It wasn't unwilled, but it was unplanned.
She didn't expect a nuptial knot at 19.
He didn't expect a spouse by his side at 23.
Undoubtedly, a circumstantial relationship, with both not knowing anything about the other.
Will love find its way while h...
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He was nervous, he didn't know how he would go inside his room. She was sitting in there, expecting what, he didn't know. He wondered how it would be for her, to share her everything with a complete stranger. And he didn't know how to make her comfortable if he wasn't going to be there during the first months. Was this marriage a mistake?
This was a part she did not give two thoughts to. She was sitting on his bed, but was not ready to be his. How was she going to tell him? She suddenly wished she didn't chase her Maasi off when she had come forward to tell her these things.
He slowly opened the door. He saw her tense up when he came in. She didn't have to voice it out to him to know what was on her mind. After all, that was on his as well. He had to let her know he was not ready to take them to the next level too...
"Haven't changed yet? I'll wait outside?" He asked softly. He saw her relax a little. She shook her head and got up.
"I'll change in the bathroom." She picked some necessities and left. How was it possible to make them work, he pondered. Isn't it too late Shivaay, he chided. He heard the knob open, he looked up. Annika came out wearing a Thor T-shirt and a Batman trouser.
"Marvel or DC?" He asked amused.
"Marvel movies and DC comics!" She answered and he swore he would have yelled in excitement.
"That's what I tell people! Where were you all my life!" He exclaimed and Annika's flustered face made him realize what he had said. He needed a guide book on 'How to talk to your wife" because he had zero idea.
"Om is a complete DC guy and Rudra says it should only be 'MARVELous'!" Shivaay explained and Annika smiled. She looked at him up and down.
"Aren't you going to change?" Her question made him realize he was still in his sherwani. He smiled sheepishly and grabbed his clothes. By the time he came back, Annika was fast asleep. He silently took a pillow and settled in his couch. They needed time and space after all.
*
She came down to see Shivaay gone to the hospital. They had shifted Prithviraj back. It was commendable to see the family hide their sombre to make her comfortable. But she wasn't blind to not see how distressed everyone was.
The week passed and it was time for Shivaay and Om to leave, this time with Rudra. Rudra had cried the whole day, that he'd miss everyone. Also, probably because he knew he might not see his Dadu the next time he came. He hugged Annika tightly right before they left.
"They'll be lost without the three of us Bhabhi. I'm glad you are here now. Please take care of everyone Bhabhi." His words made everyone shed happy tears that the baby of the house was growing up.
Shivaay ruffled Rudra's hair, "Don't worry Rudy boy, Annika will!" His confidence made Annika's heart flutter. Her husband trusted her. Well, calling him her husband felt weird, but she liked it. Oh bete ki, now that she was married, was she not allowed to have crushes on other guys? Oh God Annika, your husband is leaving and this is what you care about! She shook her head and waved them goodbye. She turned to see the forlorn family, they were her responsibility now.
*
She made sure she spent some time in the day with every member of his family. College was a different story though. She finally pacified Sushant and Mallika. She told her classmates and others that her boyfriend's grandfather wanted them married as soon as possible because it was easier to explain a 'boyfriend she hid' than a 'sudden husband who left the country'.
*
When the brothers had video called, Annika was fast asleep. Thus, she missed it again. In the 2 months of their marriage, they had spoken only once properly. And that was very awkward. It was much easier to text of course.
*
The fatal day they had anticipated for a while then finally came. Prithviraj passed away leaving the whole family inconsolable. The brothers had flown down. Shivaay was glad Annika was by everyone's side. She was being the whole family's strength, not shedding a single tear and consoling every crying member. But alas, he didn't know that nothing made Annika cry anymore.
*
She would wake up and drink chai with Dadi, read paper with Tej, and Shakti dropped her in college everyday. Jhanvi and Annika were officially shopping partners. However, she was extremely close to Pinky, who had almost forgotten that Annika was her daughter in law and not daughter. In fact no one treated her otherwise. After all, they all longed for a daughter for years. She had blended with the family seamlessly.
But there was one small problem, she didn't accept them as her own. There was too much fear in her, that stopped her with every step.
And also, Shivaay. He was more like an acquaintance than her husband. The distance and the time zones never worked their way, for them to even know each other. Every time he tried calling her, she was busy; and the times she tried, he was. Marriage wasn't easy!
*
Eight months were finally up. Om and Shivaay were returning finally. Rudra was only coming for vacation, and then he had to leave. The whole family knew that it wasn't going to be easy, after all, Rudra was the drama queen of the family.
Annika wished they didn't arrive at 1 am. She knew she wouldn't be able to stay awake, considering she had her internals the next day. Pinky put her foot down and said Annika had to go to college.
She was not one of the girls who believed in any mush, but she wouldn't dare to tell out aloud that her heart was racing. They were going to face each other again. This was where whatever they had was going to get real. It was finally time for them to acknowledge their relationship. Even their wedding wasn't as veritable as this felt. And a tiny part of her, waited for him and her to start.
*
We break it down, into its parts We toured around, and break our hearts We laugh along with all of the jokes (Ha ha) We raced along and stayed so close Oh through it all (yeah) We stay together We stay together
Shivaay wondered why this song made him emotional. This was his time to make up for all his absence. This was the time to shove off the awkwardness between them. And somehow, this made him more nervous than he was on their wedding night.
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I wrote this while babysitting, if it's bad forgive me! I didn't want to give a time lapse without giving their thoughts to it. The story starts now, from the next chapter. Happy reading!
