Aarna's POV:-
Finally, He said 'Yes' for this marriage. After agreeing with my opinion of having a simple marriage, I saw that he went outside to have a nice chat with my brother. Seeing this, I just hope that Dhruv would come back in one piece.
Elders were busy talking about the marriage arrangements. I saw that Advith was sprinting around the room with his Aeroplane toy. When he looked at me, I gestured him to come near me.
He made his way to me and jumped on my lap after reaching me.
"Why did you call me Aaru.? Can't you see that I am so busy.?" He asked me while pouting his lips adorably.
Once he became so close to me, he threw away all the formalities and started calling me 'Aaru' just like others.
"Yeah. I already saw how busy you were." I said to him while stressing the word 'Busy' and rolled my eyes at him and he smiled at me sheepishly.
"Okay. Leave it. Let me ask you something. Do you like that uncle.?" I asked him in a low voice.
"Which uncle!" He asked me with a puzzled expression.
"Arey...The one to whom I am going to marry." I told him and he just bent down his head shyly.
Now it was my turn to get puzzled.
"Why are you blushing like a newly wedded bride.?" I asked him with slight amazement after seeing his little flushing self.
"I don't know anything about him but I liked that Akka a lot." He said slowly while pointing his little finger at Aadhya, Dhruv's sister. Oh, my boy.
I laughed at his antics and hugged him tightly.
"Wanna talk with her then.?" I asked him teasingly and he immediately got down from my lap.
"No. I am feeling shy." He told me without looking at me and jogged away while stumbling on his way. I controlled myself to not laugh out as I was in the middle of the elders.
Meanwhile, Dhruv and Indra Anna returned to the room, and seeing the smiles on their faces, I knew that their talk went well.
Indra Anna came to me and whispered in my ears that he was okay with this marriage.
I smiled at him brightly and hugged him tightly but I immediately passed him a fake glare.
"It doesn't mean that I have forgiven you for giving me a cold shoulder," I told him with a huff to which he smiled at me.
"Oh. Then how about an ice cream treat.? Will it do.?" He asked me and I nodded him with a delight.
When we were in the middle of our talk, Shekar uncle informed us that they were taking their leave.
Soon after they left, I nudged my Anna, remembering him about my ice cream treat. He sighed and asked me to get ready.
I trotted towards my room and changed myself into comfortable wear. After that, I immediately went downstairs.
I saw that Yuktha Akka and Anna were throwing glares at each other. I just shook my head at their behavior and cleared my throat to make them aware of my presence.
They immediately looked away from each other while scoffing.
"Let's go," Anna said to me and turned to Yuktha Akka.
"Ms. Prim and Proper! Wanna join us.?" He asked Yuktha Akka to which she rolled her eyes at him.
"Sorry. I can't digest anything facing your arrogant face. So I won't come." Saying this with a scoff, she went away from us.
"She doesn't know how to appreciate a kind gesture." He shook his head and gestured me to come with him.
We both headed to our regular Ice cream parlor in his car. After reaching there, I ordered my favorite flavors while he sat in front of me by scrolling something on his phone.
"Anna, Dhruv is your best friend..right. Then why didn't I notice him at the Arjun Bava's marriage.?" I expressed my doubt as I didn't see him at the marriage. He looked at me for a while.
"Of course, hadn't you turned on your gluttonous self, you would have noticed him at the wedding but you didn't..right. Your entire attention was on the food section. So how did you get the time to bother with this trivial matter?" He taunted me and I just gave him a cheeky smile.
When I was eating my second bowl of Ice cream with another flavor, he again started speaking to me.
"Aaru. Listen to me carefully. Dhruv faced a lot in the past and it isn't my place to tell it. So give him some time to cope up with you. Please understand him and support him in everything. He is a good person and he can be a good husband too. So try your best in this marriage. Another thing, don't try to change your irritating self just because of the new environment...okay." He said everything in a serious tone except for that last part. I glared at him but eventually nodded at him in understanding.
We both headed to our house after paying the bill. On the way, I asked my Anna to give me his phone. He looked at me skeptically but anyways handed it to me.
I took it from him and unlocked it immediately as I knew the password by heart. His password was very simple and it was just the mix of the names of peddamma, Swarna, and mine.
After opening it, I went into the contact list and searched for Dhruv's contact. I immediately saved his number in my phone and returned the phone to my Anna.
We soon reached the house, So I immediately went to my room and changed into the sleepwear.
Before drifting into sleep, I took my phone and sent a message to Dhruv.
Hey,
This pretty and cute Aarna. Good Night.
Without waiting for his reply, I drifted into sleep. The next morning when I woke up, I grabbed my phone to see if I got any of his messages but sighed in disappointment when I noticed none.
After freshening up, I just passed my day by spending my time with Advith.
In the evening, suddenly I received a message with the name 'Handsome Dude.'
I jumped in my place in surprise as I knew that, the message was from Dhruv.
Hii,
Sorry I didn't notice your message till now. Are you free now.?
After reading the content, I squealed in delight while laughing to myself.
Instead of messaging him, I made a call to him and he attended it immediately.
"Hello"
"Why did you ask me whether I am free or not.?" I asked him.
"Nothing. I want to meet you as I have to complete my yesterday's conversation. So are you free.?"
I thought for a while and said an 'okay' in agreement.
"Great. I will pick you up. Tell me where you are."
"It's okay. I am at Indra Anna's house. Just text me the address of where I have to come. I will be there in a jiffy." I said to him. He simply replied with a hmm and ended the call.
Meanwhile, I went to my room and wore a green printed round neck T-shirt with dark-wash jeans. I left my hair down.
