Vanathi's POV:

"Trust me Vani", he said holding my hands. I hugged him tightly, clutching his tee and whispered, "I do Vandhit." Just then, my mom came in fidgeting with her fingers and called me nervously. "What happened Amma[Mom]? Why do you look anxious?", I asked her, knitting my brows. "Uhmm...Vani. I'm sorry dear but a family had asked your hand in marriage with their son. I had already informed them about your divorce but they wanted to meet you. Especially their son, Vikas, needs to meet you in person and it seems he is quite interested in you", she said stammering and I gasped hearing the last line.

"But if you don't want to, then it is a 'No' Vani. The decision is up to you", she said hearing my gasp. I looked at her and was surprised to hear her. Is she my mother? "No Amma. I am ready. I will meet him for sure. Just ask him when he would be free?", I said to her and I heard the other four screaming, "Yayy" I shook my head and looked at my mom who was standing with tears in her eyes. She left the room hugging me and smiling. I turned to face them with a glare but failed miserably sensing their smirks. Unknown to me a blush crept on my face and I gazed down immediately to avoid teasing.

"Someone's blushing!!", sang Emma and I gestured to her to shut up and soon the room erupted to fits of laughter and teasing. The continuous beep of Abhi Anna's phone interrupted our banter and an annoyed Jay took it cursing the one who messaged. Reading the message his eyes grew wider and blurted, "She's coming here by tonight. She is way more expressive than you and that's the thing I love in her the most." I looked at Abhi Anna, whose eyes grew wider in shock and I peeped towards Vandhit and Emma who were confused just like me.

"Who's coming?" Vandhit asked suspiciously and Jay Anna bit his tongue hearing him. I nudged Abhi Anna who was busy in glaring at Jay Anna. He looked at me and muttered, "This boy is of no use" to which Jay Anna smiled sheepishly, scratching his head. "Will you guys tell us what is going on?", shouted Emma, making us deaf. "Fine. Fine", Jay Anna said calming her and signalled Abhi Anna to start. He shook his head and began, "I met a girl named Riddhima at the flight when I was coming here. We became friends."

"Then?", I asked him. "That's all", he said nonchalantly. "Liar", yelled Jay Anna and we snapped our heads at him. "They became close friends and this boy liked her way more. He eventually fell in love with her in this one month and she too reciprocated the feeling. But a proper confession is yet to happen from Abhi", he paused and glanced at Abhi Anna whose head is hung down. "She confessed?!", Em asked amused to which he nodded his head.

"As I said earlier, she is spontaneous and expressive. Not to forget her charm for which the great Abhish Raj fell head over heels in love with her. And she is very beautiful", he stressed the last line with dreamy eyes and Abhi Anna's head snapped at his direction. "Shut up", he grumbled, gritting his teeth.

"Oh, don't be a jealous geezer. Failing to complement a beauty is a sin and I don't want to be a sinner", Jay Anna said, winking at him and we all burst into fits of laughter seeing Abhi Anna's annoyed face. "But Abhi, why didn't you confess?", asked Vandhit, thus pulling reins over our banter. "Don't ask him that. He would utter his stupid reasons", said Jay Anna rolling his eyes. "Those reasons are not idiotic", convalesced Abhi Anna at him. "Spill it Abhi", asked Vandhit, irritated to a notch.

"I have some serious issues from my past and I have to clear them first. In this chaos, I can't bring her in and make her uncomfortable", he said sadly.

"Why would she be, Anna? You are not making any sense", I gritted out confused. "I know right", voiced Jay Anna and Abhi Anna huffed looking at us.

"You are not getting the point. If I confess her my feelings and when she comes to know about my past, and she being her, would ultimately come running to me dropping her everything she had got by paying huge prices in her life. And being the only child to her parents, she already has important things to do. I don't want to burden her. I can't be biased", he pontificated.

"You got a perfect point, Abhi Anna. But I don't think she would feel so. If you know that she would by your side when she meets your past, why would she feel you as a burden? You are probing too much", Em concluded and I nodded my head in affirmation.

