Fiza showered, changed into her pajamas and joined Alan's family for dinner.

Alan's mother continued to be friendly with her, but his dad wore a long face, barely acknowledging her presence.

As she finished up dinner, Farzana called, and Fiza excused herself, picking up the call. She carried her plate to the kitchen and put the call on speaker as she rinsed her plate.

"What happened, Fiza?" asked Farzana.

"I'll tell you later. Tell me how things are at home," urged Fiza, wanting to know how her departure had affected things.

"Okay, so as soon as you walked out, Faisal's parents asked him what happened. Like they couldn't guess! Your lipstick had transferred onto him," Farzana giggled mischievously. She was clearly enjoying the drama. "So, Faisal said that he got carried away and kissed you without your permission, so you freaked out and walked away."

Fiza was confused. Faisal had covered for her. "I don't think his parents knew that you were close or even friends. They just knew you to be junior to him in Mangalore for a year," Farzana explained.

Fiza continued washing her plate in silence. She turned off the tap and took the phone off speaker again, feeling a mixture of relief and guilt.

"Pappa was so angry. He got up and took Faisal by the collar. His father intervened and apologized," Farzana continued, and Fiza's eyes filled with tears as she thought of her father standing up for her. She had reached Alan's room and settled down on his bed switching to video call.

"Faisal apologized too. He told pappa that he had liked you for a long time, that it must have been an infatuation but he had thought it was love. He explained again that he just got carried away and that he was really sorry."

Listening to Farzana's account of what happened at home, Fiza couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. Faisal had covered up for them, and it was clear that he was trying to protect her reputation and avoid further embarrassment. She appreciated his gesture and felt a sense of gratitude toward him for not revealing the full truth.

Faisal was indeed a good person, Fiza realized. He deserved someone who loved him as deeply as she loved Alan.

"Now your turn. Tell me what happened after you went upstairs with him! Is he a good kisser?" Farzana teased. Alan, who was in the restroom, clenched his teeth, his hands fisted automatically.

To his surprise, Fiza laughed and answered candidly as though oblivious to his presence. She sat on his bed with her legs crossed, deeply engrossed in conversation with her sister.

"He started advertising how great our lives together would be." She giggled. Alan frowned but stayed silent just listening in as he washed his face and got ready for bed with the toilet door wide open.

"And then he kissed me. Too much tongue and didn't know what to do with his hands. I think Alan has spoiled me for kisses." The two girls laughed. Alan smiled at the description. Finally some real feedback.

"It was confusing though. I dunno." He heard Fiza admit. "He painted a picture of this perfect life that cannot really exist. And it was like - choose comfort or chaos!" They laughed again. Alan was getting annoyed. So he was chaos now?

"He's kinda cute." Observed Farzana. "Oooh!" Mocked Fiza. "Someone is crushing on my almost fiance." They laughed at the inside joke as Farzana's current boyfriend had almost been Fiza's fiance at one point.

"Jeez! If I knew they made them like Fahad and Faisal, I would have joined medical college too!" Joked Farzana.

"How are things with Fahad?" Fiza inquired.

"Same old. I'm frankly quite bored of him now. He comes home in the middle of the night, leaves at odd times. Last night, he got a call while we were making out. He looks at me and says Artic dissection or something and next thing I know, he is gone the whole night. He slept in the hospital after so that he didn't have to commute the next morning. Can you even imagine?" Farzana explained with exaggerated annoyance.

Fiza laughed, "Aortic dissection. That's a big deal!"

"Anyways, since Faisal thinks I'm the most beautiful girl he has ever seen..." they both burst out laughing.

Alan joined Fiza in bed and said "Hi" to Farzana.

"So, Mr Alan." Farzana started, her eyes lighting up mischievously as she thought of ways to tease him.

"It's Dr Alan," he corrected her unsmiling.

"Damn!" Exclaimed Farzana, "Really Fiz, you choose this grumpy guy over Dr. Fahad and Dr. Faisal?"

Fiza laughed as Farzana emphasized on "Dr."Alan clenched his teeth. He couldn't get past his prior interactions with Farzana and felt ill at ease with her teasing.

"I don't think I would mind if Faisal kissed me without my permission." Continued Farzana as Alan lay back in bed, out of the frame of the screen. "Man, that guy is dreamy. And the way he looked at me when he thought I was you... I didn't even know him and my heart did summer saults."
Fiza and Farzana laughed again.

"You better not let Fahad hear this." She warned.

"Oh I will tell him all of it and more. Maybe then he'd come home on time and give me some action. It's like drought here. I think I have cobwebs between my legs now." They laughed. Alan waited not so patiently for the girls to finish talking.

Fiza's eyes widened in alarm as she heard her father's voice. She looked at Alan who shrugged and stayed out of sight.

"Pappa!" Said Fiza as he took the phone from Farzana.

"Why did you leave like that, Fiza?" Asked her father with a pained expression. "You should have just told us, no? We would have made them leave."

Fiza looked down, unable to face her father.

"Anyway, come back tomorrow. I booked an evening flight so you can spend the day with your Alan." He smiled at her. Fiza's heart warmed at her father's words.

"Why did you set up a pennukaanal (meeting the bride ceremony) for me when you already gave me permission to marry Alan? In my mind, I already consider him my husband," She confessed softly.

"I just wanted you to have options. I wasn't going to force anything on you," he explained. "I'm going to still keep my eyes open for good matches for you, and I want you to meet them. You can always say 'no' afterward," he continued.

"Okay, pappa," agreed Fiza, surprising Alan. "But if I reject them, you should allow me to marry Alan."

