💙

|Loving you wasn't a choice, it was a leap of trust in my love that reckoned me to imagine a life with you by my side|

by medicallymessedup

•present•

The backyard of the Batra household was filled with numerous people as it was capable of host some hundred humans at once. The guests were mostly immediate relatives and close friends from both the Cheema and Batra families. Ruchi swiftly stepped down the florally decorated exterior staircase into the backyard with her eyes that were trained down on the green carpet which looked the most significant thing at the moment. She had a phobia from being the center-of-talk among the people and this was that one situation where she came out helpless.

The slow, romantic music in the background didn't help either as she picked up her eyes when Chhaya prompted her to, Ruchi looked up at Aakash who expectantly passed out his hand to her which she was supposed to take in order to follow the unsaid protocol. Her friends and other youngsters cheered up for the little act which was quite a big deal for some rusted orthodox mindsets. Aakash helped his bride up on the set-up of an artificial podium and very soon the priest began chanting holy prayers for the engagement.

In the meantime Aakash gazed at her with simmering glitters, taking into her ornamental form. His family and he himself did a great job while selecting their outfits, he thought. He had picked out a stunning designer lehenga-choli for the evening which had an intricate beaded detailing, zardozi thread work that dazzled on the hot pink material. The rest of the dress was complimented with a matching dupatta which bore a thick border with loads of silver embroidery on it. The moti work traditional round ring on her right hand clubbed with a coral choker necklace and similar earrings along with a pair of gold pearl kada bangles, a gift from her grandparents to their dearest granddaughter.

[Lehenga-Choli - is a type of ethnic clothing for women from the Indian Subcontinent. It consists of an ankle-length skirt and blouse.]

[Zardozi - Zardozi is a type of heavy and elaborate metal embroidery on a silk, satin, or velvet fabric base.]

[Dupatta - It is a long shawl-like scarf traditionally worn by women in the Indian subcontinent to cover the head and shoulders.]

[Moti - Pearl]

[Kada - Kara or Kada is a thick metal ring or bracelet usually worn on the hands or wrists of men and women in India.]

Though, her outfit's shade seemed to be a bold color option to go with Ruchi's calm personality but she looked no less than a showstopper in his choice. Moreover, she appeared to be someone of his stature which was a good thing because the Cheema's were a loud and exotic family in their community and their status didn't sit well with the Batra's yet they were going through this for Aakash's adamant wish who was nothing less than obsessed with Ruchi. His family wasn't very well-settled with her either because of the excess emotional baggage she would be carrying into their family after becoming their son's wife. The least they could want is to mold her into being their competent son's eligible better-half.

"Why don't you try to smile a little, Ruchi?" Misha slowly hissed in Ruchi's ear, "You're getting engaged to my brother. Don't make the world believe that you're being forced into this alliance."

Ruchi mumbled a small apology and followed her instruction but Aakash was quick to hear his sister's condemnation. He glared at Misha and asked her to let Ruchi breathe for all she would be experiencing cold feet. As she heard him defending her against his sister, the guilt once again hit her with a double force. How was she supposed to keep him in the dark!? He cared for her and here she was misusing his trust.

Very soon the priest directed both of them to exchange their rings along with the gifts brought by each other's family for the bride and groom.

Aakash showcased his dazzling smile when his mother handed him the engagement ring meant for his bride. He enthusiastically turned to face her and was about to slip the ring in her finger when an unknown arm pulled on her hand, Ruchi was displaced aside by force catching her completely off-guard.

Everyone present around there gasped aloud looking wide-eyed at the bride who was pulled off her feet by a stranger whereas Ruchi didn't even need to see the person because she was very well acquainted with his minimal presence and here the man from her nightmare was standing in flesh and blood.

Aryan Mallik was here in her house fulfilling the night of the promise that she thought was an absolute mistake.

"Do you think you'll get married to her?" Aryan scoffed, "Let alone you but no other loser would dare to get near to what's mine!!" He glowered and unblinkingly glaring at Aakash who was dumbfounded and angry at the unknown intruder who was interrupting his engagement.

"Who the hell are you?" Aakash shouted back maddened by his claim and tried to move near Ruchi who was numb to the happenings but before he could step towards her Aryan had scooped his arm around her waist and invading her personal space leaving her startled by his actions while allegedly towering over Aakash with the advantage of his prodigious height.

The audience shrilled in horror gossiping things about what their naked eyes and ghastly heads believed the scene to be and maybe even more with their own added spicy theories.

Meanwhile, Ruchi hastily moved herself out from Aryan's reach, unable to miss the challenging look conveyed through his face. Her body was chilled out in contrast to her heart that was surprisingly at peace after seeing him here but her mind was restless.

