A Promised Marriage

Chapter eleven: I don't want to marry

Author pov

The next day, Rehan was thinking about the date from the night before and how much he enjoyed it. He was excited to see Aradhya again and was thinking of ways to make it even better. He also couldn't stop smiling every time he remembered  blushing, shy reaction to his flirting and kisses.

Rehan was suddenly interuppted in his thoughts by a text message on his phone. He checked the message and his smile faded as he read the text.
"Rehan, can we talk? I need to ask you something important," the text from Aradhya read.

Rehan felt a sudden wave of anxiety wash over him. He didn't know why Aradhya needed to talk to him, and he couldn't help but wonder if something bad had happened. With a deep breathe, he replied, "Sure, Aradhya, what's up? Is everything okay?"

"Rehan, I really need to talk to you in person. It's better if we talk face to face," Aradhya replied. The reply made Rehan's heart skip a beat—something serious had definitely happened.

Rehan read the text from Aradhya. He quickly replied. "Okay, I will meet you wherever and whenever you need. Just tell me where and when." Rehan was anxious to hear what was on her mind and to find out if everything was really okay.

"Let's meet in the park near my house at 1 pm today," Aradhya replied. "And thank you for being so understanding, Rehan. I know this probably won't be a fun conversation, but I need to see you and talk to you in person."

Rehan felt a surge of dread wash over him as he realized that Aradhya wanted to talk about something serious and that it wouldn't be fun. "Well, I will be there at 1PM," Rehan replied. "And don't worry—whatever it is we can talk it out together. See you there."

Rehan took a deep breathe and tried to remain positive as he waited to meet Aradhya. He tried to not think about all the terrible possibilities that could be on her mind. He was anxious but he was also eager to hear what she had to say. He thought perhaps it could even be good news and he was getting worked up over nothing.

Rehan got to the park slightly early and he found a spot under a tree to wait for Aradhya. He couldn't help but feel nervous and he kept thinking about all the different reasons Aradhya might have wanted to talk to him.

Just as Rehan was starting to get more and more anxious, he saw Aradhya walk towards him. She had a serious and concerned look on her face as she approached him. "Rehan," she said, "can we talk over there?" she pointed to a nearby bench.

Rehan gulped and followed Aradhya to the bench. He sat down and looked at her, waiting for her to speak. He didn't know what to expect but he was already feeling nervous.

"Rehan, I'm sorry but there has been something that's been bothering me and I've been wanting to talk to you about it for a while," Aradhya said. Her voice was soft and gentle, but Rehan could sense that she was slightly nervous as well. "Can I ask you a favor?"

"Sure, Aradhya. What is it?" Rehan asked, feeling slightly nervous. Aradhya was being so sincere and gentle and that was reassuring to Rehan. But he also couldn't help but wonder about her request before she had even specified what the favor was.

"I need your full honesty to what I'm about to say, okay? I want you to promise me that you will be totally honest and upfront with me, no matter what I say and regardless of how you think it might hurt," Aradhya said in a serious manner.

Rehan's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected Aradhya to ask for such a serious request, and he was nervous about what she was going to say. He took a deep breathe and looked at her intently. "Okay, I promise," Rehan replied.

"Thank you. There has been something that I've been meaning to talk to you about but I didn't know how to bring it up," Aradhya said with a sigh. Rehan noticed that Aradhya looked as if she was feeling hesitant and a bit embarrassed. "I guess I should just come out and say it. Rehan, I care about you a lot and I really appreciate all your kindness and how you have treated me. But I want to be honest and upfront with you," Aradhya said.