Together Forever-ArSh OS

The inside of the train was very somber, very dark. The walls a dark blue and the curtains different shades of grey. I hauled my five suitcases in, one by one. They were very nubby, due to the fact that my family's women had gathered together one day and basically packed my whole wardrobe into them. The suitcases couldn't stand on their own because they were too fat, and kept on falling on the compartment floor. I stopped caring after a while. I was too exasperated with the thoughts of him in my life. I didn't mind that I was getting married to him, because, hey, a girl has to get married someday. And I wasn't the type of girl that would fall in love and then get married. The only thing that irked me was that I had never seen his face. Maybe once. My family was getting me married to him because he helped them in their time of need. In return, he asked for my hand. My parents didn't disagree, because they were indebted to him, and off I was sent to get married to him. My family couldn't even be included in the wedding because we were a middle class family with not that much money. The only reason we were getting by was because I was working. But now, that wouldn't be the case. They couldn't pay the fare for all the people in the family, so they decided it would be best for me to go to my in-laws on my own. The first reason that I agreed was because he had done so much for my family that I, for one, couldn't say no to such a kind hearted person. But I never thought that it would come to this. I would have to get married to a man that I had met once, maybe twice without the support of my family. Although I wasn't forced into this, I still had cold feet. Just a bit. Even though I was ready to step into this new life, I was nervous.

When the food cart came, I chose a sandwich and a bag of chips. I tried to eat sparingly. I didn't have much money with me, because my parents had spent my life savings as well as theirs on a bunch of things that I thought were unnecessary as a gift of dowry. But the savory sandwich was too much to resist, so I ended up finishing it. My going-to-be husband was the owner of the company that his dad set up, so he was already filthy rich. He could give me all the food I wanted in the world. But this made me think. Since he was the spoiled rich heir of a business empire, wasn't he going to be a playboy? Wasn't he going to be this man that just wanted to hang out with his friends and drink and go to strip clubs? Wouldn't he ignore me? What was his reason of getting married to me? Did he just want to get married for his parents and keep up his shenanigans out of the house? I was letting my mind float away to strange scenarios that I had seen happen in real life. But if my parents had trusted the guy so much, maybe he was the right one for me. On one hand, I felt like I had made the right choice by going with my parent's wishes. On the other, I felt like I might just have ruined my life. I didn't know what to think. I was…confused.

After a while, the train stopped and my destination was called. Mumbai. The city of dreams. But right now, I didn't know if my dreams were being fulfilled or shattered. I got off the train as it halted to a stop. I hauled my suitcases back out and put them on a cart. I wheeled the cart to the receiving lounge. I grabbed my purse, made sure it was still there and not stolen, and took out the white envelope that my mother had given me. She told me to open it on the train and take a good look at him because it would be easier to recognize him. But I was too much of a chicken to do that. But when I realized that I would have a little bit of difficulty locating him, I decided to take a peek. It contained a picture of him. My future husband. Mr. Armaan Mallik.

"Shilpa?" I heard a voice calling out to me. It was a deep and masculine voice, kind of what I had imagined. I looked up and saw a man walking towards me. He had blue eyes. His lips were in a curve, a smile. His cheekbones chiseled and his chin a cleft. When he reached me, I immediately put the picture of him back into my purse. He looked even more stunning in person. "How are you?" He asked me as started to push my trolley.

I just smiled and as I saw him pushing my trolley, "No, no! That's fine. Mein karlungi." I didn't think it was right that he would have to do that.

He smiled at me but didn't stop pushing the trolley. "Arre, I'm going to be your husband," he chuckled and I gulped, "itna toh hakh hai na mere ko?"

I simply nodded. I looked at the clothes he was wearing. Armani shirt and Ralph Lauren pants. A striped red tie. His shoes looked spick and span. Overall, he was an organized person. But another thing that I noticed was that he didn't wear full sleeved shirts. He wore shirts with sleeves up to his triceps. They were huge. I could tell immediately that my new husband was very conscious about his health. He was one of those, body builders. He saw me looking at him and chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'm not one of those body builder freaks. You don't have to be scared," he laughed.

I just looked at him with horror. "How…how did you know what I was thinking?" I just couldn't believe that he said what I was thinking out loud.

"I don't know. You just had a look on your face," he said. He then proceeded to make the face and made me laugh. I hadn't laughed like this since I had last talked to my best friend. Sorrow suddenly flowed over me again, and I was back to the point of tears. He obviously had noticed that, and as he put the suitcases in the car, he looked at me intently. "Shilpa, would you mind if I took you somewhere else first, before we went home?" He asked sincerely.

