"I'd have to be a level five douchebag if I fell in and out of love now and then. That's absurd. And if it's you, it'd take me five lifetimes to just get enough of you. Or... is that too short? Anyway, the point is that... it won't happen."

His words aroused a sense of security within her but she still wanted to get on his nerves. She always did.  

"Who knows?" She asked, shrugging as if his previous words didn't make a huge impact on her. 
"Now you're finally starting to offend me. But I'll let it go." He sighed, shaking his head. She turned towards him, halting her steps.

"Then, make sure to be quick. Priti stalled her marriage for almost two years. I don't know if I can do the same." She spoke, stepping closer to him. A smile formed on his lips, one that she adored with the core intensity of her heart.

The skies became cloudy as people started leaving the roads due to the chilly breeze. The gush of cold wind blew through them, causing shivers to run down her spine.
The weather was becoming cold once again as the light hues of dark and faded blue took over the vast sky above them.

"It might rain." He said.
"I've always wanted to experience the rain with my lover." She whispered to herself, giving him a small smile as he held her hands, pulling her with him towards the side of the road.

"Then, I'll fulfil your wish." He chuckled and faced the sky, awaiting the rain. A drop of water fell on his cheeks, causing his eyes to close instantly.
"It's raining!" She squealed as the rain droplets increased until it was fully raining.

She watched the rain droplets fall into her palm with eyes filled in awe as he smiled, watching her.

Her gaze shifted up to him as a soft chuckle escaped her lips.

"Kabir... your forehead—" She fixed his wet strands sticking to his forehead as he laughed, "It'll get messy anyway. Come!"
He took her to the middle of the empty road and said, "Let's dance."
"Huh?!"

He held her waist and pulled her closer, intertwining one of his hands with one of hers as her other hand rested on his shoulder.
They swayed together on the wet pavement as she spoke, "I'm bad at dancing. I'll step on your toes."
"Is it a warning or a spoiler— ouch!" She gasped when he backed away lightly, "Sorry! I told you..."
"A spoiler, indeed." He sighed, chuckling almost immediately.

Their wet bodies stuck together as he spun her around, pulling her close again.

She smiled, feeling a warm feeling take over her chest as the cold water dripped down her body.

"Just follow my lead, okay?" He said as she smiled, nodding. They danced and danced until he suddenly picked her up and spun her around.
"Ah! Kabir!" She winced, tightly gripping onto his shoulders.

"You said you wanted to recreate a scene from 'Jab we met', right? There we go!"
She grinned, pressing her forehead on his as he kept spinning, "Put me down! I might die already!"
"You won't." He said, putting her down.

Her hands were still entangled around his neck as she stepped closer, taking a good look at his face. His dark brown eyes looked lusciously beautiful in a way she never succeded in interpreting. Ever since the first time she had seen him, she'd always wondered how beautifully his eyes were sculpted.
"Your eyes are really beautiful," She whispered, letting her gaze travel from his eyes to his lips.

He was busy analyzing her face, "Is it?"
She nodded, watching the droplets of water drip down his forehead. His wet locks sticking to his forehead made him look absolutely hot.
She licked her lips and smiled, watching him do the same.

She felt the same fluttering feeling at the pit of her stomach when he dipped his face lower to reach her level.
"We could do more than the scene of that movie." He whispered as she blinked twice, "We're in public—"
Before she could finish, he pressed his lips on hers.

The taste of the rainwater moulded within their lips as she smiled, pulling him closer. His hand that was wrapped around her waist tightened, pulling her into a deeper kiss.

He pulled away and stared at her with a small smile, "I'd compliment you back but there's nothing specific I can point out. Everything about you is just so stunning."
She shyly looked away as he hugged her, snuggling into her neck.

"Nisha?"

She hummed, waiting for him to continue.

With a soft sigh, he spoke, "I love you."

Was it the first time he had said those words? She wondered to herself.

It was.

He had indirectly said a lot to her. A lot that depicted his feelings and sincerity.

But hearing the words, in their raw and default form wasn't something she thought would be so meaningful. It felt as if every little thing he did for her and every little emotion he made her feel came packed in one phrase, radiating every bit of emotion within her.

She hugged him tighter, whispering, "I love you too. A lot." 

— Time skip —

"It went bad? So bad that you got wet in the rain this way?" Nisha smiled awkwardly at Bindu's statement as her parents stared at her. 
With a cautious fake cough, she stepped inside, keeping her wet bag aside. 
"Well... I forgot to take an umbrella."
"Why did Priti leave you alone? She came back earlier saying you wanted her to leave first." Her father spoke as Priti came out of Nisha's room with a grin.
"You're back!! How was it, Nisha?" 

