"I have heard of gym dates, picnic dates, double dates, even impromptu dates. Never heard of a compensation date.", Mia sipped on her lemonade.

Abhik smirked amusedly, looking across the plain.

"You know, you are nothing like how that Subho told you were.", she continued, taking a seat on the soft grass.

"Acha?  What did he say then?", he looked at her with admiration. How the sun reflected of her glassy skin, how the wind swept her hair sideways, how.....Abhik shook his head and went back to focusing on what she was saying.

(Really?)

Mia stirred the drink with her straw, causing the bubbles to rise up and pop.

Looking wistful she said,

"You were very social. You were like a family member to the, what was it, Sen family. But you and Oindrila couldn't be because......"

The crunch of dried leaves when people walked over it was the only sound heard.

"Doesn't matter. That was the past.", Abhik acted nonchalant.

"It does. Those kind of thoughts are very cheap."

Abhik glared at her slightly,

"Maybe it seems so to you, but you need to understand it from their point of view. No one would want their accomplished daughter to be with a man who does not even have a proper job."

Mia cowered down a bit, making Abhik's facial features soften.

"And think about it, if that never happened we would have never met."

That made Mia smile.

"We wouldn't want that now would we?", she asked teasingly.

"Cheers to that.", they clanked their plastic cups in mock seriousness and fell in fits of giggles.

"So what was it you wanted to tell me?", Abhik asked as their laughter died down.

"Ohh, yes. Remember when we met? My best girl friend's wedding? She's is having an Indian wedding and you and Alex are invited.", she revealed.

"Inviting or hiring?", Abhik raised his eyebrow, a smirk dancing on his lips.

"Inviting for sure. Then I won't have to pay you for singing.", now it was her turn to smirk.

"Very clever"

"I know"

Both laid down and stared up at the clear blue sky.

Abhik turned to look at Mia,

"You never dreamt of making it in the music industry?"

Mia only gave a soft smile and said,

"I am going to complete my first dream before anything else."

Abhik frown deepened, "What's that?"

Mia couldn't help get exasperated. 

 She stood up, blocking the sun rays from falling on him, her arms crossed against her chest.

"I have told you about a million times. You should know this by now"

Abhik followed her suit and stood up, towering over her.

"Just say it again.", he flailed his hands around

She rubbed her fingers against her chin, as if contemplating her choices.

After a minute or so, she looked at him with eyes twinkling with mischief. But what she did next was a surprise to say the least

"No.", she declared and ran from there before Abhik could react.

And he stood stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened. When it finally sunk in......

"MIA!"

"What can her dream be?", Abhik asked Alex for the nth time, lookng through piles of clothes but not focusing on selecting one.

Keeping the kurta in his hand on the rack, Alex looked at him like he could slap him.

"We have come shopping for clothes for a wedding. It is not a library where you will find answers to your questions."

Rolling his eyes, Abhik said,

"There must be something I am missing."

Taking a deep breath in, Alex tried to suggest something, 

"What does she tell you the most?"

Abhik just became more confused.

"She tells me a lot of things, what do you mea....oh my god.", Abhik looked at him as if he had found the meaning of life.

"Oh my god."

Alex put a shaky had on his shoulder, terrified to say the least at the bipolar reaction by his friend.

"You ok, AJ?"

"You are a genius.", Abhik told him.

Alex smiled bashfully,

"I mean, not so much. But if you insist."

Abhik only gave him a weird look,

"Don't let it get to your head."

"Well you can't take it back.", Alex said pursing his lips.

"I can and I have.", Abhik stuck out his tongue like the mature adult he is.

"Anyways, tell me more about these Indian weddings.", Alex let it slide for once.

"What I will say for now is that we need clothes for it. Which we don't have."

"You say like that's my fault."

"It isn't mine either."

"Who was talking about Mia instead to actually looking through the options?"

"That was important."

"You are contradicting your own statements."

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Am not"

"Am not"

"Are too"

"Got you!", exclaimed Alex.

"This is cheating.", whined Abhik.

"We can continue this later, let's get the actual work done.", told Alex.

And they agreed to disagree.

"It is a three day process!", Alex exclaimed, almost chocking on his Americano.

Abhik nodded unbothered, popping a fry in his mouth.

"But we only sing on one day."

"Which one?", Alex asked, snatching the packet of fries before it was all gone.

"The second day, the day we will be going. It is ceremony called sangeet which literally translates to music.", Abhik explained.

Alex seemed in awe at the description Abhik had given him, not really being able to digest the vast cultural difference.

"Indian weddings always seemed so chaotic to me. Like, the videos I have seen, there is usually a lot of people and loud music on for 24/7. Must be so hectic for the poor bride and groom.", Alex lamented dramatically.

"Chaotic, sure. I also agree we have a lot of people, half of them we honestly don't even know. But Indian wedding are so much more fun. And our taste in music is frankly better.", Abhik replied.

He got a fry thrown at his face in response,

"Don't badmouth our music."

Abhik threw a chicken nugget in return,

"Don't throw fries at me."

And it would have turned out into a full blown food fight if they wouldn't have been kicked out of the food court for starting one.