I nodded. He already had a right on me, but I was loving the way he was acting like a perfect gentlemen. "Where are we going though?" I asked.

"To a place that I think you might get some peace. And me too. I'm really sorry for dragging you there right after such a long journey, lekin mujhe tumse kuch zaroori baat karni hai, Shilpa." He finished with a straight face. And that scared me. I think the fear was brightly written on my face, and he read it. "Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you." He chuckled looking at the expression on my face. "And you shouldn't be scared of me. You are now my responsibility." With that, he steered the car onto a rough dirt path and it was impossible for anyone to utter a single word without biting their tongue in the middle of it. Shilpa closed her eyes because her head was thumping due to the bumpy road.

When the car stopped, Shilpa opened her eyes and was shocked at what she saw. There was sand all over. She could hear waves nearby. She looked around and saw that Armaan had parked the car on a beach.

***

                "This is the place I come whenever I need to be alone. It's my secret getaway. It's my sanctuary, Shilpa. Nobody even knows that I ever come here," he confessed in a serene tone.

                I was confused. To the extent that I was rude enough to ask him. "Then why me Armaan?" I felt bad as soon as I had asked him.

                He laughed, looking at my apologizing face. "Since you are going to be a part of my life, I thought it would be proper to show you this," he said a-matter-of-factly. This phrase made my heart flutter. I hadn't ever felt these feelings. But one thing was for sure. I wasn't scared of him anymore. It surprised me how one phrase that he said meant so much to me. It was my security in this city. This unknown city. "Come on Shilpa, let's go sit on the rocks." He ushered with his hands to the rocks. He took my hand and it sent shivers down my spine. He sensed the sudden stiffness in my body and only grabbed my hand tighter. He started walking down the sandy path, with me by his side. I didn't exactly know what to feel. It was so different. I had crushes in school, but I knew who they were. And I knew them so well. But Armaan? I had known him for about an hour and I was feeling so…different. It felt as if I had known him forever. And yet…I still didn't know many things about him.

                As he sat me down next to him, I shivered. He noticed, and even though he knew it was because he was being so open to me, he pretended as if it was because of the cold. He took off his jacket, and even with my million requests for him not to, he gave me his jacket. As he put it on me, I smelled in his scent. So masculine. So strong. So…homely? He smelled like home. I didn't know shit about the guy and he smelled like home. I think I was losing it. Oh wait, you can't lose what you never had. What to do? I was so…confused. On one hand, I seemed like I was falling in love with him already. On the other, it seemed like I wanted to strangle myself for thinking that I was falling in love with him. Why did life have to be so complicated? Was I…falling for him?

                I didn't know. I think I was though. I guess it was a good thing. Being with the person you love rather than the person that you are forced to tie the knot with. I shuddered at the thought. A gentle cough, or fake cough, brought me out of my thoughts. I looked at the source. As soon as I  did, I was locked. Locked in the same position, staring into those bluish gray eyes. I felt like drowning in them. And he let me.

                He moved his face closer to mine slowly as to ask me if he could go on. I was too dazed to answer, and he took that as a yes. He slowly moved his lips closer and closer to mine. He stopped when there was less than an inch of distance between our lips. Mine trembling, and his curved into a slight smile. Then, suddenly…SMACK! He kissed me with such force that I didn't comprehend what had even happened. As I felt his lips moving on mine, probing me to indulge into my desire. My armaan. I didn't respond, because to tell the truth, I didn't know how to. Then, as I felt him slightly biting my lower lip, asking for entry, I opened up. My lips slightly parted, and his tongue made way into my mouth without another second to spare. I gave into my desires then. I moved my lips with his, and probed him to go on. I let out a moan as I felt his hands going into my kurta. His hands caressed my waist, and I shuddered. He broke the kiss, maybe because he sensed my shudder. But boy, was I wrong. He unlocked our lips only to move onto the nape of my neck. He placed soft kisses that made my body go haywire. My hands automatically moved into his hair and pulled him back up to my lips. He chuckled, and I stiffened. He noticed my stiffness, and broke apart. I looked down, trying not to show him my glowing red burning cheeks. I felt his finger under my chin, forcing me to look up. I moved my chin, but kept my gaze down.

