"How could Achi do this to me?" was all Lathika could think about as she lay awake the entire night. The room was quiet, the air still, but her mind was far from peaceful. She felt as though her own family was pushing her towards the edge of a cliff, forcing her into an arrangement she wasn't ready for.

She stared up at the ceiling of her darkened room, the soft shadows cast by the dim light only made her feel more alone. Her grandmother's words echoed in her ears, the ultimatum hammering into her heart.

Two months.

Her own family was forcing her into a corner, leaving her with almost no choice. The very people who had supported her, raised her, and loved her were now the ones pushing her towards something she wasn't ready for. An arranged marriage—something that felt so foreign, so sudden.

Yes, she respected her grandmother deeply, and she understood that Jaimathi only wanted the best for her. But to be given an ultimatum like this—to choose between marrying Prashanth or losing her family—felt suffocating. The anger and disbelief gnawed at her. How could she be expected to make such a life-altering decision with almost no choice?

It was as ridiculous as the line in front of her at the airport check-in that seemed to be moving slower than a snail.

Earlier that morning, Lathika had packed her bags in silence. She hadn't exchanged more than a few words with her grandmother, only briskly mentioning that she was leaving. No long goodbye, no conversation—just a quick hug to her parents and a curt wave to Jaimathi before she departed. She hadn't been able to look at her grandmother in the eye, the weight of last night's conversation still fresh in her mind.

Now, standing in the crowded airport, her head still buzzed with a thousand thoughts. The weekend rush only added to her frustration as she stood in line, waiting to check in for her flight back to Chennai.

That's when she saw him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the line next to her. Prashanth.

Her heart sank. Of all the people she could run into at this moment, it had to be him? The last thing she needed was an awkward conversation—or worse, a tense exchange with the man she was now supposed to consider as her potential husband. Potential husband, Lathika mouthed the words, her lips curling with distaste.

Lathika quickly turned her head, pretending she hadn't seen him. She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, hoping to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. The last thing she wanted was to be noticed by Prashanth. She silently prayed to the gods that she could avoid him for the rest of the time they were at the airport—and especially on the flight.

But fate, as always, had its own ideas.

▾▴▾▴▾▴

Once Lathika boarded the small aircraft, she felt a wave of relief. She had managed to avoid Prashanth so far, keeping her head down and blending into the crowd. As she made her way to her seat, she settled into the window seat, buckled her seatbelt, and turned towards the window.

The view outside the plane was a welcome distraction, the clouds stretching far and wide beneath the early morning sun. She leaned her head against the window, hoping the flight would pass quickly and quietly.

But then she heard it—a familiar, exasperated sigh from the seat next to her.

Lathika's stomach dropped.

"Damn. I should have booked the window seat," came the low mutter. "I hate this."

Lathika's eyes widened in horror. It's his voice. Prashanth was sitting right next to her. She clenched her jaw, willing herself to stay calm. Why, of all the people on this plane, did he have to sit next to me? Did her grandmother plan this too? She let out soft groan.

She squeezed her eyes shut, her hands gripping the armrests as she prayed—prayed—that Prashanth hadn't noticed her yet. Maybe if she stayed perfectly still, kept her hood up, and kept facing the window, he wouldn't realize it was her.

But, of course, it couldn't be that easy.

Prashanth shifted in his seat, still muttering under his breath about his luck. "Ugh, middle seats are the worst."

Lathika bit her lip, her heart racing as she heard him settle in. He still hadn't recognized her. Not yet, at least. Please, just don't look this way, she begged silently.

She kept her face turned to the window, refusing to make any movement that might give her away. The tension in her shoulders was unbearable, and she could feel her pulse quickening with each passing second. If he finds out, this flight is going to feel endless.

As she kept her gaze fixed outside, all she could do was hope—hope that the flight would be smooth, quiet, and mercifully free of any awkward conversations with the man sitting right next to her.

✈✈✈✈

Prashanth groaned inwardly as he sank into the middle seat, his frustration mounting by the second. Of all the seats, it had to be the middle one, he thought bitterly. He muttered to himself, his annoyance clear in the way he shifted uncomfortably in the small space.

The flight was full—there was no chance of switching seats, not even if he was willing to pay extra. He had asked at the counter, but the answer was firm, no available options. He glanced to his right, where the window seat passenger was already settled in, their hoodie pulled up and head turned away from him.

