Author's POV

“Aaroooohhhiii!!” Zoya shouted in her best friend's ears who was busy in going through her dresses.

“Whaaaattt?!!” Aarohi asked back in the same manner.

“I don't feel well….” 

Aarohi instantly turned to Zoya and looked at her worriedly.

“What is it? Is your head aching or something else? I-” 

“Aaru!! I meant it by all of these preparations…” Zoya told her, stopping her unnecessary worrying session.

“What do you mean by all preparations?” Aarohi asked cupping her waist in an intimidating manner.

Zoya rolled her eyes and slumped on her bed with a foul face.

“Aren't we rushing it all?” Zoya finally asked what was bothering her from inside.

“No… I don't think so…” Aarohi answered nonchalantly and again started to go through Zoya's dresses.

By the end of the November, everyone in Aditya and Zoya's close circle knew that they aren't just friends. Families like every desi family decided to get them married. After consulting a priest, it was concluded that either they should get married this month, that is in December or forget about marriage for three years. 

Zoya had no problem at start but now she was getting all nervous and jittery. How come Aarohi was so calm?

“How were you maintaining your cool during your engagement?” Zoya asked, lying comfortably on bed. 

“I didn't had to. I was all fine.” 

“How?!” Zoya was completely into knowing Aarohi's secret.

“Amm..  how to explain it…” Aarohi said, thinking.

Zoya waited patiently for her to answer. 

“See… I never had any boyfriend. So, I was sure about an arranged marriage. Then abhi joined the hospital. Slowly we became friends. Then he turned to be the chosen one.” 

“Chosen one? Again Harry Potter?” Zoya asked, making a tired face.

She had enough of her obsession over Harry Potter.

“I meant, the alliance that got fixed was his. Meaning, my family selected him. And me? Ofcourse, I was kind of awkward at start but he was familiar. So, the awkwardness left early.” 

Zoya nodded and yawned, listening to her story. 

“I was saying that everything was in flow. Like… Amm… Perfect…” 

“Just like you want.” Zoya muttered.

“Did you say something?” Aarohi asked looking at her in suspicion.

“Nope. No. Nada!” 

Aarohi first looked at her suspiciously and then let out a breath, buying her answer.

“Come on. Let's go downstairs. Aditya, his parents and Arjun will be arriving soon.” 

Hearing that, exhaustion was all over Zoya's face. From that day till now, she isn't able to figure out a single topic to talk with Aditya. It is him who initiate the conversation. 

And after this date fixing, she is being all nervous and jittery. All the teasing sessions from her cousins serves as the cherry on top. Her cousins as in Masso and Massi's two sons and a daughter. They with their spouses. 

“Shopping for your engagement! Wow!” Aarohi jumped with excitement rushing in her body.

“Do you have any idea about what you want to wear?” Aarohi asked excitedly sitting in front of her.

She shook her with a neutral face. 

“As in, any priority or anything you want in particular. Like colour, design…” Aarohi again tried her luck thinking Zoya didn't get her question.

Zoya again shook her head with the same poker face. Of course! How will she get time to think about all this when she is busy overthinking.

Aarohi looked at her in disbelief and kind of glared at her.

“You are the first girl who haven't given a single thought about this when the engagement is so close!!” 

Zoya sighed on Aarohi's scolding. 

“As we are going shopping today, we will decide all of it there only. Alterations and exchange can be done later too.” Aarohi said with finality while Zoya didn't react to it.

“Gosh! You are being so depressive! Look!” Aarohi grabbed her attention. Finally Zoya looked at Aarohi.

“You love Adi. Adi loves you. No one disagrees with this. Everyone is happy. Everything is fine and will be fine. Stop giving unnecessary pain to your brain by overthinking. Go with the flow.” Aarohi calmly assured her and she nodded slightly convinced.

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Every person of the family walked in the mall chit chattering. While Aditya and Zoya trailed behind. Aditya was smiling and Zoya was lost in her thinking. 

“Zoya!!” Aarohi called her which took her attention.

“Huh?”

“Come..!” Aarohi caught hold of her wrist and dragged her with herself. 

Aditya followed both the girls smiling. He was happy seeing everyone happy. He felt content and at peace thinking about Zoya. Never he could have thought about all of this. Getting married and that to her. 

