Mahi's P.O.V

The look on his face and the tone of his voice, answered my thoughts.

"Mahi, I'm sorry. I know that I acted cowardly. I really can't do this" he apologized.

"Can't do what?" I asked though I knew what he was talking about.

"I'm sorry Mahi, I can't marry you"

I don't know what to say nor how to react. I was blank maybe because I was expecting it. There's even nothing left to say. He looked at me tensely.

"Well I can't force you, just wished you had told me earlier" I replied.

"I'm really sorry, you don't deserve this...I just- I'm sorry Mahi, I'm sorry...that's all I can say" he said with a rueful smile.

Sanjay was my classmate at college, four years yet he is a stranger to me. The train chugged on to the railway track and the sound of the horn reached the passengers.

"I- I'll get going" he said, glancing at the edge of the platform.

"Happy Journey!" I wished with a smile, holding back the lump in my throat.

"Thank you! I'll call you later, Mahi." He replied, running towards the train.

I sat on the nearby seat, rethinking my life choices. Why did I say yes to the alliance when my parents approached me? Was it because I knew him or that we could get along? I should've first discussed this with him. There's no use in regretting it now is it?

Probably I was here too long, I saw Krish walking towards me worried.

"How are you feeling?" He asked, looking at me distressed.

"Honestly, I don't know," I replied slightly chuckling.

"Mahi," he called while sitting next to me.

"You knew it didn't you?"

"I'm sorry, I didn't know how to tell you about it. Ma and dad thought of speaking to you after the issue got resolved. And before-"

"Why does everyone keep apologizing to me? It's not like you could've stopped it from happening! He was a coward and I was stupid. I know I can't move on in a blink of an eye, it takes time. And you did nothing wrong Krish, so why are you sorry for it?" I screamed at him.

"Mahi, why don't we-"

"Shall we go home? I don't wanna stay here any longer," I cut him off in mid sentence.

I got onto his bike and we rode on the streets of Hyderabad with silence accompanying us while the cool breeze embraced. After some time I realized that we were heading in the wrong direction.

"Krish we are heading in the wrong way"

"I know," he replied.

"Where are we going?"

He didn't respond.

"Krish!"

"Um..."

I hit him on the back, almost making him lose his balance.

"Mahi! Stop it, we'll fall!" He exclaimed.

The drivers of the passing vehicles threw weird glances at us. Nevertheless I didn't care.

"Are you gonna answer me or not? If not, stop the bike!" I demanded him.

"I will in a few minutes," was all he said.

This douchebag!

Later he parked the bike at Naturals Ice Cream. Scratch what I said before. Krish is as sweet as ice cream. Though I felt empty, for a minute my face broke into a huge smile.

"Ice cream after a breakup is so cliché Krish," I commented, bursting his bubble.

"Who said it's for you? I came for myself because of all the chaos I felt like having one" he replied.

He is back to his narcissistic self.

I ordered a jackfruit ice cream while he had tender coconut. I bit the ice cream instead of licking it.

"Psychopath" he uttered

"Yes, sister to one" I replied with a satisfied smirk.

Thinking for an eternity for a comeback, he shrugged off not being able to come up with a clever one.

My state right now is just like an ice cream, if I eat it fast, I can't enjoy the taste, if I eat it slowly it'll melt... frustrating but the experience of eating it teaches us something new.

"Now tell me what happened in the morning" he asked out of the blue.

"Out of all the things, you want to know what happened in the morning?"

"Yep"

I narrated the whole tale and by the end of it he started laughing which he suppressed for too long. His laugh was contagious spreading to me too.

"Krish, don't tell Ma that we had ice cream," I informed him.

"Why not?"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"You think Ma would care about this out of all the things that happened today?"

"Whatever, just don't as a precaution"

He grinned at me and started the engine.

I was tired by the time we reached our home. I went straight to my room not having the appetite to have anything. Krish answered my parents' concerns and assured them.

The sunlight hit my face, today was supposed to be my engagement. The turmoil returned back and it's a never ending saga. Sighing I got ready, I didn't want to shut myself nor pretend so I just went with the day.

I was not hungry but I didn't want to show my emotions on food, hence I filled my stomach. Ma and dad tried their best to cheer me up.

"Mahi, have some more idiyappam with coconut milk," suggested Ma.

"No Ma, I'm full"

"Krish!" yelled my dad

"What happened?" He panicked running to the dining table still holding the towel that he used to dry his hair.

"Take Mahi somewhere to divert her mind," said dad.

"Not now dad, I have some work," I excused myself and went to my room.

Slowly closing the door, I plopped on the bed to binge watch nonsense. I spent my whole day napping and surfing the internet. Surprisingly Krish didn't disturb me not even once.

Soon it was dusk, I slept early at 8 pm cause I had nothing to do. I was half asleep when I heard a knock on my door. It was Krish.

"What happened?" I asked him leaning on the door frame for support as I was drowsy.

"Put on your glasses and come with me"

He dragged me outside the house as I was sleepy and lazy. The next thing I remember is I'm on the train dressed in pyjamas.

WHAT?!