Later that night, Pragya was restless thinking that Abhi might be in love with someone. She knew her feelings for him were more than just some silly crush and perhaps she might be in love with him.

Pragya got tears in her eyes

"I fell in love with Abhi?" she asked herself.

She felt so happy after realizing her love.  She jumped like a mad person in her room, but then suddenly reality came back to her.

What if Abhi is in love with some other girl?

Pragya couldn't control herself and she started crying at the thought of Abhi loving another girl.

Pragya's mother, Sarla, then called her to have dinner.

"Pragya, it's getting late, Beta. Come have food and then you can study." Her mother said.

Hearing this, Pragya wiped her tears and tried to control her feelings.

"Maa, I am not feeling hungry. I will just have milk. Please Ma." she pleaded.

Hearing Pragya's voice, Sarla felt that something was wrong and she went into Pragya's room. She saw Pragya on the bed crying silently.

"Pragya Beta, what happened? Why are you crying?" Her mother asked. "Did you fight with Abhi again?"

"No Maa, it's nothing like that.we didn't fight, even he I'll come to home tomorrow ma, u can ask na, Just a headache."

"Are you sure it's just a headache?"

"Haa Maa." she said to her mother.

"Ok then, I will bring milk for you. You just take rest." Sarla  said and then left.

Next day

The next day,
Maa prepare kheer also , abhi likes that na so"
Sarla " ok , ok"....Sarla had just finished preparing kheer. It was Abhi's favourite.

Aftera while, Abhi came with Tanu and her parents.

Sarla " abhi beta , how are you and ? Raman ji and sandya ji aap?  How are you all ? pragya didnit inform me?   Anyway you all remember me atlest now ?"
Sandya ( tanu mother ) " arey sarlaji at least we remember you all now but you are forgot us na" said with smile
Sarla " arey , nothing like that ji , come and sit I ill make snacks for u all"
Raguveer( prgya father) " namaste sandyaji , namaste raman ji , how are you ?

Abhi " arey first will you all settle here ? Then we will discuss, what say uncle aunty ?
Sarla " ha, ha , sure abhi , I think you planning something big that's why you doing all na? Naughty boy ?" teases sarla

Pragya's father, Raghuveer, lead them over to the living room where they all sat down, while Sarla went to get snacks and they all chatted.

After a while Tanu's father, Raman, cleared his throat.

"Actually, we  came here to discuss an important matter." Tanu's father said.

"Anything serious?" Raghuveer asked.

"It depends on your decision." Raman said.

"Meaning?" Raghuveer asked.

Pragya was getting nervous.

What could they possibly want to talk about?  Why isn't Abhi talking to me? He is behaving really differently. Why did he bring Tanu's parents here? it was just supposed to be him and Tanu coming over.

Abhi stood from his seat and went  near Pragya's parents. He kneeled down in front of them which puzzled both her parents.

"Aunty, Uncle... I have something to say. Actually, I need to ask your permission for something.  I will abide by any decision you take." said Abhi in an emotional tone.

Sarla held his hand.

"Abhi Beta, tell us na." Sarla said.

"You are also like our son. Don't hesitate to ask for anything. Our blessings are always with you." Raghuveer said. "Tell me, what's the matter"

"Uncle, Aunty...." He started off. "I  fell in love with a girl and it's the most beautiful feeling in the world."

Everyone smiled except Pragya.

" The greatest wonderful feeling is falling in love ,I  fell in love with HER , If I desire to live beautifully for long, I must stick with HER forever, because HER  smile is the best medicine for my health and heart. I love HER dearly.I will never let HER go, because I can't envisage what my life would be without HER in it, as I never would have thought of having someone special like HER.."

Pragya got tears after hearing Abhi's words, thinking that he was speaking of someone else.

"Who is she?" Sarla asked. "Does she also love you?"

"No Aunty, she doesn't even know." he replied. "I heard her saying to her friend, that she will only marry the guy her parents choose for her. So that's what I'm doing now. I'm trying to get my love's parents to choose me."

They slowly realized what he was telling them.

" PRAGYA ....You want to marry, Pragya?" they asked in unison.

Pragya was shocked.

"Yes Uncle and Aunty." Abhi said. "I love Pragya with all my heart and I want to marry her."

Oh My God! He loves me! But when? He never said anything...or behaved with me like that...

Pragya felt like the luckiest person in the world, but she glanced at her parents and saw a note of fear in their expressions. 

Before Pragya's parents  could react,  Abhi spoke.                                     "I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. That's why I cant wait any longer to express my feelings. I have always wanted to give  Pragya the world. I want  my Pragya with me as my wife. I want us to share our lives together, our happiness and our sorrows. I want her forever with me. I want to wake up next to her every morning and go to bed beside her every night. I want to wear a ring on my finger every day of my life marking me as hers. I want to make these promises, and I want to spend every day of my life working to keep those promises." said Abhi emotionally.

Before Pragya parents spoke, Abhi continued.

"Please Aunty, Uncle... will you give my life to me?" He asked.

"We need to think about this." Her father replied.

Saying this, he and Sarla went to their room after giving Pragya a serious look.

Please God, save me! Please do something! if this idiot had told me all this earlier, then I would have convinced them. How critical he made this situation! What Maa and Papa must be thinking about me!

