Kalam

Chapter 3

                       8 months ago.

"God! What happened? Why does everyone look like they just came out of a horror movie? Why is everyone so pale? Except for you Meera bhabhi, you look stunning as always." Aryan had a nature of flirting. Besides Meera was his friend before his eldest brother's wife. Meera rolled her eyes and pointed at Ayaan, who looked like he wasn't breathing anymore.

Aryan turned to his twin and called his name. After no response he tried everything. He clicked his fingers in his face, waved his hand, even told him that Alia Bhatt got married. But nope. No response. As his last resolve he shook his brother hard.

Ayaan came out of his initial shock turned to his twin and then back at his family, and screamed bloody murder. His mother Pooja and his badi ma, Anjali and Meera had to cover their ears. His grandparents and father grimaced. His bade papa looked like he was having fun. And Advitya just wanted to leave. He couldn't look anymore uninterested.

"Absolutely not. No thanks. Nada. Never. You wanna hear it in French? Non."

"Shut up Ayaan. God! My ears are bleeding. What the fuc- fish. What the fish is wrong with you?" Aryan changed his colorful language with one glare from his mother.

"Ofcourse you don't know. They want me to get married. In fact they have even chosen the girl and have almost fixed the marriage. All I have to do is reach the venue, stand there and be an eye candy, isn't it dad?"

"Itna kyu ro rha h? Shadi hi to h. Karle. Konsi badi baat h?" Ayaan looked at his twin like he he was an idiot. Which he was. But that's not the point.

(Why are you throwing a fit? It's just marriage. Just say yes. It's not a big deal.)

"Itna hi easy h to tu krle na. Problem hi khatam. Mom, isse karado."

(If it is that easy, then why don't you do it. Problem solved. Mom, he will get married.)

"Rishta tere liye aaya hai na, to tu kar. Jab mere liye ayega mai tab kar lunga. Vaise bhi tu bada h."

(The proposal came for you, so you do it. I'll get married when I get a proposal. You are older than me anyway.)

"Just shut up. Ayaan, beta. Listen to me. It's a good proposal and the girl is very nice. She is my friend's sister's daughter. She is a fashion designer and is actually very smart. What else do you want in a relationship? Marriages are built over time. Arranged marriage is a concept that has been followed in this family for years. See so many successful Arranged marriages in front of you. And you told me you don't have a girlfriend. To problem kya h?" His grandmother tried to explain him the situation but no one was understanding Ayaan.

(Then what is the problem?)

"The problem is that I didn't choose her. Even if I don't have a girlfriend. I have a say in my marriage but you didn't even give me a chance. I don't want to marry someone I don't even know." With that he left. He did not have the energy to argue with them.

It was 11 at night and Ayaan was sitting near the indoor pool in their house with Aryan. They weren't talking. It was just the silence that weighed heavy on their shoulders.

"You know what? You better start talking, I can't take this silence anymore. I get your side and stuff but is that the only reason you don't want to marry?" Ayaan did not react to his twin's questions. He just looked ahead at the water.

"I don't want to carry the weight of a broken relationship. What if I don't like her, what if she doesn't like me? Maybe we are not compatible,  or that we run out of things to talk. Maybe we don't even have thing to talk about in general. What then? I don't want to be in a marriage that offers nothing to either of us. But divorce is a big thing. Broken relationships hurt more than anything. Regret, grief and so much more. I just want to avoid that." Aryan patted Ayaan's back. That is a fear almost everyone has.