"A boy is coming to see me" Mahira whispered on the phone.

"Just stay came and deny siting some excuse" Manpreet suggested .

"It's not easy, you aren't girl .How can deny this gentleman?" Mahira rose her voice as she found herself alone.

"Okay then marry this gentleman" Manpreet spoke with a hint of anger.

"Manu that isn't a joke" Mahira shouted.

"What is not a joke?" Mahira's mother Naheed overhead and came to ask.

"My friend Sheetal is making stupid jokes and annoying me" Mahira lied.

"Let me talk Sheetal" Naheed took the mobile.

"Hello, Sheetal beta stop troubling Mahira" Naheed spoke out adjusting her spectacles on her nose.

Manu stayed quite and disconnected the call.

"What kind of friend you have ! Mannerless girl disconnected the call" Naheed looked Mahira in disbelief.

"Ammi , it must be network issue" Mahira covered up.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

"Bebe (mother), give me lassi" Manpreet asked his mother Saroj .

"All day your fuss keeps going on. Now my knees are giving, get married" Saroj groaned.

"Marriage?" Manpreet asked as flowers danced in his head thinking of Mahira.

"We are fixing your marriage with Ginny" Saroj replied.

"Who is Ginny ? Why didn't you ask me first?" Manpreet spoke out panicked.

"Ginny, don't you remember her? Ginny is Gurpreet" Saroj spoke out.

"Ohh Daddy ji ke friend ki beti( daughter of my father's bestfriend)" Manpreet spoke as his mouth dried in worry.

"After a week , engagement will be held" Saroj informed.

"What,no! Who gave the approval " Manpreet stood shocked.

"I gave the approval " Saroj gave a glare.

"But I don't love her , Bebe don't fix it" Manpreet pleaded.

"She is beautiful sardarni, long hair ,big eyes .Well settled in Kanada (Canada)" Saroj out dreamingly.

"But I love Mahi " Manpreet's heart screamed as he stood numb.

"What happened Puttar(son)? Love will happen after marriage, don't worry " Saroj patted his back.

"I have not only fallen in love but I have made love before marriage Bebe " Manpreet's mind wanted to declare.

"I am not ready yet" Manpreet stuttered.

"Yesterday you said ,you are ready for marriage. You are 27 and mature enough. My arthritis is also bad, let us get you nuh ( wife )" Saroj replied shutting Manpreet's urge to take a stand for his heart.

˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊·̩̩̥͙

"Ammi , I am not ready for wedding" Mahira whispered.

"You are old enough, you are 26 .At your age I looked after the entire household with a big joint family. You were born out of a lot of difficulty cause I chose to marry late but listen conception is difficult beta (daughter) . I had to bear taunts and 3 miscarriages and I don't want you to go through the same" Naheed spoke emotionally.

"Me and Manu are perfect, we have even planned at what age we would make babies just approval of families matters now" Mahira's heart churned.

"Ammi , I can't marry him . I don't know him and..." Tears wobbled out of her eyes not knowing how to say what she felt.

"He is good boy , an engineer, handsome and has a good job in America. Don't over the time you will know him " Naheed hugged Mahira who cried more.

"You went to Saint Stephen's, DU great" the potential groom met Mahira in person for the first time on her roof.

"Yes, I studied there" Mahira spoke and her eyes remained fixed at the floor as per her mother's instruction for being a shy bride to be.

"What's the best thing you encountered there?" The groom to be aka Ayaan spoke out.

"Manu! That's the best thing I encountered " Mahira wanted to reply but changed her words as they left her mouth.

"I loved the professors amazing they were and the canteen was great " Mahira chirped as she remembered how Manu got her tea and Samosa every morning as they started with friendship which eventually turned into love.

"Did you any boyfriend ? Sorry I don't intend to hurt you but be honest, last girl I met lied to me and she was pregnant we discovered 2 days before the wedding . Huge shame for everyone so I am being precautious " Ayaan asked.

Mahira felt silent her heart raced and brain became blank .

"Did you had girlfriends before?" Mahira spoke out after a few minutes regaining her composure.

"Uhmm...all of them were not serious. All of them wanted to have sex and I don't approve of sex ,you know it's a sin" Ayaan spoke cooly.

"Oh so you had casual girlfriends...uhm how many ?" Mahira's eye rose up and shooted glares at Ayaan.

"What! What hell are you asking! " Ayaan lost his cool.

"You could not remain committed to one woman and you are looking up for a wife that never had boyfriend. You can ask me about boyfriends but I can't do the same why Mister?" Mahira spoke out with anger in her voice.

"Stop insulting me, I am here to talk for marriage not for moral policing , if you are pure than what's the big deal!" Ayaan threw the cup that holded tea.

"I was not insulting you but I was making you realize that women are not objects that are needed to be graded. You may leave now " Mahira declared.

"Mahira! You misbehaved with Ayaan why so? He is a gem " Naheed yelled.

"He is a womanizer!" Mahira spat back.

SLAP! Naheed slapped Mahira.

"What are you talking about? Mahira you have brought shame . Apologize to Ayaan and get ready for engagement" Mahira's father Arif thundered as he entered the room.

"She got nervous nothing else" Naheed stuttered.

"Naheed, then teach her to be obedient too. I have given my words to them that Mahira will be their daughter in law . End of discussions " Arif announced.

"No! This can't happen Manu is my life.What should do now?" Mahira thought to herself.

"No way! I love Mahi, she is my everything. What can be done now ?" Manpreet thought to himself igniting a cigarette.