Finding Love in the City

33. Sounds like a heartbreak

It had been a couple of weeks since their return to San Francisco, and Shubham could see the change coming over in Nandini's demeanor. Gone was the chirpy, happy version, and she was again upset most of the time, preferring to stay silent through their conversations, constantly fiddling with the engagement ring he had personally picked for her. He had also caught her dabbing at the corners of her eyes, and he couldn't comprehend what was wrong. Neither did she tell him anything.

Assuming it had again something to do with the same person who had hurt her the last time, aka the devil in disguise of a human, Shubham decided to arrange a dinner with all of Nandini's friends, and thankfully, she didn't decline it this one time. Otherwise, she had effectively denied meeting any of them, making excuses which were unfounded most of the time.

He could only hope that the dinner would bring a resolution to her woes since he hated seeing her swollen, red eyes. Her smile was what he had been a fan of since the first day of college when she had plopped next to him on the barstool in the Chemistry lab and introduced herself in a honeyed voice, forwarding her pudgy hands towards him for a shake.

He chuckled as he reminisced about the sweet but wild girl from college. They had come a long way, accompanying each other in their highs and lows, and now they promised togetherness for a lifetime. That beatific smile had to return, and he would ensure it did.

Right before leaving for the proposed dinner, he watched as she tried on a few dresses in her apartment, discarding them all, tugging at her hair as none of those were fitting her anymore.

"I gained weight!" she shrieked, throwing her accessories across the room. Flailing her arms, she ran up to him as he continued sitting on the bean bag with a grin etched on his face. "You are laughing?" she cried, pouting. "Your mother and my Mom stuffed me with so much food that I have become fat, and you are laughing."

He sniggered. "Cute. You look cute when pouting."

Her face fell, and he saw melancholy flit through her eyes.

"What happened?" he said, frowning.

She blinked back her tears and swiftly veered to go back to the closet.

He held her wrists and pulled her towards him. "What is wrong, Basu? Something is. I know. Don't you dare lie to me!"

She sniveled, biting her cheeks. "Nothing."

"Did Aditya hurt you again?"

Her gaze flickered from the wooden floor to his eyes. "No... I mean... yes... I... I don't know."

He chortled. "Sweetheart, why do you let him affect you this much? If he hurts you repeatedly—which you refuse to share with me—why even be friends with him?"

She gulped, cupping his cheeks. "It's not that I refuse to share with you. It's just that I don't want to bother you with our silly banter. Last time, we had an argument because..." She fiddled with the buttons of his shirt.

"Because?"

She took a deep breath. "He always calls me fat. I know I am overweight, but he can't tease me, right?" She batted her lashes. "I am not too fat, am I?"

He rolled his eyes, snickering. "You were angry with him because of that?"

"Yes!" she yelled. "He is such a big, bad meanie. And this time..." She opened and shut her mouth a few times before taking another deep breath. "This time, I am not upset because of anybody." She licked her lips. "I know I said let's get married next summer, but it's such a huge responsibility. I am scared, Shubham."

He furrowed his brows. "Scared? Why?"

"What if you and I end up being unhappy?"

"Stupid girl!" He smiled, tucking her damp tresses behind her ears. "We love each other, right?"