CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER ONE

He is ready and checking himself on the mirror when there is a knock on the door and Aarul walks in. Aayan smiles halfheartedly and turns back to the mirror fixing his top button of sherwani.

Aarul Pats on his back,"you okay bro?"

"What is not to be okay about?" He asked and again looked at himself.

"You are not ready for this and I can see it."

"And what do you think I should do about it,huh? Say no for it? Walk off?" He asks frustratingly and turns,"and anyways, what the hell are you even doing here trying to brainwash me? Don't you have to walk her off?"

"Armaan sir is doing it. And it doesn't matter where am I or where am I not."

"Yes it does!" Rahul says as he walks in the room,"you should be there. With her. Of all the people, she needs you the most today." Then he turns to his son and sternly stares before smile,"you are ready, I see."

"As if you left me any other choice." Aayan mutters but smiles and nods. Rahul smiles and walks down saying,"I will send your mom to you. She needs to have a word with you."

"Don't bother dad, I am not going anywhere now." Aayan speaks loudly but he's not sure if Rahul heard him. He then turns to Aarul,"you heard dad. Go."

Aarul walks out and to the other side of the house. As He is about to walk inside of a room, his phone rings and he stops taking his phone out of his pants pocket. He checks it and turning he runs back to the room he came from.

Aayan has his phone in his hand and he has no idea what to think or do. All he could do is just stare at the message he got.

'I am sorry A. I can't marry you.'

His mind is a turmoil as he keeps staring at his phone with absolutely no idea what just happened. His mind starts jumping from one thought to another but his heart does not feel anything. All he could think about is that one message he's staring at.

He sits down on his bed with a straight face not giving anything what he's thinking or feeling. He has no idea how is he supposed to react. When he desperately wanted everything to end in a calm and silent way, all odds were against him. It was like a sign or something that he's heard about alot. But now when he accepted everything and was ready to move forward, was ready to give up all the Hopes for things to change things were going differently. He thought about alot of possibilities but this was not even in the list. So when things took this sudden changes, he has no idea of he should be happy or should he feel bad. And of all, why was his heart not taking it well. Why does it feels like something in there is going to be broken for a very very long time.

He hears noice from outside his room before the door opens with a bang and his father is blazing angrily at him with fire in his eyes, burning and ready to take him down with the anger.

"What have you done this time?" His father questions as he glares at him while his mother walks right behind his father.

"What do you mean what I have done?" He asks even more angrily as he glares at him father with the same intensity who just glares him harder.

"Ohh, you know exactly what I am talking about. Every time, each and every time I try to fix things for you, you just goes and makes it worse than before." He sighs as Muskaan rubs on his back.

"Then stop fixing, father. Maybe then I will be at peace." He shouts and with a bang on the door he walks out but his father's words stops him," yes, at peace leaving everyone around you miserable."

"And you think you trying to fix things makes everyone happy? Well, just look at the message you got and tell me who's more miserable here? And even after this you can't see anything then do me a favor and stop playing with my life thinking it's your problem to fix." He shouts and with one last stare at his mother, he walks out of the room and downstairs. Pausing for a second, he glances at all his family then starts walking out.

"Aayan!"

He stops and sighing he turns and smiles,"please no, riddhi maa."

"All I am saying is don't leave the house in anger." Riddhima smiles sweetly at him and he walks up to her and hugs her tight.

"Hey now, that's my wife you're trying to flirt with." He laughs as he sees Armaan walking upto them and taking Riddhima's arms and pulling her for a side hug. They are the only people who understands him. That's what he thinks.

Riddhima caress his hair then pulls his ears and sharply speaks,"and the one you just disrespected is your father. Who loves you and want to see you happy."

"Well, I will be really happy if he leaves me alone for once. It will be the greatest thing in my life, you know riddhi maa." He says then turns and speaks,"now that the wedding is finally off finally, I'd be taking my leave. I have things to look after. "

Riddhima sighs and looks at her husband to Pats on his back and smiles," just take rest for a while. Everything will be fine."

Aayan nods and taking one glance at his parents who were standing on the stairs, he walks out of the house.

"Woah. That was intense." Meher puffs as she takes the juice glass from the nearby table and taking a chair sits behind the big altar decorated beautifully with white and pink Roses.

Muskaan gives her a stern look and she just rolls her eyes, continuing to drink her juice.

"Did you see that?" Rahul asks Muskaan who just walks away from him and sits in one of the chair nearby. She sighs with her head in her hand.

Nikita walks upto her and rubs her sister's back soothing her while Rahul paces back and forth in the front hall of the house.

Riddhima nudges Armaan to talk to Rahul who nods and walks up to him,"you really need to calm down Rahul." He speaks which angers Rahul more and he just glares at him,"calm down? You want me to calm down. My son's wedding is off and you want me to calm down?"