After getting ready, I took my phone to check the message and saw that he already messaged me the location of a cafe. I directly headed to that cafe on my baby.
Upon reaching it, I saw that he stood near the cafe while leaning on his car casually while folding his hands to his chest.
I just wanted to pass my time by admiring this beautiful view. I snapped myself out and went to him on my scooty.
After seeing me, he gestured me to park my scooty. When I did the same, he asked me to sit in his car.
"Aren't we meeting in the cafe.?" I asked him in confusion while pointing to that cafe.
"No. We are going to the beach. I want a peaceful place to discuss that matter with you." He said to me calmly.
After hearing the word 'Beach', I got so excited and even hugged his arm. Upon realizing my act, I immediately left my hold on him.
"Then why don't we just go there on my scooty. It will be more fun if we go on the bike instead of the car." I tried to convince him.
"God..Aarna. We aren't going there to have fun. So sit in the car." He told me but I didn't budge from my place.
Seeing my stubborn behavior, he sighed and snatched the keys from my hand. He sat on my bike and ignited the engine. After bringing to the road, he gestured me to sit at the back.
I immediately obeyed him and sat at the backside awkwardly. He started driving to the beach. God..why did I allow him to touch my baby? Let it be. I would just enjoy this moment.
"Btw, what about your car.?" I asked him after some time.
"I'll text my assistant to take it back as he has the spare keys. When we are going back, I'll get down at the company as it is on the way to Indra's house only. So it won't be a problem." He told me and I said an 'okay' in return.
We soon reached the beach. As it wasn't a weekend, there weren't many people present here.
While he was parking my scooty, I removed my sandals and put them aside. After that, I started running around. He too followed me after removing his slippers.
Unlike every time, he wore Overcoat with a T-shirt beneath it and paired it with jeans.
He came behind me and sat on the sand while looking at the deep sea. I stopped what I was doing and joined him. After a moment of silence, he started speaking to me.
"Is it easy to forget the person that we vowed to spend our life with.?" He asked me without looking at me.
"Why are yo-"
"Just answer me." He cut me off in between and asked me while looking at me with despond.
"Well. I can't say anything as I have never fallen in love." Until I met you.
Hearing my answer, he sighed in disappointment but I again started speaking.
"But I can tell you this much. If it is really impossible between them, instead of hanging on to the nonexistent relationship which is full of unfulfilled hopes and dreams, it is better to let it go. It might be a difficult task and hurt them a lot but let me tell you, it's better when compared to the hurt they will get from living in a hope that one day, they might be together and there is a high chance for that day to never come. So in my opinion, moving on is a better option than drowning ourselves in the sorrow." I told him
When I turned my head to look at him, I saw that he was looking at me with an emotion that I couldn't name.
"As you have said, if they have moved on so easily, will it raise the question on their love for each other.?" He again asked me.
"Then let me ask you something, can you give me the guarantee that people who are in so love today won't break up tomorrow.? No..right. If they will break up tomorrow, it doesn't mean that they aren't in love today or their love isn't true. About the people who are happily married, they might have their own first love in their lives and not everyone will have the fate to be together with their love but aren't they living happily with their spouses.? So love is always true but its intensity will differ from person to person." I told him patiently. He thought for a while and looked at me.
"So will you be okay if your husband has another one in his heart.?" His question caught me off guard but I somehow understood the whole situation. So I thought to answer his question wisely to erase all his insecurities.
"I won't lie to you that I will be okay but if he is willing to move on from his past, I will try my best to make a place for myself in his heart," I answered him calmly to which he sighed and looked at me.
"I'll be direct. I am in love with another girl. So are you still okay with this marriage.?" When he uttered those words, I felt a pang in my heart but I masked it immediately.
"Is she still unmarried? Is there a scope for you guys to get back together.?" I asked him, silently praying in my heart for the answer to be 'No'.
"No. She is married and living a happy life." I released a sigh in relief in my heart.
"See. You have all the answers yet you still want to cling on to your past. Unless you are an idiot. Nobody is asking you to forget her. Remember her forever as your first love but never stop searching for your true love. To answer your question, whether she is married or not, my answer is still the same. I am okay with this marriage." I told him firmly while looking at the front.
He made me look at him by holding my shoulders.
"Why are you making your life complicated.?" He asked me.
"Because I gave my word to my Dad. Now I can't back down and I don't have that thought though." I told in a low voice. He chuckled lightly after hearing my words.
"Even I can't back down at this moment. I too gave my word to my mom and I told you all these because I don't want to feel like you have been deceived by me." He said while looking at me.
"See. We both are stuck in the same situation. So instead of avoiding it, let's face it bravely and you did a good thing by saying it before the marriage. If it is the other way around, I would have held you responsible for it for your whole life." I said to him in a fake menacing tone
He nodded at me slowly while pretending to shudder at my words. I smiled at his antics and we both sat there for a while, enjoying the serene atmosphere.
"Let's go. It's getting dark." Saying this, he stood up and helped me in standing up.
When he was about to walk in front of me, I held his hand to stop him. Sensing my hold, he gave me a puzzled look.
"Dhruv, Answer me. Are you really willing to move on from your past?" I asked him while looking into his expectantly, waiting for his answer.
"I am. I can also assure you that you have my loyalty. I may not be in love with you but I'll respect you, protect you, and support you. Can I expect the same from you.?" He assured me. I beamed at his words and nodded at him in agreement.
After that, I held his hand and dragged him to my scooty.
"These words are enough for me. Dhruv. I will definitely make you fall for me." I thought with a silly smile on my face.
Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
Thanks for reading this.
Please do vote and comment.