A A R A V

The sound of my ringtone, ringing loud and carelessly for the fifth time finally managed to break my sleep. Unable to ignore it this time like the other four times, I finally picked up without checking the caller, and placed it in front of myself. It took my eyes a good ten seconds to be able to adapt to the bright screen.

"It's evening there, why the fuck are you still sleeping?" Abeer shouted from the other end. It was a fucking FaceTime, not a normal call.

"I was working on a project all night, presented it in the morning and then I have been worrying about you and my dad who decided to conveniently crash their plane on the day that I had got no sleep. I just fucking slept after thirty five hours," I growled.

"Oh sorry, Prince Charming. Next time tujh se puch ke marne jaunga," he scoffed back.

"Tu marne gaya tha, mara toh nahi na. Saale, kal hi London se gaya hai tu, why do you love me so much that you can't stay a day without seeing my beautiful face?" I smiled back, finally getting up from the bed.

"I swear to God you sound like my father," Abeer sighed, "You need to stay away from him."

I smiled in sarcasm, "Is there anything you need, or did you just call to disturb my peace like you always do?"

"Well yeah," he said, a little nervously. I switched on the light, keeping the bed on the phone and wore my tee. It took me a minute to see my room's state. Everything was a mess, the coffee mugs still on my study table and the files from last night scattered everywhere. If Ruhaana comes back and sees this, I am dead. I swear, she scolds me more than my mom sometimes.

"Ab bolega?" I pick the phone back.

"I wanted to talk to your Dad, but before that, I wanted to ask you. You're fine if I and Myra get married, right?" He asked. I just stared at the screen, blinking my eyes at him.

"You and Myra... getting married?" I repeated, dumbstruck.

"Yes," He said nervously.

"Yeh kab hua?" I retorted immediately.

"Last night," He smiled like a maniac, "I asked your sister one year ago. Kal, when I got back home, your sister said yes as a birthday gift."

"Oh," I said, after a moment, grinning, "Happy Birthday bro! I swear mujhe yaad tha, but these meetings na. And Ruhaana ne itna tang karke rakha hai... I forgot."

"Really? Ruhaana ne tang kiya?" He asked, hiding a smile.

"Yes," I agreed, "She wouldn't let me sleep or eat or do anything in peace. Aaj kal toh mujhe Myra ka bhi birthday nahi yaad."

"Myra's your twin," He said in the most obvious voice ever.

"See, Ruhaana ke vajeh se," I made an innocent face that as my mom says, makes me look just like my Dad.

"Meri vajeh se?" I heard a familiar voice and a hand on my ears twisting it as I hissed in pain.

"Ouch Ruh..." I said as she came ahead, with her hands crossed. "I am troubling you, Mr. Malhotra?" She asked. I shot a glare to Abeer who smirked.

"No... I was just telling Abeer how much you take care of me.. make good food, good coffee, and I haven't seen you since twenty four hours. Varna tum toh mujhe yaad dilati na, about Abeer's birthday."

"Yeah yeah," she mocked back, "Sab sunna meine." She sat beside me, waving at Abeer on the screen.

"We went off topic. Agar tum dono ka ho gaya ho, we were taking about something really important," Abeer said looking at me.

"Right," I said, "Girlfriend banane ke pehle poocha tha joh shaadi ke pehle pooch raha hai?" I rolled my eyes.

"Kiski shaadi?" Ruhaana asked, yawning. She hadn't slept all night as well.

"Meri aur Aarav ki!" Abeer rolled his eyes. "Of course me and Myra!"

Ruhaana stopped for a second, her eyes widening before she screamed in happiness. "Finally. Finally. Finally!" She shouted. "I won the bet!"

"Aarav," she turned towards me, "Now you will have to come back with me to India and buy me the new lenses I want."

"Whatever," I rolled my eyes. I was going to go with her anyways, and I had already bought the lense she needs.

"You guys bet on us?" Another voice joined as Myra came in, crawling ahead.

"Yup," Ruhaana smiled, "I said you both will get married this year, and Aarav said next. If I wins, he comes with me to India next week and buys me the lenses I need. And if he wins, I buy him the stupid new PS5 he wants, and wait until he completes his deal so we go to India together. I won."

"You guys act like small kids," Myra rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, small kids with lots of money to waste," Abeer corrected.

"Jokes apart, now that this is happening, I want you both to come to India. Kal aao na, please," Myra requested, with puppy eyes.

"Kal?" Ruhaana said, confused.

"Yes, Dad and Cabir Uncle decided they'd get us engaged as soon as possible, and shaadi upon mahurat or something. We're getting engaged day after!" She said.

I looked dead at Aarav. "You said you wanted my permission before my Dad's?" I asked. His eyes widened at the fact that he was caught.

"Tune mujhe birthday bhi nahi wish kiya, and I should take your permission before getting married? Not fair," he retorted. The girls laughed.

