"Bhai, why are you..."

"Not a word," Faizal gestured Zain to stop. "If you don't want anyone to know about it," he eyed him. "Come with me, now." That was the order and Zain without wasting a second walked behind him.

"Do Bhai also hate us?" Siddhi seemed dishearten even at the thought of it. I wasn't in a condition to defend him. My mind kept rewinding those words. Had I said something that upset him? I was just putting my opinion. I wasn't judging! I really felt that if they had kept the caste-thing aside, life would have turn better for them.

•••

Zoya has planned to walk in the nearest park. Most of the elder had excused themselves from the plan along with Farya and her husband. Zoya was trying to handle both of her friends-group.

"Why did you never mention about them? One of them inquired, staring at us suspiciously.

"There never came a moment like such..." Zoya attempted to shut the topic.

"Your family don't like them," another commented.

"Who told you that?" Zoya was turning defensive, "there had been some misunderstanding..."

"Your sister pulled her daughter from her arms. That poor child was crying so badly," she elaborated. "Even your brother forced your cousin not to hang out with them. "Or why you think they are legging behind?"

My heart sank as I turned to find the others, having their own group. "There isn't anything like that! Bhai consider them as his family."

"Family? He won't even consider them as his friend's. None of your family member would ever accept them. Not after what had occurred in past."

I felt humiliated at the moment as if I was a burden. I had felt it constantly during the trip, I did regret for accepting to visit Meerut. To meet him as nothing was turning as I had planned. I never wanted to end up hating him yet I felt as if he had started hating me. Maybe he thought I was the reason behind his sister's tears. I sighed as I forced my legs to follow them though my heart was urging me to walk back.

As we were strolling around my orbs went on the swing. There wasn't any board inclining that it used by certain-age. I sighed, I needed to wrap my mind around things happening, I needed some personal-time to process my thoughts. I excused myself from the group as I walked towards the swing.

Positioning perfectly in it, I allowed myself to play with the winds. I had adored swing as a child and love for it hadn't declined even after turning adult. The huge smile played on my lips as I increased the speed, I felt as if I was going to touch the sky.

"Nivi!" I heard surprised voice of Zain. "Those are for children," he was mocking in a teasing manner.

"She looks like a child so none would complain." Siddhi jointed him, while I passed a glare at their direction. "Wait a second! You always mentioned, you wanted to capture yourself..." she was going to remove her cell but her orbs averted in another direction.

I shouldn't had followed it! I regretted glancing in that direction. As there he stood, Mr. Angry Young Man, a cell in his hand, recording me. As if realizing orbs staring at him, he passed them a confused look. "What? The sky looks beautiful," he mumbled withdrawing his cell down.

"From when you started capturing sky?" Aahana sounded curious. "You never were a sky-lover."

I wish, I could argue about it. I could tell Aahana that he had often sent me pictures of moon and even confessed that he loved capturing it. "Yes, I never was but now, I am." He whispered, his orbs telling her to shut her mouth. He wasn't in a good mood.

"What is it with your temper these days?" Zain grumbled, clearly not liking the way he talked to Aahana. "Stop showing that attitude, not everyone is going to tolerate it."

"I wasn't showing attitude. I was just answering her," Faizal groaned.

"See the tone you have started using," Zain was fuming in rage. "Is this tone used to impress our guests? As there had being quite variation in your behavior from past few days. From the minute they have arrived, as if you want to show them that you're that sigma guy."

"Stop talking nonsense," he took a threatening step towards Zain.

"I am not speaking nonsense," Zain gritted his teeth. "Everyone is tolerating your attitude from past few days. You have even disrespected Fufaji in front of so many relatives. What are you trying to prove?"

"Let me just tell you, what I am trying to prove..." before he could grab Zain's collar. I rushed towards them. Everyone of them was trying to hold them back. Males and female combined, I reached towards Faizal. He was losing his calm and he never adored losing his temper.

"Faiz," my voice was soft over the huge argument and shout happening around. His red-furious black orbs glanced at me for a second before turning back to his target.

"Don't get in-between, Nivi." He warned as he grabbed Zain's collar tightly in his fist.

"What's wrong with you, Faizal?" Aahana screamed, "what are you doing?"

"Why are you so adamant to spoil your sister's wedding?"

"None would have thought you will misbehave with your cousin!"

"Cousin? He had stop respecting his father."

"He hadn't stop respecting anyone!" I screamed, my orbs glancing at everyone in displeasure. They just needed reason to blame him. "He is human and he is acting as any human would," I was attempting hard to keep my temper in control.

"Who are you to interrupt in our family matter?" Aahana orbs were fixed on us. "It will be better if..."

"Not a word!" Faizal grunted behind me. "I had heard a lot about her. One word and then I will show what disrespecting really means," his orbs were hard, furious. I grabbed his elbow, pulling him away before he could utter anything further and regret later.

I dragged him away from the crowd, Siddhi followed behind us as well as concerned Zoya. As we were few steps away, Faizal jerked my hand away. "Leave me alone," he groaned.

"No!" I argued back.

