Chapter 16: Chapter 16

Sandhya's POV.

Sanjay knows my evening routine, why does he not want to meet me regularly. Or at least a few times. I have accepted him, but I am still freaking out about this marriage! I want to spend time with him and learn more about him.

A couple of days pass by and I keep waiting for him to show up. Every single time she is disappointed! I kind of go to the park hoping he will show up!

It's a Friday evening. As usual, even today I hope he does show up. Equally, I don't want to wait for him. I am tired, quite angry too! It was supposed to be a love marriage, he manipulated it into an arranged marriage. And now, after marriage is settled, he is least bothered about me.

I am done with some walk and workouts. So, I find myself a bench to sit and relax. The weather is quite good! As a cool and strong breeze strikes me, I close my eyes and let in a deep breath which widens a big happy smile on my face! I can hear Parrot's chirp loud with happiness. As I search for them, I see flocks of parrots returning home. It's a beautiful visual. Nature is packing up for the day! Hmm yes, I am a nature lover!

Mother nature is trying its best to freshen my mood and cool down my anger. Stupid, can't he meet with me even once. It has been five complete days since we saw each other. Does he not remember me? Miss me? As I angrily think of him, my phone vibrates to show a text. It's from Sanjay "At the park?" Angrily I texts back saying "You come running to the park to check if I am good enough for you or not! And after your clarifications are done, you are least bothered about my existence in this world!"

Sanjay POV

Finally, I got some time to meet up with Sandhya. My startup was in real problems for almost a month. Thank goodness, now it's a bit stable. My mom says it's the luck Sandhya brought me as she entered my life. As I get off my bike, I text her asking if she is at the park. I didn't guess she would be angry at me! I walk through the entrance and find her sitting at a nearby bench. With all of her concentration, she is watching a little bird sitting on a tree nearby. I try to take the right advantage of this moment. I walk as carefully as a thief. I stand right behind her, but still, she doesn't notice me. There I go on to execute my plan. With my hands covering her eyes, I need her to guess it's me.

Sandhya POV

Oh! My God! Who is it? Let me first shout off! "Aaaahhh" I shouted as loud as possible. Even if my throat tears off, I don't mind. I need people for my rescue. "Help me!" As soon as my eyes are released, I don't even check for the person who closed my eyes. A few people have gathered in front of me, one among them is a 60-year-old woman. I run to her, hug and start to cry. "I think he is Mani. He somehow got my contact number and started torturing me on phone calls. Now he even found my location and came off directly. Please help me! Please teach him a lesson."

Grannies hands reach my hair to softly brush through them so as to console me. "It's ok dear! You will be fine. There are a lot of people here. There is a police station nearby too. You are completely safe!"

I still am in fear and shock. I still don't pull out my head from her shoulder. Her arms are around my back and are patting me for comfort. I know, people around are gathering the roughness to beat the crap out of this guy. But I hear a familiar voice. It says, "Oh! Please don't beat me up. I am not any Mani. I am Sanjay". Hearing that I separate myself from the old women and turn around. Oh my god, that's Sanjay. Oh my god! I dug my own grave. I created all this drama out of stupidness. There is no way that Mani could find out my location. He only knows my voice, and nothing else about me.

"Sandhya, what's wrong with you? You can't punish me this hard even if you are angry for silly reasons. Sorry, I was really busy with my startup. I sincerely could not get time to spend with you. I didn't even guess you would be looking for me at the park"

A strong man among them "This is how crazy guys assume women's rejection and love. She clearly says you are torture and you define it as something else. Get a strong beating from me and your nuts will be perfectly fixed in place!"

Sanjay joins his hands out of embarrassment, "Oh mine, please! We are getting engaged in two days. Aren't we Sandhya? Please speak!" I see only embarrassment, not fear. That was cool! And my anger this time is multiplied.

Me: "Idiot! You almost gave me a heart attack! What was the necessity to blindfold my eyes?"

