31. Tumhare saath saat janam bhi saat din se kam lagenge (With you even seven lives will feel less than seven days.)

•°•

I never thought I was the possessive type. I used to find that bullshit really. If that person is committed to you, then why feel insecure? I had to go through it to know what it really feels like. It's not about them being committed to you, it's about you feeling unworthy of them. Priya makes me feel that. My brother's love for her makes me feel that. Every man out there, who is richer, successful, and more good-looking than me makes me feel that. Because honestly, what exactly do I have to offer in this relationship? Flirting and book quotes? I don't think that's gonna sustain our chemistry in the long run.

My reason to call that man here was simple. I can't afford another Aditya falling for her charms. She might not know the effect she has on men, she is dumb like that, but I know and hence it's better safe than sorry.

Presently, we were at this expensive ass restaurant waiting for the man to arrive. Priya was busy on her phone, and I was busy looking around the interiors. It was a classy place, classier than the one we had been at the first time we met. A tea here probably costs more than my wallet. So I had only settled on a glass of water.

My eyes darted to the doors when they opened. A familiar man stepped inside, probably around my age, or maybe a little older. His gaze ran across the floor before an attendant came up to his help. He asked her something, in response she nodded and led him towards our table.

"Priya," I called out, catching her attention to me. She raised her brow, turning her head to look at the sight I was gesturing at with my chin.

Sameer recognised her immediately and a smile rose on his face.

We stood up just as he reached our table.

"Hi, Sameer Shah," he held out his hand towards her.

"Priya Shrivastava," she shook his hand, a professional smile on her face.

He pulled away and stretched the same hand towards me.

"Aditya Shrivastava," I shot him a comforting smile. He looked nervous. "Let's all sit down first," I offered politely. He nodded in response.

I moved to Priya's side, giving up on my spot so that he could take it. We all settled down, a comforting silence blanketing us.

Priya beckoned a waitress to our table.

Hot.

"I'll take a latte," Sameer mumbled.

"An Americano." She ordered.

The waitress looked at me in question. "I'm fine." She nodded and walked away.

"We were supposed to meet on Monday?" Sameer quizzed with a frown. Understandable. Poor man's weekend must have been ruined due to an unscheduled meeting.

"I wasn't free." She stated.

Liar.

He forced a smile. "So what do you want to know?"

"I ran a background check on you." She muttered. "No offense,"

"None taken," he nodded. "Did you find anything worth mentioning?"

"Good or bad?"

"I conclude nothing bad since I'm sitting here in front of you?"

"Precisely," she answered, thanking the waitress that returned with their orders. "You're twenty-six?"

He nodded.

"She's still pursuing her education."

"Masters, is it?"

Priya hummed, taking a sip of her coffee. "Why didn't you order anything?" This, she asked me. "Maybe a tea?" She offered softly.

I shook my head. "I'm fine," I answered.

"I had no idea you'd be coming along," Sameer smiled at me.

I smiled back. "Yeah, it was impromptu."

"What do you do?"

"I'm a game engineer at GameScape."

"Oh," his brows shot raised. "Impressive."

"You work in the bank?"

He nodded. "At HDFC."

I hummed, taking a sip of my water.

"What qualities do you look for in your wife, Mr. Shah?" Priya asked, roping his attention back towards her.

"You can call me Sameer."

"Sure, Mr. Shah," she answered.

I saw a muscle tick in his jaw. Easily annoyed, huh.

"Well, she must be smart, slightly sensitive but more practical. A family person. A good sense of humor will be a bonus." He answered.

"Are you a family person?"

"I believe I am." He replied.

"Do you plan to start your own family immediately?"

"No," he shook his head. "I mean, I'm still twenty-six. And it's an arranged marriage. I want a partner. Not a baby-making machine."

That did it.

I know that did.

Just a little more and he'll pass.

"Why Preeti?"

He shrugged. "She is not very ambitious. My father told me she wants to be a homemaker. I like such women. Grounded. Simple."

"So in other words, you like them, dependent?"

Oops.

