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Hola Peeps!!

I have reached Dubai successfully and completed my 14 days here before I cross the border to AUH by road. But guess what's the twist life has thrown at me?

My husband tested positive for COVID-19 a few days back. So, the wait extended till he tested negative two times and the authorities
permitted him to leave. So I guess I am leaving tomorrow if I test negative. Let's cross our fingers, appreciate my fucked up life and move on! I don't want to delay our update further :)

Thank you for putting up with my messed up schedule and stupid rant :)

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Ashish: We are not going to let Avni know that such discussions have happened.

Neela: Ji. Badi mushkil se kuch fix hua hai. (This has been fixed after so many difficulties). Let's not ruin things for her. Neil will keep her happy. What did Prakash ji say on call?

Ashish(sighed): It was clear that Swetha ji is not interested. But, Neil is holding on. Neil has said that he will marry Avni only. Even I don't know what made him do this. Maybe destiny played its role.

Neela(smiled): It seems like they are made for each other. I may be wrong. But my gut feeling says so.

###### Khanna Mansion ######

Swetha (fuming): You have already proceeded things. You even made your Dad talk to them positively.

Neil(sitting on the sofa and reading a book): Haan to kya galat kiya? (Yes. What wrong have I done?)

Swetha: Neil! She is half muslim. What will people say?

Neil: I don't care. I am sure Avni won't too.

Swetha: Tillu, Why don't you understand?

Neil(looked up from the book): Why don't YOU understand Mom? All these are not important to me. All that matters is Avni and I like her. Bas! I want to get married to her. You already matched the horoscopes too. You asked me to come and meet her to decide things. I did. And when I did, you want something else!

Swetha: I didn't know her background at all Tillu.

Neil: That's not her fault. They have not hidden anything from us too. I don't take it as a reason.

Swetha: BUT I DO.

Neil: Doesn't matter.

Swetha: I don't matter to you Tillu? Avni matters to you more than I?

Neil: Mom. There is no comparison between you two. It's just that she is lovely. She has self respect. Outspoken. Bold. Charming. Educated and Ambitious. I have immense respect for her personality. I don't know much about her. I want to get to know her more. I feel that connection with her. I want you to give me that chance. In front of all these, caste and birth holds no place. Absolutely No!

Swetha(wiped her tears): Fine. You are not going to agree. Neither is your Dad. I can't stay away from your marriage too. Proceed then.

Neil(smiled and thought): You will love her more than me Mom. Usme aapki soch ko badal daalne ki kabiliyit hai.
(She will change your thoughts).

Neil: Mom. Leave that. I am leaving tomorrow. Come on help me in packing.

Swetha(smiled): Now you need me huh?

Neil(side hugged her): I always need you Mom. But I don't need your regressive thoughts.

Swetha sighed and nodded, still not convinced about the whole scenario.

###### Mehta mansion ######

Avni was having her breakfast and suddenly received a notification. She slipped her screen down to the message.

"Hi Avni. Good Morning😊"

"Good morning."

Avni(smiled and texted back): Breakfast?

Neil: Done and reached office.

Avni: When will you come back?

Neil: Hmmmmm!! So impatient..! 😝

Avni: Oh C'mon! 🤷‍♂️

Neil: 🤣 Just kidding.

Avni: No. Seriously. They are planning to get us engaged soon. We need to get to know each other before that.

Neil: Yeah. I may take some days off after the engagement. Before that if I come, I will be trapped in preparations.

Avni: Yeah. That's right. I wanted to connect only after the families are fine with everything.

Neil(got alarmed): What happened with families?

Avni: Nahi yaar. Just routine usual things.

Neil(got relieved): Acha. Are you fine with me?

Avni(laughed): Pata nahi yaar. I felt I didn't need to pretend in front of you. Main jaisi hu waisi hi reh sakti hu. (I can stay the way I am). And I still feel so.

Neil: Are you sure?

Avni: I believe so.

