At first, everything was dark, then we started walking in a random direction. We were walking for hours, I don’t know the exact time and my legs almost went numb, but Varsha was Insane. She feels that we just started walking before a few minutes. We walked for some more time, then suddenly we could see the moonlight. We turned back and saw, there was cave kind of thing behind us. In the moonlight, the place looked like a desert.
As we were moving, the moon was getting bigger. My legs weren’t supporting me anymore, I kneeled and started sleeping on the sandbed. Suddenly an Enormous cloud covered the whole moon in the sky. It was black again.
The next thing I remember Is When I woke up the next day morning. I was sleeping with Varsha on her bed, slowly and quietly I got out her bed without waking her up. I went to another room and slept there again.
In the afternoon, Megha woke me up and asked me about yesterday’s night, I said: ”It was good, but.”
“Continue.”
“But I had a Nightmare.”
“Nightmare or dream??”
“Nightmare.”
“I can see that you struggled to sleep yesterday night.”
“Good.”
“But I’m not sure, that is because of Nightmare.” with a filthy smile.
“What do you want to hear from me ?”
“You were sleeping in Varsha’s room.”
“So, what?”
“You look tired too.”
“Yes, how do you know that?”
“Night is meant to sleep, not to do other things.”
“Megha, you bitch.”
“After yesterday’s thing, I thought Varsha will be sad and dull. But when I saw here she is overjoyed now.”
“Wow!”
“I don’t know. What magic have you done to her?”
“Megha, I think it’s the good time for me to leave.”
“No, best.”
As I reached home, Pete surprised me with his decision of getting married. Finally, he liked a girl to spend his life with. But the only sad part was, even this bastard got a girl to marry, but a gentleman like me is still single. I saw Pete, he was so much excited about his marriage. I asked him: “What made you think like this?”
“My heart," replied Pete.
“Really?”
“Yes. For the first time in my life, while dating a girl I felt that she Is the only person with whom I have to spend my whole life.”
“You can also be wrong.”
“Yes, I might be wrong. But she will keep me happy.”
“Good. By the way, what is her name?”
“Rhea.”
“Is she greek?”
“Nope, Indian.”
“Are you into an Indian?”
“Yes, you have to see her. She is exquisite.”
“Wow.”
“I bet you’ll fall in love when you see her.”
“Stop boasting.”
“Today you may feel I’m boosting, but tomorrow you’ll see her.”
“So, you’re bringing her home tomorrow?”
“No.”
“Then why did you mention it?”
“It’s a proverb.”
“But it didn’t sound like one.”
“It did.”
“Okay, leave it. When will you plight your troth?”
“On 3rd”
“We barely have a month before marriage.”
Pete nodded. I asked: “What’s the hurry?”
“I don’t want to waste more time.”
“Oh, God please save this child, he got drowned in love.”
Slowly buzz got created in the office about Pete's marriage, at first no one believed, because Pete was not that kind of a person. I don’t know what happened to Pete and why he wants to marry? if his girlfriend Rhea did it, she did a great job.
I was busy with his marriage preparations, basically, an American marriage doesn’t have anything to prepare much but this Idiot wants an Indian marriage. For which I was the only one to reach for help, and I too didn’t have a chance except that and on top of it he invited my parents without evening telling me and asked them to come before a week to help him to sort out things.
I had no time to meet Megha and Varsha, I was missing her so much. I took my mobile phone and called Megha after a few rings call got received. It wasn’t Megha who was on the call, it was Varsha. I asked Varsha: ”Hi, Varsha. Is Megha around?”
replied Varsha.:”Yeah, but she is sleeping.”
“Oh, then it’s good.”
“Good for what?”
“If she isn’t asleep, she will think that I’m trying to talk to you.”
“So, what’s in that?”
“That is a different story, we will talk about it later.”
“So, what was the call for? in midnight?”
“I want to talk to you.”
“What?”
“Something Important.”
“Please, now don’t bring it on.”
“No, it’s not about that.”
“Then, what is it about?”
“About that night.”
“Oh, the night you stayed with us.”
“Yeah.”
“Don’t worry, nothing happened that night. Megha was just pulling your leg.”
“I know that.”
“What do you want to talk about?”
“We saw a strange light, in the hall.”
“Yeah, we touched it too.”
“Yeah, when we touched it. Have you seen anything?”
“No, after touching that light nothing happened, you became unconscious.”
“Then how come I was sleeping on the same bed on which you were sleeping?”
