FF|All the Wrong Moves in All the Right Ways I - Page 29

Prem stood there stunned as the sentence "I'm engaged," echoed through his head. He fumbled for words, "H-how...wh-when..." He looked at Heer her face now streaming with tears.

She held up her left hand, "Didn't you even notice this?"

Prem just shook his head staring at the gold flower ring on her ring finger. "I just thought it was a normal ring," he answered. He continued to look on in disbelief. "Is that what you were doing in Delhi?" he muttered.

"I went with my Uncle Balwant and visited the boy's family. The engagement happened a few days after we came back," she explained. "It was a small ceremony only immediate family. No one else knows about it...it hasn't been officially announced yet.

"Who is he?" Prem asked.

Heer looked at him through her watery eyes, "He's the son of one of Papa's business partners."

"Do you love him?" he asked even though he was afraid of hearing the answer.

"Does it really matter?" Heer replied. The pain that she was feeling was reflecting in Prem's eyes she looked down unable to meet his gaze any longer. Everything was turning fuzzy in her head and her throat was starting to form a hard lump. She fidgeted uncomfortably wanting to end the dreadful conversation unfolding before them.

"Of course it matters," Prem forcefully insisted. "Why would you agree to get engaged with someone you don't love? Didn't you say you would marry for love? What happened to waiting for your other half?"

"Maybe he will be that," Heer meekly said.

Prem's eyes widen, "Through an arranged marriage?"

"And what's wrong with that?" she replied unconvincingly.

"I know you don't want this," Prem said stepping closer to her. "Are you really going to let other people dictate your life?"

Heer stepped back afraid of being too close to Prem. Her senses were reeling and the ache in her heart was almost unbearable. She never thought this would be happening to them. "What else can I do?" she replied in frustration. "Papa wants to see me married before anything else happens to him. It's a wish I can't deny him."

"Yes you can. You can say no to him. If you're not happy with it than just give the ring back...call it off..." Prem impulsively suggested. He couldn't believe what he was hearing from Heer. The girl who believed whole heartedly in finding true love was now compromising what she believed in for the sake of a death wish.

Heer looked sternly at him, "Do you realize how ridiculous you sound?! It's not that simple."

"Yes, it is," he desperately replied.

"I can't just do that. You make is sound like my Dad is making a bad decision...that I shouldn't trust his judgment."

"Maybe you shouldn't," Prem angrily spoke. "Why would he put you in this position if he loved you?"

"How can you say that? You would do the same thing if you were in this position. I know how much you respect your parent's judgment and you would do anything for them. Don't you dare stand there and tell me you would do any different! We both love our parents and trust them to guide us," Heer replied furiously. "If I tell him no, what kind of daughter would I be?"

"But you don't love him! If anything your Dad would understand that," Prem reasoned.

"He's so happy about it. It would shatter him if I said no now. It's too late anyways the rings have been exchanged. Besides, the guy comes from a good family. Papa just wants to make sure I'm taken care of...that if he goes I'll be all right," Heer explained her voice quivering.

Prem eyed her, "Would you really?"

"You can always learn to love," she said and made a downward glance. "If this is my fate then I have no choice to but to accept it," she paused and half heartedly remarked, "Maybe he's my other half.

"Or maybe your other half was too busy being stupid that he didn't realize what he had in front of him all this time," Prem replied. Taken aback by his comment, Heer looked up and immediately locked into Prem's intense stare. "Don't give up on him. Why are you trying so hard to convince yourself of this decision when you know it's wrong? Stop lying and being stupid."

Heer blinked as fresh tears began to pour down her face, "Don't you dare judge me, Prem. You don't know me." Prem's face softened in alarm realizing he had perhaps gone too far. He reached out his hand in an effort to apologize and try to comfort her. She pushed his hand away and ran up the stairs slamming her bedroom door shut. Prem stood there alone in the living room staring up at the stairway regretful for what had just happened.

