Vivaan arrived at San's Restaurant at 10 pm. As he walked through the door, Tariq who was at the bar counter spotted him. "Vivaan..." he excitedly walked over to him.

"Tariq bhai..."

They hugged. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

Sanvika smiled at them while taking plates off a table. In a few minutes, Astrid, Shardul, Suchil and Aaron had surrounded Vivaan and they all were chatting with him. Sanvika watched from the counter or while waiting on tables. Everybody was happy to see Vivaan. And Vivaan seemed to have returned to his usual energetic, overly cheerful self. He was cracking jokes and telling them funny experiences he had while working.

Shardul was the one who was not 100% happy with Vivaan's return. Of course, he would not be happy considering his feelings for Sanvika. But now Shardul could see how there was a smile on Sanvika's face, that was not there before. Shardul was a good-hearted man. He could see the woman he loved was in love with someone else, and it was that guy who makes her happy. So he decided to be happy for them. Or at least pretend that he is happy.

Not that he decided to stop his feelings for Sanvika. Love does not work that way. It does not simply go away if you decide on it. So it hurt him. His sister could see it. But they both stayed silent for the happiness of Sanvika and Vivaan. They could not bear to think about separating them. It felt like interfering with destiny.

Vivaan was stumped to know that Tariq and Astrid were now dating. "Didn't you guys hate each other?" He asked the unlikely couple. They laughed embarrassed.

"They slept with each other," Sanvika said passing by the table the others sat.

"What?" Vivaan yelled.

"San, don't give out unnecessary information." Tariq turned to her, looking red that came in even though his dark complexion. Sanvika who considered Tariq as her own brother laughed while pulling his leg further.

As the restaurant closed, and everyone dispersed, Vivaan was about to leave. Tariq who decided to stay at Astrid's place that night, intentionally, had left with her. Vivaan looked hesitant to leave. Shardul left them alone with a heavy heart. He went back to his room and thought about his last lover, who left him forever. He missed her.

"Shall we walk a bit?" Sanvika asked Vivaan.

He nodded.

They walked to the beach. It was almost midnight, and the moon shone brightly that night. It was cold. Sanvika wrapped her hand around herself. Vivaan regretted that he did not have a jacket to lend her. He looked overly nervous. He has felt nervous around the girls he liked. He did not know one day he will feel like this around Sanvika. His Vicky.

Sanvika took off her shoes as they reached the water. The sea gently touched her naked feet. Vivaan stood by her, looking at her in the moonlight. He felt that he has not seen Sanvika more beautiful than this ever. She was shimmering in the moonlight.

"Vivaan..." She called.

"Hm?" He was ready to give her even his life right then right there....

"You will be here in Goa for a while, right?"

"Yeah." He said, "I mean, at least as long as the construction work is going on. And after that..."

"After that?" Sanvika began to walk through the shallow water.

"I don't know..." Vivaan followed her. "Things will happen according to what the elders decide. If you don't come back, I may even be posted here."

"Really? And your brothers will be okay with that?" She asked, looking back.

Vivaan shrugged putting his hands into his pocket. "Kajal Bhabhi was complaining even about the fact that I am being sent to the construction site." He said, referring to his elder brother Viraaj's wife. "But as you know, nobody will dare say anything against Nirmala aunty. She decides everything in your and my family apparently."

Sanvika stayed silent. Vivaan hesitated.

"Can you tell me now what happened between your mother and you?"

"How is my Papa?" Sanvika turned to him, cutting in. "Did you see him any soon?"

"Yes. He was there when they were discussing 'my fate'." He quoted the last part. "He seemed okay. Why? Do you miss him?"

"Yes," Sanvika said plainly. "I do..."

"You should call him."

She appeared sad. Vivaan could not bear to see the sadness in her eyes. "Vicky..." he called. "Can't you just come back?"

Sanvika forced a smile and shook her head. She walked on, and then suddenly yelped in pain. She had stepped on something sharp. Vivaan knelt down beside her at once. "Shit! What happened?" They saw that she had stepped on a broken seashell that had a very sharp edge. The bottom of Sanvika's feet was bleeding.

"Damn... that looks bad," Vivaan said, feeling the pain himself. "You should have taken care... Why can't you look before you step on it...?"

"Why are you yelling?"

"What else should I do? Look at this... Bleeding so much."

"It's just a few drops of blood."

"I think we should go to a hospital. Get a tetanus shot. Else it could get septic."

"Relax, Vivaan."

"What 'relax'. Can you walk? Should I carry you?"

Sanvika blinked. "If I can't walk, are you really going to carry me?" She asked, almost laughing.

"Yeah," He said. "Should I?"

Sanvika broke into laugher.

Vivaan looked up at her. She could not control her laugher. She tried to put her foot down, but it hurt, so she balanced herself by putting her hand on Vivaan's shoulder. And controlled her laugher.

"Then carry me home... if you can that is. I weigh 55 kg."

Vivaan smirked and got up and easily scooped her up in his hands. "I work out." He added to her. Sanvika, who was quite startled, put her arms around his neck. "I did not really mean it, dumbo." She said. "Put me down."

"No." He smiled naughtily.

"Vivaan..."

"Vicky..." He just grinned at her. She scowled. The scowl was so adorable that Vivaan felt an immense urge to kiss her. And do a lot more.

He carried her home and upstairs to her bedroom. He lay her down on her bed carefully and inspected the wound again. It had stopped bleeding. "Do you have a first-aid kit?" He asked, looking at the wound. Sanvika was looking at Vivaan.

"Vivaan..."

"Hm?"

"Shall I give a suggestion?"

He looked up.

"Let's date." She said.

Vivaan blinked, not understanding.

"You wanted to marry me because that is fed into your mind by default." She continued, "if you had met me randomly... Or even if we knew each other since childhood, but were not betrothed; would you still have preposed to me? We have not even dated properly. And we are still 26 years old. So the original question would not have been 'will you marry me', but 'will you be my girlfriend', right?" She looked at Vivaan for a reply.

"Maybe..." He admitted.

"So... let us date. Like an ordinary couple."

"Then marriage?"

" I said like an 'ordinary couple'. Do every couple date by setting marriage as the target? They just start off and see where it goes, right? We may even fight and break up, and stop liking each other. Who knows."

"But... if it goes well? If we do not break up...? Will you then marry me? You won't will you?" There was a tinge of sadness in his tone.

"Hm..." Sanvika looked down. "I don't want to think about that right now. For now, you will be here for a while. And we have a chance to explore our feelings for each other. Not get tangled up in the whole engaged – betrothed thing, and begin something out of our own wish. Like any other normal couple. I want to try date you in a very 'ordinary' way."

Vivaan seemed to be thinking about it. He played with her anklet as he thought... He was already getting attracted to her ankle and feet... Her skin was smooth and blemishless.

"If we date.... Do I get to kiss you every day?" He looked up.

"Probably," She smiled.

"Now?" He raised an eyebrow.

She nodded. Before even she finished nodding, he closed the space and kissed her.