Neil: And if your belief goes wrong, then?

Avni: Why would that happen?

Neil: Na. I just asked simply.

Avni: We cannot plan everything in our life na. Let's take it as it comes.

Neil: I like this attitude of yours.

Avni: Dialogues pe mat jaana!(Don't take my dialogues seriously). I am a certified overthinker :)!

Neil: 🤣🤣Haha! Is it? I have time to see that :)

Avni: Of course you have.

Their banters continued and progressed slowly day by day. Both of them found it easy to talk to each other. No apprehensions. No pretending. Just pure friendship..

###### One fine day ######

Avni: Hey

Neil: Yes Avni..

Avni: Engagement date has come.

Neil: Haan. 20th of May. I am informed. Your Dad had contacted me to check my leaves and all.

Avni: Oh is it! You are fine with the date?

Neil: Yeah. Ramzan is around that time. So in total I will get two weeks leave.

Avni: That's great.

Neil: Nervous?

Avni: Uhmm. I don't know yaar. I just feel so weird. The date is just around two weeks away.

Neil: Do you want me to push the date from my side?

Avni: No..

Neil: I have not even called you once over the phone. We have been chatting only. Is that the problem?

Avni: No. I won't be comfortable and neither will you.

Neil: Why not me?

Avni: You would have rang me up earlier then.

Neil(sighed): Everything takes time. That's okay. Do you have something to tell me?

Avni: Nahi yaar.

Neil: Avni. I know that we don't have that strong bond between us so that you can share everything with me. We are working on that right?

Avni: Hmmm..

Neil: I don't want you to feel as if you are being pushed into this.

Avni: Hmm.

Neil: Are you not comfortable with me?

Avni: Nothing like that.

Neil: Then what is it? You sound so low today. Are you alright? Tabiyat teek hai na? (Your health is fine right?)

Avni: Yeah. Maybe I am just freaking out.

Neil: Yaar. I won't kill your bindass spinster life. I am not that boring. 🙄

Avni(smiled):😋 I haven't thought of that at all Neil. You just gave me another point to ponder on.

Neil: 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️God! You literally are the queen of stressing out. Do one thing.

Avni: Hmm?

Neil: Go and talk to Tara. I don't know you enough to calm you down.

Avni(had tears): It seems like nobody knows me enough to figure me out. Am I that twisted?

Neil(alarmed): Avni. I am calling you right now. I need to talk to you.

Avni's phone started ringing and she went out to the balcony and sat on her swing. She wiped her tears, took some deep breaths and picked up the phone.

Avni(in a muffled up voice): Hello..

Neil(Her broken voice tugged at his heart): Avni.. Kya hua yaar? (What happened?)

Avni(a lone tear escaped from the corner of her eyes): Kuch bhi to nahi (Nothing).

Neil: Ab tum mujhse jhoot bologi? (Will you lie to me now?)

Avni: I am fine. Maybe I am..

Neil: I don't need any 'may be's. I want to know the reason behind your tears.

Avni: Are you watching me?

Neil(smiled): You have my whole fucking heart woman..

Avni broke down into mild sobs which got louder as the time passed. She squeezed her eyes shut and clutched on to her phone tightly. Neil's heart trembled, but still he waited till he let out her pain.

Neil(paused for a minute): Avni.. Baby..

Avni(roughly wiped her tears): M..sorry.

Neil: Kis baat pe?(On what reason?) Do you want me to talk to anyone? Mom? Dad? Aman? Tara?

Avni(broke down): Tara? She doesn't even have time to listen to me.

Neil: Huh?

Avni: I am so stressed out. I have to go for shopping. I have to decide on my outfit, salon and everything. Over the top, I am worried about how I am going to be someone's wife! The entire thought makes me shiver. Will I be a disappointment? Will I feel any love towards you? Will I ever be able to fall in love again?

Neil(The word struck him so hard): Again?

Avni(just realised what she told): I mean..