                "Shilpa, look at me" he said. I didn't. "Please? Mujhe dekho Shona." My eyes immediately darted to his. Questioning his new name for me. He chuckled. "Yeah…don't be so surprised. Pyaar se mein tumhe Shona bulaunga. Is that all right?" He asked me. Why would I say no?

                "Hm…" I answered in a wondering tone. Then I had to ask it. It was killing me inside. "Armaan…?"

                "Hmm?" He answered.

                "Tum mujhse shaadi kyun kar rahe ho? Why are you marrying me?" That was it. No more turning back. My cheeks felt as if I had lit them on fire.

                "Because I love you." He stated that as if it was something I should have known a long time ago.

                "What?" I was…confused. "But you only met me once, Armaan. Pyaar kaise?"

                He wrapped his arms around me, and I felt a shiver of happiness. Someone loved me? "Love at first sight, darling. Love at first sight. Pehli nazar mein pyaar ho gaya tha mujhe tumse. When I saw you coming back home from college on June 17, 2009, to be precise, mujhe tumse pyaar hua."

                I interuppeted. "Armaan, aise kaise? I'm not pretty, I'm not intelligent. Pyaar kaise ho-"

                I was cut off with his fingers on my lips. "Shut up. You are the most beautiful and most intelligent girl I have ever seen. Don't you dare say bad things about my fianc. Understood?" He asked in a stern tone. I just nodded. "Now, may I continue?" I nodded again. "So, I saw you and  mere dil se ek aawaaz nikli. Mujhse ke rahi thi ke tum hi ho wo jiske saath mein apni zindagi guzaarna chaatha hoon. Aur maine apne dil ki baat maanli. Aur ab dekho. You are my fianc. But tell me one thing. Kya tumne ek baar bhi nahin socha ke mein kaisa hoon? That I will be able to keep you happy in life?" He seemed like he was genuinely asking the question.

                I shook my head. "No, not that much. Because mummy and papa had chosen you. So I knew that you would be the right one for me." His smiled widened at my comment, and then it turned into a frown.

                "So tumhe koi problem nahin thi ke tumhara pati koi sharabi type aadmi hota?" He smirked.

                I laughed. "Tum sharabi ho?" He shook his head. "Toh? Sochna bhi nahin pada." He smiled again. "Accha, tum mujhe maaro ge? Like domestic violence?" His eyes widened at my question.

                He put his hand on my head, and stated, "Main, Armaan Mallik, yeh kasam khata hoon, ke tumhare, yaani Shilpa Malhotra-t0-be-Mallik, se sirf aur sirf pyaar karunga. Galti se bhi koi ulta seedha khayal mere dimaak mein nahi aaeyga. I promise to you love, and to only love you." My eyes started spilling the tears that I had been holding back ever since he had started his oath. I hugged him, and I hugged him tight.

                "Armaan, I think I'm falling for you." I sobbed into his chest. "I don't know why…but ever since I saw you today, I've been feeling so different. I've never felt these feelings. Is this normal?"

                He chuckled as his arms wrapped tightly around me. "Yes, Shona. It is completely normal. These are the feelings I have been feeling for months. And you know what? We are getting married tomorrow. So we get to feel these feelings for the rest of our lives." He chuckled without knowing I was blushing into his chest.

                Unintentionally, I managed to fall in love with my husband before we got married. And that was all I wanted. A love marriage. And this was, wasn't it? Our parents didn't arrange it. He did. Without me knowing a thing about his feelings. Life changed for me completely in these few hours, and I was sure it changed for the good.

                He looked at his watch, and realized the time. It was 2 A.M.! We stayed so long just sitting there at the beach. He stood up, taking me up with him. When I was completely stable standing up, he knelt down. I didn't know what he was doing though. He took my left hand and looked up at me. He was proposing…

                "I know we are already getting married tomorrow, but I know every girl has a dream that her soul mate proposes to her in such a way. Shilpa Malhotra, I am hopelessly in love with you and wish to spend the rest of my life with you. I want to laugh with you, I want to cry with you, I want to have kids with you,'' to which I blushed, "I want to kiss you when you blush, I want to manaofy you when you are mad, I want to eat out of the same plate with you, and I want you to be part of my life. Will you? Will you marry this hopelessly in love Armaan Mallik, Shilpa Malhotra?"

                I couldn't get the words out of my mouth. I simply nodded, hoping he would get the message. Thankfully he did, and put his hand in his pocket. He took out a diamond ring, and slid it onto my ring finger. He stood up and placed a small peck on my cheek.

