“I’m going to fail! I just know it.” Sanjana said with a worried expression. 

            “You always say that before an exam, and who always ends up topping the class? You.” Arjun encouraged.  “You need to relax.”

            He pulled the book she had spent the last few hours focusing on away from her. 

            “Arjun, I need to study.” Sanjana complained. 

            “You’re beautiful.” Arjun stated. 

            “Being beautiful won’t help me on my exams.” Sanjana replied. 

            “If all your exams were based on being beautiful, you’d have nothing to worry about.” Arjun commented. 

            Sanjana blushed.  Arjun’s cheesy lines were cute and always laced with a sweet compliment. 

            “Come on.” Arjun took her hand and led her to a spot behind her house.  It was very secluded, and none of her family members ventured there since it was further back behind the house than they cared to travel.   Arjun had set up a set of benches out there with a canopy to bring some shade to area.  He’d done it on Sanjana’s father’s birthday, pretending that it was a present for him from Sanjana.  Of course, he knew her father would never sit out there because he preferred staying indoors.  Arjun had intended for it to be a spot where he and Sanjana could meet without fear of being disturbed, and that’s exactly what it turned out to be. 

            Sanjana settled down on one of the benches, facing the house, while Arjun sat down beside her.

            “Now, where were we?” Arjun said.

            “In the house.” Sanjana answered, giving him a shrewd look. 

            “That’s not what I meant.” Arjun chuckled at her sarcasm. 

            He moved closer to her, placing an arm around her. 

            “You’re beautiful.” He told her again, this time whispering it in her ear.  He leaned in closer and kissed her gently on the cheek. 

            Sanjana stood up. 

            “Arjun, someone will see us.” Sanjana said, looking around. 

            “Out here? No one ever comes out here.” Arjun reasoned. 

            “But…” protested Sanjana. 

            “You worry too much.” Arjun stated. 

            “You don’t worry enough.” Sanjana countered. 

            “Yeah?” Arjun stood up, looking slightly angry.  “Well, I think I’m just going to make you worry some more.”

            Sanjana frowned.  What did he mean?

            Arjun walked forward and grabbed Sanjana by the shoulders.  She gasped at his sudden movements, but his grip wasn’t tight enough to cause her any pain.  He moved her forward and kissed her on the cheek again.  His lips lingered there for a moment before moving them down to her neck. 

            Sanjana’s heartbeat quickened.  Her eyes darted from side to side, looking to see if anyone was near them.  She started pushing against Arjun’s chest.      

            Arjun pulled away from her, taking a few steps back. 

            “Now, tell me that didn’t make you worry more.” Arjun grinned. 

            “You’re supposed to be making me feel more relaxed, not adding to my worries.” Sanjana chastised. 

            “That’s no fun.” Arjun said cheekily. 

            Sanjana burst out in laughter, and soon Arjun joined her. 

            Sanjana woke up feeling anxious.  She looked over at the clock on her nightstand.  7:00am. Today was the day she had to meet Rohit and Sheila for lunch.  They were supposed to meet at a restaurant downtown at noon.  Sanjana sighed.  She hated when she dreamt about Arjun.  She remembered how much he made her laugh, how much color he’d brought into her mundane life before he took everything away from her.  She pulled out her diary from under her pillow and began writing.  Her last entry had been about her and Sheila’s unpleasant first encounter.  She started writing down her dream as best as she could remember it.  Writing calmed her down.  It took her mind off of anything that was troubling her.  Dance used to be her outlet, and she missed it dearly, but now it was writing.  She felt safe when she wrote. 

            After nearly an hour of writing, Sanjana decided to get ready.  She dressed in a simple blue salwar kameez and slipped a few bangles on her wrists.  She was applying some makeup when she heard the front door close and her aunt’s car pull away from the driveway.  She looked over at the clock.  It was almost half past eight.  Meenakshi always left for work around this time but never bothered waking Sanjana up. She had explained to Sanjana that she should take the opportunity to sleep in because, in three months, she might not get the chance depending on Rohit’s expectations.  This morning, however, she couldn’t go back to sleep, especially not after she’d just dreamt about Arjun.  

