Aashna's pov:

It's july now and the cold is as it was in june. The temperature has risen though but it's still so cold in Australia.

I miss the Indian heat of July. Summers are my favourite, I don't have to carry much clothes on my body, I can have ice-cream, go out whenever I feel like, go swimming, take a shower whenever I want to, and workout sweat comes so easily, but all this just doesn't happen in winters.

Also I don't have any body heat of my own, so I always have chilled feet and my fingers are always cold and numb.
I have to sit in front of the heater 24/7 otherwise I'll freeze.

I remember when I hugged Shubman, he was so warm, I wish I could just be in his arms and he can warm me up.

My exam is also approaching in November. It's the one after which I'll finally get my PHD degree and then I can decide whether I wanna keep living here or move back to India.

Because after the degree, I have various job options after short courses. So employment is not a problem, but to decide where I wanna continue my life is.

My life is now also affected by various factors.

I don't wamna move back to India because of my mom and dad, I've just started to live happily here, without reminiscing all the bad experiences that I've had with them.

But Shubman is there too. And he can't shift to India but still it's too early in our relationship to change a country because of him.

What if I move to India to be with him and we break up. Although that is unlikely but the possibility is still there.

But I miss my dog moti too much! And I wanna be with her but she too prefers to live with my mom and dad.

I can't believe this.

Also, aunt has been asking me why I'm on my phone all the time. Although I don't tell her but she's started to think that maybe I'm getting a little too serious with shub.

And she pushes me sometimes to tell my parents about it, but I just don't wanna even let them know till it's rock solid.

I have so many problems.

I go downstairs and start helping aunt with dinner.

"Shona beta? Kesa chal rha he sab? Exam preparation and all?" Uncle asks me.

"Arey fufaji acchi chal rhi he preparation.....aaj kl to raat me padhti hu me after 20 p.m., kyuki din me to lagatar distractions hote rehte he." I tell him.

"Tanu bhi to raat me padhta he hamesha se." Bua tells me.

"Ese kya distractions hote he?" Uncle asks me.

"Arey ye Shubman se baat karti he na!" Bua tells him.

"Accha ussey abhi tak baat ho rhi he?" He asks me.

"Haan...wo ab....to....ho hi rhi he..." I say.

"Relationship? Boyfriend?" He asks me.

"Haan mtlb he to relationship, par itna serious kucch nhi he....abhi..." I try to get jim off topic.

"Saare din to baat karti rehti he ussey, aur serious nhi he? Aur beta, 'i love u' bolne ke baad relationship serious ho hi jaata he!" Aunt says.

"Accha? To I love u bola usne?" Uncle asks me.

"Haan....may me hi bol diya tha..." I tell him while setting the table.

"Aur tumne back bola usey?" Uncle asks.

"Haan....bola to tha...." I say.

"Aur tum bol rhi ho ki serious nhi he?" He cuts me off.

We all sit down to eat.

"Ok fine.....serious he ab theek he?" I ask them.

"To parents ko inform kar de ham?" He says.

"Abhi ruk jao, jab wo kahegi tab kr dena, hamari shona ko bhi itna sense he ki kab kya karna he!" Bua says.

"Thank u so much..." I say to her.

"Mujhe ek baat samajh nhi aa rhi...ki me degree ke baad India shift ho jaun? Ki yahin pe life set kar lu? Lekin Shubman India me he aur agar me India jaungi to mujhe initially mammy papa ke saath rehna padega aur I don't wanna live with them."

"I have an idea!" Bua says.

"Dekh, mummy papa to wese bhi naye ghar me shift ho rhe he, aur thode din to tu adjust kr hi sakti he fir tu khud ka flat le liyo!" She says.

But they don't know that maybe in 'thode din', my mental health will start to downgrade if I consider living with them. Bit can't I do that much for shub? Sure I can.

"Ok! Mene decide kr liya he, you are right, thode din me konsa kucch bigad jayega? Me India jaa rhi hu!"

I say to them and hurriedly finish my dinner and run upstairs to tell Shubman about it.

"Shubman!!!! I'm soo happyyy!!" I shout as soon as he picks up.

"Kyu kya ho gya? Me baap banne wala hu??? Tumne bataya kyu nhi?" He jokes.

"Shubman, seriously? Hamare beech me esa kuch nhi hua!!!" I say strictly to him and he laughs.

"Arey me to chah hi rha hu ho jaye!" He says and I blush.

