*Riddhi Pov*

"Dad, can I talk to you about something?" I asked, kneeling beside his chair where he sits to enjoy some music after lunch during the holidays.

"Sure!" he replied smiling and I felt something sinking inside my heart but tried to show a confident face.

"I... I love someone." I mumbled and fisted my hands praying he will start asking questions like I thought and not burst out his anger.

"Who is it?" he asked after a few minutes pregnant silence.

"Shiv!" I replied staring at his face.

"Your classmate?" he asked with a blank face and I slowly nodded but then I saw a immediate doubt covering his face.

"He is not the one who is the son of the town head, right?" he asked and I nodded frowning but felt good that he is guessing everything as it seems the words got blocked again.

"No!" he said raising his voice and I jerked back in shock.

"What?" I asked, thinking I must be imagining his words.

"You need to forget about him. I can accept anyone except the son of Girish." He replied getting up.

"But I love him." I said not in a weak voice and with confusion covering my thoughts.

What does he have against uncle? I thought, frowning and got up myself from the floor. I glanced to my side to see mom standing near to us and I can see from her expression that she heard everything.

"He is really a good guy and loves me so much, Dad." I said, moving my hand to hold his but he turned with a such angered face that I just stilled my hand.

"He will be just like his father not knowing how to be something good. Do you know how crooked is this Girish?" he asked shaking his head.

"What happened suddenly, Dad? You didn't have a problem with him while voting for him right." I asked, not understanding his reaction mainly towards Uncle.

"Because I didn't know how he was at that time. A few days back, he tried to bribe me to make some face accounts of non-existent pensioners and give him those. Can you believe someone doing that for this kind of things? Just imagine how low he can sink for other things." He explained and my eyes just widened hearing everything.

Uncle did all that? Does Shiv know about this? He would have told me right? I slowly took a deep breath knowing well I can't be in silence and let the news sink later regarding this and focus on main thing.

"I know what Uncle did is wrong, but I love Shiv, who is a good person and works hard in all his studies." I said to which he stared at me in disbelief.

"Your parents know what is good for you, Riddhi. Will you choose your opinion on someone you just know more than ours?" Mom asked stepping inside the conversation.

"I don't know him just recently, Mom. I know him for the past six years." I replied, knowing well I can't hide everything.

"Six years?" Dad asked in a shocked whisper before sitting back in the chair.

"How were you able to hide it from us?" Mom asked, turning me towards her holding my hand tightly.

"I... I know you will not accept, but it was not something foolish. We both really love each other and will always stay happy, Mom. We can't be happy without each other. It is not a little thing to forget easily at all." I replied honestly but felt the shivering inside.

I thought he would have got angry and then have a word with Shiv. However, it seems he is not even ready to think about him.

"Dad! Will you give your decision on something to which he is not even related? Talk to him, Dad." I said, pleading him with my eyes.

"We didn't even know that our daughter loves someone and that too for that long. Are we really her parents?" he asked mom ignoring me.

"Dad! Please give him a chance." I said holding his hand and let the tears flow, which I am keeping at bay, but I can't anymore dreading already knowing his decision now.

"Can you leave him?" he asked turning towards me to which I shook my head in negative without any hesitation.

"Go to college and study. We will talk about this after you finish it." He said and then turned towards Mom asking her to pack my clothes so that I can leave today itself.

"But..." mom mumbled to which he shook his head and she walked towards my room.

"The incident happened recently and maybe I will think different after two years while you can think about this relation with the separation from him during this time." Dad said with a blank face and stepped away from me.

I know if I kept my silence, then everything would be fine and maybe he will really give Shiv a chance. However, I know when I see something which hurts Dad and here he got hurt knowing that I was hiding something for the past six years.

"I don't want to deceive you anymore, Dad. I know, maybe I should have told you about him way before, but I got scared. I was scared about the relationship and its reality and then got scared by the fear of leaving it for the decisions from you both. Now, I can't hide anything." I said after a few minutes when Mom walked out with my luggage and he was wearing his watch.

"What is there more to hide?" he asked, shaking his head to himself.

"Even Shiv got the scholarship there and we are studying the same. I didn't get the hostel package inside the scholarship, unlike him and we are going to stay in a small place he had already searched." I replied in a one breath and heard something crash.

I glanced up to see Dad still in his position and down to see his watch. I meekly walked near to him and picked it up before moving near his hands which he immediately pushed away.

"Are you even my daughter?" he asked, staring at me like I am a stranger.

"It is not like that, Dad. It just happened in haste and the hostel fees is too much and he didn't want to stay in hostel and I don't even know why we came to that decision." I replied, feeling exhausted with all the talking and thinking along with not knowing how to get them to understand how I feel and how these decisions were taken.

Will they understand all these because this seems like a wrong thing if I think from their point of view but I personally don't feel that? Is it wrong of me not to?

"You lied to me about staying with a classmate?" Mom asked.

"No! He will be my classmate." I replied in a whisper.

"Leave!" I heard the word, but couldn't get around it as it was coming from Dad.

"Dad?" I asked frowning.

"Leave my house right now." He shouted, making me stumble back.

"But... Dad... I... Love..." I stuttered feeling the effects of his anger which I made sure never to unleash when I saw it on someone accidentally who was a culprit for something to do with his office.

"You love him? You were going to live with him? I got everything and now go and do those things while forgetting about us." He said pointing to the door.

"You can't ask me to do that." I screamed at him with horror.

"You can break the trust we both had on you? I don't want to see your face again." He said and sat down on his chair without saying another word.

"Tell him that you will forget him." Mom said, holding my hand with her tears flowing.

Can I really do that and live with life within me? Do I really have to choose between the love which I want till my last breath and my parents love?

"Riddhi!" I heard a new voice and turned to see him standing near the door.

"You are Shiv? Take her away as she is nobody to us." Dad said, waving his hand, but is not staring at us.

"Dad!" I pleaded him, but he didn't move but just laid back to the chair closing his eyes.

"If you want both of us to live in peace, then leave right now." He stated and I turned towards Mom to see her crying with a plea to let go of Shiv.

I turned towards Shiv, who has an understanding look and pained one making me shake my head immediately. I can't leave him! I felt it inside and slowly walked towards Dad.

"I am sorry and please don't bury me. I want to be in your loves again and please forgive me." I said, taking his blessings with him not saying a word and not even moving.

"I am sorry, Mom." I said, looking at her, but she stared at me with anger and hurt.

Shiv took my luggage and we walked outside the house slowly towards some car near the gate.

I didn't say a word, but sat inside it when he unlocked the door. He got inside after putting the luggage and started the car.

With each point of distance from my home, my tears increased and in no time I am just sobbing my heart out.

"Shh!" he whispered suddenly holding me in his arms.

"I shouldn't have walked inside, but I was near your home and then heard the shouts. I couldn't stay away with fear that it may be my last." He explained but I just cried more.

"We will be there for each other, Riddhi. We are not alone and our parents will come around soon. Don't cry!" he whispered and I slowly moved back.

"Your parents?" I asked, to which he shook his head.

"What should we do now?" I asked him rubbing my eyes.

"The college will start within two weeks, We will just leave for the place right now and get settled. I am sure they will let go of the anger and come around." He replied, assuring me but I don't have that much hope.

My Dad was really hurt with each word I said along with Mom. Will they ever forgive me? I thought while he continued to drive his friends car towards the near city so that we can get some plane tickets for California.

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