Warrior

20

After getting some food in my belly, I feel so much better. Arnav Singh Raizada and I are just chilling at our table with Payal, Akash, and NK. Everyone is getting along just fine, which is nice to see. A few guests come by our table and talk to us, most of them being business associates of Arnav's. He introduces me to every one of them, though I do recognize some of these people. When they go away, the photographer comes back to us, along with his fellow cameraman, and he starts taking pictures of us again. Fortunately, I'm not eating right now, so I don't care about the camera guy, and flash some smiles to the photographer. When he's done, Arnav and I decide we should probably mingle a little more just to make face, so we do.

As we walk around, I notice a couple not so far away. Something about them seems familiar, and it only takes a few moments to realize that not so long ago, my family and I had attended their wedding. I remember pitying the couple - feeling sorry for them and their arranged marriage. And yet here we are now, the couple looking very happy as they held each other and me getting into another one myself.

Wow.

"Khushi?"

Arnav's voice snaps me out of my thoughts and I look up at him.

He jerks his head slightly. "Why don't we escape for a while?"

I nod in agreement and I follow after him, escaping the party. We cut back inside, finding a few people still in the ballroom. I continue to follow after Arnav, going to the foyer, before we head out the front. There's not much people around here, other than security, valet, and the chauffeurs that had driven over, chilling by the cars.

Arnav leads us over to the large fountain, and we sit along the very wide ledge. It's nice and quiet, other than the sound of the water surrounding us, but it was calming.

"You okay," Arnav suddenly asked.

I look over at him.

"You seem a little off... distracted even."

A small scoff escapes my lips as I look down at the water. I don't say anything and neither does Arnav, and I figure that he's waiting for me, making me scoff lightly once more.

"It's kinda crazy," I finally said, looking back up at him.

"What is?"

"This; that I'm doing this."

Arnav looks at me in confusion and I sighed.

"After what happened to me.... Amma always tried to get me back into things. She thought it was important for me to connect with people again, be distracted from my issues and gaining interest in other things. Because of that, she constantly took me to any and every function... even weddings."

For a moment, I don't say anything, and Arnav patiently waits for me to continue.

"Some of these weddings... actually," I scoffed, "a lot of the weddings were arranged. And given my experience... I felt sorry for them. I pitied them, I thought they were fools when they would exchange smiles with their soon-to-be spouse... I thought they were all fucking idiots. And yet, look at me now! Getting into another arranged marriage myself."

I looked away, letting out a heavy sigh.

"I'm such a hypocrite."

"Hey, don't say that," Arnav said softly.

He reached out, and slowly and tentatively, he took my left hand in his. My eyes spring down to our combined hands before dashing up to his.

"You're not a hypocrite," he said softly, yet as a matter of factly. "There's a reason why you thought that way, and you have every right to it."