Iknoor entered her house and was greeted with the sight of all the family members sitting in the living room.

They wanted details!

"Ruko zara!mujhe freshen up hokr aane do,phir sab bata dungi!"Iknoor said before anyone of them could utter a word.

She left towards her bedroom and once she was freshened up and changed into her shorts and tshirt she went downstairs and sat with her Patti and thatha.

"How was the meeting kanna(beloved)"Thatha asked as he patted her head and she leaned on his side keeping her head on his shoulder.

"It was......normal I guess"Iknoor said after thinking for the right term.

"Normal matlab?"Ikbir bhai asked.

"Matlab it was normal,we just talked about our lives,work, education and all that"Iknoor said elaborating her statement.

"Nīṅkaḷ paiyaṉai eppaṭi virumpiṉīrkaḷ chellam?(tumhe ladka kesa laga beta?)"Her Patti asked.

"Eṉakku etuvum teriyātu Patti(mujhe nhi pata Patti)"Iknoor said speaking in Tamil because she knew her thatha and patti liked it when they talked to in their mother tongue with them.

"Oyee Hindi only!!!nhi toh meine Punjabi bolni shuru kr deni h!"Her nani said and everyone laughed hearing that.

This has always been a topic of banter,her Nani and nanu who were Sikh expected them to talk in Punjabi and her thatha and patti who were South Indian expected them to speak Tamil,so when everyone was together they always chose hindi as the medium of communication.

Growing up she remembers speaking only in Tamil with her paternal side of family and speaking in punjabi with her maternal side of family,they had learnt both the languages in this way and hindi they learnt because of their parents,who would always talk to them in hindi.

"Okay okay,Patti puch rahi thi ladka kesa laga isse"Ikbir translated it for his Nani and nanu who eagerly looked at Iknoor.

"Pata nhi nanu,abhi ek baar hi toh mili hu,first meeting pr kese judge kr du usse?"Iknoor said and her grandparents agreed with it.

"Don't worry chellam!!phir se milna tum usse,then decide!!"Her Periappa said and Iknoor nodded at that.

"Acha abhi tu milkr aayi kuch toh opinion hoga na tera usko lekr"Her nani asked.

"I guess he was fine,he talked nicely,behaved gentlemanly,and there wasn't an awkwardness between us,so mujhe kuch galat nhi laga"Iknoor said honestly what she felt after meeting Nirvair.

Though she omitted the part that she had a crush on him since she was 14!!

But then that wasn't necessary to be shared!

Also she wasn't going to say an yes to this alliance only because she had a crush on Nirvair!

Anyways crushes come and go!

What if she says yes to the alliance and then she looses interest in him?

Though it is hard to find Nirvair Sehgal uninteresting!

Still,she had already decided that she would be neutral about her decision!

It was about her whole life afterall!!

"Family bht accha h uska!!I liked the family a lot"Patti said and the others agreed with it.

"Family se kya krna h patti?ladka acha hona chahiye!!"Ikbir said and that was also true.

"Haa pr family acha hona bhi zaruri h puttar,aur wese bhi Sehgal's aur unke bacchon ko sab jaante h,bht cultured aur ethics wale log h,apne baccho ko ache hi sanskar diye honge unhone!"His nanu said then and Iknoor agreed with it.

Nirvair has always been very kind even though he was the most notorious boy of the school.

Also Iknoor knew Maahi too because she was her junior and always asked for her help with anything,Maahi was a well mannered kid too!

"Ha toh thik h na Noorie usse ek do baar aur mil sakti h,phir apna faisla suna sakti h"Meher bhabhi said and everyone agreed with.

"There is no pressure on you kanna!take your time and then decide okay?"Her thatha said caressing her hair and talking to her as if she was a baby.

Iknoor gave him a bright smile,her thatha was the best!!

"Haa,yeh ladka nhi toh aur bht saare rishte aayenge!!you don't worry about anything!"Her periamma said and Iknoor nodded at that.

"Wahi yeh aakhiri rishta thodi h!mein isse bhi sona munda dhund lungi tere liye!"Her nani said.

"Nhi toh isse acche ladke h hamare Vishakapatnam mein!"Her Patti said and Iknoor sighed.

Here goes nothing!

"Kyu Punjabi ladko mein kya kharabi h??Iknoor bhi Punjabi h,iski jamegi Punjabi ladke ke saath!"Her nani said looking at her Patti.

"Woh south Indian bhi h!!,uska South ke ladke ke saath bhi jamega!!"Her Patti said.

"Punjabi mundo ki toh gal hi kuch aur hoti h"Her nani said.

"South mein well educated,family oriented ladka milega isse!!"Her Patti said.

