'Naina tere kajrare hai,
naino pe hum dil hare hai!'
~Jab we met

My fiancé made herself comfortable in my lap with her hands around my torso and face snuggled in my chest after the intense kiss we shared. If this unspoken chemistry keeps brewing up between us than I can't guarantee for how long I'll last before I do something I shouldn't with this stunning as hell woman. Fuck, I just hope this coming three months doesn't tests my patience more than necessary.

"I—umm I want to use the washroom!"
Aradhya whispered in a small voice, tilting her head up to look at me. Nodding, I kissed her head and untangled ourselves, helping her stand up. Showing her the way to the washroom, I let her have her time and came back in room and sat on the bed when my phone tinged with a message.

Bhabhi: Come down now, Ranveer. Everyone has started pointing out both of you guys absence. It doesn't look good.

I replied to her in positive and thanked her for her help as well. Aradhya came back just as i stood up, stuffing my phone in my pants pocket. God. I could never get enough of seeing her in this particular clothing. It brings out a different feeling from within me. One which wants to keep her locked up here with me for the rest of our lives. If I ever get upset with her in the future, all she has to do is don a saree and I'll be on my knees. That's it.

"Bhabhi called us down. Let's go?" I asked once I found my voice and she nodded in agreement.

"Suniye?" My steps halted and I turned back to look at her. Coming close to me, she looked straight in my eyes and nowhere else.

"Kahiye!" The way our noses almost touched, I could easily duck my head a little and take her petal like lips in mine.

Get your mind out of the gutter!

"The next time I look pretty, just say so. I don't do well with ignorance and specially ignorance from my people pisses me the most. Don't repeat it again!" I bit my lips at her words, a smile threatening to grace my features at her words. The woman hardly expresses herself but man when she does, she makes sure to steal another piece of my heart.

Aradhya tried walking past me but I held her wrist, pulling her back to me. She avoided eye contact looking everywhere but me.

"I come in the category of 'your people'?" Her eyes found mine at my question. My breath stuck, wanting to hear her reply desperately.

"The moment we chose each other, you fell in that category, Ranveer. Why is that even a question?" I cupped her face as she held my wrist, looking up at me with all the innocence her big eyes could hold.

"Well, you see my fiancé isn't big on verbally expressing her feelings much. So it came as a shock when she actually let me know where I stand in her life." Playing with a strand of her hair, I told her playfully and she hit my chest with mock offence and I chuckled.

"You're fiancé is learning a few things from you in the process." My heart warmed up on her reply. Her eyes down as she fumbled with the fabric of my kurta.

"Glad to know that. And what you said earlier about ignoring you, trust me that was my last intention. I was afraid I might end up doing something I shouldn't and that would just scare you. But it wouldn't happen again. I would simply pull you away from everyone and kiss the hell out of you, it would be my way of appreciating you. My way of giving you a compliment."
Just like that her face turned that pretty shade of red I like on her the most as she shook her head at me, and ran away, breaking apart. Laughing at her antics, I followed her steps and together we moved down and to the dining table where everyone was settled to have lunch. Thankfully no one teased us for being MIA for a good amount of time. As much as I didn't care, I knew Aradhya did and I didn't want her to be embarrassed for anything.

"There's something bothering me for a really long time!"
Sahil muttered with a stupidly confused face as we all were leisurely sitting in the living room after having a scrumptious lunch together.

"Let that bother you till the end of your life!"
Tarun remarked which made everyone to laugh except me. A feminine chuckle reached my ears and it was from my fiancé who was settled beside me on my left because our family very smartly didn't leave any other place for her to sit. My lips spreading in a small smile at that as I continued chatting with Rachit about some office work.

"Tarun, behave!"
Mumma reprimanded him and gestured Sahil to go ahead.

"What if Aradhya and Ranveer would have met in their childhood?"
Sahil questioned and now the fucker had my attention as I closed my phone, looking up at him.

"What would've happened then?"
Sahiba questioned in a bored tone, taking a bite of the truffle cake she was sharing with Myra. Others being just as confused.

"There would've been a possibility of a love marriage?"
My head snapped at Aradhya so fast that I almost had a sprain. She grew conscious with all of us looking at her. The elders with a smile whereas the younger ones with teasing smirk. Except for me.

"Oh, that's such a good point. Mumma, you and dad visited Aradhya quite a few times during her childhood. How come she and Ranveer never crossed paths?" Meera bhabhi pointed what was going around on everyone's mind and I was eager to know as well.

Mom had a smile on her face as she probably remembered those days.

