Sometimes, the toughest battles are the ones we fight within ourselves.

Manik’s POV,

I reached home later than usual, the day's weight was still pressing heavily on my shoulders. Stepping into the house, the faint aroma of Mom’s cooking wafted through the air, a small comfort in an otherwise chaotic day. I spotted my parents at the dining table, waiting for me as always.

“Manik, you’re late,” my father remarked, his tone calm.

“Work, Dad,” I replied, sliding into my chair. “It’s always work.”

Mom looked at me with a gentle smile, her eyes filled with both love and concern. “That’s why we keep telling you to balance your life, beta. You can’t just bury yourself in the office.”

I didn’t respond immediately, focusing instead on the food in front of me. I was too tired to argue, and besides, I knew exactly where this conversation was headed. My parents had been hinting at “settling down” for weeks now.

Halfway through dinner, Dad cleared his throat, the sound sharp enough to pull me out of my thoughts. “Manik, there’s something we need to discuss after dinner.”

I paused, my fork hovering mid-air. “Everything okay, Dad?”

“Yes, yes,” he said, waving his hand dismissively. “Nothing to worry about. We’ll talk once we’re done eating.”

I nodded, my curiosity piqued but not enough to press further. I finished my meal in silence, all the while feeling my parents exchange glances every now and then. Something was definitely up.

After dinner, the three of us moved to the living room. I leaned back on the couch, while my parents settled across from me. The tension in the air was palpable, and I couldn’t help but feel like I was about to be ambushed.

“Alright, Dad,” I said, breaking the silence. “What’s going on? Everything fine, right?”

Before Dad could answer, Mom placed a calming hand on his arm and spoke instead. “Relax, Manik. There’s no need to be so worked up.”

Her words only made me more uneasy. “Mom,” I said, my tone wary, “I am calm. Just tell me what’s going on.”

Dad finally took a deep breath and said, “We have to go somewhere tomorrow.”

“Where?” I asked, frowning.

“To see a girl for your marriage,” Mom replied casually as if she’d just told me we were going grocery shopping.

“Oh, okay,” I muttered absentmindedly, nodding. My brain took a second to process what she’d just said. And then it hit me. Wait. What?!

I shot up from the couch, my voice a mix of shock and disbelief. “What?! You’re kidding, right?”

Before they could respond, I heard another loud “What?!” echoing from behind me. Turning around, I saw Mukti, Alya, Cabir, and Dhruv standing there, all grinning like they’d just walked into the juiciest gossip of their lives.

“What the hell is going on here?” I demanded, my voice rising as my friends barged in uninvited, as usual.

Cabir smirked, leaning against the doorway. “Manik Malhotra is getting married and didn’t even bother to tell us. Tch, tch. Such betrayal.”

“I—what—no!” I stammered, running a hand through my hair in frustration. “Even I’m just finding out about this right now!”

Alya crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow. “So, it’s true? You’re meeting someone tomorrow?”

“I’m not meeting anyone!” I snapped, glaring at my parents. “Because I’m not getting married.”

“Manik,” Neyonika said firmly, standing up. “Listen to us first.”

“Listen to what, Mom?” I shot back, pacing the room. “You both decided this without even asking me? What were you thinking?”

Raj sighed, his voice steady but authoritative. “Manik, you’re at an age where you need to settle down. You can’t keep focusing solely on work. This is about your future, your happiness.”

“My happiness?” I laughed bitterly. “Do you even know what makes me happy, Dad? Because right now, it’s definitely not this.”

“Beta,” Neyonika tried again, her tone soft, “we’re only thinking about what’s best for you. The girl’s family is good, and—”

“I don’t care how good they are, Mom!” I interrupted, my voice rising. “You don’t get to make this decision for me. If marriage is such a big deal, shouldn’t I at least get a say in it?”

“Manik, stop overreacting,” Raj said, his patience clearly wearing thin. “We’re not forcing you. We’re asking you to meet her, that’s all.”

“Overreacting?” I scoffed, shaking my head. “You spring this on me out of nowhere, and you expect me to just go along with it like it’s no big deal?”

Before either of them could respond, I turned on my heel and stormed out of the room. “I’m done with this conversation,” I called over my shoulder.

“Manik!” Neyonika called after me, but I didn’t stop.

I slammed the door to my room shut, leaning against it as I tried to calm my racing thoughts. My friends followed me, of course, because when had they ever respected boundaries?

“Manik, open up!” Mukti shouted, banging on the door.

“Go away!” I yelled back, but within seconds, they’d let themselves in.

“Seriously, you need to stop being so dramatic,” Cabir said, flopping onto my bed like he owned the place.

“Dramatic?” I snapped, glaring at him. “You heard them, right? They’ve basically decided my entire future without even asking me.”

“Okay, but it’s not the end of the world,” Alya chimed in, sitting on the edge of my desk. “You’re just meeting her. It doesn’t mean you have to marry her.”

Dhruv nodded in agreement. “Yeah, man. It’s just one lunch. What’s the harm?”

“The harm,” I said through gritted teeth, “is that they’re trying to control my life.”

Mukti rolled her eyes. “Oh, please. You’re acting like they’re sending you to the gallows. Just go, meet the girl, and get it over with.”

I groaned, running a hand through my hair again. “You guys don’t get it. I’m not ready for this. I don’t even want this.”