            Rohit felt uneasy all morning.  He hoped this encounter between Sheila and Sanjana would go a lot more smoothly.  They both had early morning shifts today.  He just hoped Sheila wouldn’t be crabby and tired after working for so many hours so early in the morning.  He had been avoiding her.  Usually, he’d make time between rounds and surgeries to go visit Sheila.  Today, he’d had some time but chose to stay away from her. 

            “Hey!” Sheila caught up with him in the hallway. 

            “Hey, Sheila.” Rohit greeted. 

            “Are you avoiding me?” She asked. 

            She knew.  Of course, she knew.  Sheila was very observant and knew everything about Rohit.  She understood his emotions better than he did himself. 

            “No,” Rohit lied. 

            “Yes you are.” Sheila replied.  “You’re going to choose her over me?”

            “Never.” Rohit replied automatically.  He didn’t know Sanjana well enough to choose her over Sheila, who had been his best friend ever since they were children. 

            “For the record, I never liked Abhay better than you either.” Sheila said. 

            Rohit sighed.  Abhay was her husband.  They never talked about him because he wasn’t worth talking about. 

            “I mean, honestly, how can he compete with this?” Rohit smiled, pointing to his very handsome face. 

            Sheila started laughing. 

            “Yeah yeah whatever, so lunch?” Sheila replied. 

            “Yes, at noon…with Sanjana.  I’m going to pick her up after I’m done here.”  Rohit said.   “Please try to be nice to her this time.”    

            “I’ll try but no promises.” Sheila said.  

            Sanjana heard a knock at the door.  It was almost noon, so it must be Rohit.  She rushed to the door and opened it. 

            “Hi Sanjana!  Ready to go?” Rohit greeted. 

            She smiled back at him and nodded.  The drive to the restaurant was silent as expected.  Rohit didn’t really make an effort to start a conversation, eager to get to the restaurant.  Sheila was definitely not a patient person.  They reached the restaurant sooner than expected.  At first glance, Sanjana thought it looked quite casual for which she was grateful. 

            “Hey guys!” Sheila greeted from a table in the corner.  Rohit and Sanjana had walked right past her. 

            “There you are!” Rohit said, giving Sheila a brief hug.  “Did you order yet?”

            “Nope, no one’s been here yet.” Sheila replied. 

            They were sitting at a four seat table.  Rohit sat down across from Sheila, and Sanjana took the seat beside him. 

            “Is water okay?” Rohit asked Sanjana.  She nodded. 

            “Or do you want soda or tea?” Rohit asked.  She simply shook her head. 

            The waitress came and gave them menus after they ordered their drinks.  Rohit and Sheila started chatting about hospital-related things, so Sanjana opened her menu and focused on that.  Little of what she saw looked appetizing.  She was so used to Indian food that she didn’t know whether or not she’d like whatever this food was.  She put the menu down on the table and placed her finger on the spinach salad as a placeholder. 

            “What are you getting?” Rohit asked Sheila, changing the subject away from medicine. 

            “Turkey sandwich looks good with a side of fries.  You?” Sheila replied. 

            “Grilled chicken?” Rohit said unsurely.  He turned to Sanjana, who wasn’t paying attention to them.  She looked distracted. He saw her finger placed on the spinach salad. 

            “Sanjana, is that all you want?  The spinach salad?” Rohit asked. 

            She turned to him, surprised that he was talking to her.  She nodded in response. 

            “Are you sure?” Rohit asked.  She nodded again. 

            “You’re quite the healthy eater there, Sanjana.” Sheila commented. 

            The waitress came back and they placed their orders.  Rohit ordered Sanjana’s spinach salad as well as his grilled chicken and also a few more sides that they could share.  Surely, a salad wouldn’t be filling enough. 

            “So Sheila is an OB/GYN.  She’s an amazing neonatal specialist!” Rohit explained. 

            “Yep, so when you two are ready to start a family, I’ll be the one to deliver your baby.” Sheila said.             

            Sanjana looked down.  Starting a family was something she was not interested in right now. 

