"Love is blind. Is this true?" She asked.

"I don't know if it's blind or not but I believe blind people can't see the efforts too..." He replied seriously before stepping away leaving her eyes wet.

<><><><>

"I wanna meet you soon, Danish."

"Same here..." He smiled, "When are you coming?"

"Soon," she smiled and took a pause "I miss those days."

"Haha... I too..." He smiled and glanced at the wrist watch then smacked his forehead. "Hey Maha, listen."

"I'm all ears, jaanu." Danish laughed and jumped out from the bed.

"I need to get ready for the office, then I have to do some more work... So..." He left the sentence.

"Okay... so, are you asking me to hang up the call?"

"No, I'm telling you that I'm going to hang up. Bye."

"Bye, see you." He was about to remove the mobile phone from his ear when an addition made him smile "Jaanu." And the call ended with a beep.

<><><>

Her mobile rang and she didn't receive the call but walked out the maingate. The black SUV was already waiting for her. A handsome figure was standing holding the door for her.

"Khush aam deed." Fayra tried to smile but couldn't. She was not only nervous but scared too.

(My eyes are pleased to see you.)

For the first time in life she was gathering courage to bunk the college. She would never do this if Arsh hadn't asked her to prove her love.

"Kesi hain aap?" Arsh asked her after he started driving. This question seems like a difficult one to answer. Silence was capturing her.

(How are you?)

"Aapki khamoshi ki wajah jaan sakta hu?" After some ten minutes Arsh asked her but she was still silent. Not even lifting her gaze which was fixed on her lap and hands were nervously clutching the bag. Heart was racing as fast as she never felt yet.

(May I know the reason for your silence?)

"Fayra?" He stopped the car in the parking area of a restaurant and she did not look up. Holding her chin he lifted her head and her tear filled eyes met his dark orbs.

"Fayra, aap roo rhi hain? Kya hua hai?" When she didn't say anything Arsh unfasten his seatbelt and leaned towards her side. Ready to listen to her.

(Are you crying? Why? What's the reason?)

"Arsh, main aaj pehli baar jhut bool ke kisi se milne aayi hu. Kisi ko nhi pta main aapke sath hu."

(Arsh, this is the first time I have come to meet someone by telling a lie. No one knows that I am with you.)

"Itna kyu dar rhi hain aap?"  He held her hands which were shivering. No matter how naughty she was inside the house, she was a shy and introverted girl for outsiders, and, till now Arsh was also an outsider for her.

(Why are you so scared?)

"What if anyone got to know at home?" the tears present on the edge of the eye lid slipped away. And she slowly pulled her hands away from his grip.

"Agar aapko mujh par itna bhi trust nhi hai to aap jaa sakti hain." He sat down with a straight back and opened the door of the car but Fayra was on the fence, she wanted to go away but she didn't want to upset Arsh.

(If you don't trust me then you can leave.)

How could a twenty year old girl conclude whom to trust and whom not? On one hand she had to save her relationship with her dream guy on the other hand she was holding the burden of Rizwi's dignity.

"Arsh... I just..." She muttered but he didn't let her say anything

"Do you trust me or not?" There was an urgency in his voice. Fayra looked in his eyes. Her heart started beating faster than normal. Her dream guy was asking her a big question and she nodded within thinking much.

"Yes I do." These few words brought a smile on Arsh's face.

"So enjoy our first date. Darling." And he held her both hands. "This period will be missed after our marriage." He smiled more and Fayra looked in his eyes.

What was present in his eyes?

Was it Love?

Or something else?

This girl was innocent enough to differentiate between different expressions.

"Stop crying. Please. Tears in such beautiful eyes don't look good." His words were playing with the heart of this girl who had never witnessed such kind of love before. She had witnessed Anzala's love for Maizah and Adnaan's love for Sara.

Anzala was teasing Maizah every now and then but if she needed him he was awake all night for her. On the other hand, Adnaan was so polite with Sara, he silently gulped all the anger down when Sara was enraged. Fayra had witnessed her parents showing love for each other in different forms. But this was a new form of love she witnessed today. The same love Bollywood movies portrayed ever since.

"Let's go..." Holding their hand they walked towards an already reserved Table "I'm dying to have our first meal together."

"Second..." Fayra felt shy to correct him.

"Umm... No... It was a family dinner in which I couldn't even see you properly and you didn't even look at me for once." Remembering the time when their match was fixed and rings were exchanged in the presence of their families, Arsh said and held a chair.

