"Stay with me, Fiza," Alan's voice beckoned. They had just returned from their life changing trip to Gokarna, where they had decided to take their relationship to the next level.

Unable to resist his charm, she let out a melodious giggle, "Your parents won't allow it."

"I couldn't care less," Alan replied, pressing a tender kiss to the side of her head. He drank in her appearance, captivated by the sight of her. Her long, wavy hair was swept up into a casual bun, strands framing her face in an alluring halo. Her large dark brown eyes were framed by her light pink glasses and her luscious pink lips were tempting and inviting.

The realization that, after four years of being best friends, she was finally his, overwhelmed him.

Determined to spend every possible moment with Alan, Fiza quickly freshened up at her hostel, hurriedly packing an overnight bag along with her books, knowing that they had classes awaiting them the next day. With hearts racing in anticipation, they approached Alan's home, his hand tightly clutching hers.

The house stood silently, bathed in the soft glow of the morning sun, as Alan unlocked the door and led her inside. His parents would be at church and they thought they had the house to themselves.

He pulled her close, and their lips met in a passionate kiss. Her body melted into his, as his hands ventured beneath her shirt, tracing the curves of her figure, sending shivers of delight through her entire being.

Suddenly, the spell was broken by a discreet "Ahem ahem."

Fiza's eyes widened in alarm as Alan's mother stood there, her expression filled with incredulity. Embarrassment swept over them, but Alan was determines to share what had transpired.

"Ma," Alan's voice filled with emotion and resolve, "I'm going to marry her." Fiza's gaze remained fixed on the ground, feeling a blend of anxiety and hope. "I proposed to her, and she said yes!"

Alan's mother shook her head, "Her parents will never allow this."

Undeterred, Alan stood firm, "But I talked to her father! He said I could marry her after finishing my studies and getting a job."

Then, like the sun breaking through the clouds after a storm, his mother's face transformed into a radiant smile, and she enveloped Fiza in a warm, loving embrace. "My daughter," she said, placing a tender kiss on Fiza's cheek.

Overwhelmed with happiness, Fiza hugged her back, her heart swelling with joy at the thought of being welcomed into this loving family.

As the emotions settled, Alan took Fiza's hand, and with newfound excitement, he led her to his room. The room reflected his personality, adorned with his guitars, a keyboard, his basketball shoes, various trophies and a single photograph of the two of them on his nightstand.

Fiza began arranging her belongings in a drawer that he had enthusiastically emptied for her use. But before she could finish, Alan couldn't resist the urge to hold her close again, wrapping his arms around her from behind and planting gentle kisses on her neck. Fiza gasped, the touch of his lips sending delightful shivers down her spine.

As they lost themselves in this intimate moment, the door swung open, revealing Alan's mother standing there, her expression weary.

Alan's mother sat them down, preparing to have "the talk," much to Fiza's embarrassment and Alan's annoyance.

"Ma!" Alan interjected, "We know all this! We are final year medical students. We have been teaching our patients these things."

Fiza hid her face behind Alan's shoulder in embarrassment. Her parents pretended that sex didn't exist and she couldn't imagine being this open with a parental figure.

"If you know so much, have you been using a condom?" His mother addressed him directly.

"Not with Fiza," Alan admitted softly, prompting an exasperated eye-roll from his mother.

"You will go and buy the morning-after pill for her. I don't care where she is on her cycle. And this cannot happen again. If you are going to do this, keep condoms with you at all times. Do you need money to buy them?" She asked, and he shook his head. "The ones in your drawer are three years old," she continued. "Throw them out and get new ones."

Fiza wished she could somehow make herself smaller and just disappear.

Alan's mother looked directly at her, "I thought you would be more responsible," she said before getting up and walking away.

"You stay here. I'll go get the pill and the other stuff," Alan told Fiza, kissing her forehead.

Fiza shook her head, saying, "Just the pill, Alan."

Alan laughed, "Fiza, I know it's more fun without, but we have a long way to go before we can chance a pregnancy, okay?" He said pinching her cheek.

"No, we are not having sex again. Not until marriage," she said sternly.

Alan pulled at his hair and then sat next to her. "Is this because of amma?"

Fiza shook her head. She had been thinking about it a lot, and after his mother had talked to them, it just confirmed her decision. "It was really nice, you know?" she said, looking up at him.

He rolled his eyes at the word "nice" as an adjective to describe their intimate encounter.

"But there is just too much guilt and emotion that goes with it. Would you be okay to wait till after marriage?" She pleaded with him with her eyes.

