Vivah: His Arranged Bride

ch-14 (aahna)

The next morning dawned with a sense of anticipation in the air. As I made my way downstairs, I found the entire family  gathered in the living room, even Veer and his family were all there.

I hadn't even realized how disheveled I must have looked, with my hair still tousled from the night before. Half asleep, I stumbled into the room, grabbing a bottle of water with my eyes half closed.

As I entered, the room fell silent, all eyes turning towards me. I flushed with embarrassment, suddenly self-conscious of my appearance. But then Veer's gaze found mine, and a soft smile played on his lips, reassuring me in an instant.

"Good morning, everyone," I mumbled, trying to shake off the remnants of sleep.

aashika smirking "Late-night lectures seem to be working wonders for you," she teased.

I rolled my eyes, attempting to hide my embarrassment. "It was a special guest lecture," I retorted, hoping to steer away from the topic.

Veer's mom raised an eyebrow, "Special guest lecture at midnight, Aahna?"

I stammered, "Well aunty, it was an international expert, and the timing aligned with their schedule."

ritika, grinned, "Sure, international expert or Veer Jiju giving private lessons?" 

fuckkk, why is she talking about that, we are with our parents, bhavya is here too. ritika have you lost your mind? i tensed.

rudra bhai crossed his arms, "Aahna, you need to prioritize your studies over everything else. Late-night lectures are not acceptable especially not him." he pointed at veer.

Before I could respond, Veer stepped in, "If not me, then who? I am her future husband, after all," he declared, his eyes locking with mine.

veer just keep quiet for sometime. i pleaded with eyes.

Papa cleared his throat, "Well, it seems like we have much to discuss. But for now, let's focus on breakfast."

Chachu, chimed in, "yes, lets eat breakfast. Aahna, why don't you join us at the table? You look like you could use some food and coffee."

I managed a nod, "yes, Chachu, I'll just freshen up first and join everyone shortly." 

As I headed upstairs to freshen up, the weight of the morning's awkwardness clung to me.  in the privacy of my room, I took a deep breath, trying to shake off the lingering embarrassment.  

I stood in front of the mirror, and I couldn't help but replay the moments shared with Veer. His touch, his words, his presence—it all felt surreal, like a fantasy brought to life.

But everything aside, one thing remained unclear: I had confessed my love to him, and he hadn't said it back. Did he feel the same way, or was I just a passing fascination for him?

With these thoughts swirling in my mind, I decided to face the day with a renewed spirit. After freshening up, I made my way downstairs to join the family at the breakfast table.

I sat beside Veer at the breakfast table,   Veer's dad gone for a meeting and his chachu left to drop Bhavya at kindergarten.

Papa looked at me with a warm smile and asked, "Aahna, beta, when is your new semester starting?"

 I glanced at Papa, "Papa, it's scheduled to start in two days. I'm just waiting for the official confirmation."

Papa nodded approvingly, "That's wonderful, Aahna beta. Veer, are you ready for your work today?"