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Riya's Pov
A jolt of surprise hit me, his question taking me off-guard for a moment.
Until now, I have never given a deep thought about it. Even in the previous two meetings, I was merely informed about the other person's expectations of me. Whether it was in terms of household chores or my responsibilities towards his family's expectations. None bothered to ask what I expected from my significant other.
A cloak of warmth cocooned my heart melting away the doubts I initially had regarding this alliance.
I peered at him through the curtain of my eyelashes, a hint of admiration unavoidable. He gazed at me, patiently awaiting my answer.
My eyes wandered across the room, finally settling over a random corner as I collected my thoughts.
"As a life partner, I want someone who prioritizes respect over ego, values over modernity, amends over grudges, intentions over words, accepting faults over excuses, we over me, fidelity over short-term distractions, compatibility over chemistry, and reality over unachievable fantasies." I let my heart loose, wording each word demurely.
My eyes found his only to catch his keen gaze fixed over me. He smiled warmly. Have I told you, he has dimples? Damn, they are beautiful.
Scurrying away the rush of emotions flooding my senses, I flickered my gaze back onto my lap,
"Someone, who is humble and down to earth but at the same time knows how to take a stand for himself and his family.
Somebody, who discards the concept of a man and woman in a relationship, rather believes in the equality of both spouses.
Somebody who trusts me enough to let me take a stand for myself whenever needed, but also stands beside me, silently assuring me of his presence.
Someone who may not earn sumptuously, but has the vision, aim, and dedication to lead a vigorous life.
Somebody mature enough to understand the intricacies of relationships but also has the playfulness and wittiness to lead a happy life.
Somebody who may not be perfect in all aspects, but does make consistent efforts to keep up a lifelong connection,
Someone who is not afraid to present his choices and viewpoints to me while still respecting my beliefs, thoughts, and perspectives.
I know, not everything can be found in a single person, but efforts matter to me the most, Aditya." My eyes kept flickering over him again and again, but not for once, I could hold his gaze for a long time. Every single time I would spare a glance at him, he would be gazing at me which would make me avert my eyes the very moment.
After letting my heart out, for once, I felt like giving an impromptu speech at an extempore competition wherein I had this only chance to express everything within a matter of few seconds.
My insides clenched in anticipation as he downcasted his eyes, thinking profoundly. I was unaware of what raced in his mind, but the sight in front of me, of this man sitting across, sporting an olive-green shirt and black pants, with those opalescent obsidian eyes and a tender dimpled smile reflected nothing but contentment and satisfaction.
"Did I say something wrong?" I mumbled, unnerved by his silence.
He craned his head immediately as if coming out of a trance.
"Not at all." Shaking his head vigorously, he clarified, "Your words were thoughtful." His words faltered. The restlessness in his eyes gave away his intention to say something more.
A lapse of silence followed as he chose to keep his thoughts to himself. Though, unlike the previous silences, this quietude felt soothing.
A few seconds passed after which I addressed the same question, my tone gentle,
"What do you expect from your significant other?"
At my question, he eyed me sincerely. Straightening up his posture, he ran a reckless hand through his hair,
"I thoroughly believe in emotional investments, Riya. Just like you cannot expect a return on investment without actually investing, in the same way, I feel one cannot expect from the other person unless they also invest the same emotions in the relationship."
Absentmindedly, he fidgeted with his car keys, continuing,
"I can't expect loyalty unless I invest fidelity in the relationship,
If I expect care, then I need to offer it first.
If I demand respect, I have to treat my spouse with the same esteem.
If I dream of unconditional love, then I have to love her selflessly in the first place. Anything I expect from my spouse mentally, physically, or emotionally, I will have to give it to her in the first place."
His tongue swiped over his lips before taking a sip of water. Sensing me all ears, he resumed,
"I need to make certain investments in terms of emotional support, unconditional love, and lifelong fidelity before demanding it from her. So as my expectations from my spouse, I expect the same efforts from my significant other as she'll expect from me. No relationship can survive with only one person constantly and solely making efforts for it. It's about two people equally working to sail through the storms."
My heart thudded and my pulse rocketed with each word he uttered. The thoughtfulness in his voice complementing with the firmness in his eyes stimulated a whirlwind of incomprehensible sensations within me.
