Loving the Nightmare ✅

Chapter : 4

Varun's POV:

"Let me know when you're free so that we can go and meet the Arora family." Mom said while serving breakfast.

I hated it when my mornings began with marriage talks.

I wished I could tell her that I wasn't free. Not now. In fact, never.

Two week ago, for the sake of Mom and Dad, I had reluctantly agreed to consider marriage again. I had decided to find a way to cancel it in the meantime, but now it felt like I had dug my own grave.

I hadn't even thought about how to make my parents understand why I didn't want to get married, and they had already found a willing girl.

I wondered how she had agreed to this so quickly.

As far as I got to know, she had been my junior during our college days and here I was unable to recall who Misha Arora was. I hadn't seen her picture and frankly, I didn't wish to. I just wanted to cancel this marriage, one way or another.

"Varun?" Mom called pulling me out of my thoughts.

"Okay, I'll let you know." I replied.

"You've been saying that for the past three days. I want an answer today." she insisted.

I glanced at Dad for help, but he was already on her side.

Now I truly 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 sat there thinking, my mind ran through countless scenarios each one more difficult than the last. The pressure of living up to society's expectations weighed heavily on me and the thought of explaining why I didn't want to get married felt impossible.

The Arora family, complete strangers to me suddenly loomed over my life 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 force me into a commitment I wasn't prepared for.

The days ahead promised difficult conversations and inevitable confrontations and I braced myself for the challenge of balancing my family's expectations with my own wishes.

"Eat properly. You haven't been eating well these days. You also seem to have lost weight." Mom said running her fingers through my hair.

Her touch comforted me but the constant discussions about marriage had become emotionally exhausting. None of the reasons she gave felt convincing and I struggled to understand her perspective.

"I'm getting old, Varun. Your sister will get married someday too. Who will take care of Isha? You still have your whole life ahead of you and you can't stay single forever. If not for yourself, at least think about Isha. She needs a mother."

I had tried countless times to make her understand that I was capable of taking care of Isha and that we could always hire a caretaker. Mom wasn't old but she kept using that excuse to convince me.

How would she react when I told her to cancel this proposal?

The thought alone made me anxious.

"Bro, when are we leaving?" my younger sister, Janvi asked. We had planned to take Isha to the doctor that evening.

"We'll go in the evening. I have some work to finish first." I replied.

"Also, Parth is coming to meet you today." Mom added.