“Manik,” Cabir said, sitting up and looking at me seriously for once. “We get it, okay? But maybe this isn’t as bad as you think. Just meet her and see what happens. If it’s a no, it’s a no. Simple.”

I sighed, collapsing onto the bed next to him. “I hate you all,” I muttered.

“Love you too, bro,” Cabir said with a grin, patting my shoulder.

As much as I hated to admit it, they had a point. I didn’t have to say yes, but I couldn’t ignore the sinking feeling in my gut that this was only the beginning of a battle I wasn’t ready to fight.

I leaned back on the bed, still trying to process the madness that had just unfolded. My friends, now sprawled across my room, seemed entirely too relaxed for people who had just witnessed my life being turned upside down. Cabir was playing with the little stress ball I kept on my desk, while Alya and Mukti were engaged in some kind of whispered conversation. Dhruv sat in the chair by the window, scrolling on his phone.

I turned to Cabir, trying to redirect my frustration. “When the hell did you guys even get here?”

He smirked without looking up. “Our flight landed about an hour ago. Perfect timing, huh?”

Before I could say anything, Alya chimed in, her arms crossed. “They asked us to keep it secret to surprise you, but looks like you ended up surprising us.”

“Yeah,” Mukti added with a grin. “Who knew we’d walk in on this bombshell of a family drama?”

I groaned, rubbing my temples. “This isn’t funny.”

“Oh, it’s hilarious,” Cabir said, finally looking up. “You, Mr. Control Freak, suddenly losing all control of your own life? Priceless.”

“Cabir, I swear—” I started, but before I could finish my sentence, the door opened again.

My parents walked in, both looking considerably calmer than I was. Dad had that satisfied, smug expression he always wore when he thought he’d gotten his way, while Mom seemed genuinely pleased.

“So,” Dad began, looking around the room. “What’s the verdict? Are you going to be reasonable about this, or do we need to have another argument?”

Before I could respond, my amazing friends spoke up in unison. “He’s ready to meet her!”

“What?” I shouted, glaring at them. “I never said that!”

But my protest was drowned out by the obvious delight on my parents’ faces. Mom clasped her hands together, smiling warmly. “Oh, Manik, that’s wonderful! I knew you’d come around.”

Dad nodded approvingly. “I’m glad you’re being mature about this, son.”

I shot a betrayed look at my so-called friends, who all avoided my gaze. Cabir coughed dramatically, clearly holding back laughter, while Mukti gave me a look that said, just go with it.

“Fine,” I muttered, crossing my arms. “I’ll go. But—” I turned to my friends, my voice firm. “You’re all coming with me.”

Cabir raised an eyebrow. “What? Why us?”

“Because you’re the ones who volunteered me for this circus,” I snapped. “If I have to suffer, you’re suffering with me.”

“Uh, yeah, about that…” Dhruv said, looking sheepish. “We kind of… can’t.”

“What do you mean, you can’t?” I asked, narrowing my eyes.

Alya shrugged. “We have work tomorrow. Meetings, deadlines—you know, real adult responsibilities?”

“Postpone it,” I demanded.

Cabir snorted. “Oh, sure. Let me just call my broker and say, ‘Hey, can I skip tomorrow because my friend is being forced into an arranged marriage meeting?’”

“It’s not an arranged marriage meeting!” I yelled, my frustration boiling over. “It’s… it’s…” I trailed off, struggling to find the right words.

“It’s exactly what it is,” Mukti said, smirking.

I glared at her. “You’re all useless.”

“Maybe,” Cabir said with a grin. “But we’re entertaining.”

I sighed heavily, realizing there was no winning with them. “Fine. Don’t come. Just leave me to fend for myself, then.”

Dad, who had been quietly observing this whole exchange, finally spoke up. “Manik, it’s not the end of the world. It’s just lunch.”

“Yeah, Manik,” Mom added, her tone soothing. “Just go with an open mind. Who knows? You might even like her.”

I didn’t bother responding. Instead, I waved my hand dismissively. “You’ve all said enough for one night. Can I please just have some peace now?”

My parents nodded and left the room, looking far too satisfied for my liking. My friends, however, lingered, clearly enjoying my misery.

“You know,” Mukti said, leaning against the doorframe, “this could actually be good for you. You’ve been so uptight lately. Maybe meeting someone will help you loosen up.”

“Out,” I said, pointing to the door.

“Fine, fine,” she said with a laugh, leading the others out. “Good luck tomorrow, lover boy!”

I groaned, slamming the door shut behind them. Finally, blessed silence.

I collapsed onto my bed, staring up at the ceiling. My mind was racing, filled with a mix of anger, frustration, and dread. I couldn’t believe this was happening. Me, Manik Malhotra, meeting a stranger for a potential marriage. The very thought made my stomach churn.

It’s just lunch, I told myself, trying to calm down. It’s not like I have to marry her. Just a casual meeting. Nothing more.

But the more I tried to convince myself, the more uneasy I felt. What if my parents pushed harder after this? What if they didn’t take no for an answer?

I shook my head, trying to push those thoughts away. One thing at a time, I told myself. Get through tomorrow first.

With that, I closed my eyes, willing my mind to shut down. But even as sleep finally claimed me, I couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that tomorrow was going to change everything.

Manik’s POV ends.

Hope you all like the chapter.....

Few words for Nandini...

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Love,
Kiara ❤️❤️