It was as if they were debating about which side groom was best!

"Enough!!! Patti,nani,bas karo!!jo rishta aayega mujhe chalega,aap log yeh tamil-punjabi wali fight phirse shuru mat krna ab!"Iknoor said and both the ladies went silent then.

Though both of them were still giving looks to each other.

"Chittappa(Chachu) ne toh abhi se wedding cards ki design select krna shuru kr diya h!"Ikbir said and Iknoor widened her eyes at that.

"Meine ab tak haa bhi nhi boli h ladke ke liye!"Iknoor said.

"Ha toh printing thodi abhi krni h,cards toh dekh hi sakte h na?baadmein bas ladke aur tera naam daalna baaki hoga!"Her nani said and her Patti agreed with her on this.

"Inn dono ne toh jewellery shopping krne ka bhi abhi se soch liya h"Meher bhabhi said and Iknoor sighed.

"Patti!Nani!!bht time h abhi meri shadi ko! pehele mujhe haa krne dijiye!"Iknoor said.

"Arre toh last moment pr shopping hectic hota h!"Her Nani said.

"Aur shadi ke ghar mein,kitna kaam hota h!"Her Patti said.

Again they both formed a team.They have always been like this,at times they fight like Tom and Jerry and at times they behave like they are best friends!

"You guys carry on mein jaa rahi hu sone!I am tired!"Iknoor said and left towards her room.

She had just laid down on the bed when her bedroom door was yanked open and she saw the intruder and sighed.

"I want details!"Meher bhabhi said and Iknoor nodded and sat down on the bed.

Meher too sat beside her eager to know what happened in the meeting.

Iknoor narrated everything they talked about, whatever she had shared and whatever he had shared.

"Tu natak hi kr rahi thi na neeche??tujhe toh Nirvair pasand h,tu na kyu bolegi iss rishte ke liye?"Meher bhabhi asked.

"Aisa nhi h bhabhi,I am serious!"Iknoor said.

"Toh kya tujhe woh acha nhi lagta?"Her bhabhi asked.

"I don't know....I mean he was my crush when I was 14.....but he is still my crush.....pr kya apne crush se shadi krni chahiye??mujhe toh bht saare celebrities pr bhi crush aa jaata h,uska matlab yeh thodi unse shadi krni h mujhe!"Iknoor said.

"Woh toh h.....acha yeh bata tujhe kesa laga woh aaj ki meeting ke baad? forget the crush part for now!"Bhabhi said and Iknoor thought about it.

He was a gentleman for sure,he talked to her nicely,made her comfortable,even cracked jokes,made her laugh,was being completely honest too!

There wasn't any bad thing about him for now!

"He was nice,I mean just like I had imagined him to be!but I am confused bhabhi"Iknoor said.

"Obviously ek mulaqat mein tu usse judge nhi kr sakti,maybe you should meet him again!"Her bhabhi suggested and Iknoor still was confused.

"Aisa nhi h ki mein jaanti nhi Nirvair kesa h?I know him since he was in school,but I don't know how he is now!he has grown up and maybe he had changed!who knows woh ab school wala Nirvair nhi raha toh?"Iknoor asked and her bhabhi agreed with her.

"Acha pr tujhe uspr crush toh h na abhi bhi?"Meher bhabhi asked wiggling her eyebrows.

"Haa h....he is Nirvair Sehgal!!!kese kisko uspr crush nhi aa sakta??"Iknoor said with a dreamy expression.

"Itni lattu h uspr aur phir bhi confused h shadi ko lekr!"Meher bhabhi slapped her arm bringing her out of her dream land and Iknoor pouted at that.

"Crush toh hamesha rahega hi,pr kya usse shadi krna sahi hoga?agar mera interest chala gaya toh?"Iknoor asked.

"Hayee meri maa!!itna kyu sochti h tu??abhi se future ka kyu sochna??abhi sirf itna soch ki kya tujhe usse shadi krni h?"Meher bhabhi asked and Iknoor sighed.

That was the question,she didn't had an answer to!

"Bhabhi aapko pata h Nirvair kitna popular tha school mein?woh arranged marriage kese kr sakta h yrr??I thought usne apne kisi long time girlfriend se shadi bhi kr li hogi,pr ab pata chala ki Mr. Toh kuware bhi h,aur koi girlfriend bhi nhi h unki!"Iknoor shared her thoughts.

"Ha toh maybe usse koi true love types ladki mili hi nhi hogi! zaruri thodi h jo popular ho woh love marriage hi kare!"Her bhabhi said.

