The sun has only just peeped above the dull, grey English clouds, dawning on Shanaya's eyes which were already open since midnight. It is now only 6 am yet she is unable to sleep.

"What should I do?" She mutters to herself as she paced up and down her room, thinking whether to tell Jasprit about her marriage situation and how her parents are forcing her to marry Abhi.

"Aaj toh kisi bhi haal main bataana hoga".

She fiddled with her fingers but finally decided to make her way to Jasprit's room.

She took a deep breath and finally knocked on the door.

"Come in".

She slowly opened the creaking door to see Jasprit in front of the mirror neatly doing his hair, one hand of his holding down one side of his hair. She goes up to him.

He was getting ready for early morning practice match.

He looks at her, confused, then down at his wristwatch.

"What do you want at six o clock???"

"Err, well - I wanted to talk to you." Shanaya says, still twiddling her fingers, looking down at her frantically moving hands.

"Go on..." Jasprit says in a muffled voice as he stuffs a biscuit into his mouth while combing his hair.

"So err... you know how we are like - dating now..."

"Hmm..."

"Actually my parents said they wanted to get me married."

Jasprit glances at her briefly before sitting down on the bed and tying his shoelaces.

"Okay"

"Okay? What Okay? Jaspreet I'm talking to you!" Shanaya exclaims as she sits next to him on the bed.

Jasprit finally looks at her.

"So they told me I need to get married. And then I - I said I have a boyfriend." Shanaya gulps.

"Very good."

"Jasprit! You are not taking it seriously!" Shanaya now gets irritated as she is in such a turmoil yet he responds with "very good" ??

"Accha haan, aur..?" He puts on a serious voice now, although he is still in a mood to joke around, while he is trying to poke a hole with his straw in his Ribena can.

"And then I said..."

"And then you said...." he motions me to continue.

"You know what, why don't I just tell you later. Perhaps this evening. You free?" Shanaya gives in impatiently.

She turns to go and he catches her wrist and makes her sit back down on the bed.

"Tell me." He says, finally looking at her. He places his strong hands on the sides of her arms and rubs them gently, comforting her, as he senses the pressure she is experiencing, while waiting for her to continue.

Shanaya, still unable to meet his eyes, says:

"So I said - I slept with.. you." She blurts softly.

Jasprit spits out the juice in his mouth and chokes, coughing. He blinks a few times to try to make sense of what was just said.

"Oh my gosh, are you okay?" Shanaya rubs his back.

"So - so you told them you and me....." he can't finish the sentence. He starts coughing again.

"So you want you and me to have..."he pushes her back out of his arms quickly with a hilariously shocked expression and creates distance between them, backing off.

"Jas, baby listen.." Shanaya tries to walk up to him.

Hilariously, jasprit walks backwards fast and climbs on top of the sofa.

"Is that why you're here, so me and you can... have..." he straightens his wonky glasses which display his shocked eyes.

Shanaya finds this absolutely humorous.

"No no, stay there. Sit on the bed!" Jasprit curls up on one corner of the sofa, hurling into a human ball to stop her from touching him as he sees her slowly come over.

"Okay baba, I'll stay here." Shanaya sits on the bed, a good 5 meters between them.

Jasprit is now panting in shock.

Shanaya can't help but smile.

"We don't have to... like.. do anything." She says. She gets up to go.

"But if you want I'm free this evening.

For a coffee, before you start imagining something else." She adds quickly with a wink.

Jasprit shakes his head and laughs.