"I don't get why is he after my blood?" I groaned as I was removing some files from the cupboard. I was attempting hard to cope with Mr Iyer's soar mood. I was even curious to know the reason behind his severe mood swings. "Do you think that it's family issues? He never got along with his father."

"Whom are you talking about?" Faizal yawned attempting hard to wake up himself.

"I think, you should go back to sleep," I suggested. His sleeping schedule was a mess! He was burdening himself with more workload.

"I had enough sleep for the day, it's nearly lunchtime." He mumbled, "Answer my question. Who is this him?" His tone getting stern as he muttered those words.

"My boss, he is testing my patience laterly."

"Stop getting bothered by it," he sounded uninterested. "Not everyone should adore you," he grumbled and I almost giggled on realizing that he was getting jealous.

"Why will I want him to adore me?"

"Then why are you stressed about his mood swings?" He was fuming in annoyance.

"Because unfortunately, I work for him and I have to tolerate his worse moods."

"It's not family issues, it might be something related to a girl."

"No," I shove it off. "Boss isn't like those, I had never seen him showing interest in any girl."

"But I have," he confessed.

"Really?" I exclaimed in happiness. Love stories always excited me. "Where did you see it? Why didn't you ever mention it to me? Is she beautiful?" I was getting excited about the scenario shaping in my head.

"You should ask him, yourself." Faizal groaned, "he will be able to narrate it in a better manner." He grumbled, "Now I need to go," and without waiting for my reply he ended the call.

•••

"I just don't get your brother at times," I confessed as I was cleaning my room. Deciding to clean the room was a difficult task but upon listening to various taunts from mom, one was forced to do the needful.

My Sunday was turning worse! I haven't received a reply from Faizal. I had allowed his actions to define my mood. I had got habitual to his presence. Even though he was kilometers away from me yet his day started with a call and ended with dropping a message. He was providing me with the attention that I carved, he was behaving differently from the minute he confessed his feelings for me.

His actions proved that he wasn't in a mood to have chances, to allow it to fade away. Sometimes, I was convinced that Shruti wasn't wrong when she concluded that Faizal was more attached to me.

"Why?" Zoya giggled,  "What's wrong had he committed?"

"He is ignoring me," I grumbled. "He hadn't called or texted me. I just don't get him! Why is he mad at me? Shouldn't he at least mention a word?"

"Bhai!" Zoya screamed accelerating my heart at the highest speed.

"Don't you dare, Zoya!" I warned her, "I will kill you if you mention a word to Faizal."

"Stop traumatizing my sister," I heard his rough-rude voice. His mere presence could provide me with peace. How was I going to survive without him?

"Who is it?" A male voice inquired from the background.

"None of your business," Zoya grumbled. "Why you can't concentrate on the work given to you?"

"I am concerned about you," Zain continued. "Who is torturing you? Is Irfan treating you well? Why didn't I realize it before, you ending up here frequently should have meant that you weren't happy in your wedding."

"Stop uttering rubbish, Zain," Zoya screamed in annoyance. "Why would I have trouble in my marriage? I am gifted with the sweetest husband. Unlike you both, he doesn't tease or roast me but listens to my every demand and fulfills my wishes before I even a word it out."

"That's because you're newly wedded soon they get bored of you," Farya commented in the background. I heard some ruffling and soon their voices turned into a distant music.

"Hello," I uttered finding silence on the other side.

"You shouldn't eavesdrop on others family conversation," he muttered.

"I wasn't eavesdropping," I mumbled feeling embarrassed. "If it bothered you so much why didn't you ended up the call."

"Why did you call?" He changed the topic not desiring to answer me.

"I hadn't called you but Zoya," I groaned in response. Why he had to act rude? He hadn't found it necessary to drop a message or dial my number. Didn't he missed me? I wasn't able to stay a minute in peace. I had to workhard to keep my brain occupied so I won't think about him.

"Why you will call me? You're very busy human, busy with your work and your boss. I hope he is in better mood today."

"I am not aware about his mood as it's a Sunday," I grumbled at his accusation. Why was he getting jealous of Boss? I didn't even consider him as my friend.

"Isn't he arriving at dinner?" He inquired in a mocking manner.

"Why would he come to dinner!" I was stunned would be understatement.

"Stop acting, Nivi!" Faizal groaned, "your parents always admired him. And there isn't anything wrong in listening to your parents," he kept ranting while my brain was attempting hard to register those words.

"Stop uttering anything that's coming in your mind!" I yelled, it was turning difficult to control my rage. "I am not sure from where you had heard that he is coming to dinner but he isn't! He isn't a friend of mine to invite him for the dinner. He is a boss, Faiz..." My voice soften as those trembling tears rolled down my cheeks. "I don't even consider him my friend, why are you getting jealous about his presence in my life?"

"Because he wants to be there in your life," he grumbled. "He wants to make you his wife. Haven't you seen the way he glance at you?"

"Faizal," I sighed. "He had made me clear, months back to convey to you that he holds no interest towards me."

"Than why are his family coming for the dinner in your house? Jay Bhai informed me about it." Faizal muttered something inbetween his breath.

"Jiju?" I was startled would be understatement. "He could call and inform you but none found it reasonable to inform me."

