Mumbai:THE CITY of DREAMS.

part 4

The wedding was a grand yet intimate affair, with their families and close friends gathered to witness the culmination of a bond that had been brewing since childhood. The venue glimmered with golden lights and soft flowers, a subtle nod to tradition mixed with modern elegance. Aarav, dressed in a crisp sherwani with royal embroidery, looked every bit the composed man he had grown to be.

Meera, adorned in a deep maroon lehenga with intricate detailing, stood at the altar, still caught in the whirl of everything that had happened so fast. The vows were exchanged, smiles shared with their families, but Meera's heart felt restless.

She wasn't sure if she was ready—not for this marriage, not for what it meant. But Aarav... Aarav had decided, and there was no turning back now.

~~~~~~~~~~

Later that night, they stood in the softly lit room prepared for their wedding night. Meera felt an awkward tension sitting between them. She had no idea what to expect from Aarav—after all, his declaration and their forced marriage had left unresolved emotions between them. She had hurt him, misunderstood him, and yet here they were, starting a new chapter together.

Aarav, dressed now in a simple kurta, looked at her with unreadable eyes. His usual confident demeanor was softened just slightly, but Meera could sense the flicker of frustration that still lingered beneath the surface.

They stood in silence for a moment too long, the weight of the night heavy on both of them. Then, Aarav broke the silence with a small, tired sigh. "Meera, I know we have a lot to figure out." His voice was low but steady. "I won't lie—I'm angry, and I've been hurt by the way things went. But this marriage isn't about revenge. It's about us."

She looked up at him, surprised by the softness in his words.

He stepped closer, slowly closing the distance between them. "You don't need to be afraid of me, okay?" Aarav's gaze held hers, serious and gentle. "I'm not here to force anything on you. Tonight, you rest. No expectations."

He reached for the duvet on the bed, folding it over neatly, and then set a pillow on the couch in the corner of the room. "I'll sleep here," he said simply. "You take the bed."

Meera blinked, the lump of uncertainty loosening in her throat. Even after everything—his anger, his frustration—he was still a gentleman, still the boy who promised to marry her once upon a time.

For the first time in a long while, she felt a spark of warmth in her chest. "Aarav..." she started, but the words got lost somewhere between gratitude and apology.

He gave her a small, tired smile. "Good night, Meera."

She lay in bed that night, staring at the ceiling, feeling a strange comfort in knowing that no matter how complicated their relationship had become, Aarav was still the man she could rely on.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The following weeks after their wedding were a delicate dance of rebuilding—neither of them willing to return to the ease of their childhood friendship just yet, but both making small efforts to meet halfway. Their relationship wasn't perfect; they were still figuring out how to coexist as husband and wife, but the tension between them began to slowly fade.

Aarav made a habit of showing up for the little things—bringing her tea in the mornings, reminding her to take breaks from work, and making her laugh with his dry humor when she least expected it. Meera found herself relaxing around him, bit by bit.

One evening, they sat on the balcony of their apartment, sharing a quiet dinner. Aarav playfully nudged her elbow. "You know, you've been hogging all the fries. I thought marriage meant sharing."

Meera shot him a look but couldn't help the small laugh that escaped her. "You're just slow," she teased, handing him a fry.

Aarav smirked. "See? Now we're making progress."

It wasn't the deep, easy friendship they had once shared, but these little moments—these small cracks in their defenses—were beginning to feel like home again.

~~~~~~~~~

On a lazy Sunday, Meera curled up on the couch, reading a book. Aarav came out of the kitchen holding a mug of coffee. "You want some?"

She nodded, not taking her eyes off the page. Aarav placed the mug next to her but didn't move away. Instead, he leaned over her shoulder, pretending to read the book aloud in a dramatic, exaggerated voice.

Meera swatted him away with a laugh. "You're impossible!"

Aarav grinned, dropping onto the couch beside her. "And yet, here we are. Married. How lucky are you?"

She rolled her eyes but felt the corners of her mouth lift despite herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One night, while they were watching a movie, Aarav suddenly turned to her, his expression unusually serious. "Meera, do you ever think about what things would have been like... if you hadn't left for Oxford?"

The question caught her off guard, and for a moment, she didn't know how to respond. "I don't know," she whispered. "But I'm here now. And I think that's what matters."

Aarav smiled softly. "Yeah. That's what matters."

In moments like these, Meera saw a glimpse of the boy she used to know—the one who had always been there for her, even when she didn't realize it. And slowly, the walls between them began to crumble.

Their journey wasn't easy, but with each passing day, they found themselves growing closer—rediscovering the friendship they had lost and building something even stronger in its place. And through it all, Aarav remained patient, his quiet, unwavering love for Meera slowly but surely drawing her back into his arms.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

reunion 

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