"I DON'T LIE"

The words halted Safiya's steps and she turned with a pout on her face "Pleaseeee....."

"I have never lied" Ibrahim shrugged

"And I have never lost"

"I know......but I am not stopping you from completing your dare.... go ahead"

"Did you even listen .. what the dare is" Safiya thought he must have misunderstood or not paid attention

"Yeah....you need a kiss..right" Ibrahim said casually resting his hands behind his head.

"No........." Safiya widened her eyes "The dare is to kiss you" she emphasised on "you" to make her point clear.

"Ultimately a kiss is the solution...I guess"

"Can I kiss you" Safiya closed her eyes realizing her words while Ibrahim was having the time of his life....this was too much fun!!!!

"Biwi ko mana toh nahi kar sakta....." Ibrahim said as if he was doing a huge favour on her

"Ek baar phir soch lein......." Safiya didn't want to take any chances

"Okay...give me a day...I will get back to you" Ibrahim shrugged picking his book

"Kiss na ho gaya kohinoor ho gaya...." Safia couldn't see through his sarcasm ... the image she had weaved of his in her mind would have surely said that....so no shocks here.

"I know ..  you don't appreciate such things .... I am sorry...." Safia apologised genuinely lowering her eyes...

Ibrahim shook her head "Idhar aao"

"Huh..."

"Come here...." Safiya walked close to where he was sitting with bated breaths.......

Making her lean down by pulling her hand he whispered "I am giving you 30 seconds.......complete the dare and leave"

Without thinking anything, Safiya kissed his cheek and turned to run but she slipped and fell on his lap..."Aaaah"

"You didn't mention this as part of the dare.......are you taking advantage of me now" Ibrahim bit his inner cheeks and kept a straight face which scared Safiya "Nahi......I just slipped"

"I don't believe you......"

"If I had to take advantage...would I not have kissed your lips" Safiya was aghast at the accusation

"Who knows...may be you don't like my lips...." Ibrahim shrugged

"No...your lips are very sexy.....aahh" Safiya shrieked at her words with eyes widened and tried to get up....this had been her most embarrasing moment till date.

"You r saying just to make me feel better.....I know" Ibrahim said and helped her in getting up

Safiya saw his sad eyes and felt bad......was he that sensitive...she only knew him as a serious and dominating person.

After gathering some courage, she leaned on his face and pecked his lips "I mean what I say"

Her lips were on his for just a second and next moment she just disappeared ....

Ibrahim touched his lips "did she really....." slowly a smile crept on his face "he didn't know he was that good a manipulator!!"

But little did Ibrahim know...not he but his image was a manipulator!!!

---------------

In the night when everybody was on the dinner table, Ahmad started talking....."Hum chah rahe the Safiya ki rukshati ke sath Arhaan ka bhi nikaah kar dete hain"

"Abbu....itni jaldi aur wo bhi kisse?" Arhaan was shocked

"Arre....abhi ek mahina hai......aur tum hi toh keh rahe the tum hamari pasand se shaadi karoge" Ahmad said having a bite of kabab

"Wo mai abhi bhi keh raha hun.....par itni jaldi?"

"Nahi....tumhari umra dhalne ka intezaar karte hain.........kuch andaaz kitna time lagega" Gulaab narrowed her eyes and Arhaan looked at Ibrahim who seemed to be enjoying his mother's sarcasm....which had passed onto him too.

"Bhai" Arhaan felt betrayed but then Ibrahim cleared his throat "Kisi ko pasand karte ho?"

"Nahi........par ekdum se"

"Ekdum se tumhe kaun dulhan ke kamre me jaa kar baitha de raha hai?" Gulaab had now had it..... "Na karna hai ..na karne dena hai " she mumbled which was quite audible to everyone.

Arhaan looked at his siblings who were looking down......."Mann toh bahut kar raha hoga daantein nikalne ka ... lekin sabra ne bandha hua hai"

"Theek hai Ammi...aap ko jaisa sahi lage aap waisa karein...." Arhaan finally surrendered

"Hayee mera beta........" Gulaab's mood changed in seconds making all the family members giggle..........

" Hum Misha ke gharwaalon se kal hi baat karte hain" Ahmad smiled

"Misha??" Arhaan was surprised

"Haan ....tumhari dost...badi achi lagti thi mujhe college time se hi....pichle hafte hi uski ammi se mili thi mai mall me..."