Every one are silent there and pragya couldn't understand what to do when he saw abhi , he is in his own land.. he smiling like he achievedsomething big and he not even looking to pragya.

Pragya's  parents came after a few minutes.

"Abhi, this is the not age and time for marriage" Pragya's father said to Abhi.

Abhi and others became sad after hearing this.

Pragya's father continued.

"But, without  thinking of anything else you told us what was in your mind and heart. If  you want, like others, you could have  proposed to Pragya and convinced us later too, but you respected our daughter's opinion. In our opnion, there won't ever be a better guy than you for our daughter."

"What does mean, Uncle?" Abhi asked.

"It means..." Sarla said smilingly  " ha abhi , actually you asked us na you want your life but we are giving punishment  to you , we will give this naught pragya to you ,and we don't Know how you able to handle her ,if our daughter agrees to marry you, then we have no problem with that."

Tanu hugged Abhi with happiness and everyone congratulated each other everyone ....except Pragya.

"Who will agree for marriage to this idiot. I hate him and  I don't want to marry him." She said in fake anger.  "If someone is in love, then he should first tell the girl na? This Idiot didn't tell me. I don't want to marry him!"

Pragya then ran to her room.

Everyone laughed at her childish behavior.

"Abhi Beta, in every love story the hardest part is to convince her parents, but here it's the reverse. Parents are ok but you have to convince girl!" Pragya's father said.

"Go to her, Abhi" Sarla said. "All the best!"

"   ohoo , where I was stuck now, actually it's better to marry other girl than convince this ladki",
Tanu & every one " abhiii"
trying to convince her will only get me in more trouble with this ladki!" Abhi said to them. "Aunty please help me na!"

Sarla " arey Sandya ji , Raman ji , we have to discuss about others thing about marriage na , came we I'll discuss" without paying any attention to abhi they leave to other room and acted like they didn't hear anything.
How mean they are na! See, I asked them to help me but they left me in this condition.

He turned to his cousin.

"Tanu at least you..."

Tanu cuts him off,

"Arey, Abhi, see how lazy I became! I forgot that I have work to do! I have to go there na.

Abhi " tanuuu.. it's not fair and what's that work and where you are going?"

" abhi... That work and there only .. I'll meet you at home if you are alive " tanu winks at abhi and and ran out before abhi reacted.."
These people naa! Forget them!

Come on Abhi! You can do it! You can man... you can..!

Abhi then turned and went to Pragya.

***

Pragya stood near the window looking outside, when Abhi came in.

"Hey ladki,  what are you doing?" He asked her. "Today is an important day for us and you are spoiling it."

"Me? I'm spoiling it? I haven't done anything." she said to him.  " and why me?Celebrate with my parents, go."

Abhi smiled and held both her hands and Pragya frowned at him.

"I hate you." she said. "Leave me alone. Let me go and ..."

Before Pragya could complete her words, Abhi stopped her.

"I will never let you go, because I can't envision what my life would be without you in it.  I never thought I would have someone special like you in my life. Sometimes I just wish you were with me always so I could tell you how much I need you, Pragya."
"Sometimes I just wish you were with me always so I could tell you how much I need you and how hard every day has been without you pragya"

Pragya looked into Abhi's eyes emotionally.

"If I desire to live beautifully for long, I must stick with you forever, because your smile is the best medicine for my health and heart. I love you, Pragya..."

Pragya hugged Abhi tightly.

"I love you too." she replied.

Abhi was so happy to hear her say those words.

Pragya hugs abhi tightly " abhi when did you realise that you loves me ? and do you know that I am also   loves you soooo much ? asked innocently

"Two days ago." he replied. "You told me your parents were thinking to shift Singapore for a new business venture. Your relatives were also there, so your dad was thinking of settling there permanently. It was then I realized that I can't live without you, Pragya. The thought of you going far from me was killing me."

Abhi hugged Pragya more tightly.

"The next day I overheard you talking to Tanu about marriage and how your parents wish was yours so I dared to ask your parents after talking to Tanu's parents." he explained.

"Even I didn't realize it till yesterday." confessed Pragya.

Abhi tightened his grip and hugged her even closer , Says "Sometimes your nearness took my breath away and all the things I that I wanted to say was left unsaid. I could only hope that my silence spoke what my voice couldn't."

"Abhi, why do you love me this much?" Pragya aksed with teary eyes

"There are many reasons to love you. Your cute smile, your sweet laugh, your innocence and your kind heart makes me love you,  Pragya. I value our relationship more than you'll ever know. You are the girl of my dreams and I don't know what I did to deserve someone as wonderful as you. Please stay with me always, as you are the only one I need. Will you say yes and give me permission to marry you?" Abhi asked with happy tears in his eyes.

Pragya couldn't find any words to express her love to Abhi so she immediately gave a passionate kiss  😘 to him.

Abhi was surprised at first, but then he also responded to her love...

***

To be continue ...............

Thank you all so much for your support so far! and if you like this story , just tap on star symbol ✴️ bellow 😉😉 ...   
 give your valuable comments too ....

And

@the_naughty_princess (Trisha),Thank you so much Trisha....and

My lovely buddies @---anu--- @suba30 (AM), and maya from TU love you girls....

Happy pongal to all Abhigya writers and readers

With love
⚜️Santhi