Chapter 08: AD or RD?

As Rayansh walked inside the closet, he halted his steps when his eyes fell on a crouched figure. Anya. She was sitting on the floor as he took few more steps towards her, he saw her suitcase wide open and few of her clothes peeking out from it while she folded her saree neatly.

Feeling his presence behind her she paused for a second and later continued with her work without acknowledging it. He turned towards his side of closet and took out a watch from one of the drawers.

"I didn't know you were a professor." Finally, he voiced out the words which he had been meaning to say from the moment he got to know about it.

The day before after the revelation in lawn he really didn't get any chance to ask her about it. They had dodge ball match after her revelation. The match streched long till late in the evening, followed by the family dinner. Once he was back in his room he took sleeping pills and sat waiting for her, meaning to have a short conversation with her. But the exhaustion and sleeping pills made him drift to sleep earlier than he had expected.

When she had returned back from a small night walk with Riya and Shrija he was already asleep. Resting his back against the headboard of bed while a pillow was clutched between his arms that were crossed across his chest and his legs were lying freely. She sighed and contemplated between to help him sleep properly or just let him be as it is.

After a minute of debate, she agreed against the devil that was dancing at the back of her head and helped him to sleep properly. What surprised her was he wasn't even aware of her actions. He didn't blink or stir in his sleep at all. He just let her guide his heavy body, however she wanted to.

"Because we are practically strangers living under the same roof." She replied as she continued to work with ruthless folding.

"Why do you always twist your answers? You talk sweetly with everyone — but me?" He pointed out as he turned to look at her sitting figure.

"Because I don't feel like." She stood up with her open suitcase holding it from both the sides filled with freshly folded clothes.

" Why?" He watched her actions.

" Because. I JUST DON'T FEEL LIKE. Simple." She said with the same unbothered-cool tone as she placed suitcase on the lower shelf.

"Can you give us a chance?" Before he knew the words were out making him smack his mouth for pushing out wrong words at the wrong time.

Thanks for ruining it dude!

"Like I said— I just don't feel like." She paused for a second before saying out those words and removed out the folded saree and placed it on one of the shelves.

" What's your problem?" He lets out, frustrated hearing the same words, just in jumbled way.

"You — Mister." She deadpan and turned to point him as her sweet self, jumped out of the room making him look at her in horror which he quickly replaced with a calm expression. But only he knew how calm he was.

How did she managed to be soft and deadly in the same breath. He wondered.

" I never wanted to get marry. For me it's always have been 'shaadi = barbadi'" She lets out as she walked towards him.

"Says the one who was all decked up in the bridal clothes." He mocked her as he kept his watch on his wrist to distract himself from her, who was ever ready to pounce on him.

"I was never ready for it. I was forced into that. And I am even forced into this. Aur is khus femi mein mat rehana ki tumne mujh se shaadi kar ke mujh per koi aehsan kiya hai.

"[And don't be under the illusion that you have done me a favor by marrying me.] She lets out in frustration which she had bottled up for two days now but rather than bottling it up it was more like eating her brain like a termite eating a piece of wood.

"Who even told you to put up that entire 'I will save this heroine' stunt?" She added further as he looked into her eyes after clipping his watch on his wrist.

"So, you are mad because I married you?" He asked frowning after analysing the entire conversation.

"Ding ding ding! Happy realisation." She smiled at him ever so sweetly and clapped at him. Mockingly.

Ding ding ding? As in Ninja Hatori?  He thought.

" What if I prove that 'shaadi with me is not equal to barbadi'?" He asked pushing his hands into his pants pockets.

"What do I get?" He asked further, slightly leaning towards her face now looking into her eyes at her eye level.

"My whole respect and investment into our future." Without thinking anything she just let it out.

Wait. What?

What the —

What did I even say?

Bappa! Kay karu mi ya thonda ch? [God! What am I supposed to do about this damn mouth?]

She looked up at the ceiling as he walked out of the closet like a smug rom-com hero, smiling brightly leaving her behind to consider pulling out her hair.

⭐

Setting out her side of closet she sighed looking at his side. Even though he had cleared out a side for her he had literally stuffed his clothes anyhow to make sure they would stay intact and not fall down. Not wanting to arrange it she walked out into the room.