“From the hall, I lifted you, pulled you till my room and then I placed you on the bed. After some time I recognized that it was my bed. I tried to lift you again, but I was unable to. I can’t sleep on the other bed, because It was dark and I was afraid.”
“Okay, thank you for sharing all these things.”
“My pleasure.” and we ended the call with a smile on our faces.
Finally, the day arrived, Pete was getting married. The whole place was filled with people, but I was eagerly waiting for Megha and Varsha to arrive at the venue.
Suddenly someone pulled me from my back, and took me to the bungalow, behind the venue. It was Megha, she was a bit angry on me. ”Where were you all these days?” asked Megha.
I replied: “Here.”
“Yesterday, you saw me but you acted like you weren’t.”
“I didn’t act and you came yesterday??”
“Yeah”
“Okay, sorry for everything.”
“It’s okay.”
“Thank you.”
“I saw you waiting eagerly for someone.”
“Yeah, I was waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? Or for Varsha?”
“For both.”
“Good.”
“Can we talk for some time?”
“We can but not now.”
“Why?”
“I’ll not answer for that.”
She was about to leave, I caught her hand and tried to stop her. She asked: ”What do you want?”
I replied: ”Hmm… Surprise me.”
She turned and started moving towards me, and I started moving backward. After a step, I reached the wall but still, she was coming closer to me. I was unable to speak anything, I sensed danger. She stood on her to toes to match my height and placed her lips on me, we smooched there for some time. Later, I realized that she was Megha, not Varsha. I released my lips from her. She asked: ”Is this surprise enough?”
We walked back to the Venue, I sat beside my mom. She started saying that she is seeing me happy again after so many days.
I replied: ”What happened to me?”
“Forget the past, You are happy now and that Is enough for me.”
“Good.”
“I know the reason behind Your happiness. That girl.”
“Which girl? Varsha?”
“She is the past, I‘m talking about the new one.”
“Who?? Megha??”
“Yes, Megha.”
“You’re wondering a lot these days.”
“I saw everything.”
“What did you see?”
“What you both did near bungalow?”
“Maa, you stalking your son now.”
“Whatever it may be. I like that girl.”
“Good.”
I got a message on my phone from an unknown number, In the message, it was written:
Ironman 3 released today, wanna watch tonight.
I made a call back to that number and it was Varsha. After the call, I made a plan and we were ready to watch it tonight. Myself, Varsha, Megha, Pete, and Rhea went to the Watch It and the worst thing which happened was, I was asked to sit in between Varsha and Megha. There is one who rarely talks and there is one who rarely stops and I’m sitting between them.
We were a bit early, the movie didn’t start yet. Megha started to chatter again. ”Do you want another surprise?” asked Megha.
I replied: ”I think that is enough for my whole life, Thank you.”
“It’s okay, you can have another.”
“Talk about this again and I will be out.”
“Sorry, please don’t go.”
“Okay”
“Your mom spoke to me today.”
“Oh. What did she speak?”
“Do you want me to tell you?”
“Yeah”
“We didn’t talk much, I hurried to leave for the movie. So I promised her that I’ll talk to her tomorrow.”
“Good”
“You seemed to be curious about this thing?”
“I think the movie is about to start, can we stop our conversation and watch it.”
“Yeah, why not?”
As the movie started, I tried to talk to Varsha but my voice got lost in the sound of the movie. I placed my hand on Varsha’s hand, I thought she will remove her hand but she didn’t. When we were halfway into the movie, Varsha leaned her head on my shoulder holding my right hand with her while watching the movie. I was on Cloud nine, but Megha pulled me down from it.
Megha also leaned on my other shoulder and whispered: ”I want to be your Pepper Potts if you are Tony Stark”.
I whispered back: ”If you’re Pepper Potts, then I’m Thor”.
“Idiot”
Varsha asked me about our conversation, I replied: ”Megha said she is Pepper Potts and for that, I replied that I’m Thor.”
”If that is the case I’m Jane Foster,” Varsha responded.
“Really?”
The following day we all went for a picnic, where my mom started talking to Megha. I was seeing them both talking, but I acted as I ignored them, so that they shouldn’t doubt me. In the meanwhile I was with Varsha, we went walking to the nearby lake for some time. It was a nice experience. We returned back, but still, my mom was talking with Megha. I was dying with suspense, so I called Megha and asked her to meet me at the lake and said it was urgent. After a few minutes she came, I asked her about her conversation with my mom.
”I taught that you called me for the surprise," replied Megha.
