FIFTEEN

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AUTHOR'S POV

I walked slowly towards Dadu, my heart feeling strangely heavy yet comforted at the same time. The moment I reached him, I didn't say a word -- I just wrapped my arms around him and hugged him tightly.

His familiar warmth, the soft scent of his old cologne, and the gentle way he placed is hand on my back made me feel like moment, nothing else mattered. It was just me and my Dadu - my safe place, my constant, the one person who could make everything feel okay again without even trying.

I settled down on the couch next to Dadu, feeling that familiar comfort his presence always brings. As I glanced around, my eyes landed on the table in front of us - his medicine strip lying untouched beside a glass of water. I immediately turned to him, narrowing my eyes in mock anger.

"Dadu..." I said in a warning tone, raising an eyebrow.

He looked at me innocently, pretending not to understand.

I shook my head with a sigh. He never takes his medicine on time. No matter how many times we remind him, he always finds a way to avoid it. And with his heart condition, that's the last thing he should be doing.

Why are elders so stubborn when it comes to their own health?

I handed him the medicine, and as expected, he made the weirdest faces while taking it - like a kid being forced to eat bitter karela. I couldn't help but laugh. He grumbled a little, but in the end, he took it.

He cleared his throat, and instantly, I knew - he wanted to say something. Something serious. The playful smile faded from my face as I turned toward him, my expression softening, my posture straightening. I looked at him with quiet attention, sensing that whatever he was about to say wasn't just casual conversation.

Dadu looked at me with an unusual seriousness in his eyes, something I wasn't used to seeing from him. It instantly made my heart skip a beat. His voice was calm, but carried a quiet weight as he said

"Isha beta, mujhe tumse ek zaroori baat karni hai."

{"Isha beta, I need to talk to you about something important."}

I straightened up slightly, my playful mood fading. Whenever Dadu used that tone, it meant the conversation ahead wasn't going to be light. Something was coming - and I could feel it.

He paused for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully, and then said,

"Woh Rathore family kal humare ghar aayi thi."

{"The Rathore family came to our house yesterday."}

I nodded slowly, trying to keep my face calm even though my mind had started racing.

"Jiiii Dadu," I said softly, my voice barely above a whisper.

{"Yes dadu"}

I looked at him, really looked - at the lines on his face, the worry in his eyes, and the way his hands were folded tightly in his lap.

Whatever he was about to say clearly mattered to him. So I braced myself, giving him my full attention, even as something in my chest began to tighten.

" To kuch waqt me Sujeet ke sath tha "

Dadu began, his tone thoughtful.

{"So, I were with Sujeet for a while"}

"Hum dono ne thodi der ke liye akele mein baat ki... aur Sujeet chahta hai ki..."

{"We both talked in private for a while... and Sujeet wants that..."}

He paused for a moment, glancing at me as if to gauge my reaction.

"...ki hum dono families ek rishte ke baare mein soch-vichar karein. Tumhara aur Veer ka."

{"...that both our families consider a relationship — between you and Veer"}

The moment Dadu's words left his mouth, I felt as if time had come to a sudden halt.

"Tumhara aur Veer ka."

{"You and veer"}

My breath hitched.

For a second, I just stared at him, unsure if I had actually heard what I thought I did. My mind tried to process the sentence, but it felt like the words were echoing too loudly inside my head to make any sense.

Veer?

My eyebrows shot up slightly, and I blinked - once, then twice - as if that would somehow change what Dadu had just said. My lips parted to speak, but no words came out. A mix of shock, confusion, and disbelief swirled inside me like a storm I wasn't prepared for.

I looked at Dadu, trying to find some hint that he was joking. But his expression remained calm, sincere - and that only made my heart race faster.

" K-kya unke sath s-shaadi " i managed to say.

{"M-marriage... with him?"}

Dadu nodded slowly, his eyes still on me, reading every flicker of emotion on my face. But the moment he saw the shock written all over me - the stillness, the wide eyes, the way my hands gripped the cushion beside me - he quickly added,

"Lekin beta, shaant ho jao... shaadi abhi nahi ho rahi hai," he said gently, his voice laced with reassurance.

{"But beta, calm down… the marriage isn’t happening right now"}

"Humne abhi bas is baare mein baat ki hai... socha hai, koi faisla nahi liya."

{"We’ve just talked about it for now… just considered it, no decision has been made"}

I let out a shaky breath I didn't realize I was holding, but the knot in my chest didn't loosen.

Just the idea of it had shaken me. The fact that my name was being discussed in a conversation about marriage - with HIM , of all people - felt surreal. I wasn't ready for this, not even close.

I looked at Dadu again, this time with a mix of confusion and desperation in my eyes.

