As we make our way to the backyard, my mind goes to the day before the match when my mother warned me to stay away from Kiyansh, how confidently she said to me, he will be back with the actress in no other time.

My mind is reeling with such thoughts and I don't even realise when we reach at the spot where we met for the first time, it's not far from Charlie's grave. I smile at the place and the memories that erupt in my head, "Do you remember we- ?" I turn towards Kiyansh and gasp.

My heart starts beating so loud, my whole body shakes in response.

He gives me a nervous glittering smile and my chest fidgets and decides to not breathe air inside my body. "I have never done this before, please don't laugh at me." His voice is low, nervous, Kiyansh Singhania is not a nervous person.

My heart pings in response, and I stand wordlessly, my solar plexus takes so many turns that my brain sends caveats of malfunctions to my heart.

"This is the place where we met for the first time." His eyes shine like a morning star and I feel tears threatening the back of my eyes. "I saw you down on your knees in a pink dress," he continues, clearing his throat, "searching erratically for Charlie. You said no for breakfast, then no for lunch, and I was standing and looking at you, you didn't eat and continued to search for him even after everyone gave up. That was the first time I thought, how could you love someone so much?" He gulps, and his Adam's apple pops, he takes a second to say, "Then we grew up, and every other day you dragged me to rescue street dogs and cats, even when you are allergic to cats and had to take medicines. And with time I realised it were not just animals that you rescued, you rescued almost everyone around you. You rescued me from being a person who would have been an arrogant-no brainer, without a heart- you still do. You rescued and forgave your dad, every time he fought with your mom. You rescued Ashraf Kaka and begged your parents to give him and Tanya Tai jobs. You rescued my mom by becoming the daughter she had always wanted and never complained when she bought you dresses and literally forced you into wearing them, even when you hated them. You rescued my dad by becoming his chess and reading partner. You rescued even your mom and gave her chance every time she asked for, even when she disappointed you again and again."

I open my mouth and no words come out, tears leak without any accord from both my eyes, and I feel a tug so powerful that my throat aches.

He clasps my right hand in his left, his expressions soft and openly vulnerable when he says, "I know I don't deserve you." He closes his eyes and breaths hard. "I know I don't," he repeats again.

I shake my head but he doesn't see it.

He opens his eyes and his eyes are the sun in cold winter morning, they are the shore that you think is the end of the world, but is actually a centre, they are a cup of coffee in cold mornings, a garden full of spring flowers and sweet breeze, a sunrise that fills your heart and chest with an impeccable light and makes you feel so alive that you are not scared to breath.

So I breathe.

His hand tightens on mine. "I know it's selfish that I am asking you to marry me. But how can I let go? I have let go so many times before, that I can't now. I know you said yes because you think I need you, I know you don't love me like that" how wrong he is, my inner subconscious mutters, "but nobody else in the world makes me feel like you do, nobody knows me better than you, please, please marry me."

I want to tell him he is wrong. I want to tell him, that I love him more than anything else in the world, have always loved for a long time. My heart hammers in my ears, I gulp, but my throat is not co-operating and he is waiting.

He is waiting with such soft melted gold and chocolate eyes that my mouth involuntary whispers the only word it can, "Yes."

The look that comes into his eyes is of woods glittering in the morning light, a sparkling fountain of crystal, it's of a happiness that I haven't seen in his eyes ever before, and he smiles, he smiles so bright my whole heart stutters.

He grabs my left hand, and slowly, so slowly puts the ring on my ring finger. The way his fingers graze mine, are the most personal touch I have ever felt in my life, I will take this feeling to my grave and beyond. He takes both of my hand in his, and turns our hands, I look at the new addition in my hand, and think about the meaning of it, the reality of it pushing through the edges to the centre of my whole heart.

"Kiyansh I-"

Before I can complete the whole sentence with my heart inside my mouth, my mother's voice interrupts me with a high soprano of anger that I have known so close, "What in the god's name you two are doing here?"

Even though I know my mother to be no less than sneering at any point of time in my life, it sends a shaft of hurt deep in my gut when I hear her voice. I pull my face into a nondescript expression, I am tired of this. I can't help but say, "I am sorry mother, if we intruded into your beautiful house without your permission we were just making our way out."

Kiyansh tilts his head and looks at me amused an indolent smile makes a way on his face.

The door at the back of the house is screeched open, and my huffing dad sprints towards us to join in the drama of my family that never seems to end.

My mother gives not even a single glance in the direction of my dad looking at us with perplexed eyes, focusing her attention on me with a scornful look, "That's not what I was trying to say, I was talking about that." She points at our hands entwined together, flapping her hands exaggeratedly, "you both can't be together, I mean."

My dad chokes in surprise.

Kiyansh literally growls beside me like a lion preparing to shard his predator into pieces. I turn my head towards him and find a vein ticking in his cheek, his jaw clenched hard. His hand clutches mine and he yanks me protectively close to him, opening his mouth definitely to spit fire at my mother but this time I beat him to it.

"How sad that we don't care about your opinion mother," I put up our hands for display and make sure she sees my ring finger.

Her gasp is so loud, that I feel it reverberating inside my ears, my dad's eyes bulges half out of his eye socket.

My voice is sarcastic, but my heart is so tight, I think it might break. Kiyansh squeezes my hand in support and I am so glad, otherwise I would throw up. "We have already decided," I say with surprising steady voice, "We are not here to please you, see you on the day." I say and start to drag Kiyansh away and then take a decisive turn midway and add, "If you are invited."

My mother looks like I have told her that she is not going to be the businesswoman of the year anymore.

Tears start to flog my eyes deceptively, and I stray my face away from their vision.

"Wait." I hear my dad say.

I don't stop. I don't think I can stop the lava from bursting out of me, I just don't want dad to be the victim of it. Kiyansh willingly lets me drag him his face is so shocked that I would have laughed if it were any other situation.

"Wait Shanvi," my dad says again.

I increase my speed and clutch Kiyansh's hand more tightly, but I hear dad's rushing footstep catching up to us in no less than a minute. His puts his hand on my other arm and stops me from moving ahead.

He turns me towards him, huffing, he catches his breath. "Shanvi your mom, she doesn't mean to-"

A single tear slip from my eyes, and I for the very first time in my life, speak to him in a loud voice, "She doesn't what dad? I mean she doesn't like me, that is very clear to all of us, how many times you are going to defend her? She doesn't mean this, she doesn't mean that? Why does she always say all these things if she doesn't mean it? And why doesn't she ever apologize for it. Why is it always you?"

My dad stills in shock, he looks so sad and lost, I hate myself.

Kiyansh seems to get over his shock and starts to say something to my dad, but my mother has to even interrupt that, "What do you mean by I don't like you? Shanvi you are my-"

"Enough," I say calmly, too calmly for the fire erupting inside of me. And then I look at my father's face, and it hurts me so hard it's like a bleeding punch to my stomach. "I am sorry." I whisper to my dad then I drag away Kiyansh out of the house.

And this time my dad doesn't stop us.