Hello everyone...
Thanks to all for voting and commenting on the previous story, Tu Hi Tu (Posted on 26- Dec- 2021)
Title inspired from the song Woh Humsafar Tha.
I'm back with another Professor – Student romance. Let me warn you guys, this Abhishek is not that ethical and righteous towards his profession like Professor Mehra from Mere Humsafar.
"Hello..."
Hearing the greeting, Pragya looks up.
"Is this seat taken?"
"No." Pragya replies with an inviting smile and removes her bag from the seat.
The girl smiles at her and sits down. "I'm Disha." she says as she extended her hand out.
Pragya shakes her hand. "Pragya."
"Are you an old student of this college?" Disha asks her.
"No... I did under graduation in Bareilly." Pragya tells her.
"Even I am new here. I was worried whether I would get friends here." Disha tells her excitedly.
Pragya smiles hearing that. soon, they were chatting about their course, class and college when they hear the class fall silent. They curiously look up and sees that everyone had started standing up. Realizing their professor has come they also stand up.
"Sit down." Abhishek says. "I'm Abhishek Prem Mehra, I'll be teaching you Mathematics."
Seeing her professor, Pragya gasps in shock. Her heart beating fast against her chest.
"What happened?" Disha asks seeing that Pragya was still standing.
Pragya turns to look at Disha then she turns again to look at Abhishek and sees him staring at her in shock.
"Do you know him?" Disha asks curiously.
Quickly recovering, Pragya sits down without saying anything.
Rest of the period, Pragya just stared at her book without even looking up once. Her heart beating fast in panic, never having imagined that life was going to throw this twist at her.
The moment the bell rang, Pragya starts to leave the breath she was holding, and starting to relax.
"Pragya!" Abhishek calls her.
Pragya looks up at him in panic, her heart beats increasing tenfold.
"Come with me." Abhishek tells her and walks out of the class.
Pragya quickly hurries behind him. she sees him waiting for her and she walks towards him.
"You were supposed to call me." Abhishek furiously reminds her.
"Please not here." Pragya worriedly requests him as she looked around.
Abhishek looks around and sees that some students from the class were curiously looking at them. Abhishek turns to Pragya and tells her, "After class, meet me at the car park."
Pragya nods. Abhishek walks off.
Pragya walks back to the class and sees Disha curiously looking at her.
"Do you two know each other?" Disha asks her.
"My family knows his family." Pragya honestly tells her.
*********
Pragya worriedly walks to the car park and sees him waiting by a car and he looked furious. She could understand why he was furious and she couldn't fault him. he had explicitly told her to call him once she had got to Mumbai and she didn't, and she didn't know why she didn't call him.
"Get in." Abhishek tells her as she reached near the car and sits in.
Nervously, Pragya gets inside the car. Without a word, Abhishek starts the car. They drive in silence for a while and then he stops the car in an isolated area.
Without saying anything, Abhishek gets out of the car and Pragya also gets out. Abhishek walks around the car to where she was and stops in front of her as he stared at her.
Pragya worriedly gulps as she looked at his chest, too scared to look at his face.
"Why didn't you call?" Abhishek asks her angrily.
"That..."
"It's been a month!" Abhishek angrily reminds her. "I was going to file a missing person case!"
Pragya looks up a him in shock. "What?"
"I sent you off in the middle of the night and you promised to call in a few days! Then you just disappeared. I couldn't even reach you on your phone. What the hell was I supposed to think?" Abhishek asks her angrily.
"I was busy settling down." Pragya lies.
"Settling down." Abhishek mutters as he looked away. "So you just forgot?"
"I'm sorry." Pragya whispers.
"You joined my college and still you didn't remember?" Abhishek asks her as he turned to her.
"I didn't know you worked there." Pragya replies looking down.
"What?" Abhishek turns to her in shock.
"I knew you were a professor but I didn't know where you taught." Pragya explains.
"Hmmm."
"I got scholarship in this college... so..." Pragya stops as she looked at him.
"So, what now?" Abhishek asks her.
"Erm..."
"Where are you staying?" Abhishek asks her in a gentler tone.
"College hostel."
"What about your boyfriend?" Abhishek asks her in confusion.
"Erm... erm..." Pragya panics as she gulped.
"Where is he?" Abhishek asks again.
"Bengaluru." Pragya lies.
"What?" Abhishek stops in shock. "He left you here alone? Doesn't he know you are new to the city?"
"He has work... he is working there. and I am staying in hostel."
Abhishek sighs as he ran his hand through his hair. "I can't believe, he left you alone."
"I'm fine. He made sure that I am well settled." Pragya lies.
"And he doesn't care that you live like this?" Abhishek asks her.
"I am really fine here..."
"Not that." Abhishek cuts her off.
"Then?"
"About us." Abhishek tells her in exasperation. "You were supposed to call me so we could file to annul our marriage."
Pragya gulps hearing that.
"Don't you know there is a time limit to apply for annulling a marriage?" Abhishek asks her in exasperation.
Pragya shakes her head in reply.
Abhishek closes his eyes and shakes it in exasperation. "Pragya, you were forced to marry me, so we can get our marriage annulled instead of divorced." Abhishek explains to her in a calmer tone.
Pragya nods in yes.
"I've spoken to our lawyer, all the papers are ready, you just have to sign them and we can file it." Abhishek explains to her.
"Okay." Pragya agrees.
Abhishek nods and looks away thoughtfully. Then he asks gently. "Did your family find you?"
"Ma knows I am here. Nobody else knows."
"Okay... come, I'll take you to hostel." Abhishek tells her as he walked to the car.
"I'll go from here." Pragya tells him.
"Get in, Pragya." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya walks to the car.
"You are not using your old phone number?" Abhishek asks her as he got inside.
"No... I didn't want my family to track me using that."
"Give me your number, I'll fix an appointment with the lawyer and let you know."
Pragya quickly tells him the number.
"This is a landline number?" Abhishek asks confused.
"I don't have mobile. That is hostel number."
"Why don't you have a mobile?" Abhishek asks her shocked.
Not knowing how to tell him that to save the meager money she had, she had decided not to buy a mobile. "I didn't buy." Pragya replies.
They drove in silence. Abhishek stops the car in front of a mobile shop.
"I'll come now." Abhishek tells her and gets out of the car.
Few minutes later, he comes back and hands her the mobile and sim. "Here."
"What is this for?" Pragya asks confused.
"Keep it."
"I don't want."
"You'll need it. keep it." Abhishek insists.
"I can't take it."
"Pragya..." Abhishek turns to her in a serious tone. "Till our marriage is annulled, you are my wife. And it is my responsibility to make sure that you are safe at all times."
Pragya gulps hearing that, her eyes fill up and she takes the mobile and sim.
"note down my number." Abhishek tells her and starts to tell her his number.
"I've your number." Pragya tells him.
"You said you threw your phone away." Abhishek says confused.
"I memorized your number." Pragya tells him then because she wanted him to know, she tells him as she looked at him, "Because I knew, in this city, if I needed help, you are the only one I could turn to for help."
Abhishek's breath gets caught in his throat hearing that. then having nothing to say, he nods.
*********
At night, Pragya was getting ready to sleep when she gets a message from Abhishek.
Pragya... our lawyer is out of the country for two weeks. Is it okay if we wait for two weeks before we file for annulment or do you want me to look for another lawyer? We have five months to file for annulment.
Reading the message, Pragya's heart starts beating fast. Then she types the reply to him. we will wait.
You sure? Your boyfriend will be fine with it?
Pragya gulps reading his message then she quickly replies with a lie. Yes. I'll tell him.
Okay then.
**********
Abhishek was having breakfast with his family. Seeing that everyone was there, he informs them. "Pragya is in my class."
"What?" Prem turns to him angry. "That shameless girl is here? In your college?"
"She is my student. And she is not shameless." Abhishek tells his father with a frown.
"Student! Get her thrown out of your college." Prem tells him angrily.
"What the heck, Dad?" Abhishek asks his father in anger.
"Did you forget what she did? People are still asking us where your wife is!"
"Tell them we are getting our marriage annulled!" Abhishek tells him.
"I can't believe that I got my Abhi married to that girl!" Dadi says sadly.
"I can't believe that you were friends with people who would beat up a girl and force her to marry whoever they wanted." Abhishek replies.
"You are defending her, Abhi." Santoshi accuses him.
"I told Pragya to leave, Pragya didn't run away. So stop blaming her."
"What kind of girl abandons her husband and runs off with her boyfriend?" Dadi asks in disgust.
"Dadi! Pragya and I am still husband and wife. So, till we get our marriage annulled, don't forget that you are speaking of my wife!" Abhishek warns her then turning to look at everyone else, he says, "Even, you all."
"Abhi, relax... they are concerned." Preeta gently tells him to calm down the situation.
"I understand and they should understand Pragya's situation too."
"Abhi, they won't say anything bad against Pragya." Karan promises him in a bid to appease him.
Prem sighs furiously and gets up and walks off.
*********
Seeing Abhishek heading towards her, Pragya stops in her path.
"I was coming to see you." Abhishek tells her.
"Yes? What happened?"
"Nothing... I wanted your boyfriend's number."