Prashanth sighed again as the flight began to taxi down the runway. His eyes flicked to the aircrew at the front, who were demonstrating the safety features and emergency instructions. As a pilot, Prashanth always paid attention to these demonstrations, even if he knows it by heart. You never know when something might go wrong, he thought.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed the passenger next to him barely paid any attention. They were practically turned away, seemingly uninterested in what the aircrew was explaining.

It bothered him more than it should have. As a pilot, he felt obligated to make sure everyone understood the importance of these instructions. He leaned slightly towards the passenger, keeping his voice polite but firm.

"You should probably pay attention to this. It's for your safety," Prashanth said softly, glancing at them.

The passenger nodded faintly but said nothing. Prashanth frowned. Okay, maybe they're nervous or something.

After a few moments, he tried again, this time with a bit more insistence. "Seriously, it's important. You don't want to miss it."

Still, nothing but a small nod in response. Prashanth huffed in frustration, leaning forward a little more to get a better look at the person next to him, hoping to catch their attention. That's when he finally got a clear view of their profile.

His breath caught.

Lathika.

Her eyes were squeezed shut; her face turned slightly away as if she was willing herself to disappear. Prashanth blinked in surprise, leaning back in his seat with a soft, dry laugh.

"This has to be the most ridiculous event ever," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head in disbelief. Of all the people he could be sitting next to, it had to be her?

He glanced over at her again, but she remained motionless, pretending not to notice him. Her posture was stiff, her face turned resolutely towards the window. It was obvious she didn't want to talk, and honestly, Prashanth wasn't sure he wanted to, either. The weight of last night's conversation with his grandmother was still fresh in his mind.

The safety demonstration was long forgotten as the plane took off. They sat in silence, the hum of the engines filling the space between them. Prashanth's irritation simmered beneath the surface, not just from the situation with Lathika, but from the seat itself. He hated middle seats—always had. To makes things worse, the man seated on his other side kept bumping into him every time he moved.

Prashanth shifted uncomfortably, grumbling as he tried to adjust his position. His arms felt pinned to his sides, and every inch of space seemed to close in on him.

A soft sigh from beside him caught his attention.

"For God's sake, do you want to switch seats, Prashanth?" Lathika's voice was quiet, but there was an edge of annoyance in her tone.

Prashanth turned to her, mildly surprised that she had spoken at all. Lathika's eyes were on him now. He could sense her frustration—not just with him, but with the whole situation.

"Believe me, I would," Prashanth muttered, glancing at the man seated next to him. "But I don't think you want to be in my seat given the situation." Although he hated it, he didn't want her to be in his seat crushed between him and the man next to him.

Lathika rolled her eyes and turned slightly to face him. "If you're so particular, why didn't you just book a window seat when you booked your flight?" she asked, her voice tinged with impatience.

Prashanth clenched his jaw, trying to hold back his irritation. "I did try. But the flight was fully booked."

A small huff of annoyance escaped her lips as she shifted in her seat, crossing her arms. "Well, you've been fidgeting ever since you sat down."

He narrowed his eyes slightly. "It's the middle seat. No one's comfortable in the middle seat."

"Right," Lathika replied sarcastically. "And we're all supposed to suffer for it."

Prashanth glanced at her, catching the faint flicker of frustration in her expression. Hushed clashes. That's all their interactions—small, quiet arguments where neither of them wanted to fully engage, but neither was willing to back down either.

For a moment, silence settled between them once more. Lathika turned back towards the window, clearly done with the conversation. Prashanth closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the seat. They still had about an hour left on the flight, and the thought of being stuck like this for the duration made him want to groan.

But as he tried to relax, his thoughts wandered back to his grandmother's words. The alliance.

He sneaked another glance at Lathika. She was staring out the window, the hood had been pulled back, her face calm, but distant. Prashanth couldn't help but wonder if her grandmother had pushed the idea of marriage on her too. Did Jaimathi give her the same ultimatum? He didn't dare ask, not now. Not when they were both still simmering from the recent family drama.

Two months. That's what Raahini had given him. Two months to figure everything out, to make a choice he wasn't ready to make. And now, here he was, sitting next to the woman he was supposed to marry. 

It felt like a cosmic joke.

Prashanth closed his eyes again, hoping sleep would come, but his mind wouldn't quiet down. He could feel the weight of the expectations pressing on him. Would they have to compromise their choices for the sake of their grandmothers? He hoped not.

✈✈✈✈

Hello! Hello, lovelies!

We have just finished a third of the story 👏👏👏👏 

Congratulations, to you and me. We have been travelling together for 14 chapters and thank you for sticking around 😘😘

Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

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Until next update, b-bye!!