He was here, just like he promised her.

He was in his usual cool-dude ensemble that was a round-neck berry blue sweatshirt and black khaki pants paired with vans old skool sneakers. A steel can of soft-drink in his hand as if he were here to rejoice the party as a guest but both of them knew that he was here to ruin it all the way.

"Who the hell is this boy!?" Aakash's father demanded, "How dare he talk like that to my son?"

"Is this how you will treat the son-in-law of your house, Mr. Sunil?" His mother too joined the parade to derail Aryan's doing, "And what does he have to say things like that to our son!!??"

Aryan pouted and continued with his relaxed stance, "Why are you feeling bad Uncle-Aunty? I have warned your son beforehand about the following adversities if he dares to enter into this house ever again and unfortunately he went against me so this is nothing but a severe consequence to his actions."

"Mr. Sunil-" The Cheemas were ready to pull their hairs out in anger until some sensible people took over the situation.

"Get away from my sister!" Kartik's voice boomed as he hurriedly got Ruchi out of Aryan's pinning gaze and secluded his side. He, Prashant and Vivek altogether were ready to pounce back upon Aryan if he dared to pull off an absurd stunt again.

"Who are you boy?" Sujal questioned after leveling down his temper because Aryan stood without a care, not looking away from Ruchi's flushed face out of agitation. He was troubled by her mortification but not more than what could've caused it if this stupid engagement was done.

"Don't you know me, BadePapa?" He cross-questioned as if Sujal had declined to recognize one of his own family members, "Sweetheart, you could've told them about us." Aryan glanced at Ruchi with a flair of complaints.

"Aryan! What do you want?" Vivek probed with distress because he had a gut feeling that Ruchi's peril had something to do with him and his appearance had just proved it right. "Why are you here in the first place?"

"Bro! This is between me and her. You better get away this time." Aryan voiced, jamming his hands in his front pockets.

"You know him?" Sunil inquired glaring at Vivek who was in a spot of bother. Aryan's identity could only spill the milk out of the vessel even more but how long would his weaved lie work because Aryan was obviously behaving hammered.

"Papa-" Ruchi's resolve to keep things under the shadow broke and she began to speak but was cut off by Aryan's ardent tone. "My dear father-in-law!" He squealed and stepped down the podium to touch his feet, "You have been an amazing father to her but you know my girl was a bit scared to confront you about us. We were planning to tell you about our relationship pretty soon but you got this alliance arranged for her way too quick." He cribbed later on, "Itni bhi kya jaldi thi, sasur ji? Thoda ruk nahi sakte the kya?"

["What was the hurry, father-in-law? Couldn't you have waited for a bit more?"]

"What the hell are you sprouting?" Sunil had lost his calm all over once again terrifying Ruchi immensely, "Who is he?" He clamored.

"Oh My God!!" Misha quipped in surprise, "He is Aryan, The Aryan Mallik. The only son of business tycoon Soham Mallik. He's one of the richest people in the country. He has some million followers on his social accounts-" Her screeching made Ruchi wince slightly and the families were shocked.

"Whoever the fuck he is, Misha!!" Aakash rattled at his sister, "What does he want from my engagement?" He looked at Aryan ready to attack his face with punches.

"We both love each other and you've become the unwanted bone amidst our peaceful relationship." Aryan declared casually and Ruchi tightened her fists at the sides, unable to take the blow that she thought was secret but worth occurring. He was exploiting her weakness in front of the whole world and the irony was that she couldn't even correct him.

"Have you completely lost it? She does not love you-" Vivek yelled and cursed his twin and friends for they're busy at some abandoned corner filling their greedy asses with snacks at the very wrong moment. "Get out from here, Aryan!! Stop creating a scene..."

"Arghh!! Why can't I just talk to my in-laws first? I could've dealt with you later, Khanna. Are you Khanna twins high on some pills to be the biggest turn-off in my love life?" Aryan said as if annoyed, "We see each other daily, eh?" He coached further.

Ruchi needed to stop Aryan's further advances right before it got too late. He being here had already made her regret the high hopes she held due to him but now his actions seemed no less than an act of betrayal to her chaotic emotions. For her, he had deceived her like no one else when she had mindlessly let her guards down to let him in her world. Ruchi's bleak emotions had turned blind to realize the notions behind Aryan's undertaking.

"Why did you come here, Aryan?" She entreated, "Do you even know what your senseless words interpret?" This time ignoring that her head throbbed in pain. "I was bound to come here, Baby." He enunciated, "Both of us know how much we love each other. Remember, we showed that enough to each other these days."

