♡ Roshni's POV ♡

I can't believe that I am doing this monstrously unusual thing on the God's green, but slowly polluting planet earth!

But I have no damn choice. I have to meet my family friend's son, who is going to convince me for marriage.

I am Roshni Satlani, 25 years old WOMAN and UNMARRIED!

Do you know it's a crime to be 25 and still be unmarried?

Well according to the "people" I call my family, relatives and neighbors. Their theory says to get engaged by 25 otherwise you will never get a good guy. But aren't some people happy when they get married in late twenties or early thirties or even later? Happiness depends on our intentions and not the age factor. But who understands?

Plus, I work at my father's office, which means I am not SALARIED.

My father needed me in his business for further improvisation and development of his company. I have succeeded in helping him, but I don't get salary as it is my responsibility and not my job. I didn't argue because my every needs were fulfilled and my father is making investments in my name.

And money is last thing on my mind. I have seen many relations ruined by the greed of money. Therefore, I am happy and satisfied with my pocket money.

BUT according to those "people," I am JOBLESS.

This is another problem, my marriage is not yet fixed because the boys, my father met till now for my marriage want me to have a handsome salary. This means, I have to leave my father and work somewhere else.

I am against of it, not because I cannot work outside. I have masters degree in accounts and can get a good job without a struggle.

Only problem is how can I leave my parents hanging and work for someone who's relation with me depends on a condition? What if tomorrow something happens to me and I am bedridden? Will he dump me? And what if he gets someone else with more earning capacity, will he stay by my side? Will he stay loyal and faithful?

Plus, leaving my parents hanging and struggling for a complete stranger is something I cannot convince myself to do. I mean, if I leave my parents who have done everything for me for someone who has done nothing for me.

How long will I stay loyal and faithful to him?

I know, I am overthinking. But doesn't it makes sense?

My thinking process stops when the elevator opens and I step out to walk towards the apartment door. Soon I am greeted by my family friend's daughter-in-law Chaavi. She invites me inside and I take a seat on the couch.

"I am sorry, Roshni, but I need to leave. My mother isn't well and I need to take her to for the doctor's appointment. Harsh will be here within half an hour, so hope you don't mind waiting."

Good. Leave me alone, so that I can plan, how to fail your husband's counselling session on marriage.

Yipee.

"No problem Chaavi, I don't mind waiting for Harsh. You should go and take care of your mother. Hope she gets well soon."

She smiles sadly with a thankful nod and leaves as soon as she can. She seemed really worried, hope her mother gets well soon. I say a small prayer for her mother in my mind and grab my mobile from my handbag to call my friend Naveena for preparing myself for the anti-marriage speech.

She answers the call and greets me, "Hello Baby Coo, how are you?"

"I am good, but I need your help. You remember, Papa's old client and friend Mehta Uncle. I have come at his place. His son Harsh has called me to pay him a visit, which I know, Papa asked him to do."

"But why would your father ask Harsh to call you at his place?"

"To convince me for the marriage."

"Oh."

I roll my eyes in annoyance and start blabbering, "I don't understand why can't I live alone? I am living to myself from 2 years and stopped expecting anything from anyone. Have I ever complained of loneliness? No, right. Still everyone is forcing me to get married to some selfish man, who will give me a huge list of things, he and his family will expect from me. Can't everyone accept that I am fine alone? But no, they have to harass me. Why? Because marriage is important, you need someone in your life, you need motivation and blah blah blah stuffs. But who realizes that I have no feelings left in my heart to give to anyone. And by chance if I get a good guy, I will never be able to give him the happiness he would expect from me. He will be heartbroken at the end because I am no longer that woman, which a man would like to have as his wife."

I take a deep breath, sensing the hidden emotions of my past surfacing. But I push them away and don't allow myself to mourn. I have taught myself better and I will not disappoint myself.

