heart boiled in rage. I becam

anything wrong about him: perhaps an ex-girlfriend who had turned into a terrible tragedy, perhaps pictures where he fell onstage d

careless phase when he was a teenager. Instead, it was e

tions, work photos of him during corporate events, and f

of him in the gym-the last ones I regretted admitting impressed me

into everything our parents would have wished us to be. And tha

t in desperation for finding something, anything wrong about him: perhaps an ex-girlfriend who had turned into a terrible tragedy, perhaps pic

careless phase when he was a teenager. Instead, it was

its straight out of a Diwali advertisement. His Instagram made me want to pull my hair out: travel photos, some of him in the

ents would have wished us to be. And that was what annoyed me the most. I wasn't lo

brought me back down my spir

room. And there he was. Arjun Malhotra. He sat stiffly on the couch, hands folded in his lap, lookin

e. His mother-an elegantly dressed lady in deep maroon sar

each passing second, I could perceive the murmurs of the city:

One could have thought that even a casual position could give him away. Seriously? He had exhausted me already! I sighed, choosing to forego pretense altogether

ghtforward, huh," he mused. "That's refreshing." "I don't see the point in pretending," I reitera

" "Because our families won't let it be simple." I frowned. "And you're actually going t

hear, neither do your parents." I laughed harshly. "You are not wrong about that." An intermina

t's easier than fighting them?" Arjun turned to face me, his expression inscrutable. "No. But we need to be strategic

er until we break. But if we resist just enough to give them the impression we wan

like this isn't your

ence when it comes to expectations from

cloud of doubts roamed over my mind, wanting an answer. Then I got one from her. "I

g. We don't want to rush it." His mother clapped her hands together. "That's terribly grown-up

e tone of don't be too long about it. I wished him another polite

inger just a moment too long on me. And for the fir

anything other than this marr

alms of frustration. "Come sit." I took a deep breath in, prepa

on the couch, hands folded in his lap, looking like he was attending a bo

ith passion. His mother-an elegantly dressed lady in deep maroon saree-lo

mile. Then

e an excellent

each passing second, I could perceive the murmurs of the city:

nst the railing, resting my hands on th

pike. One could have thought that even

gether. So I asked, with my arms folded, "Do we just agree to make this as uncomfor

ner of my eye-as if he were holding back

s refre

point in pretend

at clear and move on with our lives." Arjun exhaled slowl

frowned. "And you're actually going to consider this?" He l

I know m

eir minds to. And, from what I hear, nei

silence loomed behind us, heavy with the weigh

opose?" "Do you th

ither of us wants just because it's easier than fighting t

e fight too hard, they'll just dig in their heels," he explained. "If we reject this w

ression we want the choice, they might not force

d like this isn't

xperience when it comes to expectations fr

cloud of doubts roamed over my mind, wanting an answer. Then I got one from her. "I

time to thi

t's big. We don't want to rush it." His mother clapped

bly grown-up

as if he had been expectin

e tone of don't be too long about it. I wished him another polite

linger just a moment too long on me. And for the fi