He swiftly gripped her palms with his and in an impulsive reflex Aakash punched Aryan's jaw causing him to fall back with the impact. An inaudible but appalling heave left Ruchi's lips but she didn't move to aid him now, not when he was here with the sole purpose to make her life more difficult than it already was. He wasn't just creating another mess in her life but inviting problems of his own too.

Aryan stumbled back upon his feet yet managed to stand up, dusting off the dirt from his pants and was about to give Aakash the blow back with an interest when Ruchi interrupted his stride. Her intervention halted him abruptly and on-time. She definitely wasn't looking for a physical fight, it's not the best for either of them.

"Please!" Ruchi solicited rushing to her family who were in a soup, "Trust me. Please, trust me." She begged, "It's nothing like what he says."

"Sweetheart, you can drop the facade now. I know how hard it was for you to agree on this for your family's sake. But then seriously think how would you get along, being in a relationship with this guy when I'm the one you love?" He bristled, "How could you decide for both of us? We planned to marry together, remember." His pupils flared up, making Ruchi regret.

She knew why he was doing this but shouldn't he understand her side too?

"Shut the fuck up, bastard!" Aakash growled as he witnessed an invisible knot of connection between both of them which outraged him further much to Aryan's satisfaction. "Screech as much as you want like a horse but because of you and this bloody alliance, my Ruchi is in the guilt of misleading her family. She does not want this fuckin' relationship..."

"Aryan Mallik!!!" Ruchi hailed in furore, "Just stop it. Stop this nonsense!!" She hollered, "Have you lost your senses overnight? There's nothing between you and me. In fact, it never was." She summoned through her tears, "It was a mistake. Trusting you will always remain my biggest mistake because you've proved that you-Aryan Mallik never deserved it."

"Ruchi-" Aryan's voice shook her with an intensity but the rage in her body resisted against the softness portrayed by his eyes.

"Don't you dare speak a word now." She warned and later faced her family, "Aryan knows that I wasn't ready for a relationship so he took it on himself to mend the situation. He's just doing it for a stupid challenge and in order to quench his ego which I provoked by slapping him." She lashed out in an attempt to prove her point. "What kind of challenge?" Sunil glared at Ruchi with a sharp and deprecatory gaze of his own.

Ruchi inhaled a deep breath before retelling the entire incident, "Papa, we were together when I lost my way back in Manali. We both were struck together for three days and when we returned back to Delhi during the night because I had lost all my money. I just knew him-"

"Nobody is interested in the sob-story, Ruchi." Aakash raved, "The damn point is that you both kissed or maybe even fucked each other." He spat nastily, "I know this shit beforehand but what is this rich lad here for now because it's not like he is going to accept you against the world. I'm doing the honours of going ahead with this alliance even after all the fuck ups-"

Ruchi's whole face blanched in humiliation and Aryan's jaw hardened in umbrage while a haunting and harassing pin drop silence engulfed around them along with the air turning unbearably thick and suffocating until the palpable tension was broken by a resolute female voice.

"Don't blame our daughter with something you don't have a clue about, Aakash." Mamta criticized holding Ruchi in her embrace for she was shivering, "Don't you dare think of disrespecting Ruchi in her own house."

"I'm not wrong, Aunty." Aakash advertised, "Ask Ruchi if she didn't engage in those filthy acts with this boy right a week before this day." He snickered, "No wonder if she denies it to save herself from the plight."

"You fucktard!! Let me fuckin' smash your face and lend you the bloody evidence with a bruised jaw.." Aryan beseeched while Aakash was too angry to notice the blunder he revived.

"Yes, why don't you ask your daughter then?" Mrs. Cheema barked arrogantly, "Though I know girls like her would never accept her reality especially when she's caught red-handed in front of the whole society."

"She does not need to prove anything to us. We have faith in our daughter's upbringing." ThakuMa noted and side-hugged Ruchi who was a second close to shattering knowing about the gamble she willingly played over the faith of her family.

"Really, Mrs. Batra!?" Mr. Cheema taunted, "A guy wouldn't have dared to stand in your house if your daughter hadn't been willingly involved in the affair she was having behind all your backs. Your poor and ridiculous upbringing reflects the same. I wonder how spineless the women in your family had been."

"Watch out your tongue, Mr. Cheema!!" Kartik carped.

Ruchi panted hard when her father approached her and tore her away from the warmth provided by her mother figures. It felt no less than a courtroom when Sunil's eyes had found her guilty before the proceedings of her case or even hearing her plea but Ruchi still tried to stay strong and take the blow caused by her one action because she knew that it was her fault this time.