"No", he said determinedly. "What does that mean?", I asked him. "No, I am not confessing", he said and when I opened my mouth, "No more arguments" he ordered and with that, he left the room. I gazed at the three who sat with pouted faces."When do you about this?", Vandhit asked furiously to Abhi Anna. "Uhm...two weeks ago when she confessed", he said smiling awfully.

"And you dumbass didn't tell us", I yelled, picking up the alarm to hit him. "Even the dads knew it", he shouted, raising his hand and shutting his eyes tightly. "What!!", we asked amused in unison. "Yeah, Appa[Dad] found it before me and thus the dads came to know", he said nonchalantly. "What about moms?", asked Vandhit. "Do you think the house would be this calm after them knowing this?", came his question. We all sighed and shook our heads. "Okay, when is she coming here? Where is she now?", asked Emma.

"She is here in Charlotte and she is coming to our home tonight", he said shrugging as if this is something unnecessary thing. "You idiot", shouted Vandhit and we three ran to our moms to fill them with the happenings. As soon as we informed them, moms started to freak out and started shouting for Abhi Anna. "Arghh!! Ladies, what happened? Why in the pretty hell were you shouting?", he asked irritated. "To kill you", grunted my mom. "You dared to hide things from us?!" asked Maa (Vandhit's mom) glaring at him. He understood what the fuss is all about and glared at us.

"Easy easy ladies. Now as you got to know about this, why are you tensed?", asked Abhi Anna. "Please don't ever talk to us again", said my mom. Before he could open his mouth, there was a knock at the door. I ran to the door and opened it with anticipation. There stood a woman in a simple peach colour knee-length Kurti, paired with shaded blue jeans. Her hair braided neatly with a small bindi adorning her forehead and her ears, carrying two small silver jhumkas.

"Huh...hello!!", she said anxiously as I was scanning her from head to toe. "Yes, how may I help you?", I managed to say. "Is Abhish here? I am Riddhima, his...uh...he knows me", she stammered and the realisation hit me harder. I let her in and signalled the family to look at her. I saw Abhi Anna facepalming and she gulped audibly looking at his face. "This is Riddhima, Abhi Anna's friend", I said and passed a small smile to her and joined my group at the corner. Elders asked her to sit down and after exchanging formal pleasantries, Andrew uncle came to the point. "So Riddhima, you like our Abhi. Does he feel the same for you? Now, don't mistake me, I just want to know", he said.

"Even I don't know it. I'm here to ask him the same uncle", she whispered glancing at Abhi Anna. "Then go ahead. Ask him!", he said shrugging his shoulder. We looked at him shocked and he just winked at us. We smirked as the realization hit us. This is the only way to make him open that pretty hole on his face. She took a deep breath and looked at Abhi Anna.

"Abhish, I am not a girl of words to express. I was born and brought up in a middle-class family. All my life, I was taught to be firm and expressive enough to make things work on my way. I was taught to be a girl of limited words. And I have temper problems too and I admit it with no hesitation. Because that's one in my major qualities. This is me and you know it. I dunno what you feel about me. But I feel a lot for you. The way you care, the way you do things to make people happy, the way you scold out of love, the way you point out your views calmy and most importantly, your patience. That's something I lack often. You are very calm to handle situations. I dunno what else to say. All I have is one thing to admit again, I love you", she said it firmly.

"Now the decision is up to you Abhish. I promise you one thing, you will always have me to hold you, irrespective of situations. I won't break promises. And no hard feelings even if it is a 'no' from you", she chuckled bitterly but her eyes were glassy. She is the one for him and I bet on this. Silence filled the hall as we anxiously anticipated Abhi Anna's answer. "Yes", he muttered. I'm tired of hearing his monosyllables!! "What does that even mean Anna?", grunted Emma.

"Uh...I mean. It's yes for her", he said looking down as if the floor was the most beautiful creation in this whole universe. We four screamed in joy and she was shocked hearing him. "Hahaan!! We need in words", demanded my dad with a smirk. "Yes", we all shouted including the elders. "You guys are so mean", he yelled shutting his eyes but his cheek turned red. He's blushing! "Spill it and blush", nudged Vandhit. He glared at Vandhit and looked at her. "I love you", he whispered looking into her eyes and that's it, we all danced circling the couple.

