Gehraiyaan.

Chapter 03

Advik didn't utter a word.

He swirled his key around his finger and looked to his sides, as he scratched the back of his head. I don't know why but I didn't want to question him; maybe because, I was too scared to listen to the truth. Perhaps the longer he took to open up, the longer I could hold onto some false hopes. That all of this is a lie. That I'm dreaming. That I'm not going to end up like my mom.

"Advik. Say something", I whisper in a cry and he takes a deep breath in.

"Navya, we'll have to call the wedding off", he repeats what I know.

"Why? Advik, what happened?", I question, shakily. "My parents are against the marriage", he answers. "Why? Why, all of a sudden? Advik, everything was going perfectly fine, right?", I interrogate and he remains silent, staring at the ground whilst tapping his phone against his palm.

"Advik. I need an answer. This is not a joke. We're 15 days away from the wedding!", I start crying. "Stop crying. We're in a parking lot for God sake!", he utters through his gritted teeth. "Wipe your tears away. The guards are looking at us. Wipe it!", he orders and I wipe away my tears with the back of my hand.

"Advik, why?", I look at him, helplessly. "There has to be a reason", I tell him.

"They found out through a relative about your brother's drug habits and his police visits!", he blurts out. "But didn't they know about it already?", I question. "Advik, you never told them?", I look at him, horrendously. He reverts with silence. "Advik!", I hold his arm.

"No!", he exclaims and pulls his arm away.

"How the fuck do I tell them that my to-be wife's brother has been in jail multiple times for multiple reasons, which also includes doing and selling drugs?", he looks at me. "They would've never agreed if I told the whole truth about your family!", he opens up to me and I honestly don't have an answer.

"My relatives are bombarding all sorts of questions and it made my mom so angry. You know her, Navya", he sighs, throwing his head back and holds my hand. "Advik, how am I supposed to control what your relatives know, and stuff?", I question.

"Fine, let that be. Did you talk to them?", I look at him.

"Do you think I'd give up on us so easily, Navi? I fought with them. They stopped talking to me. They told me that I could marry you but they wouldn't show up for the wedding, or talk to us ever again. We can get married right now, even, if you want to. But at the cost of my family. Forever", he takes a pause. "You know I need my family. I cannot pick you over them. Ever. I know you would do the same if you were in my shoes", he explains.

"What do you want me to do?", I'm hopeless at the moment. "Call off the wedding. Stop giving away cards. I'll talk to them. I'll make them understand. And then, we'll get married", his grip around my hand tightens.

"And if they don't agree?", that's the only thought running in my mind.

"Pray that they agree", he takes a while to answer, leaves my hand and begins walking away. I feel this unexplainable heaviness in the pit of my stomach. As though all of this is the calm before the storm.

He leaves, leaving me behind with a thousand unsettling emotions.

I take a cab back home and explain the situation to Maa. As expected, she ends up crying within seconds.

"Maa, he said he'll talk to his parents", I comfort her and hug her tight. "I don't trust his words, Nivi. His parents hated us from the start. We have given a reason for them to grow their hatred", she cries on my shoulder.

"First, your father. Now, Dhruv. Wouldn't we ever find peace in our lives?", she sniffs. "Maa. Everything will be okay. I trust Advik. He would never strand me, or us", I assure her and she nods, half-convinced. Or perhaps, not convinced at all.

Once the situation at home calms down, I push my sisters away and climb onto my spot in the bed, picking up my phone.

Me : Hey?

Me : Maa was worried. But I told her everything will be okay.

Advik : Did you take all the invitation cards back?

Me : Yes.

Advik : Ok.

Me : What's up at your place?

Advik : Don't contact me until I message you. Mom's already angry. I don't think she would like it if I'm still talking to you.

Me : Does she check your phone? You're not a kid anymore, Advik.

I delete the message. I don't want to create a scene, when everything happening around is dramatic enough.

Me : Okay.

He goes offline. No good-byes. Nothing. A surge of anger rushes through my veins and I feel the urge to throw something on the floor, but I sit down, holding my phone in my hands and my tears back.

I'm forced to hold my emotions back at home, because there's barely space to cry, or vent out my anger. We live in a house so small that I'm constantly surrounded by someone and I have to wear this mask. All the time. No matter what I'm going through.

"Di", Tia mumbles in her sleep and holds my hand. "Nothing bad will happen to your wedding, right?", she slurs. "No", a whimper leaves my mouth. "Thank God...I was scared", she utters and falls asleep.

I take my diary from underneath my pillow, and simply write without pausing for a thought.

I don't know how to feel about this entire thing. How have the tables turned! I guess, when people say that 'dreams turned into nightmare' this is what they mean.

I did everything in my power to make things work between us. I've tip-toed throughout the journey with Advik because of the fear that his parents would find something against me and force him to end the relationship. I've been walking on thin glass, and I thought that I could finally take a breath in relief and let my feet touch the ground. Perhaps, I'm far from it.

I don't want to end up as hopeless as my mom, or want Advik to be as villainous as my dad. I don't want to hate him. We've planned an entire future together - every little detail. I don't want it to fail. And honestly, I cannot help but think - if it fails, that would be the end of my life. I've spent 4 years building the 'perfect' life with him. If it flops, that's it. That would be it.

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[With the end of #3, you can now jump to #4]