Marry Me

Chapter _2 TROUBLE IN PARADISE

Ashraf kaka opened the door of the Chrysler, as Sahana gave me a look and got out of the car. I opened the side of my door myself and got out before Ashraf Kaka could cross the asphalt and open it for me. I hated it when he did that.

He had been working in our family since before I was even born. I didn't like it one bit when he tried to be formal with me. The only reason he drove me around was because he knew I wasn't good at driving. He refused to let me be driven by someone else when I was in Delhi.

He shook his head with a small smile, when he saw me walking towards him. I smiled back at him instead of the knot that my stomach was. I couldn't help but think of the texts that I sent to Kiyansh on the way, explaining that I didn't know that he hadn't proposed to Sahana yet, that I had blurted out about the announcement. I had said sorry countless of times, but I didn't think it worked. He hadn't replied to a single one.

"I am seeing you inside aren't I?" I asked Ashraf Kaka as he closed the door beside Sahana. He always tried to make himself invisible by hiding himself in the parking lot, even when my and Kiyansh's family insisted him to come in every single one of them.

"I just have to-"

"No excuses," I cut him off, "Kaka please it will be really helpful if you'd be there to save me from mom." I lied and it worked.

His mouth shut and his eyes became a little sad. Everybody who knew me, knew that my mom and I had a barely functional relationship. And to the measures it was, it was because of my dad, Kiyansh's mom, Ashraf Kaka and his wife. I felt a little guilty but not so much. In honesty I needed him inside to be with my family, as he was one. He didn't need to hide so much.

"Shanvi, can we go inside now?" Sahana asked impatiently, looking between Ashraf Kaka and me as if she couldn't understand why I was standing and talking to him.

I gave her a nod, and reached out to squeeze Ashraf Kaka's hand, "See you inside okay?" I said and turned to Sahana, who looked like she was ready to sprint towards the house.

And all I felt when I looked at her now was guilty, guilty and stupid. The phone inside my clutch still hadn't ping. Sahana looked like she barely restrained herself from scowling at me. I just hoped, because of my stupidity, she wouldn't consider me as her enemy. I didn't want the little amount of friendship Kiyansh and I had left between us to be destroyed. I wouldn't be able to take it, if he went even more far away from me.

We walked on the cobbled path silently, me and Sahana side by side. I could feel her fuming beside me. The clinquant lights hanging from the trees on both sides of the path made it possible for me to glance at her face, but it looked impassive and disconcerted. I guess it was easy for her as an actress to hide what she was really feeling. 

I held my breath and focused on the path ahead, the only sound of the click of heels and the soft rustle of the spring breeze that floated through the air swiftly, blooming with a fragrance of countless flowers, a kaleidoscope of buttercups and roses that I knew so well twinkling in the golden light. My eyes itched towards the Ash tree behind them, the shining graffiti chipped but sparkling on the bark of the tree, a little old but just as same as Kiyansh and I had drawn. My eyes fell on the rustling Juliet roses beside the tree, and I couldn't help but think, we planted these together from our own hands and now they are floundering and alone.

I still remember the way he had handed me a bunch of Juliet roses before the Rodeo Gala in high school. "These are for you." He had said, giving me a slight smile and then when I had stared at him in question, he had ran off to his date Amaira, dancing with her all through the evening till the night, not even glancing at me once through the whole Gala.