Loving the Nightmare ✅

Chapter : 4

'Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal.'
- From an Irish headstone

Varun's POV:

"Let me know when you are free so that we can go and meet the Arora family," Mom said while serving breakfast. I hated when my mornings began with these marriage talks.

I wished to tell her that I was not free. Not now, in fact, never. A week ago, for the sake of Mom and Dad, I reluctantly agreed to consider marriage again. I decided to find a way to cancel it in the meantime, but now it feels like I've dug myself into a grave.

I hadn't even thought about how to make my parents understand why I didn't wish to get married, and they have already found a willing girl. I wondered how she got ready for this so quickly.

As far as I knew, she used to be my junior during our college days, and here I am, unable to recall who Misha Arora is. I haven't seen her picture, and frankly, I don't want to. I just want to cancel this marriage, one way or another.

"Varun?" Mom called, pulling me from my thoughts.

"Okay, I will let you know," I replied.

"You've been saying this for the past three days. I want the answer today itself," she demanded. I glanced at Dad for help, but he was already on her side. Now, I felt alone.

"Okay, I will," I replied. How am I going to cancel this? What will I say? I need to find a strong reason soon; otherwise, Mom will undoubtedly make me go through with it.

As I pondered, my mind raced through scenarios, each one more challenging than the last. The pressure to fit to societal expectations weighed heavily on me, and the thought of explaining my aversion to marriage seemed like an impossible task.

The Arora family, an unknown entity in my life, suddenly loomed large, and I couldn't shake the feeling of being trapped in a decision I wasn't ready to make. I longed for a way out, a path that wouldn't compromise my freedom and force me into a commitment I wasn't prepared for.

The days ahead held the promise of confrontation and difficult conversations, and I braced myself for the challenge of navigating the delicate balance between family expectations and my own desires.

"Eat well. You haven't been eating anything properly these days. You also seem to lose weight," Mom said, running her hand through my hair - a comforting gesture. Her touch reassured me, but the looming marriage discussions had become a constant disturbance. The reasons she gave for me to get married felt irrelevant, and I struggled to find common ground with her perspective.

"I'm getting old, Aditya. Your sister will also get married soon. Who will take care of Isha? You still have a whole life ahead, and you definitely can't stay single all the while. If not for you, at least think of Isha; she needs a mother."

I attempted to make her understand that I was capable of taking care of Isha, and we could hire a caretaker for her. Mom wasn't getting any older, but she persisted in making excuses to convince me. How would she react when I tell her to cancel this marriage? The thought of her reaction worried me, and I sought help in navigating this challenging situation.

"Bhai, when are we leaving?" asked my younger sister, Janvi. She was pursuing her studies, and we planned to consult the doctor about Isha's health.

"We will go by evening. I have some work to do," I replied.

"Also, Parth is coming to meet you today," Mom added. I was surprised - why hadn't he mentioned it to me?

"He said he wants to meet you," she answered my unasked question.

"Okay. I'm home today, so there's no issue," I said as I continued eating. I suspected Mom had informed Parth about the marriage, the likely reason for his visit.

In the afternoon, while working on my laptop, the doorbell rang - an indication that Parth had arrived. He was my school buddy, and we shared the same college, course, and class. We grew up together, experiencing various aspects of life. However, now it seemed like we were distanced, a consequence of our busy schedules. Life indeed became more challenging as we grew older.

"Someone is so busy that he doesn't get time to make a single call," Parth teased as he sat in front of me, adding a hint of drama.

"You know that's not the truth. I missed you," I replied, going in for a hug.

"I missed you too, man. How's life going?" he asked, unaware of the profound changes in my life. I lost someone who was one of the most important parts of my life, someone equal to life itself.

"I'm sorry," he said, sensing the weight of unspoken grief.

"Parth, now that you are here, you decide when we will go to meet the Aroras," Mom interjected. My heart sank; it was foolish of me to agree to this.

"Yes, I wanted to ask you about that," Parth said as he joined Mom, diverting the conversation.

"What is her name?" he asked.

"Misha Arora. Do you know her?" Mom inquired, her face lighting up with a strange joy whenever she spoke of her.

"No, but I can find out," Parth replied, typing something on his phone. I focused on my work, trying to ignore his actions.Everyone is crazy here.

"Wow," Parth exclaimed, catching everyone's attention.

"What happened?" Janvi asked, he handed his phone to her. She smiled as she looked at the screen and then at me.

"That's something we call fate, luck, whatever it is," she said, still smiling.

"What is it? I also want to know," Mom demanded.

"I have a friend who was in Misha's batch," Parth explained, further deepening my confusion. Why was he searching about her? What had he found?

"I remember her seeing on our campus, but we never spoke," he continued.

So, what's the fate in that?

"My friend said that Misha loved Varun ever since our college days. Isn't it funny that now she actually got a marriage proposal from the same person whom she never thought would be hers?" he said, leaving me utterly shocked. She loved me? Why? How? I don't even know who she is!

I looked at Parth for an explanation, and he passed his phone towards me. As I read his chat, shock and disbelief took over. The messages spoke of Misha's deep love for me since our college days. I felt a flood of emotions, and my mind struggled to comprehend it all.

"I knew from the start that she will be perfect for you," Mom said, adding to my turmoil. Had they forgotten about Tanvi? It had only been five months since she passed away, and no one seemed to acknowledge her. Why this ignorance? I still loved her, and that love would endure.

"I know it's too soon for you. Even we miss Tanvi, a lot. I know you still love her, but you have to get married someday. Try to understand," Mom said, attempting to rationalize the situation.

Meanwhile, I heard Isha crying so I got up to attend to her. Before that, there was something more important to address.

"Mom, I'm not getting married. That's the end of the discussion, and we are never talking about this topic again," I declared and left, needing some space to process the overwhelming revelations and emotions.

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