Azure Knot

:: 14 ::

"How could Achi do this to me?" was all Lathika could think about as she lay awake the entire night. The room was quiet, the air still, but her mind was far from peaceful. She felt as though her own family was pushing her towards the edge of a cliff, forcing her into an arrangement she wasn't ready for.

She stared up at the ceiling of her darkened room, the soft shadows cast by the dim light only made her feel more alone. Her grandmother's words echoed in her ears, the ultimatum hammering into her heart.

Two months.

Her own family was forcing her into a corner, leaving her with almost no choice. The very people who had supported her, raised her, and loved her were now the ones pushing her towards something she wasn't ready for. An arranged marriage—something that felt so foreign, so sudden.

Yes, she respected her grandmother deeply, and she understood that Jaimathi only wanted the best for her. But to be given an ultimatum like this—to choose between marrying Prashanth or losing her family—felt suffocating. The anger and disbelief gnawed at her. How could she be expected to make such a life-altering decision with almost no choice?

It was as ridiculous as the line in front of her at the airport check-in that seemed to be moving slower than a snail.

Earlier that morning, Lathika had packed her bags in silence. She hadn't exchanged more than a few words with her grandmother, only briskly mentioning that she was leaving. No long goodbye, no conversation—just a quick hug to her parents and a curt wave to Jaimathi before she departed. She hadn't been able to look at her grandmother in the eye, the weight of last night's conversation still fresh in her mind.

Now, standing in the crowded airport, her head still buzzed with a thousand thoughts. The weekend rush only added to her frustration as she stood in line, waiting to check in for her flight back to Chennai.

That's when she saw him.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of a familiar figure in the line next to her. Prashanth.

Her heart sank. Of all the people she could run into at this moment, it had to be him? The last thing she needed was an awkward conversation—or worse, a tense exchange with the man she was now supposed to consider as her potential husband. Potential husband, Lathika mouthed the words, her lips curling with distaste.

Lathika quickly turned her head, pretending she hadn't seen him. She pulled the hood of her jacket over her head, hoping to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. The last thing she wanted was to be noticed by Prashanth. She silently prayed to the gods that she could avoid him for the rest of the time they were at the airport—and especially on the flight.

But fate, as always, had its own ideas.

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Once Lathika boarded the small aircraft, she felt a wave of relief. She had managed to avoid Prashanth so far, keeping her head down and blending into the crowd. As she made her way to her seat, she settled into the window seat, buckled her seatbelt, and turned towards the window.

The view outside the plane was a welcome distraction, the clouds stretching far and wide beneath the early morning sun. She leaned her head against the window, hoping the flight would pass quickly and quietly.

But then she heard it—a familiar, exasperated sigh from the seat next to her.

Lathika's stomach dropped.

"Damn. I should have booked the window seat," came the low mutter. "I hate this."

Lathika's eyes widened in horror. It's his voice. Prashanth was sitting right next to her. She clenched her jaw, willing herself to stay calm. Why, of all the people on this plane, did he have to sit next to me? Did her grandmother plan this too? She let out soft groan.