The Royal Commoner

34

A smile played on Hridyanshu's face as he watched Nalani. She was speaking about the incidents where he was mean to her. "Okay, you must accept that you were dumb in middle school. And you kept ignoring your studies."

Nalani's eyes widened. "That was because I was a kid and needed to focus on outdoor games, not multiplication tables."

"You need to focus a bit when you keep failing your exams."

"I didn't fail my exams." Nalani's cheeks were warm, and she was feeling happy emotions. Hridyanshu had taken away her wine glass. They were sitting on the bed with their backs leaned against the headboard. 

"You haven't failed your exams?" Hridyanshu asked. He gave her a challenging look. "I got your report cards with me. You cannot disagree on it."

Nalani's brows frowned. "You have my report cards with you?" 

"A couple of report cards along with Vidha's." Nalani was surprised that he had her report cards. She doesn't know if her parents have her middle school report cards. "Wait a minute— Why do you have my report cards?"

"You were the one who asked Vidha to keep them safe, and Vidha handed them over to me, asking me to keep them safe."

"Wow, and you kept them safe?" Hridyanshu sipped his wine. "I got so much space in my room, and I didn't have to worry about them."

"But you remembered that you have our report cards?" Nalani brushed her aside as they kept falling. 

"I was reviewing some old documents when I found the report cards last year. I planned to return them to Vidha, but I might've forgotten." Nalani hummed.

"What all you have?" Hridyanshu thought about it. "I don't have anything related to you, but Mumma has two albums full of pictures of you with everyone."

"Thinking of which— We don't have any pictures together." Hridyanshu watched as Nalani pouted her lip as she thought about it. He tapped her nose. "There's a picture of us together."

Her eyes twinkled. "Really? I don't remember us taking a picture." 

"It was at Akshaya's wedding. We weren't posing for the camera. It was a candid shot. We were the only ones in the frame, and we were talking." 

"Wow, do you have the picture with you now?" Nalani asked. "Hmm, Akshaya shared the wedding photos on Google Drive. Let me check."

Nalani waited as Hridyanshu picked up his phone and reviewed the files. It took him some time, but he found the picture. "Here." He showed the picture to her, and Nalani couldn't help but chuckle. She spoke animatedly, and Hridyanshu stared at her with a serious look.

His arms were crossed, and marigold petals were on his right shoulder. "Can you share the picture with me?" 

"Sure." Hridyanshu shared the picture. "Do you have the whole album with you?" she asked.

"Yes."

"Can we watch the pictures together? It's been ages since we attended a wedding." Hridyanshu chuckled and handed her the phone. Nalani leaned closer so that they could have a better view of the phone. 

"I miss Akshaya and Akshit. Awe, they used to be the best party hosts when we were in high school. I loved them so much." Hridyanshu laughed. "You loved them because they mixed alcohol in your drinks when the adults weren't looking." 

"Shut up— I didn't love them for that." 

"Whatever you say."  For the next hour, they went through all the pictures and laughed their hearts out as they found so many memes from the pictures.

"I want to get married this year. I have been planning on getting married for two years. Achaan and Amma have been trying to find the groom, but I told them I like you." Nalani looked at Hridyanshu.

"They were surprised and think you will reject my marriage proposal." Hridyanshu wasn't expecting that. "Your parents are sure that I would reject you?"

Nalani gave a sad nod. "Yeah. . . They only saw us two always arguing. They concluded that it wouldn't happen." A yawn left Nalani. She gazed into Hridyanshu's eyes dreamily and sleepily. 

She cupped his right cheek. "But I know what I felt for you. And I wouldn't give up unless I tried my chance with you. I really— Really think you are the one for me."

Hridyanshu cupped Nalani's hand that was resting against his cheek. "Why do you think I'm the one?"

Nalani gave him a lazy smile. "Because you aren't lying to me whenever you find me arrogant or irritating. Even though we had countless arguments and hurt each other verbally— We always found a way back to have a conversation. We never held on to anything or any argument." 

Nalani kissed her other hand and placed it on his other cheek as an indirect kiss. "I'm sure even if we argued about the future. We wouldn't hold onto it for too long. We will find a way back and never bottle up our feelings."  

"I have known you all my life. I know who you are and how you are. I wouldn't fall for you if I wasn't sure about you. I won't promise you that we won't be having any fights or arguments. We might agree or disagree, but I'm sure we would find a ground."

"I— I just want to experience everything you know. I want to know how it feels to be loved by you. I have seen the way you have treated Mitali. Even though I passionately disliked you, I always felt how lucky she was. You— You being in love is precious, and I want you to be precious to me." 

Hridyanshu gulped down the lump, and there were tears in his eyes. He has never heard those words from anyone. He always believed that he didn't love enough. Or that people didn't see his love through his actions.

He was bad at words, so he did anything he could through actions, which went unnoticed every time. Nalani shook her head. "Don't think that I'm doing a drunk talk."

"I'm serious when I say you are precious and your love is precious. I want to experience your love. I would never back down from courting you." Nalani was feeling droopy, and she leaned her head against the headboard with his hand still cupping his cheek. 

*

Hey, everyone. . . 

Tomorrow, I will be turning 23, and I'm going on a spiritual trip with my Family. 

Hope you all have a great day!