6 years later

The number one rule of putting on a marriage proposal is the confidence that Ajay lacked right now.

His hands constantly tapped on the bench while his legs kept shaking, thinking about the consequences of this.

"Stop shaking your legs like that, will you?" Sarah shouted as she couldn't think straight due to his constantly shaking legs. It somehow was getting on her nerves.

Ajay stopped immediately, not wanting to ruin his tutor's mood.

"So, getting back on the plan, let's see this." She pointed at a sheet of paper where she prepared her notes.

Marriage Proposal

• Flowers, Flowers and Flowers
• Candle night dinner
• Propose with the speech

"Don't forget any of them and you better not stammer while giving the speech. Then, it will be alright." Sarah crossed her legs, waiting for his answer.

Ajay sat still as if he was in the middle of a deep thought. As his eyes went wide, Sarah slowly judged him out of his trance. "Ajay?"

No sooner did she call his name than he jumped out of his thoughts, screaming out loud. "White tunnels!"

Sarah felt like her heart was about to come out at his screaming. Calming down her racing heartbeat, she screamed at him, "What's wrong?!"

He looked around, letting out a sigh of relief. "I just saw... Maya punching... me to death," he stammered. Gulping down his fear for a little while, he mumbled, "Let's drop this idea. Okay?" He was about to stand up when Ishaan pushed him down on his seat.

He had earlier gone out to instruct the staff of the cafeteria on preparing the dinner date for them and to make the surprise present for the main woman of the night.

"Why are you so scared? Be a man. We will be going over there." He pointed at the corner made by the intersection of two walls.

Sarah checked her phone for the time. "Hey, it's time for her arrival." Saying this, she pulled Ishaan along with her to hide in the corner which was about two metres away from their dinner table.

Ajay waited anxiously, his eyes steadily looking around artificial Greenland with only their table at the centre. He was sitting on the rooftop of a five-star cafeteria which opened recently. While waiting, he revised his plan once again.

He looked at the people who were supposed to greet Maya with flowers upon her arrival.

Soon enough, he heard her voice. "Ugh...I definitely said no to him..." Her voice indicated her mood was always messed up.

Turning around, he stopped the people in time before they could throw the flowers at her. "Ajay...what's wrong?" She asked, seeing his worried face, almost as if something could've gone wrong but thankfully, didn't.

"No, nothing...Sit here." He mumbled, wiping the sweat beads off his forehead. "You look pissed off. Something happened at work?"

Maya kept her bag aside. "That award show manager is getting on my nerves. Everyone knows that they are in the business of 'selling' awards. Even then, he is trying to sweet-talk me into this. Such a jerk!" She grunted, pulling her hair in a high knot.

Finally, pulling herself together, she let her lips curve in a smile. "Those are daily stuff. But what about you? That must've been a great deal of work." She eyed the empty rooftop decorated with hanging lights around the walls which were covered with balloons

"Ah...that. Surprise!" He laughed hysterically. He laughed and laughed till his eyes were about to pop out. Realizing the seriousness in the air, he slapped himself out of it.

Nervously, his eyes turned towards the corner where Sarah kept waving her hands, mouthing him to give the flowers to Maya. "Oh...I prepared something," he blurted out.

"What is it?" Her sparkling eyes looked into his anxious ones. Gulping down his nervousness, he whistled, ordering the people to give her the flowery present.

Pleasantly surprised, Maya smiled cheerfully, receiving the flowers. "Wow! Such beautiful flowers. Thank you."

"I have something more." He whispered to one of the staff members and soon enough, the lights of the place went off. He lit the candles on the table and a delicious dinner took over the table.

Nothing could have pleased Maya more than a stomach-full dinner. Taking a delightful bite, she closed her eyes, relieving the taste of the good that melted on her tongue. "This is peace."

"You like it?"

Opening her eyes, she pouted. "I love it!" She smiled brightly enough to make Ajay's heart beat so fast. With every passing second, the desire to make her his wife was making him go crazy.

Meanwhile, Maya too kept observing the pleased look on Ajay. She had been thinking about proposing to him about marriage now that they both were somewhat settled in their career. She was not quite sure about when but she knew she would do it soon.

She peeked at the ring in her bag. Once the right time comes... Yes, I will propose then.

Reassuring herself, she chugged down the wine from the glass. "Ajay, it's been 6 years already, right?"

Ajay, who was busily stuffing his mouth, looked up. With a mouthful of food, he was about to talk but soon decided to chew it before talking. "Yes... now that I think about it, it's been too long."

"Long, strong and beautiful." She smiled, satisfied with her description of their love story. "Sounds like a shampoo advertisement." She could hardly stop laughing.

Ajay joined her but a while later, he stiffened in his place, reminding himself that he still has to propose. "I... have something to say."

Maya gasped for breath, as she stopped her hysterical laughter. "What is it?"

"I..." It was as if the duck caught his throat. The speech that he prepared for a week-long suddenly was no longer in his memory files.

Taking a deep breath and chugging down two glasses of wine, he gathered his spirits in an attempt to spill it out. He wanted to scream, "I love you so much, Maya. I want to marry you." But would it be that easy?

He clapped his hands and a big cake arrived- a white and chocolate cake with 'Will you marry me?' written in it.

Maya gasped on noticing the cake and turned to see Ajay sitting on one knee. "I love you, Maya. I had been waiting all this time. I was so nervous to even ask you someday, even today, I was scared to death. Please accept my love."

He displayed the ring while Maya closed her mouth in awe. "Say yes." She heard the cheers and turned around to see everyone standing.

Her friends, Pranav and Ayushi with their 3-year-old son, Lina and their parents were hooting and clapping in the background. Surprised, Maya stared at them before turning to Ajay who was still waiting for my answer.

"You already know my answer," she said in a rather heavy and serious tone, pretending to be cold. But her hard exterior soon melted as a smile flashed on her lips. She sat on her knees too and took the ring out from the bag.

"Marry me."

This time the crowd seemed more surprised, including Ajay. "You-"

"Let's exchange the rings." So, they did that.

The atmosphere was all sweet like the spring season. It was all beautiful with the moon shining so brightly and the sweet wind blowing in the air.

"Congratulations to you both!" A voice penetrated the enjoyable weather. It was a charismatic voice for sure, the one which could silence a crowd anytime.

They both turned to see Alisha ma'am in her gorgeous outfit. Though now retired, it seemed as if time didn't pass for her. "So, another celebrity couple is getting married?"

She looked at Priya and Vicky before turning to Maya and Ajay. "Yes."

With a naughty smile, she turned to his son and Sarah as she remarked in a whisper, "I wonder who is going to get married next..."

Maya cracked up with a smile. "Then, let's take a picture now," Akash announced, smiling at Shreya who smiled back at him as she nodded.

Everyone gathered while he handed his phone over to one of the staff, requesting him to click a picture for them. As they gathered for the photo and pulled the soon-to-be-married couple together, Ajay whispered, "Let's stay like this forever."

"Let's do that." Maya smiled at him when they heard the click of the camera.

~•~

Here's the end of this book. And I am crying now. 😭❤

Hope you liked it so far! And thank you for supporting me <3

Please do vote, comment and share.