            “So Sanjana, you have a degree.  Don’t you want to work?” Sanjana asked. 

            Sanjana paused to think about it.  She wasn’t exactly a people person….well not anymore.

            “No,” Rohit said.  “I don’t want her to work after we get married.”

            “Give me a break.” Sheila commented. 

            “New York is a busy city, and this is a new country for her.  It’s going to hard enough for her to adapt.  And it’s not necessary.  It’s not like we need the money.” Rohit explained. 

            “But Radh- um someone else was a career woman, and you loved that about her.” Sheila said. 

            “Yeah, and look how well that turned out.” Rohit said maliciously. 

            “So Sanjana,” Sheila said, changing the subject, “what type of dance did you do?”

            “Kathak,” Sanjana said quietly. 

            “My mom wanted me to get into classical dance.  It never worked out.  I loved the sciences too much to ever get into the arts.” Sheila laughed.  She started telling Sanjana stories about when she was little, and her mother used to trick her or bribe her so she wouldn’t throw a tantrum at dance class.  Rohit listened with a smile.  He and Sheila had grown up together, and he remembered how much she used to complain about her mother trying to get her to dance or take up an instrument.  He was glad Sheila and Sanjana had found something to talk about that both of them could relate to. 

            “Oh yes! Thank goodness.” Sheila said as the waitress brought their food.  The conversation fizzled out as they all started eating. 

            “Sanjana, what are you wearing?” Sheila suddenly said after a while.    

            Sanjana looked up at her for a moment and looked down at her own outfit.  Her salwar kameez was simple and black.  She looked back up at Sheila, wondering what she meant.  Sheila sensed her confusing and offered a clarification. 

            “To your engagement.  Do you have any idea what you want to wear?  You should start shopping as soon as possible.  You only have two weeks!” Sheila said. 

            Rohit rolled his eyes. He didn’t care much for fashion.  Sheila started talking about the latest style in Indian clothes, but Rohit tuned her out.  He watched Sanjana as Sheila spoke.  She looked like she was interested in what she was saying, nodding her head appropriately, but Rohit was doubtful.  After a while, he felt like Sanjana needed some saving. 

            “So, dessert anyone?  I think I’m going to get this amazing looking red velvet cake.” Rohit announced, interrupting Sheila’s fashion lecture.

            “I shouldn’t….but that key lime pie looks delicious.” Sheila said, eyeing the pictures in the dessert menu. 

            “Sanjana, do you want dessert?” Rohit asked. 

            Sanjana shook her head.  She didn’t want any more to eat. 

            “Are you sure?  You can get whatever you want.” Rohit replied.  Sanjana shook her head again, declining his offer. 

            “How do you not eat?  I wish I could do that. Maybe I wouldn’t be so fat.” Sheila laughed. 

            “You aren’t fat.  You look great as always.” Rohit stated. 

            “See Sanjana, this is the type of man every girl should have.  Lucky you!” Sheila smiled. 

            Sanjana looked up at her sadly.  Sheila had no idea how lucky Sanjana was.  Rohit was perfect, unlike herself.  They quickly finished their dessert, and the waitress brought their checks. 

            “Nope!” Rohit snatched Sheila’s check away from her and pulled out his wallet. 

            “Rohit,” Sheila protested. 

            “I’m paying. It’s my treat.” Rohit smiled.

            He took Sanjana’s check from the waitress.  She looked like she was about to protest, but Sheila stopped her. 

            “Don’t bother, Sanjana. When Rohit makes up his mind, he sticks to it.  Plus, you might as well get used to it.  Once you two get married, he’s going to be footing all the bills.” Sheila said, laughing. 

            “You should listen to her.” Rohit said to Sanjana. 

            The three of them made their way out to the parking lot.  Sheila parked on the other side and went off to find her car, leaving Rohit and Sanjana alone. 

            “That wasn’t so bad, right?  See, Sheila can be nice when she wants to be.” Rohit said, as they walked to his car. 