Aarohi and Zoya entered a cloth shop which was different from where Zoya's aunt and Aditya's mother went to. Aarohi asked the salesgirl to show the dresses accordingly.

Zoya again went back to her thinking session which Aditya noticed. He noticed it before too but now it bothered him. Is she fine? Is something wrong?

Aarohi's mobile rang and she went in a corner to attend it. Taking advantage of the opportunity, he pulled Zoya out of the shop in the secluded area. He wanted to know why her mood was dull.

Zoya's back hit the wall and crease lines appeared on her forehead. Why did he brought her here? 

“Why your mood is so off? Something happened?” He asked placing his palms on the wall, either side of her face.

Proximity between them made her heart beat crazily against her rib cage.

“Nothing… Nothing happened…” She tried to answer composing herself.

Can't he stand at a two feet distance from her? 

“Then. Why your mood is off?” 

“It's…” She stopped. 

What if he takes it otherwise? 

He nodded, urging her to continue. 

He won't. He is an understanding man. 

“It's just… Are we rushing all this?” She finally asked.

“You mean… Marriage?” She nodded in confirmation.

“Yeah… Like, are we ready to get committed?” She spoke out her insecurity. 

Her question made him smile.

“Zoya… Married now or married three years later, won't change anything. I was committed to you the minute I proposed you. If I wouldn't have been sure of being committed, I wouldn't have asked you to marry me.” 

“I too am committed to you. There is no doubt in that.” Listening him, made her say this.

“Then?” 

“Amm… I don't know!” She pouted in a confused state.

She herself wasn't able to understand what was bothering her. That made him chuckle.

“Zoya… If you feel like getting married three years later is the right decision for you, then, I have no problem.” Her eyes widened hearing him say this.

Three years. Won't it be too long? She meant like few more months or something. But yeah… Families won't agree. There is no auspicious date in between.

“You want me to talk to my parents?” He asked. He was completely invested into helping her out.

Zoya blinked her eyes few times looking at him. What is this man? Aren't three years anything for him?

“Zoya…?” 

“Am… No! No three years later!” She said with finality. He looked at her, smiling amusingly.

“Now you fine Dr. Psycho?” He asked raising his brows with a lopsided smile.

Her lips curved up in a shy smile, “Yes, I am.” 

“Ahem! Ahem!” 

The light yet significant coughing from behind startled the couple. She lightly pushed him, while mostly he stepped back, turning slightly.

It was Aarohi.

“Guys…. Atleast leave the mall. I understand that you both would love some try room romance or the one in elevator. But do that when only you two come for shopping.”

Hearing Aarohi, Zoya turned cherry red and sent her a silent glare which was ignored.

Aditya's ears turned light pink hearing Aarohi. But her idea isn't wrong, or is it? Shaking his head, he walked away from both of them. Aarohi giggled and Zoya slapped her arm walking near her. 

“Shameless you are!” Zoya commented, lightly gritting her teeth.

“Then what should I call you both after witnessing this?” She asked, quirking her eyebrows with a teasing smile intact on her face.

Zoya gaped at her question and shushed her. 

“Shameless?” She asked with mock thinking expression.

“Or desperate?” 

Zoya sighed in exasperation and walked towards the clothing house leaving Aarohi there itself. Zoya's reaction made her giggle. She clapped her hand once and followed Zoya.

Wedding shopping will be a memorable day for sure.

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Shopping took almost whole day. Completely tired, everyone gathered in Hooda house on Mrs. Hooda's insistence. Arjun ordered dinner for everyone accordingly, so they all can relax a bit.

Elder's were talking on their own with Zoya's cousins actively participating in the conversation. Rest of all sat silent, tired and bored. 

“We will also get married like this, I guess…” Arjun spoke out of nowhere, thinking.

Noor, who was sitting beside him, scrolling through her mobile, got stiff hearing him. 

Aarohi who was sitting in front of Noor with Aditya, pursed her lips, trying not to smile. While Aditya smiled wide at them.

Zoya didn't hear anything despite sitting beside Arjun because she had her earphones plugged in. 

“Anyone want coffee? I am going to make some for myself…” Noor asked the group standing up.

Three of them denied but Arjun stood up following her suit.