"Sunil-" ThakuMa yelled.

"Sunil, leave her." Sujal revoked along with Baba, "Let her go, Sunil."

"I am talking with her and I want none of you to interfere, be it anyone." Sunil apprised.

"Papa-"

"Whatever they all said, is it true, Ruchi?" He demanded in a bland voice, "Answer me.."

"Pa-Pa.." Ruchi stammered and Aryan who was watching it grew agitated and stepped in between, "Uncle, listen to us calmly. It's not what it sounds like and Ruchi isn't at fault here-"

"Shut up!! I have not fuckin' asked you to open your mouth, boy." Sunil warded off his words rather rudely, "If this girl living under my shed had got the courage to sabotage my back then the least she could do is have the bloody guts to admit her lewd scandals."

"Papa.., I never did anything intentionally-" Ruchi's lips wobbled hearing vindictive words for herself from Sunil's mouth but her cruel father wasn't having a heart to hear the helplessness in her voice. "Answer me in a goddamn yes or no, you immodest girl!!!"

"Yes." Ruchi replied with a will to make them understand while her traitorous tears gave away the proven truth. "It was a moment of weakness but we never interacted before. I swear, Papa..I swear we didn't know each other from close before going to Manali-"

The rest of the Batra's were adrenalized but they knew Ruchi might have had her own good reasons behind the deed. Loving wasn't a sin and if Ruchi felt something for Aryan then she wasn't wrong except for the fact that she should've let them know about her feelings and the man beforehand but knowing her father they wonder if Ruchi would've felt safe enough to share her life changes with anyone of them.

"You were with him for four days?" Sunil asked with his voice grim. Ruchi urgently nodded her head in hope that he would scold her but maybe forgive her too. "And you want me to fuckin' believe that you didn't do something with him? Do I look dumb to you!?" He chewed out with menace.

"It was the demand of the moment, Papa. When I was spending hours with him it was nothing but a survival instinct in the beginning until-"

"You're alone with him? With a stranger straight for three days. Is this a small thing for you, girl?" Sushma rebuked her niece, gaining the unwanted attention of many subjects. "Bua Ji! What else would I've done? If I would not have taken his help then I would have been dead by now. I had no other option, I knew nobody there. He helped me out in that unknown place." Ruchi vaguely argued to explain her crude aunt and the others.

"You were with a young guy in a distant place and you want us to believe you? What an insult we would have to endure because of you. Do you even realize that?" She pointed an accusatory glare at her. "You ungrateful child!"

"I have been listening to all your taunts for years. Will you keep your differences with me aside for a while? It's messed up already here." Ruchi answered back to her as Sushma exceeded her patience limit today with her atrocious words.

"Do not raise this shameless tone of yours in front of my sister." Her father verbalized.

Ruchi closed her eyes trying to control her emotions of not breaking down here in front of those hundred eyes, "I am not one, Papa. Please, please!! Give me a chance to speak-"

"I should've known your penniless worth when I got to know about your mother's colorful history." Mrs. Cheema splattered in disgust, "How can a horny whore's daughter be anything less than a bed-warming mistress of a rich man-"

"Mrs. Cheema-"

"How dare you!!"

"How can you speak rubbish about our daughter-"

Ruchi felt her throat going dry at last when she finally realized that everyone had their accusatory finger on her, her character to be specific. No matter what actually happened, all that the world would remember was that Ruchi Batra was Srinija's daughter so she could be no less than her in terms of infidelity.

Her knees buckled up and the rest of the arguing voices nearly faded away from her ears while she almost fell down on the ground face-first until Aryan's strong arms held her defeated body close to his chest. She tried to escape his hold which unconsciously felt a bed of roses to her fragile heart and a coffin of thorns to her revolting mind. Her eyes were bedridden of shattered emotions while his were wrecked in haze, feeling the culprit of her devastated condition. But alas, both of them were too lost in an unreal illusion to utter a word of accusation or consolation to each other.

The place felt too chaotic until a queue of cars halted outside the residential colony lane. A middle-aged couple entered the site of chaos, the man in a finely designed business suit made his way into the room followed by a beautiful lady who could anytime in the day make heads bow, and together both of them stood with an unwritten but intimidating aura around them. Their clothes had nothing to do with their elegance which they wore on their sleeves.

"You're such a shame to our society."

"What your daughter did is unforgivable and in fact you should punish her harshly."

"What about the damage you did to Cheema's reputation!? How are you planning to pay the price for your daughter's doings?"