"Woh bhi h,pr Nirvair ko koi bhi ladki mil sakti h bhabhi,aapko uska charm nhi pata, ladkiya deewani ho jaati h uske peeche"Iknoor said again praising Nirvair.

"Ha ha Bhai dikh raha h uska charm!"Bhabhi said teasing her and Iknoor's cheeks turned red.

"Aisa kiske saath hota hoga ki jispe usse crush ho ussi ka rishta aa jaye uske liye?"Iknoor asked.

"Pata nhi,but tu lucky h shayad isliye tere liye Nirvair ka hi rishta aaya"Her bhabhi said.

"I think I should meet him again and then maybe I can decide!"Iknoor said not sure if she would still get an answer.

A few days later,

Sehgal House,

"Nirvair"Bela called her son as she along with Mahir entered in his room.

Nirvair as always was laying on his bed,shirtless just in a short,he sat on the bed once he saw his parents.

"Baat krni h tujh se"Mahir said and Nirvair just nodded at that.

Mahir and Bela settled down infront of his son who was staring at them only.

"Bol dijiye jo bolna h aapko"Nirvair said with a long sigh.

"Ab toh tu uss ladki se dusri baar bhi mil liya h,toh ab tera opinion kya h usse lekr?"Bela asked as Nirvair met Iknoor for the second time yesterday for a coffee.

Though Bela and Mahir were in support of this alliance they wanted to hear their son out for once before they come to any decision,they don't want to force their decision on him,it was his life after all.

"It's not changed"Nirvair said and his parents sighed.

"Tujhe problem kya h uss ladki se?"Mahir asked.

"Uss ladki se koi problem nhi h mujhe papa!she is perfect,isliye keh raha hu she deserves better,mere jese ladke se kyu kara rahe ho uski shadi?"Nirvair asked.

"Tere jese ladke se matlab?Kami kya h tujhe mein?"Bela asked.

"Time ki!mere paas kisi ke liye time nhi hota h,understanding ki!mein apne sivaye kisi ko samajh nhi pata aur sabse important marzi ki!mujhe shadi hi nhi krni h life mein kabhi!"Nirvair said straight away and his parents again sighed.

"No marriage is no option for you"Mahir said.

"Then do as you please!yeh faltu mein baar baar mujhe se mat puchiye aap log ki mein kya chahti hu jab krni aapko apne mann ki hi h!"Nirvair said and Bela glared at him.

"Don't talk to you father like that!hum tujh se puch rahe h kyuki teri life ka sabse important decision h yeh!"Bela said and Nirvair rolled his eyes.

"Aur yeh decision mein le chuka hu but aap log usse agree nhi kr rahe ho mumma!"Nirvair said.

"Nirvair calm down,can we talk like mature individuals?"Mahir asked and Nirvair didn't replied to it.

"Ladki bht acchi h,unhe humne tere job ke baare mein bhi bataya h,woh agree kr rahe h phir bhi iss rishte ko ek chance dene ka,toh tu kyu nhi de sakta?"Bela asked.

"Mumma, it's not just about time!mujhe sach mein shadi hi nhi krni h!mujhe nhi chahiye koi companion,mujhe nhi chahiye kisi aur ki responsibility,mein khud ko sambhal lu wahi bht h"Nirvair said.

"Again!no marriage is no option for you"Mahir said.

"Mumma aap kya Maahi aur Aashi ke liye mere jesa ladka choose karengi?jiske ghar aane ka koi time nhi hota,family ke saath time spend nhi kr pata, serious nhi h kisi cheez ko lekr, zyada earn bhi nhi krta?"Nirvair asked.

"Baat agar time ki h toh humne unhe bataya h ki teri job ki timing bht odd h,aur rahi baat income ki toh she earns more than you,so that isn't a problem either"Mahir said then.

"Fine then,I think we are done talking here!aap meri nhi sun rahe,mein aapki nhi sun raha!aap woh kijiye jo aapko theek lagta h,kyuki mein pareshan ho gaya hu ab iss shadi ki baat se hi!"Nirvair said getting frustrated now.

"Okay then get ready to get married!"Mahir too said glaring at him.

"Fine,agar woh ladki kabhi dukhi hui meri wajah se toh mujhe blame mat krna!mein koi ideal husband nhi banne wala kisi ke liye"Nirvair too announced then.

Before Bela could speak anything Mahir took her away with him.

"Mahirji I think hame...

"Natak kr raha h yeh,itna toh mein jaanta hu isse

ki agar koi responsibility aa jaye iske upar toh usse toh yeh nibhata hi h,you don't worry, marriage will fix him!"Mahir said and Bela hoped her husband was right because she didn't wanted Iknoor to suffer in all this.