Tangled Beliefs

Chapter-21: Unlikely Encounter

Life has a way of throwing curveballs when you least expect them.

Manik’s POV,

I woke up to the sound of muted voices and the faint clinking of dishes downstairs. For a brief moment, I considered rolling back under the covers and pretending the day didn’t exist. But I knew better. Today wasn’t just another day. Today, I was being dragged into a setup I wanted nothing to do with.

Groaning, I dragged myself out of bed and headed to the bathroom. The icy water splashing on my face did little to wake me up or shake off the growing sense of unease. By the time I got dressed and made my way downstairs for breakfast, the heaviness in my chest had only gotten worse.

Mom and Dad were already seated at the dining table, their conversation light and cheerful. Too cheerful for my liking. The moment I sat down, Dad looked at me with a small smile.

“Manik, make sure you’re ready by 11. We have to leave on time,” he said, setting his coffee mug down.

I rolled my eyes, stabbing at my toast with the butter knife. “Yeah, yeah, I know. You’ve only told me a hundred times since yesterday.”

Mom shot me a warning look. “Don’t start with that attitude first thing in the morning. This is an important day, Manik. You’re meeting a lovely girl, and I want you to behave.”

I let out a dry chuckle, leaning back in my chair. “Lovely girl? Mom, I don’t even know her name. Or what she looks like. Or anything about her. And I’m already being forced into this meeting.”

Mom reached for the fruit bowl, picking a few grapes and placing them on her plate. “Her name is—”

I held up a hand, stopping her mid-sentence. “Don’t. I don’t want to know. I’m not interested, Mom. Let’s not pretend this is something I’m looking forward to.”

She sighed heavily, her disappointment palpable. Dad, however, seemed unbothered by my outburst. He simply gave me his signature no-nonsense look. “Whether you’re interested or not isn’t the point, Manik. This is about responsibility. You’re old enough to settle down, and it’s time you started thinking about your future. This meeting is just a first step.”

I clenched my jaw, holding back the retort bubbling in my throat. Instead, I gave a curt nod. “Fine. I’ll be ready by 11.”

Dad nodded in satisfaction, and Mom gave me a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. I pushed my chair back and stood up, my appetite thoroughly gone. “I’ll be in my room.”

As I made my way upstairs, my mind started spiraling. The thought of sitting across from some random girl, being evaluated like a product on display, made my stomach churn. My palms were already starting to sweat, and my hands felt cold.

I closed the door to my room and leaned against it, letting out a frustrated sigh. My thoughts were a chaotic mess. Why is this even happening?

I sat on the edge of my bed, staring at the floor. The idea of spending an entire lunch with strangers, forced to smile and pretend I cared, felt unbearable. And what if the girl said yes? What if her family was all for it? That would be a whole new disaster.

No. I couldn’t let it get that far.

I clenched my fists, trying to calm the storm in my head. “Okay, Manik,” I muttered to myself. “Here’s what you’ll do. You’ll meet the girl, be polite, but make it clear you’re not interested. If you’re lucky, she’ll feel the same way and reject you. Problem solved.”

The plan sounded simple enough in theory, but deep down, I knew things rarely went as planned when my parents were involved. Still, it was the best shot I had at getting out of this mess.