Love and More

Chapter 17

Flashback Continues

"Why did you make that promise?" Haseena asked in a tone that Amar couldn't depict if she was angry or sad, "What was the need for it?" She said keeping her gaze down. Her face appeared unreadable.

"Haseena, I..." Amar walked beside her through the empty hospital corridor. He couldn't find any words to reason what he have done.

She's right! Who told you to make a promise to her mother that you'll marry her? Now, what are you gonna do? Marry her?! Amar internally rebuked himself.

"We shouldn't make promises that we cannot keep. You know that I can't marry-"

"I know!" Amar interrupted cutting Haseena off, "Nor had I ever thought of marrying you before... But-" He paused. Then Haseena spoke,

"But what?" She asked scrunching her eyebrows.

"Look, Haseena," he suddenly surprised her when he grabbed her shoulders turning her face to face with him. Then pressed her shoulders tightly, "I know, we've never had something like that between us but what if we give it a chance? I'm not forcing you for anything. But if you want... we can go with the marriage for real." Amar hesitantly met his eyes with hers and could see her answer. Then immediately left his hold on her and turned to look the other way.

"You want to marry me just because you made a promise to my mom!" Haseena spoke in a hushed tone, "And what about you? You can't marry a girl you don't love. Are you that great or are you pretending to be great?" Her voice raised to normal. Whereas, Amar couldn't think of anything looking at her baffled face,

"Mr Amar, you don't even like me! How could you decide upon marrying me? Or was Karishma Singh right? You're bringing me to the point where I'd be left with no other option but to marry you! And then once we're married your gonna make me give up on the police station." Haseena scoffed bitterly.

"It is not like that, Haseena-"

"Then, what is it like?!" Haseena's voice went louder,

"Haseena, please, talk lowly. We're in the hospital."

"Yeah, we're in a hospital and you just proposed to me for marriage! What are you up to, Amar?"

"I didn't even have any intentions of marrying you-" Haseena was not in the mood to listen to him,

"Oh really! After asking me to marry you, you're saying that you didn't have any intentions of marrying me!"

"Haseena, please! I told you, if you don't want it then just say no. I'm not your die-heart lover, whose world will end if I couldn't marry you! I asked you because I thought this could be the solution to this drama. Even our families want that. Moreover, that way we won't have to hurt anyone. I'm not gonna be heartbroken if you said no. I don't even care what you feel about me. So, if you don't want to just say no!" Amar exclaimed.

And suddenly it took to Haseena how badly she had overreacted. She closed her eyes shut flinching in self-realization,

"I'm sorry, Amar..." Haseena slammed a hand on her temple, "I... I'm so sorry...! I'm so sorry!" She exclaimed and then strode away from there leaving Amar confused.

...

Haseena furiously paced from right to left in her room after she returned home with her mother. It wasn't a big deal and Mrs Mallik was fine so she was discharged from the hospital immediately after getting her medical reports.

Haseena looked upon her behaviour in the empty room,

Why did I have to behave like that in front of Amar? What would he think of me? How can I get paranoid about such a little thing?

That is when her mother entered her room,

"What happened, Haseena?" Asked her mother putting a gentle hand over her shoulder, "Are you still worrying about me?" Getting no response she added

"Look, I'm perfectly fine! Moreover, nothing will happen to me until I see you happily married to Amar." It took to her notice how her mother had added the addition to her wish. First, she used to only wish for Haseena to get married well. And now she wishes Haseena to marry Amar.

Next day, in the morning,

The mother didn't fail to notice her daughter's distress and concluded it was regarding the engagement,

"Haseena." Her mother called at her before she could leave for her workplace, "Amar made me a promise. He would never leave you."

"What are you talking about, Ammi?"

"I know, you're worried. I understand, past relationships always leave an effect on our present lives. I know, you've been abandoned. But I'm sure Amar would never do that to you. After all, he truly loves you!" Haseena wanted to laugh at her mother's assumption but couldn't.

After all, she wasn't completely wrong. Her past was still somewhere in her mind. Her past still haunted her. And she was afraid she might go through that again. But right now, if Amar chose to run away, no one would be as happy as Haseena will be. She prayed Amar would run away and even tried to imply the idea in his mind by giving him indirect hints,

"How can the engagement take place if the groom ran away? I'm so sorry..." She said holding the phone to her ear when she saw Amar approaching, "But wasn't it a good thing? I mean, you didn't want to marry him anyway." Haseena talked as if someone was on the other side of the phone.

She realized her silly plan was of no use when she saw Amar entering the venue for their engagement ceremony. He was wearing a charcoal grey suit. And Haseena adorned a soft aqua blue lehenga. The moment Amar looked at her for a moment, he thought he wasn't going to regret if he married her. But then his practical mind reminded him of how illogical this marriage was. For both of them didn't want to marry each other.

"I know, what you were trying to do in the morning," Amar whispered to Haseena as soon as he climbed up the higher platform that was arranged for the bride and groom and stood next to her.

"If you knew, then why didn't you do that?" Haseena whispered back in an agitated manner without letting the smile fade from her face as everyone had their eyes on them.

"You know, that wasn't possible." Haseena couldn't refuse tor she knew Amar was right. He couldn't just run away.

After greeting each other's families, Amar once again whispered to her, "Let's just play along for today and then we will tell the truth to everyone." Amar smiled all along for they couldn't let anyone know what they were discussing.

"Hmm." Haseena didn't say much for she was still embarrassed about her behaviour in the hospital.

"Hey, bro!" Amar's younger sister Seema jumped at the bride and groom, "What were you whispering to her?" She asked with a teasing smile.

Amar and Haseena stared at each other. But they didn't have to reply as the next moment, they were approached by the elders and close friends for it was time for the engagement.

Yogita handed Amar a beautiful sleek platinum ring with a small diamond on it giving it a classy touch while Santosh handed Haseena the ring they had bought for Amar. And then the two made each other wear the rings.