Starlight

Chapter 3: Fine

I was sitting in the same cafe where the coffee incident happened. It was Friday already and as agreed, we're meeting here.

I'm never the one who gets anxious or scared but right now? i'm nervous and anxious and scared. He could just say no for all I care about but something's bothering me and I can't put my finger on it.

Arranged marriages are common in my family, my sister wasn't okay with it so she got married to... I don't even want to remember it.

It was my karma. It was all my fault.

Someone cleared their throat and I look up to see Ishan Singhania standing over at the table I was sitting at.

I stood up and he held out his hand. I shook it.
"Miss Kapoor"
"Mr Singhania"

He pulled a chair for himself and sat down. I looked down at my intertwined hands on the table and he looked everywhere else.

I opened my mouth but then closed it and decided to not speak. He'll speak if he wants to. I think he'll say no.

He purses his lips as I noticed him looking at me from my eyes down.
I kept my head low as I felt his eyes on me.

"Awkwardness, anxiety, nervousness" He said and I looked up with my eyebrows frowned.

"Hm?"

"Aapko nahi" He said immediately "Mujhe ho rahi hai. But obviously it's supposed to happen"

I smiled a little out of formality.

"Look- I can't say no—"
"Neither can I. Don't put this on me"

He took in a deep breath and leaned his head back out of frustration. Now I am just offended. He came here just to say no? He could've denied his parents instead of giving the green single.

'Oh i'm ishan singhania. I don't say no and make other people say no and make them do the harder job. And what do i do? i just command people! Haha! look at this girl. I will kill her if she doesn't say no'

"Fine then, I guess we're getting married"

"Fine"

"Yeah, fine" He repeated.

He sighed.

"I know we're both being forced into something that we don't want. We should be able to talk about it instead of fighting. Willingly or not, I'll be your husband and you'll be my wife and my responsibility"

"Look Mr Singhania, I don't want to be anyone's responsibility because that'll just make me a burden" I told him "Arrange marriages happen all the time, we don't have to make it too awkward"

He lowered his eyes and looked at my fingers which were fidgeting while I said that.

"You're right" He said "Maybe we'd even like each others company"

"Maybe" I said "Not really confident about this though"

He rolled his eyes and I had to bite my tongue to stop myself from giving him a middle school comeback of 'keep rolling your eyes, maybe you'll find a brain back there'

"Is that it?" I asked and looked outside the window.

He was being rude when he stood up before saying yes and just left. I scoffed at his actions and watched him leave. He couldn't even say goodbye?

I cannot believe this is the man I'm going to end up marrying. It's like I'm being punished for a crime I didn't commit.

Like I haven't already been punished.

Maybe...I deserve it.

Maybe I don't deserve love after what I did. I basically killed the only person who loved me. The only person who'd make ends meet for me and would fight with the world for me.