Chapter 12
1745 Words
Ananya's POV
We reached home and I took a deep breath and as if sensing our presence on the front door Riya opened the door and smiled widely. To which I replied back as a hug.
"Hello Sir, Hello Ananya." She greeted us
"Hello Riya." Arun replied in a formal voice and walked insider his room to get fresh, I just rolled my eyes at him.
"I'll set the table for you guys." Riya informed me while walking towards the kitchen
"Thank you Riya." I said and walked in my room.
After changing into a pair of my night dress I walked towards the dinning table and took my seat to have my dinner.
"So how was the meeting?" Riya asked with excitement laced in her voice
I couldn't form words in my mouth to answer her
"Ananya.... Are you okay?" Her voice suddenly changed into a worried and concerned one
"Yeah, I'm okay." I tried to smile but failed miserably and she understood that I'm lying to her.
So, she came and sat next to me
"Then why are you looking upset?" She asked with a smile and hugged me and that's what I needed to motivate me
"Riya we're leaving for Mumbai tomorrow itself in the morning." Arun spoke and she broke the hug instantly
Her face suddenly became dull and it looked like late winter's moon which was now fading with clouds.
She smiled weakly and hugged me.
"I will help you in bags after dinner." she said and I just nodded.
After dinner I and Riya went to my room and packed my necessary stuff for two months in an hour or so, before going to sleep. Arun packed his own stuff
Two months... what these two months are up to for me?
Flashback
I am sitting in Arjun's car and praying that my first meet with his mother goes good.
Five months and sixteen days.
Yes. Nearly one hundred and sixty eight days, we are dating. I have talked to his mother and his annoying sister over phone and video chat, but his mother wants to meet me in personal.
So I am here, crossing my fingers and silently praying.
"Don't worry. She already likes you" Arjun assures after squeezing my hand.
I nodded and adjusted my dupatta. I haven't worn any Indian dress till date, so I am little bit nervous for my looks too.
"You are looking beautiful... don't panic... I am here, with you" he says for nth time.
"Will she like me?" I asked again. He gave me a look that he is irritated by answering by same question again and again.
"Sorry" I mumbled and looked outside the window.
Arjun suddenly pushed the brake and I jolted out for a second. I looked at him in confusion but before I could ask why he stopped the car, his lips claims mine in a soft kiss and I kissed him back.
This is not our second kiss. Well I lost the count. No... No I remember.
It's our sixty eight-th kiss.
God I should stop remembering the numbers.
"I am always on your side, on every aspect of our life" he assures and kisses my forehead.
One hundred and twenty-sixth forehead kiss
Gosh!!! Stop counting Ananya.
He resumes the drive and takes a turn towards civil streets of the city after few minutes.
"Civil Area." I spoke in a confusing voice
I really didn't know till now where he lives? Seriously! Ananya
He let out huge breath and speaks "My dad is a politician".
I look at him in confusion. He never talks about his father, and whenever I ask he changes the topic.
All I know is that he isn't on good terms of relationship with him.
"You know Mr. Joshi?" He asks after few seconds.
"Yeah! He is the Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Right... are you talking about him" I asked or replied his question.
"Yes... my dad is his right hand. Mr. Anand Malhotra" he says with bitterness linking his tone.
"You know why I hate him?" He asks.
"No... I think because he doesn't like you to be architecture... but exactly I don't know" I replied honestly.
He lets out another huge sigh and looks at me for a brief amount of time before concentrating on road again.
"He wants me to be a politician too. He wants me to be the right hand of Dev, like he is of his father. You know sons replacing dads" he mocked in irritating tone.
"How Dev is involved?" I asked out of curiosity.
Dev is Arjun's best friend since college. He always talks about how both of them used to do mischievous activities all over
The campus but I didn't have a chance to meet him.
"Dev Joshi is Mr. Mukesh Joshi's son. Just call a coincidence that he became my friend. Soon Dev will replace his dad as the head of party. So dad wants me to replace his place as Dev's right hand" he answered.
"You don't want to enter politics. Right" I asked.
"Yeah... it's like I don't wanna to ruin myself too. Look how much good Dev is.... but this dirty politics plays its game and will ruin him too" he answered.