"What?" Pragya asks her heart skipping a beat.
"Why are you panicking? I just want to talk to him." Abhishek asks her confused.
"About what?" Pragya asks him worriedly.
"Just to tell him about the annulment. I don't want to be a problem between you two." Abhishek tells her.
"It's okay. I already told him, he is fine with it." Pragya quickly tells him.
"Still it will be good if I also spoke to him."
"No... there is no need for that."
Seeing her behave so restlessly, Abhishek frowns and asks her, "Why don't you want me to talk to your boyfriend?"
"Why should you?" Pragya asks him back.
Seeing her like that, he frowns suspiciously and asks her, "What is your boyfriend's name?"
"Huh?" Pragya asks in shock as she tried to think of a name.
"Your boyfriend's name?"
"Arjun." Pragya says the first name that came to her mind.
"Arjun what?"
"Kapoor!" Pragya replies without thinking.
"Arjun Kapoor?" Abhishek asks her not convinced.
"Not the actor. Another Arjun Kapoor." Pragya replies faking a chuckle.
"Obviously." Abhishek agrees.
"Okay. I've class." Pragya says and turns to leave.
"What does he do?" Abhishek asks her.
"Huh?" Pragya turns to him wide eyes.
"Where does Arjun Kapoor work?"
"Erm..."
"You don't know?" Abhishek asks her frowning.
"I know... why wouldn't I know?" Pragya asks him as she tried to brainstorm and think of a company that operated in Bengaluru.
"So?"
"Erm... Infosys!" Pragya tells him excitedly in relief. "He works in Infosys."
"As?"
Pragya's eyes widen in shock.
Abhishek expectantly looks at her.
"Programmer?" Pragya asks him worriedly.
"You are asking me?" Abhishek asks her back.
"No... no... I'm telling you. Arjun Kapoor, works in Infosys Bengaluru as a programmer." Pragya tells him in a single breath.
"What programmer?"
Pragya frowns hearing that. "I don't know. I didn't ask! If you want, I'll call him and ask him."
"Okay... call." Abhishek tells her.
"What?" Pragya stops in shock.
"Call him and ask." Abhishek tells her in a challenging tone.
Pragya frowns at him and tells him. "He is busy at work. I'll ask him when I call him later. Now, even I've class. Even you have class. Go to class!"
"It's free hour for me." Abhishek says shrugging.
"I don't have free hour!" Pragya glares at him and turns and walks off.
"Where were you?" Disha asks seeing Pragya hurrying in.
"What all types of programmers are there in Infosys?" Pragya asks Disha hurriedly.
"What?" Disha asks confused. "Why?"
"I've to know!" Pragya tells her.
"Just google!" Disha tells her.
***********
The moment Abhishek's class got over, Pragya runs behind him.
"Abhishek!" Pragya calls him as she ran behind him.
Abhishek stops, so does the few students around them and curiously look at her.
Realizing everyone's eyes on her. Pragya bites her tongue nervously and says, "I mean, Professor Mehra."
Abhishek walks towards her, noticing couple of students looking at them, he asks them with a frown. "What?"
The students shake their heads and quickly hurries off.
"Yeah?" Abhishek stops in front of Pragya.
"Professor Mehra, you asked..."
"What's with the Professor Mehra?" Abhishek cuts her off shocked.
"You are my Professor." Pragya replies confused.
"Before that, I am your husband." Abhishek reminds her.
"But no one knows here." Pragya tells him in shock.
"So?"
"If they hear me call you by name then..."
"Then they hear." Abhishek replies with a shrug.
"I don't want anyone to know." Pragya worriedly whispers to him.
"Pragya, we are married and that is our truth. We can't deny it, no matter what. And we've no need to hide it also. We got married in front of hundreds of people. Half the college here knows that I got married. I don't know how many know whom I married or that we are not together. The truth is it doesn't matter to me."
"It matters to me." Pragya whispers to him as she looked down.
Abhishek sighs and tells her, "I'll not go out of my way and tell anyone that you're my wife but I'll not deny also if someone asks me."
Pragya nods realizing that he won't budge from his stance.
"Anyway what were you saying?" Abhishek asks her.
"You asked what programmer Arjun is." Pragya reminds him excitedly.
"Power programmer?" Abhishek asks her.
"How did you know that?" Pragya asks him, shocked out of her wits.
"That is the first search result on google when you search for "Infosys Programmer." So, I just guessed." Abhishek replies with a shrug.
"I called him. I didn't google it." Pragya quickly tells him worriedly.
"Obviously." Abhishek replies and walks off.
***********
Pragya was walking towards the bus stop when Abhishek's car stops near her.
"Pragya!" Abhishek calls her as he lowered the window.
Pragya turns to the car and noticing him, she bends down to speak to him.
"Where are you going?" Abhishek asks her.
"For work."
"Work?" Abhishek asks her confused.
"I got a part time job in a call center. Going there."
"Okay... get in, I'll drop you."
"It's okay. I'll take a bus."
"Get in, Pragya." Abhishek tells her as he leaned down and opened the door for her.
Pragya gets in.
"Where do you work?" Abhishek asks her as he drove the car.
Pragya tells him.
"How come you're working in a call center?" Abhishek asks her curiously. "Is that the field you want to specialize in?"
"No... I was just looking for a part time job and this fits with my schedule."
"Do you want me to check if we have any openings at our company for you?" Abhishek asks her.
"No... no." Pragya quickly says shaking her head.
Understanding why she wouldn't want to work there, he doesn't press much.
"Why didn't you join your business?" Pragya asks him curiously.
"I'm one of the directors. In fact, I'm heading for the board meeting now." Abhishek tells her.
"Oh. I didn't know that." Pragya whispers.
"I'm not as involved as Karan and Dad. But I do hold 1/3rd of the share."
Pragya nods and asks him curiously. "You like teaching?"
"It's my passion."
"So, your family didn't have a problem with you not joining Mehra industries?"
"It's my career and my choice. They have no say in that." Abhishek replies to her surprised.
Pragya nods as she looked out sadly.
"Dad keeps telling me to buy our college."
"Buy the college?" Pragya asks shocked.
"Yeah, it is actually up for sale. They are going through some financial problems but I can't manage everything." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya nods hearing that.
"What about you?" Abhishek asks her.
"I want to do something in the education industry. I don't want to be a teacher, maybe something else. I want to make sure that everyone gets a chance at education." Pragya tells him.
"That's nice." Abhishek tells her smiling.
Pragya smiles seeing him smile then she couldn't help the blush that spread on her face, she quickly looks away.
Seeing that, Abhishek asks her casually. "How did you meet your boyfriend?"
"Er... college... he was my senior."
"Okay... so, how is Aryan doing?"
"Fine." Pragya replies with a smile then she quickly adds, "But very busy with work."
"But I thought your boyfriend's name was Arjun." Abhishek reminds her.
Pragya's eyes widen in shock. "I've a friend called Aryan. I thought you were asking about him."
"Oh!"
"Arjun is also very busy with work." Pragya quickly tells him. then she adds, "Super busy."
"So busy that he doesn't get much time to call you."
"Yes!" Pragya says latching onto that option.
"Obviously." Abhishek mutters as he stops the car in front of her workplace.
"I'll come and pick you up." Abhishek tells her as she was about to get down.
"Why?" Pragya asks him shocked.
"What time will your work get over?" Abhishek asks her.
"8."
"Okay... if incase board meeting isn't done by then; I'll send our driver."
"It's okay. don't bother, I'll go back to hostel by bus." Pragya tells him.
"No, I'll come or driver will be here." Abhishek insists.
"Why are you doing all this?" Pragya asks him helplessly.
"Because you're my wife." Abhishek reminds her with a frown.
"But we are getting our marriage annulled."
"Till then you're my wife." Abhishek reminds her.
Pragya nods hearing him and starts to get off.
"Pragya..." Abhishek calls her.
Pragya stops and looks at him.
"We might not remain married for long but don't forget you're still my wife. And you've all the rights of my wife." Abhishek tells her.
"Why?" Pragya asks him softly, her heart filling up.
"It might have been forced on you, but when I made those vows, I meant every single one of them." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya's eyes fill up hearing him. gulping, she quickly hurries out of the car.
***********
Pragya smiles as she hurried to the car park seeing Abhishek waiting for her.
"Hi." Pragya says happily as she sat in and buckled her seat belt.
Abhishek smiles at her as he started the car. It has become their routine. He would drop her at her work and then after that he would pick her up and drop her back to her hostel.
"Sorry, I'm late. I was talking to Ma." Pragya tells him.
"How is she doing?" Abhishek asks her.
"She is doing good. Just worried for me."
"Hmm.... Did your grandparents find out about you?" Abhishek asks her.
Pragya shakes her head in negative. "I am as good as dead to them now."
Abhishek angrily looks at her hearing that.
"I'm not hurt." Pragya quickly tells him. "It doesn't matter to me now."
"Hmmm."
"Anyway, Ma is happy for me." Pragya tells him happily.
"Does she know about Arjun?" Abhishek asks her.
Pragya's smile drops hearing him. "Yeaah."
"Sorry, I meant Aryan."
