"Do you remember the time when you scratched your knee in this garden running after Shahzain?" Sibtain asked Irsia who was sitting beside him on the mat, sipping her tea. After visiting Pari Mahal, Cheshma Shahi and Botanical Garden they had decided to stop at Nishat. They were facing the Dal Lake and the setting sun was painting the whole valley in different shades of pink, orange and red and the view was breath taking.

As Irsia lifted her eyes to look at Sibtain, a single ray of setting sun silently kissed her eyes, revealing the tiny black spots in them. Had he not been looking at her, Sibtain might have missed the way her eyes shone and revealed their depth. Her eyes looked like a desert with black spots as footprints in them and he himself felt like a traveler lost in those dark brown eyes.

"No I don't remember."

"What?" Sibtain asked blinking his eyes.

"You asked me if I remember scratching my knees here."

"Oh sorry. Yeah I asked that. So do you remember?"

"I already said no." Irsia answered looking a bit confused.

"How stupid of me. Of course you don't remember. You were only five years old I guess."

"And you remember that? It was so long ago." She asked with a sweet smile.

"I remember everything." He murmured.

"What?"

"Nothing."

They enjoyed the tea in the setting sun under the shade of the Chinar amid the slight breeze that rustled their leaves.

"Show me the pictures." Safa asked her younger son who was sitting opposite her with Abu Bakar and Irsia and commenting on each picture.

"Wait mom. I'll show you the photographs but after we are done making fun of each picture."

"Are they that funny?" Zahra said plopping down next to her brother.

"Not all of them but few," answered Shahzain.

Rehamtullah Khan was watching his elder grandson who was in the lobby speaking with someone on the phone.

"Sometimes I worry about him." He said to his brother and daughter-in-law.

"Why?" His brother asked.

"He is so into his work that sometimes I feel like he is married to it. He is almost twenty seven now. He should settle down."

"Have you talked to him about settling down?" Noor-din Khan directed this question towards both his brother and Safa. Rehamtullah Khan shook his head in negative.

"I tried talking to him but he didn't pay heed to that question." Safa answered.

"I think you should talk to him. He always listens to you, more than he listens to me." Rehamtullah Khan asked his brother who nodded his head in agreement.

Almost after twenty minutes Sibtain entered the drawing room where the whole family was gathered. His mother, Manahil and Baneen were scrolling through the photographs on Shahzain's phone and the children were talking among themselves and occasionally joining the three ladies in their comments on the photographs. Sibtain sat in between his brother and Aazir and joined in their conversation.

"Sibtain you look so smart in this photo." Manahil showed him the picture where he was smiling looking at something.

"Thanks."

"The credit goes to me. I clicked it." Zahra said proudly.

"Yeah she clicked it."

"You were smiling looking at Irsia aapi when Bhai was trying to sprinkle some water at her." Sibtain blushed slightly and feigned ignorance.

"I don't remember."

"Sibtain?" Noor-din Khan called his name and everyone grew silent.

"Yes bade dadajaan."

"How is your business doing?"

"Alhamdulillah great."

"That is good to hear. So what have you decided about settling down?"

"Hmm?"

"About getting married?" Deafening silence filled the whole room. Sibtain looked like a deer caught in headlights. He blushed deep red and looked at his mother who shrugged innocently. He opened his mouth to say something but closed it again. He was aware of every pair of eyes on him, especially the certain pair of eyes. Noor-din Khan raised his eyebrows demanding an answer.

"I... I haven't decided anything yet. What is the rush?" He stammered a little.

"You are twenty seven and well settled by the grace of Allah. Now is the best time to get married."

"But-"

"Do you like someone already?" His grandfather asked and at that moment it looked as if a bucket full of red paint had been splashed over his face.

"What? No." He answered quickly.

"If there is someone you can tell us." His mother said.

"Mom please."

"C'mon dude get married already. I'm the next in line, remember?"

"Shut up." Was Sibtain's reply to his brother.

"At least tell us the type of girl you like." Manahil asked. "What if we know someone like her?"

"I don't know. I'll marry whomever mom likes." His cousins hooted a little which earned them a glare from the elders and they grew silent in an instant.

"What if I choose someone and you don't like her?" His mother asked.

"I know you will choose the best for me. All I want is that she should be good to my parents and elders. She should respect my family."

"What about looks?" Manahil asked.

"As long as she is mine, just mine I don't care. To me she will be the most beautiful girl." He said with the small smile on his lips.

"Then we will keep our eyes open. What if we find someone at Zoya's wedding?" She said excitedly.

"If someone catches your eye there, do inform us." Noor-din Khan said to which Sibtain nodded his head.

"What about you Shahzain, what type of girl do you like?" Manahil asked him.

"I like pretty girls." He said instantly.

"Then she will be easy to find." Manahil answered and smiled mischievously.

"Why? Do you know many pretty girls?" He asked with a wink.

"May be."

"Excuse me." Sibtain excused himself and went outside to recover from the shock that he had just received.

After five minutes Aazir followed him outside.

"Hey." He said plopping down on a chair next to Sibtain. He acknowledged his presence with a nod.

"Still thinking about the encounter you just went through?"

"Yeah."

"Don't worry I hear it all the time."

Sibtain gave him a smile. "And what do you do then?"

"Nothing. Just listen to them, give them a smile and leave."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"But with Irsi it's a different story."

"Why?"

"She won't budge until I tell her I'll think about it. She is dead set on getting me married."

Sibtain chuckled. "Did she complete her MBA?"

"No there is still one semester left."

"Okay. What are her plans after that?"

"I haven't asked."

"You two are sitting here. Dinner is getting cold. Come on inside everyone is waiting." Zahra said standing at the doorway.

They followed her inside and in to the dining room, where the others were already seated.

Irsia and Zahra entered the room and greeted few people there. Irsia's eyes scanned the room for that one face which was the only reason she was at that party. As she scanned the room her eyes first landed on a man who smiled at her and she did the same and then she saw him. He was standing next to that man, who was his father. They just looked at each other, not breaking the eye contact until someone placed a hand on his arm. Both of them turned their gaze towards the owner of the hand who turned out to be a beautiful girl in yellow dress. She snaked her arm under his arm and smirked at Irsia while doing so, challenging her with her eyes. Irsia looked at him and found him looking at the girl on his arm. She felt as if someone had poured a hot molten iron inside her and stabbed her heart with million blades.

"How can he be with some other girl when he is engaged to me." She thought.

She took a step back and held Zahra's hand and turned to leave when a voice stopped her, calling her name. She turned around to look at him. He took a step towards her with that girl still on his arm.

She looked at their entwined arms and gulped. "What?" She asked with a tone that was devoid of all emotions.

"Can you please fetch that box for me. I really need it." She looked in the direction he was pointing towards.

"By the way she is my girlfriend." He said introducing her to Irsia.

"I figured." Saying this she walked to fetch the box for him which was under the bed that happened to be in that room.

Zahra looked at Irsia and her heart broke for her cousin.

"Just look at him bossing me around like I'm his wife and what is he doing? Enjoying with his girlfriend." She was fuming with anger and jealousy

Zahra didn't know how to react to that so she patted Irsia's hand lovingly. Suddenly Irsia's whole demeanor changed. Instead of fuming with anger or getting jealous she suddenly smiled.

"Why are you smiling?" Zahra looked confused.

"I feel sorry for that girl."

"Why?"

"She must be under the impression that he is her's but poor girl, she doesn't know he is already mine, only mine." She felt content again and she placed the box in her hands and turned to look at him who was already looking back at her. His eyes twinkled as he smiled at her lovingly. He winked at her and she smiled back.