2. Saanjh stood there with open arms, still willing to be his alarm. After all they had been through, after all he had done, she didn't, even for a second doubt that was the one. On the other hand Maya faced several conflicts in her mind, sure, she could marry, but who said happiness she would find? Being left at the altar is such a girl thing, now finally it's time for Arjun's suffering.
*two days later* Maya paced from one end of her room to the other, she had a million conflicts in her head, and solving them wasn't as easy as she thought it would be. She was getting married tomorrow, that is, if she was getting married. Eversince Arjun and Maya returned from the outskirts of the city, at least, that's where Arjun said he took her, they had not spoken much. All that happened between them was a formal wedding invitation being given to Arjun, an invitation to his own wedding. Maya had the cards printed according to her liking and she had event planners take care of the rest, but still, in her mind there was one question - was she doing the right thing by marrying Arjun? To anyone else, the answer would be obvious, a clear no. But for Maya it was different. She loved the man. Yes, he had used her, used her for her money but she didn't lose anything, just because she was cautious enough. He had used her, kidnapped her with the intention of getting her killed and shown no sign of change or apology and lacked complete interest in the wedding, every bride's nightmare. But Maya, she still wanted to marry him. There was no way he could back off, he really didn't have a choice, it was all upto her.
She wondered whether she would attain happiness from this wedding, she knew she wouldn't but she convinced herself that if she could spend years without happiness, another lifetime wouldn't hurt. She would get used to it, she promised to herself, but something at the back of her mind kept telling her not to go forward with the wedding, that she would be ruining her life as well as many others' if she went ahead with the marriage. After hours and hours of thinking she found her answer. She was going to marry Arjun Sharma.
***
Saanjh got into the elevator of her building and desperately pressed the ground floor button several times. She glanced at her watch only to find that she was already running 20 minutes late. Malkhani would kill her if she was late again, as she had been a couple of times the same week.
"Surprised to see that Dusky is not on time. You used to lecture me about how precious time was and now, look at you, you're late to work." Saanjh turned to see Arjun in the elevator, she smiled at him and waited for the lift doors to close. Awkward silence filled the tiny four walls. No one would have ever thought anything would get between Dusky and Duffer, let aside a small uncomfortable silence but that was exactly the case.
For the past two days, Saanjh had ignored Arjun. She did that for her own good, she knew he'd be busy with the preparations of his wedding and she didn't want to hurt herself even more by having to take part in them. Arjun had kept her in the dark with his entire plan. Little did she know that the guy she considered to be dumb was extremely close to inheriting Maya Mehrotra's property. Saanjh believed that Maya and Arjun were genuinely in love, a happy cute couple.
She rushed out of the elevator as soon as it hit the ground floor and sat on her scooty, secured her pink helmet and in the blink of an eye, she was gone. Arjun had wanted to speak to her since the day he returned, he needed his Dusky but she had seemed very cold with him lately. She didn't even bother addressing him and he now craved to hear the words Duffer' from her mouth. He would make sure to have a word with her and he didn't want to wait. He got in his jeep and drove to her workplace.
He walked into her office and Malkhani came and stood before Arjun. Arjun patted his shoulder casually, smiled at him and tried to walk past him but once again, Malkhani stooped him. "My staff is not allowed to have visitors during working hours, if you want to talk to Saanjh, do it after work, you live in the same building." Arjun raised his eyebrow, Saanjh's boss had never bothered acknowledging his presence before, regardless, without a word, he left.
Malkhani had seen Saanjh depressed and lacking her usual enthusiasm, he never questioned it, considering he was her boss, but he knew it had something to do with this young boy. "Thank you," Saanjh smiled her boss, "for not letting him in, he's the last person I'd want to talk to now."
"Well," sighed Malkhani, "all the best avoiding him, he looks like he's determined to talk to you."
***
Arjun knocked on Saanjh's bedroom door, "I know you aren't changing. Nobody takes 40 minutes to change their clothes." Arjun kept knocking, his knuckles forming a repetitive rhythm. "I know, I know I made a mistake, but forgive me now." Arjun was getting tired but he needed to talk to his best friend under any circumstance. "I got chocolates for you, if you don't come I'll eat them all."
Saanjh laughed, a genuine, happy laugh. "If you eat them all, you'll become fat and then you won't fit into your wedding outfit."
"I don't lover her Dusky, I don't love Maya." As soon as the words were out of Arjun's mouth, the door flew open, something he had been trying to get Saanjh to do for about an hour now.
"She threatened you, didn't she? I knew from the beginning that there was something wrong with her. The way she looks at you, it's almost as if she's a hunter and you're her next prey. She has always given me that psycho vibe. I knew it! Are you okay, what did she do to you?" Accusations didn't even take a second, and before Arjun took in her words, she was examining his arm and wrist for any wounds.
He didn't love Maya. This made Saanjh extremely happy, now there was a bit more hope for her. After all, she was the one Arjun turned to. "What was her reaction when you called off the wedding?"
