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Chapter 10

"Hello," Naina answered the phone quietly, glad that it was cordless so that she could take it into her room if it was who she thought it was.

"Hey, it's me." Raj's voice on the other end of the line instantly made her happy, it was so hard to only be hearing about the plans while he was on the other end carrying them out.

"Hey 'me'," Naina replied happily, "How's it going over there? Any progress?"

"Well the news is that Alekh has allowed himself to be recruited by the other side," Raj told her, "He'll be doing our work from the inside."

"That's excellent!" Naina exclaimed, "Isn't it just like a spy novel? He's like some sort of secret agent deep inside enemy territory."

"Uh… I suppose so." Raj told her, thinking that Naina was getting just a little too excited about it when nothing had actually happened yet, "Anyway we'll see what happens, but Navin and Tanu have been so happy lately, I think they definitely believe something is going on between us."

"Oooo, wonderful, so what are we doing to fuel that belief?"

"Well," Raj told her, "According to my observations of their schedule, Navin and Tanu should be walking down this corridor very soon and the moment they see me on the phone they'll think it's to you, and when I hang up quickly just as they approach me, it will be confirmed."

"You really are a brilliant strategist," Naina told him, "What do you think you should say to me while they can hear you? You could say 'I really miss you'! I think they both might have heart attacks out of joy."

"I'm not sure," Raj told her, "That might be a bit too obvious if I know they're there. Remember that we've got to be subtle about this."

"Oh come on," Naina told him, "Just pretend you don't know that they're there until they approach you. In fact don't even hang up until they tap you on the shoulder or actually walk past. Is it such a hard thing to actually say? I'm happy to tell you." She paused, feeling a bit shy before she actually said it, "I miss you. There, that wasn't so hard was it?"

Raj wasn't sure why it was that his heart started beating so much faster on hearing that, but he took a deep breath in, trying to control it. "You know I really do miss you." He told her, "I wish that you were here…"

It was right then that somebody tapped Raj on the shoulder. He had gotten so involved in the conversation that he had forgotten the purpose that he had called for. He was so startled that he jumped and almost dropped the phone. Standing in front of him were Navin and Tanu with identical, knowing smirks on their faces. Raj was sure that they could see the look of panic cross his face, it was one that he didn't have to fake, but he quickly recovered.

"Yeah, I wish you were here, Dad, I missed seeing you at Diwali. Yes, give my love to Ma, okay, bye." And without waiting for a reply he quickly hung up, hoping that Naina had understood.

On the other end of the line, Naina made a face at the phone. Navin and Tanu must have turned up at exactly that moment. The only thing that she wasn't sure about was whether Raj had told her he missed her because he had seen them, or because he genuinely did.

Meanwhile back in KMA, Raj faced Navin and Tanu with a slightly guilty look on his face, hoping that they hadn't heard any of the earlier conversation.

"So Raj, who were you talking to?" Navin asked him.

"Isn't it obvious? My dad." Raj replied, "They really missed me at Diwali so they were calling to ask me how my holidays were."

"But Raj, I thought that they called to ask that the day after we arrived back?" Navin asked with an innocent look on his face, "And when was the last time you told your father that you missed him and you wished he was here?"

"Uh, because I'm running low on pocket money?" Raj offered the excuse, knowing that neither of them would believe it. "Sorry guys, I just remembered I've got to go meet Alekh to help him with his English."

Then he quickly rushed away, a mischievous smile on his face. It had gone absolutely perfectly.

"He was soooooooooooooo talking to Naina." Tanu remarked, "That's so exciting, he was saying that he missed her, that means that things have gone further than we thought!"

"As long as it really was Naina," Navin said with a frown, "What will we do if he's already got some other secret girlfriends somewhere?"

"No way," Tanu told him, "Raj and a secret girlfriend? Never. Anyway, when does he ever get the opportunity to meet girls?"

Navin shrugged, it was true. That was the whole reason why they had selected Raj in the first place.

That meant it was definite, their plan was working.

**

Raj was reading one of his textbooks quite happily in the sun outside when Alekh approached him. Expecting that he might have some news, Raj closed the book and waited, but Alekh's next words shocked him.