"Well then what are you planning to do?" You want to shout at all of us who are not even responsible for all this?" He tries to reason but Rahul having had enough of his son just don't feel the need to calm his anger down.

"He wanted this to happen. He was never happy with all this setting. And he faked it all. I am 100% sure he did something. He made someone do something and that's the reason she doesn't want to get Married to him."

"What nonsense are you talking Rahul. He didn't break off the wedding. She did!"

"you know what Armaan. It's all because of you. You were the one always telling him to follow your heart and never listen to your mind. Guess what, today we are here because of that."saying Rahul storm off the house.

Armaan sighs and Riddhima walks behind him rubbing his back. He looks at her and smiles then turning to all his family he breathes heavily, " go to you rooms everyone. Take rest and we'll see what happens next." He calls the maid and asks them to serve the food in the rooms itself.

"All this drama just cause the bride left. Wow. If I'd known before, I would have been off the house way before." Meher talks to herself and walks upto her room.

Armaan walks and sits next to Muskaan as he asks nikita to go and take rest. Riddhima leaves the brother and sister to talk and she goes to the kitchen arranging for the lunch glad that they didn't go for a big shot wedding but just the family. She sighs and after drinking a glass of cold water, dials a number.

"Yes mom?"

"Everything alright?"

"Yes. She is safe and settled for a while. I will be home soon." And he cuts the call. Riddhima shakes her head and calls for the helper asking to serve the food in everyone's room.

*********

Armaan sits next to Muskaan and she cries,"this is not how I imagined this day. It was supposed to be my son's wedding and look at all of this Amy."

"Mus." He rubs her arms,"yes it was supposed to be your son's wedding but you know what? He wasn't happy. And we oath to try and keep our kids happy . Even if it means they go against the odds."

"But why was he not happy. He said he's ready for this arrangement. He wanted a simple wedding and we did just that?"she complaints.

"Muskaan, he said yes because he loves his parents. But he was not happy because his heart does not desire this. And yet he never went against his words. He was ready to walk down the aisle because you and Rahul wanted this just so much. But it's not his fault that he was left almost at the alter. Imagine the humiliation he's feeling right now." He then gets up and Pats on her arms," go talk to Rahul. He won't listen to me and I have no idea how angry he is right now. "

"Not just his age but his anger has increased as well." She laughs then wiping her tears she too gets up.

Armaan stares at her as she walks out of the house knowing where she'll find her husband. Armaan then turns and walks up to his room. Riddhima has already changed and is waiting for him as he walks in his room.

He sits on the bed closing his eyes for a second. She joins him keeping her hand on his.

"It's finally done."he looks as her and smiles,"I thought we'll never be able to stop the wedding."

"Hmm. I knew you'd not let anything happen to the happiness of this family. And this wedding just meant that." He kisses her head and turns to his mother's pic,"I could not compromise with all the happiness just because Rahul gave his words to Atul. And it was never the deal that he had to marry his son to our late friend's daughter. The deal was to take care of her and that we all are doing. She's my niece too and just for some words I could not see them living a life as hell."

He gets up and walks up to her mother's photo," maa wanted to keep this family happy and she always wanted us to look after our kids happiness first. We miss you maa." He touches her photo then taking the match box he lightens the gave kept in front of her photo. He tries not to look at the other photo but still unwillingly his eyes moves to his lost daughter's picture of when she was just three months. The last he saw her. The last anyone saw her.

Riddhima walks behind him and stares at her daughter's pic too. Everytime they see the photo all they could think of is how badly they lost their daughter and how with her, most of their happiness took off.

********

Sitting on the bed, she keeps playing with her fingers not knowing what is she supposed to do. She made the decision and now she's the one to live with it. But why everything feels so wrong.

Her mind and heart is on battlefield where her mind is trying to tell her that she made the best decision whereas her heart is trying to make her feel the pain she's trying not to feel. She had one chance. And now she lost it. After years of chasing she finally found what she wanted but yet she could not help but run off.

Shaking her head, she tries to calm down and calls from the landline,"two glasses of white wine please. "

"Sorry ma'am, but we just sell by bottle."

"A bottle then, please." And she keeps the phone and turns only to gasp and sigh,"shit, you scared me."

"What's there to get scared. You wanted this. You got this. " he says and walks upto her. She smiles and hugs him tightly.

"I did the right thing, did I?"

"It's too late to think Alia. "

"Oh come on, for once stop being practical and help me." She pushes him and sits on the couch.

He gives her a small smile,"you know I am in your life for a reality check?"

"Yes yes I know." She smiles and there's a knock on the door. He walks to the door and takes the bottle of wine the hotel offers. Serving for both of them he passes her the glass and they clinks.

"Cheers." She says sadly

"To the runaway bride." He whispers and kisses her head making her narrow heel eyes.

~~~~~~~~~~~to be continued~~~~~~~~~~~