Alan quickly did the math. That was 1.5 years of medical college and 3 years of PG before they could get married. No sex for 4.5 years! Then he looked at Fiza, and an overwhelming rush of emotions consumed him. He would do anything for her. "We can wait," he said.

She beamed at him.

He was going to buy condoms regardless.

Alan was driven by his urgent desire to secure a PG seat in MS orthopedics immediately after graduation. He committed himself to studying harder than ever before.

However, amidst their intense academic focus, their music sessions in the jam room took a toll as it became an ideal spot for unwinding and spending time together romantically. The one-hour long pink squares dedicated to music on their timetable became jokingly known as their scheduled "make-out time."

In the end, all their hard work paid off, and Alan for the first time outperformed Fiza in the exams, securing the top position in Medicine and Surgery within the university, while Fiza secured the top position in Pediatrics.

The feeling of success overwhelmed them, and it seemed like the world was at their feet, leaving them with a sense of invincibility and excitement for the future.

Fiza returned from home after their break, a few days earlier than the internship orientation day, bubbling with excitement. She went straight to Alan's house. "Hi, Dr. Alan," she greeted as he opened the door.

"Hi, Dr. Fiza," he responded, pulling her close and giving her a kiss on the lips. She playfully jumped onto him, wrapping her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck. He was her Alan.

He carried her to his room, and as he put her down on his bed, she remarked, "I really wish they would let you have your lock back."

"Why?" he asked, climbing over her.

"Because I'm always worried they are going to walk in on us."

"They've gone for a movie," he said, reclaiming her lips once more. "My Fiza," he breathed, gazing into her eyes.

She smiled back at him. "Our dreams are coming true, Alan," she said, and he gently caressed her cheek before kissing it.

He moved down, planting kisses on her ear, neck, and then reaching his favorite spot-the hollow above her collarbone, sucking at it as she gasped. He chuckled.

"You spend a lot of time on my supraclavicular fossa," she joked.

"Yeah?" he asked, smiling mischievously. "There are lots of other areas I'd rather be spending time at if you'd let me."

She tangled her fingers in his hair. "Four more years," she said.

Alan rolled off her, breathing heavily, and gave her a sidelong glance. "I don't know why you want to wait four years. I'm going to marry you anyways. What's the difference?" Alan pushed her boundaries a little, hoping for her resistance to crumble.

Fiza usually laughed it off or tickled him in response when he complained about their wait, but today she seemed contemplative. She looked up at the ceiling and said, "A lot can happen in four years."

Her response hit Alan like a punch to the gut. "Look at me, Fiza," he said earnestly. "There's nothing in the world that will make me leave you." He locked eyes with her, but she seemed distant.

"I know," she said softly.

Alan pondered for a moment. "Are you saying you would..." he choked on his words and cleared his throat. "Is there something that would make you want to leave me?" His heart was pounding anxiously; he couldn't imagine life without her.

"I have two dealbreakers," she said seriously. "Physical violence and cheating."

Alan forced a laugh. "I'm not going to hurt you, and I'm never going to cheat on you." As he said it, memories of his ex, Aarthy, flashed before him. Another image followed, that of Fiza on the floor in his room. He shook his head, trying to banish those thoughts. No, he was different now.

"Alan," Fiza said, snuggling closer and wrapping her arms around him. "I know you won't hurt me, okay? I was just telling you the only things I think I wouldn't be able to get past."

She grew worried, realizing this was the first time in years that she had seen the darkness shadowing his features. They had talked about everything under the sun, but Alan had still not shared the details about his relationship with Aarthy though her instinct told her that it had left him scarred.

"Tell me about your dealbreakers," she said softly, tracing circles on his chest.

"I don't have any," he replied, giving her a quick peck on the lips before snuggling in closer. "Well, I guess I do have one," he added, stroking her hair. "I'm not going to stick around if you fall in love with someone else."

She looked up and kissed his chin. "Fight for me," she said.

He climbed on top of her once more, locking eyes. "How much I missed you!" he said, showering her eyes with kisses. He held her close as she drifted into peaceful slumber.

Alan however was wide awake.

"I have two dealbreakers," her voice rang in his head. "Physical violence and cheating."

He took deep breaths trying to calm his restlessness. He hugged her tighter.

"You should be locked up like the monster you are." Another voice echoed.

A voice he hadn't heard in his head for years now.

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Author's note
Aren't they cute? Please vote and comment!
I would love to hear your thoughts.