Unwanted

Chapter 4

Archit

"I have already arranged your marriage."

I was sitting on a chair staring at the snacks and tea infront me while Baba was busy chatting with my prospective wife's mother. He didn't even give me some time to process the information, instead he directly brought me to my 'wife's' house to meet her the very next morning after revealing that he had fixed my marriage. Apparently the woman worked at his company. I wondered what kind of person she was. Who in their right mind would want to marry me? Does she know about my past? All kinds of questions kept circling my mind.
"Why aren't you eating anything?" My match's mother asked me, making me come back to Earth.
"Actually aunty I am not hungry." I answered while forcing a smile. I was still having a hard time believing that I was going to get married.

"So, what do you do for a living?" My match's mother asked me making my Baba gulp in fear. Baba must have hid the fact that I am jobless. Baba put his tea cup down and cleared his throat.
"Actu-." He tried to say something.
"I don't have a job". I said cutting Baba off.
"Oh." The woman said sounding a little displeased.
"Well you have nothing to worry about. Your father is a businessman afterall." The woman laughed dryly after making the worst joke of the century. I just sat there in silence while Baba forced a smile. Awkward I thought to myself.
"You are going to inherit your father's business afterall." The woman said with a grin.
"About that-" Baba was about to say something when I cut him off again.
"I'm not interested in business." I said in a serious tone making Baba glare at me. He must be cursing me mentally. After hearing that the woman didnot say anything else, she just stood there with an awkward smile.

"When is Priyodorshini going to come?" Baba asked the woman trying to diffuse the tension in the room. Priyodorshini, that's a nice name.
"Oh she will come soon. Let me go call her." Saying this the woman exited the room.
"Are you trying to spoil everything?" Baba asked me in an irritated tone.
"Look Baba, I don't want to establish this relationship based on lies. Hiding the truth will only worsen things." I answered him.
"I don't know what I'm going to do with you." Baba said picking up a pakoda. I bowed down my head and stared at my feet.
"Sorry for taking so long." My mystery match entered while apologising for the delay. I looked up to see her.

The same honey coloured eyes, the same wavy hair, the same caramel skin. She was the same woman from that day, the one who was getting harassed. She was wearing a yellow saree which looked perfect on her. She had her black,wavy hair down, her eyes were rimmed with kajal, her lips were painted red with lipstick and she had a red tip on the center of her forehead. Beautiful I thought to myself. Suddenly Baba cleared his throat making me come out of my thoughts. I blushed upon realising that I had been staring at her for a long time.
[Note: tip=dot worn on the center of the forehead as an accessory]

"It's ok. No problem." Baba said replying to her.
Priyodorshini came and sat on a chair right infront of me. I bowed my head not wanting to make eye contact with her. Does she remember me?
"So, you are Archit right." She said in an uninterested tone.
"Hmm." I replied with a faint smile.
"I've heard a lot about you." She said this time eyeing me up and down. I didn't say anything just kept smiling. I felt a little uncomfortable.
She didn't ask me anything else. For the next few moments the room was filled with an air of awkward silence.
"How about you both go outside for a walk?" Priyodorshini's mother suggested with a clearly forced smile.
"Oh..umm..ok." I said while getting up from my seat. I forwarded my hand towards Priyodorshini who was still sitting infront of me, however she got up without my help and started walking towards the door. I just stood there not knowing what to do. Suddenly she turned behind and looked at me, "Are you going to keep standing there?" She asked me in a cold tone.
"N-no." I started following her.

She took me to the balcony.
"So, you are Archit." She said while leaning against the railing.
"Y-yeah." I replied.
"Do you have a stuttering problem?" She asked me in a cold tone.
"N-no. I mean no I don't." Upon hearing my reply she giggled. I just bowed my head in embarrassment.
"I guess it's just low confidence then." She said while looking at the sky.
"By the way thanks for helping me that day." She said making me blush.
"We-welcome." I replied in a low voice.
"Umm. Tomaye ami biyer por Dorshini bole dakte pari?" I asked her with my head bowed down.
[Translation: Umm. Can I call you Dorshini after marriage?]
[Note: tumi/tomaye/tomake= casual way of saying 'you' in bengali]
"Na. Are ha apni amaye 'apni' bolle ami onek khushi hobo." She replied in a serious tone.
[Translation: No. And I will be very happy if you call me 'you'.]
[Note: apni/apnake= formal way of saying 'you' in bengali]
Cold. I thought to myself.
"Let's get to the point." She said making me confused.
"What?" I asked her not understanding what she meant.
"I am marrying you only because of your father's request." She said making me look up.
"What was his request?" Confused I asked her.
"He told me to take care of his spoiled son and-"
"I'm not spoiled." I clapped back. I immediately regretted saying that.
"Oh really? You think you are not spoiled. Well sorry to say but you are." She said in a serious tone.

"Uncle has told me everything about you. How you used to sleep around, how you used to sneak out all the time, how your 'photos' got viral, how you throw a trantrum when things don't go your way. Honestly Archit, after hearing about you I kept thinking how can uncle even tolerate you? How can his son be so dumb? You are exactly the type of person that I hate. Spoiled, ungrateful and narrow minded." I might need a crying session tonight.
"Anyways, I don't want to argue with you Archit." She said sounding frustrated. I just looked down and stared at my feet, not knowing what to say.
"Archit, I need to tell you something."
"What?" I asked her.

"I have a son from my previous marriage."