As anticipated there was silence in the dinning table. Jiju attempted to lighten the situation with his stupid jokes yet he wasn't able to distract our mind from the seriousness surrounding the dinning table.

The only thing holding everyone together was presence of Zoya. I passed her a hesitating smile as I offered her roti but she shook her head. As we walked into the room, Zoya broke the silence.

"I shouldn't have forced myself," she confessed as she lowered her tone in embarrassment. "It was just my way of letting your parents know that not everyone in our family is same," I could hear disappointment in her voice. "But seems like my plans backfired," she groaned as she stared at me in realisation. "Did you felt like this in your stay at our place? So out of place, so unwanted!" Her orbs widen in amazement as she stared at me in disbelief. "How did you survive among us for so long?"

"I had felt that way for half of my life," I passed her a reassuring smile. "It wasn't as horrible as you make it sound," I shook my head as I gestured her to accompanying me on my bed. "And I am sorry that you felt out of space even in my presence," I apologized. "I never wanted your experience in my city or my home to turn out so horrible."

"It isn't horrible," she attempted to justify. "Just different than I anticipated," she confessed as she moved towards the bed. "When Bhai mentioned about our visit to Kochi and meeting you and rest of your family, I was excited. I thought bringing them under the same roof would erase most of their misconceptions but it only increased," she shook her head. She was avoiding glancing in my direction, "your parents have built a huge disliking towards mine. The first impression had turned horrible," she was voicing the seriousness about the situation.

"First impression aren't always right and we had learned it often in our life." I whispered in defense, she spared me a glance.

"I don't know," she shook her head in disbelief. "How you do this? I mean the amount of positivity you process," disbelief was visible in her orbs. "You remind me of..."

"Of Faiz," I completed it for her. She gave a small nod a smile playing on her lips. "You can say that he had transferred the positivity to me." I mumbled as I grabbed my cell in search of his message. "I had seen the disliking on my parents face hours before your realisation," I paused trying to form a proper words. "I had expressed the same to Faizal when he came to the room but he has trust in his plans and I have faith in him."

Zoya had a huge smile on her face, "I wasn't wrong when I believed that you both were made up for eachother." She stared at me in adoration. "I had seen the future much before you both accepted the possibility of you both ending up together," she shook her head. "Bhai had hard time convincing himself that he could have a future with you," she paused for a moment. "Can't blamed him for that," she shook her head. "We had witnessed the hate," she mumbled.

"Do you think there is a way out? Will they ever be convinced?" I sounded doubtful, "they had his future decided and parents always knows the best for their children." I was expressing my worries, I was uncertain about our future.

"They do," Zoya agreed. "But at the moment they are blinded with past experiences and hate, in such situation one can't decide a right path." Zoya paused for a minute, "you're aware about the tragedy happened years back. We aren't aware about the entire truth yet some orthodox belief were the reason that two individuals sacrificed their life," Zoya was attempting to act strong. "If parents are always right, it wouldn't have ended in that manner."

I didn't wanted to argue on the matter neither agree with her. I was yet doubtful about the future before me. I wanted to share a future with Faizal but not on the cost of disrespecting either of our parents. I was brought-up with deep morals and I considered it correct, I had a huge respect for my parents and cared about them.

I had seen the struggles they had gone to provide a normal, happy life for us and I never wanted to degrade them by marrying someone they despised, or humilate them by going against their decision. I wanted to convince them and that was the reason Qureshi's were invited to Kerala. It either was going to turn into disaster or a miracle.

•••

"I have a work to attend," mom excused about her absence.

"Mom," Shruti groaned in disapproval. "Can't you try it for once?" She was almost pleading to her.

I couldn't thank Shruti enough for the support she had shown towards me from convincing her husband to convincing dad. She was the reason that I had slightest hope that maybe my family would agree for the marriage.

"I had tired for once and you're aware about the result," mom hissed in anger. "I won't be able to see them humiliating us," she groaned at the thought of it. "I always knew that this meeting-up wasn't a good idea," her orbs glanced in my direction. "Sorry, Nivi... I can't do it," with that as her final statement she moved towards her room.

Silence prevailed around us, none of us desiring to break the silence. We had nothing to add for the things happening around.

"They have arrived," Zoya exclaimed as she walked inside, dancing in excitement. I was glad that she didn't had to witness the drama, I didn't wanted to spoil her mood. She deserved to enjoy the holiday!

"Coming," dad was the one to broke the silence. "What are we waiting for?" He was gesturing us to move, Shruti hesitated but Jiju managed to convince her and drag her out along with his son.

"Nivi," he whispered on seeing me not moving from my place. "They are waiting for us," his voice soften as he glanced at my face.

"You don't have to do it, dad." I mumbled, "I will offer them any excuse, we don't need to be part of their trip."

He shook his head as his hand reached to cup my face, "it will upset Faizal." He whispered, "he had done a lot for us. He didn't mind risking his life to save your mom, Nivi. I will always be grateful of him. I am doing this not for you but more for him. I can't treat him cruelly just because his father acted rude with us, maybe he had his reason."

"What if he humiliate you again? I won't be able to hear it dad."

"He won't! And if he does, your dad have mouth of his own. I had never tolerated anyone before and nor will I. But I just didn't wanted to upset Faizal so I had kept my mouth shut," Dad pressed a kiss on my forehead.

"I really adore Faizal and even his sister, Zoya. They are good humans but I won't agree about this marriage until I am sure that the entire family can respect your presence in their family. I won't tolerate them humiliating or disrespecting you just because you come from a different background than theirs," dad pressed. "I have no doubt in you respecting them but I would accept that they respect you and treat you nice as well."

