Shaadi Mubarak!✔️

Chapter 10

Shaurya doesn’t think much before he gets down on his knees before the girl who gasps at the sudden action. 

“Shaurya, what are you –”

“Shh.” He says, keeping a finger on his lips, wanting her to get the message. She does. Though she looks troubled. 

“I need to say a lot of things to you but before all of that I want to say that your nose goes all red when you cry, and you look adorable. Moving on.” He says but pauses just to see the reaction that he is sure will follow. It does. The girl’s eyes widen, the hurt in them getting dissolved and replaced by an amusing streak that breaks onto her lips in a shy smile. 

He clears his throat, bringing back the more serious atmosphere. He needs to say it and needs her to believe it. “So, as I was saying, I want to tell you a lot of things. The first one is that this thing right here,” he puts his finger on to his forehead, “apparently is empty.” The smiles doesn’t remain on her face for too long but neither does the sadness. He is content. 

He then takes her hand in his, holding it gently. He sticks his gaze to a familiar ring on his finger. 

“Will you believe me if I say that before coming here, I was worried that you wouldn’t want me anymore? That I have made you cry twice already… that today you didn’t even want me to say that you are with me in front of those people.” He looks up at her at that, a pitying smile gracing his lips. 

The furrow returns between Rati’s brows. 

“I never… I had been thinking of all the names with which to label our relationship, I couldn’t find any.” He says and watches as the furrow deepens between her brows, her trying to discreetly pull away her hand from his. He doesn’t let her. “That’s because what you and I have… it’s not what everyone does. Calling you my girlfriend would have been a huge lie not because I never asked you out but because that relationship wouldn’t ever be able to comprise of what I feel for you.” Rati’s hand stills in his. 

“Calling you my fiancé would have been a lie too not because we haven’t officially been engaged yet but because I want so much more than that. That word is just too unsure. It doesn’t have the finality of my feelings for you.” He strokes the back of her hand with his thumb and observes how she gulps hearing the words, nose turning pink, her eyes stinging in the back. 

“Calling you… my wife. Maybe that’s the word I want to use. Maybe that would be enough to tell the world what you mean to me, to tell you and placate me that this would be forever. I really wish it all comes true soon, but until then, please forgive my stupid self. Today is never happening again. After all, calling you my soon-to-be-wife might do the trick just as well, right?” he asks and takes pleasure in the way the girl entire face flushes yet again, as she ducks her head not looking in his eyes. Shaurya gets his answer though.  

He takes his seat on the bed once again, beside her. 

He can tell that the words has made her as emotional as they have made him.

“You can cry in front of me, I don’t mind, ba- Rati.” 

But Rati pouts, shaking her head. “No, not when its third time in the same day. I – I am not usually like this.” She huffs cutely that has Shaurya chuckling, holding, and stroking her hand affectionately. 

She then says something, something that Shaurya is utterly unable to hear. 

“Sorry, would you come again, please?” he asks, shifting closer to the girl, bringing his face nearer to hers. For listening purposes only, of course. 

“I said – uh – I d-don’t mind you calling me…” she tops there and when Shaurya looks up to face her, it’s just to find her whole face flushing.