Aarohi And Dev

CHAPTER 28

Aarohi POV

It's been a day since that incident, and I can't forget it, no matter how much I dwell on it. I feel guilty about what we did. This morning, Bhai called Uncle and sternly declared that he was not letting me marry Advik and that the wedding was off. Nobody knows how happy I was to hear that. It felt like I had been freed from a cage I had been trapped in for so long.

I wondered why my dad was silently accepting all this and what was going on in his mind, but I was so happy that I didn't want to stress myself out thinking about it. For now, I just wanted to savour the feeling of liberation.

Being at home, taking a break from college, and having deep conversations with my mom and bhai, I realized this was exactly what I needed. This is what they call peace.

Later that night, Tara arrived, practically bursting with joy because my engagement had been called off. She hugged me tightly, jumping up and down in excitement. I couldn't help but wonder why she seemed even happier than I was.

We settled down and talked for hours. It felt like ages since we’d had this kind of heartfelt conversation. We shared our feelings, laughed, and reminisced. Then, she asked, "What do you think about Dev? Now that you're not engaged, are you ready to give him a chance?" The moment she mentioned his name, his face flashed before my eyes. "I don't know," I replied honestly, feeling conflicted. My heart, despite everything, missed him and wanted to be with him.

After Tara left, I went to my room and noticed a text from Dev. It felt almost surreal as if the universe had heard our conversation. What kind of connection is this? I wondered, feeling a mix of confusion and anticipation. It was as though just talking about him had brought him closer to me, and my heart couldn't help but flutter at the thought.

As I saw the text inviting me to Devika's birthday, my usual socializing skills failed me. I replied with a simple "Sure" and then started pacing in anxiousness. My mind raced with thoughts and emotions, making it hard to calm down.

Excited for tomorrow, I drifted off into a peaceful slumber.

The next morning, as I woke up, I checked my phone and saw a message from Tara in our group chat. I clicked on it:

Tarstar: It's Devika's birthday, so she's invited us all. Be ready at 6, guys! Let's have some fun!

Knowing I would be with all of them made me feel at ease, and I smiled. Then, my gaze fell upon a hairpin. Is this mine? How did it get here? Did I ever have such a beautiful hairpin? Puzzling over this, I placed the hairpin on my desk and went to freshen up.

When I came back, I heard my phone ringing. It was Devika, personally inviting me to her birthday party. I wished her a happy birthday and assured her I would be there.

Later, I opted for a beige jumpsuit, complemented by the hairpin I had found earlier. After getting ready, I accompanied Tara to the party venue. We made a brief stop to purchase a gift for Devika, where Mayank joined us.

Since the incident, Mayank had been avoiding Rajveer, perhaps needing time to process the situation. Therefore, his behaviour was understandable. After selecting a gift for Devika, we were prepared to attend the event.

Upon arriving at the mansion and disembarking from the car, we encountered Rajveer approaching. Mayank instinctively sought refuge behind us. He may be uncertain about his feelings towards him, much like my own ambivalence, which could explain his avoidance of Rajveer, rather than discomfort in his presence.

"Let's talk after the party," Rajveer stated firmly, his gaze fixed on Mayank. Mayank nodded in acknowledgement, and we proceeded to enter the lawn where the party was being hosted.