                "Let's go?" He said. I nodded. The words were just stuck in my mouth. As we walked back to the car, I stopped him. He looked at me questioningly.

                "Armaan, thank you. You are the best thing that has happened in my life," I said as I hugged him tight. His hands automatically wrapped around my body. He buried his face into my head and breathed in my smell.

                "I love you Shilpa. And I hope you fall in love with me as soon as possible." He murmured.

                We walked back to the car and drove to his house. This was my life. And I was content with it.

***

                She walked down the stairs in that red lehenga and I was left starstruck. She was mine, all mine. She looked up only to see me looking, no, no, gawking at her. She blushed and looked back down. She walked to the mandap and looked at me. I stood up, because all eyes were on me. We were given garlands, and we both put them on each other without a fuss, although my friends did try to move me out of the way when it was Shilpa's turn. But I was hers. So I didn't have a problem with bending down. She smiled her cute smile when I did. Then I winked at her. To which she started blushing. Oye hoye, girls and their blushes.

                When the wedding was over, and I was escorted to my room, oops, our room, the girls' giggling wouldn't stop. My god, what was so wrong with people sleeping in the same…oh. That's why. God, so immature, I tell you, these teenagers are. We were married, so it was a given that we would...you know…do things together. But this wasn't the case with me and Shilpa. Yeah, we were married, and even though I loved her, she still needed her time to adjust, and I didn't want her to think that she needed to give into whatever I said. I didn't want her to feel uncomfortable doing…things that she didn't want to. I loved her unconditionally and she knew that. She knew she could tell me anything. And I knew that from the moment that she hugged me in the parking lot on the beach, that I would be able to tell her anything and she wouldn't judge me. She knew me for who I was on the inside. Although I don't think she minded gawking at what I looked like on the outside either.

                I entered the room, well I was pushed by those pushy teenage girls, only to see my newly wedded wife sitting on the middle of my…our bed. Her head was covered, and her hands hugging her knees to her chest. I closed the door on their faces, which gave me a feeling of satisfaction. I know I'm evil, I can't help it. I turned back around, and then walked over to the bed. I sat next to her, only to see her reaction. Her hands were shaking! She was so nervous. I took off her veil to see her beautiful face. I put my hands on hers.

                "Shona…you must be tired. Go to bed," I told her while standing up. She nodded and scooted to the left side of the bed. I walked over to the cabinet and took out a blanket. Then I walked over to the right side of the bed and picked up a pillow. I turned around to walk to the sofa when…

                "Kahan jaa rahe ho?"

                I turned around. "Uh…sofe pe sone. Tum bed pe so jao." I explained to her.

                "Accha? I don't think so. Come back here," she ordered. I walked back to the bed.

                "Lekin Shona, tum sofe pe nahin sona. Kaafi uncomfortable hai." I explained.

                "Exactly. Aur Armaan…I think hamari shaadi hui hai na?" she was asking really weird questions. Was she that tired?

                "Haan, Shona, hamari shaadi hui hai. Tum aise questions kyun pooch rahi ho?" I was really confused as to what she was asking.

                "Toh, I think ke husband wife ek bed pe sote hain. Tum sofe pe kyun so rahe ho?" She asked innocently.

                OH! She was asking me to sleep with her…well, next to her. I had no problem as a smile creeped onto my face. I put the pillow back on the bed and climbed on. She shook her head laughing to herself as she laid down on her side. I turned my side of the lights off, and she hers. I looked to her and saw that her back was facing me. I sighed a loud sigh, which I didn't intend to make so loud. I laid on my back and closed my eyes. Then I felt a hand creeping across my stomach and a hand pulling my hand off of my eyes, pulling it straight. Then I felt something on my stretched hand. I opened my eyes to look at what had happened.

                Shilpa had scooched herself next to me, draping her hand over my stomach and putting her head on my hand. She looked at my astonished face with a smile and placed a peck on my cheek.

                "I love you Armaan. You are the best thing I could ask for. Good night." She closed her eyes and sighed a sigh of content.

                I turned and put my other hand on her waist, and kissed her on her forehead. "I love you too Shilpa. Good night."

                And there we were. Together forever.  

Please do also look at my FF "Unthought Love" (ArSh)

I am very soon coming back with another short story...but till then...please enjoy this OS and my FF :) 

Also, I promise AR and AK fans a treat as well! ;) 

Love, 
Kriya <33