Sameer's eyes narrowed. "No, Priya -"

"Mrs. Shrivastava, please," she corrected.

He clenched his jaw. I frowned. Keep that attitude in your pocket, mister. "No, Mrs. Shrivastava. If she wants to take on a job, I don't mind."

"But you said the reason why you chose Preeti is because she wants to be a housewife."

"I said I like such women."

"You must dislike me then," She tilted her head to the side curiously. Don't do that. It makes you look sexy. "Are you saying working women are not grounded and simple? Do you think we have our heads floating in the seventh sky?"

"You have a very pessimistic perspective." He gritted out.

"I prefer practical but okay," she countered, leaning in with her hands interlaced.

Geez, does this woman want me to have a crush on her all over again!? Am I the only one getting affected by that commanding presence? Because Sameer looked frustrated.

"Mrs. Shrivastava," he gritted out. "I haven't met your sister yet. But from what I've heard about her, I'm looking forward to meeting her. She sounds like a nice woman. Someone I can foresee my future with. I said her simplicity is what piqued my interest in her initially. If I get to meet her, know her, like her, then I don't care if she wants to work or be a housewife. That's her choice. But that is of course, if I get to meet her." He said in a clipped tone, his last words hinting towards sarcasm.

Priya leaned back, crossing her legs elegantly. "Did I upset you, Mr. Shah?"

He didn't bother answering.

She chuckled, freezing him. He looked at her strangely, in disbelief, as though he is imagining the smile on her face. Yeah, I know how that feels. I was in the same position as you two months ago. But focus on Preeti, boy. This one's mine already.

"I think Preeti will want to meet you," she nodded, beckoning the waitress with the billbook. I reached for my wallet but she gently placed her hand on mine, frowning at me with a shake of her head. "My treat," she smiled gently, genuinely. I could tell Sameer was taken aback for the second time today.

"I- I could have paid," he interrupted.

"As I said, my treat." She slid in her black credit card along with a few hundred as a tip before flipping the book close. "You can pay the next time you take my sister out on a date,"

His expression changed into shock.

"A tip," she started. "She likes gentlemen."

"The one who opens the door, pulls chairs, polite but charming," I added, earning a beautiful smile from my wife. "She's got a romantic soul."

"Much like my husband," Priya commented, chuckling up at me.

I laughed in response, and Sameer grinned too.

The waitress returned with her card.

"It was nice meeting you, Mr. Shah," she got up and I followed.

Sameer stood up to shake hands with her again. "I feel the same, Mrs. Shrivastava." His hand then shifted towards me. I clasped it firmly. "Nice meeting you, Mr. Shrivastava."

"I prefer Aditya."

"Call me Sameer, then," he smiled.

"Stick around, dude," I patted his arm.

"Shall we?" Priya reached out for my hand. I smiled at Sameer one last time before leading my wife out of the restaurant.

"How do you do it?" I asked in astonishment once we got back to the car.

"Do what?" She muttered, fishing out a USB cord from her handbag.

"Change into a completely different person in front of others."

"I don't." She shrugged. "that's also me."

"Why?"

"What do you mean by why?" She frowned at me, plugging her phone into the charger. "You can't be comfortable around every stranger you meet."

"So, he'll get to see a different side once he becomes Preeti's husband?"

"No." She stated. "It's not necessary the people that are your family are the people that make you feel comfortable."

"Who are you more comfortable with?" I asked curiously. Please let me be on the list.

"Preeti and you."

Oh.

I'm actually the only one on the list apart from her sibling. That's surprising.

"Shall we go to the mall?"

"Shall we eat something first?" She retorted.

I chuckled. "You should have eaten something at the restaurant."

"While two men watch me?" She scoffed. "No thanks."

I smiled. "Alright, Meri Jaan, let's go eat the roadside pav bhaji I want you to try."

She sighed. "I'm still having a bad feeling about it."

"Well, there's nothing to be done now." I shrugged, slowing the car in front of the pav bhaji stall near the metro station. The place was buzzing with a crowd. "Stay here. Don't come out." I instructed, getting out of the car. Men at such places are fucking creeps.

