AADVIK
Since I dropped Aisha off at her family's house my mind's been running like Usain Bolt. I've never been the over thinker but by the way my head's been rushing it makes me think otherwise. It's been over 30 minutes since my eyes meeting started and I can not pay attention. My assistant stands at the head of the meeting room table as she explains the power point slides to my team.
My thoughts don't stop as the team jots down questions to ask me after the ppt is done.
I'm practically meeting my in-laws today. What if they don't like me? Aisha did say her brother's very protective
I ramble on in my mind.
Aisha told me in the car how her brother once created a whole scene in her school just because he saw her talking to the playboy of the school, she was talking to him about a class project but none the less the guy got his share of protective brother responses for life.
And why do I care what they think of me? It's not like them not liking me will take Aisha away from me. Nothing will take her away from me. I love he-
Wait. Love?
Shit. I love Aisha. Goddamit how did I not realise this sooner.
I love her smile, I love how her eyes crinkle up to nothing when she smiles her heart out.
Most of all, I love when she's in my arms.
"Sir?" I hear my assistant's voice pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Yeah?"
"I was just saying that the slides are done. You can come up and end the meeting." She says. Fuck. I've never zoned out of work and definately never in a meeting.
I clear my throat and stand up. I take my phone out of my pocket to check the time. The screen glances at me with my wallpaper, it's a photo of me and Aisha on dinner after the engagement. I somehow control the smile and ask the team to shoot their questions and opinions.
After the meeting ends I come out of the conference room and move towards my office when Vedant stops me.
"Have a moment?" He asked and I nod in reply. The meeting ended a little earlier than expected so I could spare ten minutes if it's important.
We both went towards my office and he took a seat on the couch placed there.
"I just looked over the list of guests and their plus ones." He said before pausing and taking out his phone.
He handed me the device, it showed a man about Vedant's age.
"That is Rahul Mishra. Our classmate and the one Ishu had a crush on since the 7th grade. He's kind of the reason me and her met."
I intrupted him before he could say anything else.
"And why should I know this? I'm the one she's marrying." I said, my tone stern.
"Oh really! How dumb am I? Here I thought she was marrying Rahul, Mr.Possesive." He said, done with my bullshit.
"Rahul and Aisha started dating in the end of 12th. It went on till the last year of collage until..." He stopped.
"Until what?" My curiosity mixed with anger.
"Until he cheated. It was pretty serious and everyone thought it was endgame." He said as he made his way towards me and took his phone back from my hands.
I could barely speak anything. How could anyone, fucking ANYONE cheat on someone as incredible as Aisha. Hell, I'd rather take a bullet than do that.
This man is going to pay for what he did.
Before I could say anything Vedant intrupted me.
"Ishu was broken after that. It changed her as a person but you know she's a strong one." There's no lie in that. My woman is one of the strongest woman ever.
"He's coming tomorrow, as Tina's plus one. The asshole was always smart and had daddy's money so I guess he had his ways to figure out about the party. He still texts Ishu to get her back obviously she tries to get rid of him but he doesn't get off her back. I offered to help but the stubborn woman doesn't let me."
I might kill someone at my own party. No joke. He has the audacity to cheat on my woman and then tries to steal her away from me?
"Bhai, I know Aisha, she wouldn't have told you and I know she will be affected by his presence so it was my duty to tell you and it's yours to keep her safe" Vedant tells me before going out of my office, leaving me there with my thoughts.
I sit there for a while longer before checking my phone for the time. It's already really late so I head out immediately.
On my way to the car, the device in my pocket vibrates. I check it to see a couple of texts from Aisha.
AISHA: dude.
AISHA: jaldi aane ko bola tha naa tujhe? Bhaiya has already started to grill me on if I'm 'sure' about this.
AISHA: save me for the sake of our marriage.
I laugh at her jokes as I type out a reply.
Lucky for me, the roads of Delhi were almost empty this time of day so I made the house in fifteen minutes on the clock. I shot a text to Aisha telling her I'd reached as I waited in the driveway. For some reason going inside alone made my stomach churn, it could be that or the fact I ate a single chilla over three hours ago.
AISHA
"Aadvik's here. I'll go get him" I inform everyone as I stand up from the table. He texted me a second ago informing me.