"Damn! Your anger! No wonder, I never adored it."

"Yeah, I am the worse human existing," he was groaning like lion. "Why don't you just leave..." he was fuming, anger radiating from his body.

"Because I don't want to..." I sighed, taking a step towards him while he took a step backward.

"Nivi, please..." he was pleading.

"What is it?" I was staring at him with a hopeful-concern gaze. "What is troubling you?"

"Please, don't be so good." He whispered, placing a finger on his heart. "It hurts!" There was a hint of tear in those orbs.

"What hurts?" I whispered, erasing the gap between us.

"Why do you tolerate my rudeness? Why don't you just blame me and walk away like the rest." He pointed at the direction we walked away from.

"Maybe because unfortunately, I understand you." I passed a smile at his frowning face. "I get the sadness hidden behind those rude comment. That worries hidden behind that sternness." I paused, standing an inch away from him. The urge to cup his face was so huge yet I restrained myself. "Now, like good boy tell me what's troubling you?"

There was a hint of smile as he shook his head. "Boy?" He raised a brow and I gave a slight nod. He shook his head as his arms got wrapped around my waist and my heart were almost out of my ribs. It was very difficult to cover the blush. The anxiety, what if he could hear my heart beating so loud!

"I am way older to be called a boy." His orbs challenging me to object his views.

"Don't change the topic," I mumbled not having the courage to glance at his orbs.

He didn't reply, he leaned his forehead on mine. He closed his orbs, "sorry..." that came as a soft whisper. My heart melted; I no-longer could restrain myself. My hands moved on their own account as my soft finger touched stubble on his cheeks. Though it was a small word but it held various emotions wrapped in it. He was sad, upset, guilty for things he committed, things that was out of his hands.

"It's fine," I whispered softly.

"You know that..." he was hesitating, nervous. "I am not good with words," he sighed.

"I know," I felt the need to erase his worries. What was he thinking about?

"I don't want to lose you...." He sighed as if a big burden was lifted off his chest. His orbs opened, those black orbs staring straight into mine. "Never..." that fear was evident in those orbs.

"Faiz..." I was going to interrupt but he placed his finger on my lip. What the hell! How was I alive? What was he even doing? Is this a dream?

"Please," he pleaded. "I won't be able to muster the courage again," he was requesting me to allow him to speak. His mouth opened but nothing came out, I could hear him, cursing himself. "You spoiled it!" He glared at me in the end.

"I spoiled what?" I stared at him in confusion.

"Bhai was going to propose you, idiot!" Siddhi screamed in disappointment.

"Why are they both such a fool?" Zoya followed her, shaking her head at us.

"Propose?" My orbs were almost out of my socket. I glanced at Faizal; he had withdrawn his arms from my waist.

"What are you both doing over here?" He groaned not liking their presence.

"Oh! My! Did we finally grab your attention from your beloved, Nivi?" Zoya teased, I just wished if the world could swallow me.

"Just walk off before I decide to..." Faizal took a warning step towards them while Zoya laughed and walked away, dragging Siddhi along with her.

I was on the verge of following them but Faizal grabbed my wrist, "where are you going? I am still not done with you." He murmured; my heart was beating at extreme-loud speed. Could he just stop! I know, I had always imagined for it to happen but I wasn't prepared. I knew, I was going to spoil it if he told those words.

"Gudiya," his voice so soft as he raised my chin so I could glance in those black orbs. His orbs staring at me with that adoration, concern. And for a moment I found the emotion that I had always seen in those orbs but never had the guts to label it, love. "Thank you for everything," he mumbled as he pressed a kiss on my forehead.

•••

"Did he confess?" Siddhi was trying hard to suppress her excitement. "I would have never moved from there if Zoya hadn't forced me." She pouted, I smiled at her cuteness.

"There isn't anything like that," I shrugged my shoulder.

"Oh! Please..." Siddhi rolled her orbs at me. "The way he had grabbed your waist," she was lost in her world. "I felt as if I was reading a romance-novel." She stared at me with hope, "you have promised me that you would share every detail of your love story."

"There isn't any story," I was attempting hard to convince her. "He was in a very bad temper and later he cool-down. That was it!"

Siddhi wasn't convinced yet she didn't force me as we heard footsteps approaching. The loud-authorative footstep forced us to glance at the direction. Mr. Qureshi glanced in our direction, his black orbs were filled with curiosity while his aura screamed power. I was certain that I won't ever able to open my mouth in front of him.

He came and stood in front of us, almost blocking the oxygen to reach into my system. I was attempting hard to keep a normal face. "Had you seen Mumtaz?" His orbs averted between both of us.

None of us had the courage to roll a word out as we shook our head in response.
He frowned at our lack of response as he continued, "Faizal?" His orbs spying us, making us more conscious in his presence. "I had something urgent..." he mumbled.

"Bhai was in the corridor," Siddhi muttered.
There was hint of shock in those orbs as he stared at Siddhi with a new-developed curiosity. "Bhai?"

As if realizing our mistake, we passed a glance at each other. The horror on Siddhi's face was quite visible. What are we going to do?