Neil: Were you earlier in a relationship?

Avni: No.

Neil: Then?

Avni(fumbled): I just loved someone.

Neil: Avni.. It's Okay. What's the big deal? All have their own pasts. You can always share it with me.

Avni: You never asked and I didn't know how to bring this up.

Neil: Is that your problem?

Avni: No.

Neil: Arey Baba. Just tell me what's bothering you.

Avni: Can I tell you about Varun first?

Neil: Yep. Start.

Avni: Varun was my school mate and I had a big time crush for him. I denied accepting it and never let anybody doubt me at all. I was very close to him. We were best friends. I cherished my love for him and never opened up till I joined my college and he joined his.

Neil: Then?

Avni: I told my college roommates about him and they encouraged me to tell him. I used to share everything with him and he was very close to my heart. Any fool would have understood that I felt for him. But when I finally told him that I love him, he told me that he had no idea about that. He also disclosed that he was dating one of my closest friends - which he kept away from me. She was very lean, pretty. And me? The reverse. The whole thing took a toll on my self confidence and I started losing myself. People around me pass jokes like 'How will anyone fall for you?',
'Who will marry you?','You look like a buffalo. Don't sit there. The chair will break.', 'Don't run or jump. That will cause an earthquake' etc. I never took these seriously. But during that time, these started affecting me and I sank to depression.

Neil: Hmm.. Then?

Avni: I decided to lose weight. But over the time I regained it partially which I am trying to reduce now. I came out of all that pricking words and now..

Neil: Now?

Avni: Everybody says that you are too lean and fit looking for me. That I am fat compared to you. Lose your weight if you want to look good with him. He is too good for you. And I am afraid that I am going back to that phase again.

Neil: You can't be serious Avni. Why are you letting these affect you?

Avni: I had thought the same years ago. Still..

Neil realised the gravity of the hurt that all of these had caused her. She is afraid of history repeating itself. She is thinking that Varun was not interested in her cause of her body. And here she was..

Avni: It took me years to get Varun out of my mind. I have never thought of loving anyone after him. I am not sure if I can do too. This worry is already living in me. To add on to this, these bodily remarks are harming me.

Neil: Listen to me Avni. You are much more than your body. Just own it. Also, you should lose your weight to be healthy. Not to satisfy people's comparisons and judgements. Healthy weight loss is always good. Rest everything is its add on advantage. And only if you want it. You had told me you suffered from back pain which reduced with your reducing weight. Hai na?

Avni: Yes.

Neil: That's it. Your health should be your goal and not these stupid things. That is exactly why you gained your weight back. Because you are not doing it for yourself. Remember you had told me about your hatred for Physics? You have marks for the sake of it. But zero knowledge.

Avni: Haan.

Neil: It's the same thing. Just love what you do for the right reasons. And very honestly, I don't think you are fat. I want you to succeed in your goal of reaching your ideal weight. But if you are doing it to be good enough for me, I strongly oppose it. Convinced?

Avni: Haan.

Neil: Sure?

Avni(took a deep breath): Yes. I want to be healthy and fit so that I don't have bodily issues. I would focus on this reason.

Neil: Good. Eat healthy. Eat all that you want in the right way. Do regular workouts. Do it only if you want. If somebody tells you some nonsense about your weight, you have two options. Either ignore them or educate them. I chose you and you chose me. That's it. That should be the end of it. Understood?

Avni: Haan.

Neil: Do I sound like a dominating husband?

Avni(chuckled): Nah.

Neil: Good. Now let's address your other concern about you not falling for me. See. This is not a race. You have loved someone so deeply. You know very well that it just happens. We do not plan it. Still if you have doubts, I will tell you your biggest secret. Bataun? (Shall I say?)

Avni(grew curious): Tell me?

Neil: Promise me that if I prove you wrong a) You will leave all these insecurities behind and b) You will give me something I ask for.
Promise?

Avni(smiled): I promise.

