TO THE STARS THAT LISTEN

CHAPTER 14: Ahaan has a Plan

Ahaan

I had reluctantly agreed to meet her, but a nagging uncertainty lingered. How could I extricate myself from this without hurting anyone? The last thing I wanted was to wound my family and her feelings. There was only one escape route from this impending alliance – her saying no.

To maintain a low profile and evade unnecessary media attention, we kept the circle of those in the know small. Just my immediate family, bhabhi's family, bhai's closest friend, Kush, and Aarav, my confidante, were aware of the situation. Today, Aarav stuck around after Kush had to rush off due to a work emergency. It was approaching 8 PM when Aarav finally got up to leave, and I offered to escort him to the parking lot.

"The situation seems to have escalated quite a bit, huh?" Aarav quipped as I recounted the events at the hospital.

"You have no idea. I need to figure out a way to get her to say no. But how the hell do I pull that off?"

"Well, you could try leaving a bad impression, but considering last night's encounter, that's a definite no-go."

"This whole thing has spiraled out of control. You can't decline because of your parents... his family adores you. So, the only one capable of saying no now is him." I overheard a distant voice saying, "True, and I'm at a loss about how to ask him to call it off." That was unmistakably Ira. Her voice had a distinct quality, a uniqueness that I could recognize anywhere.

"Ahaan? What's going on? Where are you headed?" Aarav inquired as I moved in her direction. I simply raised a hand to silence him and continued until I reached a car with two figures seated on the hood, their backs to me. One of them sported a white shirt and jeans, with her hair flowing freely. The other, in navy blue scrubs, had her hair gathered in a casual ponytail, a stethoscope hanging around her neck. I placed my hand on her shoulder, and she tensed up. Before I could react, she had my hand in a firm grip, her other hand near my neck. She must've thought I was an attacker.

"It's me, it's me! Ahaan," I reassured her, visible panic in my voice.

Good Lord, she was feisty... and stunning. Ahaan, focus!

"Oh my God, oh my God! Did I hurt you? I am so sorry," she began checking my hand and neck for any signs of injury. It would take more than a tight grip to bruise me.

"No, no. I'm sorry. I startled you. I'm so sorry," I responded, placing my free hand over hers. Our eyes met, and once again, I found myself entranced by her honey-brown gaze. What was it about her eyes that had this captivating effect on me every single time?

"Uhm... uhm... Introduce us," the other girl chimed in, breaking our spell.

"Yes, please," Aarav added from behind me.

"Yes, Ahaan, this is Vaani, my best friend. She's a reporter," she turned toward Vaani and then introduced, "Vaani, meet Ahaan."

"Hi, nice to meet you," I greeted, shaking hands with her. I then turned to Aarav, who had now joined me beside the car. "Ira, Vaani, meet Aarav, my best friend and fellow pilot." After the introductions, I turned to Aarav, ready to introduce Ira to him, and they exchanged handshakes.

An awkward silence hung in the air, prompting me to address the issue that had been on my mind. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation. I know you don't want this marriage," I ventured, noticing the color draining from both their faces. So, I continued, "Don't worry, Ira. It's okay. I don't want it either."

Suddenly, her emotions took a sharp turn, shock giving way to a smile that gradually faded. "You don't?"

"No. I'm not ready for marriage."