I gave a slight nod at his determined face. He was just worried about my future and I could understand his worries. He wanted a good future for me and there wasn't anything wrong in it.

•••

Kerala was one of the admired state of India. Tourist often filled various places and loved the beautiful climate of Kerala. Kochi was one of the most admirable places of Kerala.

Like most individuals I prided over the fact that I was born and brought up in the city of Kochi. Places were tourist longed to visit, were places I often visited in my spare moments.

Our journey for the trip started with beach topping the list. Faizal had dreamt of visiting one, his orbs searched mine as we descended out of the mini-bus.

None could compete with Faizal when it came about planning, I could imagine amount of hours and days he had invested in planning the trip to Kerala. Amounts of calls exchanged among dad and Jiju were slightest glimpse of his planning which I was rewarded to witness.

"Bhai, you might have visited it before." Zain grumbled as his orbs were sparkling, glancing at the wonderful view before him.

Numerous people were surrounding the area, the parking lot was filled with different varieties of vehicles. I sighed, glancing at the crowd. I didn't admired crowd! Beaches were the places that offered me with peace and I adored visiting it during the hours that had less humans surrounding it.

"Seems like people have started," Shruti expressed her excitement over the holiday period. She adore humans unlike me. It sparkled her curiousity glancing at tourist, coming from different parts of India as well as International.

"Holiday season always packs this areas," dad commented as he gestured the rest to follow him.

Mr Qureshi had kept his interaction next to minimum among others. He hadn't spoken a word to dad but neither he had voiced any opinion towards his family. Aunt Mumtaz asked about mom's absence, Shruti provided her with a convincing excuse.

It wasn't that difficult as I had visualised. I was hell scared about the trip but things were turning up normal. Dad was feeling comfortable among Faizal, Jiju, Ahmed, Zain. They used to keep the conversation flowing with asking him questions on various topic and dad enjoyed putting his opinion forward.

Shruti had next to no difficulty in interacting with the ladies of the family. She never had difficulty in making friends and her laughing with them was displaying her skills. She seemed more comfortable with them than I ever could. It seemed as if my family members had easily blend with them and I was the odd-one out.

"Seems like others have forgotten your existence," Mr. Qureshi's warm and deep voice echoe in my ears. I jumped as I wasn't expecting his presence to be beside me.

I passed him an hesitating smile as I looked around for a rescue. I knew if I start a conversation with him it only will end into him disliking me more.

"I didn't get to have a conversation with you before but thank you for being there with Faizal when he stayed here for a month." He expressed, forcing me to glance in his direction. "I hadn't acted in a proper manner towards you." He paused for a minute longer, "none of us treated you correctly," I heard disappointment in his voice.

"But you didn't allow our behaviour towards you change the human you're," I could hear hesitation in his voice. "You didn't allow our hate to get in your head. You treated Faizal nicely and your father didn't hesitate for a minute before considering Zoya as his daughter."

"I would like to apologise for the way I behaved with you. The way your father praises Faizal and is filled with such gratitude towards us, I doubt if you had discussed with him the matters that happened in Meerut. The humiliation you had to undergo," I heard him sign. "You had indirectly taught me to be a better human. Just because my brother's daughter had to undergo pain, her life was destroyed by a Hindu family. I ended up hating the existence of the entire race," he mumbled. "If maybe we hadn't allowed the hate to overpower us maybe we might had Asifa with us."

"It wasn't your mistake," I attempted to console his damaged heart.

"It was, atleast I could have supported Bhai. I shouldn't have left him alone to deal with the humiliation surrounding him. I blamed him for not raising his daughter with proper manner and values. I blamed Asifa for holding feelings for a guy that didn't belonged to Islam, that didn't worshipped Allah." I hadn't anticipated for him to express it out loud to a stranger.

"I feared that my children's would walk on the same path so I made more restriction. I didn't allowed them to be friendly among other religion, I feared the past repeating and when I saw you in Zoya's wedding, when I saw Faizal around you, the way he acted, supported and stood against me for her. I saw the past returning back as if Bhai was laughing at me, mocking me. Even after all my efforts, my children was rewarded with the same faith."

"I was against him coming here, to your city." That was the moment his black orbs glanced into mine. Sterness surrounding his feature though he was having a vulnerable conversation, "I almost forced him to get engaged with Aahana." I could hear exhaustion in his voice. "I wanted her to be my daughter-in-law, I had decided it in their childhood but Faizal was never convinced about the idea maybe Allah had some other plans," he averted his gaze back towards the waves.

Others had moved to a distance they still hadn't realised our absence. I was glad that none had interrupted us, I needed to have the conversation with Mr. Qureshi.

"When I heard about the revolt I was worried about him. I didn't trusted you or your family but when I heard from Mumtaz that you sheltered him in your house and even treated his wounds, I was stunned. I became aware of the word humanity, maybe world had people that knew kindness."

"I am sorry for the words I uttered in your house, for humiliating your parents. I had the conversation with your dad and he shoved it off but it was cruel of me. Thank for welcoming Zoya in your house even after my rude behaviour, that prove you more of a human than I am."

Before I could object his views, he walked away. I stared at his retreating figure when I heard a concern voice behind me.

"You're here," he mumbled as he came and stood next to me. "I had being searching you," he sounded worried as he glanced at the direction I was staring at. "What did he say?" I could hear fury radiating from his voice.

"Nothing..." I shrugged my shoulder, Faizal wasn't in a state to understand the conversation taken place or maybe he won't even attempt to understand it.

He glared due to my lack of response, "nothing important," I passed him a smile as I grabbed his elbow dragging him towards the waves.