She sighed, giving her elder sister a side glare before fake smiling at her parents.
"He doesn't seem like a good guy, Maa... Baba, I know you wanted me to marry him but I don't want to do this." She said and sighed, approaching Priti who nodded, "The guy looked like a snob."
"But... he was so respectful to me." Their father frowned.
"Baba! Everyone can pretend! He was probably doing that. I'm not saying he's that bad... he's decent but we don't get along. That's it. Please don't pressurize me on this anymore."

Their parents shared a brief eye contact and nodded together, walking into their bedroom.
"Huh?" Nisha stared at her parents as Priti looked at Bindu, "Do you know what happened? Why are they so chill?"
"Suspicious." Adisha whispered, looking at Adil who hummed, "Definitely." 

"When did these minions get here?" Nisha asked as Adil rolled his eyes, "Why would we miss this free show?"
"Both of our sisters pull the same shit," Adisha spoke as Adil laughed. Bindu looked at the four siblings cluelessly, "Is there something I'm missing out?"
"Pretty sure not," Priti spoke, walking back to the bedroom as the kids started laughing between themselves. 

Nisha heaved out a loud sigh, reminiscing about the recent incidents as a blush coated her cheeks. 

— On the other hand —

"Maa, what are you watching?" Kabir eyed her mother who was smiling at the phone. She glanced at him before turning off her phone, "You won't believe this. Do you remember Mita? She got married last week. They had been dating for almost five years now." 
"Wait, so... last year when you were telling me about her, you knew?!" He gasped as his mother chuckled, "Son, I've passed all these ages to know enough. Of course, when I told you, you thought I was joking." 
"How did you know, though?" He asked. 
"When you're in love, dating and enjoying the little things of life, there's always a different glow on your face. I can see that." She smiled, eyeing her son who nodded. A sudden thought crossed his mind, causing him to awkwardly get up from the couch. 

"Maa, I'm a little busy. Let's talk later." He abruptly turned around to leave but his feet halted when his mother's voice reached his ears, "It's fine if you don't wanna tell me. I hope Nisha herself will tell me soon." 

He felt a cold sensation slowly enter his veins that spread out indiscriminately throughout his entire body. His feet felt numb, causing him to clumsily sit on the sofa behind him as his gaze remained fixated on the floor. 
With a breathless laugh, his mother fixed her saree and continued, "You're twenty-eight. The biggest thing I desire from you is your happy marriage and stable future. Moreover, I've liked Nisha since the first time we met. She's a beautiful and kind woman, not forgetting that she's also self-reliable and independent." 

Kabir fiddled with his fingers as his mother's words paused for a second before taking a new turn, "Most importantly, you like her. I've always noticed it whenever we all were together. Also, I can hear you from your room when I go out to drink water at three am. So, don't worry too much, son. Both I and your father are okay with it. As long as your intentions are pure and committed." 
"They are." He clarified, looking down.

With a subtle smile, she asserted, "Out of every sentence I said, you clarified that? I trust you. You're my son after all." 
"How long have you known?" He asked, trying not to sound as awkward as he was. The fact his mom might've heard the cheesy lines he used to pull on Nisha at three am didn't salvage his inner peace in any way. 
"A month now. You're bad at pretending."
"Then why were you still lecturing me about Rina Aunty's choice of women in her hometown?" He scowled, earning a chuckle. 
"Just to tease you. I was checking if you'd confess but you're clever, son. You give me hints but not enough for me to know. I understand, though." 

"Maa... does that mean you approve of my marriage with Nisha?" He asked. 
His mother thought for a second, "I don't know how she would be as a wife but as long as she cares about you, it's fine with me." 
"You don't know if she'd be nice to you and Baba or... you know, it could be that she doesn't know how to do laundry." Kabir spoke, trying to inquire further.
With a sigh, his mother shook his head.

"Did I seriously raise such a stupid head like you?" His mother frowned. 
"Huh?" 
"We have a maid who takes care of all that. It's 2023, Kabir... and I'm pretty cool. I'm searching for a daughter-in-law, not a maid who'd do laundry and cook and take care of us. You will take care of her instead."
He smiled a little, nodding.
"Good, then. I don't think I'll have to face any wife-mother issues." He gave her a content look as she scoffed, "If anything, I'll face troubles with you annoying my daughter-in-law. Also, don't think I'm into family politics, your grandma tortured me enough."
"Your daughter-in-law? As in, Nisha?" He couldn't contain the grin on his face.

His mother scrunched up her face, restraining the smile that was dying to come out. 
"Wipe off that ugly grin and move away. I heard you talking to Javed this morning. You seem to have a lot of work. Finish all that up and join your father in our hometown tomorrow. He'll be there for an entire day and return at night." 
"Alright." Kabir nodded, checking his phone one last time as a recent text from Nisha popped into the notifications bar.

"See you then, Maa." He smiled and pressed a kiss on her forehead, rushing outside the living room as his mother chuckled. 
"Those good old days... can't believe my son's now living through the days I've lived through a long time ago." She smiled.