"No way...Ammi...she is my friend...awkward ho jayega sab"

"Dost hai aur ache se taal mel rahega" Gulaab was not going to back down and Arhaan knew that.

"Shayad aapki shaadi ka khayal dil me aaya hai..isiliye Tayi Ammi ne kal Misha ki family ko bulaya hai" Azhar sang seeing Arhaan in the kitchen

"Pit jaoge...mai bata raha hun" Arhaan said aiming the bottle at him

"Wo bhai hi kya jo pitne se dar jaye..." Azhar said making Arhaan hurl the empty bottle at him who laughed and ducked in to save himself.

Arhaan huffed and walked out of the kitchen making Azhar laugh out loud "Pasand toh aap ko bhi hai bhai...bas naatak karwa lein"

---------------

Safiya had been avoiding Ibrahim like a plague since the kiss fiasco. She kissed him in the heat of the moment but when she thought about it, she couldn't even look at herself in the mirror.....she kissed HIM..... which she would have dreaded to think of even in her dreams. It was a crime in itself....and she was sure he will hunt her down for that.

Her mind was so clouded with absurd thoughts that she didn't take the last step and was about to trip when Ibrahim held her waist. He was just behind her on the staircase and was amused seeing her mumbling all about the kiss.

"Dhyaan se...dhyaan se"

"Sshukriya.....wo mai thoda pareshaan thi ....."

"Pareshaani ki wajah jaan sakta hun?"

"Huh....nahi aisi koi badi problem nahi hai..... zara sa exams ko le kar bas" she said looking at the floor

"You like my shoes?"

"Ji..."

"No...you have been staring at those for a while...so I thought" Ibrahim didn't want to fluster the poor soul but he was having too much fun now ......and also he needed to settle some scores of the past !!!!

"Aap mujhse gussa nahin hain" Safiya fidgeted with her fingers

"Kyun......" Ibrahim asked folding his shirt's sleeves.

"Woh...maine aapko....lips par you know........"

"Oh yes....I am angry" Ibrahim changed his expression

"Wahi mai sochun..abhi tak jwalamukhi shaant kaise hai" Safiya mumbled .... but next second started apologising fervently...."Sorry...I just wanted to make you feel better....you were upset"

"So everytime I am upset..you will do that" Ibrahim was incredulous with his expression.....he deserved a pat on his back for the brilliant performance he was giving.

"Nahi......mai toh bas.........."

"Bas..kya"

"Allah...ab aap overreact nahi kar rahe" Safiya's patience finally worn out "ek zara si peck par aap aise react kar rahe hain jaise maine aapke izzat par haath daal diya ho"

"What...." Ibrahim was surprised....finally the fiesty princess wakes up

"Aur nahi toh kya......yahaan dusre shauhar khush ho jate hain apni biwi ke aisa karne par....aur ek aap hain muh phula kar baith gaye hain"

"Maine kab bola main khush nahi hun" Ibrahim leaned on the wall

"Kya...." Safiya was now shocked at het husband's bipolar behaviour.."But you said you were angry"

"Yes I am.......but uski wajah kuch aur hai"

"Kya.."

"Khud pata kar lo..." and next second Safiya almost fainted ....did he just wink at her.......

Without saying anything..she ran making Ibrahim laugh.....which was the rarest of the rare sight in the Siddiqui Mansion.

Huffing and puffing she reached kitchen where Gulaab was making something....."Tayi Ammi...."

"Kya huwa itna haanf kyu rahi hai??"

"Jinn"

"Jinn..kahan hai" Gulaab got scared

"Aapke bete me sama gaya hai....ajeeb si  harkatein kar rahe hain......."

Just then Ayaan came there smiling "Ab tumhe kya huwa?"

"Kuch nahi bas kuch bahut hi haseen dekha...."

"Kya"

"Ibrahim bhai ko haste hue......I mean he looked so happy" the smile returned on Ayaan's lips remembering Ibrahim's face....it was a rare sight...as it usually stayed stern.

"Dekha..maine bola tha na......." Safiya exclaimed..."Aap please unhe rukhsati se pehle theek kara dein..." Safiya cried pulling Gulaab's sleeve like a child.......Ayaan was amused and dragged Safiya out of the kitchen "Tum se kuch baat karni hai...idhar aao"

While getting dragged, Safiya turned her head and pleaded again "Tayi Ammi...unhe theek kara dein" ...

Gulaab's lips lifted into a beautiful smile "Abhi toh theek hua hai !!"