I continue in an angrier tone, "But no, even if I am thinking of others, I am wrong. At the end of every situation, I am wrong. Then why to think of getting a wrong person hitched with an innocent person and ruin his life? My family just-"

"Baby Coo calm down. You cannot handle the situation if you will panic. Take a few deep breaths and try to-"

I roll my eyes in annoyance again and cut her next words off, "Babe, I am alive because I am breathing since I am born. So, taking deep breaths will only mean giving extra exercise to my poor lungs and forcing my overexerted brain to give unnecessary commands to my dear organs. Technically, this process cannot help in calming down a heated mind or else no one on this God's green, but slowly polluting planet earth would ever be angry."

"Baby Coo-"

I stop listening to her as something else catches my attention, well a deep and unfamiliar chuckle.

I turn around and find a young man in his late twenties, leaning against the balcony door and watching me with amused eyes. I stand from the couch and he walks closer then I notice a beer can in his hand.

OMG! A drunken stranger in Harsh's home and I am ALONE. He can be a thief or rapist. This is my last day on this God's green, but slowly polluting planet earth.

But wait. He doesn't look intimidating or dangerous, he seems so casual with his approach, unlike the criminals, I have seen in the movies. Maybe he is familiar to Harsh or some other family member.

Stupid Roshni, always overreacting.

Before I can think ahead or react, my attention is captured by my friend, "Baby Coo, are you there?"

"Babe, I will call you later." She doesn't argue and disconnects the call.

I raise my eyebrows and ask the stranger, "Who are you? What were you doing at the balcony? How long were you listening to my conversation?" 

He chuckles again. God knows what he finds funny in my questions, but for my luck, he opens his mouth to answer, "I am Harsh's neighbor, Pratham's friend. I was actually waiting for Pratham, who got stuck with some last minute work at his office. There is no one at his home now and I had met Harsh a few times. So, I came here to wait and regarding your last question. I did hear the whole conversation and sorry for eavesdropping."

I scold him, "Eavesdropping is illegal and unethical. Weren't you taught good manners in the school or by your parents?" 

He widens his eyes in horror, which I know is fake and falls to his knees, keeping the can on the marble floor and joins his hands to plead, "Please, your Majesty. Forgive me for my illegal and unethical activity. I shall never repeat this crime ever in my life. Please do not behead me or send to the forest for the lifetime. Mercy, your Majesty, show some mercy."

I raise my both eyebrows with a bored look and he laughs, while standing to his feet and grabbing the beer can. He sits on the other end of the couch and gestures me to sit back at my earlier spot. But I don't obey him, why should I obey a stranger? No, a crazy stranger.

He chuckle again, "Calm down, your Majesty. I was just joking and your chat with your friend, I guess wasn't something secretive or confidential. Just a normal chat of your negative opinion on marriage."

I don't feel the need to argue or give him any importance. I sit on the other end of the couch and open the notes app in my mobile. I start writing from where I left last night.

Yes, I am a writer, actually a baby writer and struggling to finish my very first novel. It is a love story based on how a husband wins his wife back after committing a huge mistake, but falls in love during this process. It also has a touch of women empowerment and gender equality. I have named the novel as Arrogant's Smart Wife and right now, I am writing a scene where the husband plans to get a bouquet for his angry wife. But that idiot forgot her favorite flowers and takes advice from his equally idiotic employee, who advises him to give lotus bouquet because lotus is the national flower of India. Sometimes intelligent people can act dumb. But this will be a hilarious scene.

BUT I am unable to write a word because that over dramatic stranger is staring at me as if I stole his oxygen mask from the operation theater just before his kidney transplant operation.

"Why are you staring at me?"

He chuckles AGAIN. What does he find funny in this situation that he is joking and chuckling every time? I am 100% sure now, he is a mental case.

He composes himself before answering, "I am just trying to understand, why are you so worked up? Everyone has some problems in their life. Just relax and think over it calmly. I am sure, you can find a solution."

How dare he comment on something, he doesn't know about? Behaving as a roadside philosopher and trying to make people believe that life is beautiful. The one, who suffers will only understand, how cruel life can be? But he is no one to me for sharing the same.....