Confused Pragya thinks on what was her fake boyfriend's name.
"Sorry... I don't know why I mess up your boyfriend's name." Abhishek tells her.
Confused, Pragya looks out the window as she tried to remember whether she told her boyfriend's name was Aryan or Arjun.
"Pragya?"
"It's okay, I understood whom you meant." Pragya tells him.
"Okay."
"Anyway let's not talk about him." Pragya tells him.
"Okay."
"Let's talk of something else."
"You got scholarship, right?" Abhishek asks her.
"Yes." Pragya replies smiling proudly.
"Mugging up, huh?" Abhishek asks her with a grin.
Pragya frowns hearing that. "You don't think I'm smart?"
"Oh you're too smart for me." Abhishek replies laughing.
Pragya turns to him in shock. "Why are you laughing? What is so funny?"
Abhishek shrugs as he chuckled. Frowning, Pragya hits him on his shoulder.
"Stop laughing!"
Abhishek continues to chuckle.
"Why are you laughing at me?" Pragya asks him frowning angrily as she hit him. "Stop it!"
Abhishek stops the car and chuckling he informs her. "Your destination, Madam."
Seeing they reached, Pragya tells him angrily as she grabbed her stuff. "Don't come to pick me up! I'll go by myself."
Abhishek chuckles as he watched Pragya walk away furiously.
***********
Pragya comes out after work and looks for Abhishek's car. Not seeing his car, she stops and waits for him to reach. She takes her mobile and she was about to dial his number when she remembers how they had parted. She keeps her mobile back in her bag. She starts to walk off then she stops. She knew, he would come.
Pragya stays there and waits for him. two minutes later, she feels a flash. She turns to look at the direction and sees a black car flashing at her. Abhishek's car was white.
The car again flashes at her.
Pragya quickly takes her mobile and dials Abhishek as her heart beat fast. She looks around worriedly as she looked if people were around.
"Yeah, Pragya?" Abhishek answers the phone.
"Abhishek, where are you? there is a car flashing at me!" Pragya worriedly tells him.
"You only told me not to come." Abhishek reminds her.
"What?" Pragya stops in shock. "You are not coming?"
"You only told me not to come." Abhishek reminds her.
"How will I go now? I have to walk past that car to get to the bus stop." Pragya worriedly asks.
The car again flashes at her.
"He is flashing at me again." Pragya tells Abhishek now getting angry at the creep's audacity.
"Okay, then ask him to drop you to the hostel."
"What?" Pragya asks him in shock.
"Maybe he is offering you lift."
Pragya turns to glare at the car. "It is you in the car! Isn't it?"
Abhishek starts laughing.
Pragya furiously walks to the car and opens the door.
"I thought you told me not to come." Abhishek laughs at her.
"Fine! I'll go by bus!" Pragya says furiously.
She turns to walk off, when Abhishek grabs her and pulls her in. Pragya yelps in shock as she turned to glare at him.
Abhishek grins at her. Pragya frees her hand from him and turns and looks out the window ignoring him.
"Oh biwi naraz hogayi." [Wife got angry] Abhishek cheekily says.
Pragya scowls at him.
Chuckling Abhishek starts the car.
They remained silent for a while. Noticing an ice cream truck, Abhishek pulls up next to it.
"Ice cream?" Abhishek asks Pragya.
Pragya turns her face away pissed.
Shrugging Abhishek turns to the vendor and tells him. "1 vanilla."
Hearing that Pragya turns to him angrily.
The vendor hands Abhishek his ice cream. "Madam, for you?" he asks Pragya.
"Chocolate." Pragya tells him as she glared at Abhishek.
Abhishek cheekily chuckles.
Pragya scowls at him. Abhishek pays the vendor and gets out of the car. "Let's go for a walk."
Pragya follows him as she licked on her ice cream cone. Abhishek walks to a tree and stops and smiles at her. Pragya ignores him and enjoys her ice cream.
"You are such a baby." Abhishek cutely teases her.
Pragya glares at him.
Abhishek lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek and asks him. "Did you get scared?"
Seeing him being so sweet. Pragya nods in yes.
"Sorry." Abhishek tells her.
"It's okay." Pragya replies, forgiving him.
"I thought you would get irritated. I didn't think you would get scared."
"I didn't recognize the car, otherwise I would have realized." Pragya tells him.
"It's Karan's car."
"You purposely brought it to irritate me."
Abhishek chuckles. "You only told me not to come."
"But I knew you would come."
"And I knew you would wait." Abhishek tells her smugly.
"I was going to get you to hit him when you come." Pragya tells him.
Abhishek laughs hearing that. "If anyone troubles you for real, I'll hit him." Abhishek promises her.
"I know." Pragya replies with a smile.
"How?" Abhishek asks a little surprised.
"You vowed to protect me." Pragya reminds him with a smile.
Abhishek smiles as he leaned to the tree.
"How is your ice cream?" Pragya asks him.
Abhishek points his ice cream cone at her. Pragya leans towards him and shyly licks the ice cream.
"How is it?" Abhishek asks her.
"Mine is better."
Abhishek suspiciously looks at her. Pragya offers her ice cream to him.
Abhishek tastes it. "Yeah... you're right."
Pragya smiles. "You want this?"
"No, you've it."
"No, you take it." Pragya tells him as she took his ice cream and offered him her ice cream.
"You sure?"
"Yeah, Abhi."
Abhishek smiles hearing her call him Abhi. he takes her ice cream and they have it.
"What's time?" Pragya asks curiously as she held Abhishek's hand and turned it to check the time. "It is getting late. My curfew is at 9:30." Pragya tells him hurriedly.
"Let's go."
They were walking to the car when Abhishek gently calls her. Pragya curiously turns to look at him.
"Did you mean any of it?"
"What?" Pragya asks him confused.
"Our wedding vows." Abhishek asks her softly.
Hearing his question, Pragya sadly looks at him. "I don't know." Pragya confesses to him.
Abhishek nods and starts to walk off. Pragya quickly holds his hand. Abhishek turns to look at her.
"You don't have to hold on to those vows, Abhishek." Pragya tells him gently.
"I made those vows with my free will. I'll uphold them." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya helplessly looks at him, her eyes filling up.
"You might not have meant those vows, Pragya but I know this." Abhishek tells her as he moved towards her.
"What?" Pragya asks him as she looked into his eyes.
"That you consider me your husband." Abhishek tells her as he looked into her eyes.
Pragya gulps as the tears threatened to spill. "We are getting our marriage annulled." Pragya reminds him in a whisper and walks off towards the car.
***********
Two days later, Pragya comes out of her workplace and spots Abhishek's car immediately. She happily hurries to the car. Every time she sees Abhishek wait for her, it made her happy.
"Hi." Pragya says happily and stops in shock seeing his serious face.
"hey." Abhishek replies as he started the car.
"Is everything okay?" Pragya asks him in concern.
"Yeah, all fine." Abhishek replies.
"You look upset." Pragya tells him.
"It's all fine, Pragya."
"Please tell me, Abhi." Pragya requests him as she held his hand.
Abhishek stops the car to the side. "Everything is fine." Abhishek starts.
"But?"
"Nothing... it is just that, I was just thinking."
"Thinking?" Pragya asks confused.
"Lawyer called."
Pragya's heart breaks hearing that. "Oh."
"We have to meet him in court tomorrow. I'll pick you up from hostel at 10."
Pragya nods as her heart slammed against her chest.
Abhishek leans towards the back seat and brings forward a file. "I've signed it. you go through it and sign it."
"You went through it, right?" Pragya asks him softly, trying her best to control her tears.
"Still you go through it." Abhishek tells her. "We are filing for annulment, so you won't get any alimony. But if you want anything..."
"I don't want anything." Pragya quickly cuts him off as she looked at him with tear filled eyes.
"I was just telling you what the lawyer told me." Abhishek quickly tells her.
Pragya nods as she looked down at the file. "I don't want anything."
"I know." Abhishek tells her gently as he started the car.
***********
Pragya keeps looking at the unopened file as her heart screamed out in pain. Leaving the file on the table, she opens her cupboard and takes out the pouch she had safely kept. She opens it and takes out her mangal sutra. She lovingly caresses it and breaks down into tears.
***********
They were walking towards the court when Pragya notices a bench.
"Can we sit there?" Pragya asks him.
Abhishek checks his watch and tells her. "Our turn is in ten minutes."
"Just 5 mins." Pragya requests him.
"Okay." Abhishek nods and walks with her to the bench.
They sit down.
"Did you want to talk?" Abhishek asks her when she remained silent.
Pragya nods as she looked down. "I don't have a boyfriend." Pragya confesses softly.
"I know." Abhishek replies.
"How?" Pragya turns to him in shock.
"Because I am not dumb." Abhishek replies with a frown. "And now you don't act dumb, Pragya. I know you knew that I realized that there is no Arjun."
Pragya guiltily looks down. "Why didn't you ever ask me?"
"It doesn't matter whether you had a boyfriend or not. The truth is that you were forced to marry me. your boyfriend's truth was not going to change that you didn't want to marry me." Abhishek explains.
"Why didn't you ask me the reason then?"
