he found something else disappearing from his life.

P.s.- I laughed so much while writing this. Bagal me chhora shahar me dhindhora peet rahe he naina ke parents. The funniest part was their hurry to get her married. How was the part? Do tell me.