I met the remainder of the three guys in the span of the next week. The first guy seemed to have worked out everything till the last very detail. A banker by profession, he asked me questions after questions in a monotonous way. It seemed like marriage way a deal for him and wedding was the next project. I wanted to be practical about getting married but even I couldn't handle being so much practical.

The next guy I didn't meet as much as I skyped. He lived in America and was the son of a family friend. He wasn't planning on coming to India any time soon so we had to Skype. He had dressed up for it and seemed friendly when I talked to him. I think I could have a future with him. I never thought what would it be like living in America but I think I would have enough freedom to pursue whatever I want to. Still, I couldn't possibly decide before meeting the guy. I atleast wanted to be attracted to the guy I was getting married to and I didn't know if I could decide that by chatting with him. But he was an option.

The third guy was the opposite of the first guy. While the first one was emotionally dead this guy seemed his emotions always were on the surface. He wasn't great to look at but every sentence he uttered was flirty and cheezy and somewhat desperate. So while he deeply commented about my eyes in the most ridiculously poetic way, I contemplated if I should mix the laxative like Nina had suggested me to. I imagined how he'd repeatedly go to the washroom and how hilarious would it be. Maybe while I was at it I could add a sleeping pill too along with it. Lets see what kind of poetry comes out of his mouth when he's trying to decide how to sleep while pooping!

The meeting with the last guy ended and I had to meet Rithvik in a day or two. The last I'd seen him was one year ago. I wonder how much he had changed since then.

The day I had to meet him I continuously fretted over my choice of clothes. I was going to wear jeans like I'd worn with the other three. I wasn't going to wear an Indian dress. No use pretending being who you aren't. But I knew this meeting was different. Or more so the person I was meeting was different and my nerves weren't helping much either. Finally after a lot of contemplation, I settled for a pink top and jeans. It wasn't to fancy but neither too casual. I put light makeup on and let my hair down.I was all set to go but still couldn't decide if I looked good. Deciding to let it go, I went out to meet him.

I reached the restaurant where we were going to meet. The place looked expensive from outside and it was well lit and decorated from inside. I asked the waiter for the reservation with the name Shergill and he lead me to a secluded table in the balcony of the restaurant. The spot seemed quite cool.

I sat on the chair and mentally commented on his tardiness and seconds later he appeared in front of me. He was wearing a casual t-shirt and jeans and had a bouquet of flowers in his hand. His hair was properly set and he had a thin beard that gave him a disheveled look which made him look sexy, and in that moment I just had eyes for him.

Then he pulled his chair and sat across me giving a warm smile and handed me the bouquet. I was just beginning to admire the lilies that he gave when he said,"You look pretty."

The words fell out of his mouth as if he half expected them to.

I was taken aback. His compliment suddenly made me conscious and I smiled at him slightly blushing.

He just laughed and motioned at the table and place and said, "And so is this."

"I guess it is. This place is also very pretty."

"A pretty place for a beautiful girl."
It seemed like his standard of complements was increasing every time and so was my heart rate. But I decided I'll play it cool.

I pointed at myself and said,

"Me? Beautiful?" Then he nodded.

"Then how come I never received this complement ages ago?" I said in an accusing voice. I mean the guy had seen me more decked up than this a lot of times. And now he found the time to call me beautiful. I did caught him looking at me at times on functions but didn't make anything of it.

"How do you propose I would have complemented you then? When you were trying to run in the opposite direction or when there were so many people around that almost the whole society would know in a day?"

The guy did have a point and I did run away from him sometimes. I was that girl who'd ignore someone they like and then complain as to why didn't they acknowledge me. But I wasn't going to give myself away. So I just said,

"Oh please! I never ignored you. You probably assumed it."

"Really? Aahana you're going to be petty about this? You and I both know you did."

"Still, you could have walked up and talked to me, I am sure nobody would have minded that. We could have started with talking rather than a marriage proposal. Don't you think its kind of weird that we are meeting here, like this?"

At this he just nodded so I continued talking," Which reminds me, who suggested this, your mother or someone from society?"

At that he just looked around shuffled his hair and said,"Umm.. you know it was kind of sort of arranged."

At this point I was intrigued and said, "By who and how?"

"By.. umm.. me." he said.

"You're kidding right? Why would you do that? You barely know me."

"Why not? And I know you more than you think I do."

And just like that we were staring at each other. And neither of us wanted to look away. It was strange and unnerving but I didn't want to stop.

That's when the waiter came and asked for the order. Talk about ruining the moment. He ordered for himself and asked me what I wanted so I just asked him to order the same as his.

Food came in a while as we just asked each other about our lives. Some of it I already knew. Like he had an MBA and was working with his dad. He liked playing basketball. He wanted to live with his parents after getting married. He liked trekking and hated reading books. At that I said I would convert him into a reader. To which he said,"So you have already decided you'll marry me then? No wonder you're acting all bossy!" he said teasingly.

"Oh in your dreams!"

"Such lovely dreams!", he said with a wink. God the guy is a born flirt.

And so we continued talking teasing and bickering at every opportunity like we did when we were kids. Talking to him seemed really natural and I wondered why had I been avoiding it for so long.

Even while we were casually chatting he'd find a way at subtly complementing me. At which I would smile and then we'd continue the conversation. All of it felt really good. The open balcony, the night sky, the stars. And him.Especially that.

Still, I wondered why did he want to get married to me. I thought I shouldn't push it and maybe ask the next time, if there was one. There were still questions like will he let me work after, or not. Also I knew his family was conservative. His elder brother who was five years older than him got married four years ago and his wife had left her job. I wondered if they'd let me work and it seemed like chances were nil.

But as we drove off to my place, he opened the car door for me and he handed me a box of chocolates. His actions and thoughtfulness warmed my heart, other thoughts just went out of the window.

I turned to look at him to say goodbye, he surprisingly held my hand nervously and asked when we'll meet again. He looked intensely at me like his life depended on it and I didn't have the heart to tell him no. So I said yes. And that's when I knew my heart was in deep trouble.

Author's Note :

Hello fellas! So how do you guys like Rithvik? Isn't he awesome? Do you think Aahana will say yes to him? Let me know what you guys think!