"You lied when I asked you once." Abhishek reminds her.
"You assumed that I was in love with someone else." Pragya tells him.
"Pragya, when I came to our bedroom on our suhag raat, you were crying and you had marks of beatings on your hands and face. I understood you were forced and the first thought that came to my mind was that you loved someone else. I didn't accuse you, I asked you." Abhishek reminds her offended.
"You said if I loved someone else you would free me from this marriage." Pragya tells him as tears spilled from her eyes. "I wanted to escape so I lied."
"Why?" Abhishek asks her.
"I wanted to study." Pragya tells him. "I wanted to get a job."
"What does that have to do with marriage?" Abhishek asks confused and shocked.
"marriage is the end for education and career."
"What nonsense? Even I am married, that is not stopping my career." Abhishek tells her exasperated.
"It is not the same for a guy and a girl." Pragya tells him in shock.
"Why does it have to be different?" Abhishek asks her. "Your career is your professional life. your marriage is your personal life. why can't they both co-exist?"
"People expect a girl to sacrifice her career and education for family."
"Pragya, I am a Professor. I know the value of education and career!" Abhishek tells her in shock.
"Ma wanted to be a doctor." Pragya tells him. "She was studying medicine when she met Baba on her second year. He promised her that he would support her in her education and career. But after marriage, any function, ritual at home, she was asked to take leave. Then when she got pregnant Baba told her to stop her studies and concentrate on me. he told her after I was a little order, she could continue with her studies. she agreed. Every time, she asked him about restarting her studies, he would say "Let Pragya be a little older." Then Baba passed away when I was 5 and my grandparents refused to let her study. All her life, if she wants something then she has to beg them and get their approval."
Abhishek looks away disturbed hearing that.
"When your family called about the marriage, Ma and I told my grandparents that I want to study. They refused to fund my education and lied that I didn't get scholarship. I had no other option than to agree for the wedding. The day before our wedding I found out from my teacher that my scholarship was approved. Ma and I fought with my grandparents and I told them I want to study. They refused and when I told them I was going to tell you that I didn't want to marry you they hit me and stopped me from coming to you."
"Pragya, if you had told me that after our marriage also I would have told you that I will never stand in the way of your education and career. And I will never let anyone stand in the way." Abhishek tells her.
"I want to make my career." Pragya tells him as she looked at him.
"And us?"
Pragya hands him the annulment petition. Abhishek takes it from her and curiously looks inside and sees that she hadn't signed.
"You didn't sign?" Abhishek asks her, feeling hopeful.
"I don't know why." Pragya tells him.
"What do you mean you don't know?" Abhishek asks her confused.
"I don't know." Pragya tells him. "My career is important."
"And us?" Abhishek asks again.
"I promised Ma that I will make my career first." Pragya tells him.
"So, do you want to go ahead with the annulment?" Abhishek asks her hurt and angry.
"When I told you that I was forced to marry you, you were so furious. At first, I thought you were angry at me then I realized that you were angry for me. You wanted to confront my grandparents and I had to plead you not to do it. then you wanted me to leave immediately as you didn't want me to stay with you even for a day and cause any kind of misunderstandings between my boyfriend and me." Pragya tells him as tears spilled from her eyes.
Abhishek listens to her with a confused frown and when she didn't say anything further, he asks her, "What are you trying to say?"
Pragya shakes her head in negative in reply.
Exasperated Abhishek asks her, "Do you want us to go to the court room and file the petition or not?"
Gulping Pragya looks down helplessly.
Abhishek seeing that takes the papers and tears it. "I don't care if it is one month or a year. I don't care if we have to get divorced. Till I am sure that you don't want me, we will not end this marriage." Abhishek tells her.
Hearing that, filled with relief and joy, Pragya jumps towards him and hugs him tight.
Abhishek couldn't help smile, he hugs her. "Take your time and decide."
"Thank you." Pragya tells him happily.
Abhishek smiles at her.
"Why do you want to stay married to me?" Pragya asks him softly.
"I married you because I liked you." Abhishek tells her with a sweet smile.
"Really?" Pragya asks blushing happily.
"Remember, Karan and Preeta bhabhi had come to stay at your place for some work?" Abhishek asks her.
"Yes." Pragya nods.
"When Dadi told me about you, I was worried that if it didn't work out, I didn't want it to affect Dadi's friendship with your dadi. So, I had asked Karan and Preeta Bhabhi to get to know you and see whether we would work out."
"They came home to spy on me?" Pragya asks shocked.
Abhishek chuckles. "Not exactly. Anyway, they really liked you and they told me you were preparing for elocution competition and I had come to your college that day. I heard your speech on the importance of women's education and I liked your views and thoughts. So, I told Dadi to proceed."
"You were there?" Pragya asks shocked, her eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes." Abhishek tells her smiling. "I tried talking to you before the wedding but you were nervous and reserved, I thought you were not used to speaking to men like that."
Pragya's smile drops and she looks down guiltily. "I was so worried about my studies that time."
"I understand." Abhishek tells her reassuringly.
Pragya smiles hearing that.
"Let's go." Abhishek tells her.
**********
Just as Pragya reached her hostel room, Sarala calls her.
"Hello, ma." Pragya happily answers the call.
"You sound happy." Sarala says happily. "Did you file for annulment? Did the lawyer say when you will get the marriage annulled?"
Hearing her question, Pragya's smile drops and she worriedly tells her. "We didn't file, Ma."
"What? Why?" Sarala asks shocked.
"We've decided to take our time and decide." Pragya tells her worriedly.
"Decide what, Pragya?" Sarala asks her shocked and getting angry. "File for annulment before Abhishek changes his mind."
Gulping worriedly, Pragya tells her. "I love him, Ma. I want your blessings. I want to go to Abhi."
"Have you gone crazy, Pragya?" Sarala asks her angrily.
"Please, Ma. Today, he asked me but I didn't tell him that I want to be with him because I wanted you to bless us first."
"No. I won't allow this." Sarala tells her sternly. "I'll not let you ruin your life like this."
"Abhi is not like Baba, Ma. He cares about my future."
"Pragya, you are getting blinded by your love."
"No, Ma. After everything, he still cares for me." Pragya tells her crying softly.
"After what, Pragya? you were forced to marry him!"
"He helped me even when you couldn't." Pragya points out to her.
Sarala gasps in shock. "You know what all I went through for you."
"I know, Ma. I am not belittling you." Pragya quickly tells her guiltily.
Sarala takes a calming breath and tells Pragya, "I am not going to let you make the same mistakes that I did."
"I am not, Ma. Abhi is not like Baba. You know how he always takes me to work and picks me up from there. he is so supportive."
"Your father did more than that and he promised me the world, Pragya."
Pragya helplessly sighs.
"Pragya, forget this marriage and Abhishek. you have only one responsibility and that is to yourself. Finish your studies and get a job. Once you stand on your feet, marry whoever you want. If it is Abhishek, that time I won't stop you. but not now."
"I'll concentrate on my studies and get a job." Pragya promises her.
"Good, Pragya." Sarala says in relief.
"But I won't forget Abhi. As long as Abhi wants me, I won't forsake this marriage."
"Pragya..."
Pragya cuts her off. "Don't worry, Ma. I'll wait for your blessings."
**********
Seeing that his whole family had taken their seats at the breakfast table, Abhishek decides that this was as best a time as any to inform them about Pragya.
He clears his throat and everyone curiously looks at him.
"Pragya and I won't be getting our marriage annulled now." Abhishek informs them.
"What?" Prem asks angrily.
"What do you mean by that, Abhi? You said you were filing for annulment." Santoshi asks him shocked.
"We've decided to give our marriage a chance." Abhishek informs them.
"I won't allow it." Prem says angrily.
"If you forgot, Dad then Pragya is my wife. We don't need anyone's permission."
"She ran away! She humiliated us in front of the whole world." Dadi reminds him.
"She was forced to marry me. and I asked her to leave. How many times do you want me to repeat it?" Abhishek asks her angry.
"Wait a minute." Prem says confused. "What about Pragya's boyfriend?"
"There is no boyfriend. There never was one."
"What do you mean?" Prem asks frowning in confusion.
Abhishek quickly tells him.
"She thinks we would stop her from studying further?" Santoshi asks offended.
"You should understand, Mom. Pragya has been most influenced by her mother. What her mother went through, it has scared her." Abhishek explains to her.
"But how can she assume such things? have we tied Preeta to the house? Even Preeta is a working woman."
"None of this matters. We don't want anything to do with that girl or her family." Prem says.
"You are speaking of my wife." Abhishek tells him angrily.
"No, Abhi. because of her we were humiliated in front of family and friends. It is my mistake that I suggested her for you." Dadi says sadly. "I shouldn't have kept friendship with them. after that day, I ended all relation with them and have told them clearly that Pragya will not be a party of our family."
"Those people don't deserve your friendship. But Pragya is not among them. she is a victim of their atrocities." Abhishek tells him.
"Enough. We won't accept her." Prem says furiously and gets up and walks off.
Santoshi and Dadi follows him.
Karan turns to Abhishek in exasperation. "Is it necessary to have these conversations when we sit down to have our food?"