The wrenched statements spiked up the air and followed by plenty others who didn't shy away from speaking ill about the Batra family. Ruchi's loved ones were trying to give befitting replies to all those comments made on her but Aakash's family and the invited guests left no stone unturned by adding the fuel to the fire to defame the Batra's and Ruchi.

The power couple who incidentally happened to catch on Ruchi and Aryan's closeness in the suspended air that was thoughtlessly hurling abuses caused a lot of changes in the conclusion of their decision-making. The presumptions now were being overpowered by the brewing essence of a relationship witnessed by their eyes and in no way they had in them to break apart the two for the force that binds them seemed undefeated.

"Aryan.." Anchal Mallik's voice trailed off as she tapped the shoulder of her son who refused to let go of the girl in his arms. "Aryan.."

"Mom-Dad-" Aryan was astonished to see both his parents here but then he had an idea about who might have lent them the hint about his whereabouts and actions and that made him stoic.

"This shouldn't have happened." Soham confronted his son as his voice possessed slight anger, "You shouldn't have done this stupidity, Aryan!!"

"I did what I had to, Dad. Nobody can change it." Aryan responded concentrating back on Ruchi's who wordlessly heard the exchange between the family feeling powerless and pointless to stand against the Mallik's. The promise of one Aryan Mallik had brought down hell upon her and she didn't want to imagine what the rest could cost her.

Ruchi eventually detached herself from Aryan's side and soon it was Kartik who held her under his wing sparing a murderous glare to the one he held responsible for his sister's agony and tonight's fiasco.

"Are you her family-?" Soham inquired and Kartik was quick, "Yes, I'm her brother. I wonder what else you want from here after whatever your son did, Mr. Mallik?"

"Truth to be told, we are as much shocked to learn about our son's regretful action-" Soham started but Aryan abruptly cut his speech, "I do not regret it, not even a bit."

"I'll be glad to make sure that you regret it then..." Kartik shunned when his father approached them and sushed him. "Do you think that you can cure Ruchi's trials by indulging into a physical spat, Kartik!? Don't act reckless.."

"Then do you want me to stand and see some random guy spoiling my sister's life?" Kartik argued.

"It's not going to happen." Anchal pronounced, "Do not worry because Aryan will appropriately pay for his mistake for hurting your sister, Kartik."

"Mr. Batra, I suppose?" Soham asked and Sujal nodded his head in confirmation, patting Ruchi's forehead while her face remained ducked in Kartik's shoulder avoiding the venomous and judgemental eyes of the world. "Whatever it might have been in the past but we as elders need to act upon the mistakes of our children for their own betterment." Soham promulgated and Sujal agreed with the same.

He along with the rest of the family turned and requested the army of guests to take their leave. The overbearing crowd left with spicy rumors and trendy gossip from the event to share among their noisy circles later because it wasn't everyday that someone like Ruchi is associated with a name as powerful as the Mallik empire's sole heir.

Sujal introduced the Mallik's to the rest of the family and acknowledged Sunil who had turned mute since Ruchi's revelation. "I, as the representative of my family, duly apologize on my son's behalf and we as parents of Aryan assure you that no matter what happens, your daughter's name or her dignity wouldn't be spoiled by any means." He added, "Tonight was a mistake but whatever that shall we conclude to make things better for our children will not affect Ruchi's life in any way."

"Years passed, still it was really a mistake." Sunil muttered to himself looking anywhere but at Ruchi who somehow reached him with her stumbling footing.

"Papa, please trust me-" Ruchi begged to be heard once and tried to hold onto her father's hand but he blatantly jerked her hands roughly leaving her with no optimism.

"My son and your daughter were together Mr. Batra and this thing will spread like a fire in the city in no time. Through my connections, I might be able to manipulate whatever happened from the hungry eyes of the world but I don't think that it is the real cure of this problem-" Soham depicted keenly invested into calculating the pros and cons.

"Will Mr. Mallik?" Sunil spoke up this time scathingly, "My reputation has once again turned into a laughing stock for the world."

Once again?

Ruchi pondered hard that she didn't do anything before and even now it was a mistake...?

"Papa, please-"

"Keep your mouth shut, disgusting piece of shit!!" His voice was filled with so much menacing hate that made air leave out her lungs. He then strided after Mr. Mallik leaving her all broken and misunderstood.

No matter how much she tried fighting against her heart but she was forced to surrender against her love for Aryan but where was her fault if she had feelings for him?

What did she ever do to receive such hate from the man who she had fondly known as her father?

Why was she being blamed for becoming the sole reason for this disastrous engagement?

Lots of Love,

ANKITA