Her eyes fell on her phone that was on nightstand put up for charging and walked towards it. She plugged off and turned it on as she sat on her side of the bed. As soon as she put on the data whatsapp chats some google alerts, weather update and many more notifications flooded in.

She saw group chats flooding with messages and even her personal chats were way too much considering her social activities. She was like a sloth but when it comes to necessary hard work she would turn into a machine.

She opened the whatsapp and smiled reading the chats in the group from her university friends; Manini, Prachi and Chetna how they had jokingly shared ways to avoid first night of her marriage knowing she was practically married off to a stranger.

She saw chats of encouragement and soft words from Anushree, Tej and Vansh. That's when she realised how much she really meant to her friends.

She always felt their friendship was one sided and she was the only one holding back onto it. But. No. Even though she always had listened them rant and helped them but never did she once mention about hers. Whenever she felt like voicing out to them, she would decide not to. She felt a guilt to do so. And thinking she wasn't enough was what made her cling on them, trying to adjust accordingly to their vibes but never did they made her feel left out but being the overthinker she herself assumed things and let herself feel left out.

She gulped hard looking at the number of missed calls she had. It was already her second day; two nights passed that she talked to them or her sister. She saw a recent chat from her sister freaking out about her wellbeing. The chats were after every ten minutes in the hope of her reply and she smacked herself for being indie the entire day and the day before, that she almost forgot about her phone. She dialled her sister and within the second ring she picked up as if she was desperately waiting for her call itself.

“I’m sorry.” Anya said as soon as it was answered.

“Tai. How are you? Are you okay? Did he lock you in basement or something? Should I find you any help? Is he some kind of mafia? Or did he trade you? Hello, Tai?” Sayami shoved the string of questions on Anya thinking of every possibility why she didn’t contact her.

“Relax, Yami. Breathe.” Anya tried to calm her down as she walked towards the glass door that lead to the balcony.

“First of all, stop overthinking. I own its patent.” She told her as she stepped out in the balcony.

“I’m perfectly fine. No, he didn’t lock me in any basement. No need to find any help. I’m not sure about him being mafia though. And if he tries to trade me you think I’ll let him to?” She answered every worry of her sister making her smile on the other end.

“How’s Aai, Baba?” She inquired after a second.

“They are fine.” She muttered to which Anya hummed in response.

Of course they will be.

Unke upar ka bhoj jo chala gaya.

“How are you?” Shaking her head negatively she asked about her.

“I miss you, tai.” Sayami said as she laid down on the bed almost at the verge of crying.

“You don’t have to miss me anymore. We can meet soon.” Anya informed smiling as she pictured Sayami laying on her side on bed and looking at the picture of them together which was placed on nightstand.

“How? Are you coming back here?” Sayami jolt up excitedly thinking of the possibility to meet her.

“You all are coming.” Anya informed as she saw twins playing with a ring in the lawn.

“Meaning?” Sayami frowned.

“This family of mine, is arranging Reception party to properly welcome me.” Anya said as she smiled thinking about the day before when Shrija announced it and how everyone happily agreed to her idea.

“Are they nice to you?” Sayami inquired further.

“They are.” Anya affirmed.

“I don’t trust you on that. I’ll myself decide.” Sayami said as she sat properly on the bed and knowing her sister very well; she wouldn’t tell anything about her pain.

“How many people?” She further asked thinking about how many people she has to scrutinise as a HR of her sister.

“He has a grandmother; Sundari dadi, parents; Vrinda maa, Rajesh papa, a brother; Daksh bhaiya and a sister-in-law; Riya bhabhi, a younger sister; Shrija, a niece; Shivanshi and a nephew; Shivansh.” She informed as she saw twins argue on something now.

“And?” Sayami voiced playfully.

“And?” Anya frowned hearing her.

“Now you.” Sayami chirped through the phone making Anya sigh but she did feel little warmth spread around her face. She cleared her throat and continued.

“You know I thought he would say; ‘This marriage means nothing to me’ or throw divorce papers at me or say ‘It is just a contractual marriage’ or ‘It’s just a deal’. But nothing happened instead I gave him an earful.” Anya finished biting on her lower lip.

