Arjun's PoV
'Hello Mr. Arjun, this is Anika here. I would like for you to accept my heartfelt apology for our earlier encounters. I hope we start fresh. Thank you for helping us out yet again. Here is my resume for your perusal.'
I received a message from that girl when I was driving home from Preethi's home. Preethi and Praveen were so dumb with their questions. How can they possibly think that I am in love with that arrogant, annoying, rude girl? It is true that I have gone out of my way to try and help her and to make sure that she is ok. But that doesn't mean I have feelings for her. Besides, she is a little girl with zero maturity. She can't be my life partner, for the matter of fact, she can't be anybody's life partner with her long and sharp tongue!
So now she needs a fresh start? I don't know why a small smile tries to erupt out of me. I find that message very cute. Her mom asked me to help her find a job and she had no other choice but to surrender to me, putting aside her ego-self. Heartfelt apology? Does she even mean it? For some reason, I don't like her to apologize to me. I think I like her for that arrogance. No one has ever talked to me the way she spoke. That is what is making her stand unique. That is why I keep thinking of her. I am used to people pampering me, obeying me, and talking politely to me. So when she broke the stereotype, I liked her. This is not love like those two stupids anticipate.
'Hello Anika. I got your resume.' I sent this message and continued to drive home. I couldn't stop myself from smiling at her very polite message. That doesn't suit her. Why do I keep thinking of her even after my clear analysis about her? This is not love. I am not a pedophile! I kept saying to myself.
I went home and saw dad sitting in the garden. It is almost 9pm and the breeze is getting chilly at the moment. We have a variety of roses in our garden. The breeze smells of roses in the evening and I always find it therapeutic. I usually spend my leisure hours in my pool or in the garden on my floor.
"Hi, dad, why are you sitting here at this hour?"
"Hi, Arjun. Come, sit. How was the party?"
"The party was excellent!" I told him.
"Arjun, I am waiting to talk to you. Here are some photos and bio data of girls who are ready to marry you. They know all about you and us. Some of them are our relatives and some are our business friends. It's your call." He pushed a stack of envelopes on the table towards me.
"Dad, I told you I am not ready yet. I said I will decide on whom to marry."
"That is why I didn't force you with my choice. I have given you choices, you pick the best one. If you like, I can arrange for a meeting."
"Dad, please. Don't force me."
"You did not even see the pictures and yet you decided against it? Listen Arjun, your mom is worrying about you. You are not getting any younger and so are we. Your mom's health is not good and I don't like you making her worry all the time. She needs to be happy and that lies in your hands. She keeps on fasting every other day for a deity for your wellbeing. That is not good for her health and I can't make her stop it. I hope you know what to do. Don't delay your marriage, Arjun." he said with a strict tone. I never knew that mom is fasting for me.
"I will take a look into it." I gathered all the envelopes and went to see mom.
"Ma, what are you still doing in the kitchen?"
"Come, Ajju. How was the party? Was Avni happy?"
"That was all good. You are fasting? You know you have health issues and cannot skip meals, right?" I asked her. I am feeling guilty for doing this to her.
"Your dad told you? I told him not to worry about it. I am fine Ajju." she said, caressing my head.
"No, ma. It is not fine. He's given me some proposals. I am going to look into it. So your fastings are paid off. Now don't fast ever again, ok?"
"I know god will heed my request."
"hahaha, it's not god that heeded your request, it is dad and me that did." I told her for which she patted playfully on my shoulder.
After a little chit-chat, I went to my floor and had a refreshing swim and a bath. I went to bed with all the envelopes. I know I must marry to make my parents happy. Who knows, just like Preeth said, there might still be a chance for me in that love life. Maybe one of these girls might start that spark in me just like she said. That is when my phone pinged with a message. I looked into it to see the mail. A mail from her!
I knew her before. I saw her in her college when I went there on the request of Shravan. It was that time when Anamika went missing. I was completely devastated by her disappearance and was very hesitant to face anyone. Everyone was talking all sorts of nonsense on my back. Some even said that I was not man enough to keep my wife happy. I couldn't believe that Anamika did this to me. I treated her with utmost respect even though she refused to be my wife. I was ok to give her time to adjust herself in her new life and respected her inhibitions to our physical interaction. But she just ran away after a year of our wedding.
Anika was there at the reception desk when I went to her college. She gave a bouquet of pink tulips to me with a gentle smile and a heart-warming welcome. She was in a beautiful saree and she looked just like a peacock. When I saw her, I felt light in my heart and she really brought a smile to my lips after a really long time. It was a symposium and for the whole event, I couldn't peel my eyes off of her. She was way too bubbly and was talking non-stop. I felt even lighter and my sorrows melted away in her laughter.
There was an on-spot quiz where students registered themselves on a form with their name, department, year and mail-id. She was the first one to register. I stole her mail id from the registration paper. I enjoyed her brilliance and her spontaneity in the quiz. I couldn't describe the feeling I felt when I saw her. I was thanking Shravan in my heart for forcing me to go to this event. Once home, I wanted to thank her for uplifting my sulking spirit. I mailed her stating her positives and decided to leave my identity hidden. I felt like a school kid when I did that and it really helped me take my mind off of my current issues. As expected, she didn't reply to me.
The next time I mailed her, it was because I was feeling very low as I got to know that someone from my family spoke ill of me. The rumor was that I am not an efficient male to cover for my wife. People outside my comfort bubble spoke more than this. But when it came from inside the family, I was totally upset. Just then, I remembered her smile. I always had a little smile on me whenever I thought of her. I decided to mail her again just to share my feelings. I thought she wouldn't reply to this mail too but as a surprise, she replied to me in a very friendly way. She said all the good things that made me feel better.
From then it had been a to and fro communication between us. It is like friends with benefits. I shared my happiness and sorrow with her and she started doing the same. When I gave her study material, she was way too excited and wanted to see me. I promised her that I will meet her when she finishes college, with a yellow flower bouquet to honor her friendship. But then, I met her in an uncertain situation in Tirupur. It churned my heart to see her cry. Those smiling eyes with tears? I couldn't see it. I wanted to make sure she was fine.
The closer I got to her, the more I knew that she was a rude girl. But that doesn't change the fact that it was her that gave me calmness in my once stormy heart. The girl I spoke to is rude and egoistic. But the girl I mail to is very comfy and considerate. They are two different girls in my perspective. The day before I met her in Tirupur, she mailed me that she did something bad. I didn't know what that was but I tried to quote my life to make her feel better. I was happy that she thought of me as a friend.
But when I saw her in a pathetic state in Tirupur, I wanted to put her out of her misery at once but all I could do was help them. With her looks and talks in the hospital, I can tell that she thinks that her dad's condition is because of her. I don't know what was going on with her but I wanted to tell her that she was not the reason.
Now a mail with doubts on LOVE? Seriously? She is in love? With whom? I could not take it easy that she is in love. Though, I replied to her back with a message that I am not the right person to talk to about love. I added the things that Preethi told me. A spark, a magical feeling! Non-sense!
I looked at the envelopes on the bed that dad gave me. I opened one and took the picture out. It was a picture of a girl but all I could see was HER in that peacock-neck color saree. Shit, why do I feel betrayed!?