"Aabha and I, we were college friends. We met in our first year and instantly clicked off. While we were pursuing our degree we were just inseparable but as we all know every good thing comes to an end?"
Mom paused for the dramatics making me sigh, others waiting intently for her to continue. I casted a glance at Aradhya at her mother's mention but she didn't gave anything away with her facial expression. I wonder if she liked that her mom was being discussed with everyone. It was a sensitive topic for her and of course for the Sharma's as well.

"Then I fell in love with this man known as your father now!"
She exclaimed in utter sadness to Meera bhabhi making us chuckle at her antics.

"After graduating, Raj proposed to me and in a month we got married. He had just started his small business fresh out of college with all his savings, he worked hard day and night but the business didn't work. We came to a point of bankruptcy when my father in law called us to Delhi, it was their hometown. Not having any option we moved there and that seem to be the first blow to mine and Aabha's friendship."
Mom took a deep breath as if she couldn't speak further and dad caressed her hand, smiling at her encouragingly.

"Our friendship started drifting apart upon the weight of our responsibilities but we understood each other. We still knew what was going around with each other's lives whenever we talked on call. She was on cloud nine when I came back to Mumbai to attend her wedding. I still remember we conversed like for hours together and our husbands didn't appreciate it one bit."
Dad and Anil uncle laughed, passing each other a look, probably remembering the time of their youth.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make this an emotional story. So yeah, where were we?"
Mom asked, wiping away a quick tear from the corner of her eyes. Aradhya sitting still like a statue beside me.

"Why did Aru and Veer never met before?"
Sahil let her know, clearing his throat and from the look on his face, I knew he regretted to start this in the first place. Him and emotions don't go well together.

"Yeah, so what happened was all the handful times we visited Mumbai, it was always for work related purposes so we couldn't take our kids with us. Hence, whenever we met them it was just me and Raj." Mom concluded with a smile and younger clan nodded their head in understanding.

"Tch! A beautiful love story could have taken place if these guys would've met in their childhood!"
Myra pointed out, glancing at me and Aradhya with a sad pout. Sahiba and bhabhi nodding in agreement.

"But why feel sad for something that could've happened? We should be happy that they both got along now and are about to get married. Aabha wanted this to happen." Mom casually dropped a bomb and everyone shouted a 'what' startling her out of nowhere. By everyone I mean Sahil and Myra.

Aradhya's mom wanted us to get married? What in the match making world was happening? As far as I remember, I've never met her so how could she possibly want me to marry her daughter?

"What—what are you saying choti mom? Mumma—she— wanted this alliance to take place?"
Good question, miss fiancé. Even I was dying to know that. Aradhya threw a look to her family in question. Asking why was she just getting to know about this. Before any one of them says something, mom spoke up to clear the confusion,

"Like every other best friend, we had decided that we'll get our kids married and turn our friendship into a solid relationship. When I conceived Reyansh, she was trying for a child as well but it didn't work out."
Mom shuddered as if she was transferred back to that painful time. My hand going to hold onto my woman instinctively and she only tightened her hold in return as if needed this more than anything.

"Her pregnancy was hundred times more difficult than any other. Her chances of bearing a child was very low but she never lost hope. I remember her telling me once during one of our phone calls 'Shiv ji is just testing my patience, Suh, the day he sees how badly I want a child, he'll gift me my miracle baby.' And oh, miracle it was. From miscarriages, to health hazards to depression she had faced it all before she was finally blessed with our Aru, our miracle baby."
I shifted close to Aradhya, wrapping my arm from behind around her frame because more than her, I needed to feel her close to me as mom narrated the story.

Anil uncle had a sheen layer of tear coating his eyes and I couldn't blame him. I wasn't even married to his daughter yet but I know for sure I couldn't bear a scratch of her, let alone so much pain.

"When I had came to visit her after she gave birth and held a month old Aru in my hands, the first thing that woman said to me was 'I hope you remember your promise to marry your Ranveer to my Aru' since Ranveer was already four by then. I joked that she has not even met my son and she already wants to make an alliance of her wee old daughter. She rolled her eyes, shrugging off saying she had full trust on the upbringing I gave to my children hence there's no room for doubt."
As she got done with her story, Aradhya got up from her seat abruptly making me look at her, trying to find her eyes. She mumbled to excuse herself and dashed away, out of the house.

I got straight up to go behind her, her family stood up as well but my mom held us back.