"Nivi," Faizal's voice soften. "You need to behave nicely in front of them. He thought that I could make you understand..."

"They are coming with marriage purposal, right?" My heart was beating loudly in anxiousness. I could understand why I was feeling uneasy from the morning. My intuition was screaming to me about the upcoming trauma.

"This is the reason why you were ignoring me?" I sighed, "don't I have the right to decide what I want from life?"

"Just meeting them won't be of harm." He was trying to reason-out. His anger had faded away, the logical side of him had emerged. He often acted mature when he realize that I am losing myself and I need him.

"If I am not at all interested in..." I was going to argue but Faizal interrupted.

"We need to take it one step at a time, Nivi." Faizal voice was soft as if he was talking to a kid. "We are planning to make both our families to agree on it and for that we will have to work smartly. Your Jiju wants you to meet them. They are your Chechi's guest and if you denied, it will only cause more difference between your mom and Chechi's relationship."

"Why it should be always me?" I groaned in displeasure. "Why should I be the one understanding?" I was crying in helplessness. "Why are caste given more importance than humanity? They agree that you're a good human but still they can't give a thought about..."

"They will, one fine day." Faizal was trying to assure my anxious heart.

"Why you had to be born so far from me? I can't even pay a visit to you," I pouted.

"Faizal," I heard a feminine voice. "What are you doing over here? Everyone is waiting for you." Aahana was urging him to follow her.

"Give me some minutes," he muttered.

"Go," I urged. "I can handle my moods-swings, I will be fine." I assured him. I didn't wanted to come in his happy-moments. He was enjoying his time with his family.

"I have time," he was sounding uncertain as if he didn't wanted to leave me.

"Hadn't you said, your girl is strong? She can handle more than this," I encouraged myself. "And if things turn worse, you're always there to listen."

"Always," he mumbled as he ended the call and I was left with my own thoughts to deal with it.

•••

As mentioned by Faizal the guest did arrive and my parents hadn't mention about them until I heard a knock on my door, mom asking me to dress-up and walk out.

I was glad that Jiju had informed it to Faizal or I would have overreacted upon sudden event. I loved surprises but not the one that included me meeting strangers. I hated guest in general.

I stood in front of the mirror, my heart beating anxiously. I pressed a smile at myself as I clicked a mirror-selfie. I needed to distract my mind and only one person had the talent to lift my mood even in the worse of situation.

I had dressed myself in a red salwar suit, having a slight red lipstick, with golden jhumka adoring my ears. As the salwar had a full neck, I didn't felt the need to wear a necklaces, and as I wasn't in a mood to brush or style my hairs, I just rolled it into a bun. Even if I had done the least efforts yet I looked admirable.

I sent it to him with a caption, "no wonder people are going crazy over me."

I waited patiently, tapping my finger on the cell. I needed to listen from him before presenting myself to the world outside my room.

"No wonder you're getting so excited to meet him."

I could imagine annoyed look on his face, I giggled as I typed a message back.

"Don't need to be jealous, you're always enjoying your Sunday with your childhood friend, did I complain?"

I was indirectly mentioning about Aahana. I was aware it was cruel of me but I couldn't help myself from envying her presence in Faizal's life. She had almost spent her entire childhood in his presence. They had so many memories together. She never had to carve to listen to him or glance at him. He was always there, around her. Even his parents treated her as their daughter and they were planning his wedding with her.

"Stop troubling your mind with nonsense, go have your dinner."

He had always attempted to erased any doubt I had about his interest in others. I smiled, assuring my heart as I prepared myself for the upcoming event.

As I walked towards the kitchen I got a view of mom being busy heating those dishes. I decided that it was better to waste my time in kitchen than walking into the living area. "For who is this arrangement?" I inquired as I stared at the numerous dishes.

"Do you remember I used to talk about Venkatesh, my childhood friend?" I stared at her in confusion, she had shared many stories about her childhood. I couldn't remember any such name, she shook her head at my clueless. "It just their family," she muttered in disappointment.

She was sounding so causual about it as if she hadn't already decided my future.

"Mom, don't you think if someone have arrived with a marriage purposal for me, shouldn't I be informed about it?" I was losing my patience on seeing she wasn't ready to address it to me.

"If I had uttered a word, you would have cancelled the plan."

"Because I am not interested in marry him," I mumbled. "And I don't want to offer anyone with fake hope."

"He is a good guy, he really likes you, Nivi." Mom wasn't yelling or ordering me rather pleading with me. "What's wrong in giving it a chance?"

"He is my boss, mom." I mumbled attempting to control the frustration inside me. I was really upset by their action. Why they had to hide it from me? "I am aware that he is a good guy, I don't need to talk to him because I know him from past few years but he isn't someone I want to spent my life with..."

"Why are you so adamant to prove  Chechi's accusation correct?" Her orbs were filled with tears. "For the first time in life I fought with her. I disagreed with her opinion about my daughter's character. I had proudly claimed to her that my daughter won't do anything that can humilate her family or her parents."

"I can assure you that your daughter won't ever humilate you." I mumbled holding back my emerging tears. "But I will also assure you that she will live her life on her terms," I pressed a smile as I walked out of the kitchen into the living area.