A big thank you for all the comments! I am not too happy with this chapter but here it is. Hope you like it.
Chapter 10
I stared at the decorations and then back at Virat. It was the same waterfall we were at a couple days ago. This time it was decorated with roses and there was a table set for two at the side of the water fall. The table was decorated with light purple and gold drapes that shimmered in the moonlight. The chairs were connected on one side and decorated with a pink transparent chunari and the table candles light up the moonlight sky. "Virat its beautiful," I whispered to which he just hugged me tight, "this is still nothing compared to what I could do for you," he said leading me to the table. They had dinner and were laughing just like before. They were friends and would always be friends, nothing had changed about how open they were with each other, Manvi smiled at this realization. "Virat, I thought this would be so awkward but you really don't even make it seem like we were on a date," I bluntly stated shocked that they were done with dinner. He smiled back and cupped my face, "Manvi you were a friend to me first and I promise nothing will change from that friendship. I love you and proposed to you but that doesn't make it necessary for me to romance you 24/7. A true relationship is based on trust and openness. You can be world's most romantic and still not have a good relationship, but you can have a relationship based on trust, on respecting each other, on sharing happiness and sorrow with each other and love will live forever. I am not worried about romancing you because just being with you makes me happy and I hope we stay this way forever," he said hugging me tightly. I felt my eyes fill up at his affection for me and slapped him playfully, "mera sara kajal bigardiya," I said smiling through the tears that fell down my cheeks. He chuckled and tickled me, "are why are you hitting me, dost ko koi marta hai kya," he said pouting. I hugged him tightly, "ha mein marta hoon, dost ho toh haq banta hai," I said feeling snug in his arms. "Aur yeh haq kisne diya," I heard him mumble to which I answered, "tumhara dil ne, jo mera paas hai aur hamesha rahega," just closing my eyes and taking in the moment with him. He pulled away after a while and wiped my dried tears, "alright miss senti," chalo I have more planned than your unplanned tears he joked to which I finally smiled. We went around the waterfall and did a quick darshan of the mandir before we went and looked around town at the shops. I ran across the most beautiful saree and kundan set but set it back down seeing the price. "chalo Virat lets go home," I said seeing it was pitch black outside. He had me sit in the car and left for a couple minutes and came back with a bag and placed it in the trunk. We had dinner with everyone like nothing really happened and hung out with Di and Bhaiya before we headed off to bed. I walked in my room to find a box sitting on my bed with a note on top. I opened the gift and it was the most beautiful saree I had seen, simple yet so elegant, it was a pink with a thin silver lining border, small silver embroidery around the achal and feet. There was matcing jewelry beneath it too and they were no less beautiful a neckpiece with earings and the most beautiful payals. I put the piece down and smiled to myself until the realization hit me, it was the same saree I had seen in the store. I quickly picked up the note, "aaj chaat pe aaugi, I want to spend more time with you only if you think it would be appropriate. Aur ho sake toh yeh phen ke aana, I want to see how you would look as my bride." My breath hitched at his note. I know it was so easy having dinner with him but these feelings were still so new, I looked down at the saree and then the note, mom and aunty were still downstairs talking in their room and papa and uncle were outside in the living room. I really wanted to go but I didn't want my parents to have to explain anything to uncle and aunty if I got caught, I closed my eyes trying to make a decision when I heard him knock on the door, "tum pehen ke muje bualu phone karke, I will come here, chat mein hum baad mein mil sakte hai, aur ha don't ever be scared to tell me how you feel again. I would never want you to be uncomfortable, remember hum phele dost hai aur dost hi rahenge, no secrets ok," he said smilng at my dilemma. "Jaldi karna, I will be waiting meri pari," he said whispering in my ear. I smiled and pushed him out trying to control my heartbeats. I was falling more and more in love with him every day, his respect for me had me completely awe struck. When I was a little girl, I always used to dream of falling in love with someone but I never knew it what it would really feel like. I hugged the saree close to me and took in the new feeling to be interrupted by a text
Virat: Stop daydreaming and hurry up, mujhe sona bhi hai and I refuse to sleep without seeing you in the saree.
I stared at the text, what does he have cameras in my room or something, how the heck does he always know what I am thinking. I was interrupted by another text.
Virat: Mera dil tumhara paas hai, you said it yourself so stop overthinking things and please change
I shook my head at his text, he really was my better half, he knew everything about me. I smiled and quickly changed finally accepting these feelings I had for him, I really loved him, and the best part was as awkard as the feelings may be, I knew he would always be there to make me feel better. I quickly fixed the pallu and stared in the mirror as I texted him. I placed a small bindi and fixed my hair one last time. I knew there was no need for me to check how I looked, he had seen me in my worst and best, he accepted me for who I was and that was more important for me, but I still felt so self-conscious.
Manvi: Ready

I took a deep breath and closed my eyes as the door opened. I heard him gasp and my cheeks flushed red as I was filled with these new emotions once again. Friend or lovers, he really made me feel so different, I turned away coyly trying to control my unsteady heartbeats as he held me by my bare waist. "Manvi," he mumbled in my ear pulling back a strand of my hair. That was all it took, I turned around hugging him tight, and smiled at my realization, he was my protection from everything, even my own feelings.
Love: you can try to run and hide from these feelings, but your heart will just lead you right back into his arms.
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