            The ride back to Meenakshi’s house was enjoyable.  Rohit basically was having a one-sided conversation the entire time, but he didn’t mind.  He mostly spoke about what he hoped their engagement would be like, but he told Sanjana that her aunt probably wouldn’t care about what he thought anyways.  Soon, they had reached their destination.  Rohit was a gentleman and walked Sanjana up to the door.  She’d forgotten the key that Meenakshi had given her, so she rang the doorbell, hoping her aunt was home. 

            “I love spending time with you.” Rohit said. 

            Sanjana smiled.  She was a disappointment in her village.  The few close friends she had had been forced by their parents to stay away from her.   It’s been a while since someone told her that they enjoyed her company. 

            Rohit stood awkwardly beside Sanjana, waiting for Meenakshi to answer the door.  He wanted to give her a kiss goodbye, even if it was just on her cheek.  He knew it would have been inappropriate, however.  If it was anyone else, he would have kissed her without hesitation, but Sanjana was different.  He smiled to himself.  He felt like a child with a crush.  They hadn’t even gone on a date, just lunch, and he wanted to kiss her. 

            “Hey you two! How was lunch?” Meenakshi greeted.  She moved aside, letting them in. 

            “It was great! I think Sheila and Sanjana will be great friends one day.” Rohit said. 

            “That’s good.  Sanjana, did you forget your key?” Meenakshi asked. 

            Sanjana looked down, guiltily nodding. 

            “Good thing I got off early today.” Meenakshi quipped. 

            “Well, I should leave.  It was nice seeing you, Meenakshi Aunty.” Rohit said, backing away towards to the door.  He turned to Sanjana.  “Bye Sanjana.” He said quietly. 

            Meenakshi shut the door behind him.  She turned around to face Sanjana with a huge grin on her face. 

            “Well, don’t you just love being with Rohit? He’s a perfect gentleman.” Meenakshi said, “I’m so glad you’re getting along with his friend.  Otherwise, there could be problems with the wedding.  Sudhir told me that those two grew up together.  They’re as close as friends can be.”

            Sanjana noticed that their friendship was great.  She found herself wondering throughout lunch why Sheila and Rohit didn’t just get married.  They’re best friends, get along great with each other, and both are doctors.  They seem perfect for each other. 

            “Bua,” Sanjana said. 

            “Yes, dear.” Meenakshi said. 

            “Why didn’t Rohit marry Sheila?” Sanjana asked. 

            “I was thinking the same thing.  Rohit broke up with what’s her face a while ago.  I even brought it up with Sudhir.  He just said that Sheila was already married.” Meenakshi said. 

            Sanjana looked at her, surprised.  Neither Sheila nor Rohit ever mentioned that Sheila was married.  It wasn’t any of Sanjana’s business, but maybe Sheila could’ve given her some advice about married life. 

            “Sanjana dear,” Meenakshi said. 

            Sanjana looked over at her aunt. 

            “So, I got off work early today, and I decided to take a walk.  I was passing by this furniture store, and I saw something in the display.  It just scream Sanjana!  So I bought it for you.  It’s upstairs in your room.” Meenakshi said, heading up the stairs. 

            She led the way down the hall to Sanjana’s room.  She opened the door and walked in.  Sanjana laid eyes on what Meenakshi had bought and her eyes widened in complete shock. 

            “Don’t you just love it?” Meenakshi said. 

Hahahahaha what on earth did Meenakshi buy Sanjana???  Okay, so that part was kinda not related to the story, but I saw something online that I thought someone like Sanjana should have, so I wrote it in the story. 

Anyways, now does anyone like Sheila better?  Come one, she was a lot nicer this time!  I wonder what the deal about her husband is???  Hmmmm we shall find out one day. 

Okay, there was a happy memory with Arjun at the very beginning, just to give you all a glimpse of how normal Sanjana was before Arjun damaged her and how in love Arjun and Sanjana used to be.   There’s gonna be a lot of memories about Arjun, some good and some bad, but mostly the good ones. 

Last of all, Rohit is sooo cute!! He literally stood outside the door wanting to kisssss Sanjana! Hahaha adorable!!

            Anyways, please please please COMMENT AND VOTE!!!!!!!