— Next day —

"Maa, Baba... you both are not serious." Nisha stared at her parents in shock as they shrugged.
"You said you didn't like that guy. But we have lots of other options. You should meet them all and see who suits you." She licked her lips, eyeing the couple and glanced at Bindu who seemed equally disconcerted at their actions.
"Why are you guys rushing so much...?" Nisha asked, frowning at the pictures as her father sighed. 

"We just want you to be settled. In hard times, you need someone to be with you. And you're also going to enter your thirties soon."
"There's still five years left until I turn thirty." She scowled.
Her mother nodded, "But, you're already a working woman. You've always been so smart that you finished your degrees earlier than others and started working early, doing internships amidst studying. So it's normal that you didn't get time to get to know people or date like your sister did. You should now take time and think about your near future first." 

"You're worried that I'll be all alone with no one willing to marry me if I delay my marriage like this." She voiced out as their expressions changed slightly. 
With a subtle shake of her head, she inserted, "Maa, Baba... I know you guys are worried about me but trust me, I have a plan in life. I will meet the people you both want me to, it's fine. But, I'll only marry the one I truly like, okay? And, I'm also very focused on work right now. There's this project I've started as my independent working career and I hope for it to flourish so you do understand, right?" 

"Of course, we do. We just want you to be happy." They said as she nodded. 

"I have some pending work left. I'll be back. You both can have dinner first." She turned around, rushing into her bedroom with worries weighing on her shoulders. 
A deep sigh escaped her lips as she rested her back on the bedroom door, pondering on the current situation.
"I'll reject all of those men and finally, no one will be left to marry me." 

Another thought crossed her mind.

"I'll reject everyone so I get to marry Kabir but... am I ready to marry him?" She asked herself.

There was no doubt that she loved him. She truly did. 

But marriage was a huge thing that meant tying the everlasting knot. She was ready to do that too.
The barriers that she feared remained in the social and familial boundaries. 
"Right. I've grown up facing the toxicities and obstacles of society and relatives. I can handle it after marriage too." She said to herself, wondering about all the incidents she had witnessed in her life. 

She had seen her mother's married life. One where her mother had to face the taunts of the family members, relatives and society for things that were beyond her control. Even though she had Nisha's father, there was something void that Nisha always felt between them. 
There was a lack of deep relationship and commitment, the everlasting and rooted trust and defence concerning your partner. 

Whereas, for her sister, Priti, things seemed rather better. Shams was a nice guy who, though soft-spoken, knew the boundaries and when to step up. And he was too in love with Priti to let anyone exploit her in any way. 
Yet, there were problems Priti herself faced. The adjustment, homesickness and sacrifices were inevitable for a desi woman getting married into someone else's house. 

Was Nisha ready for all that?

She quickly took out her phone and sent a quick text to Kabir,

nisha00: My parents got new suitors for me. God knows how many more guys I've gotta reject. 

kabir_95: Oh my god. Are you meeting them tomorrow?

nisha00: Yeah. Don't come this time, though. It's just a waste of your time.

kabir_95: Though I wouldn't mind wasting my time on that, I can't come. I'm going to my hometown for the property problems with Baba tomorrow. I might come at midnight.

nisha00: So soon? Are things at work going well?

kabir_95: Yep, pretty nice. It's all stable now. The effort I put behind this is quite concerning though. 

nisha00: As long as everything's going well. Don't skip meals or overwork, okay? Take care of yourself. 

kabir_95: Okay, mother.

kabir_95: Do keep me updated about your day, though. I'm waiting. 

She smiled at his text and turned off her phone, "It would take time to adjust to a new household. But if it's with him, I guess... it wouldn't be that hard." 

— Next day —

Kabir stared at the picture on his phone, a smile adorning his face as the sound of light rain hitting the car windows entered his ears.

There stood Nisha amidst a beautiful flower garden, flashing her prettiest smile. Her light makeup highlighted her features while the colourful salwar kameez she wore illuminated her more than the surrounding flowers.
Or for him, that was so.

He took a screenshot of the picture and sent it to her, typing in a text,

kabir_95: There stands my flower being the prettiest amidst all nature's ones.
kabir_95: Nature 0. Kabir 1.

nisha00: fuck you.

kabir_95: ???

nisha00: Why would you say something like that?

kabir_95: It's okay, no need to be shy. I'm here to say all these to you forever anyway.

nisha00: bye.

Nisha giggled at the text and pressed the doorbell of her house. 
"Rejecting another guy feels amazing. My standards are all Kabir." She smiled to herself, making a straight face when the door opened. 
Bindu frowned, "Why did you return so early?"
"It was a fail! The guy turned out to be a real jer—" Her voice was interrupted by her mother's loud voice. She frowned at Bindu who smiled, "You are pranking me! You said yes to marriage to him. He informed us just a few minutes ago." 

"Huh?" was all that left Nisha's mouth.

What?