Well, I actually don't share my problems and opinions with anyone else than Naveena and two other friends Surithi and Jinal these days. But they have their own limitations and can't help me much.

I push those thoughts away to glare at the crazy man and ask, "Listen mister, my problems are mine, so keep your advises to yourself. I am sitting here without uttering a word or troubling you. Now can you please mind your own business?"

"No."

He shifts closer, making me alert of the proximity and continues, "Why don't you talk it out of that small head of yours? You know, talking can help you relax and find a solution."

"Listen to me loud and clear, I can handle my problems on my own. I don't need you to become my counselor and help me out of my stress. I am capable and mature enough to handle everything. So, mind your own damn business."

"But what is the reason for not marrying?"

I exhale deeply in frustration and turn to face him for yelling, but he speaks first, "I am against of marriage as well and I want to know your reason, so I can convince my family."

I stare at him in shock and disbelief. He was asking, so he can convince his own family. Now, that's interesting. But why with my reason?

"You want to know MY reason? Can't you convince them with your own?"

"I tried, but failed. So, I thought, we can discuss and plan something to get rid of marriage permanently. Two minds make better plans."

I think for a minute on his offer, he does have a point. Two minds can plan better and detect errors to avoid failures. But can I trust a stranger? What if he is teasing me? What if he tried to convince me after knowing my real reason?

WAIT A MINUTE.....

OH MY GOD!

What if Harsh has planned his crazy roadside counselor to talk with me?

What if he is a professional marriage counselor called by Papa?

That makes sense. Harsh calls me and knew, I can never deny him because of our family relations and I consider him as my brother. Then he doesn't show up, Chaavi leaves and this stranger, God knows who is he, tries to talk with me. This is a stupid trap.

I stare at the stranger and ask mockingly, "Oh! You want to know MY reasons to convince YOUR family? You think, you are the incarnated version of the great Einstein or the people in this world are born fools?"

He frowns in confusion, "First, you listen to a complete stranger's telephonic conversation with her friend and sit with her to ask for the problem. Then offer to help, only because YOU need help. Mister, work harder on your excuses, you aren't that intelligent."

He smirks with amusement clear in his eyes and chuckles AGAIN. I swear, I will slap him if he chuckles one more time.

"Owner of such a sharp mind, yet failed to convince her parents for letting you live single. What a waste of intelligence!"

I glare at him for his words, but he smiles, a genuine one. He nods in assurance as he shifts closer, now sitting right besides me. I don't move away because for some reason I don't feel uncomfortable. He was neither too close nor touching me in anyway. I stayed rooted at my spot.

"If you are thinking that I will try to convince you or help Harsh in any way, then forgive me for my words Your Majesty, you are wrong. I am honestly against of marriage, but my parents emotionally blackmailed me to agree for seeing girls. I am sure, even you are a victim of emotional blackmailing, right?"

I nod wordlessly and he continues, "And I believe in right to freedom. If one wishes to live with freedom then they should. So, don't think, I will convince you or share your reasons or preparations with Harsh to help him in convincing you. I offered help only because even I don't ruin an innocent girl's life by getting hitched on family pressure, which won't be ethically correct. Right?"

I nod again and observe his eyes to find sincerity and concern in them. My heart seems to believe him, yet my brain is warning me to not fall in his trap, fearing if he betrays us.

"Don't tell me about your reasons if you don't trust me, Your Majesty. But at least practice with me."

I ask with a frown, "Practice?"

"Yes, practice of how will you convince your family and I will cross question you or give you reasons to agree. This will help you to handle and win the argument, plus I can get some ideas to convince my parents."

He stares at me, awaiting for my response and I agree with a nod, ignoring the warning bells of my brain.

This better be positive or else I will have a heart attack.

Unaware of my thoughts, he makes a serious face and asks in a fatherly tone, "Why don't you get married and settle with a good man, dear? We want to see you settled in your life."

Role play, interesting.

