The Bride

Part 3. Scared

arnav ran a frustrated hand through his hairs . he was feeling sad and disappointed with himself .how could he have let all that nonsense affect his studies. he looked around the class room he was siting in . all he could see is happy faces of his class mates who were rejoicing the completion of their first paper of their final exam .

it has been three weeks since his life has turned upside down . marriage to a thirteen year old , taking his father and grandfather's bullshit of having an heir,seeing that child khushi ran here working all day night  that buried him guilt like no other. over these past week his grandfather had made sure he dont get time to read at all , busying him in one thing or another  ,long trips to different villages ,working in fields and what not.  he wanted him to fail his exam so the way to achieve his dream down and as awful arnav's exam has gone he is pretty sure his grandfather had been successful.

"why so sad buddy?" aman asked his friend

"i am going to fail" arnav got up from the bench he was siting on , pulling his bag over his shoulder ,he made his way out  of the class with aman .

"dont say like that .i am sure you will pass and then four more exams remain still .you can cover your percentage through them " aman said patting arnav's back in support.

aman stopped as arnav came to a abrupt halt staring in front .aman followed his gaze only to land on  Elizabeth coming towards them with full blown smile adoring her lips. she was the daughter of British commissioner of delhi  and the whole school knew that she has  a big crush on arnav .

"hello" the way her tongue rolls saying that word and her actions that speak of clear sophistication  are hint enough that the  girl is born in rich british family .the grace with which she carries herself would put even the british queen to shame.  she was as same age as arnav but was studying in st.mary the school of elite while he was in a government school.

both boys greeted her with small smile .arnav was looking here and there hoping this will get over soon. aman made escape citing some stupid excuse leaving both of them in awkward silence

"arnav  how was your exam" she was the one to break the silence.she had never seen arnav so dejected and guilty of her presence . they have been friends for past four years and speaking to eachother has never been so hard as it is now for the reasons unknown to her.

"bad really bad .i dont think i will make it to the university" arnav said kicking the stone  with his foot.

"dont say like that.we both will  go to collage together"she said touching his shoulder in motivation .her eyes begging him to look at her once.

"whats wrong arnav. why you are behaving so aloof"

"eliza hmm... i got married " arnav said looking at her expressive eyes as they turn sad .he gulped the emotion building inside him. they both have felt a connection between them from the moment they had first met ,they have become friends but neither of them have ever ignored the attraction that they felt . they have never went beyond the strings of friendship but maybe somewhere in their silence was the promise to be  with each other forever. they both hugged eachother letting all their emotion out .

arnav took a deep sigh as   he sat in the bus with aman siting beside him. eliza 's crying face kept on replying in his head , her hear has broken so as his but they cant do anything about it now.  she has been the first girl who has attracted him to such an extent  . he had wanted to be of equal stature to her family, to her so that they can get married , plan a future together. she has been a inspiration that gave birth to his dream of choosing a  different path  , of being an engineer .

'it will get alright arnav. marriage is not a dead end. i am married  too remember ! . i married when i was 15 arnav. it takes time but you get used to it. you become friends first than companions than lover. everything in time my friend' aman 's soothing word did quite opposite of what he intended.