Together For-Ever

Chapter Twenty-one

Adrika

I pushed him with all my strength and met his gaze.

"What do you think you're doing, Arjun!" I shouted.

I wanted Arjun to kiss me, but not when I didn't know where our relationship stood. Ever since I learned about love and marriage, all I wanted was him and his love. But circumstances forced us into an early marriage without giving us time to understand each other.

"What am I doing? I'm moving forward. And you?" He asked calmly.

"Are you bipolar or what, Arjun? Why do you want to confuse me? Please stop playing games with me, knowing that I love you," I said.

"Why would I play games with you, Adrika? You are the one who is playing. One minute you were happily chatting with everyone, and the next you disappeared without explanation. Now I want to know why you disappeared, but after seeing you in the last few weeks, I don't think you want to talk with anyone, let alone discuss your dirty secrets," Arjun said steadily.

Dirty secrets?

"What dirty secret, Arjun? You don't know anything! It would be better if you don't speak about it," I said, my voice trembling.

"You're saying I don't know anything, right? Then tell me," Arjun asked in a cold voice.

Where is this going? I'm not ready to speak about that with anyone, at present.

"I won't say anything now. I'm not ready!" I said, looking away from his face.

"You're not ready? Okay, fine. Let's not discuss this now. I want to talk about something else," he said, making me sit on the bed beside him. He turned me to face him, and we sat opposite each other.

"What do you want to talk about? Can't it wait till evening? I have to go to college," I told him.

"No! Do you like your college that much? You want to leave me?" He teased.

I frowned. "Do you have a split personality, Arjun?" I asked, trying to control my smile.

"Okay? Do you want me to talk?" He asked, avoiding my question.

I nodded. "But let me say something first. Then you can say whatever you want," I told Arjun.

"Okay!" He said.

"Arjun, can we not be normal?" I asked him.

"What do you mean by normal, Adrika?" He asked.

I sighed and said, "Like Athaya and Mamaya, like my mom and dad," and looked at him.

"Can you just forget whatever happened in the last few weeks? Can we be like a normal husband and wife inside this cabin? Can we, Arjun? Every time we come inside this cabin, I don't want us to fight. I want to have a normal life with you, Arjun. At least before taking any responsibilities. I don't want anything except your love and respect. Is it too much to ask?" I said, looking into his eyes, which were staring at me with no emotions.

My heart sank looking at his face, and tears welled up in my eyes. I immediately stood up and turned my back towards him, not letting him see my tears.

Parameshwara!

I felt his hand on my left shoulder, making me turn towards him. I looked at his feet.

He moved his hand from my shoulder and kept it under my chin, making me look at him.

"Okay, Adrika. We can have a normal life like you want, inside this cabin. But you have to talk, not only with me but with everyone, Adrika. You are a member of this family and behave like one."

"Okay, Arjun. I will do that for you. But it will take time, Arjun," I said, and he nodded.

"Adri--" Just then his phone rang. He looked at me and then took out his phone from his pocket.

"Yes?" He answered the call and listened to the person on the other end.

He finished his call after five minutes. It was his mom.

Devil! Why can't she leave us alone for five minutes!

"That was mom. She is briefing me about tomorrow's trip," he said, hanging up.

"Oh, what about it?" I asked, now curious.

"Apparently, we are not taking a flight, and we are going by road. Most importantly, we are going to start at 3 AM!" He sighed, frustration clearly evident in his voice.

"What, why?!" I asked.

No way!

"Dad, Aishu, Anvesh, Murali babai, Srikar babai, nanamma, and thattayya are not coming. So, Anand suggested a road trip, and she agreed," Arjun said.

I looked towards the huge window, from which I could see the trees and all.

"Stupid logic!" I exclaimed and looked at Arjun, who was already looking at me. Intensely.

Just then my phone rang, which was currently lying on the bed near Arjun. Even before I reached for it, Arjun grabbed my phone from the bed and answered the call.

"ARJUN!" I shouted. He turned the call on speaker, and it was my brother.

"My baby, edunnave?" He asked. (Where are you?)

I tried to take my phone back from Arjun, but he was so tall he didn't let me reach.

"Annaya, ekada unta? At Rudramaneni's!" (Where else would I be?) I said, still struggling.

"Ok, College velaka call chey. Ochi pick cheskunta. evala duty ledu." He said, (Call me after you reach college, I will come and pick you as I don't have any duty, today.).

I looked at Arjun, his expression daring me to say yes.

"Annaya! You are on speaker, and your dear BIL is holding me hostage in his room, not even allowing me to go to college," I said, feeling sorry for myself.

"What, how can he do that? Here I'm planning a day-out just for both of us." He was blabbering something.

After he finished talking, Arjun said, "Bava, Adrika can't meet you today. So cancel your plans. She needs to take rest after last night's hangover, and she has to wake up early tomorrow. So she will meet you next week. So now don't call her," he said.

"Oy, Arjun! How can you say that to my Annaya? You don't disturb me and get lost. Annaya, I will call you after Arjun goes out. Now cut the call," I said.

This time, I was almost successful in taking the mobile back. But, I slipped and to save me Arjun grabbed me, and we both fell backward on the bed, with me on top.

Just with this simple act, my heart was beating like it would give me a myocardial infarction.

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