I open the door to the driveway to see Aadvik's car pulled up as he sat in it. One of his hand held his phone while his head bent over it and the other tapped it's fingers on the steering wheel.
I go up to the window and give it a small knock making Aadvik's neck jerk towards it.
He gives me a smile and I move so he can come out.
His tense shoulders, tight smile tell me something's off so I ask, "everything okay?"
He shrugs and nods but still not convinced, I hug him.
His shoulder instatly melt down and relax while he kisses my hair.
"Better?" I ask pulling away.
"I'm okay. Don't worry so much bachu" he says and ruffles my hair.
I narrow my eyes at him as I fix my hair.
"You and Sidhart bhaiya have one thing in common." I tell him as we move into the house.
"Yeah? What's that?" He asks as he rests a hand on my waist while walking.
"Teasing and treating me like I'm a kid." I say earning a chuckle from Aadvik.
We enter the living room where eveyone is gathered. I introduce Aadi to Daddu first who pats his back and whispers something into his ear. Yeah the man's definitely up to something. Then Bade Papa and Badi Maa who greets him like he's her own son. Aadvik, like the well mannered mam Maa raised touches everyone's feet. Finally Aashi didi meets him and after a second of contemplating decides to treat him nicely and she insists on calling him "Jiju" despite her being almost 3 years older.
Then comes the man I'm most scared of meeting Aadvik, Sidharth bhaiya.
After some formal handshaking bhaiya continues,
"What are your intentions here?" He asks and I hit his chest with the back of my hand in response.
"I intend to marry, love and cherish your sister Mr.Arora." Aadvik replies as if it's nothing. God, I really hope everyone's gone blind and can't see the blush on my face right now.
"Aadi, call him Sidharth or Sidharth bhaiya that sounds too formal." I try to change the topic.
"Her favourite colour?" Sidhart bhaiya continues. It's like the two are having a staring contest.
"Blue. Specially teal." Aadvik's voice has tone as if he's saying 'try harder questions' to my brother.
Sidharth bhaiya nods before continuing,
"Favorite food?"
"Choorma or pav bhaji." He replies without any wait.
"Something you love about her?" My brother pushes the question.
"Her smile, her laugh, her heart. There. That's three." My fiance says and my face turns into fire listening to him.
Seriously. Blind. Everyone. Now.
Before either of them could say anything else Badi Maa acts like my angel from heaven and calls us up for lunch.
The table is set with food and cutlery by the time we reach. We sit down and serve ourselves some of the delicious Dal Makhni and Paneer. It's all made by Badi Maa, I can tell by the smell of it.
I serve myself after Aadvik puts the bowl down. I look over to his plate, he has barely a spoon of dal makhani and a single piece of paneer with some gravy.
Without a word I pour in some more food into his plate and then move to mine.
Before he can protest I speak, "you've barely had any food since the morning baba. Eat." I glare at him and he nods like a toddler.
I keep the smile to myself as I start eating. Everyone asks us questions about the wedding and others things, Bade Papa and Aadvik fall into conversation about buisness before Badi Maa stops them by saying "Family ke saath bhi yahi baat karte rehna tum!" To Bade Papa.
All of us fall into a comfortable rythem and as expected my own fiance is teaming up with my brother to tease me.
Aashi didi and Bhabhi pull out a album of pictures from somewhere. It has some pretty cute baby photos of me. One had me without a shirt on, covered in chocolate while I licked some off my fingers. Aadvik instantly took out his phone and took a picture. Wait! Not a picture. The man scanned it in an app.
After a while, my phone rings and Aadvik passes it to me from the table, rolling his eyes. I laugh when I see a group video call from Ruhi and Niya.
Lowering my phone's volume to the least it can be, I pick up.
The screen shows two dresses, one in a silky material while the other was a shimmery white fabric.
Ruhi face peers out from behind the silk dress as she speaks.
"Ishu, this is you in a dress."
Niya also turns the camera towards her face, "bhabhi dekh lo mai bura maan jaugi!" She screams.
Shaking my head with a laugh at their banter I ask, "what happened to the dress in the morning?"
"Oh! Wo size me nahi thi" Niya replies.
"You know you love your devrani more Aisha." Ruhi continues her plea.
"Jhooth!" Niya yells
I face palm myself at their antics.
