"You got engaged and I am getting to know it, now!" Disappointment was visible in Ashwariya's orbs as I provided her with the lastest event in my life.

"Do you think, I would do it on purpose?" I raised my brow in question, as I shook my head at the thought of it. "It all happened in a flash," I was trying to explain her the situation. "They arrived at my home and I was informed it was one of mom guest," I rolled my orbs at the mention of guest. "When I went into the hall, I was amazed to find his entire family. Even when he slide this ring into my finger, I felt it next to unbelievable."

"Aww... They provided you with best surprise ever..." She mumbled as she pulled me into a hug. "I am so happy for you. Haven't I said, have faith? Things would sort up and they did," her orbs were sparkling in enthusiasm. "You're going to get married to love of your life. What could be more beautiful thing than this?" I nodded at her words, attempting hard to hide my blush.

I had opted to work from home for a few week, also informing boss about my upcoming wedding. The contract had a clause of that employee couldn't resign without prior notice so I informed him about my future plans.

He didn't seem happy with the news and didn't even attempt to fake it. I wasn't expecting much from him. I had seen his disliking towards Faizal because he was a Muslim. I didn't wanted to trouble my mind over the topic yet the difference was visible between the two religions. They hadn't turn normal, the before trust and friendship was missing among them. They stared at eachother with fear, rage and annoyance.

•••

"She got engaged!" One of our relative exclaimed on getting the news, "to whom?"

"Her friend," mom was getting uncomfortable as the conversation was brought up. Aunt had visited our house with a marriage purposal for me so mom had to inform her about the change in event.

"They met online," as mom kept adding facts, aunty kept staring at us with her judgemental orbs. "Later their friendship turn into something more. We had met their family, they are good and they love her." Mom passed a smile in my direction.

"They are from Kerala? South Indian?"

"No, North Indian." Mom paused not wanting to add any further information.

"Oh, so I heard it correct. You have engaged your daughter to a Muslim." She almost shouted and I widen my orbs in surprise. She was aware of the news yet she decided to walk into our home. Why were people so hungry for gossip?

"You knew?" Mom was stunned to react.

"The rumors are spreading around but I thought it were just mere rumors. You won't do such a foolishness! You won't destroy her life." She shook her head in disappointment, "how could you do this with your daughter? How could you trust those monsters with her life?" She was fuming in rage, her orbs staring at my mother with disgust.

"It wasn't her but my decision!" I jumped in the conversation, defending my mother. Until now, I had opted to ignore the conversation happening on the couch as I displayed I was busy working on my laptop.

I was working from home as due to Faizal outburst, I was forced not to attend the office. I was glad that he hadn't mentioned about the incident to my parents or they would have come up with numerous question and would even stop me from setting a foot in that building.

"I was the one who wanted to marry a Muslim, monster as you label them." I kept my gaze fixed on her. I avoided fights, I hated negativity around me but I had to speak out, I couldn't allow my relatives to keep degrading him.

"She might have lost her mind. They might have corrupted her brain but what have gotten into you?" Aunt was staring at mom in disbelief, "did you forget Chechi's teaching? We are Nair, Sumitra. How could allow her to bring disgrace to our family? What are people going to say about our family? They are going to laugh on us." She paused for a moment as if attempting to calm herself down, "there is still time." She pressed, "the news haven't spread to others. Only some of our family members are aware of it. We still can hide about it from the world just cancel the engagement."

"It's engagement, Shweta." Disbelief was visible in mom's orbs. "It's not a joke!"

"Exactly!" Aunt stood from the couch. "It's marriage and it was never a joke," she shook her head. "I would yet suggest to you, there is still a time." Her orbs glanced in my direction. "Don't spoil her life," a hint of concern was visible in her orbs.

"She isn't spoiling my life," I hissed in frustration. "I want to spent my rest of life with him. And I can assure you, he won't destroy my life." I paused a minute seeing her getting upset with my choice of words. "I understand your concern but you can't judge him because he is born in a religion that you despise."

"People in that religion doesn't deserve to be honoured. They are murders, they have killed so many people, destroyed so many life. Haven't you seen it on television? Things happening around the country? People are still getting killed because they are Hindu."

"I am not in a mood to discuss about it," I shook my head. I had enough argument on the topic, enough discussion. I was getting sick of the conversation! People were so lapped in the layers of caste and religion, it was difficult to bring them out safe. It was next to impossible!

"Shweta, we know the guy from past one year and she had known him from almost five year." Mom interrupted in the conversation, "he isn't one among them. He had risked his life during the revolt to save us. He is different," mom passed her a reassuring smile. "That guy won't let a harm cross her." There was confidence underlying in her words.

"If that's what you wish," aunt was disappointed seeing mom supporting my views. "I will take the leave," she walked out without wasting a second. Silence prevailed around us for the minute longer. If the marriage end up into a destruction, my parents will be blamed. My wrong decision, my mistake would mean that their upbringing will be questioned. I promised myself that I won't disappoint them. They won't be ashamed of the trust they had put on me.

