The Girl With A Dream | ✔

5

❝ One day you meet someone and for some inexplicable reason, you feel more connected to this stranger than anyone else. ❞ 

~Lang Leav

***

"Anything and everything that you want to share.", he replied with a smile. 

Anika took out her laptop from the bag and started doing something on it. Nirav, on the other hand, sat there totally confused about her actions. As he was about to speak, she looked up towards him from her laptop, turned the laptop screen towards him and handed it over to him. He stared at the screen for a few seconds and looked back at her totally confused.

"What is this Anika?", he asked very politely.

"Read it.", Anika replied with a soft yet stern tone, stood up and went near the window in her room and simply stared out.

"WOW! This is so cool. You surely are such a smart girl. Not everyone gets a chance to go and study at Harvard.", he chirped excitedly.

Anika still kept staring out of the window. Still confused Nirav walked towards her and stood beside her.

"What is so amazing out there, let me see!", he said and peeked out of the window. 

She didn't reply. He held her chin and softly turned her face towards him and was shocked to see her crying. He got scared a bit.

"What's the matter, Anika? Tell me.", he demanded.

"Um... You know when I was a kid, I had read about this university somewhere and right from then, I was always fascinated by the idea of going there. I worked hard to reach this moment and finally when I have got this one chance to accomplish my dream, I have to step back.", she sobbed and further continued, "Why? Because my parents want me to get married!"

Nirav was shocked to hear this. Numerous thoughts rushed into his mind. He was supposed to marry a girl who was not even interested in getting married, he thought.

 "And I respect their decision. I am ready to marry any person they ask me to. And if you are thinking that I am not interested in marriages and all, then you are absolutely wrong. Like every other girl, I also want to get married and stay happy with my husband. But I wanted to do all this after my education, after attaining my dream.", she said.

"Why don't you tell your parents that you don't want to get married now?", he asked.

"You think I must not have tried? I did try talking to them. But they want me to marry you. And I know that it is not possible for me to go abroad for like whole two years, but then I would still like to continue working. I hope you don't mind to have a working wife?", she asked.

He wiped the tears off her face with his thumb and said, "Of course not. Why would I have any problem if my wife is working? There's no harm to have a life partner who's working, right? But please tell me frankly, are you seriously ready for this marriage? If you are not, I can deny and take the entire blame on me.", he said.

"Why would you say a no and become a villain?", she asked.

"Maybe because I can understand the pain one goes through when not allowed to pursue the dreams.", he replied sadly.

"Huh? What do you mean?", she asked.

"Nothing. Lets reserve this one for our next meet. Tell me! Are you fine with this marriage?", he asked.

"I guess I am. I have prepared myself mentally for it in the past 24 hours.", she replied.

Ahem, ahem...

Anish fake coughed from the door smiling mischievously at both of them. Anika gave him a stern look and he laughed along with Nirav.

"If you guys are done with your talk, please come downstairs, everyone is waiting.", Anish said and left the room.

Anika gave Nirav a weak smile, he smiled back and they both went downstairs. Soon Nirav and his family were ready to go. While going, Vijay said, "Suresh, you have a very sweet daughter. And now your daughter is our daughter. Hope you don't mind!"

"Absolutely not, absolutely not.", said Suresh and hugged him. Everyone seemed to be very happy in the house except for Anish.

Later that night while the entire family was having dinner, Anish asked, "Dad, I know I am not that big to talk in all the matters, but still I want to know why you directly said yes for the wedding? You didn't even ask di once whether she is happy or not? Plus she has met him today itself, you can't judge a person in one meet."

"I can understand your concern Anish. But trust me, I know these people for so many years now and I know how good these people are. I also want my daughter to be happy the way you want your sister to be happy. I have thought thoroughly about this proposal and then only took this decision.", Suresh answered.

Anish, still not satisfied with his dad, went to Anika's room later that night just to confirm whether she was okay with this marriage or not.

"Di, I know you have met Nirav only once, that too for hardly sometime. Are you seriously ready to marry him? I am not judging him about how as a person he is, but it is just that we don't know him. How can dad take a decision in just one meet?", he said in a worried tone.

"I can understand what you are trying to say Anish, but he is our father and he won't decide something wrong for us, will he? And speaking about Nirav, I truly don't know how he is, or how his behavior is with everyone, but what I know is that he was very polite towards me today. I was kind of ignoring him at first, but he kept talking to me, without getting irritated or anything. But yes, I seriously can't judge anyone in only one meet. But you know, I can't go against dad. I have my hands tied.", Anika replied.

They both were silent for some time when Anika finally decided to speak.

"So my dear brother, stop worrying about me and start worrying about Nirav. I hope he would be alright after marrying me.", she said with an evil smile winking at him, trying to cheer him up.