"Karan!" Preeta turns to him in shock.
"What? I'm hungry." Karan tells her.
"You sit and eat!" Preeta tells him pissed and turns to Abhishek and sees that he was about to leave the table. "Abhi..."
Abhishek looks at her.
"Only you've seen what she went through. They don't know. All they know is what happened the day after your wedding when guests had come to see your bride and she was missing. The humiliation they all went through when we had to cancel the reception." Preeta gently explains to him.
"That doesn't mean they hold Pragya responsible for everything." Abhishek argues.
"Abhi, you bring her home. Let them get to know her. once they get to know her, they will accept her." Karan tells him.
"I doubt Pragya will come here. I feel she is nervous about meeting you all."
"But she will have to meet us one day, right?"
Abhishek nods.
"Bring her home one day. they might not accept her immediately but eventually they will."
"But if they insult her..."
"They won't. they know insulting your wife is insulting you. they will never do that." Preeta tells him.
**********
Later Abhishek was walking into his department building when he notices Pragya standing by the entrance. He smiles at her and she hesitantly smiles at him.
"What happened?" Abhishek asks her.
Pragya shakes her head and asks him, "Did you tell your family about what we decided?"
"Yes."
"And?" Pragya asks worriedly.
"They are not happy." Abhishek informs her.
"Oh." Pragya sadly looks down.
Abhishek keeps his hand on her cheek. Pragya looks up and he sweetly smiles at her. "They will come around."
"Did you tell them that I don't have a boyfriend?" Pragya asks him eagerly.
"Yeah, I told them everything."
"And what did they say?" Pragya asks him worriedly.
"They were offended that you think they would interfere in your career and studies."
Hearing that, Pragya's eyes fill up and she quickly looks down.
"Pragya?" Abhishek calls her name in concern. He looks around and notices that there were students around and a couple of them were watching them curiously.
"Come with me." Abhishek holds her hand and leads her to an empty class room.
Abhishek closes the door and asks her, "What happened?"
"Nothing." Pragya lies.
"Pragya, before you used to lie to me and I didn't say anything because we were going to end our marriage but now, we are trying to make this work. So, don't lie to me and don't hide anything from me." Abhishek tells her.
Hearing him, Pragya moves towards him and hugs him. resting her face against his chest, she tells him. "I trust you, Abhi."
Abhishek hugs her and asks her gently, "Why are you sad about that?"
"Not about that."
"Then?"
"I asked Ma whether I could go with you but she didn't agree." Pragya tells him sadly.
"We are married, Pragya. we don't need anyone's permission." Abhishek tells her.
"I want Ma to give us her blessing. She never wanted us to get married."
"But we are married now and she will have to accept it."
"She said after I get a job she will give us her blessing."
"So, we stay like this till then?" Abhishek asks her.
"I'm all Ma has. She is worried for me. she went through so much for me." Pragya tells him as she worriedly looks at his face.
Abhishek doesn't say anything to that.
"All she wants is to see me settle down."
"Pragya, your career is a part of your life and your marriage is also a part of your life. I don't understand why you think you have to sacrifice one for the other."
"Ma doesn't want what happened to her, to happen to me also."
"It will not happen to you." Abhishek tells her fed up. "I'm promising you that."
"I know. I trust you, Abhi. I want Ma to give us her blessing."
"And it is not going to happen any time soon." Abhishek says giving up.
"All she wants is that my future be secure and in my hands. That is all she ever wanted. And I told her I want to be with you. I know that hurt her a lot. I feel so selfish." Pragya guiltily confesses to him.
"Pragya, you were being honest with your mother, not selfish!" Abhishek tells her in exasperation.
Pragya nods. "I don't want to hurt her."
"Anyway, I told you it is your decision." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya smiles at him feeling relieved.
Abhishek smiles at her then remembering he tells her, "Karan suggested that you come home and meet my family."
Pragya's smile drops in worry.
"I'll be there with you." Abhishek promises her as he cups her face. "I want to try clear up the misunderstandings my family has regarding you."
"I'll come." Pragya tells him with a gentle smile.
"Let me know when you are free." Abhishek tells her with a smile.
"Weekend I'm free after work."
"Okay." Abhishek smiles at her. "Now, you go to class. Your class will start soon."
"Okay." Pragya smiles at him.
*********
"What is happening between you two?" Disha asks Pragya in a whisper the moment Abhishek had left class after the lecture was over.
Pragya turns to Disha in surprise.
"The way you two look at each other is..." Disha suspiciously stops.
Pragya blushes and informs her. "He is my husband."
"WHAT?" Disha shouts in shock.
"Sshh..." Pragya quickly says as she looked around but nobody seemed to care about the loud question.
"When did you guys get married?" Disha asks in an excited whisper.
"A month before college started."
"Whaat?"
"I'll tell you after class." Pragya tells her chuckling.
*********
One day, Abhishek walks into Pragya's classroom and as usual he looks for her. she smiles at him but he stops taken back seeing her face all puffed up.
Frowning in concern, he walks towards her. "Are you okay? you look sick." Abhishek says as he kept his hand on her forehead to check her temperature.
"Yeah, I'm fine. I didn't sleep last night." Pragya tells him.
"Why? Oh for your test?" Abhishek asks her curiously.
"Yeah."
"Test is over?"
"First hour."
"How did you do?"
"Good." Pragya tells him smiling happily.
"Nice." Abhishek replies with a smile. Then walking back to his desk, he asks the class conversationally. "And how did you all do your test?"
The students who all were looking at Abhishek's and Pragya's interaction all curiously and weirdly replies in monosyllable, still not able to understand what they witnessed.
*********
That Saturday, Pragya nervously walks into Mehra mansion with Abhishek.
"Don't worry. I'm here." Abhishek reassuringly tells her as he held her hand.
Pragya tries to gather courage and smile.
"Hi Pragya." Preeta cheerfully wishes her and walks towards her followed by Karan.
"Hi Bhabhi." Pragya gently smiles at her.
Preeta happily hugs her. Pragya hugs her.
"Welcome home, Pragya." Karan tells her as he kept his hand on the back of her head.
"Hello Karan bhaiyya." Pragya politely smiles at him.
"Come and meet everyone." Preeta tells her and holding her hand, she leads her to where the rest of the family were sitting.
Pragya nervously looks at her in-laws and sees that they were clearly unhappy about her presence. She walks towards them and starts to touch Dadi's feet.
"no need for all that. sit." Dadi tells her.
Pragya nervously looks at Abhishek, and he gestures her to the couch. Pragya walks towards it and he follows her there, and they sit together.
"I'm not happy about this." Prem says in a slight angry tone. "But Abhishek is adamant. It is his life and he has taken decision. We are left with no choice."
"I'm sorry for what..." Pragya starts.
"You left because I asked you to leave. You don't have to apologize to them." Abhishek cuts her off.
"You asked her to leave because you thought she had a boyfriend and you didn't want to cause problems for them." Santoshi reminds him. "If she hadn't lied then we wouldn't have been humiliated."
"My wife lied to me and it doesn't concern anyone of you. it is between her and me, you don't have to speak about that." Abhishek tells her.
"Abhi, please." Pragya pleads to him in a worried whisper. "Don't speak to them like this."
"Pragya, I don't know how are things done in your family, but in this family, we speak openly. Whatever is in our heart, we share it with all." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya looks down and gently whispers to him, "That is your biggest blessing, Abhi. don't misuse it."
Abhishek stops hearing that, realizing that Pragya always had to hold back when she spoke to her family and for her, being open with one's family was a blessing while for him it was something natural. Abhishek turns to look at his family and sees them all sharing confused looks and they all seemed to notice it.
"Anyway, I just wanted to make something clear to you." Santoshi tells Pragya.
"Yes?" Pragya worriedly looks at her.
"Whether you continue your studies or wants to work, it is your decision. None of us think we have any right to interfere in one's life like that." Santoshi explains to her.
Pragya nods. "I understand."
"I already told Pragya that. Pragya is waiting for her mother's permission." Abhishek explains to her.
"Anyway, I've office." Prem says as he stood up.
"Even I've some work." Santoshi says as she stood up.
"I'm also busy." Dadi also says.
Pragya silently watched as they left.
"It's okay, Pragya." Preeta tells her with a gentle smile.
"After what happened, this is nothing." Pragya tells her with a soft smile.
"Just give them some time." Karan tells her.
*******
"This is our room." Abhishek says as he opened the bedroom door for her.
Smiling and blushing, Pragya steps in and looks around the room while Abhishek closed the door.
"Like it?" Abhishek asks her from behind.
Pragya shakes her head in negative. "Too masculine."
"I guess..." Abhishek says as he hugged her from behind. "You'll have to come here to give the room some feminine touch." Abhishek says and kisses her cheek.
Pragya blushing happily, looks at him. Abhishek again kisses her cheek. Pragya turns and kisses his cheek then she hugs him tightly. "I love you, Abhi."
"I know, love." Abhishek replies as he hugged her tight.
*******
One night, Abhishek was sleeping when he wakes up hearing his mobile ring. Seeing that it was Pragya, he quickly answers. "Pragya?"
"I'm feeling sleepy, Abhi." Pragya tells him from the other end.
