The faint knock on his door woke Siddharth up from his slumber. Groggily he called out, "Come in," before rolling over. 

His mother walked in with two mugs of steaming coffee on a tray. He blinked and sat up in bed. 

"Good morning," he said. 

"It's almost one. You were out till late last night." 

He sighed when he heard the pointed tone with which his mother spoke. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't think I'd be able to stay cooped up in here without overthinking."

She handed him the mug and sat down on his gaming chair but only after removing the pile of clothes on it. 

"When are you going to clean your room?" she muttered. 

They sat and sipped their coffee in silence for a bit. Siddharth knew why his mother was doing this. It wasn't unusual for them to spend time together this way but his mother never entered his room if she could help it. She was something of a neat freak and his room wasn't exactly clean at any time. 

Right now she was tolerating the mess because she wanted him to talk to her. About the dinner, last night but mostly about a certain wedding invite still lying right outside.

"Fine, let's address the elephant in the room." 

His mother smiled but didn't say a word. 

"Yes I was upset about the invitation but it wasn't what you think. Over the week of Veer's wedding, I got to know her quite well and even if it didn't turn into something meaningful I would like to think we were at least friends. So yes I was shocked to learn that she is getting married this way. Also upset because we had something more than... platonic feelings. She has so much she wants to accomplish in life... so much drive and brilliance. She's diving headfirst into this... this commitment. 

I don't know why exactly she has chosen to do this but I know that it is all for the wrong reasons. I mean you of all people should know that right? I understand her reasons to break us up-- scratch that, I don't understand those reasons either but this is bat shit crazy."

He paused and looked at his mother who seemed to be taking in the information dump.

"Or maybe I am thinking too much into it. Maybe I never really knew her. How can I get to know a person in just seven days? I have spent the past few months contemplating what she said to me on the night of the reception. Maybe it really was a fleeting high I mistook for love."

He looked at his mother askance. She set her mug down and gave him a comforting smile. 

"I am sorry Beta but I cannot give you the answer to this question. Emotional relationships are unique to everybody. What I experienced may not translate to what you felt. If you question yourself and your feelings you will end up walking around in circles and upset yourself even more. If it felt real to you then it probably was. I am mature enough to admit that my son is all grown up. You've seen enough of this world and been through enough. You are capable of taking your own decisions. I have learned to just take a step back and let you choose. You mostly always end up fine." 

Siddharth couldn't help but crack a smile at that. They spent the next few minutes sipping the last of their coffee together in silence. 

He recalled his conversation with his cousin last night and turned to his mother with a smile,

"You know the weirdest part? Veer of all people came to me with advice." 

She seemed surprised to hear this bit of information. 

"Veer? When? Yesterday?" 

"Yes. When you were with Chaarvi in the living room he came and stood right there and told me to not give up," Siddharth pointed to the balcony.

"I did think it was unusual you spent that much time together. How did he know? Did you tell him?"

"Not at all. I didn't ask him how he knew because my brain was on the fritz yesterday. I will ask him when I see him next. Which might be soon. He asked me to try one last time, while I had the chance to set things right. He said I should at least try so I don't regret it later." 

"I am inclined to agree with him," she said. 

Siddharth made a frustrated sound in the back of his throat,

"What he-- what you both don't know is that she was the one who decided for the both of us that the best way forward would be separate. She said she wants different things in life and so do I. Then she said she would hold me back and I would resent her." 

"Do you think she meant it?" 

"I don't know, Ma. I think she has convinced herself that this is what she deserves. She is trying to sabotage herself because she finally felt happy with me. She thinks she's this rebel but in reality, she is contorting herself to fit into her family's expectations of what she should be. She has stuffed her true self deep down below the surface. It emerged briefly when we were together and that might have scared her."

His mother smiled, "You started with 'I don't know' and ended with a full-fledged analysis of her motives."

"I still don't know. I am just guessing here. If the girl I met last year was her true self then yes that is my best guess." 

"Why don't you go and ask her?" 

Siddharth looked at his mother with a sardonic expression but realized she had meant it. 

"What do you mean 'go and ask her'?"

"I mean she is getting engaged next week right? Go with Chaarvi and Veer."

"Ma, are you being serious? This is not some Bollywood movie. I am not going to go there and break up her wedding. She chose this for herself. I think she made herself very clear by sending that invitation card to us."

She shook her head and said,

"I am not asking you to barge into the ceremony and object to the union. Consider this to be your closure. Go there, talk to her, and ascertain for yourself that she is okay with her choices. If she is, congratulate her and come back. If she isn't, well then, talk some sense into her. If that does not work either then go back to the first alternative, congratulate her and come back." 

She finished her speech and gathered the mugs before leaving. Siddharth mulled over what she had said for a long time after that. 

The more he thought about it the more it made sense to go there and get some closure. He had spent the last eight months trying to get over her with little success. Maybe this is what he needed. 

What was the worst that would happen? 

He would leave if it was too much for either of them to take. They had been invited after all. The gaudy blue invite was proof. 

Actively trying to seek an answer was better than stewing here in Delhi. He grabbed his phone to text his friends but he knew what they all would say. 

They would be outraged and shocked by the news of Chetna's wedding and then they would agree with what Veer and his mother had said. 

His fingers hovered over their group chat. Then he decided against texting them. Each of them was dealing with their own problems at the moment. Meera, Angad and Yug had made a big deal of going to Mumbai to meet Angad's extended family. They were, after all, at the age when the family wants to get involved with one's love life. 

Instead, he went to his call logs and dialled Veer's number. He picked up almost instantly. 

"Hey bro. What a surprise." 

"Hi, Veer. I thought about what you said. I think I'm going to take your advice. Let's go to Jaipur again."

"Now we are talking!" his voice sounded excited on the other end. 

Siddharth did not feel any of that excitement. Anxious thoughts and dread churned in his stomach as he struggled to stay firm with his decision. 

He hoped Jaipur would be kinder to him this time.

A/N

Short filler chapter. Will update the next one soon. 

I also forgot to mention that the new cover is one of my favourite moments from this story. Can anyone guess what it is?