"Paravala hollywood actor madhri irukaru." Sivaangi commented, zooming into the picture through her iPhone screen.

(Not bad, he looks like a hollywood actor.)

Shalini looked up at her with bored eyes. "Idhulam romba over."

(That's a stretch.)

Sivaangi giggled. "Seri okay hollywood venam, bollywood actor alavuku irukaru. Ivlo azhaga irundha thimura irukalam, thappu illa."

(Fine then, he looks like a bollywood actor. Now it is justified why he is so vain, nothing wrong with being conceited if one was this good looking.)

"Nee yaaru side di?" Shalini pulled over her blanket to look at her younger sister who still seems to be ogling over the picture of her fiancé.

(Who's side are you on?)

"Pona nimisham varaikum un side thaan but ippo..." Before she could finish her sentence, Shalini flung a pillow towards her.

(I was on your side but now...)

"Unakku romba pidicha, nee kalyanam panniko." Shalini suddenly said, causing a laughing Sivaangi to immediately stop.

(If you like him that much, you marry him.)

"Military yen kuda lam oru naalu kuda thaaku pidikathu, thirupi border ku odiruvaru. Nalaki varatum mapillai, vechi senjidalam."

(Military won't survive even a day with me, he'd run back to a border. Just wait till he comes here tomorrow.)
...

He brought his head close to the open window, letting the morning breeze gently hit his face. The car drove through beautiful hills and rivers that naturally put him in a good mood.

"Aama aama, anga thaan vandhutu irukom. Konjam late aagiduchu kelamba, Ashwin beauty parlour poitu varathuku late aagiduchu."

(Yes yes we're on the way there. We ended up being a bit late because Ashwin came back late from the beauty parlour.)

Ashwin alarmingly turned towards his mother who was speaking away in the phone. His mother gave him a mocking smile as she continued talking.

He noticed his brothers and father trying their best to control their laughter. Finally when his mother ended the call he turned and asked,"Naa beauty parlour ponana? Poyi solrathukum oru alavu irukuma."

(I went to the beauty parlour? At least make your lies believable.)

His mother simply scrolled through her messages. "Unna po sonnanla, nee yenda pola?"

(Well I did ask you to go there, why didn't you go?)

"Naangalam natural beauty, anga lam poga theva illa." He smirked with confidence.

(I don't need to since I'm naturally attractive.)

"Idhuku onnum korachal illa. Naa yedhu sonnalum nee kekakudathunu mudivu pannitalla?"

(You talk so well. Have you decided not to listen to anything I say?)

Ashwin sighed out loud and faced her with a poker face. "Neenga sonnathukaga kalyanam eh panna poren, innum indha dialogue eh mathalaya?"

(I'm gonna get married only because you wanted me to, how much longer are you gonna use this dialogue?)

"Kalyanam panna podhuma? Andha ponnu ta pesa sonna, pesuniya? Oru gift vaanga sonna, vaanguniya? Seri oru shave  panna sonna, panniya? Leave ah extend panna sonna-"

(Is getting married enough? I asked you to talk to her, did you? I asked you to get her a gift, did you? I asked you to shave, did you? I asked you to extend the leave-)

"Podhum podhum list perusa poitey iruku." His father cut her off, causing his wife to glare.

(Okay that's enough, the list keeps going on and on.)

"Yellam neenga kudukura chellam dhaan." She angrily said.

(He's turned out like this only because you've spoilt him too much.)

His father was quick to defend. "Moonu varushathuku munnadi start panna kalyanam project ah kadasila unakaga okay pannitanla, innum kora sollitu irukadha. Avan ipdi thaan nu unaku theriyadha ma."

(He has finally gave in to get married after three years of persuasion, you need to stop complaining. You already know this is how he is.)

The mother sighed. "Yenaku theriyum, varava yenna madhri amaidhiya irupala? Seruppalaye adipa."

(I do know, but do you think his fiancé will compromise like I did? She's gonna question him with a slipper?)