"But Abeer... how did Dad agree? I didn't think he would ever ever allow Myra to get married," I teased.

Myra blew out air from her mouth. "It was the most difficult thing I've ever done. Trust me, medical exams se bhi zyaada. But you'll get the details, only after you come here." Myra showed her tongue.

"Okay," We agreed, and after saying our goodbyes, kept the phone.

As soon as we kept the call and I rescheduled all my work and meetings for the upcoming week, I found Ruhaana sitting on my bed and typing out something furiously on her phone.

"Hello? Kya?" I said, lying down beside her.

"I'm booking our tickets to India. Aaj raat ki. We have just two hours to leave," she smiled back.

"You don't have to. We'll take the jet," I boasted. Atleast that way, I get to sleep.

"Well mister, it's good to tell you, your jet has crashed," she sweetly rolled her eyes as reality dawned and I made a cranky face, burning my head in the pillow.

Goodbye sleep.

✿ ✿

Twenty hours later, we were home.

"Mamma, kitna khilaoge?" I whined as my mother put in more rice onto my plate.

"Khaa!" She playfully smacked my head. "Kitne din baad aaya hai! And tumhaari behen ki shaadi ho rahi hai!"

"Myra's getting married, Mum. Not me," I smirked back as she sat beside me.

"And plus, Dad kaise maane?" I had to ask. Hadn't got a chance to ask Myra.

"Don't ask me!" She scoffed, "Your father can be unbelievable sometimes."

"Aisa kya kiya Dad ne?" I asked.

"Gave her a gun," she whispered.

"I'm sorry what?" I shouted, almost spitting the food out. A lot of servant's heads turned towards me.

"Hmm," she nodded in disappointment, "He removed a gun from his wardrobe, handed it to her and asked her to shoot Abeer if he ever does anything wrong."

I stared at her for a brief moment before I burst out laughing.

"Seriously?" I said in between laughs, "Dad owns a gun too?"

"Who knew?" Mum rolled her eyes.

"Who knew what?" We heard Dad's voice. Mom's eyes widened and she coughed in shock. I suppressed a smile.

"Who knew Myra will get hitched so soon..." I said, smiling, as we turned behind to see the bride and groom to be walking in with Dad.

Ruhaana's face lit up with excitement as she rushed from the couch to greet them. Kaira smiled at the two and so did Krishh while Abeer came towards me to meet me.

"Ishaan kab aa raha hai?" I asked.

"Evening," Abeer replied. "He's going to be so pissed that I jeopardised his honeymoon!"

"Absolutely," I smiled back, giving him the first hand shake. "And Happy Birthday, bud. You rather keep my sister safe!"

"About that..." Myra said as the others joined us on the table. Mom put in a plate for Ruhaana, who had landed just a few hours back with me but insisted she didn't want good because of the jet lag. Well, I never say no to food.

"Dad wants to speak to you," she said, hiding a small. "Yes dad?" I said, looking upto him.

"In the room," Dad added, "if you're done with food."

I nodded, getting up. Talks with Dad in private. This couldn't be good. I shot Abeer a whats wrong look and he smirked in return. A smirk that I knew said, 'tu-toh-gaya-ab.' Asshole.

I quietly followed Dad into the room, glaring at my gang who mimicked the same looks. Even my mom. Can you believe it? My mother loved teasing me.

"So Aarav...." Dad began, sitting on the chair in his study table.

"Dad," I cut him off before he could say anything. "If this is about the cheesecake in the fridge, I swear Myra ate it not me. And if it is about Mom's vase that you asked me to bring from London, then I swear to God it slipped out of my mind. And that deal you wanted me to sign with Rohan. Singh, I swear I didn't sign it because he was an asshole.....," I began but he me cut off.

"Sshhh!" He said. "I know you didn't sign the deal with Rohan because he was interested in Ruhaana and wouldn't stop flirting with her. Mr. Singh had called up and apologised for his son's behaviour." Dad smirked.

Seriously?

"Which leads us to the question I wanted to ask you...." he hesitated. My. Dad. Hesitated.

"What's going on with you and Ruhaana?" Dad asked.

"Dad...." I said, taking a deep breath. I didn't know what was going on between us.

"Look, you guys are the next generation. You both are in London, y'all stay together and all of that... and we allow it because we trust you both. But I want you to tell me what's going on between you both, seriously."

"We're best friends, Dad," I answered, honestly.

"Bitch please, you've been telling that to us since five years now..." Dad raised his eyebrows. What...?

"Dad...." I explained, sitting on the chair opposite to his.

"No don't Dad me!" He said, "I want you to tell me what you feel for her."

"Okay," I gave up my hands in defence. "I like her."

"Like?" He raised his eyebrows again. My dad was so intimidating. Couldn't mom have this conversation with me instead?

"Okay... love," I agreed.

"Great," he smiled, "does she know?"

"Yes. I mean... sort of," I said sheepishly.