"Then sleep." Abhishek replies shocked as he checked the time. "It's 1. Why are you up so late?"
"I've test tomorrow and I'm so sleepy."
"Then sleep."
"But I want to revise once more."
"Then do it quickly and sleep." Abhishek says as he stifled a yawn.
Pragya yawns. "But I'll sleep off now. you talk to me for a few minutes then I'll wake up properly."
Cheekily grinning, Abhishek tells her. "Next week I'm planning to give a calculus test for you all."
"WHAAAT?" Pragya shouts in shock.
"I thought surprise test, but now I changed my mind."
"Why this kolaveri di?" Pragya asks feeling upset and tortured.
Abhishek chuckles. "I don't know what you think the meaning of kolaveri is, but whatever you thought it to be, it is not the right meaning."
"Torture." Pragya replies with a frown.
"It is not torture." Abhishek tells her chuckling.
"But it feels like a torture."
"How is your sleep?"
"All gone, thanks to you!" Pragya tells him pissed.
"Ha... ha... see, now, go back to studying."
"Oh!" Pragya says in relief. "You lied about the test to make me lose my sleep?"
"No, that I am serious."
"grrr"
"Think, Pragya... if you were here, you could have gone through my stuff and found the question paper for the test." Abhishek cheekily tells her.
"Why won't you give me the questions?" Pragya asks with a frown.
"I thought you were an honor student."
"That I am." Pragya replies pouting.
"Then study instead of dreaming of cheating." Abhishek tells her. "Good night, Pragya."
"Bad night!" Pragya tells him pissed.
*******
as the class waited for Abhishek to come, Pragya whispers to Disha. "Next week, we'll have calculus test."
"WHAT?" Disha asks in shock.
"Abhishek told me." Pragya tells her dejectedly.
"What the hell did you do to piss him off that he decided to give a test?" Disha asks her exasperated.
"I didn't do anything. and he was planning to give surprise test." Pragya tells her.
"I'm tired of studying for exams every week." Disha says fed up then turning to Pragya, she instructs her. "You forget what your mother is saying. Shift to his house and just send me a photo of the question paper."
"Get lost!"
Just then Abhishek walks into the class. Everyone stands up and wishes him.
"Good morning and please sit down." Abhishek says then turning to look at Pragya, he asks happily, "How was your test?"
Pragya makes a face at him and looks away.
"Tough." Someone calls out from the back.
Abhishek chuckles and says as he looked at the rest of the class. "Since you guys are having tests every week. Next week, let's have a calculus test."
Every groans and moans loudly in dread.
"Friday. Portions till what was taught yesterday." Abhishek informs them.
*******
"I've a calculus doubt." Pragya tells Abhishek in the car as he drove her to work.
"What?" Abhishek asks as he looked at her and sees that she had her calculus text book open.
"Should I study this topic?" Pragya asks him as she pointed at one.
"Yes." Abhishek replies smiling.
"Oh..." Pragya puts a small tick on the side. "And this?"
"Of course."
"Okay." Pragya puts a tick for that too. "And this?"
"Obviously."
"This too?" Pragya asks at the final topic.
"You must."
Pragya turns to Abhishek in confusion and asks him "That is every topic. You're giving us a question from each topic? We won't be able to finish answering it in one hour."
"I'm not asking questions from all the topics." Abhishek informs her with a smile.
Pragya scowls at him. "You won't even tell me the topics?"
"You wish, Pragya." Abhishek tells her with a mocking chuckle.
Pragya scowls at him. "I'll make sure that even you are not able to sleep when I'm staying up at night and studying."
"You shift home, Pragya. and I'll stay up the whole night with you."
Pragya turns to him with a smile and seeing him giving her a sexy smile and all kinds of look, she realizes what he meant and she quickly looks away turning completely pink.
**********
One day, Pragya was looking for Abhishek when she finds him speaking to the Principal in the corridor. She stands back as she waited for him to finish his conversation.
As she was waiting, Abhishek happens to look her way and notices her.
"Sir, just a second." Abhishek tells the Principal and turns to Pragya. "Are you waiting for me?"
Pragya nods in yes.
Abhishek nods and turns to the Principal who was also looking at Pragya curiously. "Excuse me, Sir. I'll be right back. give me a minute." Abhishek tells him and walks towards Pragya without waiting for a reply.
Pragya's eyes widen seeing that.
"What happened?" Abhishek asks her.
Pragya looks at the offended Principal and turns to Abhishek and whispers. "I'll wait. He is waiting for you."
"That's okay. what happened?"
Realizing he would not budge as he always prioritized her over everything else, she quickly tells him. "Preeta Bhabhi called for the Puja at home on Sunday for Dadi's birthday. She wants me to go home."
"Yeah, I already told you right? whole family is going to be there."
"She wants me to stay there on Saturday night. She said since the Puja starts early in the morning it would be more convenient."
"Okay. I'll pick you on Saturday."
"I stay there?" Pragya asks worriedly.
"Pragya that is your house. Come stay there. I'm not going to expect you to stay on. That is your decision."
Pragya nods. "Preeta Bhabhi wants me to go with her to a tailor as your mother is gifting both of us a dress for the Puja."
"Today?" Abhishek asks frowning.
"Yes."
"What about your work?"
"She said she will drop me to work in time."
"Okay... so, I'll pick you up after work."
"Okay... now you go, Principal is waiting."
**********
Pragya nervously sat through dinner with Abhishek's family as the elders remained silent, while Karan's full concentration was on his food and Preeta and Abhishek trying to talk to her.
"Thank you for the dress." Pragya tells Santoshi seeing her getting up from the table.
"You're Abhi's wife." Santoshi says in reply and then she walks off.
Pragya turns to look at Abhishek and sees him frowning at his mother.
"I'm so happy that she accepted me as your wife." Pragya tells him in a whisper.
"What is there for her to accept? You are my wife." Abhishek replies to her.
Pragya didn't say anything further.
**********
After dinner, Pragya was chatting with Abhishek, Preeta and Karan.
"We should sleep, we've to wake up early." Preeta finally says checking the time.
"Which room did you keep my bag?" Pragya asks Abhishek as she stood up to go to her room.
"What do you mean which room? our room." Abhishek tells her frowning in confusion.
"Your... your room?" Pragya asks him in shock.
"Our room."
"I'm sleeping there?" Pragya asks feeling nervous and scared at once.
Preeta and Karan awkwardly look at each other.
"When you've a room here why do you've to sleep in the guest room?" Abhishek asks her confused.
"I'm sleepy. Karan, let's...." Preeta starts to make her escape.
At the same time, Karan says "Okay, this is awkward."
Preeta turns to glare at her husband.
"Let's go, Preeta. Let them talk."
"Why do you've to make it so obvious?" Preeta furiously whispers to Karan as she dragged him away from there
Pragya and Abhishek watched them leave for a few seconds.
"Pragya, if you're not comfortable then you sleep in the guest room." Abhishek tells her.
"I'll sleep in our room." Pragya tells him.
"You're sure?" Abhishek asks her.
Pragya nervously nods. "I trust you, Abhi. I know you will not force me for anything."
**********
"What are you thinking?" Abhishek asks Pragya as they lay facing each other on the bed.
"Ma." Pragya replies.
"Should I be offended?"
Pragya chuckles and shakes her head then sobering she tells him. "I didn't tell her that I'm staying here tonight."
"Why?" Abhishek asks her frowning.
"She wasn't happy that I had come here before. If she finds out I stayed here, she is going to worry."
"Worry that I'm going to get you pregnant?" Abhishek asks her.
"Maybe."
"And she thinks only if you stay here that can happen?"
"No... I'm just saying..." Pragya quickly says.
"Hmmm."
Pragya keeps her hand over his hand and holds it. Abhishek interlocks his fingers with hers.
"Do you get angry with me?" Pragya asks him.
"I understand you, Pragya."
Pragya smiles hearing that.
"But at times, I wish that you would come out of the influence of your mother. This feeling of being indebted to your mother. Thinking that your existence is what ruined her life. Pragya, she was a second year medical student, she knew about precautions and how to avoid pregnancy. She became pregnant out of her own choice. She can't get away from all that happened in her life, by placing it over your head. you're not responsible for what happened to her and she shouldn't impose her fears and what happened in her life on you."
"I don't want her to be hurt, Abhi." Pragya gently tells him.
"I know, Pragya." Abhishek tells her and taking her hand to his lips, he kisses it.
Pragya smiles at him.
**********
Pragya and Abhishek were about to take their place for the puja.
"Wait!" Dadi tells Pragya frowning in displeasure.
"What is it, Dadi?" Abhishek asks as Pragya stopped.
Dadi turns to Pragya and asks her. "Don't you know that a married woman should wear her mangal sutra and sindoor while sitting for puja?"
"Pragya doesn't wear them, Dadi." Abhishek informs her.
"Pragya, I told you, you've to wear them." Preeta worriedly whispers to her.
"I'm sorry, I forgot, Bhabhi. I brought my mangal sutra. I'll wear it and come." Pragya quickly tells her.
"I'll get it. Abhi, there is sindoor in the mandir, you fill her maang. Pragya, where is it?" Preeta asks her.
