Dil Beparwah | ✔

Bonus ▪︎ 2.1 | Sudden Change In Plans

"Waise, Arvika abhi Dilli gayi hi hai toh kya tere uss cousin ke sath teri family ko laane wali hai?"

I shouldn't have gulped the rice so slowly and focused all my attention on the spoon, because Mihir's subtle questioning was getting him rather obvious answers. I cleared my throat, "No, my family won't be joining."

"Kyu?" Adrija asked. "She said to me parso ki unko woh guest list me daal rahi hai. She was nervous but she definitely wanted them to join."

That was what she had said to me last night, too. That was what had started the mini argument we had. We had both entered the house together, tired and hungry and stressed about work—her more than me because of DEEV's approaching anniversary.

We had just set the table to eat when she informed me that she had booked rooms for my parents, grandparents, and Jojji. That she was excited for Bebe to explore the ship with her, and on her way back from Delhi, she'd make a detour to Punjab to bring her safely.

I had frowned, finding it not just unnatural, but also unnecessary. "There's no need," I had said to her. "Why would you call them anyway?"

"Because I want them to be a part of it? Why wouldn't I?"

Given that her adoration for my grandmother kept strengthening each passing day, I still couldn't find a concrete reason for her to bring them there. "You don't have to invite my family for this. It's not like we're married or anything, Vika."

She had stopped chewing her food, and I just knew I should have not let my stress speak for me. She had this look on her face—I had only seen it once before, when she had slept over at my old place for the first time. Slowly, she pushed her food around her plate, calculative and inquisitive in her next question. "Hum kar kya rahein hai, Varun?"

Because I didn't want to ḟŭcк up more, I gave a very nonchalant, "Mhm?"

"Where is this headed?" She asked, sterner this time. "Do you think I'm not serious about you? Ya fir, kya tum mujhe leke serious nahi ho? Is this just a phase?"

"What? Where's all that coming from?"

"You tell me. It's not like we're married or anything."

She was stressed, I was dumbstruck, we were clearly in the middle of an argument and all I wanted to do was just go to sleep like we usually did. "Let's talk about this tomorrow?"

She mistook my confusion about her questions as hesitation about our relationship. Her decision was abrupt. "Mai Delhi jaa rahi hoon kal. To spend time with my family."

That was it. Next morning, she spoke with the cook and avoided me and was off to Delhi before I could even rub the sleep out of my eyes. And as I narrated the incident to the couple I could confide in, I realized, "I think I might have ḟŭcкed up."

Mihir scoffed, a disdainful grin playing on his lips. "You think?"