"Aarav Manik Malhotra, what do you mean by sort of?" He said pointedly.

"I mean... we haven't really had a conversation about this ever, but she's my girlfriend and we live together and I followed her all the way to London and she cooks food for me which is really burnt sometimes by the way and I still eat it so she wouldn't feel bad, and I volunteer to cook whenever I'm free although she says she can manage and I bring her flowers every second day to her office and....." I ranted again.

"Okay. Okay. I got it," He cut me off. "She knows. Does she love you?"

"Yes," I reply instantly. "Not that she's ever told me, but she doesn't really have any other reason to put up with me all the time. So yes..."

"Great," he finally cracked a smile. "Because you're getting married to her."

"I am... what?" I shouted so loud that I'm sure the voice reached to the dining table outside.

"So... when you both were born, you and Myra I mean, your mom and I dreamt that you both will get married on the same day. But we never said that ofcourse because we never wanted to pressurise you both into something that one of y'all might not be ready for, because that just leads to failed relationships..." he explained.

"And...?" I asked, slightly pissed.

"But Aryamman, however, knows about this, and now that you both are in a live in or whatever you call it... he randomly said last night that he has no problem if you both get married... you and Ruhaana, I mean."

"But Dad....." I said.

"Look," he cut me off, "I, in no way, am going to force you to get married when you're not ready. You can take a year or two or three I you want. How much ever time. But I just want you to know, that before your mother and I got married, she'd left me once and ran away to London, then even when I asked her, I wasn't sure, so I almost lost her for the second time, and then we had this deadly accident in which I almost lost my life; after which I finally decided that she is the one I want to spend my life with. It took us so much to realise whom we want to spend our life with, and you have it, right in front of your eyes. You can take whatever time you want, Aarav, no pressure. All im wanting to tell you is love is precious and rare and don't let it go. Don't let her go." He said.

I took a deep breath. "She'll never agree," I said.

"What?" He questioned, a little dumbstruck.

"Ruhaana," I reminded, "I have never even told her I love her. If I directly ask her for marriage, she'll kick me out of our own house, probably thinking I'm a psychopath."

"Does that... does that mean you're ready?" Dad repeated, still dazed.

"Yes.. I mean, you're right. I'm twenty six, almost seven, she's twenty five; we're both stable and settled and I know how it feels like to live with her. I know you asked me to take my time, but I love her and I know I want to get up next to her every morning of my life. Then why wait? Why not make it as soon as possible," I said.

Dad said nothing for a minute, almost making me question my decision.

"I'm proud of you," He said after, giving me a proud smile.

I smiled back. "But Ruhaana...." I was cut off.

"She's ready..." Dad smiled.

"She's what?" I shouted again, making my voice reach the dining table.

"Aryamman already spoke to her last night about this. She says she's ready if you're ready." Dad shrugged casually.

"So...." I say in disbelief. "You were all preparing for my marriage and I didn't know?" I roll my eyes.

"Yes dramaqueen," Dad smiled, "Now go and tell her and ask her if she's getting married to this idiot son of mine or did she change her mind."

"Right," I replied, still dazed as I left the study room, leaving my father laughing.

I walked back to the dining, still dazed. All eyes were on me. May I add, not just my gang, but also mom, and her friends, including Fab5. These guys were kids sometimes, seriously.

"What?" I snapped back at all of them. They all looked away, slightly disappointed.

"Congratulate me, will y'all?" I said, drawing attention again. "I'm getting married!"

Ruhaana got up from where she was in surprise as I walked towards her.

"Marry me, Ruhaana," I said, looking right into her eyes and everyone hooted behind me.

"I thought you'd never ask," she replied, as I wrapped my arms around her and she hid her face in my neck and I kissed her temple.

"Just for the record, I didn't ask, I ordered," I replied and she laughed.

"You know I can still say no right," she teased, raising her eyebrows.

"I know you wouldn't," I teased back.

"And why not?" She wrapped her arms around my neck as we forget we were being watched.

"Because you love me too much to say no," I said, looking right into her eyes. She looks back before beautiful smile spreads across her face.

"Sure as hell I do," she agreed.

"But not as much as love you," I replied.

"Don't challenge me, Mr. Malhotra." She mocked.

"Can I ever, Mrs. to be Malhotra?" I tease. She turns red. Literally red.

"I never said yes, you know," she raises her eyebrows.

"You will," I challenge.

"Only if you never forget my birthday," she conditions, "which he always does by the way." She tells everyone else, managing to get a giggle.

"Only if you let me keep and cook and servants and not take all the houses work on yourself," I condition too.

"Only if you don't work as much as you do, and not buy me stupid gifts to make up for the lost time," she says. She always outsmarts me.

"Okay," I agree. "Whatever you say. It's a deal."

"Deal," she repeats after me, as I hug her again and we end our story with what started it.

A deal: from being my fake girlfriend, to my real wife.