Under the Stars

It was a small thing. Isha could ignore it, and Rehaan wouldn't complain.

They had been discussing random date ideas to get to know each other better, and while cupping his hand around the mug of tea, he said, "I want to go on the terrace and have a beer with you."

Isha didn't drink. She came from a conservative Indian family where alcohol was looked down upon. But that didn't mean she judged anyone who drank, not even her fiance, whom she had met only a few times after their families had arranged their marriage. 

She looked at the barkeeper, nervously as he slipped in the two Heineken bottles and some fruit beer in a black plastic bag. She got a text from Rehaan that he was at the train station. Rehaan was coming down from Delhi to Dehradun to help them with the wedding preparations, and Isha wanted to do this "date" then. But sneaking alcohol in the house was no less than a herculean task. Moreover, her lack of knowledge regarding any form of alcohol added on to her dilemma.

Isha received Rehaan and his little sister, Riya at the railway station. While they drove back hom, Riya was chatting about her attire for the wedding and the two adults were stealing glances at each other.

"Rehaan, can you meet me on the terrace at, say, 12 in the night?" She whispered to him as he went to his room to rest after the grand dinner her family had made for him.

Rehaan raised his eyebrows, and with a blush blooming across her face, she smacked him, making him laugh. He nodded and wished her a good night. They didn't look away for a few seconds till Isha realized they were blocking the staircase. She went down to her room, while he walked to the guest room.

Her heartbeat fast as she tiptoed, peeked in her parent's room, and sighed, hearing their soft snores. She picked the key of the terrace door from the keyholder and jogged to the terrace. Rehaan was leaning on the door.

"Sorry." She muttered. He glanced at the bag curiously and nodded, to accept the apology.

She pulled out a blanket from the bag, and he took it and placed it on the ground, and the two made themselves comfortable.

"I got you these," She pulled out the bottles and Rehaan gasped in shock.

"I don't know anything about alcohol. I don't even know if you drink beer."

"You shouldn't have. If your parents find out, you’ll be dead meat." He said, his voice laced with worry. She shrugged, even though she knew he knew he was right.

"I can't have them deep fry my wife." He said solemnly, and she looked at him, surprised at the last bit of his sentence.

"I mean... thank you." He said awkwardly.

When he had asked her what she expected of him during their second meet, she had said that she wanted a non-alcoholic husband, and he had winced.

"Do you want a sip?"

She shook her head in a no.

"I had one at my friend's bachelorette, not a fan. I like Breezer." She raised her bottle of fruit beer as if to toast.

"Why did you do this?"

"I guess I am going to raise your expectations of me and then crash land them after marriage. Now you will think, 'Oof, she is going to be such a pativati wife' when really after marriage, I’m just going to lie around the house while you do all the housework," She smirked at him as he rolled his eyes.

"Well, we both are going to come in at 8 pm after work, so I have already hired a maid for the house chores, remember?"

"Don't ruin my attempts to henpeck you!" She whined, and he laughed. She snuggled closer to him, unknowingly.

"Isha, are you sure you want this?"

"Of course, I am sure. The wedding invites are out; I have the engagement ring on my finger and got my transfer order!" She gasped, but when he held his gaze, she knew what he was talking about. 

It had been two years since Gaurav and her broke up. Two years since she had driven all the men away who had come with a marriage proposal. But then, she had realized that she had no future with Gaurav. So, she decided to meet Rehaan, a marriage alliance suggested by her father's sister. Rehaan was the average nice guy next door. After their second date, Isha decided that Rehaan was the guy she wanted to spend her life with and that was the reason why she had said yes to the marriage.

"I am, trust me. I didn't sneak beer into my house for Gaurav in my house." She clinked her still full bottle with his empty one,

"I'm glad I made you sneak alcohol into your house. Just goes to show, you love me so much." He chuckled. She rolled her eyes, even though her face heated up.

As the sun peeked through the clouds, Isha sprang up and looked at her mobile. It read 5:45 A.M. She heard her dad yell for her mom downstairs.

"Rehaan! Rehaan!" She shook him, and he woke up, startled.

"Did we fall asleep?"

"Yes. Now hurry, else we won't see another day.," He nodded. She picked up the bag, and he pulled off the blanket, folded it messily, and threw the bottles inside the bag.

The two sneaked downstairs as the two elders started an argument about the missing keys. Isha threw the said keys on the sofa and ran into her room. Before entering, she glanced up the staircase, where her fiance stood with a smirk on his face. He winked and left for his room.

"What if we got robbed last night! There is so much gold in the house. Your daughter's marriage is days away; her fiance is upstairs!" Her mom yelled.

Isha left her room, trying to feign sleepiness. "Why are you two yelling? Rehaan and Riya will wake up!' She hushed her parents. 

"Your father lost the keys to the terrace lock!"

"I did not!"

"I think I saw them on the sofa last night." Isha pointed to the said object.

"Couldn't you keep them on the holder?" Her father rebuked her, relieved to find someone on whom he could shift the blame.

"Well, you two were so tired after gushing over your son-in-law, I thought I shouldn't disturb you." She looked at her mother, who held the keys, silently requesting her to handle her father. She nodded and shifted the conversation to their trip to the market that they had planned for day. Isha thanked her silently and went back to her room. 

As Ishan and Rehaan walked through the bustling markets of Dehradun, their hands brushed. She looked at him and couldn't help but blush.

"Keep up!" Her father said, and usually, Isha would have jogged to catch up with him, but this time she didn't.

"Thanks for last night." Rehaan whispered to her.

She smiled.

"I... I want more such dates."

"Please no. I can't handle sneaking another beer in the house.” She fake whined.

"Okay then, forget the beer." He said, surprising her. Sheepishly, he confessed, "I was trying to stop drinking since the day you told me not to."

She blinked, failing to find the appropriate words.

"You didn't ask much of me, just this small request. And in hindsight, if I stop drinking, it will do my liver some real good." He patted his midriff for good measure, which made her chuckle.

"I think a few more dates won't do any harm.,"

"Before you make me sweep the whole house." He bumped his shoulder with hers and she smiled.

That's when she realized why she had wanted to fulfill his wish. She was in love with Rehaan, her soon-to-be husband.

Beta read by: asmaanixx

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