Aditya. This man sitting right across me was a fine blend of maturity and sincerity. His intentions were as clear as crystal. His aura as calm as the midnight ocean- Serene, Placid, Collected.
"Riya?" I startled at his voice, peering at him in perplexity. His brows remained knitted, eyeing me with concern.
"You have been zoned out for the past five minutes." He answered my unasked question.
"Is it?"
"It is." He pressed his lips in amusement, miserably failing to suppress his grin.
Way to embarrass yourself Riya, Way to embarrass.
I cleared my throat in an attempt to divert him from my silly antics,
"Uh, Smoking? Drinking?" I prodded.
"Smoking, Never." He was quick to respond. His stance faltered before he spoke ahead, a tinge of discomfort shadowing his expressions,
"As for drinking, only once when I initially joined the company." His eyes found mine as if to gauge my reaction. I gave none rather nodded at him to continue.
"It was an everyday routine for my peers to drink like it was the end of the world. I couldn't resonate with it. Their condition at midnight was an eye-opener that there's no use becoming a drunkard for a short-term satisfaction when it will give you and your family nothing but destruction." He admitted, peering at me in anticipation.
I nodded in understanding, lifting my lips to relieve his unease.
The conversation then progressed toward our education, siblings, our career choices, and so on. I took the initiative to ask most of them while he would ask the same after me.
"Any more questions?" He jested.
"One last." I chastised myself for almost unconsciously raising my index finger gesticulating as one. What are you, Rii? A kid?
He blinked his eyes, "Go ahead."
"I want to work after marriage as well. If this alliance progresses, will it be okay with you and your family?" This was a pressing matter for me. A major turning point to come to a conclusion. I wasn't adamant about working but I wanted to know his perception about the same.
"Of course." He replied, "I love my independence and I would want you to cherish it too. The decision to work or not will be yours. And, we all will support you with it." I let out a sigh of relief. I was too into this whole conversation to tolerate any roadblocks.
"But," His words wavered and so did my hopes at his unexpected initiation, "I am not willing to live separately because of our careers. As long as you want to do anything in Delhi, you have my support. However, I am not comfortable living apart after marriage, especially the initial two to three years. I want to focus on building our relationship first." His posture stiffened, sincerity emerging in his eyes.
"Don't worry about this. I am of the same opinion as you. I want to work on our compatibilities first before working on the careers."
"Thank you," He whispered, exhaling softly.
"And no more questions?" My cheeks tinted in embarrassment at his friskiness. I shook my head in negative.
"You?"
A hint of contemplation etched his face, his gaze flickering haywire.
"Go ahead. I won't judge." I whispered gingerly, blinking my eyes at him.
He pressed his lips in a straight line, struggling to form a sentence. Rubbing his face in exhaustion, he let out after a few seconds of mulling, "I am freelancing Riya and my firm is in the infancy stage. It is still flourishing. There will be days when I'll be extremely occupied with the projects lined up. Similarly, there will be days when I will be free throughout the day, with no work, no projects, and no clients. Will such dynamics of my job be okay with you?" He asked apprehensively, the restlessness in his stance evident with the persistent tap of his feet.
"It takes a lot of guts to start something of your own, Aditya." I voiced gingerly, "And, as much as I had heard you, you seem foresighted and ambitious. So, I'll be completely okay with each circumstance. Your job profile might be dynamic but not worthless. Your qualifications and job experience are enough of a confirmation for me to lead a decent living in the future despite the odds." I reassured. He beamed, his eyes crinkling at the corners. It felt like a ray of sunshine, the first beam of the day, bright and sanguine.
"Uhm, this.." He struggled, navigating his finger to the space between us, "This will be a lifelong decision." He paused, eyeing me with conformity,
"If you have any second thoughts about marriage, we can discuss it now because I don't want your decision to be dependent upon what your family wants. There will be a lot at stake."
Unable to form any comprehensible sentence, I nodded at him in assurance. A myriad of staggering emotions hit me with full force at the prospect of coming to a decision.
***********
Aditya's Pov
My gaze kept flickering over her, every other second to gauge what raced in her mind. The silence had been my confidante always but at this moment, it felt unnerving for I now yearned for a motion, a voice that cut through this silence with her yes.