"Guys, guys, wait", he said stopping us and moved towards her. "Riddhi, but before moving further, hear me out. Hear my past and jump into any action", he said cautiously and she nodded her head. He said everything from our days in India, his parents and their divorce, what we are to him till his mom's call and his meeting with her within two days. She was dumbstruck hearing him and looked at all of us shocked. "Please God, don't separate them", I prayed mentally.

"So will you and your parents accept me?", he asked her at the last. She remained silent and Abhi Anna's face lost all his colours. No, please!!

"Abhi, my parents already knew about my feelings. It's just that I'm thinking how to put these things infront of them so that they could understand as they are little superstitious and sentimental", she said. "What about you?", he asked, whispering. 

"I LOVE YOU ABHI", she said smiling and once again the hall filled our screams. Abhi Anna's face glowed and his eyes turned glassy. I and Emma jumped on her and hugged her tightly and screamed, "Thank you Manni(Sister-in-law)" The boys lifted Abhi Anna and screamed. Elders are shedding happy tears.

Soon the moms took our place and filled her mouth with sweets and royally ignored Abhi Anna. He looked at us to seek help and in return, we struck our tongue out at him. He deserved it. "Riddhima, you don't worry. We will talk with your parents and make them understand. I am happy for you both", Papa (Vandhit's dad) said and patted her cheek lovingly. "Thank you, uncle. So bye everyone, I am taking your leave", she said and mine and Emma's face fell. Can't she be here? At least for tonight?

"How will you go out at this time? That's not safe", Abhi Anna said concerned. "Uh..too much of love", said Vandhit smugly. "No worries, I will go by myself", she said giggling. "If you don't mind, I can drive you to your place dear", offered Jay Anna and as he expected, Abhi Anna got annoyed and grunted, "She will go by herself. Keep your concern with you." We all laughed looking at his frown and Riddhi Manni(Sister-in-law) giggled. "Bye family. Bye Abhi", she said smiling. "Accompany her till the main gate, not till her house", whispered Vandhit at Abhi Anna's ears. He glared at him and moved towards the door. After minutes he came back and we all smirked at him. He tried to maintain a stoic face but failed and deliberately blushed. "You look cute Abhi", my mom said. "So I am forgiven?!", he asked back suprised to which she hugged him and said, "You were never at fault." He smiled and with that, we all left to our respective rooms. I laid on my bed, thinking about the day's events and sleep engulfed me slowly.

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Breezy evening. Pleasant sunset. I'm here in an off-shoulder burgundy red crop top with deep black torn jeans and a messy ponytail, leaving a few strands of hair framing my face. Now it's time for my sunshine to come. There comes the sunshine of my life. It's getting dark, so I couldn't see his face. But I could hear my loudly thumping heartbeats, which increases for his every step towards me. Finally, he covered the distance between, only a hand distance is left out between us. Now I could see his attire in the dim street light of my colony. He is wearing a deep blue formal suit. But I couldn't see his face. Only a mere sketch of his facial outline is visible to me. Phew! My poor eyesight. He is nearing me and now I could see an adorable smile on his face. I moved my eyes to his nose. Whoa!! It's sharp as a knife. Aww...his dimples!! worth of dying for it man!! Everything is perfect. I slowly moved my sight to his eyes. Now as the light was bright, I could see his face. I gasped looking at him.

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I woke up with a jerk and rested my head on my knees. I saw him. IT'S HIM!! It's VIKAS!!

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Hello family!! here comes the next chapter. I dunno whether you guys enjoyed it or not but I enjoyed a lot writing this.  I am happy for Abhi *smiles outside and cries cursing Riddhi inside* And our Mr X has started his games*winks*

Hehe yep.

So guys, as usual, comment all your views. Votes and Shares are your wishes.

Yes. So today, we are giving you the spoiler alert for next chapter.

Of course yes.
#SPOILER ALERT: CONVERSATION BETWEEN ABHI AND HIS MOM FROM HIS POV.

*drums rolls* get ready for the chapter fellas.

Till then bye.

Wid love, Mr X 

Harshini