Ashwin rolled his eyes hard. "Apdi oru character eh theva illanu thana sonnen, yaaru force panni indha marriage track ah start pannadhu? Ungala  thaan adipa, vaanga ready ah irunga."

(I already said I don't even need such a character in my life, who forcefully started this marriage track? If anything, you'll be the one she questions with a slipper, be ready to answer.)

"Yepdi pesuran parunga!" One word become two and now it was full fledged argument which wasn't something unusual in their household. 

(Look at how he's talking.)

"Dhayavu senju rendu perum vaaya mooditu vaanga, podra sandaila avan marriage ah cancel pannitu thirupi camp ku kelambiduvan pola. Modhalla kalyanam mudiyatum, mathadalam konjam konjama pesikalam." His father tried to get the situation into control and managed to calm the duo down.

(Can the both of you just calm down, if you keep fighting he might call off the wedding and leave for his army camp again. Let's get the marriage done first, we'll slowly unpack other matters later.)

Ashwin wasn't an easy child for them to handle ever since he was young, he was stubborn and persistent if he sets his mind to get something. He fought his way to get into a college far away from home. He went against everyone to start his career in army. Most of what he wanted would be frowned upon by his mother but he never gave up easily until he got his way.

That was how he managed to not get trapped into an unnecessary marriage all these years but things took a complete turn when his mother suffered from a sudden heart attack and used a classic method of emotional blackmail to make him cave in.

And now here he was, on the way to his future wife's house to get married like his mother had always dreamt.

Part of him felt guilty for getting an innocent girl involved in this mess but he can't be entirely blamed either as he did warn her beforehand during the only call he made to her. He confidently expected her to call off the wedding but it surprised him that she still agreed after hearing his ridiculous message of caution.

That was his only hope of escaping the marriage plan but since his fiancé ended up agreeing, he had no more say in it.

"Innum 10 minutes la reach aagiduvom." The driver announced.

(We're reaching in 10 minutes.)

He simply faced the window, glaring into nowhere when his father gently slapped his arm. "Moonja konjam siricha madhri thaan vechikoyenda!"

( Can you at least fake a smile?)

...

Multiple hugs, countless forehead kisses, the word 'mapillai' chanted like a hymn repeatedly, at least a hundred of blessings from various mouths, waving of a lighted lamp in front of his face for God knows how many times. So much happened in just about 20 minutes since he got off the car in front of the massive villa in Thodopuzha.

Ashwin felt like a doll being passed and tossed around from one to another to play with the entire time.

As advised, he masked his terror with a plastic smile in front of the entire crowd. They took their own sweet time with him before guiding him to his room where can finally breathe in ease.

The momentary silence in the room was broken by Rakshan who entered with a huge smile plastered on his face. "Yenna mapillai room comfortable ah iruka?"

(Is the room comfortable for you?)

Ashwin tilted his head at his old friend who also happened to be his college-mate. "Dei romba over ah pandra machan."

(You're seriously overdoing.)

"Idhu duty da." Rakshan grinned before placing Ashwin's luggages by the vanity table.

(This is my duty.)

"Yeppodhumey unga veetula ivlo peru irupangala?" Ashwin asked, his body still feeling all jittery after the excessive human interaction.

(Is your house always packed with these many people?)

"Illa da, wedding kaga yellarum vandhurkanga, next week after the wedding paaru veedu romba amaidhiya irukum. Oru 1 week adjust pannika."

(No, most of them are here for the wedding. Once the wedding is over, the house will be damn quiet. Just bear with it for a week.)

Ashwin nodded slowly with an inaudible sigh before settling down on the bed. He saw Rakshan staring at him with an odd expression. Raising his eyebrows he looked at Rakshan with a questioning look.

"Expect panla nee okay solluvanu." Rakshan confessed.

(I didn't expect you to agree.)

"I didn't have much of a choice."

Rakshan laughed. "Kelvi patten kelvi patten heart attack drama pathi."

(I did hear about the whole heart attack drama.)