I had to wait for more than thirty minutes until our order was served. Priya had managed to call me twenty times in that time. So impatient.

"What took you so long?" She grumbled when I sat inside.

I handed her the disposable plate and she took it carefully. With my free hand, I reached out to close the door shut. "Try it."

"First, this," she held out a bottle of sanitizer towards me. Putting the plate on my lap, I squeezed out some on my hands and rubbed them together.

In the meanwhile, she tore a piece of the flaky masala pav and dipped it in the bhaji. I leaned in to put an onion ring on the morsel.

"No no no, my mouth will stink." She reasoned, dropping the onion ring.

"Kuch nahi hota, saath mein logon ko bhasm karenge hamare badbudar mu se. (No worries, together we'll turn the people into dust with our stinking mouths.)" I quipped, putting the onion ring back. She giggled, shoving the whole thing in her mouth and widening her eyes at me in happy surprise.

"Liked it?"

She nodded eagerly, quickly reaching out to feed herself again.

I could hardly focus on my food as I watched her enjoy her own. She looked like a warm cascade of sunshine dancing on the ripples of the blue ocean surface. So poetic, Aditya. You need to stop reading books.

After filling out tummies to the brim, we decided to go to Mall. In the middle of the drive, I felt Priya tap my arm hurriedly.

"What?" I glanced at her.

"There's a drug store," she pointed.

"So?"

"Get us a mouth freshener." She looked at me.

I groaned. "Shut up,"

"Aditya, please na!" She whined.

With a defeated sigh, I halted the car beside the pavement. "Jao! (Go!)" She insisted when I made no move to step out of the car.

"Kya yaar tum bhi (You're seriously too much)" I rolled my eyes, opening the door to exit.

A few seconds later I was coming back to the car. Getting inside, I tossed the mouth freshener in her lap. She smiled and chirped thanks. I shook my head while pulling the car back on the road.

"Open your mouth," she leaned towards me.

I obliged.

The minty spray coated all of my mouth.

"Check if your mouth still smells," she instructed.

I breathed in the cup of my palm and tsked in denial.

She sat back satisfied.

We parked in the terrace parking lot of the mall and took an elevator to the second floor. The doors opened with a pleasant ping, revealing the line of expensive shops and boutiques. Priya held my hand as I took the lead.

"What should we buy?"

She shrugged. "I'm not really a shopping person."

"Neither me. We're at the wrong place."

She chuckled. "Can I buy you shirts?" She asked, her attention on the men's clothing line promoted by an expensive foreign brand. I swallowed.

"A local street market works just fine," I said, dragging her away from the store.

"But I loved the collection," for a woman who hates shopping, her heavy feet spoke a completely different tale. "Please?" She pouted at me.

"Priya-"

"Please na! Please." She gripped my hands gently.

I sighed in defeat. "Fine."

"Yes!" She grabbed my hand tightly, pulling me inside the expensive as fuck store.

Even the air here felt different.

She dragged me to the aisles of the shirts and trousers, looking through different options. I dared to check the price tag of a black jacket and the price had me shaking in the boots. Four thousand seven hundred!? What the fuck!?

"Priya, it's so expensive -" I started in a whisper.

"You look amazing in black. So we're buying everything in black." She cast a glance at me, giving my body a once over, before going back to the options. "And also blue. Navy blue. Maybe sea-green too?" She nodded, completely in her zone to pay attention to my words. "This, this, this, and also this," she draped clothes over clothes on her arm, not even checking the price tag of the things she was picking.

"Priya-"

"Adi!" A familiar voice called out and we turned to see Vikram entering the store with his wife.

I sighed in relief, quickly turning back around and putting the clothes to the side. "Let's go meet them,"

Her gaze lingered pitifully on the clothes while I dragged her towards my friend and his wife.

"Priya!" Nisha bhabhi stepped forward to hug her. Priya chuckled awkwardly, hugging her back. "So nice to meet you! I was actually missing you so much!" She gushed. "Last time we met, getting your number completely slipped my mind. I'm such a jhalli!" She giggled.

Priya smiled back.

