Only Yours - THE VOW | ✓

Chapter - 1

How did they first meet and how did it go? How was the first impression? There was just one answer to that 'there's no answer'.

When you meet someone for the first time it's very casual most of the time. When you're not really interested in making a good impression if you don't have something you're looking forward to building up in the near future with that person, be it any kind of relationship or business.

So they met once upon a time, very long ago, randomly somewhere they don't remember. They've met and ignored each other hundreds of times. Being from the same city and from the same school does that to everyone. You see everyone everyday even if you don't know them, you still know them to an extent but these two have never been the strangers they've been playing for years.

Maithili Sankhla and Nikshit Dahiya have known each other for a long time as two strangers who have grown up in the same town over more than two decades.

From going to the nearest school to accidentally spotting each other randomly on random days in the vegetable market, the stationary shop or the yearly fairs in their town, they grew up into fine youngsters.

Although what they never expected to happen was getting arranged for a marriage between them by their respective parents. So, not being able to come up with an excuse individually they decided to meet and discuss this matter together and come up with a convincing enough reason to get this marriage canceled.

Their families have known each other for a long time. It happens when families in the same town have resided at one place for decades and eventually become friends with time. It's not like it's necessary to know everyone your family members know either though.

Nikshit and Maithili even though never properly exchanged greetings ended up working at the same company, which was coincidentally owned by Dahiyas- Nikshit's family. Applying here for a position had its perks- it was closer to the place she lived at. She didn't have to wake up earlier than required and travel for hours just to reach the office. It was convenient.

Eventually as colleagues they finally came to 'know' or recognise each other's existence but nothing more than that. Nikshit is a senior to her and more so in a different department, there are more or less non-existent interactions between them on a daily basis.

Although today, they're meeting each other for the first time with an intentionally planned official meeting as two people with the same agenda of 'rejecting the marriage proposal' in their minds.

"It's a potential marriage proposal for me? With him?"

That was the first thing that came out of her mouth on the day she learnt with whom her parents were trying to fix her marriage. Unimpressed? Hard to say. It was totally unexpected. She has known him for years and they've never interacted even by mistake if they did not want to. Even when she used to carry the copies of their English teacher to his class sometimes or when he used to come to their class to take names for Olympiads.

Passing by him in the prayer ground or even on the roads, in the market or near the school gate they just walked past each other like strangers. Later at the office, they avoided crossing paths as much as possible. Being in the same lift at the same time didn't matter because Maithili always stopped at the floor below him and got off before him.

Nothing else mattered because they didn't care. One's presence had nothing to do with the other. But now being suddenly told that you're being arranged for a marriage, a lifetime with someone you've only ever treated as a stranger made her feel unhappy instantly.

After going through a lot of familial pressure of 'think about it' Maithili eventually gave in to meeting Nikshit to get to know him before proceeding further.