Arakshi FF: Intezaar [Updt - pg 39, 20 March] - Page 4

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If you've read the other version...you'll see a slight change in Arjun's attitude in this version. Do let me know in your comments if you noticed it - after reading the update below!

I realize, I am not sticking to the whole two updates per week thing...just updating whenever I feel like...

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Simar

~Two~

"Hey" He said softly, wrapping his arms around her in a warm embrace.

"Hmm?" She buried her face in his chest, his arms tightening around her.

"This may not be the most traditional way of asking this but...shaadi karogi mujhse?"

There was silence for a moment or two. Then, as expected, she looked up at him in

surprise. A gentleness shone in her eyes, then she smiled at him.

"Arjun tum meri jawaab jaante ho na? Poochne ki zaroorat hi nahi thi...par, accha kiya jo

pooch liya...warna..." Happiness, as she spoke each word, reflected in her eyes. Arjun

couldn't help but mirror her emotions as he leaned down to rest his forehead against hers.

"Warna?" He whispered.

"I wouldn't have known the happiness that comes with actually hearing the words" As she

said it, her eyes filled with tears.

"Hey, this was supposed to be a happy moment!" His thumb softly caressed her cheeks,

wiping away the tears that escaped her eyes.

"It is!" She assured him with a flash of her brilliant smile.

"Promise karo, tum hamesha mere saath rahoge!"

"Humesha!" He promised sincerely.

"Arjun? Arjun, chele??"

Sameer's voice brought him back from his reverie. He looked around as if expecting to be

somewhere else, with someone else. When he found himself in the backseat of a heavily

decorated car, and in front of the venue he was supposed to get married in, Arjun sighed

and rubbed his temples fiercely. A few moments passed before he looked up at his friend,

who gave him a wary look,

"Tu thik hain?"

"H-Haan...sorry. Chelo..."

~oOo~

Approximately nine hundred guests piled into a colourful and fairy lit marque, complete with

red carpet, fire crackers, professional dancers and aisles of tables brimming with food. It

was a grand affair. His aunt and uncle moved from place to place, attending their guests

with so much happiness and pride, it gave Arjun assurance for doing what he was doing.

Though it was his own wedding, Arjun hardly recognised anyone there and he couldn't care

less. His gaze was fixed on the havan in front of him, only occasionally looking up to see

Sameer or his aunt and uncle. A small commotion coming from the right of the mandap

caught his attention but did not look up. He knew his wife-to-be was making her way to him,

face hidden behind a veil and surrounded by her cousins and friends.

About a couple of weeks after he had promised to move on in life, his aunt came to him with

a marriage proposal.

Sakshi Anand.

A woman of today, a journalist - who happened to agree to marry Arjun after just one

meeting. What she saw in him in that one meeting, was beyond him.

About two days after they'd met, Arjun found out that she agreed to marry him. It shocked

him, he didn't make any effort to make an impression, in fact, he'd go as far as saying he

was downright rude. Nevertheless, Arjun gave his consent to the marriage - for his aunt's

sake. To him, if it wasn't Sakshi it would be someone else. It did not matter, as the person

he was marrying wasn't the one he loved.

A nudge from Sameer made Arjun look at him. He was handed a garland, and turned

towards his wife-to-be. The rituals that followed were a complete blur. He followed as the

pundit instructed him to, almost mechanically.

Too soon she was announced his wife, his responsibility, a part of his life.

He was hardly ready to move on from what happened, now he had a wife.

~oOo~

Arjun sighed in frustration when his eyes landed on the heavily decorated bed. He

specifically asked his aunt not to make such a big deal out of tonight. He didn't want to give

Sakshi any false hopes, because he had absolutely no clue as to how this marriage was

going to play out.

But then again, somewhere in the blur of rituals during their wedding ceremony, he

remembered making a vow to his new bride and he knew he had to keep it.

As he kept staring at the ridiculously ornate bed, the door to his bed room opened ever so

slightly. Arjun held his breath, waiting for Sakshi to walk in. After a few moments of

hesitation, the door opened just enough, and she stepped into his room.

He did not get a good look at her before she turned around to lock the door behind her.

Several seconds after the obvious click of the lock, she stayed facing away from him. Just

when he started to wonder if she was ever going to turn around, Arjun saw the obvious rise

and fall of her shoulders, as if taking a deep breath.

She was nervous. He concluded.

When she finally did turn around, her eyes met his and she smiled, but it soon faded away.

That's when he realised that he did not smile back. It's as if the corners of his lips became

too stiff to curl up into a polite smile.

But, the sight in front of him was engaging.

Her soft, jet black curls fell elegantly down her back. Her lips were tinted red and her skin

looked flawless. Her eyes shone with - Arjun couldn't put a finger on it - they just shone,

bright and full of life. He could see a whole roller coaster of emotions on her face.

A well-educated, beautiful woman like her - any man would have felt fortunate to have a

bride like his. Any other man would have felt fortunate.

He watched as her eyes took in every detail of the new environment. He could only imagine

how she felt at that moment. Happy, excited and anxious about starting a new life and at the

same time sad and afraid of leaving the old life behind.

So many emotions, exactly the opposite of how he felt. For he felt nothing. He felt

completely disconnected with his emotions, with the marriage.

"Well...this is awkward" Sakshi spoke, a few uncomfortable moments later. What could he

say? Awkward was just a small part of it. How could he possibly explain the pain he went

through to get to this point? Or the numbness he feels now?

"Sakshi" He started slowly, after carefully thinking over what he was about to say next,

"Don't...don't worry about all this" He said pointing towards the bed.

"Tum jaake fresh ho jao. I'll clear the bed in the meantime"

She smiled softly as she watched him moving around the bed brushing the flowers and rose

petals off the sheets.

"Mein help kardoon?"

"No, it's okay" He tried to smile. He couldn't.

He let out a sigh of relief when she nodded silently, collected what she needed and went

into the washroom to refresh.

~oOo~

Arjun took one of the pillows on the bed and put it on the couch near the window. He did not

think much into what his new bride would assume of his actions. All he knew was he

wouldn't be able to sleep for a moment on the same bed. And he needed sleep. He was

exhausted. Emotional disconnection was exhausting.

As soon as his head hit the pillow, sleep took over.

It felt like he slept for hours but knew it had only been minutes when Sakshi woke him up.

She looked refreshed and out of the grand wedding ornaments into a simple kurta for the

night.

"I - I am sorry. I didn't think you were sleeping..." She sounded guilty.

"No, that's...okay..."

"Why are you sleeping on the couch? Bed pe aaram se so jao na?"

Silence followed as he looked at her not sure what to say. He decided to stick to the truth,

well, as close to the truth as he possibly could without hurting her.

"You and I, will be more comfortable this way" He put stress on the word I'. She looked

confused at first, then as if understanding slowly nodded.

"O-okay. Sorry, tumhe u-uttaya" Gone was the confidence in her voice as she stammered.

Instead, uncertainty filled her tone.

Loved the scene between arjun & sakshi..

wondering why did sakshi said yes if arjun was rude...

Continue soon..

thanks for the pm :)

😛 Arjun is wondering the same thing...She'll explain her reasons later on in the story!

Thank you for the comment!

But if sakshi know about arjun past

Why she agreed to marry him

Arjun sakshi character little changed

Continue soon