Gayatri stood in the master bedroom shaking her head listening to what her husband was saying to her. "This is wrong, Lalit. This is wrong," she insisted.

Lalit sighed, "What can I do? What has been done has been done. I came too late. I was furious that he didn't let me know about it...me, his best friend and he didn't have the courtesy to tell me about what was going on. He explained everything was spur of the moment. Teji confirms that it happened very fast and that only immediate family knew."

"But Lalit," Gayatri interrupted.

"I know, I know," he cut in trying to calm his wife down. "At least he's thinking about coming to Canada to finish his cancer treatments here. That's one thing I could do. And Teji will come too so you and her can gossip and talk all you want," he said. "That's some good news, right? I know you are smiling about that right now."

Gayatri tried to wipe the small smile that had crept up on her face after hearing the possible news of Teji and Balraaj coming to Canada. "I'm in no mood right now. I'll talk to you later about this. I think I just heard Prem come home."

"Bye dear," Lalit said sweetly. He furrowed his eyebrows when he realized the silence on the other end. "Hello? Gayatri?" Lalit pulled the phone from his ear and looked at it. "She hung up on me?" He sighed and put the phone back down on the receiver. "Women," he said shaking his head.

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"This can't be happening! No, I won't stand for this! Absolutely not! No way!" Preet shouted as he paced back and forth in his bedroom. Meher bit her lower lip in concern and surprise that he was taking the news this hard. "No one else will do," he continued to rant. He slumped down on the end of the bed his hands still pointing in anger, "No, this cannot happen. I won't allow it!"

Meher sat next to him on the bed and gently rubbed his back, "Preet, calm down."

"She's kind, generous, intelligent, beautiful, a good cook, has a sense of humor...she's perfect! I will do everything in my power to get her back!" Preet exclaimed.

"You're lucky I know you are talking about my sister otherwise I'd be upset," Meher replied.

Preet glanced at her sheepishly, "Sorry Meher."

"No, I understand," she sighed. "I don't like this either. I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner it's just Heer Didi made me promise not to say anything. You don't know how hard it was for me. I wanted to tell you so many times."

Preet shook his head, "We can't allow this to continue any further. We have to do something about it. We can't allow them to be separated just when they are finally having feelings for each other." He turned to Meher and in a serious tone, "What do you know about this guy?"

"I really don't know that much about him. Other than he's the son of one of the business partners that Papa works with. He's been going to school in London. His father apparently helped Papa out a lot over these years," Meher said. "I've only meet him once and that was the day of the engagement."

"What did you think about him?" Preet probed.

She shrugged her shoulders, "He seemed nice enough."

Preet scowled, "You are suppose to say he was ugly or stupid...that you didn't get a good vibe from him and he's a complete scoundrel!"

Meher looked at him slightly taken aback by his forcefulness. "Um, okay he's stupid and ugly and a real jerk," she complied. "Happy now?"

"Very much so," Preet smiled. "So, what's his name?" Their conversation was interrupted when they heard someone racing up the stairs. Preet and Meher both looked at each other and without a word opened the door and stared down the hallway towards Prem's room. They both quickly ducked their heads back into the room when they heard Prem's bedroom door open again. They saw Prem carrying his backpack as he rushed passed them. His eyes were moist; a drain expression etched on his face. Meher and Preet gave knowing glances at each other. "He knows," Preet whispered.

Meher sorrowfully agreed, "He looks so hurt."

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Prem ran down the stairs as fast as his legs would take him. He had to get out and get away from it all. He jerkily stopped when he heard his mother calling his name. He tired to compose himself as he turned around to greet her. "Haa, Ma?"

"Beta, where are you going?" she asked carefully looking over her son.

"I've got some studying to do. I was going to go to the library," he replied. "I'll be home late. I'll grab something to eat outside."

Gayatri could tell from his eyes that he was going through something. There was an unknown sorrow in his eyes that was hard to ignore. She gave a gentle nod of her head, "Okay, but don't stay out too late."

