Chapter 10
806 Words
Life had finally settled into a peaceful rhythm. Ishaan and Arohi found comfort in their quiet companionship, and the house felt warmer, happier.
One afternoon, while Ishaan was at work, his phone rang. Seeing his mother’s name on the screen, he smiled and quickly answered.
"Hello, Ishaan! How are you boy and Arohi? You don’t call us anymore. We really miss you."
Hearing his mother’s voice filled him with warmth. "We’re doing fine, Mom. Just settling into the new house, so things have been a little hectic. I miss you and Dad so much too."
His mother’s voice brightened. "I’m so happy to hear you sound cheerful, beta. Listen, I called to tell you something important. Your dad and I are coming to the U.S. this Saturday! We’ll be staying with you for a week to spend time together. Make sure Arohi knows we’re coming!"
Ishaan’s eyes widened in shock. “Wait—this Saturday?! That’s in just a few days!"
"Yes! We wanted to surprise you. Can’t wait to see you!"
He chuckled, shaking his head. "I can’t wait either, Mom. I’ll make all the arrangements. See you soon!"
After hanging up, he immediately called Aman.
"Hey, Aman."
"What’s up, man?"
"My parents are coming over this Saturday. They’ll be here for a week."
Aman grinned. "That’s great news!"
"Yeah, but I need a favor. Can you oversee my projects while they’re here? I want to spend as much time with them as possible."
"Of course, don’t worry about it,"Aman assured him. "But... there’s one issue."
Ishaan frowned. "What issue?"
Aman smirked. "Don’t you think your parents will figure out that you and Arohi aren’t really… *together*?"
Ishaan’s eyes widened. "Oh, crap. I totally forgot about that. They can’t know we’re sleeping in separate rooms!"
Aman laughed. "Guess you need to talk to Arohi about it. Good luck, buddy."
Ishaan sighed, running a hand through his hair. He knew Aman was secretly enjoying this—his best friend had been rooting for him and Arohi to grow closer from the start.
When Ishaan got home that evening, he found Arohi playing with Teddy in the living room. He cleared his throat.
"Hey, I have some news."
Arohi looked up. "What’s wrong, Ishaan?" She asked, noticing his serious expression.
He exhaled. "My parents are coming this Saturday. They’ll be here for a week."
Arohi smiled. "Oh, that’s great! You must be so happy."
He hesitated before continuing. "Yeah… but there’s something else. I know we’re still getting to know each other, and I don’t want to make you uncomfortable, but… they can’t know about our living arrangements. Can we—uh—stay in the same room while they’re here?"
Arohi was silent for a moment, processing his words. Then, she nodded.
"Ishaan, I don’t mind. It’s just for our parents. We can do this."
Relief flooded through him. "Thank you so much, Arohi."
Excited and nervous at the same time, Ishaan helped move his belongings to the master bedroom that night. Teddy jumped onto the bed, wagging his tail, as if approving of the new arrangement.
As they set up the room, Ishaan glanced at Arohi. For the first time, they weren’t just pretending to be partners for convenience—this time, they were choosing to stand together.
The week leading up to Ishaan’s parents’ arrival passed in a blur.
Arohi tried to act normal, but deep down, she was nervous.
It wasn’t like they were doing something wrong, but pretending to be a normal couple in front of his parents? That was an entirely different challenge.
Ishaan, on the other hand, was surprisingly composed. He made sure the house was spotless, stocked up on groceries, and even made reservations at a nice restaurant for their first dinner together.
The only thing that made him anxious? Sharing a room with Arohi.
Not that he minded her presence—he had gotten used to their silent dinners and late-night talks about movies and work. But sleeping in the same space? That was new.
The first night after moving his things into the master bedroom, Ishaan was setting up his side of the bed when he noticed Arohi standing at the door, looking unsure.
“Are you okay?” he asked, concerned.
She hesitated before walking in. “Yeah… it just feels a little strange.”
Ishaan nodded. “I know. But it’s just for a week.” He tried to lighten the mood. “I promise I won’t steal the blanket.”
Arohi cracked a small smile. “You better not.”
They settled into their new routine, adjusting to each other’s presence in the room.
Ishaan would scroll through his phone before sleeping, while Arohi would read a book with Teddy curled up next to her.
It wasn’t awkward. It wasn’t uncomfortable.
It was… peaceful.
- Writer
