𝙃𝙄𝙎 𝙌𝙐𝙀𝙀𝙉

18. DATE- I

Paridhi's POV

I don't know what happened to me down there. I wasn't exactly mad at him for embracing me but it felt bad when he said that. I don't know why, because no matter what, we are only together because our parents arranged it. I don't know much about him personally and after the engagement it's starting to feel real. And I'm scared, what if, what if we're not compatible like we think.

I may not have much expectations for my marriages but I did have some for my partners, I've seen divi dating for six years, bhai and bhabhi adoring each other for more than that. I've spent my whole childhood with people who'll do anything for a smile from their partners. I don't know why, but his words made me feel that we've not started the simple way, we met and got engaged in three weeks. Much less pursuing me, I don't think he would even look at me if it wasn't for our parents. I'm not saying I'm insecure but he's older than me, by six years not less. And he must've had a girlfriend at some time, what if he had one when our parents proposed this marriage. But no, then he would've denied it for sure. But still, he can't have been single for his whole 31 years of life. I mean he is Anirudh Raghuvanshi, girls would throw themselves at him. He's never made an effort to let me know that I'm more than just a girl his parents arranged for him. Fiance this, fiance that. I'm getting irritated. Fuck this, I'm tired and overthinking, I should sleep. Turning off the lights I tried to sleep which too decided to evade me till I was genuinely tired.

I got ready in the morning, no matter what, I do have to go to the office. I was wearing a beige colored pant with a white shirt and I just pulled a beige sweater over it.
He was already there, from the looks of it he was wait for me to have breakfast.

" Good morning princess. "

How can he sound so unaffected like this, I've been going crazy since yesterday thinking if I said something wrong or whatnot. And his princess, I've heard it a lot but from him, it's starting to get on my nerves. But as much as I was fuming inside I had to maintain some facade of peace. So I replied,
" Morning. "

We didn't talk during breakfast, as we were done, I walked out. Taking my own car I left the house without looking back. Yup I'm not going with him this time. If he wants to, he has to say it.

A knock sounded on my door at around 2 pm.

But he was in before I could reply, I don't know why I even bother.
" Let's go princess. "
" Where? " I knew what he was talking about but I didn't want to.
" For lunch. "
" Bhai and bhabhi are not here "
" So? "
" So you don't have to. "
" But I want to. "

His reply stunned me, I know as a crown prince he wouldn't do something he doesn't wanted to. But hearing it from him was different.
" I want to have lunch with you princess. Shall we go? "

I was leaving my desk before I could think more of it, and he smiled. He did so yesterday too, but I wasn't exactly in the mood to notice it. But now he looked different than he did in all those interviews or pictures. He looked more human. My reverie ended when he held my hand again and we left the office.

Lunch was uneventful other than him ordering rajma chawal. Well I'll give him points for that but that's it. He didn't try to talk about what happened yesterday, so I too didn't address the elephant in the room. But what made my day wasn't the rajma chawal he ordered but the words he said just as we were about to leave.

" Be home early today. We have somewhere to go. "
" Is it urgent? "

"Uh huh.. Wear something nice. " Huh, it's the first time I'm hearing him say that. Do we have some kind of event to attend. Not that I know of.

" And what does nice mean? "
" The clothes you wore in the palace. It looks good on you. " I didn't know he noticed what I wore there. But just to irk him
" And why should I do what you said? "

" Don't. Wear whatever you want. You look beautiful in these too. " He said, gesturing to my clothes at the last line.
" You.. Forget it, where are we going. "
" A date. "
A da.. A what? He left the room before me and I was left thinking whether I heard him right or I imagined. But nah, I'm not desperate enough to imagine it right.

And if I did, I would've imagined him asking nicely, not like this. Get something nice to wear blah blah blah. Who even asks a girl on a date like this. I guess that's Anirudh Singh Raghuvanshi for you.

Well I don't know if I was nervous or excited but believe it or not everyone get both when it's their first date. I've never been on one. I don't even know what to wear. So knowing my options, I considered the safest one to ask for my dress.. I don't even have many here..

Urghhh. Couldn't he have told me some time early, I would've bought something. What's wrong with me.
Relax pari, it's just a date. No big deal... But it is, ahhh what do I do... So I called,
" Hello. "

" Divi I need your help. " I said as soon as she picked up swallowiythe hello.
" What happened. " She asked sleepily.

" I don't know what to wear. "
" You wear clothes pari. " She said as a matter of fact, like I didn't know that.
" For a date divi. "
" Huh? What???? A date??. "
Yup now she sounds awake. Who even sleeps at this time. Apparently divi does.

" Yuppp.. A date. " I said emphasising the p a bit too much.
" With whom? " Is she drunk. What sort of a question is that.
" An alien. Of course its Anirudh. "
" He asked you out. "
" Nah, he informed me to get ready. "
" Wow, I need details pari. "

" Don't think with your writer brain. He literally just said me to get ready. That's it. I wouldn't know it's a date if I hadn't asked. "
" Woah, it's okay. Its progress. So you have an issue regarding what to wear right? "

Thank god she came to the point. I was really scared she'll ask me a nonexistent romantic story.

" Yeah. I don't know what to wear on this kind of thing. " I really don't, I've been to literally everything a person can go to, except a date.
" Wear a dress. "

" I need more divi. You know for me everything is a dress. "
" Hey wait you remember the one, I gifted you?" Don't say what I'm thinking.
" Yeah. "
" Is it with you. " Don't please.
" Yes. "
" Then you're done. "
" No divi. It's too.. "

" It's nothing. Just wear it. And yes if you ask aru she'll say the same anyways you owe us a dress. I don't know, I need a picture in that dress of your date. Bye now. " And she hung up, I should've known better than to call her, but I considered my options and I knew I didn't have many. So that's it.

I found the dress in much better condition than I had expected, it was here because when divi gifted it to me, we were in jaipur and I was too shy to take this back home.
Even after getting ready I was contemplating whether to change out of it but after searching my closet for this one, I knew I had no better option than this. And moreover it's not like I've never worn one before, I've just never worn it here before. Most of all, I looked good. And maybe a tiny part of me wanted to antagonize him. He did say to wear something like I wore in the palace and this is as far as I can get from it. I kept my hair loose after giving it a wavy look. I still can't decide what category my hair belongs to.

Seeing as it was 7 already, I decided to take my clutch and leave my room. I did expect him to be already ready but seeing him in a tux just for a date, did something to me. He turned towards when he heard my heels clicking in the stairs. And he..