"Let me go!"
She went behind her and I paced the living room restlessly. All the worst possible scenario going through my head. Why does every time when I feel like I'm finally getting her, the universe slaps me right in the face by doing something like this? I should've known talking about her mom would be a sensitive topic. I should've known she'll get hurt by the end of it. If only I could've stopped any of this from happening. The day was going so good, we were so happy. Adhya was so happy.

"Mil gayi shanti? Kya zarurat thi apni behuda zaban kholne ki?"
I threw daggers at Sahil who didn't look a least bit affected on my words or accusation.

"Veer, I didn't know it would end up like this?"
Sahil muttered with a calm demeanour and Sahiba nodded agreeing with him.

"Shant hoja, calm down. Mom is with her, she'll take care."
Reyansh bhaiya tried talking sense to me, keeping a hand on my shoulder assuringly but that didn't help one bit. Nothing would help until I knew , I saw for myself that Aradhya was okay.

"Yeah, it's nobody's fault really. She has always been a little sensitive with matters concerning her mother. With time she'll come around!"
Anil uncle tried reasoning, an attempt to normalise the tense atmosphere, her family nodding in affirmation while I sighed.

My palpating heart turned hopeful when I saw my mom returning back a few minutes later but a frown appeared on my face seeing her alone. Where did she left her daughter in law? Coming inside, she searched for me and through her eyes gestured me to the garden and I didn't waste a second before sprinting out and looking here and there for my fiancé.

She was in the back garden near the swimming pool, her back turned to me as I approached her with measured steps and as if sensing my presence when I was close enough, she turned now looking at me. Her eyes were red so she had definitely cried.

"What happened?"
My voice came out in a whisper, hands going up to cup her face and my thumb caressing the area under her eyes which already looked a bit swollen. This girl is sensitive both physically and emotionally, I've concluded that.

"I'm sorry—for storming out here the way I did in the middle of a conversation!"
She fumbled with her words in reply, guilt written all over her face.

"Do you really think we need your sorry? We were more concerned about you, Adu! Kya hua? You want to talk about it?" Gently pushing a strand of her hair which was disturbing her eyes, I asked in a soft voice. She kept looking at me for a few seconds before her little hands went around my torso and she pulled me close to her in a hug. Her face buried in the middle of my chest and I kept my chin on the crown of her head. My arms holding her close in my embrace.

I let her have a moment, me not saying anything and providing her the silent comfort and support she seemed to be needing. My fingers time to time moving in her dark tresses as I pressed a certain points to ease off her headache if she felt any. We the way I felt her dropping her weight on me in a relaxed manner, meant it was working.

"You good?"
She nodded in my chest with a sigh at my question, her hands tightening their grip on me and I gulped discreetly.

"You know like any other daughter, I too dreamt of wanting my mumma's approval for my future partner?"
She started saying off, still being in the hug and as much as I wanted to look at her while we had this conversation, I also knew this is her way of gathering courage to speak so I let her be. Humming for her to continue and show my attentiveness.

"For the longest time after our Roka, when everything got official, I was sad that she never got to live that moment with me. That I was deprived of that discussion with her where I get to ask her opinion on her son in law, hear her thoughts, get help to reach on a decision because fate was cruel. It can hardly let us have things our way."
I broke apart on her last words so that I could look in her eyes and I shook my head in negative, not wanting her to be this pessimistic. She only gave me a little smile before pulling me close again and hiding her face in my chest.

"But look how fate worked for us this time. I ended up meeting this guy through an arranged proposal, not having met him before ever in my life by just trusting my family and instincts. I ended up liking the guy, I got engaged to him, I'm about to get married to him in three months only for my mom's best friend to reveal that she wanted me to marry him all along?"
Having a little bit mercy on me, she looked up at my face. Her chin perched up on my chest. Was that tears shining in her eyes?

It couldn't be a bad thing that she was about to marry the guy her mother wanted her to all along, right?

"Is that bad?"
Having patience worst than a little kid, I asked in a whisper and with bated breath waited for her answer. My hands which were around her waist, unknowingly grew tight.

"How is that bad, Mr Malik? For the first time fate has worked in my favour. I ended up liking this amazing person thankfully, to be my future husband. He liked me back as well only for us to get to know that we were being shipped together since our childhood by none other than my mom? I don't think it could get better than this."
Her answer brought a new life to me with the way I felt myself taking deep breaths in thankfulness. My head dropping on Aradhya's shoulder as I held her in my grip.

"The way you had me in a chokehold there for a second!"
The she devil let out a chuckle as if she just wasn't going to be the reason of my death and she held me close, her nimble fingers roaming through my hair soothingly.

Pehle BP badhati hai fir girati hai. Zalim aurat!