Ashwin gave a defeated smile. Rakshan added, "yenaku puridhu unaku romba interest lam illanu and in fact shalini kum perusa interest illa thaan but yellarum sonna naale okay sollita. Nalla ponnu thaan da, konjam strong-headed and spoilt but overall sweet ah thaan irupa. Neenga perusa pesikalanu theriyum adhaan naaney solren avala pathi. Poga poga neeye therunjipa."

(I understand that you're not exactly interested and Shalini isn't interested either but since we all loved the idea, she ended up agreeing. She's a nice girl, a bit strong headed and spoilt but she's overall sweet. I'm aware that you both haven't really talked so I thought you might want to know at least this. Soon you yourself will understand more about her.)

Ashwin felt grateful towards his friend. They haven't been recently in touch but it amazes him how he can still read his mind and do what he wishes for without having the need for him to say it out. "Vitta naa unnaye kalyanam pannipen machan."

(I would just marry you if I can.)

Rakshan threw back his head and burst out into a laughter. "Yen? Naa nalla irukuradhu unaku pudikala?"

(Why? You don't like me living peacefully right now?)

"Hello? Naanum romba nalla payyan da." Ashwin argued.

(Hello? I'm a nice guy too.)

Rakshan nodded. "I know. Adhunala thaan I agreed for my sister to marry you."

Ashwin hummed, adjusting his shirt cuffs. "Aama avanga yenga?"

(Where's she?)

"Yevanga?" The teasing tone of Rakshan made Ashwin feel like slamming his head against the wall.

(Who?)

"Un thangachi thaan." He responded mundanely.

(Your sister.)

"By right idha thaan nee first ketrukanum, aadi asanji aramani neram kaluchi kekura. Yenna manushan da nee lam?" Rakshan genuinely questioned before answering, "ava konjam shopping poiruka. Nee actually romba lucky because you came at a time when all my cousins are not home. Evening vandhadhum ragalaiya paaru. Ippo rest pannu, aprom paaklam."

(You should have asked this the first thing, it took you almost half an hour to ask about her. What kind of a man are you? She's gone out shopping and you're actually very lucky all my cousins are out too right now. Just wait till they get back home in the evening. Take a rest, I'll see you later.)

With that he left Ashwin all alone. He stretched out his arms, hearing the sound of his joints cracking loudly after the long travel. Checking the time one last time, he lied down on his bed finding himself sinking into a deep sleep, completely oblivious to the events awaiting him when he wakes up later.

...

His fingers were tired from dialling up between his mother, father, brothers and Rakshan. Nobody seems to be answering their phones despite him trying for the past 1 hour.

Frustrated, he wanted to bang his phone against the wall but he knows he can't afford to lose the only mode of communication he has with people he knows though it appears to be quite useless at the moment.

It's been over 2 hours since he woke up from his nap and nobody came into his room to check on him. While it's true that Ashwin appreciates being left in his own space, he can't indulge the alone time in a house full of people he doesn't know yet but will suddenly be legally related to him in a week.

He could just exit the room and people would rush over to his side but being in a room full of people he never met or had a proper conversation with before didn't sit well with him.

Moreover, Ashwin finally wants to talk to his fiancé. If not now then when? He certainly didn't wanna exchange greetings for the first time in his first night. This one week is his opportunity to at least break the ice around her.

For the umpteenth time, he called Rakshan and just as he was ready to hear the flat beep sound, when suddenly he heard Rakshan's voice though it wasn't very clear.

"Sollu mapillai."

(Yes?)

"Dei yengada pona? Yevlo neram ah try panradhu unaku?! Vandhu yenna kutitu poda, naa thaniya iruken room la." Ashwin was yelling and begging at the same time.

(Where are you? I've been trying to reach you for so long! Come and bring me out, I'm all alone in my room.)

"Mapillai naa inga thaan unga amma, appa va lam kutitu veliya vandhen, konjam things lam vanganumnu sonnanga. Nee veliya poda living room la yellarum irupanga. Bayandhu saavadha, yellarum manushanga thaan."

(I'm actually not home right now, came out with your parents since they needed to get some stuff. You just leave the room yourself, there will be so many people outside. Stop being scared, all of them are just humans like you.)

