KHUSHI

"We picked a date!" I told Ananya excitedly. We dint want to delay the wedding so we picked the closest date possible, and that was exactly after a week, we dint have much preparations to me so it was going to be enough time for a little bit of preparation, I was so excited about it.

Earlier today morning after our love making session in the kitchen, we both took a shower together and then we just sat in my room discussing everything about it and we finally picked a date, we both were so excited for the wedding.

Arnav rushed home to inform Aman and also go talk to his family and invite them for the wedding as I waited for Ananya to come back from work.

When I heard the doorbell ring, I rushed to open the door myself and when I saw her, I could no more keep the news to myself.

"Oh My God! I'm so happy for you, and excited already, we need to find outfits." She said.

Of course, whenever there was a wedding, the first thought almost every girl had was what they were going to wear, and here I was the bride, I had to find the perfect outfit.

"I know, we can start shopping from tomorrow and planning things." I said as I walked inside and sat down on the sofa as Ananya followed me.

"So, I have some news too, not as big as yours, but in the morning your boyfriend, oops fiancé managed to convince me for a date with his friend Aman." Ananya looked at me as she bit her lower lip nervously.

"I'm listening." I smirked.

"He actually called me, and asked if I could go out with him for dinner tonight and I agreed. Now I'm not sure if he's my type or if I'm going to like him but yeah... I hope it goes good."

"It will, Aman is a great person, jeez everything is so exciting." I hugged her happily, it was like our lives were perfect at the moment, everything was just so happy and exciting.

"So what time do you leave for the date?" I asked.

"In like an hour." She said as she looked at her wrist watch and then back at me.

"Wow, let's get you all dressed up then, he must be left in awe when he looks at you." I said as I stood up, just like me Ananya too had been in search for the right man and over the years we just dated guys but never really reached to the getting married point. As for me I was lucky I met Arnav, and now I hoped Ananya was also going to meet someone soon, be it Aman or someone else.

*****

I heard the sound of a car arriving in our compound, so I left Ananya to put on her shoes as I headed outside.

I found Aman stepping out of the car as I stepped out of the house, I smirked as I walked towards him.

"So finally you're going on a date?" I giggled.

"Well Arnav was very convincing." She smiled.

"What do you mean, you dint want to go for the date? Actually, it's strange, I've known you for so long, and I've never seen you with a girl, why is that so?"

I remember Aman had always been alone, even when him and Arnav started staying together and I used to visit them, Aman never had anyone at home or never did he leave saying he had a date or anything.

"I just... I don't really know how to impress girls." He said nervously.

"Wow, so what were you thinking, that one day a girl was going to impress you?"

"Yeah maybe. But well Arnav impressed one for me. I just hope she likes me." He laughed.

"You haven't even met her before, why do you want her to like you and how sure are you that you would like her too?" I asked.

"I don't know, I just have a good feeling about her." She smiled.

"Well as long as you don't hurt her, I'm cool, if you hurt her you'll face my wrath."

"Oh shit, now I'm scared." He laughed making me laugh too, and just then Ananya walked out of the house, I saw Aman's eyes open widely as he stared at her in awe, and somehow, I just had a good feeling about this.

"Hey." Ananya smiled nervously.

"Hey." Aman greeted her back.

"Okay, I'll let you two go on your date." I winked at them both as I headed inside the house to change so I could go meet Arnav, I dint have much to do so I figured it was better if I'd go spend some time with him and we'd discuss the wedding and everything.

I texted him just to be sure he was home, and he told me he had done to talk to his parents, he told me to go there too and as much as I dint want to go there, I decided to go for him.

I dint want him to be alone with those people they could mess up his mind and he had just started getting well, I wasn't going to take a risk.

*****

I stood outside the huge palace, staring at it, still battling my thoughts on whether I should go inside or not, I never really had a good experience here and knowing that his family dint like me was making me double think this.

I couldn't still leave Arnav to deal with this alone so I decided to walk in... as I walked in, I found the entire family gathered in the hall.

"Khushi." Arnav smiled as he stood up, walked towards me and held my hand as he pulled me along to where he was seated and we both sat down.

"So you two decided to get married?" Mr. Ratan looked at me, God! His father was so scary.

"Yes." I nodded.

"And you dint even consider to take our permission, seriously what is wrong with this generation?"

"You should be glad we're at least here to inform you and invite you, after what you all have done, you don't even deserve that." Arnav said angrily, I held his hand tighter immediately.

He looked at me and I just nodded negatively at him so he wouldn't get mad, we dint want to make things worse, just better.

"We know you don't support our thoughts and ideas or anything, but if there's one thing that I know is that you all love Arnav, just because he doesn't accept your ways of living and you don't accept his ways of living doesn't mean we have to fight and argue every time.

All I am asking for is understand, live your life the way you want and let us live the way we want, none of us will interfere in each other's lives, that's it." I said.

"You took him away from us, don't tell us what to do." His mother said angrily.

"She dint take me away, why is it so hard for you people to understand that all this daily drama of yours was causing me some real health problems, that's why I left." Arnav tried to explain.

"What health problems, you seem fine to us."

"I was talking about my mental health, just because it doesn't show doesn't mean it's not there." Arnav was starting to get angry, thank God I came, he couldn't have dealt with this people alone, they weren't ready to listen to a thing.

"You know what, this is us being nice, this is Arnav's love for you people that has brought him here, because he wants his family to be with him on a special day of his life, I know you all don't like me and I'm not telling you to like me but for the sake of your son's happiness, can you just listen for once?

All he's asking for is for you all to attend the wedding, because he loves you despite everything, why can't you people love him too?" I asked.

"Khushi is right." Ishani spoke.

"Ishani!" Ayush looked at her angrily.

"You can't always shut me up Ayush, I am a person, I have my own thoughts and I have all the rights to speak about the things I think are right and wrong. Seriously where are all these beliefs going to take you? Don't you realize you're ruining your entire family just because of some stupid beliefs? What is wrong with you people?" Ishani looked at them angrily and then headed out of the house, seriously this people could make anyone mad.

"Times have changed mom, dad. No one is telling you to change, but for heaven sake it's high time you live your life the way you want and let others live the way they want.

I will wait for you at the temple, if you are willing to attend the wedding I'll be more than glad, and if not, I'll know your beliefs were more important than your son." Arnav said as he stood up sadly, just for once I wished his family could understand him.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me outside with him, once we were out of the place, we both stood there inhaling some fresh air, being inside there always felt kind of suffocating.