Hey guys, thanks for all the really inspiring comments, I hope that you enjoy the next bit!

Chapter One

The plan was to be executed in a number of stages, starting with stage one that very day. After Navin and Tanisha had settled on Raj as their scapegoat… uh, suitable candidate, they began planning in earnest.

Navin expressed his doubts, he didn't think that Raj would ever fall for a plan like this.

"You just have to act natural," Tanisha coached him, "Don't let him know that there's anything going on. If your sister is as pretty as you say she is, he should fall in love all by himself when he meets her!"

"Alright, well then we need a plan to get them to meet." Navin told her, and Tanisha's eyes lit up.

"Exactly! So now listen to step one of 'Operation Marriage'!"

" 'Operation Marriage???' what a stupid name!"

"Well can you think of a better one?" Tanu asked him, sounding offended and as if she was about to get angry at him.

Navin quickly changed his mind, not wanting his girlfriend to be annoyed at him, "No, actually I think that Operation Marriage is a very appropriate name for this plan. Go on, tell me what step one is."

As Tanisha outlined the plan, Navin started nodding, this definitely was one of her better ones. While he still wasn't quite sure about setting up his little sister with a guy, he definitely wouldn't mind it if Raj became his brother-in-law.

Later that night…

Trying desperately hard to act casually, Navin approached Raj in the gym where he was busy exercising.

"Hey Raj," he greeted him.

"Oh hey Navin, have you finally found the time to work out?" Raj said, grinning. It was well known within the academy these days that most of Navin's spare time was spent with Tanisha.

"Very funny, yaar, yes I have finally found the time." And to prove his point, Navin picked up another set of weights and began lifting them. He didn't say anything for the next few minutes, remembering Tanisha's advice. 'Don't rush it,' she had told him, 'Raj will get suspicious'.

So Navin waited until Raj finished his exercise and only then started the conversation he'd planned.

"So Raj, are you going home for Diwali?"

"I don't know, yaar. Dad and mum will spend the whole time entertaining clients and going to fancy parties, I can't stand that type of atmosphere." Raj sighed, "But what other choice do I have? To stay at KMA at celebrate with Nair?"

"Well you could always come home with me." Navin offered, "We've got more than enough room in the house."

"Thanks Navin, but I really don't think it's a good idea. You hardly ever get to go home to see you're family, it's probably best to see them alone."

"Don't be silly, Raj." Navin said, getting slightly desperate that his plan wasn't working out. "Alekh came home with me last holidays and the whole family loved him. And if they liked Alekh then I doubt they'll have a problem with you."

At this moment, Raj started to get slightly suspicious. It almost seemed as if Navin was just a bit too keen for him to come home with him for the holidays. "Navin, tell me the truth. Why are you asking me to come home with you?"

Navin fumbled for a believable reason and said the first thing that came to his mind, "Tanisha!"

"I'm coming to your house because of Tanisha?" Raj asked, getting genuinely confused now.

"Well, yes, because you see…" Navin quickly made up a reason, "I want to introduce Tanisha to my family."

"And it is important for me to be there, why???" Raj was not understanding his friend's logic.

"Because her mother doesn't want her to travel alone with me. She said if somebody else came too it would be fine."

Personally Raj wasn't sure why Tanisha's mother would be happier that her daughter was going to be travelling with two boys rather than one, but she was a rather strange woman.

"And if I come along then she'll allow Tanisha to go?"

"Exactly!" Navin exclaimed, relieved that Raj seemed to believe him. "So are you going to help me out?"

"Well, I guess so. I mean, isn't that what friends are for?"

"Thanks, yaar." Navin told him, "You have no idea how much this means to me." Raj really, really didn't know what it meant to him.

An hour later…

"Me coming home with you for Diwali was not part of this plan Navin!" Tanisha told him angrily.

"What was I supposed to do? He was getting suspicious and it was the only excuse I could think of! Just be glad that he believed it."

"But how am I supposed to convince my mother to actually let me go with you?"

"Do you want to get married or not?" Navin asked him, then an idea came to him "Just tell her that I'm taking you to introduce you to my family properly. She'll think that I want to propose soon and definitely allow you to come!"

Tanisha considered this, "Not a bad idea, I'll call her now." She told him and left from there.

Navin realised it was time that he made a phone call as well.

Heading to the mess, he told Suriji that he wanted to use the phone and dialed his home number, waiting until a familiar voice came on the line.

"Hey sis, it's me!" he told Naina happily, privately thinking that she had no idea what he had in store for her.

"Navin Bhaiyya! It's great to hear from you, you hardly ever call home these days! You must be pretty busy with Tanu." Naina teased him.

"Ha ha, very funny, Naina." Navin replied, "Now listen carefully, I'll be bringing two friends home with me for Diwali this year."

"Great!" Naina replied happily, "Is Alekh Bhaiyya coming with you again."

Navin was suddenly relieved that he hadn't decided to pick Alekh as Naina's potential husband…

"No, actually I was going to bring my friend Raj with me as he doesn't want to go home, and Tanu as well…"

Navin's ear was suddenly pierced by a squeal on the other end of the line that went on and on and on!

"Naina would you stop that, you're going to break my eardrum!" he told her.

"Sorry Bhaiya, but wow, you're bringing your girlfriend home with you!" Naina's voice became more serious, "This is a big step. You've never introduced us to any of your girlfriends before."

Navin realised that Naina was so focused on him bringing his girlfriend home that she hadn't said anything about Raj at all.

"Look Naina, just don't embarrass me in front of her, whatever you do! Please tell Ma and Baba about Tanu and Raj coming and make sure the guest room is ready for Tanu, Raj can stay in my room."

"That's cool, Bhaiya. Don't worry, I'll handle Ma and Baba. I can't wait to see you at Diwali!" she told him excitedly, "I'm really missing you!"

Navin couldn't wait either. So far everything was going perfectly, neither Naina nor Raj suspected anything, and their first hurdle had been overcome.