"I have many reasons to not marry. The very first, you are getting selfish boys. They don't even ask for my qualities or preferences, they just ask about my qualifications and income. They don't need a wife or life partner, they need a tenant with benefits."

"Then we will reject them. I will not give my precious daughter to a selfish person. I agree, they are greedy and we need to know them properly before taking the first step in the alliance. But this is still no reason to completely boycott the idea of marriage."

I glare at him and he chuckles before commenting, "Your Majesty, anger and glares will not convince your parents. Only genuine reasons will."

I sigh in defeat, agreeing to his words with a nod and proceed with another reason, "We have faced many problems in our life and in every problem, I have survived alone. I didn't even ask support from you or mother or any other person. So, now I don't feel the need to have anyone in my life. I mean, if I can handle problems alone then why can't I live a normal life alone?"

"But what if there is bigger problem awaiting for you in the future? What if you feel the need for some support or guidance?"

"Are you abandoning me? I have you, Mamma and Ruchi. Then why would I need a complete stranger to rely on?"

"Who is Ruchi?"

"My younger sister."

He nods in acknowledgement and states, "But dear, we do not have a long life. I and your mother will die one day, your sister will find someone to live with, then what will you do and where will you go?"

"What if my husband dies in an accident or disease in a few months after marriage? Then what? Second marriage? What if even second one dies? Then third marriage? How long will we play marriage-marriage?"

He chuckles at my words, "This is a valid point, but I doubt, it will work."

I sigh before agreeing, "True, I have already used this point and Mamma was so angry because we Indian women consider our husbands as God. So, how can I think so low for him? Sometimes, I feel to run away because there is no scope to avoid marriage."

"Running is no solution and why don't you share the real reason with your parents?"

I lower my gaze, recalling the real reason and he continues, "Your excuses aren't enough to even convince me. Then your parents are a completely different story and they know you well to press the right buttons to convince you."

"They will not understand."

"How can you be so sure without trying?"

"I know them and what they have done in the past is enough to stop me from telling them the real reason."

"What have they done?"

I lower my gaze again, feeling tears welling in my eyes at the memory. How much ever I try to forget about that night, a small reminder is enough to bring back the pain and tears. It makes me question if I am even their biological daughter or adopted.

But before I can mourn further, I need an unfamiliar hand grabbing mine and making circles with the thumb.

"Concentrate on my thumb, imagine you are sitting near a pond and throwing stones in the water. It creates a ripple and see, I am making same on your hand."

For some reason, I obey and start imagining myself near a pond, throwing stone in the water. I don't know, if it was his soothing voice or my strong imagination skill, but it seems to distract me from the memory. I even imagine birds are singing in the background and a white rabbit is coming near me with a carrot in his mouth.

It was a painting-perfect scene and I was happily hypnotized by it's beauty.

"Now look at me."

I again obey and when I meet his gaze, he smiles with a reassuring nod before whispering, "Whatever the problems are, you have survived them till now alone, so you can survive further as well. Always remember, the first attack hurts, but the following ones just makes you strong and you are a strong woman. So, smile and manage the hurdles with your chin up high or else the crown will fall, Your Majesty."

I find myself smiling at his words and he appreciates, "That's perfect."

I chuckles this time and open my mouth to speak, only to stop as the front door slams shut. Soon Harsh comes into view and gives me an apologetic look.

I turn back to face the man as he leaves my hand and stands from the couch to greet Harsh. They talk for a minute and his phone rings, which he answers to know, his friend Pratham has arrived in his flat. He decides to leave, but not before giving me a nod as farewell.

He even winks at me playfully when Harsh goes to make coffee for us, making me chuckle at him. Then with a final nod and salute, he leaves.

I sit back, replaying his words in my mind. For some reason, they have made an impact on me, which is unusual as I never give importance to a stranger or unimportant people's words, but he was different and a bit crazy.

But wait!

What was HIS name?

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

That's all for now.....will update next part as soon as possible.....hope you liked this part, do give your reviews...till then Keep Smiling and Take Care

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