Sanjay: Hey, you can't call your husband an Idiot! I even asked if you were at the park. Didn't that work as a clue, that I was here? I did it for fun. I wanted you to guess it was me.

Me: Just because you are my husband, the fact that you are an Idiot doesn't change. And do correct it, you are not yet my husband. You made me wait so much that, I confirmed you won't be bothered about spending time with me. You didn't give me time to get comfortable with you. You came, saw me. You again came, clarified if I was good enough to marry you. And then you didn't show up again. So, the same way, you will come, get engaged to me and go. And then after two weeks, you will come to marry me and take me off with you.

Sanjay: Do you really mean that. Am I an idiot? If you think I am an idiot, why would you marry me? I was really busy Sandhya.

Me: Not just you, all men are idiots! So easily you separate us from our current world. So easily you separate us from our family. How? It's not fair!

I lost my courage. Slowly I folded my legs, sat on the floor, and started to cry. "All guys are idiots." Looking at Sanjay for a second, "You guys have no idea, how much girls go through being part of this society." Sanjay slowly walks closer to me and sits beside me saying "Sorry!". I speak back with utmost frustration. "Since morning, Mani has called me five times saying he will be meeting me soon. I block every single way he could contact me, he somehow finds new ways to contact me. Every time he uses different unblocked phone numbers to speak with me."

Sanjay: Sandhya, don't cry. I'm there with you right! We will kick the crap out of him.

Me: He is a psycho Sanjay. Accidently he found my phone number, called me and spoke to me. He says he likes my voice and so in love with me. Love is an emotional dependency, not any random voice. He is scary.

Sanjay: Yes Sandhya, he is an Idiot.

Me: Not just him. You too. You poured so much cuteness and love the last time we met here. And then, you seem to be completely out of my life. No call, no message, no meet-ups, nothing. How the hell do you want me to fall in love with you? I don't even know if this really is an arranged marriage!

Sanjay: Were you in love with me before?

Me: No Sanjay no! I am sitting here and begging you to give me time to know about you, help me like and love you. Where can you get that assumption that I'm already in love with you? That's why I call you an Idiot.

Sanjay: Oh! Sorry!

Within myself "Idiot. Idiot! Sanjay, I indirectly asked you if you loved me before. Idiot, you just can't understand me. But get all the stupid thoughts to blame me"

Sanjay: Sandhya, don't worry about anything. Give me his contacts. I will have him repent for his foolishness. He will be punished, I guarantee you! And, I do have time now. Today, tomorrow, after the engagement, we can spend time.

Sandhya: Do you think we are going to watch a movie, for having all the time in this world to spend with you? It's marriage, it's MY marriage.

Sanjay: Our marriage.

Sanjay: Yes. Don't know about you. But as a bride, I will have no leisure time to spend with you. You have lost all the chances.

Sanjay: Tomorrow morning, at your home let's meet.

Sandhya: I didn't even buy matching bangles for engagement. Marriage, none of the arrangements are even started. You came into my life a week back and will be changing my whole life within a month. Do you know that it's freaking me out?

The old lady who comforted me before is again trying to do the same. "Dear, I don't even know your names, but I can clearly see his love and care for you. I'm sure he will keep you happy throughout."

Me: Really! I wished I blindly believed your words.

Old Lady: It's true. Guys are idiots. I was married at the age of sixteen and met my lovable parents hardly once a year. My husband never considered my parents as his family, but he kept me happy and safe, as long I was with him. I was an introvert and dealing with my in-laws has always been a problem to me.

Sanjay: Madam, generations have gone through changes, and civilizations are becoming better day by day.

Me: I too am an Introvert Sanjay. Forget about your parents, your presence itself is not comfortable for me. I did heartfully say yes to you. Is that why you found it ok to ignore me? I wanted to spend more time with you so that my comfort with you gives us a healthy marriage.

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