"In my handbag."
"Okay." Preeta hurries off.
"You're okay about wearing them?" Abhishek asks Pragya.
Pragya nods.
Abhishek walks to the mandir and gets sindoor and comes back to Pragya. he waits a few seconds and realizing, Pragya again nods in yes. Abhishek fills her maang, and they couldn't help smiling happily at each other.
"Here." Preeta says as she hurried to Pragya and handed her, her handbag.
Pragya quickly opens her bag and brings out her pouch and taking the mangal sutra, she offers it to Abhishek.
Abhishek takes it, Pragya smiles at him. Abhishek smiling lovingly at her, keeps the mangal sutra on her neck. Seeing him struggling to hook it, Preeta walks behind Pragya and moves her hair to a side and helps him hook the mangal sutra.
They hear a loud gasp and curiously turns to look and sees Santoshi staring at Pragya.
"What's on your back, Pragya?" Santoshi asks her, her face white as a ghost.
"What?" Pragya asks as she touched her back.
Preeta curiously looks down her backless dress and gasps in shock.
Unable to control his curiosity Abhishek looks and the blood drains from his face seeing what looked like an iron box burning on her back.
"Pragya?" Abhishek whispers in shock.
Pragya looks at Abhishek in confusion.
"Did your grandparents do this to make you agree to marry Abhi?" Preeta asks her in shock.
Hearing the question, Pragya realizing, quickly puts her hair behind covering her back.
"Is it true, Pragya?" Santoshi asks her in shock.
Pragya worriedly looks at Abhishek and sees him watching her holding his breath.
"Abhi..." Pragya gently calls him as she tried to hold his hand. "It doesn't hurt now. It stopped hurting that I forgot about it."
Abhishek quickly holds her hand and walks off to their bedroom.
**********
"Why didn't you tell me this, Pragya?" Abhishek asks her as he turned to her, his eyes filling up.
"You were so angry when you saw my face that day, and I just wanted to leave that time..."
"They hurt you like this to make you marry me?" Abhishek asks her.
"To make Ma agree." Pragya confesses.
"I'm going to kill them." Abhishek says furiously.
"They don't matter to me." Pragya tells him as she cupped his face. "Only you matter to me."
Hearing that, Abhishek closes his eyes, Pragya rests her face against his, understanding the pain he was feeling.
"Pragya..." Abhishek whispers her name after a few minutes.
"Hmmm?"
"Can I?' Abhishek asks her softly.
Pragya nods.
Abhishek gently walks behind her, and moves her hair to the side. He gently runs his finger over her fading wound. He leans down and lightly kisses her there.
Pragya closes her eyes, feeling his lips on her skin. Nervous and excited, Pragya stood there breathless as he placed light kisses on her back. then she felt a drop of tear on her skin. She turns around and cups his face. Pragya gently takes his lips in hers and gently kisses him.
Abhishek hugs her and pulls her closer to him and kisses her hungrily.
He kisses her cheek and then kisses her down her neck. Then he gently pulls her dress down her shoulder and kisses her shoulders.
"Do you want me to stop?" Abhishek asks her against her skin.
Hearing his question, Pragya nervously grips his shirt as she breathed fast.
"Pragya?" Abhishek gasps her name.
"Yes." Pragya whispers.
Abhishek gently pulls up her dress and covers her shoulder. Pragya quickly hugs him tight.
**********
They join the rest of the family after some time.
"Pragya..." Santoshi calls her name filled with concern and worry as she hurried to her followed by Prem and Dadi.
Pragya walks to her.
"I'm so sorry. Abhi told us everything. But don't know why we never thought from your side. Preeta was right, Abhi saw it with his own eyes and we didn't, so we..."
"It's okay. you don't have to apologize." Pragya quickly tells her.
"It's our fault. We should have understood you." Prem tells her regretfully.
"I'm sorry. If I hadn't send Abhi's proposal, you wouldn't have gone through all that." Dadi tells her regretfully.
"Then I wouldn't have got Abhi." Pragya tells her then smiling she says, "and you all."
"You've us, Pragya." Prem vows to her.
Santoshi quickly hugs her.
Pragya hugs her while she happily smiled at Abhishek who was smiling seeing it all.
"Whatever you decide, Pragya, we will stand by you." Dadi promises her.
**********
Pragya and Abhishek were snuggling as they half sat and half lay in the boot of his car. They had gone for a long drive as it was a day off for both of them.
"Mom called me today." Pragya tells him.
"She calls you almost every day, right?" Abhishek asks her confused.
"She said that Dadi, Dad and she have decided to go see Ma and talk to her about us." Pragya tells him.
"Hmmm. I don't think it is going to make any difference to her."
"they said they will promise her that they will never interfere in my studies and career." Pragya tells him.
"She won't believe them." Abhishek tells her.
"I know." Pragya tells him sadly. "I told her that but they still want to give it a try."
Abhishek loudly sighs.
"I know it doesn't matter to you whether she gives her consent or not, it matters to me."
"I didn't say anything, Pragya." Abhishek points out to her.
"I know you don't like it but I'm so happy that you are being so patient for me."
"I am not patient, Pragya." Abhishek informs her with a frown. "I just want it to be your decision."
"Why you never forced me?" Pragya asks him softly.
"Because I know if I forced you, you would come home. Maybe you want me to force you so you can go against your mother." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya thoughtfully looks away knowing somewhere he was right.
"But I will never do it." Abhishek tells her. "How much ever it hurts me, I'll not do it?"
"Why?"
"Because your grandparents forced you to marry me. your mother is forcing you to stay away from me. if I also force you to do it... then I would be forcing my wishes on you like them. whatever you decide, I want you to take it all by yourself."
Pragya's eyes fill up and she hugs him. "No one, ever asked me what I wanted. Only you've asked me that. others have taken decision for me thinking they know the best."
"Nothing is more important than your happiness to me, Pragya." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya smiles lovingly at him and they kiss.
**********
"Pragya!" Disha calls her as she ran behind her.
Pragya stops and turns to look at Disha and sees her running towards her in full speed.
"What happened?" Pragya asks her in concern.
"Do you know that Tanya from second year?" Disha asks her.
"No." Pragya replies.
"She is in my bus. She showed me a photo of you and Professor Mehra hugging inside his car."
"What?" Pragya asks her frowning, her heart skipping a beat.
"She asked me what was going on between you both. since, you told me to keep your marriage a secret, I told her that you guys are family friends and knew from before college. She said that someone from her class forwarded it to her. I told her not to share it with anyone, but seems like it is spreading all throughout the college." Disha informs her worriedly.
"Oh my God, I've to find Abhi." Pragya worriedly says.
"Yeah. Do something otherwise there will be too many gossips about you guys in college." Disha warns her.
Pragya nods and was about to her hurry to the staff room when a peon comes to her.
"Principal is calling you." he informs her.
**********
Shitting bricks Pragya enters the Principal's room and sees Abhishek already seated there. she signs in relief seeing him there.
"Pragya?" Abhishek turns to her in shocked surprise. "What happened?"
Pragya worriedly looks at the Principal and then looks at Abhishek. "I was asked to come here."
Abhishek frowns hearing that. he turns to the Principal and asks him, "You called both of us here?"
"Yes." Principal replies as he angrily glared at them both.
"Is there a problem?" Abhishek asks him frowning at him.
"This has been circulating in college. Do you have an explanation for this?" Principal asks as he pushed his phone towards them showing their photo.
Abhishek frowns furiously seeing the photo. "Who took that?" Abhishek asks him angrily.
"Do you've an explanation for this?" the Principal asks him angrily.
"Someone took a photo of our private moment and you're asking us for an explanation instead of taking an action against whoever took that?" Abhishek furiously asks him as he stood up.
"Fraternizing between student and professor is against rule! Don't you know that?" Principal asks him angrily.
"Fraternizing? Student? Pragya is my wife!" Abhishek furiously informs him.
"What?" Principal asks in shock.
"She is my wife!" Abhishek informs him again.
"Why did you hide it from the management? Teacher student relation is not allowed here."
"Professor Khuarana's son is studying in this college."
"Parent child is okay."
"Husband and wife is not?" Abhishek asks him angrily.
"it is the rule."
"I'm going to suspend her."
Pragya gasps in shock.
"What? How can you suspend her? is it a crime to hug one's husband?" Abhishek asks furiously.
"A student and teacher cannot have any kind of romantic relation."
"Fine, then suspend me!" Abhishek tells him.
"What are you saying, Abhi?" Pragya asks him in shock.
Abhishek ignores her and tells the Principal in finality. "Pragya's education will not be interrupted."
Pragya gulps her sob hearing that.
"If I suspend you then it will affect the course and education of the students. In a month internals are starting. We can't have that."
"But interrupting Pragya's education is fine?" Abhishek asks him furiously.
"Why didn't you tell us that she is your wife?"
"Because we were thinking of ending our marriage that time but changed our mind."
"You shouldn't have hidden this. I don't understand how she got admission here." Principal says confused and quickly pulls up Pragya's file. "This says she is not married." Principal says as he frowned in confusion.
Abhishek turns to Pragya in shock.
