Hey Guys!!!!
The third chapter of the story.
Happy Reading!!
◤----------------------------------------------------------◥
-- Flashback --
Two years and nine days ago of the event in amphitheater
Hardik had just entered his room where his new bride was waiting for him. The bride Mrs. Anika Hardik Rajbanshi. A mere girl of 24 years. She was from a higher middle class family, the only child of her parents. Who also left her two years ago.
"Hey you, listen." Hardik spoke up.
"Yes?" Anika asked in her musical voice.
"I did not at any chance wanted to marry anyone. Actually I just married because of my mother. Let me make this very clear, I do not at any chance, want you as my wife, or for that matter any body else. You are just a unknown room mate for me, who I don't even want to be friends with." Hardik says. And Anika stares at him.
'What was he talking about? Was he forced in the marriage?' Anika questions herself.
"One more thing, I am fine as I am. You do not need to be a perfect wife to me, you are just a daughter to my mom." Hardik says. "You are I said, just a room mate to me. Had I had my way, I would tell you to stay in another room altogether. But we need to adjust in this, until I can make my mother understand."
Anika silently stares at her new husband un- aware of how to react. Not knowing what to say and what not to.
"You do not need to tell me any thing. And I do not have any interest in you, so you can change the outfit." Hardik orders further. "I wonder why do you guys even wear that hideous kind of thing in marriages, can it be simple? Bloody wastage of time and money."
Nodding Anika follows the order. Her mind buzzing as to why he did not want to consider this marriage as a marriage? Did he have an external- marital affair. No, those things only happen in movies and books.
Then does he dis- like me specifically? But he said that 'I do not by any chance, want you as my wife or for that matter any body else.' So what is it?
Twelve hours later
"Bhabhi." A voice says.
"Yes?" Anika turns around and comes face to face with a tall lead guy, soft muscles ripple from the T- shirt he wore. His eyes were bright blue, and hair flowing like he had just been here through a windy area.
"Can I talk to you?" he asks.
"Of course, Kabir right?" Anika asks.
"Yes." Kabir nods.
"Say, what is it?" Anika questions, turning back to the gas, where she was cooking the breakfast.
"Bhabhi, I understand that marrying some one is not easy. Leaving your own house, your own comfort zone and coming to stay at some new place, new house, with new people around, is not at all easy. Sharing a room with some one." Kabir begins. "And bhai should give you a chance, both the girl and boy need to sacrifice a lot for this relationship to develop."
Anika turns to look at Kabir, "What are you talking about Kabir?"
"Don't act Bhabhi. I may not know you nicely but I do know my brother. I know what he does and what he is capable of doing and will do." Kabir cuts Anika off. "I understand that I should not come in between two married people but try to understand me Bhabhi. I am just trying to warn you. You will have to be very very patient around him. Believe me he is stubborn, and when I say that I mean the stubbornest of all that I have met. He does what he ha decided."
"He does not have any affairs, flings. He just loves his work and is always busy in it. He may not be ready to accept you right now but please give him a chance, Bhabhi. Give him love Bhabhi, bring him out of his shell." Kabir pleads.
"After dad died, he made it the reason of his soul existence to work and earn for all of us. He became a father to us and himself forgot to be a young adult. Let him live those years again. Revive him Bhabhi, make him a better person than he already is."
"Kabir. Kabir." Anika grabs Kabir's upper arm. "Calm down. Ok."
"Here, have some apple juice." Anika hands him a glass.
Kabir takes a long sip from his glass, "Apple juice? Why?"
"Don't you like it?" Anika fires a question back at her brother- in- law.
"I like it but why did you make this only." Kabir raises an eyebrow.
"Isn't it the only juice that you like?" Anika once again questions him.
"That is right. But how do you know that?"
"That is for me to know and you to never find out." Anika smiles.
"Unbelievable." Kabir laughs taking another sip out of the drink. "I can not believe this."
"So, what do you like to drink?" Kabir questions his sister- in- law.
"You want a real answer?" Anika raises an eyebrow looking at him. "Or a made up one?"
"Yes real one, of course." Kabir said, his face holding the frankness of his words.
"Red Wine." She winks at him. And again a deep laugh surrounds the kitchen.
"You are cool." He shakes his head.
Anika smirks in response.
"You know, I prefer Whiskey shots." Kabir says in the silence that follows.
"That is kind of harsh. Wine that to Red Wine is more feminine." Anika says. "I mean, I feel that way. It is something I have felt drinking both of them."
"What are you both talking about?" Another voice intervenes. Anika and Kabir turn to find another boy standing at the gate. He was much more built, his six pack abs were visible through the T- shirt he wore.
Anika looks at Kabir questioningly.
"Morning Karan. Karan meet Bhabhi. Bhabhi meet Karan, he is my younger brother." Kabir says.
"Hi Karan." Anika smiles. Karan hugs her in return, surprising her.
"This is my way of saying 'hi' Bhabhi." Karan says when he pulls away.
"This is also fine to me." Anika smiles.
"So, what were you both talking about?"
"He was telling me how much, your brother likes apple juice." Anika replies.
"He is a sucker for apple juice." Karan shakes his head.
"More than you liking chocolate milkshake?"
Karan turns to his Bhabhi in surprise. "How do you know that?"
Anika moves a glass towards him, "You are an open book."
"Oh! I love you Bhabhi." Karan exclaims after taking a sip of his drink.
"Can I have my breakfast?" Hardik's voice sounds and Kabir, Anika freeze.
"Good Morning, Bhai." Karan greets seeing the other two freeze.
"Morning." Hardik says shortly.
"I will set the table up." Anika moves away to set the table up.
"Where are you going Bhai?"
"Office."
"On your first day of marriage?" Kabir questions.
"You know how I feel about this marriage thing."
◣----------------------------------------------------------------◢
How was it?
Sad, right? But isn't our whole story?
(1240 words.)
--Sxxxxx