MY AVERAGE LIFE

Part 57

Shivani Pov:

I had everything planned. I was going to propose to Sharath this weekend. I'd even bought a ring and planned a cute little surprise for him. But when I saw him today, standing there with all those emotions in his eyes, practically pouring his heart out, how could I say no? He looked like he needed that assurance, like he needed to know that I was his as much as he was mine. There was no way I could make him wait any longer, not when he was feeling so vulnerable.

So I went for it. I proposed right then and there, just to let him know I'd always be by his side.

He hugged me so tight, like he didn't want to let go. I could feel how emotional he was, and it made my heart swell. But I had to break the moment, just a little. I smiled softly and asked, "Don't you want to see the ring I brought?"

He nodded so quickly, his excitement obvious. "I want to see it, but first, I just want to hold you tight," he said, his voice full of emotion.

I chuckled, glancing at the time. "You have a meeting in, like, ten minutes, Sharath. Let me put the ring on you before you're late."

Reluctantly, he loosened his grip and showed me his left hand, all ready for the ring. But I playfully took his right hand instead, slipping the ring on his finger. "For the left hand, I'll bring another ring—one for marriage," I said, teasing him with a wink.

His eyes widened for a second. "But I made you wear it on your left hand! I want to give you one for the wedding too," he said, and I couldn't help but laugh at his cuteness.

"Oh, my dear big baby," I teased, pinching his cheek lightly. "In your excitement, you didn't even realize you put the ring on my right hand," I said, showing him my hand.

He smiled sheepishly, looking at both of our hands. We stood there for a moment, just admiring the rings together. I hadn't really focused on the ring until then—I'd been too caught up in the moment with him. But now, as I looked down at it, I couldn't help but gasp. "Sharath, the ring is so beautiful," I whispered, turning it over and admiring every little detail.

He was doing the same, lost in the sight of his own ring. We stood there, our right hands together, quietly taking in the moment, just the two of us.

But then reality hit. "You've got a meeting," I reminded him with a smile.

He groaned, clearly not wanting to leave, but he kissed me on the cheek before rushing out. I watched him go, smiling to myself, then looked down at my ring again. Only one thing was left now—my parents.

I had already texted them earlier, letting them know I'd be visiting tomorrow to talk about something important. Honestly, I had planned to propose to Sharath after getting their approval, but things didn't exactly go as planned. Not that I minded. This felt right, even if the timing was a little off.

I wanted to take Sharath with me to talk to my parents, but he's already been through enough with his family. I didn't want to drag him into more drama. I know once my parents are ready to accept him, I'll bring him home properly. But for now, I've got to handle this on my own.

I already have a plan to convince Sharath to let me go alone. I texted Madhav sir earlier, letting him know I needed to meet with him today.

Madhav Pov:

Today started off like any other, until I got a text from Shivani in the morning. She asked me for help, but the catch? I wasn't supposed to tell Sharath anything about it. On top of that, she wanted me to come to the office while Sharath was in a meeting. I wasn't sure what she was up to, but if anything went wrong... well, I was certain Sharath would kill me. No joke. That guy is head over heels for her, and if he found out I was involved in something behind his back, especially in Shivani's case, I'd be found dead.

With all those thoughts running through my mind, I walked into the office. Shivani was sitting in the middle of the room, and I could tell she was serious. "What kind of help do you need, and why does Sharath have to be kept in the dark?" I asked, sounding casual, but honestly, I was a bit nervous.

She gestured for me to sit first, so I took a seat on the sofa, and she sat across from me. "I know I shouldn't ask you to do this, but I really need your help," she started, and my heart rate went up. On the outside, I was calm, but on the inside? Full-blown panic. I had no idea what she was going to ask me for.

"Tell me," I said

And then she dropped the bombshell. She wanted me to tell Sharath that I needed her for work at my branch for two days so they wouldn't see each other during that time. Basically, she was asking for my death certificate.

I was about to straight-up say no, but before I could, I had to know why she was asking this. So, I asked, and that's when she told me the full story. She had planned to propose to Sharath, but before she could, he beat her to it—just ten minutes before I showed up, in fact. She showed me the ring on her finger with a smile, and I congratulated her. It was good news, but I still didn't get the problem.

"So, what's the issue?" I asked. "You've already accepted, and he needs to meet your parents too, right? Why not just go together? Sharath won't say no."

Shivani nodded, acknowledging that part. "I know, but I don't want my parents saying anything bad about Sharath, especially when he's already dealing with enough with his family. I told them a long time ago that I'd have an arranged marriage since I never thought I'd be with someone. So surely they're going to throw tantrums over this, and I don't want Sharath to have to deal with it." She explained that she'd already told her parents she was coming home to talk, but she wanted to go alone first and smooth things over.

Two days. That's what she needed. Two days to handle everything on her own and then come back. I had to admit, I was happy for Sharath. He found himself a good one. But we both knew Sharath wasn't going to let her face her parents by herself. No wonder she came to me. I wanted to help her, but man, this was going to be tough. He is insane for her.

I sighed. "Alright, I'll try to manage him."

She looked relieved, giving me a thankful smile. "Thank you. Just tell him about the work thing" "But yeah, u know it'll be hard to make him accept." I said, knowing full well this wasn't going to be easy. She added, "He'll accept in no time. I choose work as an excuse for a reason, he will not ignore work and moreover, Sharath is sweet and considerate."

I almost rolled my eyes at that. Sweet and considerate? Sure, but only if she knew what a stubborn guy he could be when it came to her. "When do you want me to tell him?" I asked.

"After his meeting," she said. "It'll be done in about 30 minutes."

I nodded again, trying to mentally prepare myself for the storm that was coming. "You want anything while we wait?" she asked, probably noticing how tense I was.

"Just water," I replied, knowing I'd need more than that to deal with Sharath after this. It was going to be an interesting conversation, to say the least.