Badtameez One Shots : Wedding Blues Page 5 - Page 4

When he knocks on her window, she's all decked up in gold and glitter, standing in front of her mirror, just staring at her reflection like she has been for the past hour. There is just one thought in her head: how am I going to nail that interview on Monday? She remonstrates herself a million times saying It's your wedding, fool, concentrate but the girl who set out to do something big in life can't stop and won't stop.

He taps his fingers on the glass again and she is broken out of her reverie. Their eyes meet and she instantly opens the window, letting him in.

"What are you doing here?" she asks, puzzled as she gives way for him to plant himself on the bed.

"I love the fact that you're not questioning my window-entering antics."

"I'm not surprised anymore, what are you doing here?" she repeats herself.

"I need to talk to you-"

"-and you can do that in an hour when I come for the sangeet, Abeer. Seriously, what's going on?" she asks furiously.

"Listen," he brings her gently closer to him, locking his fingers with hers. "This may sound impulsive, and it is, but it's the right thing to do. I'm setting you free." He looks down, dejected by his own words.

Meher utters the only syllable echoing in her brain, "Huh?"

"I realized I might have forced you into this marriage, and you'll never be happy with something you were forced into, just like I wouldn't be happy doing my dad's business. Just now, I saw your face - you don't want this, and I don't want anything for you that you don't want for yourself, so you can cancel it now, and I won't mind. Seriously I won't. We can still be together, or we cannot, anything- I've literally blackmailed you into marrying me, I'm sure you don't want to be with someone like that...anyways, let's not rush into anything, Oh god-I'm a f**king fool-I'm going to lose the only good thing- "

"Abeer, shut up."

That effectively silences him, like always.

"You're mad." but she's grinning at him.

"I am." he's rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, still anxious for her answer.

"You should go. I have to leave in half an hour." she says, flopping on the bed, throwing caution to the wind. God, does it feel good to sit down. "I'm getting married."

"You're getting married tomorrow, and you don't have to." he says as she tilts her head onto his shoulder, rejoicing in how perfectly it fits in the crook of his neck.

"True, I don't have to," she says, closing her eyes, "but I want to."

She can feel him grinning as he says, "You do?"

"You're stuck with me forever, man." she looks up at him and she doesn't know what he sees in her- goddammit he's perfect, and it makes her heart skip everytime she's reminded that he is all hers. "I mean, I was a little skeptical at first-"

"Oh please, a little skeptical? I stood 3 days outside your house-"

"-yes, I know, don't start again," she pouts. Shouldn't have put him through that, your heart was ready the minute he asked. "Anyways, I was more than a little skeptical, but you're an expert in convincing people, aren't you? I know I said we're young and dumb' and all that jazz, but...I don't know, this feels right, and something that feels so right-"

"-can't be wrong, I know. But you shouldn't marry someone just because he convinced you. You make me sound like a criminal." He turns away from her. So stubborn.

"I'm not," she protests fervently. "I'm marrying him because I love him, and if he doesn't know that maybe he shouldn't be marrying me too!" she pants, realizing she's been screaming. Why do we always end up in a screaming match?

"He knows it, he just doesn't want to do something silly and lose you!" he screams back.

"Abeer, I would run away with you now if you asked me." she says with conviction.

His shoulders relax instantly. "Don't worry, I won't make you do that, you'll lose your shit." They both chuckle.

"Really?" she asks, disappointed. Over the past month, the idea of eloping has become very tempting. It's efficient, cost-friendly and romantic, and that ticks all her boxes.

"You want to?" he winks.

"I don't mind." she shrugs and winks back, trying to act nonchalant as he bites his lip. Your lipstick will be ruined, Meher.

"You want to kiss me, don't you?" why does he know me so well? and why am I so pathetic at hiding my emotions?

"Shut up," she says, pushing him off her bed and towards the window. "Now if you're done talking, can you leave?"

"As if I have a choice," he mumbles, swinging his feet outside the window. She suppresses the urge to drag him back in and snog him senseless. "You're sure, then?"

She sighs. "Absolutely," she leans in and whispers, and tells herself screw the lipstick as she quickly touches his lips with hers before shutting the door on his face. He looks foolishly thrilled and almost skips his way out of the garden, into the darkness, and she finds herself wondering why she had ever been unsure of marrying this 12 year old goof.