This brand new information scared him more than the time his mother called him up to tell him about the bride she has found for him.

Panic arose in him. "Machan naa yepdi da thaniya, yenaku yaarayum theriyadhu."

(How am I supposed to go alone, I don't know any of them.)

Ashwin could hear Rakshan's sigh very clearly despite the poor network. "Dei veliya poyi military officer nu sollidatha, sirichiduvanga. Onnum agadhu, takkunu veliya po, Shalini ah oru look uh vittu kupdu illa vera yarayavudhu puduchu Shalini ah kuptu vida sollu, mathadhellam ava pathupa. Naa oru 1 hour la vandhurven."

(Please don't tell anyone that you're a military officer, they would seriously laugh. Nothing is gonna happen, just leave the room. find Shalini and signal her to come over or ask someone else to call Shalini for you and she'll take care of the rest. I'll be back in an hour.)

"Machan please da yenaku Shalini pic-"

(Can you please-)

"Naa kupudren Ashwin, dhairiyama poyi pesu." Rakshan abruptly ended the call as the noise from his background got even louder.

(I'll call you back Ashwin, be brave and talk.)

Ashwin pressed his lips tightly, trying his best to not scream out loud in frustration. Technically he knows he can continue staying here for the next few hours until Rakshan comes back home but that day some sort of gravity kept pushing him towards the door, like something kept telling him to walk out and see what's waiting for him.

It sounds really silly and illogical but Ashwin thought maybe he's feeling this way due to the fact that his heart knows Shalini is right there outside, a few steps out the door he'll be able to see her.

Yes, he's not keen about the whole marriage idea but it is still happening and he can't help but find his heartbeat shooting up high at the thought of meeting the woman he's most likely going to spend the rest of his life with, of course when he's not on duty.

Especially after hearing endless things about her from his mother, though he's aware of how she's capable of exaggerating, he can't help but wonder.

And that curiosity gave him the courage to open the door and step out. He silently sung in his head his go to mantra on emergency situations such as this: "It's okay you got a gun Ashwin, you got a gun and nobody else here does."

The noise level was pretty high in the living room of the first floor and he found himself moving to the railing, his head slowly leaning down to get a sight of the scenario below.

Ashwin could swear there were at least a dozen of young girls all scattered around, happily chitchatting and going through their shopping bags that Ashwin assumed they just bought today.

So much laughs and smiles. They were so engrossed in their discussion about a particular neck piece that one of the girls was holding up to her neck that nobody noticed his presence.

Ashwin couldn't help but notice one of the girls who was perched on the couch, happily eating away something out of a bowl without paying much attention to their discussion which has now moved towards a lehanga.

That's when he remembered how hungry he was feeling. He hasn't eaten anything since the heavy breakfast that was forced down his throat by his mother earlier in the morning.

Suddenly as if on cue, the girl looked up to catch him zoning out. She blankly stared for a few seconds before her lips formed into a gleeful smile and she suddenly stood up, disappearing into one of the rooms. That's it. Ashwin lost sight of her and was left to stare at the other girls now who was still going on about the lehanga.

His eyes furrowed as now he tried to focus on the pale pink lehanga that they've been chattering non-stop about and he failed to notice a figure climbing up the stairs, walking towards him.

"Hi." He almost jumped at the voice that came out of nowhere and exhaled out when she stood near him by the railing with a respectful distance.

"Hi." His voice came out much smaller than he had expected.

She handed him a bowl that was similar to the one she was eating from earlier. When he blinked with uncertainty, she encouragingly said, "sapdunga."

(Have it.)

He nodded, still feeling a bit unsure but ended up reaching for the bowl as the woman in white salwar continued sticking out the bowl in his direction, waiting patiently with a smile.

"Thank you." His voice was still coming out small that he was pretty sure she would assume that's how he always sounds.

He slowly brought a spoonful of ice cream to his lips when she popped a question. "Keela varalamla? Everyone's excited to meet you. Yen ivlo shy?"

(Why don't you come down? Everyone's excited to meet you. Why so shy?)