"After you... My lady," Fayra's heart swelled with pride. She took a seat and looked at the table. A big smiled captured her lips. She looked directly in Arsh's eyes and looked down the very next moment.

"White flowers?" She was surprised.

"Aapko kya laga, hume itna bhi nhi pta aapko kya pasand hai?" He asked while passing a bouquet of white lilies.

(What did you think? I don't even know what you like.)

"Arsh, aapko kese pta mujhe kya pasand hai?"

(Arsh, how do you know what I do like?)

"Aap mujhe pasand hain aapki pasand napasand pta lagana meri zimmedari hai." Another wave of shyness took away the innocent girl with itself. She inhaled the fragrance of flowers and tried not to smile too much.

(I like you. It is my responsibility to find out your likes and dislikes.)

Before the conversation went on a waiter came ahead to serve them orange juice and Fayra again looked at Arsh with wide eyes.

"How do you know?"

"Haha... Somethings should be secret only." He shrugged, Fayra sipped the juice delicately. It was fresh juice, she could feel the sweetness. Placing the glass back on the table she looked at the menu card. She was already hungry but didn't get courage to tell Arsh.

"Sir, order?" Holding a tab in his hand the waiter asked and Arsh gave an angry look to the man to disturb his ongoing conversation.

"My regular order." Waving his two fingers he dismissed the waiter and picked the glass of juice present in front of Fayra.

"Lunch meri pasand ka, aur movie aapki pasand ki... Theek hai na?" Taking a sip from her juice he placed it in front of her again. But Fayra was confused. From where this movie thing came? 

(Lunch of my choice, and a movie of your choice. Fine?)

"What? Movie? But Arsh I have to reach home within one hour. You asked only for lunch not for the movie."

"So what Fayra? Can't you lie only today that you're with your friends and it will take a few more hours."

"Umm... No, I can't." She muttered but Arsh did not care.

"Which genre is your favourite?" He asked and Fayra looked up. "Thriller and mystery." She replied with no excitement. The small meeting was converted into a trap for her. Glancing at the watch she found it near the time of college off.

"Arsh... Can we plan for a movie some other day? Please. I'm afraid of Mummy Papa's reaction after getting to know the reality."

"Who is going to tell them the reality? Tell them that you're going to your friend's home." Arsh shrugged. Now how could Fayra tell him that she didn't have friends?

Meanwhile, lunch was served. Fayra was silently watching the butler serving different dishes. But her eyes became wide when a glass bottle present in a metallic bucket surrounded by ice, came on the table.

"Champagne?" She muttered and looked at Arsh, he was already glaring at the butler.

"Oh... Sorry sir." The butler picked the bucket again and walked away dragging the empty serving trolley.

"It was champagne. Right?"

"No, it was wine. Maybe he mixed our order with someone else's... Don't worry. Let's start the meal."

Fayra tried to smile but couldn't, all her appetite was gone, hunger was taken over by fear and shyness was hijacked by fear. Her dry throat desired nothing other than a big glass of water. Pouring herself some water she looked at Arsh who was looking at her only.

"Don't be so nervous." He smiled and served her lamb chops and Fayra tried to smile but couldn't. He knew the choice of her in terms of flowers but he didn't know that she didn't like lamb or mutton.

She looked everywhere at the table, finally found something she could serve herself.

"Aap itna hi chup rehti hain? Ya mere saamne hi chup hain?" Without noticing that her plate was empty, he asked in between his meal and Fayra shrugged.

(Is this how you remain quiet? Or are you quiet in front of me only?)

"Chup to nhi rehti main..." She muttered in a voice that no one could hear beside herself and Arsh laughed a little.

(I don't be quiet.)

"Yeah, I can see how much you talk."

"I'm done. May I go now. Movie some other day... Day after tomorrow is our engagement. We can plan a movie after that... Please."

<><><><>

Sara glanced at the wall clock. It was near evening but her daughter hasn't come back yet.

"Maizah, mujhe bohot dar lag rha hai." Sara muttered. Maizah was also anxious, the beads of Momina's tasbih were moving with a higher speed.

(Maizah I'm afraid now.)

"Anzu, Fayra hasn't return home from college."  Maizah informed her husband when he entered the home..

"What? It's already near 6." Anzala almost yelled and looked here there.

"Where is Adnaan?"

