Falling Softly

NEW CITY

Kavya POV : 

I was captivated by the sun's warm rays on my face, gazing at the setting sun through the bus window. Aaryan sat behind me in the crowded bus, our seats finally secured after a lot of struggle. As I looked out at the passing scenery, a strange emptiness filled me inside.

Memories of home flooded my mind—bickering with my brother over trivial things, my mother's stern scoldings, and the care my father always showed me. "It's time," Papa had said about marriage. According to my parents, it was already late for my marriage. I had everything I needed while growing up in our small tier 3 city. My father owned a small business, and we lived a comfortable life.

As I grew older, my mother often reminded me not to get too close to boys, stressing the importance of maintaining our family's reputation. I had friends who were boys, but I never crossed the line or thought of anything beyond friendship. Two weeks before my marriage, I left my job—a decision I didn't make but was expected to accept. Moving to a tier 1 city would offer better opportunities, they said, but no one asked for my opinion. The pressure was on to marry by the age of twenty-four, or risk not finding a suitable match, according to my parents.

This journey to a new city for marriage was filled with uncertainties and expectations, leaving me to ponder the path ahead.

Aaryan is a handsome guy, but we didn't have much time to talk before our marriage. I never said no, but I never said yes either. But I'm not complaining; it's how things are supposed to be. I was trained to be a good wife, and now it was time for my parents to find me a husband.

Resting my head against the seat, I paused my song and glanced back at him to make sure he was okay. He smiled, and I managed a soft, fake smile in return before turning back to the window and restarting my song. After a while, I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder. My eyes widened in reflex, but I felt relieved when I saw it was him.

"We're getting off at the next stop," he said, grabbing his handbag and lifting a large suitcase from the overhead compartment. I nodded, adjusted my purse, and stood up as people made way for us to reach the exit door. Brushing past several passengers, I finally stepped out of the bus. The bus stop was crowded too.

"This way," he gestured towards the bus stop exit, and we walked towards the auto stand. It pained me to see him struggling with the heavy suitcase and handbag.

"Just roll the case," I suggested, noting that it had wheels.

"It's fine," he replied without even looking at me, continuing to walk ahead.

He hailed an auto and signaled for me to sit inside. He took the seat next to me but kept his gaze fixed straight ahead through the mirror, as if avoiding looking at me. I caught him glancing at me once, but he quickly looked away. I mean, I'm his wife; he shouldn't act like I'm a stranger. Well, technically we are.

We both sat at opposite ends of the seat, leaving space between us where one person could sit. I plugged in my earphones and started listening to music, stealing glances at the people and city buildings, hoping to find work soon in our new city.

As we reached the residential area, my anxiety kicked in. "I was so unprepared for this," I told myself, biting my lip and pausing the music. The auto stopped, and we got out. He unloaded the luggage and paid the auto fare. Rolling up his sleeves, he carried the bags to the lift, sweat dots forming on his forehead as he breathed heavily.

The lift was on the 10th floor and still ascending, so we had a few minutes of waiting ahead of us in silence. "Here," I offered him a water bottle, breaking the void. He accepted it gratefully, gulping down a good amount of water and sighing with relief.

"Thank you," he said, handing the bottle back to me. "The area is good, everything is nearby and accessible."

It was the first complete sentence he had spoken since we got married four days ago. We had spent those four days in his hometown, barely talking to each other amidst the chaos of relatives and other obligations. I couldn't sleep during those days; my mind was flooded with memories of my home, my parents, and my brother. On top of that, it wasn't easy living there with all the restrictions and heavy clothing due to traditions in the town.

Thank you for reading :)