"SHUBMAN!! Mujhse dirty talks karne ki zaroorat nhi he, now shut up and listen!" I shout at him.

"Accha sorry batao.." he says.

"Ok so.......guess what? I'm shifting to Indiaaaa!!!" I say with happiness.

"What? Yayyy!!! Ab mere baap banne ka sapna ham poora karengeee!!!" He jokes again.

"Fuck offff, esa kucch nhi ho rha he, aur tumhe itni kya jaldi he baap banne ki?" I say getting a little pissed off.

"Me toh bss mazak kar rha tha, don't mind please....." He says.

"Accha accha theek he, suno me jab India aaungi na? Tab ham log pura India ghumeng, ok? Kyuki me bohot kam jagah gyi hu isliye." I say excitedly to him.

"Haan haan sure, jahan tumhe jaana he wahin chalenge!" He says with tye same enthusiasm.

"Accha ye batao, which city?" He asks me.

"Jaipur yarr, of course!" I say.

"Can you not shift to Chandigarh?" He asks me.

"Shubman...yk That's not possible right now." I say.

"Arey tum aa jao, mere ghar me shift ho jana..." He says.

"Arey pagal! Kis hakk se rehlu tumhare ghar me? Kon ho tum mere?" I ask him.

"Me tumhara boyfriend?" He says.

"That is not an official relationship!" I say.

"Tu bol to abhi official krta hu!" He says.

"Nhi shub, it's too soon, yk that!" I say.

"Haa haan, but you are still welcome!" He says.

"Kyu? Tumhari mammi, tumgare papa nhi honge wahan pr?" I ask him.

"Ek naya ghar le lenge, tumhare aur mere liye!" He says.

"Shubman please, mazak side me rakho!" I say.

"Accha ok! Aur bta?" He says and I start to tell him about my exams in November and my shifting in December.

Shubman's pov:

After we hang up, I start searching for house designs for inspirations for our new home. Just Aashna and me.

I know she wouldn't wanna move in till we get married, that too if we get married. Most likely we will.

Her birthday is coming in October and I need to plan something for her.

I love my parents but I can't keep living with them my whole life....and it's most appropriate that me and my future wife will have a personal home.

She will also be leaving her home, her city to come live me so that's the least I can do for her. But if it's not Aashna, then I don't want anyone, I've never felt like this before, with anyone, I always thought that 'yeh nhi toh koi aur sahi' but after Aashna, its like..' yeh nhi toh koi nhi.'

'Kaka, aa gya andar, kya zaroorat he bahar jaake baat karne ki? Andar hi kar liya kr, itni garmi me, dekh to, pasina aa gya mere bacche ko!" My mom starts to wipe off my sweat droplets with her t-shirt hem.

"Arey mummy, private baatein sabke saamne thodi na karega?" Shahneel says.

"Esi kedi private gall aa jo menu ni pta?" Mom asks me.

"Arey mummy, isey innocent mt samjho, tenu pta vi ni aa, is vich ki chhupa hoya he.?" Shahneel says.

"Hun ta me jaan ke hi manungi, chal oye! Dass menu! Kisse gall karya si bahar?" Mom says.

"Mummy ajeha kuch ni he, aur tujhe to me baad me dekhta hu.!" I say to mom and shahneel.

"Ab to zaroor kucch to he, maa ko nhi batayega? Inna vada ho gya he na?" Mom says and gets up to leave but I hold her hand and make her stop.

"Arey mamma aa jao btata hu, chal oye! Tu bhi bta mere saath, me akela nhi bataunga!"

"Accha ok me batati hu aapko, to iski ek GIRLFRIEND he, wo bohot sundar he, gori chitti, patli dubli, badi badi aankhein aur nature me bhi bohot sweet he aur haan shubhi ko ussey beintehaan mohobbat ho gyi he aur ye uske peeche pagal ho chuka he, wese wo ladki he to acchi sachme.

Aur aapko pta he, uske itne lambe baal he bilkul straight without any treatment." Shahneel says gesturing till her thighs.

"Ladki punjaban he?" My mom has this big smile on her face.

"Uhhh....nhi....sorry" i tell her and see her smile fade away.

"Accha...." She says in a low tone.

"Ladki jaat he, jaipur se!" Shahneel tells her.

"Arey mummy kya fark padta he ham jatt he aur wo jaat he, same same hi to he." I try to make her smile but she deepens the frown.

