“ I think lehenga is good” I expressed my opinion.We are here at Di's boutique to give measurements for the engagement dresses.Arjun along with Dev Jiju will be here any moment . I have given my measurements and waited to describe how I'd like the dress to be. I want a simple but beautiful one.

“ Wow Akshara, you got a nice choice.I liked it ”Arya di said and I nodded at her. She had been nice to me since we both met the other day. Even though I didn't like her then ,now I let go of that and mingled with her maybe tried to.

“ Is everything set?”” I turned to see Jiju ,I gave him a smile and then I saw Arjun , he always looks good. If I look at him a second more ,I'll reject myself right away. I gave him a smile too. “ What do you guys prefer Sherwani or Suit ?” Athira di questioned.
“ Suit it is ” They both said together and hified, bro code I guess.

“ Let's go twinning Dev. My lehanga is peach in color,  you choose the same okay.For marriage I'll wear your choice” Athira di blurted.Dev Jiju nodded at her and give measurements. “ What would you both prefer?” Arya di asked me and Arjun. But I have already selected mine.Before I could answer, Arjun blurted
“ Blue in whatever and Do you want us to twin Akshara? Will blue colour be okay with you?” Just wait a sec, I had already selected a lehenga,our thinking matches.
Akshara answer him - my brain said
Akshara dear,you and him are made for each other - my heart said and I agreed .
“ Ajju , you won't believe, Akshara just chose a blue lehenga and oh my gosh, you also agreed on blue without asking her, man, match made in heaven ” Arya di couldn't just keep quiet. I looked at him to see him looking at me with a huge smile.Did I tell anyone that his smile is my favorite? I'm a fan of his smile ? Oh Akshara, can't you just focus please?

It's been a while since they both have gone to give their measurements. Amma and aunties are having a serious discussion I guess. I'm standing clueless and yet I'm giving suggestions to not feel left out and also not to make any thing go  wrong. After the discussion with Arya di lately I'm trying to make myself visible which for me is a heavy task . I tend to zone out I don't know how much I try to focus on , I somewhere loses my concentration. 

“ Almost settled” Arya di said. I have no idea what she is talking about. I tried to figure out . “ Akshara , can I have a word with you? Just a minute” Arjun asked me . I nodded my head and saw Arya di giving teasing winks to Arjun. I offered her a smile and turned to my sister who's currently busy so I walked along with Arjun. 
“ Hey , how are you ?” He asked smiling and I repeat I'm a huge fan of his smile. “ I'm…good ,good. How're you? ” I stuttered, this is not going to be good. “ Well , I'm fine as well. Is it okay if we twin on our engagement. Do you want any changes ?” He inquired half smiling .I gave him a huge smile and replied “ I'm okay with everything.”  “ Well , that's good. But you can express your opinions. I'd appreciate it. ”I smiled again , how can someone be so generous . He's a gentleman , no doubt .And I can proudly say 'I'm lucky'. "Akshara, if you don't mind, can I have your number? If that's….”I cut him in between and said “ yeah, just a moment.”

I walked over to Amma to get my phone . I had given to her so that it will be safe and I won't forget it anywhere. After getting my phone, I again walked to the place where Arjun was standing with a unexplainable expression. He might be angry that I walked out in the middle of a conversation. 
“ You had your phone with your mom ?” Arjun beeseched.I blinked my eyes at his sudden questioning. “Yeah umm..she had bag so…” I wondered how to answer. I forwarded my phone to him and he looked at me thinking something then took it in his hand and said “ Password ?”  What password? I questioned myself.  “ What ?” I inquired. I'm not understanding his way of talking or his expressions.“ You haven't locked your phone. Well here it is ,my number, save it” he said and returned my phone. As a person who is well versed in technology, note the sarcasm, I took it back and saved his contact and gave him a missed call so that he can save my contact in his phone. Pretty talented me.

After that for a good few minutes we stood not knowing how to start a conversation.Whenever we looked at each other, we smiled at each other and I averted my eyes . “ Let's join them then” he said and shook his head with a smile. I nodded and walked over to Amma.Handed my phone to her, the least I expect is to forget it somewhere. As a person who is not good with technologies I'm damn sure to lose it.

