There he stood, akash, without a care in the world.
Everyone present there was looking at him trying to catch his reaction but the groom again proved that he is best at keeping his emotionless expression.

Everyone was talking.

Akash's father explained to them that the bride went missing only on this morning.
The family of the girl is trying everything to get a trace on her.
It was morning when the girl's mother went searching for her she saw that her daughter was missing.

No letter , nothing .the bride left just like that.

Humiliation and family name was something that rich people care about.

Our groom's family was no less,everyone was talking about what to do .how to save family name.
The wedding should happen no matter what.

Sarini wanted her family name to be saved.she doesn't want to be humiliated infront of all these people.

"No matter what I want this marriage to happen" it was Sarini who stated that.

"And you want me to marry myself"akash was no less.

"I don't know akash I want the family name to be saved"

"Look grandma I was not at all interested in this whole marriage thing , it was for you and my mother that I agreed to all this drama, now that the bride went missing what the hell do you want me to do"akash stated calmly, and that very own calmness was what was scaring the others.

Akash was too calm.

A calmness that can turn to dangerous storm any second.

No one really thought about akash and his humiliation.

He was the groom for god sake.

There was silence when akash finished his talking.

It was Aranya's mother Arpita who spoke next.

"I mean he does have cousins he could marry, through this we can have our family name saved and also our girl child would be safe in front of our eyes ,within the family."the woman was clearly indicating towards her daughter.only and only her daughter.

Everyone was aware of it.
It was a golden chance for Arpita,she wanted Aranya to marry anyone of akash or ahaan , both of them are well settled and a partner of sanjeevani.
Sanjeevani,which was her life goal.

Aranya was shocked and she showed it too.

She wanted ahaan , not akash.

Akash was a no nonsense guy,sure both ahaan and akash are hot and god damn best at everything they do ,but something about ahaan have always kept her diverting her mind to him.

But if situation want, then sure she can change her crush.Atleast her mother would get peace and Akash was no less.

"If it's Aranya you are thinking then it's a big no from me"akash made his point clear.his tone was something that made sure no questions was asked again.

Again akash is scary and now he is deadly calm,so no one dared to speak about Aranya again.

Sarini wanted to say something but she didn't.

The pandit was looking at Sarini and nodded,Sarini got was he was intending at.

"Ok what about adya or avni, they too are your cousins"Sarini said.

She clearly wanted to say avni but added adya too.

"Only if they are okay with it too"Sarini added hurriedly.

Hearing adya's name got ahaan to feeling uneasy.

He cannot name the feeling but clearly he doesn't want that particular cousin of his to marry akash.

He was thinking million ways to try to take adya's name out of it.

But akash beat him to it and spoke first.

"I cannot and i haven't thought of adya like that,she is always a cousin to me nothing more nothing less"akash finished.

This statement of akash made Sarini hopeful.

"Then what about avni"Sarini asked again.

Akash was silent.

Really silent.

He cannot say a direct no to that, no matter what he says to himself but avni's name always had his attention.

He have never ever thought of avni as a sister.never ever.

He looked at avni.

She seemed nervous.

"Only if she want to" Akash's reply shocked and surprised many.

So it was a not a no, Sarini can breathe now.The next goal was to get avni's opinion.

No matter how desperately she wanted to save the family name,but she will never compel her grandkids to marriage.

She even didn't pressure akash too into the marriage.

Akash was practical so he agreed to the arrange marriage but not whole heartedly it seems.

She turned to avni,the poor girl seemed more nervous.
Avni was the most childish of her grandkids but may be that is because she is the most youngest.
But she have never seen her this nervous,not even when she checked her neet results.And that itself is saying a lot.

"Avni"she called.

Avni don't know how things changed so sudden, the bride missing to now the new supposed bride which apparently is her.

But what shocked her was Akash's reply.
His reply to her other cousins was a direct,no questions asked , simple two letter word NO.

but now what happen to his "no".

She do not know what to answer.

And why the hell is everyone looking at her.

She need to think.

Because it was akash.

If it was any one else it would have been a no from her too, but here the name is Akash.

And she do have a soft spot for this particular cousin of her.She always looked upto akash,he was her idol.

And maybe a tiny teeny crush too.

Only maybe.

But now it's marriage.

A huge decision of her life.

Her life is going to take a huge turn.

She looked at akash.

And damn , he was looking at her.

Directly at her, straight into her fucking soul.

Was she a open book for him to read, because now she really felt so.

And how can she say a NO when he was looking at her like that.

Damn his eyes.

How she wish even she have the courage to look at him like that.

With the single look from akash she got her heart beat increasing.A feeling of fullness.

No one had such power on her but this cousin of her sure have, if not proven earlier it sure did prove now.

Hence Proved.

Only Akash Nanda have the power and dare.

And just like that , she announced her opinion.

"Yes".A simple three letter word . Which every one knew what for.

It's a yes from avni to the marriage.

Avni is okay to marry Akash.

Akash released the breathe that he even didnt realise he was holding.

He was happy.

He was very happy that it was a yes from her.

But did he react on it, again a simple no.

He simply looked at her and nodded.

As if sealing a deal.

Sarini was happy. The marriage is happening just according.

It was meant to be.

And it is happening.

And let's not forget that the marriage rituals was actually completed by the meant to be couple.

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So here we have our bride and groom.
Avni and Akash.

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--A--