"So how do you really feel about Naina?" Alekh asked him.

Raj just gaped, open mouthed. "Why are you asking that?" he told Alekh nervously, "I thought you knew what was going on… I mean this is all just a drama… ek natak."

"I know that it's a natak… Nautanki," Alekh told him, "Navin has sent me to find out how you really feel about Naina."

"Oh," Raj replied, feeling very relieved, the last thing he needed at the moment was to have to think about what his feelings really were. "And how does he think that you're going to manage to do that?"

"Well, I think that Navin thinks I'm sneaky and can get the information out of you," Alekh replied. Raj had to admit that Navin had made a good choice, it was hard for anyone to refuse to tell Alekh anything.

"Hmmm, well in that case I'm going to have to think of something to tell you. The only point is, exactly what should I allow Navin to think…"

"That's your choice," Alekh shrugged, and lay down on the ground, closing his eyes against the sun. "Just hurry up and tell me something so that I can go back and report it to them."

"I think I shouldn't tell you for awhile," Raj said thoughtfully, "That way it will be more realistic."

"Fine," Alekh didn't bother to get up, he was quite happy lying in the sun, the only thing that would've made it better was a bottle of alcohol.

"Aren't you going to help me think of anything?" Raj asked him, "This is quite important."

"Go ask Naina instead," Alekh advised, "This damn mission was your idea in the first place."

Raj thought about it, but he couldn't bother Naina with every little thing, she was back at college now too.

"Alright," he told Alekh, "Then just tell them that the only thing you could get out of me was that I'm really missing Naina and I wish that I'd had more time with her in Nainital. That should keep them happy while still being realistic."

Without moving, Alekh nodded. "Good answer." He told Raj.

"So aren't you going to go and tell them?" Raj asked, wanting to know the results right then.

"Let me have a sleep first, then I'll go tell them."

Sighing, Raj went back to his textbook. Alekh was a very unreliable partner.

He really was missing Naina. She had always been so enthusiastic about the plan.

Opening his eyes just a little against the sunlight, Alekh observed Raj.

"You're not making it up, are you?" he asked, "You really do miss her."

"Of course I miss her," Raj replied, and then added quite suddenly, "Don't you?"

"Definitely." Alekh replied, "Naina never judged me, in fact she always understood my funda in life well."

"She is a very special girl, isn't she." Raj replied, with a faraway look in his eyes.

"Why do you think it is that Navin chose you?" Alekh asked him, "He could've asked anyone to do this. Most of them probably would've given in much easier than you."

Raj has thought about this question a lot since they found out about Navin and Tanu's plan. He's honestly not sure that he knows the reason. "Maybe it's because we're room mates, or because we're best friends. Maybe he just didn't think it would work out with anybody else here."

"Or maybe he just thought you were the perfect choice." Alekh says quite subtly, before getting off the ground and brushing his pants and shirt off.

"Where are you going?" Raj asks him, feeling as if he would like to keep discussing this some more.

"To go and tell them how much you're missing Naina." Alekh says in a deadpan voice. He turns to go, thankful that Raj can't see the glee in his eyes. It won't take long at all to turn everything around. Any day now, Raj is going to be asking for Alekh's help for an altogether different mission.

**

"He misses her a lot and wishes he had had more time with her." Alekh reported to Navin and Tanu, "And he thinks she's a very special girl." All of this was delivered in a perfectly serious tone of voice as Alekh made his face perfectly straight. He probably shouldn't have said the last bit since Raj hadn't given him permission, but he just hadn't been able to resist.

The expression on Navin's face was ecstatic, but Tanisha just looked disappointed.

"That's it????" she asked, "He didn't say anything else? About being in love with her?"

"No," Alekh told her, "What did you think, that he was going to confess all of his feelings to me right then?"

"Well…. Yes." Tanisha told him, "Why not?"

"You can't be so impatient, Tanu." Navin told her, "We don't even know if they've actually fallen in love yet."

"Well if they haven't then they should!" Tanu exclaimed, "I fell in love with you in about two days."

"Yes but Tanu, you're a lot more filmy than they are." Navin exclaimed very patiently, "You were bound to fall in love very quickly."

