CHAPTER SEVEN

THREE AND A HALF MONTHS BEFORE

This was it!!

Aayan knew that today his life is going to change. He has been preparing himself for months yet today he is in front of the registrar office and thought if it was a good idea.

His parents found love. His favorite uncle and Riddhi maa found love. All his friends are in love, yet, here; clueless as ever; he is behind the wheel thinking and trying to figuring out.

Today he is going to be legally married and in a couple of days he will be sacredly tying knots with Alia. His Riddhi maa always told him how important and genuine these knots could be. Try as you might; when you are meant to be together; it will keep pulling you and your partner together till you become two bodies and one soul.

But are they meant to be together?

Is love that easy?

Will he ever get those feelings for Alia which he never felt for anyone?

And most of all, will they always be together?

All his life, he knew, he'd have a choice; to fall in love or to not be in love; he knew marriage wasn't something he wants or need; and he thought no one would force him into it, well no one actually did.

He has no idea why he said yes to marry Alia when he clearly feels nothing like love for her. He cares for her and he can't see disappointment in her eyes but that is not love,right? so why did he agree to get married.

It wasn't like, his family wouldn't understand or that they'd boycott him from their lives. All they needed was truth to understand and they'd be just fine.

Then why didn't he say no?

Why; when his mother and Riddhi maa reasoned everything to him; it felt so right to say yes?

Today, he knows, If he won't fall in love with Alia, then he'll never be able to fall in love at all.

But this ain't the time to back out! It is time to stand on his words, show his father that he is a man of his words

So finally, he closed his eyes; mentally preparing himself for it; and then opening, he looked into the mirror and sighed," you can do this!"

Getting out of the car, he joined his family waiting for him and Alia who's coming with Riddhan, Riddhima and Armaan.

Few hours later, they sign the register and the registrar declares that now they are legally married.

He looks at Alia and gives her a smile and she returns the smile with her eyes twinkling like the stars at a perfect night.

Everyone hugs them one by one and their parents blesses them while Armaan announces that they'll be having a family lunch out.

In the evening, they all are together, sitting in the backyard; with snacks and sweets and coffee around; Riddhan asks Aayan about the reception.

"After the wedding, we'll take a week off then have the reception." He answers and Riddhan nods,"you're happy right?"

"I think so?" He answers then look at Alia who's talking to Meher. He frowns then turn to Riddhan," this is what it feels like?"

Riddhan just raises his brow to ask what is going on but Aayan shakes his head and get up," I have some work to do at the restaurant, I will be back later."

He tells Muskaan and walks to the front and out of the house.

"A!" He stops when Alia calls him and turns," yeah?"

"Can we go for dinner tonight?"

He looks at her confused so she continues, " we kind of got married and couldn't spend some time alone, so.." she trails of.

"Sure, I will ask the staff to have a table ready for us at the restaurant." He nods," that's okay with you?"

"Yeah, perfectly fine!"

******************

In the evening, alia dresses in a black lacy dress and waits for Aayan to call her up so they can go on an official after-married-date.

As she is wearing her heels, Aayan knocks on the door," Lia?"

"Yeah, come in!"

He enters and smiles, "you look nice!"

"Thanks!!" She smiles taking her sling bag and phone," I am ready."

"Shall we?" He asks as he offers her, his hand and she happily takes it.

And the awkwardness and weirdness she was feeling went pouf as she glances at him. They walk out of the house after Aayan tells Armaan who's sitting reading an evening newspaper that they'll be late and Armaan tells him to not be to late or Riddhima and Muskaan will be worried.

He nods and they walk to the car. He opens the door for her and she smilingly takes the seat. It comes so naturally that she feels they have been together forever.

Well, it's kind of true!

They have been together forever; not as a couple; but as friends and kind of family.

The whole evening, they hardly talk but they had a comfortable understanding between them; though Alia would prefer them talking and laughing more like old times.

They finish the dinner and after dessert, Aayan offers her to take for a walk which she happily agrees to. They walk to the back of the hotel, to the walking track.

"Two days, huh?"

She looks at him confused so he smiles, "we'll be officially getting married, remember?"

"Ohh! Yeah!!"

"For someone who so desperately wanted to to marry me, you sure taking it too causally, Lia!" He almost sounded offended.

"Well,it's happening too fast." He looks at her frowning so she stops," A, I wanted to marry you, yes, but I wanted us to date first and then... you know?"