He let the blueberry ice cream melt in his mouth before answering. "Shy illa, just a bit awkward."

(Not shy, just a bit awkward.)

She snickered. "Rendum onnu thaan in this context at least."

(Both are the same at least in this context.)

He turned to look at her closely for the first time and he naturally noticed her dark eyes shimmering, making her seem almost unreal. Shaking those thoughts away, he said,"neenga yendha school ah english paduchinga? Illa, paduchingala?"

(Where did you learn English? Did you even learn?)

Sivaangi couldn't help but feel offended at the blunt question of his. She almost wanted to flex how fluent she is in that foreign language considering the fact that she spent most of her life growing up in a western nation. But she bit her tongue, stopping herself because that is not what she is here for.

Pushing back a chunk of her loose hair behind her ear, she cynically smiled at him before shooting back at him. "Language therinja podhuma? Pesa theriyanumla?"

(Learning a language isn enough. You need to know how to talk right?)

This time his gaze moved to her tiny fingers that tapped against the railing, producing an annoying sound every now and then. The compact size of her hands matched her height too, he silent thought. Forcing himself to face her, he responded. "Pesuvom. Pesuravanga kitta, pesa vendiyavanga kitta, pesuvom."

(I can talk. With the right people, I can talk very well.)

"Apdiya?" She asked in a mocking tone.

(Really?)

"Unga kitta pesuranla ippo." He pointed out to which she hummed in agreement. She noticed how he accidentally took a huge spoon of ice cream and made a cute face trying to endure the cold hitting him hard in the throat.

(Yeah I'm talking to you right now.)

After much struggle he managed to swallow and breathed out in ease. As an immediate reaction, it brought a smile to her face but it was quickly wiped out when he turned to look at her in the eye.

"Can you do me a favour?"

Sivaangi looked eager. Now he's definitely going to ask something about Shalini, maybe he'd ask her to bring over Shalini so they can have a chat. 'Finally it's about time!' Sivaangi silently thought and nodded her head in excitement. "Sollunga yenna pannanum?"

(Sure, what is it?)

His finger pointed towards the living room below as he asked,"idhula yedhu Shalini?"

(Which one of these is Shalini?)

Sivaangi's jaw dropped and she turned to him to make sure he really did say what she just heard. Is this man for real? While Sivaangi knows that he was completely not thrilled with the marriage, how could he not even bother to look at the bride's picture.

Ashwin became nervous at her visibly shocked state though he understands the absurdity behind his question. It's 2021, concept of arranged marriage itself is outdated but arranged marriage without even looking at the future partner is just beyond insane.

He anxiously explained, hoping it will help her to have a better perspective about him. "See I was very busy and wasn't really excited about this marriage, aprom amma photo send pannanga thaan but naa mobile change panniten so photo miss aagiduchu. Please neenga thaan help pannanum."

(Amma did send me the picture but I lost it since I changed my phone. Please you gotta help me out here.)

Sivaangi didn't know how the explanation was supposed to make any of this better. She continued staring at him with her iconic judgemental expression for the next few minutes, still trying to comprehend the existence of such a man.

He grew more and more uncomfortable under her scrutinising glare. "Please sollunga." Now he was almost pleading, he decided to be smart and suggested a deal even. "Naa vena ungaluku English solli tharen."

(Please tell me which is Shalini. I'll even teach you English.)

That was it. Sivaangi can't simply let go of this man anymore. She needs to mess with him or she won't be able to die in peace. Even the little ounce of compassion she felt earlier for him due to his introverted nature was all gone now. The audacity he beholds is challenging her inner devil to act up.

Thanks to her abundant experience in drama clubs and improv classes, she was able to immediately reflect sheer disappointment in her eyes as she innocently stared at him in the eye. With her breathy voice, she softly said,"naa thaan Shalini."

(I am Shalini.)

She walked away just like that, but not before catching sight of the way all colour escaped Ashwin's face.

~~~•••~~~

Any idea what will happen next? Or how the story  is going to move? Would love to hear your perspectives!

Thank you for reading 💜