•••

"So, you will be here for the wedding and we aren't arguing on the topic." I glared at Siddhi from the screen, "you had promised that you will be here for all the preparation, so it starting from tomorrow, you better be present." I passed her a pointed look for which she giggled.

"I will be there for your wedding but I can't assure the exact date of my arrival. I need to plan the schedule. But it will be somewhere in December, right?"

"Yep, that's what the plans are," I gave a slight nod.

"I still can't believe that I had witnessed a real love story in my life." She giggled as she recollected our past. "From your first meeting to getting married. I hadn't never seen in coming, none in our group would believe it. You both hardly got together. You hated his existence," she shook her head as she muttered the exact view, I had about Faizal during our initial meeting.

"I didn't had good views about him," I laughed. "Wait, a second..." A message popped on the screen from Zoya. "I have a message from Zoya and she had typed urgent," I mumbled. "I will call you later," I informed Siddhi, apologizing for ending the conversation in the middle.

"It's fine," she passed me a smile. "I need all the details even if I might not be able to arrive two months earlier for the preparation." She made an apologetic face, "if you stayed nearby, it would have being a different story. Sometimes, work sucks!"

"I was kidding, girl." I shook my head at her guilty expression. "No one take holiday two months prior wedding, I am still working."

"But I wanted to be part of your wedding preparation from the beginning. Your wedding is damn special for me," she passed a smile. "And you know that," she faked a glare in my direction.

"I do," I nodded. "But I am aware that your job is also important so concentrate on it while I provide you detail information about things happening, so you won't feel left-out." With that as a promise I ended the call, typing a message to Zoya rather than replying to my message I was gifted with her video call.

I would have freaked out and ignored the call if it was someone else but with Zoya I felt comfortable enough to pick her video calls.

"What is it?" And I met with numerous set of clothes scattered around the counter. The huge collection of clothes hanging around gave me a view that she was in a shop.

"Have you gone for a shopping?" I asked, a loud-mixed voices were coming from her direction. "Zoya! Are you there?"

"Why weren't you receiving my calls?" Instead of Zoya, I met with Faizal's stern voice. He was mad! "With whom were you talking from so long?"

"I was talking to my favourite person," I smiled attempting to make him jealous. "Why were you missing me?"

"Zoya was missing you," I heard his annoyed voice. "She wanted some suggestion on clothes."

"From when she started wearing gents clothes?" I glanced at the variety of kurtas. "Oh she is gifting her husband something?" I played along while I heard his defeated groan. "He is very handsome, any colour will suit him."

"You find everyone handsome," he grumbled under his breath.

"Why do you have any problem with it?"

"Why would I? But I can assure you that you might have problem if I find any of your cousin cute."

"Obviously," I groaned at the thought of it. "No one should be cute than me."

"Pagal," I heard him whisper. "Help me with this job," he took one of the kurta in his hand.

"You have started with the shopping?"

"Zoya isn't allowing me to rest in peace," Faizal was groaning in frustration. "It doesn't seems like my marriage but hers. She wasn't this excited on her marriage."

"Because she knows the importance that day will hold in your life. She knows you even if you might not be that expressive," I shook my head at the last comment.

"Just like you," I wish I could glance at his face. The way his orbs might have soften while a sweet smile would be playing on his lips.

"This would go well?" He inquired as he took another kurta for the examination.

•••

From past few weeks our video calls revolved around providing glimpse of the preparation. Faizal used to randomly click pictures, record videos and sent it to me. I hardly got time, attempting to manage work at home and handle the wedding preparation but seemed like Faizal was managing it well.

The toughest job was by his side convincing his parents for traditional South Indian Wedding yet he didn't mention a word about it to me. It was from Zoya I got aware of the drama that unfolded at home. He attempted to keep the struggle to himself just sharing with me all those happy memories.

"When are you going to arrive?" I inquired, we were just two days away from getting married. My heart was beating loudly in nervousness. How was it going to end up? Many of my relatives declined to attend the wedding because according to them we were committing the biggest mistake of our life.

Those words, those accusation would built self doubt within me what if they are correct? After all, they are senior and have more experience and knowledge about world than me but I trusted the faith I had on us, and the belief that if he wasn't made for me, we wouldn't end up getting our parents convinced for the wedding. We had taken the difficult route yet managed to succeed.

"Hey," he waved his hand before me as if attempting to bring me back from my world of thoughts. "Stop daydreaming!" He faked a glare. "I have called you for an important work?" He paused for a moment, "I want to see your mehendi."

"I haven't applied yet," I mumbled as I was getting ready for the mehendi ceremony which was just among our few relatives as much as my mom wanted it to be a grand wedding yet she was forced to keep it small due to the objection rolling around.

"I will be waiting..."