Marrying my mistake

11. Ishani's POV

It was so true while we thrived on sharing gossip. We had different tastes, while I loved partying and tea, Neil loved his coffee, fitness and had only a handful of friends. We both were complete opposites. I was busy trying to find solace in food today. Suddenly Neil grabbed and threw my cigarette into the valley and he quickly held my hand and started smiling.

I heard my mother say, "here are the lovebirds. Ishani why are you hiding from us. This is such good news. I'm your best friend you should have told me." I looked at Neil and he winked. I giggled. Ever since I hit puberty my mother tried to convince me we were friends. Which meant she wanted me to tell her about my relationships, my crushes, gossip about my friends. I did this once, I told her Neil liked a neighborhood girl, the next thing she was talking to Neil's mom about it.

Suddenly Neil's voice brought me out of my flashback, "She wanted to aunty but I told her to wait," he said hugging her. "Call me maa betaji," she said. And then the next I knew my head was covered with a shawl and I was touching Neil's parents feet as a mark of respect. His mother acted full filmy and gave me her diamond bangles. "It's mooh dikahi of my bahu," she smiled at me. I wanted to confront Neil and know what exactly did he say but I was in for a bigger surprise. "Neil has to go to Singapore for a month so they get engaged on Tuesday," my maa said to Neil's parents. It was a statement than a question. What engagement? I looked at Neil who looked shocked too. But his mother threw the biggest bomb, "wedding in December we have asked Pundit for the date and he says 9th is perfect!"

Neil looked annoyed, "maa that's like not even two months!" I was speechless I felt like I was chocking on my own saliva. I needed to get away. I walked out to the open area away from them all and heard my dad "she's such a typical girl look how shy she is. Neil go with her."

I ran out as fast as I could. This was the worse than sleeping with Neil. He ran after me. I stopped when I reached the parking. "Neil what are we going to do?" I was sobbing. "Shh its okay! I will talk to them and the date can be shifted." He said comforting me with a hug. I was marrying my best friend weather I liked it or not! "Neil you are not the one I wanted to marry. I'm not sure what this wedding means to me."

I felt Neil stiffen, "what do you mean Ish?" "I don't know what I mean," I said sobbing and yelling at the same time. He opened the car door and sat in, "let's go back." I nodded and sat in the car and my tears did not stop. Neil called his dad, "papa please clear the bill. We are starting for Delhi. And thanks for the bombing. You guys couldn't wait till we reached home?"

I could see Neil was angry but I was too busy crying my lungs out to care. Soon we started driving and my tears dried up. I was exhausted and in no mood to talk. Somewhere around Dehradoon I slept. I woke up when Neil was turning towards McDonalds. Wow I had slept for a solid 4 hours in a car. We got down at McDonald and I went to the bathroom. I washed my face, my eyes were swollen. I checked my bag and saw some pink lipgloss. I applied the lip gloss to feel normal. But normal was just a word for me now. My mind couldn't process my impending engagement & wedding to Neil.

I went out and saw Neil was standing right outside the Ladies loo. He looked tired. "Ish you took so long I was worried," he handed me a Coke. "Let's eat as we drive back. We can talk on the way please," concern etched on his face. He looked way older than Diwali party. It was just a few days back. My life had turned up side down and I had no ways to control it.

"See Ish whether you like it or not this engagement is taking place," he said with a finality in his voice. "Your parents know we slept together. Let's get engaged on Tuesday. Give this an open chance. Imagine it's an arranged marriage," he was pleading now. I nodded not sure how to react. Neil sipped his Coke and continued while driving, "I am going for a few weeks to Singapore on Thursday. Let's give each other some space and see?"

What a beautiful arranged relationship this will be. We are still to get engaged and we already needed space. I dreaded to think how much space would getting married require. When we reached home it was evening. I went inside and rushed to my room and called Reet, "hi ishani, how are you? Back home yet? Where's the loverboy?"

"Are you home, please come here," and I started sobbing. I couldn't control myself. After 15 minutes the doorbell rang it was Reet with Sid. Reet hugged me tight. "You okay?" She asked as we went to my room. Sid went over to Neil's not wanting to be a part of my cry fest. I was beyond tears. I sobbed out the whole story. As Reet gave me water. After I completed the whole sleeping and sleeping again and then being caught without doing anything, to my impending nuptials. Reet took a deep breath, "I thought I had problems. I'm going downstairs and will be back in a jiffy." She came back after a few minutes. "The pizza is ordered. Here drink this." She gave me a massive glass of coke. I sipped it. It was bitter like it was laced with some drink. Reet winked, "I stole some Scotch from uncle's cupboard. God knows we need it."

"Reet I'm not selfish please tell me what's the deal between you and Sid?" I asked sipping the bitter drink. "Ish, Sid is engaged to someone in his home town. We both like each other and that night he stayed at mine as I had a fight with the cab driver. We were sharing the cab back home. Now we are sleeping together and the truth is we love each other but Sid feels his parents word comes above our love. However Ishani between you and Neil there has always been true love. You are being unreasonable to deny it." I shook my head "Reet I have always had him as a friend plus he said that he wants us to get some space from each other post engagement. Please keep this engagement a secret at work. Tell Sid the same."

After the strong drink I felt better and the pizza arrived. We had our fill of the cheesy goodness. It was close to 8 pm when Reet left. I went to bed not wanting to confront my parents.