"What? Don't tell me you got scared right now?"
Breaking apart at her question, I held her right hand and kept her palm on my wildly beating heart. Her eyes going wide and lips parting in a gasp.

"Ranveer?"
Her tone, a little whisper of disbelief.

"How scared do you think I'm?"
She looked in my eyes with a lot of emotions swirling in her big doe eyes before she cupped my face, standing on her tip toes and kissed the corner of my lips. My breath hitching right that moment in my throat.

She chose to be the tease right now?

"I'm not going anywhere, baba! You see this?"
She flipped her left hand up, the engagement ring shining brightly in the sunlight.

"I'm wearing this ring of your name and you are wearing mine. We still have a long way to go. Jab tak aap mere sath phere nahi le lete, mangalasutra nahi pehna dete aur meri che inch ki mang nahi bhar dete, we won't be done. So please remove any negative thoughts that your mind must be making because I'm here and I'm here to stay."
As weird her words were, it was also like a balm to my frantic heart which was scared of being abandoned midway. It was silly because even though Aradhya has taken time to open up, she's never given me any reason to believe that she'll leave me stranded. So I took all the comforts her words provided and kissed her forehead in response.

"Cupcake?" I called her out and she hummed as we stood with our foreheads joined.

"Chale?" I asked in a whisper.

"Kaha?" She looked up confused at me and I just wanted to gobble her up that instant.

"Phere lene? We don't have to wait for three months. We can make all that you said happen now. You just have to say the words. After that we'll also go to the marriage registrar's office to legalise it. What's say?"
Ever so slowly on each of my words, her cheeks started going red with blush and by the end of it, she was giving tough competition to blushes itself.

She broke apart, trying to pin me down with a glare before standing a little away from me with her hands folded.

"Filhal toh mein andar ja rahi hu. Apka dimag walk par se wapas aa jaye toh aap bhi aa jana."
Before she could see my pathetically sad face on her remark and indirect rejection, she went away already making her way inside. Sighing deeply, I shook my head on myself for this weirdly different and illogical person that I become around this fiancé of mine and started going behind her but something registered to my brain.

'How is that bad, Mr Malik? For the first time fate has worked in my favour. I ended up liking this amazing person, to be my future husband.'

'I ended up liking this amazing person, to be my future husband.'

'I ended up liking this amazing person'

Did she just casually confessed that she likes me? I mean of course I knew it already that she does, with her actions and with how much I could read her but actually hearing her say it? I was probably floating on cloud nine, or maybe cloud fifty if there was any. My throat closing up with emotions as I tried wrapping my head around her confession that she threw at me like confetti and went away.

At least warm kar deti advance mein, ki mann ki baat finally kehni wali hai. Banda prepared rehta khushi se marne ke liye!

Shaking my head with a goofy smile which I tried to deflect and an extra bounce in my steps, I went back inside my house and in the living room only to narrow my eyes with the way that chooza Sahil was standing with Aradhya and they seem to be in an important discussion. Everyone seemed to have went off to somewhere else apart from him and Myra. The trouble makers of our house and lives.

"But don't you think the timing is a bit of an issue? Everyone's work will get hampered if we do this."
Aradhya tried reasoning with a conflicted look only for that bandar to dismiss her worry.

"You just handle your schedule and persuade that entitled chaukidar of Malik corporations to take leave of two days. I'll manage everyone else. We'll leave this Thursday so Thursday, Friday and then Saturday Sunday will be holiday anyways. We'll be back on Sunday night!"
Sahil listed everything down but my blood boiled at that nickname he has for me. And what leave was he talking about? I can't afford taking a leave even if I was dying.

"Hey, why'd you call him that?"
My fiancé retorted back, taking offence on my behalf and Myru nodded,

"Yeah! You don't call him that, okay? Partners in crime aside, I love my brother too much to tolerate his insults!"
Aww. To have a partner and sister like that. I was really blessed.

"Guys, I'm his best friend? We've called each other worse names!"
Sahil exclaimed and buddy got a point there. Both the girls scrunching their nose in disgust as if imagining the worst, almost making me chuckle. They were yet to acknowledge my presence as they conversed amongst themselves.

"What's happening?"
They straightened up at once upon hearing my unnecessarily loud voice and stood together in a line. With furrowed eyebrows, I glanced at them before pulling my fiancé close who was perched in between them both and jutted my chin in question for her to explain.

"Actually—we were—I mean—Sahil was—"
She tried forming a sentence.

"Aahhemmm!"
Sahil cleared his throat, sounding like a pig. Cutting Aradhya off.