I said: “Tell me? What did you both talk?”
“She likes me so much.”
“I know it, what else?”
“We talked about you for some time.”
“About me?? What did you talk??”
“She told me about your childhood things and memories.”
“What else did you talk except that?”
“We were talking for two hours, what do you want to know?”
“My mom’s Agenda behind this conversation.”
“Oh, she asked me that I like you or not?”
“You said you like me, next?”
“She asked my opinion on marrying you?”
“Okay, what did you say?”
“I said, I want to marry you.”
“Megha, are you out of your mind.”
“Nope, I just told my opinion. If you want we’ll marry or else not. What’s the big deal in that.”
“Megha, you don’t know what will be the impact of your opinion.”
“Whatever it may be? “
“Really? You want to marry me??”
“Yeah”
“Don't take the decision to quickly, take some time and think about it.”
“I already did it.”
“Try again, please.”
“I’m 100% sure.”
“Why do you want to marry a guy like me?”
“Why shouldn’t I?”
“What made you to like me?”
“Whatever you may be, you’re good at heart, you're a Teetotaler and you’re caring too.”
“That’s it.”
“No, the girl who marries you will be happy for the rest of her life and I want to be that girl.”
“I think this is not the person whom you’re talking about.”
“I know you Akash”. (I saw a gut feeling in her voice while saying this.)
“Good”
“I love you Akash, but don’t think about this now. Come on let’s enjoy.”
“I’ll join you, you can go.”
She came back, hugged me and gave me a kiss and said sorry and took me back to the picnic spot by holding my hands. I was having lunch with my mom and mom started talking to me slowly. She said: ”I talked to Megha, she is a lovely person. I asked her opinion on marriage and marrying you. She said she would love to marry you.”
“So, what are you doing next?”
“We talked with your father.”
“Father?? Is he here?”
“No, we did a Skype call.”
“Oh”
“He also liked Megha, We are ready for it and even Megha wants to marry you. We are waiting for your decision, don’t be in a hurry. Take your own time, this is your life, my son. Once done can’t be reverted back.”
“Thank you, mom. I really needed time.”
“For now forget all these things and enjoy the day.”
I thought I can use this time to convince Varsha to marry me, but wasn’t that smooth. After returning from the Picnic, I asked Megha to meet me on the terrace at night. As expected she came, I said that I want to talk something important to her.
She said: ”You’re talking so much with me nowadays.”
“Yeah, I have no choice.”
“Okay. Make it fast, I’m exhausted.”
“I want to tell you the truth.”
“What truth? Are you gay?”
“No, I would have been happy now if I was a gay.”
“Why? What happened to you?”
“Being hetero brought me these problems.”
“Leave it, now tell the truth.”
“We met in India five years back, at movie IRON MAN.”
“Oh is it?”
“Yeah, Me, You, Varsha were there that day.”
“Hey, don’t test my memory please I’m tired. Tell whatever you want to tell, don’t ask me please.”
“I was the person who ditched Varsha three years back.”
“So, is this what you wanted to tell me?”
“Yeah”
“I know it.”
“But still you love me?”
“Yeah, why what is the problem in it?”
“How can you love your friend’s lover?”
“I loved her ex-lover.”
“Varsha still loves me.”
“You’re wondering a lot these days and after hearing all these things I think you both were in Infatuation, not love.”
“No, It’s love.”
“Whatever. I’m going to sleep. Good night, Love you.”
“Good night”
“Do you want a good night surprise?”
“No, thanks for asking.”
I called Varsha and asked her to come to the same place, it took her 20 minutes but finally, she came. I told her everything that happened between me, Megha and Mom. I asked her to marry me before it gets too late.”Sorry, Akash. I can’t marry you," replied Varsha.
“Why?”
“You’re not my type.”
“I’m not your type? How did love happen between us then? We had a successful relationship for 2 years.”
“That was Infatuation.”
“What about the thing that happened in the movie theatre?”
“Immature Attraction. I got attracted to you before, I got attracted again.”
“Look Varsha, I’m serious about this.”
“I’m also serious about this, and I don’t want to marry a person who is mentally ill.”
“What the fuck?”
“Yeah, do you remember the last day we met in India?”
“I do.”
“You wanted to stop me that day, but you’re weren’t. You wanted to talk but weren’t able to do it.right?”
“Yeah, but how do you know this?”
“You’re suffering from anxiety disorder.”
“Why are you doing this to me?”
