Tangled ✓

His doubts

--Jaiveer--

I gaped at my father in utter disbelief who was sitting on the living room couch peacefully as if he hadn't just dropped another bomb on my head. 

"You can't be serious." I said as calmly as possible to me because he really really can't be serious. 

He just raised his brow fuelling my anger that was about to burst.

"I'm not marrying her." I said again for the hundredth time!!!

He sighed, "We are already over this, Jai."

"No!" I shrieked. "We are not. I love someone, papa. Why can't you understand that? I can't marry someone. Why are you forcing me? Why can't I marry someone of my choice."

What the hell!? Haven't I told them that I love someone? Then why are they hell bent on doing this? Don't I have any choices in this? And on top of this how can he freaking arrange for the engagement!!!! That too in two days!!!! 

It's been 2 days since I last spoke with my parents or to say since I last saw them. I have gone f**king crazy with the decision they have taken and so I have no interest in seeing them. So I just avoided them and they too haven't tried to contact me.

For a moment I really thought they were going to break this alliance but how dare they!!! How can they arrange for my marriage and my freaking engagement without my consent??!!!

"I gave my word, Jai."

"And I gave my heart. My heart and my soul." I gritted, "It's not you who are going to stay with her. It's me!" 

"Then you should have told all this before." He said authoritatively.

"You too should have told me this before! Just because of your stupid business deals you can't throw me as a meal to them. What am I? A thing?" I roared.

"Mind your words, Jai." He said authoritatively and I don't care in the least bit.

"I won't mind!!" I roared, "I won't care whatever the f**king deal you have and whatever happens to your goddamn business! I gave my word and heart to a woman. A woman with whom I wish to spend the rest of my life. And….." I said pointing my index finger at him, "You don't have any say in this. I don't care about your words and those cheap stakes who decided to play…."

"Enough!" I heard another roar which startled me.

I turned to my left to see my mother there. Standing just a few feet away from us. 

"Is this how you're going to behave with your father?" She scolded.

I sighed, "Maa, at least you tell him. I can't do this. It will be like a…."

"I said enough!" She roared again, "I'm done with you, Jai. I'm done with your antics for years and years. Now, you lost your chance and choice."

"Maa!! This can't be ….."

"This. Is. Final." She said, stressing every word, "And you have to follow it." 

The rage in her eyes made me choke on my words. I have never seen her like this.

First time. For the first time I really felt scared of my mother. She was never like this. Never this angry. Not even when I created troubles for everyone with my mischievous things.

What's going on? Why are they doing this? Why does it feels like there was something more they aren't telling me?

What might it be?

_____________

Ignoring the screams of my legs, I kept on pacing in my office cabin, trying to clear the fog that was settled in my head.

One, My parents have arranged for my marriage out of the blue.

Two, they arranged it without my concern.

Three, they also made a business deal out of this alliance.

Four, and it's with none other than the greatest Deshmukh.

Five, even now without waiting for my acceptance they arranged for engagement.

Six, that too in two days.

Seven, I hadn't even had the chance to speak with her, well, whoever she is.

Eight, my parents were so hell bent on this and even decided to force me, which never happened.

Nine, I have a gut feeling that they are hiding something.

Ten, I'm damn sure that they are hiding something.

"Bhai(elder brother), will you please sit down. You're making me feel sick." I rolled my eyes at Dhiraj's comment.

"Bhai, there is something. Something that we missed. Something that we don't know." I stopped my pacing and addressed Neeraj, who was seated on the couch and was staring up at me while biting his lower lip.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

I curtly nodded.

"What can it be?" He asked.

I shrugged, "I don't know but I know for sure that there is something. Maa and Papa were never like this. They never forced me into something then why are they doing it now?"

Sighing, he raked his hand in his hair, "I spoke with my Papa. He too is happy for this alliance."

At once it felt like all the energy was squeezed out of me. No. No. He too can't accept this. Bade papa(Father's elder brother) cannot do this to me. He has always been a confidante to me. Whenever I had to face my Papa's wrath, babe papa is the one who used to save me. He has always been my hiding place. He has always been my safe landing. Now he too can't go against me.

Feeling weak, I just flopped down on the floor.

Neeraj and Dhiraj rushed towards me.

"I can't do this Bhai. I can't. Please do something." I pleaded with Neeraj.

Sighing, he too flopped on the floor beside me and took my hands in his, "Maybe we can break the alliance if we can know what they are hiding from us."

For a moment hope blossomed within me, "Do you think so?"

He sort of nodded, "I don't know what exactly is happening. Why are they in so much hurry but as you pointed out, there has to be something ."

"Bhai, help me in finding out." 

He squeezed my hand in return, "I'll try my level best."

"We have only two days. We need to break this at any cost."

He nodded.

"Bhai, what if we couldn't find out?" 

I groaned in frustration at Dhiraj's question.

"What? We need to think about all the possibilities." He said, looking at me with his puppy eyes. 

Good thing he is younger than me. Otherwise I would have killed him right now.

"Then we have no other option." Neeraj said.

"No!" I blurted out immediately, "I'm not going to go through this engagement. I won't slide the ring on another woman's finger. No no." I said, shaking my head vigorously.

Neeraj sighed, "Jai, listen to me."

I kept on shaking my head, "I won't. I won't!!" I roared.

"Anger is not a solution to everything, Jai!!" Neeraj roared in return. 

I just raked my hand through my hair in frustration.

"Look, I already spoke with my Papa. He said that this engagement is going to be a very simple affair. Just our family and theirs. In our house only. So, you don't need to worry. Even if we couldn't find anything in these two days… we can break this engagement later. Trust me." 

Right now I don't know what to do. All I want is for the world to swallow me from here. 

I really really can't do this. I really can't go through this engagement. The image of sliding a ring on the finger which was not Akki's is enough for me to go crazy.

Hey Ram! Please give me strength. Please help me out.