Adults lack tact.

"Let's go look at the garden, shall we? Let these two talk. I am sure they have a lot to discuss." Mother said suggestively, standing up with his parents, leading them out of the room.

We don't even have a garden, just a cramped balcony overlooking the suburban traffic, with two potted plants that were close to death, and a decorative plastic creeper.

I smiled uneasily at the boy sitting across, and he returned the gesture with an equal measure of awkwardness. The moment passed, and we laughed hysterically, two people thrown together out of the blue.

"Hey, I am Ashwath, but don't call me that. I go by Ash." He began with a smile that highlighted his dimples.

"I am Aishwarya, but I prefer Ash too. None of that 'Aishu' business though." I smiled back, gathering myself.

"Okay, so we have at least three things in common: our choice in nicknames, our cultural background and English." He breathed out, almost to himself.

"The one thing we don't have in common is our gender." I added with a toothy grin, my inner goofball emerging.

My chuckle went to an early grave in the awkward silence that stretched.

"Actually... um, I might have, well, um... I would have preferred that." He looked away sheepishly, his ears reddening.

His words were almost lost in the din of my self-reproach. Almost. I stared at him blankly, waiting for the punchline that never came.

"Wait, you mean you are... do you mean to say you want a bridegroom, and not a bride?" I asked, blinking in confusion.

"Um..."

That said it all. Realisation dawned over me like the summer sun, bright and unforgiving.

"Oh."

I could almost see my parents' hopes for my wedding shattering, much like the hinges of the closet he just stepped out of.

I mutely offered him more refreshments, my smile real for the first time since the whole thing began.

I no longer heard wedding bells.

A/N:
When I was hunting for the perfect image, all I could think of was the day I found out that Barney Stinson was not a "Ladies' man" in real life. #nph
Anyway, long time, huh?
Hi, adorable readers!
... And toodles. ^_^