“Are you feeling sad?” Sayami asked hearing the tone which was more like guilty than unbothered.

“Nahi gh!” [Not at all] She exclaimed more to herself.

“When I said I believe in ‘shaadi=barbadi’ what he said you know?” She took a short pause to increase suspense for Sayami.

“What if I prove shaadi with me is not equal to barbadi?” She ended dramatically making Sayami stifle back a good laugh.

“What did you say?” She asked clearing her throat.

“Me? I was stupid when I said that.” Anya said with irritation as she tapped on her scalp.

“What was it?” Sayami pressed on.

“I’ll respect him and—”

“And?”

“Investment into our future.” Hearing her Sayami grinned. If Anya was standing face to face, then, she would surely have received a smack from her for smiling like a fool.

“That was a great reply and not stupid, Tai.” She said frowning trying to convince her.

“Whatever. I—” Anya was interrupted.

“Chachi!” She heard twins shouting standing exactly below the balcony as she leaned forward to look down at them who were asking her to play with them waving the ring in air.

“I’ll end this call and come.” She shouted back at them as she pushed the phone away from her ear to look at the time because later on, she had to go for shopping also.

“I heard it. We’ll talk later.” Before she could say anything, Sayami said happily knowing her sister, she would feel guilty about hanging up the call. But she understands. Now she will have to share her sister with others even though her selfish self wants to keep her all for herself. She has no choice. While Anya knew the fake happy tone used and talked with her for few more minutes before finally hanging up the call. Silently letting her know no one could take her space in her life even though she had to share her.

⭐

"Bhabhi, can I see your mehendi?" Shrija chirped, flopping down beside Anya like a detective ready to crack a cold case.

Anya who was waiting for her husband to go for shopping, nodded and held both of her hands in front of her. Like displaying her homework to a teacher.

"Didn't they write any name?" Shrija asked after few seconds as she quickly looked at the overall design.

"Or was it camouflaged somewhere in design like those army men in bushes?" She further inquired making Anya chuckle at her words.

"It is hidden. See, if you can find." She said softly but mischief behind her words was left un noticed by her and Riya who just joined them in living room.

"What was his name again?" After looking at her hands for a whole good minute Shrija asked.

"What were you even trying to search then?" She shook her head smiling to which Shrija pouted.

"It was Gaurav." She said as Riya also joined Shrija in finding it.

They both tried to find for few more minutes but couldn't. Shrija looked up at her. Helplessly. And Riya was still focused of her palm like an astrologer reading the lines on it. While Anya was trying her best to not laugh out looking at their serious faces.

"I can't find it. This isn’t just mehendi, this is Morse code."Shrija groaned giving up on her task. She turned towards Riya to see if she got any lead. "Bhabhi?" But to her disappointment , Riya shook her head negatively.

"You won't find it." Anya said casually, streching her arms in the air. Confused by her words they frowned and sat properly on their seats as all the while they were leaned towards her.

"I didn't let them write his name." She shrugged off as they waited for her to continue.

"What?" They both yelled in together, dramatically—enough to make the neighbor’s dog bark.

"I asked her to write my initials instead." She further added claiming she didn’t really made fool out of them.

"What? Why?" They looked at her confused as Riya asked.

"Because the way I love myself? He would never or you can say no one ever can." Anya shrugged off yet again as she sips on her tea.

"That's crazy." Shrija clutched her heart like she’d just been dumped.

"I know." She grinned at them. And all three shared a good laugh.

“Wait! I think I saw it.” Riya said as she vaguely remembered the design and took her hand again in hers.

“AD, right?” She further inquired as she tried to concentrate on that particular place which she was talking about earlier.

“See, I found.” Riya pointed out the spot as others leaned in to see. It was written between the space of forefinger and thumb of her left hand.

“Instead of AD it looks like RD.” After looking at those smudge initials Shrija said looking at Anya with a teasing grin.

“More like Rayansh Dubey.” Riya teased while Anya frowned and continued sipping on her tea, hoping for her husband to come as soon as possible because of the teasing looks she was getting.

"Stop teasing my wife!"

A/N

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