Why now? Why me? And why him?

But I stayed quiet. Because somewhere deep down, I knew... this was just the beginning of something much bigger.

"Veer to raazi bhi ho gaya hai is shaadi ke liye," Dadu added casually, almost like it was just another detail.

{"Veer has even agreed to this marriage"}

The moment those words hit me, my eyes widened in disbelief.

Wait... what?

He agreed?

He actually agreed to marry me?

My heart skipped a beat - or maybe three. I sat frozen, staring at Dadu as if he'd just spoken in a language I didn't understand.

He agreed? On this marriage? With me?

But why?

We barely know each other. We don't even get along properly.

He's always cold, distant... rude, even. This makes no sense!

Questions exploded in my head like fireworks, each louder than the last. A part of me was offended, another part confused, and somewhere - very deep, very quietly - there was something else. Something I couldn't name yet.

But for now, all I could do was whisper under my breath, "Why...?", more to myself than anyone else.

Without saying a single word, I got up and rushed toward my room. My footsteps echoed in the hallway, but I barely noticed.

Behind me, I heard Dadu call out my name - his voice concerned, maybe even a little pleading - but in that moment, it felt distant... like a blur in the background.

Maybe I heard him.

Maybe I didn't.

I wasn't sure.

Because right now, my mind was spinning with a hundred questions, all crashing into each other at once.

My hands trembled slightly as I shut the door behind me. I needed space. I needed answers. But most of all, I needed to breathe.

I collapsed onto my bed, the weight of everything finally settling on my shoulders. Turning to my side, I buried my face into the pillow, hoping it would muffle the chaos building inside me.

The room was silent, but my thoughts were screaming.

Softly, almost like a whisper meant only for the walls to hear, I said to myself"N-nahi me shaadi nhi karna chahti or unse to bilkul nhi " A tear slid down my cheek.

{"No, I don’t want to get married—especially not to him"}

My voice cracked as I spoke. I clenched the pillow tighter, as if it could somehow hold me together.

I kept whispering to myself, thoughts tumbling out in fragments - confused, restless, unanswered.

The pillow beneath me felt warm, damp - maybe from a few silent tears I hadn't even realized had fallen.

And somewhere between overthinking and overfeeling...

I drifted off to sleep.

Still wrapped in confusion.

Still holding questions I wasn't ready to face.

                               ~

I woke up in the evening, the soft orange light from the window casting long shadows across my room. For a moment, I just lay there, disoriented, as if waking from a dream that had felt too real.

As I sat up slowly, I felt a dull heaviness in my chest - the kind that doesn't go away with sleep. I rubbed my eyes gently, and that's when I realized they were slightly puffy... and a little red.

Had I really cried myself to sleep?

I walked over to the mirror and looked at my reflection. My face looked tired, my expression distant. It wasn't like me to break down like this. But today... everything had felt too much. Too sudden.

I splashed some cold water on my face, hoping to wash away the thoughts along with the tears.

I sat back on the bed, pulling my knees close to my chest. Everything still felt a little heavy, but I didn't want to think too much - not right now.

I reached for my phone lying at the edge of the bed and unlocked it, the familiar glow momentarily comforting. Without really thinking, I opened Instagram and began mindlessly tapping through stories.

One after another - coffee cups, selfies, sunsets, college drama, memes... everything looked normal. Too normal. Like the world hadn't changed at all. Like my world wasn't spinning out of control.

I sighed softly, my thumb pausing mid-swipe.

How is everyone just... living, while I'm stuck in this mess I didn't even ask for?

And just then, a familiar name popped up on the screen - a story update from Ruhi

I tapped on Ruhi's story without thinking much -

There he was.

Veer

Sitting beside Ruhi in what looked like a luxurious restaurant - the kind with chandeliers, dim golden lighting, and crystal-clear juice glasses that probably cost more than my entire outfit.

He was dressed in a sharp three-piece suit, looking effortlessly elegant - like he belonged there. Perfectly polished, every detail in place. But what caught my eye wasn't the setting or the suit.

It was his face.

That same expression - cold, distant, irritated - like someone had forced him into this selfie. His jaw was slightly clenched, his brows drawn together, eyes looking anywhere but the camera.

And right next to him was Ruhi, smiling like she was on top of the world.

Something about that image twisted in my chest.

I stared at the screen a second longer... then locked my phone and tossed it aside.

I didn't want to see any more.

But the image was already stuck in my mind.

Just as I was trying to push the image out of my head, there was a soft knock on my door.

I froze.

Before I could even respond, the door creaked open slightly.

Who now...?

Was it Dadu again?

Someone else with more news I wasn't ready for?

I quickly wiped my face with the back of my hand, straightened up a little on the bed, trying to look composed - even though I felt anything but.