"You told me that we would file for annulment so when I applied I said I wasn't married." Pragya worriedly whispers to him.
"Lying on her application. I can dismiss her for this." Principal informs him.
"I'm resigning." Abhishek declares. "Now you've no reason to take actions against her."
"If you resign then we'll have difficulty finishing the portions before the exams for the students. That is going to cause more problems."
"I'm willing for any punishment or compromise that doesn't affect Pragya's education."
"I'll have to speak to the management. Keeping both of you here is against the rules. Let's see what they say."
"If it is either of us who is staying then it will be Pragya."
"It will be the management's decision. And let me warn you, they can very well decide to file a case against her for lying in her application."
Hearing that, Abhishek stops in shock.
"Abhi, let it be. I'll look for admission in other college." Pragya tells him worriedly.
"You might lose your scholarship and that is going to hurt your mother. She will never give her blessing." Abhishek tells her.
"It is okay. this is your passion. Don't resign. Please? We will find out another college for me. as long as I continue my studies, Ma won't be that angry."
Hearing her, Abhishek thoughtfully looks at her for a few seconds then he takes his mobile and dials Prem.
"Hello, Abhi?" Prem answers the call.
"Dad... I've changed my mind. make an offer for the college." Abhishek tells him.
Pragya gasps in shock while the Principal's eyes pop open.
"Okay, I'll have my manager call them." Prem says.
"Dad, make it happen. I'll explain it all later. This is for Pragya's future."
"Okay, I'm on it." Prem quickly tells him.
Abhishek hangs up and sees the Principal staring at him. "Looks like you would be meeting the new management when you go to discuss about my wife's future."
Principal worriedly gulps hearing that.
"For now, save face and suspend me. the new management will change the rule about fraternizing between student and teacher. The new management will not interfere in the personal life of any student or teacher." Abhishek tells him.
Abhishek holds Pragya's hand and walks out of the room.
**********
"Abhi..." Pragya worriedly calls him.
"You okay?" Abhishek asks her cupping her face.
Pragya nods. "I'm sorry, if I hadn't lied in the application form..."
"You wouldn't have got admission here and we would have ended our marriage." Abhishek points out to her.
"But Abhi, this is your passion."
"I'll come back when we buy the college. If we don't buy it then I'll join another college."
"But..."
"Looks like I'll be forcing my decision on you." Abhishek tells her gently.
"Your decision?" Pragya asks confused.
"You said your dream is to work in education industry so you can help everyone get education." Abhishek tells her.
Pragya nods.
"What better way than be the owner of a college?" Abhishek asks her.
"Me?" Pragya asks shocked.
"Maybe till you finish your studies we can ask Karan and Dad to help out. Once you finish then you can take over from them."
"That is big responsibility." Pragya worriedly tells him.
"Start preparing for it." Abhishek teases her.
**********
Abhishek walks into Pragya's class, holding her hand.
"I just need a minute." Abhishek tells the Professor who was teaching.
"Okay.
He walks to the head of the class and holding Pragya, he tells them angrily. "I don't know who took our photo. If anyone forward that photo, then you will be facing legal charges. I don't care if you are an ace student or your father owns the whole country. You mess with my wife; you mess with me."
"Your wife?" Professor asks shocked while the students stares at them in shock.
"Yes, Pragya is my wife." Abhishek loudly informs them. "Don't ever forget that. if you do, then I'll make sure that you never ever forget it again."
Abhishek turns to Pragya and lovingly keeps his hand on her cheek. "I'll see you later."
"Where are you going?" Pragya asks him.
"To meet Dad and Karan. I might won't be able to come to drop you for work. I'll send the driver."
Pragya nods.
"Bye. Everything is going to be fine."
"I know." Pragya tells him smiling.
**********
Abhishek comes out his bathroom after shower and stops seeing Pragya sitting on his bed.
"I was about to come to pick you up from the call center." Abhishek tells her surprised.
"I didn't go for work." Pragya tells him as she stood up.
"Why? You never missed work." Abhishek asks shocked.
Pragya walks to him and cups his face. "Today, I wanted to be with you."
Abhishek smiles hearing that.
Pragya leans up and takes his lips in hers. Abhishek pulls her closer and kisses her. Pragya's hand runs up his chest as she gently caressed it.
Abhishek's heart beat increase rapidly feeling her innocent touch.
"Do you want me to stop?" Pragya asks him against his lips.
"No."
Pragya looks into his eyes and tells him, "I don't want you to stop."
**********
"Abhi?" Pragya softly calls him as they snuggled in bed.
"Hmmm?" Abhishek kisses her on her forehead then cheek lovingly.
"I want to come home."
Abhishek stops in surprise hearing that. "What about your mother?"
"It's my decision." Pragya tells him.
Abhishek smiles hearing that.
"I want the whole world to know that we are married. I don't want to stay away from you."
"You were never away from me, Pragya." Abhishek tells her lovingly.
Pragya smiles hearing that.
"Anyway, my family is going to meet your mother day after, we can wait till then." Abhishek tells her.
"I don't want to wait." Pragya tells him.
Abhishek smiles and tells her. "This is your home and I'm your husband."
"And I don't need anyone's permission." Pragya tells him smiling confidently at him.
**********
"You are going?" Preeta asks seeing Pragya walk out.
"Anyway it is late, Pragya. go tomorrow." Santoshi tells her.
"Yeah, Abhi, you call her warden and get permission for night out." Dadi tells him.
"I'm going to vacate my room." Pragya informs them.
"What?" Santoshi asks shocked. "But Prem said they have come to a decision regarding the college. They are not going to suspend you, Pragya."
"Mom, Pragya is coming home." Abhishek informs her with a smiling.
"Whaat?" Santoshi asks excitedly as she stood up.
"Reaally?" Preeta asks happily.
Pragya chuckles seeing them all excited.
"All the celebrations later. We'll come back soon." Abhishek tells them.
**********
Pragya walks into her hostel room and before she started packing, she calls up her mother.
"Hello, Pragya?" Sarala answers the call.
"Ma... I wanted to tell you something." Pragya gently starts.
"What?" Sarala asks.
"I'm going home."
"Going home?" Sarala asks confused.
"Yes, Ma. I'm going to Abhi and my home."
"Pragya, what is wrong with you?" Sarala asks her angrily. "This is why I told you not to go to that house or talk to Abhishek."
"Ma, today Abhi sacrificed his job for me." Pragya tells her and proceeds to tell her all that happened.
"Pragya, I understand he is very supportive but you just wait till you finish your studies and get a job." Sarala tells her.
"Ma, after what happened today, if you still need more proof to trust my husband then I don't care whether you trust him or not."
"Pragya, even your baba..."
"Abhi is not Baba. If Abhi turns out to be like Baba or Mom and Dad turn out to be like Daddaji and Dadi then I'll leave them and that home that day. I'll not abandon them in the fear of they might turn against me in the future. My education is my responsibility alone and I've a scholarship to finish my studies. My career is my responsibly and if someone stands in the way of it, that day I'll leave them, not before that." Pragya tells her sternly.
"You are getting blinded in love."
"You were blind in love, Ma. I'm not. I was convinced of Abhi and his family a long time back but I still respected your wishes. Not anymore. I'm going home. You take your time and give us your blessings when you are convinced. I'll not sacrifice my marital life for my career."
**********
Years later
Abhishek looks through the small window and seeing that Pragya was alone, he opens the door and walks in.
"Let's leave?" Abhishek asks her.
"Five minutes. I'll just finish this." Pragya quickly tells him as she busily looked through a file.
"Why can't you finish your work during official hours?" Abhishek asks her exasperated as he pulled a chair and sat down.
"I was working only." Pragya tells him.
"You mean to say, if I take your phone and check your skype, there won't be a call to Mom that lasted way after lunch break was over?"
Pragya gives him an embarrassed smile. "He was looking so cute. I couldn't keep the phone."
"When is he not cute?" Abhishek asks her back. "He looks exactly like me."
Pragya rolls her eyes.
"Get your work done quickly." Abhishek tells her.
"Till then you look at these." Pragya tells him as she passed him her phone.
Abhishek takes her phone and chuckles seeing their baby Arjun dressed up like a baby maharaja.
"Dad is really taking Ma's generations old connection to the royal family seriously." Abhishek tells laughing.
"that is Ma's idea." Pragya laughs.
Abhishek grins.
Few minutes later, they were walking out of the college.
"This is the last time I am waiting for you, way past work hours. Next time onwards, you call the driver." Abhishek tells her as he walked to his car. "Or bring your car."
"Ma was right, after baby is born, husbands are never supportive." Pragya cheekily tells him. "Look at you so eager to get back home to see your son."
"Because I don't get to spend every half an hour on skype with my baby like you."
"You should learn to manage your personal and professional life equally, Abhi." Pragya smugly tells him.
Abhishek scowls at her in reply.
*** The End ***
I hope you guys liked this story. I don't know how many could relate to this Abhishek, Pragya and Sarala. I wasn't trying to paint Sarala's concerns wrong, all I was saying was Sarala forcing her fears onto Pragya without any solid reason was wrong.
Please do vote and comment
Lazy.