“I will help you…” He spoke with a grin.

Aarohi's cheeks got puffed up in her urge to hold back her laugh. Aditya gulped back his chuckle, clearing his throat. Noor rolled her eyes at all of them and marched towards the kitchen with Arjun on her tail. 

“Aditya…” Aarohi nudged him by her elbow catching his attention.

“Ha?” 

“Why don't you steal some moments with Zoya now? You understand what I am saying, right?” 

For second he stared at her completely clueless but then nodded.

“Good… Yo-” Before Aarohi could continue, they saw Zoya unplugging her earphones.

“So… What you guys were talking about?” Zoya chipped in.

“I was…” Aditya started and glanced at Aarohi. 

She leaned back on the sofa, relaxing.

“Ahem… I was saying that today weather is too good. Wanna go up on the terrace?” Aditya completed.

He knew about Zoya's liking for the Hooda house terrace.

“Sure…!” Zoya agreed with a wide smile and then glanced at Aarohi.

“You not coming?” 

“Nah… I am too tired… I will chat with Abhi… You two go…” Aarohi spoke lazily and then buried herself in the mobile.

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“Shhh…” Zoya shivered as cold wind blowed and rubbed her palms.

“Here…” She heard Aditya and turned her head towards him, only to find him forwarding her, her shawl.

“Thanks… I forgot it downstairs only…” She spoke as she wrapped it around herself.

He shook his head smiling.

A silent atmosphere was created when they both didn't speak anything but just looked out from the terrace.

“Zoya… What are you thinking?” He asked finally starting a conversation.

He had a feeling that their mall conversation wasn't enough to assure her. And that was proved right when she didn't say anything to start the conversation.

“I am thinking about…. ” She stopped.

He turned his face towards her as she just kept looking out.

“I am thinking about how will I be to manage everything. Like.. I know everyone likes me. And they have expectations from me too. But… I know I won't be able to reach upto every single expectation. And I know it's natural. No one can. But… Thinking this very much makes me nervous…” She went on rambling about her insecurities.

“Hey hey Zoya…” He calmed her down, calling her in a whisper.

He turned her towards himself by holding her shoulders gently.

“Hey… It's okay to be nervous… Even I am. And everyone who gets married, maybe, have this feeling. Because you know it's natural…” He repeated her line, trying to explain her in her language. 

She kept looking at him, hearing him attentively. Yet crease lines were there on her forehead.

“And maybe because it's your first time marrying…” He joked with a teasing face.

She showed him her big, round eyes, hinting him to stay serious. He chuckled and nodded. 

“Okay… Okay.. jokes apart.” She nodded.

He held her hands in his gently, before starting.

“Zoya… I can't promise you that after marriage we won't have fights. Neither I can promise you that I will always be understanding, nor that we won't have disagreements.”

Crease lines disappeared from her forehead as she heard him. She knew he was gonna say something big right now.

“But I can promise you one thing.  No matter what happens, at the end of the day, I will be looking just for you. Because. I love you.” 

Her heartbeats got intensified hearing him say that. Is this man for real? Do guys like him exist? She thought that she was lucky to have him. And she knew she wasn't gonna back off from returning the favour.

“Even I know that I will make several mistakes Aditya. Maybe I will get angry, or will be disappointed but I can promise you one thing.” She spoke and cupped his cheeks in her palms unconsciously, going with the flow.

“That at the end of the day, I will mend my mistakes and come back to you keeping my ego aside. Because. I love you too.” She completed.

Aditya gave her full blown smile and she couldn't ask for more. It was everything she needed. 

“Thank you…” He murmured and kissed her fingers, lovingly.

“Thanks to you…” She replied with a smile.
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_the_morosis_ happy ji?

Hey guys!! This is the last chapter!!

Gosh... I can't believe I have completed writing a whole book! I am gonna miss this Zoya and Aditya. 🥺🤧

Thanks _the_morosis_
She did help me when I got stuck. Without her I would not have been completing this.

And thanks to all of my readers! I have less yet talkative readers😃🥰 and I love talking to you guys!

Do tell me, did you like the chapter.

And this isn't a good bye!
Bonus chapters and epilogue will be coming up soon.

Love you all❤️
Annie.