THE BLACKMAILED MARRIAGE

MARRY ME. NOT A REQUEST, BUT AN ORDER

A generous hall was present therewith only 15 -16 people, relatives of Annu's only close cousin - Reshmi, and Reshmi's newlywed husband.

Suddenly, Annu's eyes were covered with a cloth, and a bold yet furious voice rang into her ears.

"Happy Birthday baby girl!"

"Ummm Who is this? What's happening!!??!!" Annu shouted with a brave heart.

"Awww babe you don't recognize me?? You will soon..."

Just as, he removed the cloth from her eyes and the view that met Annu's eyes was horrifying.

All the people in her sight were held by their arms tied with steel handcuffs. A guard was standing at every family checkpoint with a gun in hand.

"See the mandap over there? It's your Birthday gift... We will marry there!" The cold and furious voice spoke again.  Annu wasn't in the condition to view it. She was busy viewing the mandap with horror.

 The mandap in which her cousin Reshmi was newlywed was ready yet again. As if it presumed another marriage... perhaps this one would be a Blackmailed one...

*flashback*

"Hmmm... So... you guys wanna have Kulfi? I am craving it a lot! Come on!"

"Well, I am ready! But will Mr. Hygienic arms here come with us?" Nirmal said.

From whom a reply was strongly expected, Arjun just nodded as he was dimmed by dark Dementors whom he encountered just a few days ago. The Dementor who sucked all of his happiness with one declaration...

Both Annu and Nirmal were perplexed by his fishy behavior. Arjun always had a clear head but now his clear head is contaminated to do the unthinkable.

"Sorry, bro... I was just joking..." Nirmal said.

Silence and sketchiness took over now, and none of them knew what to say or do. 

"So... OK then let's go for some ice cream!" Annu broke the silence with fake enthusiasm.
"Sure!" Nirmal replied.
Both of them looked at Arjun in a split second like kids, as if looking towards their mom for permission.
He nodded and smiled a little.

Ananya and Nirmal stood up with their swelling chest and held their head high filled with the newly found satisfaction of making their buddy smile.

Soon they reached the ice cream parlor.
The trio ordered an Ice cream sundae, even though it was a Tuesday.

"They shouldn't call it a Sundae! it should be a Saturday! Sunday feels bittersweet, as the Monday blues are close by but Saturday is filled with  the feeling of ease, that Sleepy Sunday is arriving!" Said Nirmal at this thought, dreamily recalling the fond Saturdays when he used to party. Unlike now... Nowadays Saturdays were filled with grey work consisting of taking clothes from the Laundry, buying the ration for his house, and his office workload.

As they were walking by the street, there was a health center measuring, the weight and height of people just like it happened during school time.

"Ughhh! Why do they have to measure people's weight in front of everyone? In school even! They used to do this in front of the whole class! And then the class would laugh at me!" Nirmal whined seeing the center.

"Come on! Let's get out of here! I don't wanna stay!" Nirmal whined like a teenager and then set off to other shops. But his steps halted just as he heard a beautiful female voice coming towards him.