"Right now I hate both of you so I'll just choose the dress I like better and that iss.." I stop, unable to choose, both of the dresses are basically the same in design but have different fabrics. The silky one is more me but shouldn't I have a little more badazzle? Confused, I turn the phone towards Aadvik who looks at me suspiciously.
"Choose" I nudge him.
"Upar wali is more you. Go with that." He says with a shrug and I nod.
"The silk one", Ruhi jumps with excitement while Niya fake cries.
"I still love both of you the same now bye!" With that I press the red button and pay attention to whatever Aashi didi is explaining.
Apperently she's telling Aadvik about the outfit options for the wedding. My sister is one of the emerging fashion designers in the country. My daddu always joked that us girls got all the creative genes of the family while all the guys only like straight forward buisness. When she showed me her designs yesterday I practically melted and begged her to dress me and Aadvik for the wedding.
He pays complete attention on the pictures she shows and every time a new design pops up on the screen he asks if I like it or not. I like how he pays attention maybe just for the sake of my family liking him but since he came he's listened intently to everything. It makes me appreciate him even more.
When the sun had completely set me and Aadvik bid our goodbyes and headed out. In the car, Aadvik nudged his phone into my hand to play some music. Just then, the phone chimed up with Vedant's name so I pick up without hesitation.
"Helloooo" his voice peers from the earpiece, I roll my eyes at his enthusiasm.
"Hey, V" I answer while Aadvik looks at me with a chuckle.
"You're picking up his phone now too? What's next you reply to his emails?" My bestfriend quips.
"What am I? his personal assistant?"
"Exactly my question bhabhi ji"
"Oh my god Vedant. I never knew you were this funny!" I say sarcastically.
"I know right, it's the charm of Vedant Ahuja." I shake my head with laughter as he speaks.
"You're married." I remind the man.
"Yes and that's why I was calling, give the phone to bhai."
Since Aadvik is driving I sure as hell won't let him talk on the phone so instead I set the phone's bluetooth up and put the call on the car's speaker.
"What?" Aadvik asks.
"Yaar bhai kamse kam Ishu ke saamne to izzat karke dikhado abhi bhi aise baat kar rahe ho. Saala laga mai aapka!" Vedant yells making me fall into complete laughter at his antics. Aadvik pins me with a glare so I purse my lips, trying not to laugh.
"Get to the point." He says to Vedant and I give him a 'don't be such a grump' look.
"Me and Ruhi can't come tomorrow."
"What! Whyy" I whine like a little child.
"Ishu on speaker too? It's not like I'm giving your fiancé ways to run away. Those are only for you." Vedant laughs.
"You know what Aadvik please be even ruder to him." I look towards my driver who's completely focused on the road but still says, "Noted but if you kids are done can I get back the adult version of my girl and my brother please?"
"Okay, One of Ruhi's patient's is in a really bad condition and there might need to be an emergency surgery so she can't go and since mom and dad are going over to the hill house I don't want to leave her alone, ergo we can't come. Sorry," Vedant explains.
"Ugh. Chal tell Ruhi to call me whenever she's free." I say with disappointment. I really wanted all of us to go for a nice lunch in New York after we would land but luckily Kunal and Niya are still coming.
"Yeah, bye bye lovers." Vedant ended the call with that. I swiped up the phone to open the music app but the password stopped me. It was also the first time I noticed his wallpaper, a picture of us and I tried to do my best to not smile resulting in a poker face from me.
I turn the phone to Aadvik so he can put in the password but he pushes the device back and says, "it's 2101" and at that second there was no use of controlling the blush that creeps up on my face because this man has me on his wallpaper, has our wedding date as his password plus, cherry on top, has the my baby picture on his home screen. God what did I do to deserve him?
"The way you blush!" My fiancé teases as he pulls into a highway.
Trying to sound okay, I decide to make a joke about the little baby on the screen.
"Damn I really go in with the licking." I say.
Beside me Aadvik chokes on air as his ears turn completely red.
"The way you blushh" I mock him and then realisation hits me.
"Ohh my lord! Get your head out of the gutter Ahuja." I say as I hit his arm with a weak punch.
"You wouldn't have gotten it if you didn't have a dirty mind too" he smirks earning a half hearted glare from me.
I shake my head and try to focus on the music. By the time he drops me off at my apartment I'm happier than ever.