"Haa, Ma," he replied and turned to leave.

"Prem," she said. He stopped short his back still facing her. "Don't give up. Things will work themselves out the way they should be."

Prem blinked back a tear not quiet sure why his mother was giving him such advice all of a sudden. "I won't," he said his voice quivering slightly.

Gayatri watched her son's retreating figure as he left the house. She sighed at the current situation that things had come to. She had known for awhile what was going on between her eldest son and the eldest Maan daughter. She figured something would eventually grow between them because of the way they had looked at each other from the very beginning. Her suspicions where confirmed the day she was cooking some of Prem's favorite dishes. Heer who normally helped in the kitchen was even more eager to learn and get a copy of the recipes. She had asked so many questions that day that it was obvious what her intentions were. But her poor son was a little slow in realizing what was happening in front of him. It was only during Winter break did she see the change in Prem. One fateful afternoon she had caught him staring out the window in deep thought and through skillful and motherly probing did her son finally confess to her that he was in love. Who she was he never devulaged but Gayatri already knew who he was speaking of. Gayatri prayed that Prem would confess his feelings soon but by some cruel twist of fate it seemed that he would have to fight for his love; his journey only now beginning. "I know Beta, you've found your other half in Heer," she said to herself. "Ma will do what she can to help. The rest is up to God and your kismet."

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Prem aimlessly drove around in his car. He had the intention of going to the library but chided himself for being foolish that he could even study in the current condition he was in; his thoughts where only of Heer and her engagement. Eventually Prem found that he had automatically driven to one of the hiking trails that he often visited. He got out of the car and hiked his way half way through the trail before veering from the path into a secluded spot he had found. He collapsed onto the snow covered floor and stared up into the sky. It was dusk now. Prem could feel the temperature began to drop as the sun slowly set. He didn't care as he dug his fingers into the hard ground trying desperately to feel the chill in the attempts to stop the ache he felt in his heart. He silently cursed himself for waiting too long to confess his feelings. "You're so stupid, Prem," he berated out loud. "Why did you take so long? Why did you have to wait? If you had said it sooner none of this would have happened!"

Prem felt the wetness on his cheeks turn icy. The contact of his warm tears against the cold winter temperature was causing them to turn cold and ice like. He felt the urge to let his pain out through his voice. He shouted with all his might; a gruff and tormented yell, "HEER!" His voice echoed into the forest as her name danced through his ears. He closed his eyes as fresh tears rolled down his cheeks. He felt slightly better but his heart still had that unknowing ache. He sighed to himself as he realized his fingers had gone numb. He flexed them and put his gloves on to warm them up. He continued to lay there starring into the dark night sky massaging his hands. He blew his breath out in front of him watching as the mist of air floated outward; then without warning he felt little soft droplets falling on his face. It was snowing.

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The house was in pitch black darkness as Meher fumbled to find the key hole to unlock the door. When she opened the door the still silence within was unnerving to her. She switched the lights on in the living room and stairway breathing in a gentle warmness into the house. She took a deep breath and climbed the stairs to check in on her sister; as expected Heer's room was in darkness. "Heer Didi?" she cautiously knocked. She heard a muffled response and entered.

Heer switched on the lamp on her night stand and stretched her arms playing it off that she had taken a nap. She yawned and looked at Meher, "What time is it? Must have fallen asleep."

Meher shook her head disapprovingly, "You were crying again weren't you?"

"No," Heer shortly replied.

"Don't lie to me," Meher responded. "That's all you've been doing since we've gotten back. I live in this house too you know. You can't hide these things from me so don't even try. Besides your eyes are all red and puffy."

Heer looked down as if she had just received a reprimand from her mother. Meher came over and gave her sister a hug. "I know he knows now," she simply stated. Heer tried with all her might not to let the tears roll down her face but they escaped liked they always did. Meher patted her back trying to sooth her pain away.