Mom and Dad.

They stepped inside with gentle smiles on their faces - the kind that usually brought me comfort. But today, I wasn't sure how to feel.

Mom walked in first, her eyes scanning my face like she always did when she sensed something was off. Dad followed, his usual calm presence filling the room. Without saying much, they both came over and sat on the edge of my bed, one on each side of me - like they had when I was little and had a bad dream.

For a moment, none of us said anything.

I looked at them, then quickly looked away, my throat tightening. I already knew why they were here.And I wasn't sure if I was ready to hear it again.

Just then, Dad's firm voice broke through the quiet, steady and clear - the kind that always made me sit up and listen.

"I know Dad ne tumhe bata diya hoga is rishte ke baare mein," he said, looking straight ahead, not forcing eye contact but making sure his words reached me.

{"I know Dad must’ve told you about this alliance"}

"Mujhe bhi abhi hi pata chala."

{"I just found out now."}

I turned my head slightly toward him, surprised by the honesty in his tone.

There was no pressure in his voice. No emotional blackmail. Just... truth. Plain and simple.

His gaze shifted to me now, more softened." hum jaante hain tum abhi in sab cheezon ke liye taiyaar nahi ho, par main chahta hoon ki tum is baare me ek baar socho "

{"We know you're not ready for all this right now, but I want you to think about it once."}

" Veer ek bhot acha ladka hai , agar tum iss rishte ke baare me socho to humse zyada Khushi or kisi ko nahi hogi " This time mom said with a gentle smile.

{"Veer is a really good guy. If you consider this alliance, no one will be happier than us."}

I looked down, my fingers nervously playing with the edge of the bedsheet. A lump had formed in my throat, thick and unmoving. I wanted to speak... I really did.

But the words just wouldn't come.

How do I even begin to tell them?

That I'm scared of him...

With his cold eyes and angry silence, feels more like a punishment than a partner.

That I don't want this marriage. Not with him. Not like this.

But instead of speaking, instead of letting it all out... all I did was nod.

A small, weak nod.

The kind that feels like surrender.

Mom gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, thinking I was okay with everything. Dad exhaled slowly, relieved.

But inside me?

It was chaos.

A silent scream no one could hear.

And in that moment, I realized... saying nothing might be the loudest mistake I've ever made.

Mom looked at me with a soft smile, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear.

"Tumhari Bua ji aa rahi hain," she said lovingly.

{"Your Bua ji is coming."}

"Kuch hi der mein pahuchne wali hain... neeche aa jaana "

{"She’ll be here in a little while… come downstairs."}

Her voice was gentle, almost trying to distract me from everything swirling in my head - to bring me back to normalcy, even if just for a little while.

I gave her a small nod again, this time forcing a slight smile that didn't quite reach my eyes.

She patted my cheek one last time and stood up. Dad followed, giving me a short, reassuring glance before they both quietly walked out of the room.

As the door closed behind them, I let out a slow breath I didn't even realize I'd been holding.

"Bua ji aa rahi hain..."

{"Buaji is coming"}

The moment Mom's words sank in, my eyes widened slightly. Of course. Because today wasn't chaotic enough already.

That woman doesn't miss a single chance to shower me with taunts wrapped in sugar-coated concern. She'll enter like she owns the house, adjust her dupatta dramatically, and then start her performance like she's in a daily soap.

Every sentence will begin with "Main toh bas keh rahi hoon..." and end with a perfectly placed insult.

She'll probably scan me from head to toe within two seconds and say,

"Kya haal bana rakha hai Isha ka? "

{"What state have you put Isha in?"}

And then... chugli mode ON.

By tonight, half the colony will know about my red eyes, , and the exact angle at which I frowned.Forget Veer - she might just get me married off by next week herself.

I flopped back on the bed with a groan, burying my face in the pillow again.

It was already nighttime by the time I came downstairs.

I had finally pulled myself out of bed, freshened up, dabbed a little compact under my eyes to hide the redness - not that it would fool anyone observant enough - and took a deep breath before heading down for dinner.

As soon as I stepped into the dining room, my eyes landed straight on the table... and there they were.

Dadu, Mom, Dad... and of course, the devil herself - Bua ji.

Draped in her usual perfectly pleated saree, pallu placed like she's attending a royal banquet, and her expressions? Dramatic, judgmental, and painfully polished.

All that was missing was a crown on her head - because the queen of taunts had officially arrive

d.

She saw me and her eyes widened instantly, like I was some celebrity making a red carpet entrance.

"Oh wow! Look who finally decided to show up!" she said, her voice already laced with sarcasm and excitement - a deadly combo.

Here we go.

Let the performance begin.

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