“You are late, ten minutes precisely.” Yuvraaj pointed out, glancing at his watch as he heard the footsteps reaching closer and looked up to see Anahita. She was dressed up in black slacks and white crochet top, leaving her copper hair open on her shoulders in flames. Her glossy lips were colored pink and up closer, he observed that she had lined her almond eyes with kohl. She smelled great and looked stunning.

“Oh, shut up, you stopwatch!” She rolled her eyes, moving past him and opened the passenger door for her. Yuvraaj frowned, immediately disliking her attitude. He leaned on the window and glared at her, “Watch your language, Anahita. I am your husband, talk to me with respect.”

Her fingers paused on the seatbelt and she faced him, smiling tightly. “You are not my husband, yet.”

His lips crooked in a sinister grin as he stared at her, “Smart eh? That ‘yet’,” He air quoted the words, “doesn’t matter because I will be your husband and that is final, Mrs. Yuvraaj Prakash to be.”

“Exactly,” she clicked her fingers, reminding him. “It is ‘to be’.” Yuvraaj shook his head, ducking inside and winked at her. “And, that will be, sweetheart. Don’t you worry! We will get married, Anahita.”

“Aren’t you overconfident, Yuvraaj?” She asked, softly hissing through her clenched teeth. She was gulping down her anger but she didn’t know how long she could contain the tornado in her if he didn’t stop provoking her. Unaware of that, Yuvraaj merely shrugged, “There is no one who can complement you better than me,” he grinned cheekily at her. “You should thank your stars that you are getting married to me.”

“Aren’t we getting late now?” She yawned, boringly. “Aai is waiting for us and I have better plans for the evening than listening to your crap.”

“Showing off this not so impressive attitude, you are just adding on to your sufferings.” He chuckled, belting himself and ignited on the engine, “I will make you dance on my tunes for the rest of your life.”

“We will see that.” She batted her lashes dramatically at him and looked away, cursing him inwardly with thousand names.

“We have all our life to see each other.” He told her in a sing sang voice. Anahita totally ignored him. He hadn’t changed at all. She had met him after straight four years with no or minimum contact on the engagement day, hoping he might’ve improved. But, he proved her wrong. He was still the same obnoxious, haughty, super rude and ill-mannered Yuvraaj Prakash that she had known all her life. People like him can never change. She sulked, inwardly.

And, what did she expect? When her family was hell bent on making her his slave, how could he not take advantage of that? Her family had already tortured her enough with drilling Yuvraaj’s likes – dislikes, his choices and his lifestyle in her mind. They were just so obsessed with this relationship that they refused to notice it was killing Anahita to be someone’s perfect choice. She hated the transformation her parents wanted to see in her just so she could balance Yuvraaj. It made her feel inadequate and unimportant. She was realizing that she was full of faults and the fact that everyone wanted her to be unflawed for someone else was revolting.

She thought it would end if she revealed about Mukund but her father let her down and immediately got her engaged to the devil. That was the last nail in the coffin for her and she stopped convincing her parents, instead focused on dealing with the matter in her way. Somewhere in her, the reluctance of her parents was still aching but she was strong enough to overcome that.

The car screeched to a stop and she jerked forward, almost hitting herself on the dashboard. She glared at Yuvraaj who unbelted himself and cocked his eyebrow. “Why didn’t you tie the seatbelt? Did you want to break that little nose of yours so that I don’t marry you?”

Anahita pushed the hair off her eyes and straightened up, scowling. “Why did you apply sudden breaks?”

“We are here.” He informed and she noticed they had reached the mall. “Mom will be at entrance and I will join you there.”

“Where are you going?”

He leaned towards her, eyeing her face with a devilish deliberation. “Why? Can’t bear this little distance between us?”

Anahita pressed her lips together and stepped out without replying him but she did hear his rich laughter. She shook her head and noticed her mother in law. She scurried to her and hugged her in bear hug, “Aai, I missed you so much. How are you?”

“I am good, baby. And, you just met me two days ago, Anu.” Mrs. Prakash laughed, caressing her head. Anahita pouted, pulling back, “So what? Can I not miss you just like that?”

“Just like you miss my son?” She rolled her eyes as Mrs. Prakash teased her and sassed. “You just got my senses bitter, seriously. I don’t miss your son, even by mistake.”

