Amyra's POV

"Coffee!" Sanju exclaims, coming into the kitchen. "Hi Nikki." he greets Nikki.

He grabs the cup of coffee and takes a sip.

"Mmm! Amazing. You make the best coffee Ammu." he says.

He kisses my cheek and goes back out of the kitchen. I tuck my hair behind my ear and look down, smiling to myself.

"You love Sanju." Nikki says in an accusing tone.

The smile leaves my face and I look at her before walking over to the table to get the vegetables.

"He loves me only." she says.

"No, he loves me." I argue.

"He loves me and he always will." Nikki yells.

I glare at her.

"Vaadu nanne premisthunnadu. Thelusukovadaniki konchem time padthondi, anthe."

"He loves me. Its just taking him some time to realize, that's it."

She glares back at me, and storms out of the room

**A Week Later**

"Ammu, nenu velthunna." Sanju shouts.

"Ammu, I'm going." Sanju shouts.

"Sare." I yell back.

"Ok." I yell back.

Sanju got a job at a nature magazine as a photographer. He was to take pictures of nature and give them to the writer. I am very happy for him. He deserves it.

I take a shower and finish pooja. Today is Karthika Pournami. Usually, back home, I would help the moms decorate our houses with diyas. I decide to do just that before Sanju came home.

****

Sanju walks into the back of the house as I am setting up the diyas. He's talking to someone on the phone, so i don't bother him.

"Yes sir. I get it. But I don't have the time!" he exclaims.

He sits down on the patio chair and opens up his laptop. I stare at him. He just looks so...amazing.

"Hi." a voice whispers behind me.

I jump. I turn around to see Nikki.

"Hi." I say.

It has been a bit weird between us, but we are trying to be normal.

She looks at Sanju and slowly walks over to him. He doesn't see her, since he is still on the phone. She covers his eyes with her hands.

"Evero cheppuko." she says.

"Guess who." she says.

He just throws her hands off.

"Yea, sorry." he says into the phone.

Nikki looks hurt. She sits down next to him. and puts her head on her shoulder. My heart clenches at the sight, but I ignore it as I set the last few diyas around pathway. Sanju's call ends just as I finish.

After I finish, I walk back into the house and bring out the aarthi. I walk up to Sanju with the aarthi. He looks up at me.

"Enti?" he asks.

"What?" he asks.

"Le." I say.

"Get up." I say.

He sees the aarthi in my hand. "Oh, right." he puts his laptop to the side and stands in front of me.

He puts his hand on top of the aarthi and touches his hand to his forehead. I put kumkum(Saffron) on his forehead. He takes some of the akshinthalu(raw rice colored with turmeric). I bend down and touch his feet as he puts the akshinthalu on my head. I pinch his foot like I always do.

"Ey!" he exclaims.

"Hey!" he exclaims.

I laugh and run away from him as he chases me.

"Ammu aagu!" he yells.

"Ammu stop!" he yells.

"Nannu pattukolevu ra!" I yell back.

"You can't catch me dude!" I yell back.

I run into the house, and into the kitchen. I quickly fill a glass with cold water just as Sanju runs into the kitchen.

"Ninnu!" he says, running towards me.

"You!" he says, running towards me.

As he reaches me, I splash the water onto his face, and he stops in his tracks. He stares at me, stunned. I laugh and run out of the kitchen just as Nikki walks in.

I run outside, expecting Sanju to be right at my heels, but when I turn around, he isn't there. I walk back into the house when I hear them talking from the kitchen. 

"Ikkada em jaruguthondi Sanju?" Nikki asks.

"What is going on here Sanju?" Nikki asks.

"Ee roju Karthika Pournami." he answers.

"Today is Karthika Pournami." he answers.

"Karthika Pournami roju ammayi thanu pelli chesukune vadike kaallu mukkuthundi."

"On Karthika Pournami, a girl touches the feet of the guy she will marry."

"Nikki, maa amma nanna chinnappudu nunchi chepincharu." Sanju replies. "Ammu naa kallameeda padali, nenu asirvadinchali, adi na kaluni gillali, nenu dani venakala parugethalu." he adds.

"Nikki, our parents made us do this since we were young." Sanju replies. "Ammu has to touch my feet, I have to bless her, she has to pinch my foot, and I have to chase after her." he adds.

Nikki scoffs.

"Amyra ninnu love chesthondi." she says.