When I reached to where Di and others were discussing, I stood next to Arya di and she smiled at me. “Have our mommies decided what to wear?” Arya di asked Athira di. “ Yeah , they are going with Sarees . Kancheepuram exactly. Colours are yet to be decided, maybe they're discussing that .” Arya di said shaking her head disappointed, do you know why ? I'll tell you because she wanted them to wear her designed sarees ofcourse modern day sarees which straight away was rejected by Arjun's mother. And also let me tell you , whenever I had to have a talk with Arjun's mother I feel like I have been made stand on fire. I just get terrified by her gazes and her strong voice.

I listened carefully what they are planning least interested….

I must say Akshara's sister has talent, the way she described the dresses were outstanding. Akshara and I pitched for blue. My favorite colour is blue and ofcourse my special day wouldn't be special without blue. The astounding fact is that Akshara also selected a blue dress. My thoughts drifted to Shanaya , she never liked traditional dresses and she excelled in modern dresses.Not that I'm being a chaunastic pig, I'm just saying that girls in traditional outfits looks beautiful to my eyes. I've grown up watching my mom in sarees, so yeah,that's the reason. And Akshara,she is an exception,neither modern nor traditional.She's very simple like now she has worn a light colour suit.
“ Akshara , can I have a word with you? Just a minute” I asked Akshara. She nodded her head and I saw Arya  giving me teasing winks. I glared at her masking my smile .
“ Hey , how are you ? ”once we reached an isolated area I asked her.  “ I'm…good ,good. How're you? ”she stuttered as I expeced her to be, she's always nervous with no confidence “ Well , I'm fine as well. Is it okay if we twin on our engagement. Do you want any changes ?” I  inquired to know her thought over our dresses. She smiled and replied “ I'm okay with everything.” “ Well, that's good. But you can express your opinions. I'd appreciate it.” she nodded and smiled again,ofcourse I knew the answer beforehand, she'd never object .“ Akshara, if you don't mind, can I have your number? If that's….”she cut me  in between and said
“ yeah, just a moment.”

I looked at her retreating figure ,she walked to her mom and asked her something, her mom gave her a glare and handed her a phone ,she had her phone with her mom ?why did her mom glare at her ?

She had her phone with her mom ,Great .She don't have any lock screen, Great. I returned her phone. And then we stood in total awkwardness. I want to talk to her but when I see her uncomfortably standing, I don't actually know what to do. We returned our group.

“But the colour ….” Akshara's mother said only to get cut by Akshara's sister. “ Amma, you go for pink , it'll suit you.”And then they all agreed to what others say. I looked at Akshara, she is lost in her thoughts.

“Arjun ,drop me at the hospital ”Arya ordered. I just nodded my head. Like seriously nodding Arjun , just like Akshara. 

After dropping her at the hospital, I returned to Papa's company. I have to submit monthly financial report.

Akshara don't have a WhatsApp account, just great. I wonder if she has adhar card or pancard. I'm thinking to meet her once more ,just to have a casual conversation, I can feel her nervousness around me . I wanna make her comfortable in my presence. 

Then I got an idea, why not text ?

08:45 pm

Hey, Arjun this side .

She didn't reply ,maybe busy .I put my phone aside and started to make my schedule for the next day . After a while my phone chimed.

09:15 pm

   Hey, hi.

Hi
Had dinner?

Yes ,you.

I did .

Are you off to bed?

Yeah yes. Have
university tomorrow.

Where do you study ?

I mean the university .On Saturday?

She didn't reply ,exactly afte 25 min her reply came, I counted .

09:50 pm

Lady Irwin
Correspondence
course ,so Saturday and Sunday
classes .

Oh okay .
Can we meet, tomorrow?

Okay .

Yeah, after your classes.
Is that okay?

Okay . Good night. 

Yeah. Good night. 

She is really something.Okay then tomorrow it is. I dozed off a while later. 

A hectic day today has been. I'm tired mentally and physically. Along with that I have my classes tomorrow. After dinner ,I got a text from Arjun, we texted each other , so tomorrow I'm going to meet him again. I don't have any energy left in me to write my dairy so I kept my phone aside and dozed off. 

I usually leaves at 9 am in  the morning to university but today I left home at 8:30 am. I can go to library first then attend my classes , so I can go meet Arjun. 

08:45 am

Hey , good morning Akshara. 

Good morning.

When will you be free?

Around 2:30 pm.

Okay . I'll see you at your
university then.

No , can you come at the 
coffee cafe day opposite to
the library.
I'll be there.

Okay.  See you there .

Bye

Okay bye.

I didn't know why I asked him to meet me at the cafe. I put my phone back in my bag and walked to my class.

Signing off
Ashwani

Author's note:

That's all for today ……