"Yes, yes, as long as he remains deserving of you. I don't mind that boy. But he's still a boy, Fiza. You'll be taking care of him. Your pappa wants to make sure that you are taken care of too," he conveyed kindly.

"Alan takes care of me, pappa. He's always there for me," she reassured him, but he remained skeptical.

When Fiza hung up with her father, she felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She smiled at Alan, but he frowned. Farzana was right, he is grumpy, Fiza thought.

Fiza raised her eyebrows at him, and he shrugged. "I'm not sure I'm okay with you meeting all those guys... Or kissing..." Fiza laughed, cutting him off. "It's pennukaanal, not a kissing booth. I'm not kissing anyone else. And hey, it was you who kept saying I should kiss Faisal. You manifested it." Fiza was just pulling his leg, but Alan remained concerned.

"There's no one else I can love the way I love you," he admitted, his worry fading as he looked into her eyes.

She snuggled into his chest, and he drew her close. "You locked the door?" She asked him. When he nodded, she kissed his neck and smiled at him.

Alan climbed over her, kissing her again. "Alan..." she mumbled against his lips, pushing him slightly with her hands on his chest. "Let's just cuddle." She suggested. Alan held her close, as though afraid that she would disappear if he let go.

The next morning, Fiza suddenly felt like she was unable to breathe. She opened her eyes to realize that Alan was on top of her, his lips on her, his tongue in her. She tapped on his shoulder to let him know she was out of breath. He pulled away.

"Alan..." she breathed quietly, looking into his eyes. What a way to be woken up!

Alan smiled at her, taking his body weight off her and hovering. "You are so beautiful." He whispered. "And soft." He kissed her gently on her cheek. "And cuddly." He kissed her other cheek.

"Alan," Fiza smiled, "what time is it?"

"Six something..." responded Alan.

"Let's sleep some more please, I'm super tired." Fiza said pouting.

"Such a sleepy head! We only have 10 more hours before I would need to drop you at the airport. Sleep later!" Alan recommended

"I'll be cranky if I wake up now. 1 more hour." Fiza begged, pulling him down on her, shifting so she could wrap her hands and legs around him. She buried her face in his chest and slept

. Alan wasn't able to sleep. He had barely slept last night, haunted by the thoughts of Fiza meeting all her "options" and realizing that he wasn't good enough for her.

By the time Fiza woke up, Alan had worked himself up again. He was quiet throughout breakfast.

For lunch, they met with Shahana, who was doing DNB in General Medicine at a hospital in Bangalore. She had taken a gap year to study for entrance exams and then taken up DNB.

"So good to see you guys!" She said, hugging Fiza and Alan in turns.

"PG life is so lonely!" Shahana had been Fiza's roommate in college. She had been in a serious relationship with Alan's friend, Vineet, who was conspicuously absent.

"My parents are looking for an arranged marriage setup for me." She announced, nonchalantly.

"Are you okay with that?" Asked Fiza curiously. The server came, and Alan ordered tea and thaali for all of them.

Shahana shrugged. "I guess. I'd like to have someone to share my life with, and clearly, I suck at choosing for myself."

Alan's instinct was to defend his friend, but he remained silent.

"This college romance. It's fun while it lasts, but it's not real life. A good boyfriend isn't always a good husband. One person is not worth fighting the whole world for."

Fiza nodded, and Alan narrowed his eyes.

They then went on to talk about their other friends and PG life in general.

Alan remained quiet, processing Shahana's words and Fiza's reaction to it.

"One person is not worth fighting the whole world for."

They paid the bill and returned home.

"Alan, what's on your mind? You didn't say much to Shahana," Fiza observed.

Alan shrugged.

"Are you worried about us because she and Vineet broke up?" She asked him.

He locked eyes with her.

"Alan, they couldn't manage long distance. They didn't want to make it work. Look at how far we have come," she pushed his forehead back playfully with her index finger. Alan smiled softly at her. What she did to him!

Alan's mother made tea and snacks. Alan watched Fiza as she tried everything his mom made and complimented her on her cooking skills.

"Didn't you just have lunch?" He asked her, amused.

"But this is too good!" Fiza said, swallowing what was in her mouth. She then narrowed her eyes and complained to his mother. "Aunty, Alan has a problem with me putting on weight."

She laughed. "He's a fitness freak," she said, smacking him playfully with her hand. "I don't mind if you put on weight," he mumbled, as though he took offense.

"Great! Then I'm just going to..." she reached for another unniappam. Alan pulled her hand away and scooped her up in his arms. Fiza kicked her legs, "Let me go. What are you doing? Your mom!" He dropped her on his bed and climbed over her. He licked his lips. Fiza parted her lips in anticipation. Alan smirked. He got off her and walked to the door.

"Where are you going?" ask ford Fiza. He locked the door. He approached her, his eyes intense.

"It's the middle of the day, Alan!" exclaimed Fiza as he straddled her, taking his shirt off. He tried to lift her shirt up but she pulled it down. "Your mom's right outside." He tore her T shirt open. Fiza gasped as he took her mount in his mouth.

"Alan, stop, I just ate..." He kissed her, not letting her get her words out. He pulled her pants down with his right hand. Fiza tried to break the kiss but as soon as she started talking, he kissed her again silencing her. With a single thrust, he entered her.

**********************************************

What is implied consent? Amongst people who are in a relationship, is implied consent sufficient or is explicit consent always necessary?
Is it really black and white?

What are your thoughts on the book so far?
Thank you for reading. Don't forget to vote!

❤️Faiza