AADHYA REHAN✓

04| Know Each Other ✓

Aadhya's eyes let out tears continuously as her mind caught up with what her mother said. She shakes her head and grabs Devki's hand.

"Don't do this to me." Aadhya begs. "I don't want to get married. Don't do this to me. I am not seeing anyone. Why don't you guys trust me?" She yells shaking her mother's shoulder.

"I do!" Devki yells back. "I do." She puts her hand on her daughter's cheek. "But your father is not listening to me. He and Maa are doing everything, I don't even have a say in anything."

Aadhya cries falling down on the floor.

All her life she has seen Dadi taunt her mother for every small things. When she or her sister, Jhanvi, wears a sleeveless dress or comes back at six in the evening, their mother's teaching is being questioned.

It was more because she knew, her mother would be the one blamed, Aadhya and her sister never had any relationships.

~

"Why don't you just date a girl and then marry her? Isn't Arrange marriage risky?" Liya asks her brother.

Rehan sighs. "I know it might be the oldest tradition but there's no harm in trying. I'm not going to marry this girl right away, there will be a lot of dates."

"You didn't answer her question. Why don't you date?" His brother, Ved, asks from the back seat.

Rehan rolls his eyes. "I'm not dating anyone, currently. That's that." He says. "Now don't open your mouth until you are asked. Clear?" He looks at Liya in the passenger seat and Ved behind, as he parks the car in the driveway of the house, of the girl he is going to meet.

Anil comes to the porch along with his family and welcome the three inside. They sit in the living area surrounded by lots of people, smiling at them.

"I have three children. Arjun, who has gone to Delhi to oversee the construction of our new building. Then my daughter Jhanvi," Anil points to the pregnant woman in the group of people. "It was her bridal shower. That is why all the relatives are here."

Rehan nods smiling. He looks around and acknowledge everyone with a smile. He looks at his siblings, who were ready to run anytime.

"Devika call Aadhya," Anil says to his wife who nods and disappear into the crowd.

"So, Beta. What do you do?"

"I'm a marine engineer."

"Ha, my friend's son is also a marine engineer. You might know him. His name...Ha...Suraj. Do you know?" One of the person sitting in the couch asks him and Rehan shakes his head with a smile.

Aadhya fold her arms to her chest and glances at the tea in the tray. She looks at her Bhabhi who wraps her arm around Aadhya's shoulder, trying to calm her.

"I'm sorry. I know this is tough." Niti whispers.

Aadhya wipes her tears looking away.

"Beta." She looks up to see her mother near the door.

It's the time for the act, she realise.

"Just assume a guest came and you're giving them tea. That's it." Nita says.

Aadhya nods and grabbing the tray she walks to the hall. Her house was packed more than usual. She knows if she put any tantrum everyone in the world will know.

Days ago she was planning on how to spend her summer vacation and she never for once, dreamt of this moment.

"Don't run. Don't. Run." Aadhya say to herself and reach the hall. She looks up and see three people. Two teenagers and an adult.

Including them everyone in the hall stare her. She struggle to keep the tray in her hand. Aadhya walks to them and place the tray in the teapoy.

She looks up at Rehan who looks her at the same time. They both look away and Aadhya stands back near Jhanvi.

Rehan never likes when his mother's words turn right, like now. She had told him, he would like this girl and Rehan could only agree with her words now.

Aadhya wore a cream saree, a part of her hair sits above her left chest and the only ornaments she wore is her wrist watch along with a necklace.

"She studied in DIAS." Liya whispers making Rehan widen his eyes.

He wonders if he has seen her anywhere from school, he had quite the reputation back then.

"This is my daughter, Aadhya. She is in her 3rd year of college. Civil Engineering." Anil informs Rehan who nods.

He has seen 14 girls before but none of them had these much people at their house.

"Let them talk, Anil." Dadi says and Aadhya widens her eyes in shock and looks at Rehan.

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