“Oh, really?” Mrs. Prakash raised her eyebrows, teasingly. “Then, what took you so long? Romance, hah?”

“Ugh,” Anahita gagged, dramatically. “Romance with your terribly boring son? Oh, puhleaseeee!” she showed her palm, “I don’t want to die before I hit thirty. And, I don’t have such a bad taste.”

“Hey,” Mrs. Prakash slapped her shoulder, taking objection. “What’s wrong with my son? He looks exactly like Tom Cruise.”

Anahita gasped, cupping her face, “Tom what?”

“Anu!” Mrs. Prakash faked annoyance and grinned, kissing her forehead. “Don’t underestimate my son; he can make you fall head over heels for him.”

Anahita just smiled. If she was tolerating Yuvraaj and his vicious behavior, it was because she loved his parents more than she loved her own. In her days of doom, they would stand by her and support her especially before her parents. They loved her more than her own parents and told her that she didn’t have to change. They kept her sane. They were very much an integral part of her life and Anahita couldn’t just break their heart, announcing her love life to them.

It was a dream to everyone to watch her getting married to Yuvraaj and she wasn’t heartless to kill their hopes but….don’t go there, Anahita. Just do not think of it. She reminded herself. But, her heart knew that she couldn’t lose them.

“Anu, what is wrong?” Mrs. Prakash searched her face, detecting hurt hidden deep in her silence. “Are you fine?”

“Yes, Aai!” Anahita kissed her palm, “I am perfectly fine. I was wondering where your Barbie doll is?”

Mrs. Prakash buzzed in laughter, “Yuvraaj will kill you if he finds out you call him Barbie doll.”

“But, that’s true.” Anahita maintained, “Your son shops like a girl.”

“But, he shops for you.” Her mother in law remarked and Anahita zipped her lips. Yuvraaj had a penchant for shopping. He would select proper brands, colors, trends, everything. Since their childhood, he would tastefully pick things and after several trails whereas Anahita would only focus on filling her cart without much hassle. In the end, she would finish buying the clothes Yuvraaj would select for her.

“You are still here, mom. Get done with the shopping soon. I have to drop her home and I have an important meeting tomorrow. I can’t stay here for longer.” Yuvraaj said, approaching them and Anahita grinned at him, high fiving with her mother in law. “Look who is talking!”

Yuvraaj shrugged, moving past them wordlessly and both the women grinned at his retreating form. Anahita clasped his mother’s hand and led her inside, “Let’s go otherwise Barbie doll will throw a fit.”

“Try this,” Mrs. Prakash hurled a peacock green saree at her and nodded at the dressing room. With that, the wedding shopping inaugurated. It took her immense willpower to curb the instinctive choice of running away. She was tired of trying clothes and Mukund with his infinite calls got her mad.

“Aai, I am not getting married tomorrow. Let’s wrap it up now.” She made a face, sitting on the stool languorously and rubbed her shoulders. Mrs. Prakash looked bothered; she had two saree in her hands, “Okay, but try these. Let’s get the clothing done today.”

“Aai, you know my taste better. Please do the rest of shopping and I am sure I will love each one of them.” She insisted, getting up and hugged her, “I am so tired.”

“But, it is your wedding, baby.”

“I know, with your idiot son.” She infused humor but was so much tired. Mrs. Prakash nodded, considerably and asked Yuvraaj to drop her home. Anahita hugged her once again, picking her bags and staggered out with him. She was so tired that she threw the bags on the backseat and sprawled on the passenger seat, closing her eyes.

“You look so tired.” Yuvraaj noted, belting her and keyed in the engine. “You are so stupid to leave all the shopping for my mom only.”

“Spare me today.” Anahita yawned, adjusting on her seat and covered her face with the handkerchief.

“Do you want a cup of coffee?” He asked after a minute. Anahita cracked open one eye and peeked at her. He was staring ahead while driving. She huffed, “Come on, be out with it.”

Yuvraaj casted a suspicious glance at her before swiping his eyes back on road. “What do you mean?”

“You know that very well.”

“I am afraid I do not.” He denied, outright and faked a gasp. “What are your intentions with me, Anahita?”

“Oh, cut the crap short.” She flinched in disgust, “Seldom I utter this phrase and you know what it means. Why do you suddenly offer me coffee? I know you too well.”