"Even Vikram here wasn't letting me get your contact through Aditya. He says I make you uncomfortable."

"Nisha!" Vikram snapped, looking embarrassed.

"Do I make you uncomfortable?" She asked Priya, ignoring her husband.

"No, of course not." Priya shook her head hurriedly. "Just a little overwhelmed." She admitted in a soft voice.

"I'll work on that!" Nisha bhabhi laughed. "Accha c'mon, I saw you picking some shirts. I need to buy a few for Vikram." And she dragged my wife back to the expensive hell I had just managed to get her out of.

"What happened?" Vikram asked me.

"Everything's so expensive here."

"Well, it's Uniqlo." He shrugged.

"Priya is just going all out as if it's fucking Diwali!" I grunted, watching my wife and my friend's wife selecting shirts for us as if they were picking free coriander from a grocery store. Damnit.

Vikram chuckled.

"You're not losing it?" I frowned at him.

"We came on a budget." He shrugged.

I sighed in regret. "We should have too."

"Aditya!" Priya called me to her, a mountain of clothes in her hands. Vikram nodded at me to follow with a teasing smile. I shot him a glare but obliged anyway. "Try these!"

My brows shot raised. "What!?"

"Try these." She insisted stubbornly. "C'mon. There's the dressing room." She nudged me with her elbow given her hands were busy. I carried on with an irritated groan.

She thrust the clothes in my arm and took a seat on the chair stationed in front of the dressing room. "Go,"

I rolled my eyes and turned around, slamming the door shut.

I tried out five T-shirts first.

She rejected two of them.

Then seven shirts. She kept all the dark colors and rejected the subtle ones. The irony. Her wardrobe is filled with subtle colors, but on me she prefers the darker shades.

Out of three pairs of jeans, she decided on one. The black one. No surprise there.

She also got me three casual denim shirts. Dark blue, navy blue, and dark brown. And two pairs of trousers, beige and black.

"Let's get them billed," she smiled, collecting the clothes and heading towards the counter.

"Woah, are you shopping for Diwali that's still eight months away?" Nisha bhabhi joked. She had just got Vikram a pair of linen shorts and a blue polo shirt.

Priya blushed, handing the stuff to the salesgirl. I was dreading the price. It has to be above ten thousand. Fuck.

"Seventeen thousand four hundred twenty, Ma'am," the man smiled politely.

Nisha bhabhi gasped in shock. My jaw dropped. Even Vikram looked stunned. While my wife merrily dug through her purse for her card.

"No!" I pushed past Nisha bhabhi, stepping beside Priya. She looked at me in confusion. "We're getting rid of a few-"

"But I love them on you -"

"Priya," I said sternly. She fell quiet.

Sorting through the clothes, I set aside a few, reducing the bill to three thousand. A shirt, a pair of jeans and a t-shirt. There you go, perfect. "Bill them," I said and reached for my wallet. Before I could fish out my card, Priya stormed out of the store.

"Adi, she wanted to buy them for you. You didn't have to be so rude about it." Nisha bhabhi chastised.

"No, Nisha. That was ridiculously expensive." Vikram mumbled.

I handed the cashier my card, glancing outside the store impatiently. Please be around.

"Your card, sir." He returned.

Grabbing the bill as well, I collected the shopping bags and excused myself from the couple to go search for my wife. A sigh of relief escaped me upon finding her seated on the nearby bench beside the penguin dustbin. Approaching her side, I sat down beside her.

"I want to go home."

"Priya -"

"Kya ho jaata agar mein apne paiso se aapke liye kuch kharid ti toh? (What would have happened if I bought you something from my money?)" She asked.

"I-"

"Or are you one of those men who feel less of a man if a woman buys something for them from her own money?"

"Priya!" I snapped sternly.

She lowered her head guiltily. "Sorry."

I breathed out in regret. "Look at me,"

She shook her head.

"I said look at me," I commanded.

She lifted her head, meeting my eyes with her dull brown ones.

I scooted closer. "I don't mind you buying me something from your own money." I tucked the loose strands behind her ears. "But I do mind unnecessary expense on me."

