"Remember, dinner starts at eight" Jasmine mentioned as she looked over the report. Why was she reminding me that on a Wednesday?

I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. "I would suggest that you dress to the nines, I'll have some people there who might be interested in your work," my ears perked up at that.

"Definitely" I muttered trying to keep my composure. I always seemed to be on the brink of losing it.

"Okay. Good"

"I...what?" she had never complimented my work before.

"This looks good" I stared at her face until she raised her eyes and I scrambled back. "That will be all. See you tomorrow"

I all but waltzed out of the office, giving Nasir a giant wave. He smiled and shook his head, packing up his things. This week might not be a total disaster. I might get a promotion, maybe some respect, and all because of my engagement.

My mood soured and I considered the complexity of the situation. There were so many realities to face.

Haider and I weren't actually engaged, in two weeks Jahangir Khan could be behind bars, Jasmine might hate me, scratch that she would definitely hate me and based on his cold treatment, I was sure Haider didn't want anything to do with me. I would be left with a broken heart, powerful enemies and questionable job prospects.

"Oh come on, the world isn't that bad" I looked at the source of that unfamiliar voice. A smile bloomed on my face.

"Irtiza, hi. You're here...?"

"Just passing by. I saw you come down the stairs, thought I'd say hello but you were lost in your own thoughts, as usual"

"Sorry, it's a work thing. How are you?"

"Good. Enjoying the weather. How about you? Anything I can help with?"

"No" I reached him and he gave me another one of those brilliant smiles. "You left the party early, was everything okay?"

"Keeping track are we?" I smacked his arm. "Okay, yeah. I'd lost something" the flash drive. Why oh why were you a part of that Irtiza?
"Valuable?"
"Very much so"
"Really?" I feigned, shocked.
"I'll tell you but first, you owe me that cup of coffee" I laughed.
"Yes, I do"

We sat outside one of the cafes chatting about our mutual friends. Most of my batchmates were now either starting families or already had one.

"Even her? Wow," Irtiza spoke, his gaze filled with wonder. "I used to have the biggest crush on her"

"Every guy did" I muttered, rolling my eyes.
"I seem to remember quite a few guys having a crush on you too"
"What? Don't be silly"
"I'm not. Farhan had a huge crush on you. He never had the guts to tell you"
"They never do," I said sagely. He laughed and I poured some sugar into my latte.

"That was then," he said, taking a sip. I nodded. "But now"
"Now?"
"Any special man in your life?"
"I could ask you the same thing"
"Nope, there's no man in my life," I laughed again. "But I do hope that there would be, soon"
"You want a man soon?"
"There's that wit" I shook my head at his antics.

"Elena, I... I was wondering," his fingers reached out and brushed against mine, just as I lifted my head to see a very dark and brooding figure staring daggers at me.

Well, not at me, at Irtiza and Irtiza's hand.

I gasped and pulled away. Irtiza looked at me, confused.

"What?" he followed my gaze to see a very pretty woman, with a heart shaped face and beautiful oval eyes, hand her shopping bags to Haider. "Do you know them?" Yes, no...

She looked to be somewhere in her thirties and was extremely well dressed in a silk kurta and matching pants. Her silky hair flew in the gentle breeze. A very foreign and dark emotion curled in my stomach.

Before I could answer, the woman's head whipped up and she looked at Haider and then at me. I readjusted my gaze and raised my hand in a very weak imitation of a wave. She smiled brightly and started to drag Haider towards us.

"Well, I guess you do," Irtiza stated, shifting in his seat. I blinked, feeling oddly guilty.

"Elena. It's so nice to finally meet you!" She chimed, her hair held back my her sunglasses and engulfed me in a hug. I stood there in shock.

"I..."

"Haider has told me so much about you" if his face was any indication, no he had not. "I'm his sister, Madeeha, but everyone calls me Maddy" sister, thank God. "And you are?" she asked turning her gaze to Irtiza. I sprung to life.

"Oh, sorry. Irtiza this is Maddy and Haider" he nodded giving them polite nods. "They're family friends"

"Well, we're family really! Sam is our cousin" Realization dawned in Irtiza's eyes and he relaxed.

"Nice to meet you" he said, an easy grin appearing on his face. Which was a huge contrast to the stormy expression on Haider's face.

"Well this is nice. So the two of you are co-workers?" She was not keeping this subtle.

"We're old school friends. We grew up together" Irtiza said fondly. I looked at Haider trying to keep my expression neutral.

"I was heading home before we crashed into each other outside my office"

"Crashed" Irtiza said with a wink and I groaned internally. He was not making this easy. Haider's muscle ticked and I looked at him, fascinated by his reaction.

"That's nice" Maddy said, her tone implying the exact opposite. She really did share that quality with her brother.
"I should be going" I said taking a step back.
"So soon?" Irtiza said, his eyes wide. I stared at him annoyed. Read the room Irtiza.

"It was nice running into you... all of you" I amended.

"It really was" Maddy said, her smile back and gave me another tight hug. I relaxed into it, letting the warmth wrap around me. At least she wasn't being hostile. Unlike others.

Waving goodbye, I almost ran to my car and sped away to my house, not liking this whole situation.

I watched with disgust as Sam chewed the back of her pencil, decimating the wood.

"So this happened yesterday and you're telling me today because...?"
"Because you were out yesterday and I fell asleep waiting for you"

"Hey, that's a journalist's life. Odd hours are my thing. Dad's been making sure that I lay the groundwork for our breaking news next Friday"

"Your Dad is setting you up for a promotion"

"Oh yeah. I could get the Assistant Editor position and an office" she trailed off, her head in the clouds.
"Hey, Assistant Editor, we have to get those papers first"
"Yes, right you have to focus"
"Jasmine told me to dress to the nines"
"So don't show up in your usual jeans and kurta"

"No, it's supposed to look like I'm engaged and in love blah blah" I said with a huff.

"With someone who hasn't said a word to you for the past 4 days?" She said counting on her fingers."Who now thinks you might be dating someone else?"
"Yes" I groaned.

"Never fear, Zaira is here" Zaira sang bouncing into the room, her hands holding a very large cardboard box. "Now be nice, I spent a lot of time on this and I know how picky you can be, but I've designed your outfit for Saturday"

Alert, I sat up immediately just as Sam shuffled forward eagerly.

"One, two and drumroll please..." we banged our fingers on our knees "Tada!" The box didn't open. "Wait, were still having issues with the material"

I controlled my laughter as she wrangled it open.

"Here and here's the sketch. This is custom made for you" I stared at the silk sari.
"Zaira... you've outdone yourself" this would be perfect.
"Haider won't be able to take his eyes off of you" Sam whispered.

"We'll braid your hair and some long earrings would help in finishing the look off" Zaira stated proudly, putting the outfit in a new plastic covering.

"Please tell me you have black heels?" Sam asked and I nodded. The Jimmy Choo's would go perfectly with this.

"This will be so much fun" She said clapping her hands like a happy seal.

********************************************