"I did not call off the wedding Dusky, let me speak. I am getting married to her tomorrow." Arjun tried to process everything that had happened.
"I thought you said you didn't love her.." Saanjh was confused, utterly confused. She did not know what was and wasn't happening.
Arjun sat on her bed and began explaining. "I don't love her, but I don't have a choice. Saanjh you were right, you have always been right, now I'm stuck in her Mayajaal with nowhere to go. I have to get married to her, I have no choice." Arjun confessed everything to Saanjh, everything he had done, everything that had happened but she didn't seem to be scared or even disappointed in him. She just sat there and consoled him, telling him everything would be alright. "I did all of this for us." He added.
"Us?" Asked Saanjh, Arjun just let her know on how he was planning on using Maya for her money and she still stood by his side, maybe this would be enough to help them get closer.
"Yes Dusky, us. You and me. You are the only one in my life. I want you, but I don't deserve you as yet. I wanted to give you everything in the world and I can't provide it but Maya can. I thought I would finish this game before the wedding. And now, I'm stuck with Maya. I love you Dusky, I truly do." There was genuine love in his eyes, the way he held her hand and the way he looked at her changed. She did not know what to believe after all that had happened. Her thoughts were soon interrupted by the ding' of Arjun's phone.
It was a message, a message from Maya: See you at the mandap hubby *kiss emoji*
"Arjun," Saanjh said, "If you really love me, will you give me one thing before becoming Maya's forever?" She asked.
"Anything." He replied, "What do you want Saanjh? Just ask for it and I will make sure to keep it on your palm the next second."
"A kiss." She replied, "And not on my palm." She laughed as she pointed to her lips. The very next second Arjun's lips were engulfing hers in a battle for love, passion, trying to express the most within a second. When he let go of her, he stood up, straightened his shirt and bid farewell. "Goodbye Dusky."
"Goodbye Duffer." She smiled, still re-living what had happened moments ago.
***
In these few months of their relationship, Maya had come to know Arjun very well. She knew how to hurt him, how to infuriate him and that's exactly what she wanted to do now. She knew hurting his ego would make him angrier than forcing a wedding upon him.
"Where is the bride?" The pandit asked as Arjun took a seat on the mandap. "She is very late, if she does not reach within the next five minutes, the auspicious time will get over."
"I'm sure she's on her way, she will reach any second." Saanjh assured the pandit. She had initially decided not to come and after the previous day's incidents she should have definitely not showed up but she wanted to be there for her best friend and he had been more than happy to see her.
Everyone has been waiting for Maya for almost an hour, Arjun had been sitting at the mandap, and now, he was getting worried. Maya was amongst the most punctual people he knew. She hated tardiness, and she didn't seem like the type to show up late at her own wedding. He had tried calling her several times, but in vain. He was scrolling through the contacts in his phone, wondering whom he could contact to find out about Maya's whereabouts. A sad smile showed up on his face when he encountered Jhanvi's name on his phone. He wondered why he still had her number saved, but he just scrolled past it. He realized at that specific moment that Maya did not have anyone at all to care about her and still, she stood strong before him. She still had the power to force him into this wedding and he got easily trapped into her Mayajaal, just this thought sent shivers down his spine.
Arjun was pulled out of his confused disturbing thoughts by Saanjh tugging on his arm. She pulled him aside and gave him instructions to wait outside for her.
"I can't leave." Said a nervous Arjun, "Maya will kill me for leaving."
"You are not leaving Arjun, she did." Saanjh said to Arjun. "Maya's not coming. She has officially turned the tables and left you at the mandap. Now wait for me outside before the chaos here starts. Go." Arjun walked out, confused, puzzled and tired. He was scared of what was happening. He did not know what could be happening the very next second in his life, because despite everything, Maya had control. He saw his jeep outside and leaned by it, waiting for Saanjh.
In the meanwhile, Saanjh took a champagne flute and drew attention to herself while lightly banging a spoon against the crystal. "I'd like to make an announcement." She said, "I just got a message from the bride saying she will not be attending, the wedding is cancelled. Sorry for having wasted you time."
Everyone stood still for a second. And then, all the pandemonium broke out. Vandana almost fainted, Prem shook his head in disapproval at the fact his daughter decided to break the news with a smile on her face, Ayan untied his turban, Suman helped Vandana, splashed some water on her face from the closest jar and dabbed her face with the end of her saree, making her red lipstick smudge across her face and her mascara run down her cheeks - a raccoon look indeed. The guests wondered what the usual protocol at a broken alliance was, where they supposed to take the gifts back with them or leave them as a sign of apology and pity?
Saanjh hopped out of the hall happily, greeted Arjun with a smile on her face and decided to drive his jeep as she said; he was not in the state to drive. "I'm sorry this had to happen Arjun, but at least now Maya won't make your life living hell. You have another chance to approach your life."
Arjun nodded silently while being driven by his Dusky, his blood was boiling, how dare she? How dare Maya leave him at the mandap? What would people say about him now? "I'm happy I can re-start my life now, with you."