"You bought these with your own money!" She shoved at the bag angrily.

I chuckled. "Alright, credit me three thousand rupees."

She frowned.

"Now," I stated.

She fished out her phone and opened Google pay. "Three thousand?" She confirmed the amount.

"Wait," I opened the bill. "Three thousand two hundred fifty," I replied.

She smiled and typed the amount, hitting transfer. Grabbing the bags from me, she offered them back to me. "From me, Mr. Shrivastava."

I feigned surprise. "Oh my God, really!? Thank you so much, meri jaan!" I snatched the bags and pretended to look inside even though I already knew. She laughed joyously.

"Aw, you guys are so cute!" Nisha Bhabhi's presence startled us both.

We looked at her with wide eyes.

"We're still working on her stalker tendencies." Vikram provided sounding ashamed. She nudged him in the ribs.

Priya and I chuckled, getting up from the bench. Nisha bhabhi asked if they could join us for the rest of the day and we agreed. My Priya will appreciate a friend in her life. And I trust Nisha bhabhi. Yeah, she is a bit too much, but she is pure-minded and honest.

I chose a dress for Priya. She was shy about trying it out since it was off-shoulder and reached just below her knees. But I sported my best puppy look and she was defeated.

"Are you done, Priya?"

"Ye-Yeah," she said from the dressing room.

"Open the door then. Let me see." I urged.

"I- I don't know. It's too revealing." She muttered softly.

"It's just me, Jaan," I assured.

"I feel self-conscious."

"Should I come inside?"

"No no no no!" She denied vehemently.

"Toh baahar aajao na meri titli, (then come out my butterfly,)" I persuaded softly.

A few seconds later, the door clicked open, revealing my wife. I watched her from head to toe while she stood in discomfort. It was a beautiful dress, but it didn't suit her much.

"I know it doesn't look good." She muttered disappointedly.

"It's fine, actually. But yeah, not that great." I nodded.

Her face fell and she attempted to close the door.

"Arey, I was just being honest." I held the door back. "Stay here. I'll get you another one. A nicer one."

"No!"

"Priya, please." I tried to convince her.

She sighed in defeat and nodded.

I looked through the options at the racks, and Nisha bhabhi helped me too. A red dress caught my attention and I pulled it out.

"Oh wow," Nisha bhabhi exclaimed. "Red, velvet, bodycon, and a sweetheart neckline." She smiled. "Perfect!"

Elbow-length sleeves too. Perfect indeed.

"I'll give it to her," I said and she nodded, distracted by the other options. On my way to the dressing room, I checked the price and it was eight thousand four hundred. I almost turned around to put it back but then decide to check how it looks on her before making the final decision.

"Priya," she stuck her hand out in response. I smiled and dropped the soft fabric into her hands.

I waited patiently outside.

The door swung open, revealing my wife clad in a red velvet dress, stealing my breath along with my speaking capabilities. Fuck. It fit her so perfectly, emphasising all the right places. She had tossed her hair in a messy bun and Jesus Christ, the sight almost had me losing my composure.

I stepped inside, startling her with my actions. Closing the door with a nudge of my foot, I backed her against the mirror. She swallowed visibly.

"You look sexy,"

She blinked up at me. "I- I don't usually wear such dark colors."

"You shouldn't. I don't want anyone looking at you when you look like this."

She blushed.

"This is for my eyes," I raised her chin to meet her gaze. "You look so beautiful, you know that?" I stroked her bottom lip. I really want to bite it.

She pulled away, turning her head to the other side. I took that as an invitation to bury my face in the crook of her neck, inhaling her soft fragrance that had mingled with the smell of the new fabric. I dragged my lips from her neck to her collarbones, earning a soft, breathless moan from her. I held back a groan of my own. This woman is going to be the death of me.

I stepped back and she sucked in a sharp breath.

"We're buying this," I said before stepping out of the room.

The next we entered the shopper's stop and I bought her a silver sterling dainty necklace that had a star passing through the half-crescent. It didn't cost me much. Unlike the dress. Just around fifteen hundred.

