Across Time

14. chinna chinna aasai

They never dated.

Sivaangi supposed she should have expected such from an agmark 90's kid. One day they were friends, the next an engaged couple. Exactly three months ago he had asked her to marry him and she had been over the moon ecstatic.

After all, wasn't it every girls dream to have their crush fall for them? The proposal had been classic Ashwin, a setup at a private restaurant with roses and the perfect beach view. He delivered a beautiful speech about their bond through time, and how she had found a place in his heart. He had made sure to ask her parents for their permission first, planned out every detail and carefully waited until the time was right.

She had squealed yes in shock, he had slipped a dainty ring on her finger and then they had hugged with him lifting and twirling her around.

It had all been such a dream, and it still was. But there was something nagging at her, little things that pricked at her mind and sent it into overdrive.

In all these years of knowing Ashwin, they had built up a comfortable rapport. It was one full of banter, teasing and closeness. But now, months after being engaged, nothing much had changed. And it bothered Sivaangi.

On her own, she felt a lot of changes in her emotions. While she always liked him, when she used to push him around and grab his hand at whim, it felt casual. Now she now felt sparks at their slightest touch, melted by simply holding hands. She yearned for more, she wanted them to drown in the love they had.

He, however, made no move to show he felt or wanted anything. He still kept a formal distance from her in public, and private moments were restricted to holding hands or a chaste kiss on the forehead. Even his flirting was as covert and allusive as always.

She had confided her worries to her married friends, her committed friends. They all said it was natural for people who'd been friendly for that long and how men didn't understand things like that. But Ashwin wasn't like other men, he was supposed to be better. Supposed to be the perfect gentleman.

Besides his confusing lack of romance, Sivaangi found herself having new expectations for him she'd never previously held. Before she cherished any attention or time he set aside for her. Now she felt a certain annoyance when he didn't attend her calls. She suddenly didn't like how his mind always first jumped to his PlayStation when he got free time. His one-liners of support didn't satisfy her anymore, she wanted him to hold her and whisper sweet nothings to her for hours. Before she found his fangirls sweet, now she got possessive anytime a girl came too close when taking a selfie.

It worried her that she seemed to be the only one thinking all this. Her fiancé appeared quite content with how unchanged things were between them.

The evening sun slanted into the window of Ashwin's living room as she drifted away from her thoughts. She was sitting curled up on his couch watching him play video games.

She could just drink in the sight of him. Those dark eyes steady and focused. His long, slender fingers toying with the controls. The dishelved hair he ruffled subconsciously. His tshirt that stretched tight across his chest.

A part of her wanted to grab him and kiss him then and there, but why should she? Shouldn't he be making the move? This whole relationship and romance thing looked so much easier in the movies.

She lifted her hand, inspecting the pretty ring.

"Ashwin... how are fiancée's supposed to act?"

"Huh?" He replied, his attention still on the screen.

"Illa, ennaku etho namba munnadi irruntha maariye irrukomo nu thonuthu."

"Aprom pinnadi maari ah irruka mudiyuma?"