Story of Our Life

Chapter 25

Why was Mr. Bajaj here? Is he upset? Is he angry?

Thoughts filled Prerna's head as she saw him standing tall and determined in her living room. His face seemed still, eyes soft yet with a fire within them.

"I am here." His voice echoed in the hall, assurance dripping in every word. "Do not worry."

Prerna's heart filled with something she could not describe, as tears welled up in her eyes yet again. Without realising, she ran down the stairs and straight into his arms, as if being close to him would fix everything. Fix her.

"I am here." He murmured in her ears and rubbed her back slowly. "I am here."

"I am sorry!" Prerna said, looking at him. "I don't know how...pata nahin kisne ye sab-

"Do not apologise, you have not done anything." Rishabh nodded and looked at the Sharma family, who were staring at them. Prerna realised what she had just done and took a step back, looking down on the floor, unable to meet anyone's eyes.

"Toh aap hain wo...jiski wajah se meri Priyu iss haal mein hai?" Veena shouted, standing up angrily. "Himmat kaise huyi aapki yahan aane ki?"

"Mrs. Sharma, I understand your anger." Rishabh interrupted Prerna's mother. "But my intentions were never wrong with your daughter."

Prerna gasped softly as Mr. Bajaj's hands held hers. She looked at him with a soft smile, the actions noticed by her father. 

Rajesh looked at the couple in front of them, wondering many things. At first, he thought the man had taken advantage of his daughter's naiveness, something not impossible given his age and stature. But as he looked at his own daughter's mannerisms around him, he doubted himself. 

Prerna seemed at ease around Rishabh, tears still flowing but with a smile on her face. She had run straight into his arms as soon as she had registered his presence, something she would never do if she was scared or intimidated by him. And by the way Rishabh was holding Prerna's hand, he had little reason to doubt the man's intentions.

"Ye sab bas bolne ki baat hoti hai, tumne galat kiya hai humaari Priyu ke saath-

"Veena, ruk jao." Rajesh said, looking at Prerna and Rishabh. "Humaari Priyu koi bacchi nahin hai jo koi isko behla dega. She's an adult and she took her own decisions-

"Aapki inhi sab baaton ki wajah se aaj poore shehar mein uski beizzati ho rahi hai!" Veena shook her head. "Kabhi toh usey samjhaiye, usey daantiye?"

"Samjhaunga aur datoonga bhi, par uski baat sunne ke baad." Rajesh said and gestured them to sit as he himself sat on the large sofa. Rishabh and Prerna sat down too, not too close but not too far from each other.

"Mr. Bajaj mere Boss hain." Prerna said and sighed. "Hum office mein hi mile the aur...ek dusre ko pasand karne lage."

"Kabse?" Rajesh asked and Prerna looked at Rishabh, who nodded.

"Kuch hi mahinon se." Rishabh replied and looked at Rajesh. "Trust me, mera kabhi koi iraada nahin tha ki Prerna ki reputation khatre mein pade. I assure you, jisne bhi ye kiya hai, they will get punished."

"Par humaari beti ki beizzati toh ho hi gayi na?" Veena said and whimpered. 

"Nahin, aisa kuch nahin hoga." Rishabh said and looked at Prerna. "Kyunki main aapki Prerna se shaadi karna chahta hoon, agar wo raazi ho toh!"

The gasps were loud enough to echo as everyone stared at Rishabh, including Prerna, who could not believe the words Mr. Bajaj had just uttered.

"Can I talk to you? In private?" She simply said and he nodded.

---

"What the hell Mr. Bajaj! Ye kya tha?" Prerna almost screamed as she locked the door behind them.

"Aap shocked kyun hain-

"Kyunki you just proposed to me...meri poori family ke saamne-

"Aapko koi aitraaz hai-

"I was not expecting this...at all-

"Kyun? Aapko kya laga...where was our relationship heading?" Rishabh asked and Prerna shrugged.

"I don't know...somewhere-

"Did you really think I would just sleep around with you and then...leave you or something?" Rishabh asked and Prerna stayed quiet, not looking at him. "Really?"

"I mean...mujhe nahin pata...par shaadi...wo bhi aise majboori mein-

"Ms. Sharma." Rishabh said and walked towards her, holding her gently by the shoulders. "Ye majboori nahin hai."

"Of course hai!" Prerna shook her head and stepped away. "Agar ye sab nahin hua hota toh kya aap mujhse aaj shaadi ki baat kar rahe hote?"

"Nahin." He said and shook his head. "Lekin shayad do-teen saal baad zaroor karta."

"What?" She frowned and he smiled.

"Ms. Sharma, I have never met a woman like you. I don't know kya hai aap mein aisa, which excludes you from every one else. I am still figuring it out." He said and walked towards her yet again. "I thought aane wale kuch saalon mein I'll know and we'll take this forward. But now, I don't mind figuring it out with you already by my side, permanently."

"Aise kaun propose karta hai?" Prerna cried and bit her lip. "So unromantic!"

"Jo hai so hai." He shrugged and held her hands. "What say? Will you marry me?"

"Mr. Bajaj...ye sahi tareeka nahin hai-

"So what? Tareeke galat bhi ho sakte hain...there's no fixed rule-

"You know what I mean. I don't want to trap you in a marriage-

"Shayad aap bhool rahi hai, I am trapping you." Rishabh said with a smirk. "Of course, if you'll let me."

"You're a devil, kya chal raha hai aapke dimaag mein?" Prerna frowned and Rishabh sighed.

"Jisne bhi humaari relationship leak ki hai...they had some motive. I am just going to marry my girlfriend and smash their motive at the same time. Sounds good?" Rishabh said and Prerna blinked at him.

"Did you just call me your girlfriend?" She asked in a whisper and he laughed, nodding.

"That's what you are, right? I mean, we go on dates and can't keep our hands off each other...so I figured-

"Fine. I'll marry you. But promise me, agar aap khush nahin rahe toh we will divorce-

"How romantic!" Rishabh whispered and smashed his lips into hers, making her fall onto her bed along with him.

"Rishabh!" Prerna moaned in his mouth and he slipped a ring onto her ring finger, before grabbing her wrists and pulling them above her head.

"Shall I fuck you with my fingers on your childhood bed, Ms. Fiancee?" He whispered in her ears and Prerna's face flushed at his words as she felt his hand go down her pink avacado pyjamas. "Will just take a minute."

"Oh God!" She moaned as quietly as she could as her fiance proceeded to do just that.