"Nahi—I was thinking—"
She tried again and I rubbed her arm, Her hesitation to tell me something not sitting well with me.

"Relax, kha nahi jaunga mein! Saans lo aur aaram se bolo!"
I made her understand in a soft voice as if talking to a child and she nodded, passing me a grateful smile.

"Mein bolun?"
Myra butted in, raising her hand a little and I sighed gesturing her to go ahead. Aradhya held my hand in her grip.

"Woh actually we were thinking if we could all go on a trip together? It's been so long since we went on one and now that Aru bhabhi has joined our family, it'll be a nice way to mingle up, na? We could spend time together, get to know each other better? Please, Veer bhai?"
Myra ended showing me her puppy eyes and I was already on the verge of saying yes. For some annoying reason no one has ever been able to deny Myru anything. Partly the reason why she's spoiled so much and also why Sahil always keeps her in his team.

I turned to look at the woman beside me in question and she only nodded her head in assertive, her velvety lips tucked between her teeth and I knew then and there that there was no room for contemplation. I stood no chance against her.

"It'll be fine if you take break from your work?"
I asked, not wanting to put Aradhya in a tight spot with her official commitments. She vigorously nodded in positive on that too and I sighed.

"What's the place?" I asked and at once Myra stood up to jump in triumphant but Sahil locked his arms around her, seizing her exited movements.

"Goa!" He let me know and I nodded. Okay. It was good enough. If any office related emergencies occurred, I'd be back to Mumbai in no time. Who was I kidding? Even if they'd have decided to go to another country, I would've silently agreed. Yeah, I know I was gone case when it came to her.

"Fine! I'll book everyone's tickets and stay. Just confirm with the elders first and let me know!"
That finally made Myra to jump in glee seeing which Aradhya chuckled at her happiness. A small smile adorning my lips as well. Sahil still standing there silently, not believing that I agreed to all of this so easily. Myra took Aradhya away that very moment to discuss outfits and aesthetics, a language familiar only to them.

"Aurat ka chakkar, babu bhaiya! Aurat ka chakkar!" Sahil exclaimed just when we were alone with a sigh and I rolled my eyes at his overdramatic ass. He was about to leave as well but I called him out.

"Oye, ruk! He stopped and turned to me with a frown.

"I'm sorry!" His frown disappearing just as I said that and hands folding around his chest. The fucker better not make a big deal out of this and accept my apology or else I'll actually break his pompous nose.

"What for?" He questioned acting unknown. His nose was definitely taking the bait.

"You know what for!" I exclaimed glaring at him. He heaved a deep sigh after a moment of silence before keeping his hands on my shoulder.

"Dekh, I know she means a lot to you. I can see it all over your face, Veer. All of us can see that. And we all want your happiness. That happiness has started residing in her. So please keep in mind that we'll never knowingly or unknowingly try hurting her, not because that directly affects you as well but because that girl has started making a little place in all of our hearts. We have started loving her like our own. I have started caring and protecting for her like I do for Myra or Sahiba or Meera bhabhi for that matter. So please be rest assured that we wouldn't ever do something that'll create rift between you both!"
His words were dream for every man because trust me no one wants to be in a situation where he has to choose between his better half and his family/friends.

"I know, Sahil! I know you'll never do that but it's just that it's not been easy to bring her to trust me and be comfortable around me the way she now is. And I'm not blaming her for that because she has all the right to take her time but I don't want our progress to back paddle, you know? I might sound like a pathetic bastard but I can't see her sad. It makes me sad as well. I just want her to always keep smiling that smile of hers that could put the stars to shame. She is like a bright ray of sunlight and I don't want anything to dull her light anymore, Sahil. Something tells me that's happened a lot of time but not anymore. I want her to shine the brightest wherever she goes."
Sahil smirked at me in the most stupid way possible as I finished my blabbing. My heart feeling a bit at peace after sharing it with someone I'm close with.

"Yeah, you do sound a little pathetic to me!"
He exclaimed, his chuckle following that statement. I take everything back that I said about this useless fucker. I was better off with keeping everything to me. Throwing him a glare, I turned to walk away but he pulled me back by my holding my neck and gave a hug. Smiling after a while, I hugged him back as well.

"Hey! Why are you bastards being lovey dovey without me?"
Came Tarun's heartbroken voice and we broke apart to look at him. Laughing, we gestured him to come and he ran to us, now completing our group hug. These were my guys. My ride or die.

•••

I hope you guys liked the chapter?

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Till then bye and take care🥺