She didn't once argue when I bought things for her. Neither asked the price. And I loved that. But it also made me realise if she had done the same as I did to her a few hours ago, I would have felt incompetent and judged. I was such a hypocrite.

"That suit looks nice," I said, pointing to the dark grey suit on display. It was nice but I was forcing myself. Her face broke into a beaming smile and fuck, it was so worth it. She dragged me inside the store. I tried not to look around or check the prices.

"It'll look good on him, right Vikram?" Nisha bhabhi wondered.

He nodded in response.

"Should we buy you one too?" She asked him.

"We don't have the budget. We still have to buy the list of toys Ashish wants to get for Sky." He declined.

"I can pay for you. You can return the money later?" Priya offered politely.

"Oh, no, Priya. Don't bother. I've many suits at home." He shook his head with a smile.

"Would you like any assistance, ladies, and gentlemen?" A salesman walked up to us.

"Yes, we need that suit in his size," Priya said, referring to the grey suit on the display. The man sized me up before bringing a garment bag to us. Priya took it and handed it to me, nodding towards the dressing room.

I obeyed wordlessly.

Before changing, I intentionally stole a glimpse of the price tag, and holy shit, it was expensive as fuck. Twelve thousand seven hundred! Okay, no, maybe this was a bad idea.

I was about to leave the room when Priya's former reaction came to my mind. Shit. I can't repeat the whole thing. This time she didn't even insist, it was I, in greed of her smile, who took this decision. I can't embarrass her any further because of my indecisive, broke self.

Forcing myself out of my current clothes, I wore the suit. Surprisingly, it fit me perfectly. No alterations were required.

I opened the curtains and stepped out, catching the attention of the spectators seated on the lounge.

Priya stood up in awe, coming up to me with a small smile.

"Why did I never notice you in college?" Nisha bhabhi asked mournfully.

Vikram slapped the back of her head, erupting chuckles from all of us.

My eyes drifted back to my wife, who was looking at me like she was watching some miracle. Absolutely adorable.

I cleared my throat and she blinked from her daze, causing my lips to pull at the corners.

"We're taking this," she looked at the salesman who nodded with a smile.

I turned to change into my original clothes. Priya grabbed my elbow, halting me abruptly. "Don't change." She shook her head.

I frowned.

"It's expensive -"

"Yeah, and it's for you to wear not preserve." She stated. "Keep wearing it." She instructed sternly before heading to the counter to pay for the suit. I sighed softly.

"Kya biwi mili hai yar tujhe (what a wife you've got, dude.)" Vikram complimented.

"Seriously!" Nisha bhabhi gushed. "You two are so so so cute!"

I blushed.

Exiting the shop, we accompanied Vikram and his wife to buy their things. Priya helped her with it since Vikram was of no use, busy watching sports on the television in the store.

I decided to take Priya for a dinner at an expensive restaurant. We were in proper outfits to enjoy the night at a classy place. Never knew taking my wife out on a date would cause such a huge blow to my savings but fuck it, if not my wife then who am I earning for?

Mercedes and a house.

I didn't let the thought ruin my mood.

We had dinner in the company of our smiles, light conversations, subtle flirting, and a violin playing in the background. I fiddled with her fingers, stroking the engagement ring that she wore. Bringing it to my lips, I placed a kiss there. She blushed under my gaze.

"I can't wait to see you in that dress again," I confessed.

Her blush deepened.

"Wear it on your birthday. I want to take you out again."

"Shouldn't we stay at home?" She asked thoughtfully.

"No," I answered. "If they are interested, we'll cut a cake in the evening. But the rest of your night, I want it for myself." I said possessively.

She looked nervous. "What are we do-doing?"

"You'll see," I smirked. "Soon."

Why are they so amazing? And so understanding? And so perfect together?

Imma cry, but I've exams tomorrow so I need no puffy eyes and wish me luck, bitches. I'm actually confident about this one unlike the previous. It had me shaking in my boots lmao. Let's just hope I pass. 💀

Hope you enjoyed the chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment. Makes my day.