I was certain of my decision. I had been since the night I first saw her. But coming here had erased every shred of uncertainty I had, turning me even more optimistic about our future.
Unable to handle the deafening silence that had begun to asphyxiate me, I finally asked,
"Let's Go?"
She hummed absentmindedly, getting up from her position.
I let her lead the way as we made our way downstairs at an unrushed pace.
"Hogayi baat?" Ayansh Bhai enquired. Riya nodded, making a beeline towards his right.
Dad's quizzical gaze found me, probing for an answer. I blinked my eyes in affirmation causing a smile to pucker on his lips. Mom's face gleamed with joy, containing her exuberance. Kunal remained seated with a sly smirk etched on his face while Isha gushed inwardly, getting up from her seat. I shook my head, signaling her to not react and let our parents initiate.
Riya and Bhabhi occupied themselves in a hushed conversation, a curious expression cloaking the latter's face. Her Mom peered at us with nervousness. Her sunken eyes gave away the stress she underwent at the moment. Bhai and Riya's Dad had their expected gazes fixated on us, awaiting an answer.
Realizing the need to confide, Dad initiated, "Vinay Ji, it's a yes from our side." Dad smiled, folding his hands. A wave of relief coursed through the countenance of Riya's Mom, a sheen layer coating her eyes. She eyed her daughter immediately, both relief and anticipation palpable in her stance.
"However, we have no problem if your family wants to take some time before making a decision."
Immediately, all gazes slinked to Riya, resulting in them ambling to their room for a discussion.
Ten minutes of neverending anxiety, heart palpitations, and foot trembling later, they all emerged out of the room.
It felt like the kind of agonizingly anticipative wait you undergo for the answer to a one-crore question at KBC.
Just like Big B, Riya's father beamed with a heartfelt grin, announcing, "It's a yes from our side too Suresh Ji."
Words. They fail to express the happiness that consumed my senses at the statement. The feelings. Damn, they were terrifying. A blend of expectancy and euphoria.
The almighty knows what transpired, but a sudden shift was evident amidst us. There was a tinge of tease in the air, a flicker of amusement in the eyes, a dash of ruddiness on our countenance, and a hide-and-seek of gazes.
My lips tilted and I let out a hearty smile witnessing her being engulfed by Mom. The sight was overwhelming. Oh, How I wished to see her being admired and loved at the Kansal's.
Soon, we took the blessings from both sides of the parents, followed by buoyant hugs from our siblings.
Every single time my gaze flickered over her, she would be evading every possibility of eye contact. Her evanescent gaze never rested. It kept fluttering in bashfulness.
Alas, by fixating her stare at a random corner, she was wrong to assume that I didn't notice her observing me from her peripheral vision. Not only the thought, but the sight was hilarious.
"Uhm, Uhm." A shrill cough teleported me back from my thoughts. I craned my neck to the source of voice, the very own, Isha Kansal's, "See, I told you, she will become my bhabhi." She raised her brows, gaze directed towards Riya, "Agree now that my gut feeling was right," Isha remarked, a smug smile lacing her lips. I facepalmed at her pridefulness before shaking my head at her bufoonish antics.
"Han han. You are our personal fortune teller, Devi Isha." I dramatized, ruffling her well-combed hair. She glared, containing her urge to shriek at my sin, "Bhabhi is here, otherwise I would have not left you unharmed." She hissed, throttling me with her piercing eyes.
Kunal and I laughed, amused to witness a composed version of Isha than the walking grenade she is at home.
My gaze then navigated to where Riya stood, to the woman who would be called rightfully my wife in some time.
Unconsciously, she matched her gaze the very instant, her eyes widening at being caught. Haphazardly, she looked away embarrassed, shutting her eyes in mortification.
My gaze, you ask? It remained settled on her- unwavering and untiring. To the color of rubies she adorned, to the burst of redness her cheeks graced, to the uplift of her lips, to the bashfulness residing in her eyelashes, and to the beam swirling in her browns.
It was beautiful. She was beautiful.
Our future seemed to be beautiful.
********************
Heya Dear Ones!
So, it's a Yes!ðâ¤ï¸
What are your thoughts about Riya's and Aditya's expectations from their life partners? What are your expectations from your significant other?
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Until Next Time
Lots Of Love,
Râ¤ï¸