"Aur to aur ladki Australia me padhti he bohot intelligent he, abhi thode din me uski PHD complete ho jayegi. Toh fir wo india shift ho jayegi. Aur job bhi acchi mil jayegi usse!" Shahneel di tells m mom.

"Job ka achaar dalun me jab ladki apni caste ki hi nhi he to?" Mom says.

"Dekh beta, koi punjaban ho to bta, ese hi kisi se hamne tera vyaah nhi kara dena he!" Mom says.

"Arey mummy, ese kyu bol rhi ho? Ladki he to acchi na?" Shahneel di says.

"Arey beta, mujhe to kahin se acchi nhi lagi! Dekho itni zyada padhi likhi he, hamare kake se bhi zyada, aur to aur ladki Australia me rehti he, zaroor bilkul bahar walon jesi hogi, aur upar se caste bhi alag he, ye shaadi meri taraf se to na he!" I widen my eyes.

"Mummy mujhe jis cheez me educated hona tha me usme educated hu! Cricket aur kys hua mujhse zyada padhi he to?"

"Accha chal bta? Ladki ko ghar ke kaam aate he?" Mom asks.

"Haan shayad usko thoda bohot khana banana aata he, bartan saaf karna usey pasand nhi he, koi baat nhi hamare ghar me dishwasher lagwa lenge!" I say to her.

"Mere ghar me dishwasher ki koi zaroorat nhi!" She says.

"Nhi mera mtlb jo hamara ghar hoga, mtlb uska aur mera..." I say.

"Haye haye! Abhi to aayi nhi he ki mere bete ko alag karna bhi shuru kar diya, ab to me bilkul nhi hone fungi ye shaadi!" Mom says.

I think she's just overreacting like all the Indian moms, and I'm not falling for this act.

"Photo dekhogi?" I ask her.

"Chal dikha hi de, pehle naam bta de lekin..." dhe says

"Asshna Singh Chahar." I say and smile.

(Imagine there is a face and she's wearing that dress)

"Dekho, sundar he na?" I say.

"Hey wahe guru, mere bete ko ye kya ho gya!!???" She says keeping her yands on her chest.

"Kucch bhi nhi hua aapke bete ko!" I say.

"Kya ho gya mummy itni overacting kyu kr rhi ho, kys burai he is ladki me?" Shahneel says.

"Ye kese kapde pehen rakhe he isne, chhee chhee...sab dikh rha he, aur itni chhoti dress, puri tangen chamak rhi he, haye!!" Mom says and removes the phone.

"Mummy, aapko uski shakal, uske features nhi dikhe? Uske baal nhi dikhe? Bass dress dikhi?" I say to her and she once again sees her picture.

"Haan haan sundar to he, par ese kapde pehen ne wali ladki ko tu kese pyaar kar sakta he, ye kesi ladki he?"

"Mummy! Jesi bhi he, uska character bina mile judge mt karo!" I stand up for her, but shahneel looks mad.

"Kyu mummy? Me bhi to pehenti hu short dresses aur exposed kapde? Toh mtlb mera bhi character kharaab he? Haina? Mtlb me bhi besharm hu?" She says.

"Yeh kya keh rhi he tu?" Mom says to her.

"Sahi hi to keh rhi hu, kya galat kha mene? Jese aap apni beti ke baare me nhi sun sakti ese hi aap kisi aur ki beti ke baare me bol bhi nhi sakti! Aur shubhi ussey itna pyaar karta he mujhe pura bharosa he ki shaadi toh wo usi se karega, chahe aap raazi ho ya nhi!" And with that she leaves the room in anger.

"Pta nhi mere bacchon ko kya ho gya he, budhape me ghar se bahar nikalegi na hame, jab pta chalega tujhe, abhi to sab acchi lagti hain, shaadi se pehle to sab meetha hi hota he." She says and leaves the room as well.

I want to call Aashna again but she must be studying so I don't call her.

I don't think she's the type of girl who will not respect my parents, she respects everyone.

Shahneel was right, chahe kuchh bhi ho jaye, shaadi to main usi se karunga!!

AUTHOR'S RANT: guys guys guys!! You will se Aashna and Shubman together soon, don't u worry! Let's break the stereotype of character judging, I was trying not to bring femenism into this story but....I can't not do that because I'm a huge femenist so....this had to happen.
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See u with the next one!