"Amyra is in love with you." she says.

Sanju lets out a laugh.

"Amyra. Nannu. Love." he laughs.

"Amyra. Me. Love." he laughs.

"Nikki, Amyra nannu love chesthunte maa amma nanna maa iddarini pelli chesukomani chepthe Ammu no ani enduku antundi?" he adds.

"Nikki, if Amyra loves me, why would she say no when out parents told us to get married?" he adds.

"Naaku teleedu Sanju. Amyra ippude ninnu love chesthondi ani chepte nuvvemantavu?" Nikki says.

"I don't know Sanju. If Amyra told you right now that she loved you, what would you say?" Nikki says.

"Ammu mundare chepthanu." he says.

"I will tell you in front of Ammu." he says.

I quietly run outside and rush over to the Ganesh idol that I had put. I sit in front of him and pray.

Ganesh, please make him say he loves me. I beg Ganesh.

"Ammu." Sanju's voice says behind me.

I take a deep breath and stand up, turning around.

"Enti?" I ask, acting as if I don't know anything.

"What?" I ask, acting as if I don't know anything.

"Ammu, nuvvu nannu love chesthunnava?" he asks.

"Ammu, do you love me?" he asks.

I stare at him. I open my mouth to say, yes. I love you. I love you so much.

"Ledu. Nenu ninnu love cheyyatledu." I say instead.

"No. I do not love you." I say instead.

Tears threaten to pour out of my eyes, but I manage to keep them under control.

"See!" Sanju exclaims. "I told you."

Nikki shakes her head.

"Amyra ippude ninnu love chesthondi ani chepte nuvvemantavu?" Nikki asks again.

"If Amyra told you right now that she loved you, what would you say?" Nikki asks again.

Sanju takes a deep breath.

"Ammu, nenu ninnu love cheyyatledu. Eppudu cheyyaledu, eppudu cheyyanu. Ninnu nenu eppudu ala choodaledu." he says. He looks at Nikki. "Happy?

"Ammu, I don't love you. I never have, and I never will. I never saw you in that way." he says. He looks at Nikki. "Happy?"

Nikki doesn't say anything, and I can see that Sanju is frustrated. He grabs one of the rings that I had put on lord Ganesh and gets down on one knee.

"Nikki." he says. "Will you marry me?"

I stare at him. My mind stops working and my heart stops beating.

"Yes!" Nikki squeals. They both hug and Sanju kisses her.

I force myself to smile instead of cry.

"I'm so happy for you." I say.

With that, I turn and rush into the house, wiping the tears which are pouring out of my eyes uncontrollably.

Sanju's POV

I had wanted her to tell me she loved me, even though I know she doesn't. I had begged the gods. When I heard crying that day I came home late, it made me feel happy. I knew someone loved me enough to cry for me. I had hoped it was Nikki, but it turned out to be Ammu. I knew that day, when Nikki just left after giving me a hug, that I loved Ammu. Even when I was taking those pictures, I thought about how Ammu would have love the view.

My heart clenched when Ammu told me she didn't love me. I don't know what came over me.

I grabbed the ring and went down on one knee. I didn't want to do it. My mind told me it was right to break up with Nikki, but my heart made me ask her the question.

"Nikki." I say. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she squeals.

She hugs me and then kisses me. I hear Ammu say that she's happy for us, and I see her walking away, and that's when I know that she doesn't love me in that way.

I kiss Nikki back.

Amyra's POV

I run into my room and sit on the bed, crying. A few minutes later, Nikki walks in. I hastily wipe my tears and force a smile.

"Congratulations." I say.

She smiles.

"Ippudaina Sanju natho premalo unnadu ani thelisindi ga." she says. "Neetho kadu."

"Well, at least now we both know that Sanju is in love with me." she says. "Not you."

The smile leaves my face.

"Enti?" she says, smirking.

"What?" she says, smirking.

"Get lost." I spit out.

She flips her hair behind her shoulder and walks out of the room. I think about what she said.

She's right. Sanju doesn't love me...

Hey guys! So hope you don't kill me. Both of them think the other doesn't love them like that. Lolll. Anyways, hope you liked it! Also, how many of you watched the movie Krack? I LOVED ITTTT!!! I have been obsessed with the song, Korameesam Policeoda. Its legit on loop.(I put the video song at the top). Please comment, vote, and share this story with others who might like it! Love you all!!!