||Anya||

"Di are you ready? We're getting late" Aryan asked me from downstairs.

"Almost" I replied.

Yes, today is my engagement with Shubman and I'm both excited as well as nervous.

Mom arranged a helper from a beauty parlour to get me ready and now I'm good to go.

I walked downstairs where mom and Aryan were waiting for me.

"Do I look fine?" I asked Aryan nervously.

"I never thought I'd say this but you look beautiful" he chuckled. Just brother-sister things you know.

"My pretty girl" mom kissed my forehead. "You look absolutely gorgeous" she added smiling.

"Thank you maa" I smiled at her.

"Let's go, the car is waiting" Aryan said and we moved outside.

The car took us to the hall where our engagement is supposed to happen. We reached there in ten minutes as it wasn't really far from my house.

The hall was almost empty as none of the guests have arrived yet. Shubman and his family arrived before us.

"Anya, you look so beautiful" Shubman's mother exclaimed looking at me.

"Thank you aunty" I smiled at her.

"Where is Shubman?" My mom asked her.

"He's upstairs with Abhay, Riya, Manjot and Myra" she replied. "Why don't you go and meet them? They were waiting for you" she added for me.

"Okay" I replied and walked up through the stairs.

"You're finally here!" Myra exclaimed looking at me as I entered the room they were in.

All of them looked so good. And talk about Shubman, I honestly couldn't take my eyes off him. Perfection exists in his form.

"You look amazing" Abhay complimented me.

"So do you Abhay" I complimented back.

"I always do" he smirked and Riya rolled her eyes.

"I think we should go downstairs. The guests may start arriving anytime" Riya said.

"She's right" Manjot agreed. "We should go and help downstairs" he added.

"Thanks guys" I thanked them.

"It's our duty" Myra smiled at me.

"Let's go guys" Abhay said and the four of them left, leaving Shubman and me alone in the room.

I could sense the awkwardness in the air as soon as they left. I didn't know what to speak.

"So.. ready for this?" Shubman broke the silence.

"I think so but I'm bit nervous" I said honestly.

"It's going to be fine" he said holding my hand.

"Hopefully" I sighed.

"By the way, you look breathtaking" he complimented me making my cheeks go red.

"Thank you" I replied pushing a hair strand behind my ear to hide the blush.

"It's okay to blush when a hot guy compliments you" he smirked.

"You're too self obsessed" I giggled shaking my head.

"You agree with me" he shrugged. Honestly, I do.

Shubman's phone rang the next moment.

"Okay we're coming" Shubman said to the person on call and hing up.

"Time to go babygirl" he told and my hands are shivering out of nervousness now which Shubman noticed.

"Don't forget I'm with you" he said taking my hand in his and led us outside the room.

We reached the stairs and all the eyes were on us.

"Shubman" I called him slowly.

"Yeah?" He turned to me.

"Just don't let me fall" I told him. I can't get myself embarrassed in front of everyone.

"Never" he whispered in my ear, tightening his grip on my hand.

Together we descended down the stairs with the spotlight following us. We went to the couch on the stage where our families were waiting for us and sat there.

"It's time to exchange rings" Shubman's father grinned.

Shubman's mother handed him a ring. I extended my hand towards him. He held it softly and slipped the ring into my finger. The ring was of diamond and extremely pretty.

After that my mother handed me a ring she bought for Shubman. Shubman gave me his hand and I slipped the ring into his finger.

We looked up at each other and exchanged smiles. We have waited so long for this day. Everyone from our families looked extremely happy but I'm not sure if I was really happy from inside.

I had mixed emotions. I was somewhere happy because I like Shubman and I want to call him mine and be known as his wife. But deep inside I know I've trapped myself in a relationship from which I can't get content. He isn't really mine and could possibly never be which still aches my heart.

"Anya" Shubman nudged me, bringing me out of my thoughts.

"You look lost" he added.

"Nothing" I brushed it off and he gave an unsatisfied look.

We left the stage and met all our relatives and friends who congratulated us on getting engaged. Shubman introduced me to his family members who travelled from his native state and vice versa. All through Shubman had a firm grip on my waist which ignited sparks inside me.

"Wanna dance?" He asked me with a smile.

"Sure" I smiled back.

We took the centre of the dancing area and everyone joined us including Abhay, Riya, Manjot, Myra and even Shubman's parents.

A romantic soft track played in the background and all of us grooved to it. I locked my arms around Shubman's neck and his arms wrapped my waist. Everytime I dance with him, the people near us seem to disappear.

Suddenly, Shubman leaned near my ear.

"Meet me at the terrace" he whispered in my ear as his hot breath hit my neck.

Before I could ask why, he left the dancing area and went somewhere.

Why did he call me at the terrace?

I was brought out of my thoughts when the music stopped and the lights went bright again.

"Anya, my friends want to meet you" mom came to me.

"Mom, can I meet them after sometime?" I asked her.

"What's wrong?" She asked.

"Uh.. actually Shubman wants me to meet his friends" I lied.

"Uh okay" she replied and went back to her friends.

I somehow managed to escape from the place without getting questioned by anyone. I reached the terrace and Shubman was already there.

Shubman was gazing at the moon with his back facing me. I walked up to him and stood beside him.

"Shubman" I called him and he turned towards me.

The moonlight fell on his face which made him look like some Greek God, breathtakingly handsome. I'm definitely blessed to have him as my fiance.

"Anya" he smiled taking my name.

"Do you want to say something?" I asked.

"Yes" he replied with the same smile.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Today I'm going to promise you something" he said taking my hand.

"Promise?" I said in an interrogative tone.

"Yes" he smiled.

"What promise?" I asked.

"Anya, I know you want me to love you after we get married and I'm extremely sorry for hurting you by saying I can't love you. But is love the only thing that keeps a marriage strong?" He asked.

"I don't know" I shrugged.

"If love was the only need, people won't leave each other so often" he said.

"What are you trying to say?" I asked.

"I can't give you my love but, I promise to give you all the happiness in this world. If I don't fall for you, I won't fall for anyone else either. I give you my loyalty. I'll always stay by your side whenever you'll need me. I will never let the curve on your lips disappear as long as I'm alive" he said.

"Shubman" his name escaped my lips in a whisper.

"I promise to hold your hand and never let it go" he said intertwining his hand with mine tightly.

"Thank you Shubman" I smiled at him.

"But what happened to you suddenly?" I asked him.

"I thought about us last night and that's when it hit me that I've always thought of my emotions only and I never imagined how hard it is going to be for you to stay with me. I realised you had hopes from me which I crushed" he replied.

"It's okay Shubman" I told him.

"No, you deserve to be happy after all you've gone through. I want to give you a life which you've always imagined" he said.

I thought for a few seconds. Maybe I can actually stay happy if I have his loyalty. I want to call him mine and he's letting me do so.

"I'm lucky to have you Shubman" I hugged him.

"I'm the luckier one. Thanks for never leaving me" he hugged me back.

If only I could leave you but my heart won't let me.

"Let's go downstairs" he said and I nodded.

The guests have almost left and only a few close family members were there. We bid them adieu and walked towards our cars.

"We should finalise a date for marriage too" Shubman's mother suggested.

"I was going to say this" my mom said.

"I think we should let the kids decide that" Shubman's father said looking at us.

"I'm when you're" Shubman said to me.

"I need some time" I replied.

"Sure" Shubman's mother smiled at me.

We hugged each other before heading back home.

"Bye" Shubman kissed my forehead like he always does.

"Bye" I smiled and left.