An Arranged Marriage Like This

|Four|~

"Do din se wohi humme wish kar rahe hai. Aaj unka nahi aya toh humme hi kar dena chahiye...", Haseena thought before typing in a morning greeting.

Good Morning ❤️

"Rehn de kya. Aaj shayad humme jana ho isliye nahi bheja?!", she was confused as her eyes were stuck on the heart emoji. Finally her thumb pressed the sent button.
"Stop being a nervous emotional wreck Haseena. You are moving in a marriage. You have to improve your flaws", she said to herself calming by deep breaths.

"Avi..", Haseena smiled looking at the caller ID

Avi- so a date day for you finally...I didn't think of this day coming in my life, she said excitedly.

"shut up. It's not a date."

"It's your date dear. Cuz you are probably seeing someone you will marry"

"Theek hai. Ab bas kar ye"

"Kya pehnegi?"

"Mummy ne toh traditional kaha but ofcourse not. Dress nahi pehn rahe kyuki pura din hai aur I don't know where we will head to after lunch. Toh a basic comfortable top with jeans. Sorted"

"Jumpsuit pehn le. The Maroon one. You will look sexy."
"Shut up", her face flushed. "Acha lage ga itna basic top waise", Haseena was confused. "I mean it's our first and will it look like no efforts from my end?"

"No baba. Agar kabhi dinner date pe jao then were some dress you like, Aaj pura din you can't go with a delicate dressing"

Her phone beeped. It's from Anubhav.

"Anubhav ka phone aa raha h. I'll call you later"
"Bye. And tell me about your first date...even if you kiss each other...",Avi teased. "Shut up!", she yelled at her for the third time.

"Hello...Anubhav"

"Hi... Good Morning Haseena"
She smiled at his response. "Toh jaha decide hua wahi na? Ya phir you got a better place?", she asked.

"Humme ek better theme Cafe milla. We can go their", he answered back in morning raspy voice.

"Aapki awaz se toh lag raha hai aap abhi uthe hi hai...time pe pahouch jayenge?"

"Ringing your doorbell in 1 hour, Madam"
She chuckled. He too smiled. The last two days felt better talking to her as she has slowly let down her walls, letting him talk about their future with her in his imagination or address her by madam.

"Bye Anubhav"
"Bye"

____

After having Brunch in a themed restaurant, both of them decided to be in its gardens for some more time. The waiter came with a bill. "This time I'll pay", Haseena replied smiling, wiping the corner of her lips with a tissue. Before he could protest she has scanned the QR and clicked to pay.

Anubhav didn't like this. He thought, They should not be so hard and fast in terms of money. He earns good enough and respects her independence but she will be leaving her home for him so he owes taking up her responsibilities.

"Hum pay kar sakte hai Haseena. I mean this formality is not required. We will be life partners. Sometimes requiring each other's financial help. It was nothing wrong if I paid to your self-respect"
She had sensed his displeased tone.

"Aisa nahi hai Anubhav. I didn't mean to hurt you. Abhi humare beech sirf shurwaat hui let it be like this...uske baad dekhenge na hum. Remember that day I told you we will open an account of mutual deposits...us se we will sort our dates and home expenses. Dekhiye Anubhav agar hum kehte hai ki hum apna kaam post marriage bhi continue karenge toh uska ek aur reason hai. I never want to be a financial liability for you...jab financially kisi ki responsibility aati hai kisi pe toh I believe woh apne dreams aur passion follow karna bhul jaata hai.  They always try to play safe for the other person"

His forhead wrinkles relaxed listening to her PoV. She was indeed mature, more than him.
He smiled and whispered sorry.

The started to walk in the lush gardens to a shaded place of seating, when she asked, "Kal hum apka insta profile check out kar rahe the..."Haseena spoke but got interrupted.

"Usse stalk karna kehte hai I guess...", he said with a smile clearing his throat.
She looked at him stunned then again straight..."toh usme aapke friend circle ki kaafi achi photos thi..."

"Humare 6 jano ka ek best friend circle hai...waise toh humare aur bhi dost hai lekin these 6 are my life"
Haseena smiled. He talked about random stories of their friend circle showing pictures she had 'stalked', It was from one of his friend's reception party.
"Humari bas ek wish hai Haseena. After college we are all scattered. Koi out of India koi kahi, koi family life me busy. I just want ki ek baar we 6 can go on a trip...even if for 3-4 days"

She smiled listening to his sweet wish.
"Apne friends ki bare me bataye khuch", he asked Haseena.

"I hope you don't mind me having male friends",she questioned raising her eyebrow. "No", he answered but was unsure of it.

"Waise toh humare hai hi nahi...colleagues ko chodke", she chuckled. "Frienships bhi humare liye itni easy nahi rahi hai Anubhav. I had a best friend till 11th. You know she meant the life to me...but she moved away like I meant nothing to her. Uske baad I have a good friend from my school. The only one who sticked to me through the LockDown and so many years and Downs,...Avi. Baki college ke casual friends hai...I talk sometimes. And I have a group of online friends"

"Online friends?", he asked surprisingly knowing of her nature.
"Dare you doubt them", she warned but with a smile. "Chinta mat kijye koi fake a/cs nahi hai stalkers ka. I have known them since long and khuch se toh mil bhi liye hai"

"Nice"

She smiled.

"Toh kabhi pyaar ho na ho. Lekin friendship zaruri hain. Ek dusre ko pyaar karne ki obligation se dur karte hai...and let's start by being eachother's best friend...we can share everything freely and talk frankly about anything stupidly", he said forwarding his hand to her. She held his hand in her palms and pressed it, smilingly widely at him...