Yuvraaj flaunted a cheesy grin, “Don’t you want me to care for you? You will be my wife, after all. I am getting it into habit.”

“You care for me?” She sputtered out, incredulously. “This is so not you.”

He didn’t reply her instead parked the car nearby a coffee shop. “I will be back in a minute.” Anahita watched him leaving, confoundedly. Her sleep flew out of her eyes and tension was also loosening. Yuvraaj was behaving weird. Cyclone of conflicted feelings wallowed in her mind and she found herself tethered within her emotions.

“Here, your favourite.” He came up and passed her a paper bag with caramel crunch coffee. Anahita tentatively took the bag and he seated beside her, locking the door. Anahita was staring at the drink dumbfounded, “You remember?”

“Of course.” He had the same smugness in his voice. Impressed, she finished the coffee and brownies, sharing a little part with him. She wiped her lips clean, refreshed now. “Let’s go.”

“Wait, Show me your bags.” He demanded and she squinted her eyes, “What?”

“Your bags,” he repeated, loud and clear.

“Why?”

“Just show me.” he repeated and she handed him the bags robotically. Pulling out the dresses, he did a close postmortem of them, infuriating her and scrutinized each and every piece with his laser vision. Some curled his lips, some made him frown and few – very a few – managed to scrape through his inspection. He tossed them back in the bags messily.

“What was that?” Anahita greeted her teeth, curling her palms on her sides.

“Tacky as always; I thought that you got a taste but, no…same old tacky Anahita Maurya.” He mocked, tapping at the steering wheel. “Also, left mom to finish the shopping. How will she choose lingerie for you?”

Her anger amalgamated with embarrassment and she widened her eyes. “Why will she choose…”

“You want to wear the old stuff…which I am sure will be just as unentertaining as you.” He went on to demean her and his words somehow managed to unleash the beast in her. Without any beast, she pounced on him and gripped his neck tightly. “I'll kill you today. End of my miseries. No Yuvraaj and definitely no marriage.” She seethed, using every ounce of power in her to strangulate the person beside her. Yuvraaj was taken aback with her and he didn’t anticipate that.

“Anu… leave me! You mad woman!” He gasped, fortifying his grip on her wrists to wrench them away but metal chains of Local Prison was calling Anahita with dedication and she had set her mind firmly upon the notion of sending him to heaven in business class.

Having no other option left, Yuvraaj gripped her waist and tickled her. Anahita tried but whimpered in defeat as she couldn't help but loose her hold before becoming a laughing mess. Tears bounced in her eyes as his fingers danced on her sensitive skin.

"What...the hell...was that?" He panted like an asthmatic patient, reaching for his breath and glared her. She sniffed in anger, "This...this is the reason I don't want to marry you. You are so shameless to rummage through my clothes and comment on my choices. I will not marry you at all."

"And if you won't marry me, who is the guy dying to marry you?" He mocked, smoothing his t-shirt.

“I don’t want to talk to you.” She muttered, turning away and looked out of the window. Tears were still in her eyes but they wee of anger and hurt. Yuvraaj sensed her angry and poked at her head. She turned away more. He chuckled at her antics and gripped her arm. Frustrated, she jerked his hand away. He didn’t stop and pulled her closer. She fought with his touch but he caught her hands in his grip and caged her in a back hug, putting his chin on her shoulder, “My God. How will I cope with this much anger? Huh?”

“Leave me.” She pleaded, redeeming herself but he refused and poked her cheek with his index finger. “How about never, wifey?”

“Yuvraaj... Please." She finally whined, suddenly feeling so miserable that her voice broke. She knew him way too well. He and his teasing had a pattern. He would fight with her to the extent she would get hurt and he would take liberty in coaxing her which somehow stimulated her anger more. It was the same since childhood.

"Okay fine.” He huffed, turning her to face him and apologized, still smiling. “I am sorry. I was joking and you know that.”

She pressed her lips in a thin line and her voice came out broken, “Is my life just a joke to you?”

His smile and humor slipped off. He held her hands tightly, “Anahita…”

“Let it be!” She intervened, moving away and wiped her eyes. She sensed him staring at her but after a while, he began to drive. At her doorstep, she nimbly climbed out, without inviting him in and dashed inside, closing the door of her home right on his face.

“Still a kid!” He muttered to himself, trying to subsiding her teary face and drove off.