“I ain’t doing anything. I can’t spend my whole life with you in Infatuation and this illness.”
“Fuck you.”
“Why would I do that?”
“Get out of here, before I do something.”
“I’ll, but I think Megha is perfect for you.” and turned back and went downstairs.
While turning back, I saw tears in her eyes. I was not sure that she was crying because it was dark enough to see anything. I was angry. I went to my mom and said I was ready to marry Megha.
These typical Indian marriages are Insane, even for a small ceremony like engagement they shop like there is no tomorrow. My dad came to New York months before for shopping. My mom bought 5 sarees for her and two each for Megha and Varsha and she said that She wants to buy few more dresses for Megha because she wasn’t sure that whether she will wear saree for Engagement or not. My dad forced me to take 3 pairs of clothes and they bought a lot more things. While we were leaving the mall, my mom saw a Marriage Collection Section.
Again It took my parents two hours to select a dress, at the end of those two hours they finally selected a Dark blue suit and Cream colored saree. We walked out of the mall, my hands were full of shopping bags and my phone started ringing. I ran to the car, kept all the bags in the car and received the call. It was Megha she said that she is skeptical about our marriage. I said: ”What is it?”
”What is the reason for you to accept this marriage?” asked Megha.
“Nothing.”
“I was thinking that you accepted it because you were angry on Varsha.”
“No, it is different.”
“What is it?”
“I can’t marry the person whom I love, but I can let you marry the person who you love and I’m not sure that I’m worthy of your love.”
“You are Worthy, Akash.”
“You can keep me happy for the whole life.”
“Thank you, Akash.”
“I’m fortunate enough to get you.”
“Please stop, I can’t take this much.”
“Okay, see you. Bye.”
“Bye. Love you.”
“I don’t know that I can love you back.”
“You don’t need to.”
I hung up the call.
A few days later, I went to Megha’s place. I knocked two times on the door, Varsha opened the door. I said: ”Hi”.
"Hello” replied Varsha and climbed upstairs.
Megha was sitting in the hall, watching something on her mobile. I snatched her phone and got to know that she was seeing my pics. We both went into a small fight for the mobile, at the end of the story - a girl always wins a fight. Then she asked me to dance with her, I placed one hand around her waist and with another, I was holding her hands. We started moving slowly and after some time it became a beautiful romantic dance. Though I was dancing with Megha, my eyes were on Varsha’s room. Megha noticed me watching towards Varsha’s room, She said: ”Akash do you know that you’re going to marry me?”
“Yeah”
“Why are your eyes hunting for something on the Upstairs then?”
“Why is Varsha not around?”
“I don’t know.”
“Okay”
“What will we do now?”
“I want to tell you about my illness?”
“Illness?? What is it?”
“I’m suffering from an anxiety disorder.”
“Be clear.”
“I can’t speak when I’m tensed or guilt even if I want to.”
“Oh, you’ll not be tensed or be guilt when you’re with me and I think we will not have time to talk once we get married.”
“Oh Is It?”
“Yeah”.
I waited a few more hours there to get a chance to meet Varsha, but I had hard luck.”You don’t want to leave?” asked Megha.
“I will.”
“It’s getting dark, I think it is good for you to leave.”
“Yeah, I’m leaving.”
“If you wanna stay for tonight, you can stay. You can sleep here, but this time in my room.”
“Thanks but I’m leaving.”
“Bye, take care. Love you.”
“No surprises today?”
“If you want surprise then stay here tonight.”
“No, I have to go.”
It was the morning of my engagement day, I was so much tensed, I want to marry Varsha and I don’t want to miss Megha too. But I can’t marry both of them. So I have to get down to one. I asked Pete to help me in this case, but he was not aware of my Indian flashback. So I told him everything happened, and he said he would have run away from these people If he was me.
There were only a few minutes left for Ceremony, I called Varsha. She didn’t receive the call, but I got a message from her in which it was written: ”Fuck Off”.So I decided that I’ll go with Megha, we exchanged our rings. Megha kissed me in front of everyone, I thought my mom will scold me because these things are not meant to be done in public in India, but instead, everyone who came to ceremony clapped and my mom joined them too. I asked my mom, is it okay to do these things in public, she said It’s America, not India.
Varsha did attend the ceremony, when I saw her I felt like I should go And hug her. But these feelings made me feel like I’m cheating Megha. So I just gave a look and ignored Varsha. If I had known that, that will be the last time I’ll see Varsha, then I wouldn’t have wasted that chance to meet her or at least try to convince her.
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