Itefaaq

Chapter 20: Impromptu Plans

Hello everyone. I am SO sorry for being MIA for years and now popping back. I hope anyone who sees this is doing well and if you are one of those who I've left hanging, I am SO SO sorry. I really have no justification. I hit a block while writing, and then my life got super busy. Out of all that has happened, the one that might interest you the most is that I lived out my own romance and am currently in the process of moving in with my partner. Our story was something straight out of a Hallmark movie, and I still can't believe it's real, but I'm happy. In a lot of ways, I feel like Mahi in this fanfiction I wrote - new and successful career, falling into an unexpected romance, and shifting dynamics with the people around me. I hope all who see this are living their best lives as well :)

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 20:

"BREAKING NEWS. Aaj khabar aayi ki Rajveer Khanna aur Mahi Arora ki shaadi tay chuki hai. Rajveer Khanna, jo sab ko yaad hoga, voh aadmi hai jisne Harshvardhan Hooda ke bete, Adiya, aur unki bahu, Zoya, ko jail bhejvaya tha. Mahi Arora ne bhi Zoya Hooda ko dhoka diya tha lekin Zoya Hooda ne phir bhi uski madad ki aur Mahi ke Maa ko apne ghar mein jagah di. Yeh khabar sunkar bahut log hairaan ho chuke hain. Hum logon ko jaakar pooch chuke hain ki voh kya sochte hain aur kya unhein lagta hai ki is shaadi ko rok diya jaana chahiye."

Interviews of every random person off the street and their opinion on the wedding were being played across all news channels. All newspapers included at least one article on the subject and the article was trending on all major social media platforms as well. There was irrefutable evidence that the latest election had been rigged, the Asia Cup was coming up, and there was a major increase in robbery within Mumbai but apparently none of those news stories mattered as much as this shocking horror.

At this point, Mahi and Rajveer were used to it. They were glared at, verbally harassed in the street, and still managed to shake it off. Part of the reason they could rest easy was that Zoya, and, albeit reluctantly, Aditya sent them their well wishes. Zoya had been a part of Rajveer's plan to propose and had coaxed Aditya into coming around eventually.

Mahi met with her mother the day after the proposal for a heartfelt talk. Of course, the media blowout made it impossible for her mother to continue staying with the Siddiquis and so Rajveer insisted she come stay with them. This did slightly complicate things for Rajveer and Mahi but they still had their drives to and from work to spend some time together.

The roka had been set for the following weekend, seeing as they would have to travel a ways to get to his mother's house. Akaash was driving both of them crazy the entire week with all his phone calls and insistence that Mahi take the next month off ("You deserve it!" Akaash exclaimed as Mahi tried to decline the offer). Eventually, Rajveer caved and let Akaash and Mira accompany them for the roka.

Somehow, it had been decided that they would all share a vehicle. Thus their journey began with Rajveer driving, Akaash in the passenger seat, Mira directly behind Rajveer, Mahi in the middle seat, and Mahi's mother beside her. Akaash was buzzing with excited energy and kept pestering Mahi, Rajveer, and Mahi's mother with details about the wedding.

"Kya aap sab functions karne ko soch rahe hain?" he asked.

"Mujhe nahi lagta," Rajveer replied.

"Hum ne theek se faisla nahi liya," Mahi's mother replied politely. Truth be told, she was a little confused why Mahi's boss and his wife were accompanying them and wasn't sure how to act around them so she stuck to speaking less and being extra polite.

"Okay... lekin Mahi, tumne toh socha hoga. I mean, kya tumhare paas aisa kuch hai where you're like, 'Haan! Yeh meri shaadi mein zaroor hoga.'"

"Not really," Mahi said with a shrug.