I didn't ask anything further. I know he is pissed off. And I need time to adjust the new information in my head too.
Soon he pulled out his car infront of a mansion. God! He lives here.
He called out a man and hands over his keys and leads me inside.
Breathe in!! Breathe out!!
"Keep calm... thank god dad isn't here today" he says as soon we step inside it.
My jaw literary touched the floor. It was beautiful and spacious mansion. Touches of old antiques and modern facilities are
Filled in it.
"Ananya di" I heard a familiar female voice.
Yeah... Anika, the pain in ass according to Arjun, but I found her a little bit good company type.
"Don't try to spoil my girl like yourself, you i***t" Arjun teases his sister.
"Very funny bhai!!" She calls in irritation and reaches over me.
It's the first time we are meeting in personal. She hugged me and I did the same.
"Stop licking my girl" Arjun scolds her playfully.
Somewhere, his calling me 'my girl' gives me tangles over my stomach. It feels so good.
"Yeah, your girl is my Bhabi" she says. I instantly looked over Arjun and found him scratching his back of neck and avoiding my eyes. He is hiding something from me.
"You didn't tell her about it?" Anika asks her brother after noticing us.
"No" he answers "but soon I will" he adds and his eyes meet mine.
"What is it about?" I asked both of them.
"About your marriage proposal" someone replied, none both of them.
I turned around and spotted his mother descending the stairs.
"Marriage" I spoke in disbelief
"Yeah why didn't you tell her about this?" She asks her son.
"I was waiting for right time" he replied.
Marriage
Are they talking about mine and Arjun's marriage God! Please don't let it be a dream. I will love to have him as
My partner
"If you will wait for the right time, you may lose this precious gem" his mother says politely and touching my chin in the end.
Shit!!
She is standing right infront of me and I didn't even wish her.
Soon this thought collided with my mind, my hands were touching her feet and she placed her hand over me as her blessing.
"Always remain happy" she blessed me.
"Bhaiya! So now that will you do?" Anika asks.
"Take her for a dinner and purpose her" he replied grinning.
Anika walks over me and looks at my hands. "Ring is nowhere to be found" she whispered to herself but I got it.
"Ring?" I asked in confusion.
"Nothing... just saying" she quickly tried to cover up.
"Keep your mouth shut... you i***t" Arjun's voice booms and all I know was Anika running in living room with Arjun chasing her, leaving me and his mother in laughs.
"They are like this since childhood." she comments in between her giggles.
A pain arose in my chest. Can this happen that I also have some siblings?
But I quickly shifted those thoughts out of my mind and started re-enjoying their fights.
"What is going on?" I heard a bold voice behind me. Anika and Arjun stopped on their spots and looked behind me.
Horror washes over Anika and irritation flashes over Arjun.
"Go, to your room Anika... and study." he again said and at this time I looked over me to find a man in his late fifties wearing white Kurta with brown half sleeve waist coat whose buttons are opened.
Typical Politician Style.
Politician!!
Arjun's dad
I quickly lowered my eyes and heard sounds of someone ascending up the stairs are heard. Looks like Anika left.
"Arjun, what's wrong with you. Aren't you bigger and responsible than Anika?" He fires at Arjun.
Before he could answer his dad turned towards me "And who are you?"
"She is Ananya." Arjun answered and entangled his fingers with me.
His dad's eyes drops to our hands before he looks into my eyes.
"So you are that b***h, he talks about all day." he says in disgusting tone.
Arjun's body shakes beside me and looks at him. His eyes are red shot and anger is rising in his veins.
"What are you saying, she is...." Arjun's mother tries to speak but he cuts her off "Not a word Nirmala."
"Dad this is not the way to speak to your wife and my would be wife." Arjun raises his voice.
"Ohhh... so she will be your wife?" His dad asks.
"Yes, any problem?" Arjun snaps out as if daring his father to say something
"Come I will drop you home." he said to me and without any word we left.
Car drive till my orphanage was quite. Not a comfortable silence but awkward silence as I was trying to communicate with him
But he didn't reply.
My heart broke at the sight of his white knuckles. He has gripped the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles went white.
He dropped me home and left without saying bye. A lone tear escapes my eyes, which I cleaned from ends of my dupatta and entered inside the orphanage.
- Writer
