• ADVIKA •

THREE DAYS LATER...

Ishaan and I- who were in my world then- were waiting at the very same window side seats of Starbucks where Aadya Chatterjee made her disapproval for our relationship sound.

Just then, I saw a black car pulling over at the parking space near the entrance and a woman in her late twenties stepping out of it. Tucking a strand of her black hair behind her ear, she eyed at us and waved a hi with an overly nice smile softening the corners of her eyes.

As I saw her entering the café, we stood up together for a handshake. Ishaan's was her first handshake as she came to our table and Ishaan greeted, "Hello, Miss Chatterjee!"

"Hello, Ishaan!" Aadya Chatterjee greeted me as she turned to me and accepted my handshake. "Hello, Miss Bansal!"

"Hello, Miss Chatterjee!" I greeted back as the three of us sat together.

"So... Did you two order anything?" Aadya Chatterjee asked as she lunged forward a little towards us.

After looking at me for one second, Ishaan replied, "Ummm... Not yet, Miss Chatterjee. We were waiting for you to arrive."

"Oh, cool!" Aadya Chatterjee looked at us with the anticipation of initiating the conversation all over her face. "So... How's life for you two?"

Life after he re-entered my life felt like watching Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara over and over. After having that emotional reconciliation at his new house, I stayed there for more than twelve hours as we visited Ved, Mehak, their one-year-old daughter Ryka, and Mr Ahuja. After having all those heartfelt conversations with those people, I came back to my world, leading Ishaan who came the next day, which was a Saturday. Spending the whole day at our house, Ishaan asked me whether we can meet Aadya Chatterjee- to which I agreed and... Here we are!

"Finally, life feels good," Ishaan replied after letting out an airy chuckle, allowing an "I don't know how to proceed the conversation" silence to fill the gap between us.

"What would you like to have, ma'am?" We heard the waitress in her early twenties asking us as her eyes were fixed to Aadya Chatterjee.

"Three cappuccinos," Aadya Chatterjee replied with a warm smile. As the waitress left, she turned back to us and spoke up in a rehearsed tone. "Listen, guys. We all know what has happened for the past two years. I... I have been waiting to say a lot of things while meeting you two together, but... I can't speak anything now." She laughed a little while her eyes shone brighter under the sunlight from the windows. "I... I shouldn't have done all that cruel stuff for you two. I thought that I had control over everything. Like, I am some God or someone. But... I am just a piece of shit sitting in front of you two for an apology. Forgive me, please! I should have let you two together years ago, but... It was my ego that killed the love between you two. I wasted all the time over my ego. And, I'm really sorry for all of them."

At the end of her monologue, she placed her forehead on the edge of the table and sobbed. I pushed the tissues towards her while the waitress came up with our coffee.

Realising that the coffee reached us, Aadya Chatterjee looked up, wiped her tears and looked back at me, asking, "Do this one thing for me if you are forgiving me." Ishaan and I looked at each other while she added, "Stop addressing me with my surname. Call me Aadya. Treat me like your friend. Okay?"

Breaking into a chuckle together, we nodded a yes while Ishaan looked at me, declaring his love for me in silence while I reciprocated it with a cup of cappuccino.

***

THREE MONTHS LATER...

"Ishaan, how do you visualise your wedding life?"

That was the first question I asked as we completed watching Rab Ne Bana Di Jodi. It was my infinite time re-watching this classic while for Ishaan, it was the first time.

"Well... I don't know how to put it in words. Maybe, if you say yours, it would be easier for me to tell my ideas on it," said Ishaan as he eyed at me with anticipation.

"Well..." I paused to build sentences for sharing my views and continued, "You know, these books and movies had totally spoiled me and turned me into someone so delusional and hopelessly romantic. So... I have always seen marriages as welcoming a new person into our lives. You know, that person may be just like you or a total contrast. But... It should be someone who could accept you the way you are. Growing up in a family which is so strict but aren't, I have always felt like hiding a part of myself to my parents. I mean, they know me but they don't. I don't want this to continue post-marriage. This guy- whom I call mine- is someone who can know me inside out. To give such a privilege, he must be worthy of it. I know that he would be kind, charming, trustworthy, blah and blah. Those are needs. But, the ones I had said above are the wants. I want a man who will not judge me for who I am. I want a man who will not unlove me for who I am.

"With that man, I need to have one child- of our blood or adopted. I don't have any preferences over the baby's gender, though. And... I want to tame a cat- I hate dogs, by the way."

"What? Do you hate dogs?" Ishaan interjected with that dramatically shocked look on his face.

"As in, not complete hatred. I'm just scared of them. You know, those sharp teeth, nails, and their fierceness... God! They scare me till now." As there was a pause between us, it allowed my brain to process the tone he chose to use. "Wait! So, do you like dogs?" As he pursed his lips and nodded a yes, I asked, "Are you offended by this?"

"No. I can't expect you to like dogs the way I do. But, I can show you how lovely dogs can be for real."

"Awww!" I went to him to give him a platonic side hug and swayed left and right when I did.

"Advika," he called me in a way that I had never loved my name like so for the past twenty-two years.

"Hmmm?"

"If marriages can sound this lovely from your words, why can't we get married?"

The moment he ended those lines, I felt the world- except the two of us- ceased to exist, giving way to one world that was exclusively for us. I felt nothing but whiteness, my soul, the soul which loved me unconditionally, and the sexy-bodied owner of that soul.

My eyes visited the green canopies which were the epitome of love- despite knowing that I would lose myself in it till the universe brings me back to the world- as I whispered, "What do you mean?"

Standing in front of me, he straightened his position and spoke up. "Hi. I'm Ishaan Ahuja of the parallel universe named God-knows-what, son of Ranjit Ahuja and Margherita Ahuja, a Senior Architect at a reputed construction company of Milan, and the man who had the lucky chance of experiencing love for two years from the most charming girl of the adjacent universe. I don't know what the future has in store for me. But, I want you to be my future. You were in my past. You are in my present. Is it sinful for this peasant to have the gold bar as my future? Will you- that charming girl of the adjacent universe- allow me to experience love in your way for the rest of our lives? I'm not urging you to reply at this moment, though."

"Ishaan. Even if I'm ready to marry you, what about the other things? Your parents, your friends, my parents, my friends? How would we get married? Where would we get married? What about kids? I mean, I wish to live a married life like the rest of the people. But, how do we plan to do it?"

After looking at me thoughtfully for a while, he chuckled and replied, "We can manage, dear. Listen. We are the couple who had tackled Aadya Chatterjee. I mean, The Aadya Chatterjee who had created one whole universe. If we can convince a stranger who has created an universe, why can't we convince four people who have been with us for almost half of our lives? Why can't we convince a good amount of people of our age who're best known for being with us with no judgements?

"We can marry twice: once in your world and once in mine. Talking about kids, I think it's wise to talk about it when the right time strikes. You're twenty two. I'm twenty seven. We- especially you- have quite a lot of time to discuss about kids. We would become mature enough to make a decision in that department when time passes." Noticing my hesitant expression, he sat facing me and added, "Imaging we have tackled all those obstacles. Will you be ready to marry me after that?"

***

I can hear you people screaming, "Say yes, Advika!" But... *suppresses grin*

Wait for the epilogue, y'all!