More Than Friends ✔

49- "Their names are Adhvik and Pallavi."

The end of 2020 has been a time of romance for Pallavi. While she had been out experiencing mutual dating for the first time, her classmates were already transitioning into marriage. It was painstakingly apparent from the wedding pictures on Instagram.

And Saumya was the next in line to join the married club.

It was on December 2020 when Saumya got engaged to Girish Kumar who she had been courting for the last two months. It was an arranged marriage. If the situation remained safe, they would hold their wedding in February 2021 itself.

The first thing that Pallavi foresaw was a chance. A chance for an overnight stay with Adhvik. She— no— both of them had been wishing for a chance where they would stay together for a longer time, preferably a whole day and night. She already discussed this with Adhvik when they met after lockdown. She was hoping for them to book a room in Delhi for an overnight stay. This way they would roam Delhi as well. Moreover, she wouldn't have to make an excuse to her parents. She could simply say she was staying an extra day. Nothing could be as convenient as this.

On the other hand, Saumya marriage announcement was like a splash of cold reality to Pallavi's twenty-eight years old self. Saumya was two years younger than Pallavi while Aradhana was of the same age. Still Pallavi was elder to Aradhana by a few months. Back in college, they made a bet of who would be hitched first. It was either Pallavi or Aradhana and that Saumya would marry later.

What am I doing? She thought over in distress. She worked in a job she didn't like. Neither did Deepali. All they did was respond to messages of candidates or call them. While her friends were getting settled, she was in a relationship with someone whose parents were already looking for a bride. Her parents, too. One rishta fixed and their relationship would be over in a flash. That's how fickle it was.

“I wish one of us gets married this year. I hope it's you...” Adhvik would often say. He said the same thing last new year, too.

“Someone wants to get married badly.” Pallavi replied with a hint of disdain.

“Hmm, it's just that I'm tired of living alone. My parents will also be relieved of their burden once I get married. Ma has been stressing too much to find a girl for me.”

“I wish I could say that easily,” Pallavi admitted. She couldn't. She wasn't as ready for marriage as he was. She wasn't ready to ditch Adhvik and her world of love for him to be with another man she barely knew. “And what about us, huh?”

“No worries, baby. My wife will gharwali while you'll be baharwali.”

Pallavi feigned her shock. “Cheatercock!”

* * *

The cold winters that stole January away, soon rolled away to welcome February.

If you had been reading this book well enough, you'd already know what February meant to someone like Pallavi Khuranna.

Yup, the infamous Valentine's day.

And now that she was in a romantic relationship with someone, she wouldn't let something like this pass away this time. She could finally celebrate.

Except she couldn't. Not with Saumya's wedding on 16th February preceded by her engagement on 15th and Sangeet on 14th February.

Poor Pallavi. She should have realized, given her track record of her previous Valentine's. We all knew what happened between her and Adhvik in February two years back. When they were still in Mansur. You all hated Adhvik back then. While in 2020, his health fucked him up even before Covid stepped into their country. Obviously they couldn't meet back then, though he called to wish her himself.