2| The Meeting

"Aarvi, your to be husband is ariving today. May be they could ask for you to meet him, make sure you are ready at six in evening" Akhil Mittal her dad commanded ,curtly.

They were gathered at dinning table having their breakfast. Her mother was serving him the meal , when he spoke startling Aarvi.

Aarvi was in mid to finish her breakfast, when her dad informed about the arrival of her to be husband, whome she hasn't seen yet. Her appetite lost, the moment news reached her ,not because he was coming to meet her, but her dad not even once asked what's her opinion.

Is she happy with the alliance?.

Who cares.

No. Whome she is kidding, they never thought about her choices.

Her appetite died right there, when realised hit upon her, she's getting ignored periodically by her own family. Her heart clenched with the sudden wave of emotions and indeed left the breakfast which was half done .

They just kept staring her retreating figure helding poker face. "She is behaving stubborn with each passing day. Once her marriage would happen they will handle her" said Vanshikha Mittal scrunching her nose.

Aren't their words , behaviour, harsh? . Rani , the caretaker thought, staring back at Aarvi's retreating figure.

____

It was evening. Aarvi got ready in beautiful royal blue traditional anarkali suits, flaunting her white milky skin, at the back as the dress was backless.

She curled up hair, giving a last touch up to her make-up. She stood and was about to wear those big round glasses when her granny entered , yelling her lungs out.

Aarvi immediately palmed her ears inorder to save her poor ear, getting murder by this oldy, who was towering over her like tyrant.

"What the hell is this, Aarvi." She yelled breaking her chains of thoughts.

"Put the glasses down. Did you really consider wearing those stupid glasses when you are suppose to meet your husband" Akhil, Vienna jolted at the threshold of the room, following the great Vanshika's Mittal yell.

"Mom, what happened. What she did now" Akhil passed the accusing glares towards Aarvi.

She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, looking down at ground. No matter how many time she tries to put the courage, their gaze and presence always left her uncomfortable.

"Ask your daughter. I can't belive this girl , really considered to put those glasses on" Vanshika fierced.

Akhil was infuriated by the act and approached shivering Aarvi," Listen Aarvi." He gritted, clenching and unclenching his fist," look at me, when I talk." He yelled whisperely. Aarvi pulling the remaining courage lifted her eyes ," I want this alliance to be fixed at any cost. If any mishap created by you. You will be chastise. You are warn" he declared before leaving the room angrily.

"Why can't you once behave maturely. You are going to marry Aarvi. This is how you are going to behave in your in-laws home" her mother snapped marching towards her.

"Mom, I cant look without glasses. And, my contacts were ordered a day ago. It was suppose to come today, but I don't know why it got delayed" Aarvi mumbled as lamb shivering under their hard glares.

For God sake, they are her parents. Can't they behave as one. They could have talk like human instead of being tyrant.

"Keep your stupid reasons with you. You are suppose to take care of the responsibility you are assigned. I don't know what you will do. But make sure , he won't reject you. And if he did. That would be the last day of yours in this home" Vanshika yelled, snapping at her.

What ! Are they serious? Just because he would reject her they won't let her stay. What ridiculous demand it is. Are they don't care about her.

Oh, they never did.

Both the Mittal ladies left out angrily leaving the trembling Aarvi battling with her inner monologue alone.

Why do they keep behaving with her ill-mannered. She does everything to make them happy. She always choose their happiness over hers. Sadly, the output is nothing compare to her effort. She wonder, why her parents is such inhuman. She mused, how the groom would be. Maybe like them. After all he's their choice.

Her heart wrenched with the thought. She don't want to spend her life lifeless rather she wants to live her life, wants to breathe carefree, wants to break the boundaries her parents concreted around her. Once, she was all set to break the walls her family built by achieving her dreams but once again they threw her in the same room where she was complelled to cut the wings , once she was about to fly.

She wiped the tears with the hem of the sleeves.

______

The chandelier looks archaic ,gleaming and shimmering the hall brightly. The hall was quite huge compare to the one she has visited yet. Adjusting the glasses she approached the table , showed by the butler.

She thanked him and the butler left bowing down in greetings. She drew the chair and settled herself before putting the glasses down. The time she pulled , the surroundings got blurred and hardly she could identify anything. It was obvious she held the power number hypermetropia.

She sighed sadly, how's she is going to manage without wearing those glasses. She could hardly recognize anything.

The man in black and white dress approached her for. She lifted her head to recognize the person but the blur vision wasn't helping her munch, she immediately weared those glasses and looked at the person only to sigh in relief.

The waiter.

She passed the apologetic smile, denying politely to the man who has came to take her order. She couldn't even recognise the person standing a feet away, how she is suppose to handle for the entire dinner , in front of the man she's going to meet for the first time. She mused and looked around before glancing at her wrist watch.

Its almost eight in the evening , he was suppose to be here. The time passed observing the expensive restaurant. From the archaic chandelier to the expensive and antique paintings everything here is the evidence of the luxurious. The proprietor of this restaurant must be highly rich. Looking at the restaurant, one could easily guess how expensive food cost be.

With the idea of food, she felt herself starving realising her stomach is grumbling badly. She took the catalogue of food to order but contrary, her eyes went round. She blinked gasping at the cost. Its USD 4 , of one cup of tea. The appetite has gone and she felt herself full.

Aarvi pouted and looked at the watch, she has waited for the man for one hour and he's nowhere to be seen. Dosen't her father told he's punctual which made her to rush before time.

Her eyes flashed with the embarrassment people around , throwing at her. Before marriage he's behaving such way, do not know what will happen later.

No dobut, he is their , parents choice.

Clutching the handbag, she stood to leave when a pair of arms sneaked around her waist. She startled back only to collide with hard chest.

She lifted her head up to see the person who dared to touch her. The blue eyes, like ocean stared back into her green one's.

He passed her the smile," Hi" he greeted bemreaking her reverie. She frowned struggling in his arms which was still firmed at her petite figure.

"Um. Are you Siddharth Verma" she inquired. He smirked," it looks like you are seeing me for the first time"

She mumbled not knowing what to say. Its true she haven't seen his photo. It was the first time she met him only to realise he is the one her parents choosed.

Not believing at her words she nodded frantically. He drew the chair for her before settling himself opposite of her.

"Well, let's start from start. I'm Siddharth Verma, the second heir of Verma enterprises. Btw, my mother told me about you. She likes you at the first sight of her meet." He exclaimed grinning.

It won't be lie, she liked his friendliness. The way he's behaving is much to her relief. She wondered, might her parents mistakenly chosen the groom opposite to them. And she was happy for that.

She mouthed him thank you. She shyly tugged her strings of hair behind.

Shy! What happened to you Aarvi, you were never before this. She mused at her weired behavior.

"Oh, have you ordered something for you?" He asked to which she politely denied. She tried to deny for the order but he forcefully made her to order. Even after when she denied he himself choosed to order and turned towards her after the waiter left taking the order.

"You don't have to. I wasn't hungry" she lied masking the Starve. Noway, she's gonna make him feel how starving she is.

He nodded, dismissing the topic. The akward silence deluged. " I'm sorry for the late , actually I was stuck with offce work".

"Its okay" she mumbled. Isn't she was angry a while ago. She looked at the person who was indulge in his phone not bothering to look at her.

She frowned at the behaviour, but chucked considering she was over thinking !