"Meher, I don't know what to do anymore," she whimpered. "Can I avoid him for the rest of my life?"

"Don't do something silly," Meher replied. "Why are you running away from this when you know what Papa is doing is wrong?"

Heer broke from the hug, "Meher, how many times do we have to go through this?"

"Because I still don't understand why," she said.

"It's not like I like it either," Heer answered.

"Well, then if you don't like it then just give the ring back," she advised.

"Not you too?" Heer said. "That's what Prem said to do."

"Well, he's got a point," Meher defended.

"I can't go against Papa, not after I've promised him. I've already made the commitment I can't just un-commit like that," Heer explained. "We don't know how many more days he still has with us. If I can give Papa his happiness by seeing me get married to the man of his choice then I have no other option."

"I love Papa, but this is just wrong," Meher said shaking her head. "Maybe I'm too naive about these things because of my age but I can't help but think this is just wrong." Heer remained silent at her sister's comments. "Well, you haven't eaten yet, right?" Meher sighed realzing it was no use to continue on the topic any longer. "I'll go heat you up some food," and left the room.

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Prem sat hunched over on the concrete table feeling depressed. He was barely sleeping at night his mind refusing to let him rest in peace. He glanced up as Kunal approached with a worried grin. "Why are you sitting out here in the cold?" he asked.

He shrugged his shoulders, "Just felt like it."

Kunal furrowed his eyebrows, "You've been acting weird this entire week. What's bugging you?"

"Nothing really," he replied. "Just been thinking about stuff. You know work...life in general."

"Parents already getting on you about what you will be doing once you graduate?" Kunal mused. Prem just titled his head slightly in a half hearted response. "You know what you need? A nice long workout...come on, let's go to the gym."

"You know lately you've been going on this workout kick. What's up with that?" Prem asked and then gave a sly grin, "Does this have anything to do with---"

"No," Kunal frowned cutting in. "But I figure I should at least look good...be in shape cause you never know. Plus," he grinned, "you see some nice looking girls at the gym. So if love finds me first before matchmaking...it's all good."

Prem chuckled slightly and then spotted Heer in the distance walking towards them with a group. His demeanor quickly changed. Unaware, Kunal eagerly waved at Heer instructing her to come over. Heer glanced at Prem who just stared back without any expression. Kunal was so animated in his gesturing that Heer couldn't pretend that she hadn't seen him. Just as Heer approached, Sanjana came from around the other corner. "So who wants to go off campus for lunch?" she cheerily asked. "Just found out my next class is canceled cause the professor had a family emergency."

Prem immediately stood up, "I'll come with you." He glanced at Heer in a rather defiant manner.

Sanjana grinned happily at her good fortune and gently placed her hand on his upper arm in a friendly manner, "That's great!" Heer felt herself instinctively become jealous. She gave a glare at Sanjana's actions but then quickly looked away telling herself that she did not have the right to act that way about Prem. She had to harden her heart and forget him. For his part Prem just silently watched Heer's reaction his eyes never leaving her face.

"Sorry I already ate. I'm actually heading to the gym," Kunal replied frowning.

"I have a class, so I can't go either," Heer informed.

"Oh, well maybe next time," Sanjana replied secretly happy that they had other plans. She then softly pushed Prem into the opposite direction, "Well, see you guys around!"

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Heer sighed in relief as her class finally came to an end. She massaged her shoulders tired from the long day at school. She couldn't wait to get home and take a nice long hot shower. She wrapped her yellow scarf around her neck and put on her black winter coat. As she exited the building she felt someone grab her wrist. She turned facing the person and gasped.

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Gasp! What is going to happen next? 😲

Pre-Cap:

Chapter 24: Risk and Consequences

Who is taking the risk? What unforeseen consequences are going to occur?

See you guys on Sunday to find out 😉

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---Grace

Grace, this was a very intense and sad chapter. I loved it.