"Adnaan and Afnaan both are searching her..." Sara replied and dialled her number one more time. The mobile was either switched off or out of network area.

"Who went to pick her from the college?" Anzala asked Sara's eyes filled with tears.

"She told me that she will come alone today,"

"And you agreed?" A voice echoed from behind, Adnaan was back empty handed.

"Adnaan, I thou..."

"Sara how could you be so careless about Fayra? She asked you to come alone and you agreed?"

"Adnaan she is not a toddler, we can't cage her for the whole life, and it's not the first time. She often returns from college alone." Sara replied and Adnaan was shocked

"How can you let her travel alone Sara?" Adnaan forgot all his politeness and softness when it comes to his daughter's safety.

"Stop it you both..." Anzala yelled and dialled a number, he waited for some one minute and furrowed. Dialling the same number again he looked everywhere.

"Where is Danish?"

"Maybe in the office," Maizah shrugged.

"No, I'm returning from the office only. He isn't there." Anzala was trying to conclude something and dialled the number again. "He is not picking up the call." He muttered when a voice of horn grabbed everyone's attention.

Danish walked in with long steps and Fayra followed him with tiny steps.

"Fayra... Danish... Where were you two?"

"Ise shopping karane le ke gya tha." He replied without meeting eyes with anyone, just focused on the mobile phone present in his hand.

(I took het for shopping.)

"Dimaag kharab ho gya hai kya tum dono ka?"  Maizah yelled.

(What? Are you both mad?)

"Danish, ye kya tariqa hai? Aur tum Fayra... Yaha hamari jaan nikal rhi thi aur tum dono shopping par gye the. Agar jana hi tha to bata to dete..." Adnaan yelled. Danish was standing with down gaze but Fayra started crying. This was the first time when Danish didn't care about her tears, he walked to his room after shooting a glance at her, she tucked her curly hair behind the ear and sniffled.

(Danish, what is this way? And you Fayra... we were dying here and you both went shopping. If you had to go, you should have told us.)

"Bas bhi kriye Adnaan bhai, ek din baad bachhi ki engagement hai, excitement me batana bhul gyi hogi, aap use rulain to nhi." Fiza stepped ahead and embraced the crying girl. Fayra's tears melted every heart. Going for shopping only a day before engagement wasn't a crime, with this thought the matter was dismissed.

(Please Adnaan bhai, sto it. Her engagement is after a day, she must have forgotten to tell you in excitement, don't make her cry.)

Fiza was embracing Fayra and she was crying too much. Afnaan came forward and caressed the head of his beloved niece.

"Chalo Fayra, mere sath chalo, tumhare liye aaj main pasta banaungi..." Fiza tried to hush the crying girl but she didn't.

(Come on Fayra, come with me, I will make pasta for you today...)

"Itna bhi gussa kis baat ka hai bhai?" Afnaan registered his disappointment and Gestured Fayra to come with him. Adnaan never wanted to make his princess cry but today his fear of losing his precious gem came out in the form of anger. Fayra took only a few steps ahead when a voice stopped her.

(It's enough of your anger, bhai.)

"Let her stay here only, Afnaan." Sara took steps ahead and grabbed Fayra's hand, before anyone could say something she dragged her daughter to her room. Locking the door behind herself Sara jerked Fayra's hand, pushing her towards the bed.

"Kaha thi tum Fayra?" Gritting her teeth Sara asked, maybe that was the first time Fayra saw her mother so angry.

(Where were you Fayra?)

"Mummy... Umm... I ... I went to the mall... For shoppi..."

"Ye kahani use sunana jo maan jaye. Mere samne ye drama na karna. Kaha thi batao."

(This story should be told to someone who agrees. Do not do this drama in front of me. Tell me where you were?)

"Shopping, really mummy..."

"Achha... Kya shopping kri? Kaha hai shopping bags? Itne ghanto tak shopping karne ke baad bhi Khali hath wapas aa gyi?" This time Fayra was silent, she couldn't lie in front of her mother for sure. Sara was standing in front of her, waiting for an answer but this girl preferred to walk away from the room. Sara was shocked but she smacked her forehead with confusion.

(Ok... what did you buy? Where are the shopping bags? After spending many hours, you still came back empty handed?)

"Ye kya chal raha hai in dono ke beech? Arsh se engagement hone wali hai is ladki ki..."  Sara held her forehead and closed her eyes.

(What is going on between these two? This girl is going to get engaged to Arsh...)

<><>