Neil(smiled): Good girl.And you can't be sure that Varun didn't chose you because of your body. He might have really fallen for the other girl. All these misconceptions have been consuming you due to your own insecurities and people's sadistic body shaming remarks. Possible right?

Avni: Yes.

Neil: Right. Weren't you worried about you being not good enough for me? What difference does that make to you even if I feel so? I may feel that you are too fat for me. So what?

Avni: Because in that way I will lose you..

Neil(smiled): This whole thing started from your fear of losing me and my love.

Avni(realised that she has indeed fallen for him): Neil..I..

Neil: Avni you have already given me enough importance baby. Remember you had told me that you don't need to pretend in front of me? My love for you don't need validations or changes. I have accepted you the way you are just like you have done to me.

Avni: Haan. You are right. You already hold a very special place in my life.

Neil: Feeling better?

Avni: Yes. Now what do you want from me?

Neil(giggled): That I will say at the end of the call. Tell me why Tara was caught between this.

Avni: I am always used to sharing my worries with Tara. Since the past week, Kiran is in town and she is busy roaming around with him. This is the time when I need her the most. I have been with her in all her important times. How can she ignore me? She neither calls nor responds to calls. Neither messages nor replies to mine. She almost spends her entire time with him and I don't even exist for her!

Neil: Avni. You are being too possessive about her. You are not wrong. It happens. Think from her perspective. She is in her new phase of life too. They are in love and they rarely get chances to spend time with each other right?

Avni: Does that mean that she can ignore me?

Neil: Not at all Avni. But you need to understand her too. She would be badly caught between you and Kiran. You have known her since years. You know how much she loves you. I know that too. And you have me. Kabhi bhi kuch bhi bolo..(Tell me anything, anytime). I am all ears.

Avni: Hmm..

Neil: Just talk it out to her. Ask her to give some attention to you. Also tell her that you understand her situation too. Don't just blame her. Okay?

Avni: Hmm.

Neil: So we solved everything. Where are you now?

Avni: On my swing. In my balcony.

Neil: Okay. Now wipe that big teardrop ready to jump out from your eyes. Meri Avni rothi nahi hai(My Avni does not cry)

Avni(repeated slowly): Meri Avni.. (My Avni)

Neil: Meri nahi ho tum? (Are you not mine?)

Avni: Aap hi ki hu bhaisaab..(I am yours only brother)

Neil: Bhai math bulana please! (Don't call me brother please)

Avni(laughed): Hahaha! Neil hi bulaungi.. (I will call you Neil only)

Neil(huskily):Your laughter is addictive..

Avni(huskily): Addiction can ruin your health..

Neil(in a whispering voice): Manzoor hai.. (I am ready)

Avni(blushing): Neil..

Neil: Yeah..

Avni: Thank you.

Neil: Mention not ji.

Avni: Your return gift?

Neil: I had thought to ask for something. But eventually I realised that you being cheerful is my precious gift. I got that already. Now what are you going to do?

Avni: I will clear things with Tara.

Neil: That's like my girl. I will text you tomorrow morning. We'll build on our comfort to call. There is no written rule that you should talk till morning with your fiance. Just remember that I am always a word away. Okay?

Avni(sighed): Yes.

Neil: Avni..

Avni: Hmm..

Neil: Chodke nahi jaogi na? (You won't leave me right?)

Avni closed her eyes and all that she could see was Neil's face, all what she could hear was his voice and all that she could understand was that she had started falling for him. She was ready to fall harder. She was going to love him even more. She slowly opened her eyes and whispered.

"Akhiri saans tak nahi..."

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I know it's a late yet long update!

This chapter is to build the foundation of their relationship. Emotional connect is one hell of a way to each other's heart.

Ignore the mistakes if any. Or else even better, please point out. I think I detailed it too much. But still, I hope I did justice. Give me your honest feed back please. We are going to make this long distance love story bloom!

Chalo!!!

Love and love only..❤
Megha