Being Mrs. Singhania

One Step Closer

Arohi opened the door with her fingerprint. She was again late from college. It wasn't any deliberate attempt, the workload has really increased in college. Feeling hungry she made her way to kitchen but stopped in her tracks on seeing Arjun.

"Finally you are back" he exclaimed with a smile.

She passed him a weird look "what are you doing here? And where is Dolly?"

"I gave Dolly off" he replied.

"Why?"

"Since you didn't have time to go out on dinner with me so I brought the dinner home" he winked and she felt blood rush in her body "you must be hungry. Why don't u freshen up and I heat the food?"

She nodded and left from there. She was feeling very nervous about the whole dinner thing. She had had dinner with me previously too but this time it felt different. She cleared her mind of any negative thought and quickly freshened up.

As she made her way towards dining area, Arjun was patiently waiting for her. He pulled out a chair for her and made her sit comfortably. Then picking up the remote he changed the lights to mild pink ones turning the whole environmental...quite romantic!

"I have ordered the food from your favorite Chinese restaurant" he smiled while serving both of them "so how was your day?"

He was trying his best to kill the awkward silence between them but she was making things terrible.

She drank some water and replied "it was fine"

He smiled "mine too"

"Didn't you like the food?" He asked as her food was untouched.

"No it's good. It's just I am not very hungry" she spoke softly.

Arjun shook his head and kept his fork down "Arohi!

"Mh-hm" she didn't make eye contact with him.

He sighed and looked at her hand on table, debating with himself whether to hold it or not. He decided against it and joined his hands. "I have been meaning to talk about something with you"

"About what?"

After a dramatic pause he spoke "US"

She finally gathered courage to look at him "what about us?" She frowned.

"Us. Whatever we have going on for months now, I guess?"

"I still don't get you"

"Ok" he took a deep breath. It was harder than he had thought "You know-we were strangers, then enemies-and then we became friends"

"Yes" she nodded agreeing with him.

He smiled "so now what is this phase of our relationship? I mean we are now" he looked at her for a brief second "more than just friends"-"at least for me"

"Uh yes we are" she smiled awkwardly "we have this very unique friendship" she shifted on her chair uncomfortably trying to frame her words "we-umm, we were enemies as u said" she wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans "and then we became friends as you said"-"we are obviously more than just friends as world see us differently. We are husband-wife for them. (We are) Always pretending to be perfect couple. And the only time we are our real-self, free of all pretentions is when it's just two of us. That makes us special." She tried to flash her brightest smile at end.

"Bullshit"

He leaned back on his chair controlling himself to not snap "I am sorry Arohi, but out of all the absurd reasons I was expecting for you to come up with...this is-pathetic"