"What exactly are you trying to say, Navin?" Tanisha asked, glaring at him. "That my love for you is filmy? Are you insulting me?"

"No, not at all, Tanu! You're misunderstanding me! I swear I didn't mean that…. You know that I love you just the way you are!"

Watching Navin try to make up to Tanu, Alekh decided that he should get out of there as quickly as possible. He didn't need this extra drama in his life.

**

Alekh's job was almost done for the day but there was one more thing that he had to do. Before he took his plan to the next level, he had to be sure of what Naina's feelings were and that he really was doing the right thing. If it was just Raj that liked her, and she actually had no feelings for him then Alekh would stop his plan immediately.

Raj was just on his way to the phone to call Naina when Alekh stopped him.

"Going to tell Naina what's going on?" he asked.

Raj nodded, a smile on his face.

"I'll call her instead," Alekh told him, "I'd like to have a proper chat with her."

"But I was going to," Raj started to say, trying to think of a reason why he should be calling Naina instead.

"You can call her next time, go and sit somewhere where Navin and Tanu can see you and look lovesick."

Looking extremely disappointed but trying to hide it, Raj left from there, and Alekh moved towards the phone.

He dialled Naina's number and waited for her to pick up the phone.

"Hey!" she answered as soon as she picked up, "How's it all going? Any progress?"

"How did you know it was me?" Alekh answered, "What if it was Navin calling, you would've spoiled the whole plan."

"Oh," Naina replied, and Alekh was sure he could hear some disappointment in her voice. "It's you, Alekh, I thought it was Raj, he was due to call this afternoon."

"Yeah I told him I'd call instead." Alekh told her, "Since I can give you a better report on Navin and Tanu's reactions."

"So he's not going to call at all?" Naina asked, sounding a bit annoyed. "What's wrong with both of you calling?"

"Arre baba, if you're that upset then I'll go and tell him to call you after this." Alekh was secretly very pleased, it was exactly the response he had been hoping for.

"Who said I was upset?" Naina asked, a little defensive, "Of course I'm not upset. I just think that when somebody says they're going to call then they should."

"Well if we're finished talking about whether or not Raj should call you, then can I report to you on the progress of the mission?"

"Of course," Naina told him, "Report away." But she still sounded a bit annoyed.

Quickly Alekh updated her on the progress of the operation, telling Naina how Navin and Tanisha had tried to find out about Raj's feelings and what Raj's response was.

"He said I was a very special girl?" Naina asked Alekh, sounding a bit breathless.

"Yes," Alekh replied, "But I'm not sure I was supposed to tell them that bit."

"Oh…" Naina said, and the silence stretched on as she thought about it.

"Accha Naina, if Navin and Tanisha ask me to find out about your feelings then what should I tell them?"

"What?" Naina asked him, obviously not having been listening, "Oh, ah, I don't know. Tell them I'm really glad that they brought him home for Diwali."

"Bas?" Alekh asked in disbelief, "I thought you wanted them to think you were falling in love."

"Of course we do, but we're also trying to not be that obvious about it." Naina replied, "Just tell them that I asked you about Raj a lot and wanted to know how he was doing. Tell them it sounded like I missed him a lot."

Alekh thought this would be easy, he wouldn't have to lie at all…

"Okay Naina, I'll go now. Should I tell Raj to call you?"

"He can do whatever he likes." Naina replied, still annoyed that he hadn't bothered to call her but had gotten Alekh to do it instead.

"Alright, bye."

"Bye."

Hanging up, Alekh headed around the corner to find Raj lurking there.

"So how did it go?" Raj asked him, "Any new plans?"

"No, but madam was very annoyed that you hadn't called." Alekh replied, "You should probably go and do it now if you don't want her sulking."

Raj brightened up at this, obviously happy that Naina had missed him calling. "Alright, I'll go and call her back now, we can do some more planning!" And he hurried off towards the phone.

Alekh strolled down the corridor whistling, only to bump into Yudi who was walking by with his usual confused expression.

"What's up chief, you look very happy today?" Yudi asked him. "Did you get some new daru or something?"

"Yudi… daru isn't everything, I'm in the middle of doing, what is it called… a good deed."

And Alekh walked off smiling.