"Lia..." he stops not knowing what to say then shakes his head.

"I guess, that wasn't for us. We anyways know each other all to well so there's no point dating right?"

"I guess so??"

Try as she might, she can't really understand why everything is happening in so much hurry. Three months back, he said yes to marry her and now they are getting married.

Yes, they have known each other for all their lives but it would be really nice for them to date and have some fun.

She always thought, that one, someday, whenever Aayan realizes, if, that he too loves her then they'd date like every other couple. They'd go, hangout together. Go visit places and have the relationship bliss. Then, maybe when he'd ask her to marry her, she'd say 'yes' and they'll plan the whole wedding together.

But she just got a call from Riddhima and she and Armaan together told her that Aayan wants to marry her. Everything happened so fast that she missed out all the plans she had.

"You wanna go now?" He asks breaking the silence. She nods and they walk out again.

*************

The night before the wedding, all the ladies were sitting at the backyard putting mehandi on their hands. Nikki with her husband Abhimanyu and their daughter Nitya too came.

Riddhima was putting mehandi on Alia's hand. Everyone was having fun. Armaan and Rahul were looking for all the decorations. Riddhan was instructing his security team to be extra alert. Though no one knows about the wedding, but he'd never take any risks.

Alia was delighted and content. The next day is the D-day. Her dream is going to come true. She'd marry the man she always loved and they will live happily forever.

She got up to go to the washroom when her phone rang. Aayan was calling her. She tried answering but her both hands were full so she walked to Riddhan who held the phone for her.

"Hey wifey-to-be!!" They both heard Aayan's slurred voice. He laughed," so weird to call you that..."

"Are you drunk, A??"

"Drunk? No! Maybe a little??" He said unsure and she just smiled.

She signed Riddhan to put the phone near her ear so he did and they both sat on the porch.

"Where are you, A?"

"I don't know.... I wanted to come home but all the wedding preparations and all, it sucks.."

"You don't like the decor?" She asked worried but deep down she knew this wasn't about the decoration.

"I don't want to get married Alia. I don't want to marry you. I don't want to marry anyone."

Alia went numb. She just listen. And she knew that Riddhan could hear each and every word Aayan is saying. So she sat quietly listening whatever Aayan has to say.

"I don't know why I said yes. And now I hate it. I hate all of it. I don't even love you. In fact, I am sure I hate you. Because you made me do this. You cried and I had to say yes. All these years, dad kept telling me how your mom died trying to save me and how we are forever indebt to her. You know, I thought I will marry you and pay the debt but I can't, I just can't, Lia."

She heard him loud and clear and she heard his each and every word yet she didn't say anything. She just listen how he took a deep breath then laughed and made a snort and then continued again," you still want to marry me, right? You love me, right? Why can't I love you? Why do I feel so lost?

The innocent tone, when he asked her was like a slap to her. She just sat as numb as she could. She didn't even realize that Riddhima and Armaan were standing right in front of her and Riddhan had taken her phone and put it on Speaker.

She sat there not knowing what did she do.

So she took a deep breath and got up, taking the phone from Riddhan she walked away," you don't want to marry."

"No." He said but she wasn't asking. She was just stating. The fact.

She walked as far as she could," what if we did get married, Aayan??"

"Huh?"

"What if we get married?" She asked, insisting.

"You will loose me forever, Lia..." he slurred again. Then laughed," we are getting married!!!"

"You must come back home now."

"Ok!"

****************

PRESENT

Riddhima and Armaan told her that whatever her decision is, they will support her so she messaged him just before the wedding, that she can't marry him.

She just couldn't walk down the aisle and pretend that he didn't call. She hoped the next day, he'd call and tell her that he was drunk. Whatever he said was not true. That he was having cold feet and he was scared but she deep down knew that every word he said was true.

But when Riddhan said he is getting ready and he don't remember anything that happened, she knew it wasn't a mistake. It wasn't cold feet. Whatever he said was pure truth. He did hate her. He did not want to get married. He would never love her the way she loved him. He was just trying to to pay his debts. And most of all, she would loose him forever.

So, she decided to runaway. And, yet, today she is standing at the same place from where she ran away a couple of months back, but it still cost her everything. She still lost him. She still eventually is married. And he does hate her. And they way he left her today, she knows just how much he hate her.

She sat and let it all sink as she look up at the sky and cried. Letting the tears flow freely without holding anything back.

To be continued...