68

Hand in hand, Aryan and Tara made their way down from the rooftop, the warmth of their confession still lingering between them. Tara's heart felt lighter than it had in months, and every time Aryan's fingers squeezed hers gently, she felt an involuntary smile tug at her lips.

As they stepped onto their floor, Tara immediately noticed something unusual.

The hallway outside their studios was lit up with fairy lights, and a small group of their friends stood gathered near the entrance, grinning widely. There were balloons tied to the chairs, a small cake on the center table, and an unmistakable air of celebration.

Tara froze. "What—"

Before she could even finish her sentence, Aisha stepped forward, smirking. "Surprise!"

Tara turned to Aryan with narrowed eyes. "You planned all of this, didn't you?"

Aryan chuckled. "Not alone."

Tara's gaze snapped back to Aisha, who was looking a little too pleased with herself. Without thinking, Tara smacked Aisha's arm. "You were in on this?!"

Aisha yelped dramatically, rubbing her arm. "Ow! Rude. After everything I did for you?"

Aria giggled. "You should've seen how hard she tried not to spill the plan today."

Rohan crossed his arms, smirking. "We all knew it would happen eventually, but Aryan here was determined to make it special."

Tara sighed, though there was a smile playing at her lips. She turned to Aryan, shaking her head. "You really are impossible."

Aryan grinned. "And yet, you still love me."

She rolled her eyes but didn't deny it.

"How did you guys even get permission for all this?" Tara questioned.

Aryan chuckled, "A little sweet talk goes a long way, meri jaan."

Tara chuckled as she blushed furiously.

Aakash clapped his hands together. "Alright, enough talking! Cake time!"

Tara looked at the cake, and sure enough, it had "Finally!!!" written on it in icing, along with a small heart at the end.

She groaned. "Seriously?"

Aryan just laughed, pulling her towards the table. "Come on, let's cut it together."

With everyone cheering and hyping them up, Tara placed her hand on the knife, and Aryan covered it with his, their fingers laced together as they cut into the cake.

Camera flashes went off, laughter filled the air, and in that moment, everything felt perfect.

Aisha shoved a bite of cake into Tara's mouth before she could react, and in retaliation, Tara did the same to her. Aryan, of course, took full advantage of the moment and smeared a little frosting onto Tara's cheek, only to earn a playful glare from her.

"You're lucky I just got back with you," she warned, wiping it off.

Aryan smirked, licking a bit of frosting off his own finger. "Worth it."

Their friends groaned in mock disgust, but Tara just laughed.

The air was filled with laughter and excitement when the door to the studio opened, and Meeta and Rajeev stepped out.

Tara, caught in the moment, instantly tensed at the sight of them. She wasn't scared, but a small flicker of nervousness crept in—old fears weren't that easy to shake off. Almost unconsciously, her grip on Aryan's hand tightened.

Aryan, always attuned to her, squeezed her hand back in silent reassurance.

But before Tara could even let the anxiety settle, Meeta smiled warmly and said, "Finally."

And then, to Tara's absolute surprise, Meeta stepped forward and hugged them both.

Tara stood frozen for a moment before she finally let herself relax into the embrace.

Rajeev, grinning like a proud father, pumped his fist in the air. "Let's goooo!" he cheered, making everyone laugh.

He grabbed a piece of cake and fed it to both Aryan and Tara, his happiness evident in his eyes. Meeta followed, breaking off a smaller bite and offering it to Tara first, then Aryan.

Just when Tara thought the surprises were over, Meeta reached into her bag and pulled out a small velvet box. "Tara, this is for you."

Tara blinked, confused, before hesitantly taking it. As she opened the box, her breath caught. Inside was a delicate silver ring—simple yet elegant, timeless in its beauty.

Meeta smiled softly. "Let's make this the new family heirloom."

Tara's eyes welled up with unshed tears. This wasn't just a gift—it was a sign of acceptance. A symbol that the past had been left behind and a new future was being embraced. A small ring, but it spoke big words. You belong here now.

Overwhelmed, she hugged Meeta tightly. "Thank you, Aunty."

Meeta pulled back slightly, shaking her head with a teasing smile. "Eventually, you'll have to call me Mom only, but let's start with Maushi. Zastach personal ahe na" (It's more personal.)

Tara blinked, surprised, and then her heart melted.

A soft laugh escaped Tara as she nodded. "Thank you, Maushi."

Aryan, watching the entire exchange, had a look of pure contentment on his face. This was everything he had wished for.

Just then, Aria clapped excitedly. "Wait, wait! One more surprise."

She quickly pulled out her phone and turned the screen toward Tara.

Tara's eyes widened in shock. On the other end of the video call were her parents and her brother, Harsh.

Her dad grinned. "Finally!"

Harsh smirked. "Let's goooo!"

Tara laughed in disbelief. "Oh my god, you guys—"

Her mom's voice was filled with warmth. "Beta, we're so happy for you."

Aryan leaned in with a bright smile. "Hi, Kaka, Maushi!"

Her dad chuckled. "Aryan beta, now you are again officially a part of this family!"

Aryan grinned. "That's all I wanted, Kaka." (Uncle in Marathi)

Harsh smirked. "Bro you really took your time! Were you waiting for university to end to a propose to her?"

Aryan laughed. "What to do? Harsh? Someone here kept running away from the inevitable." He chuckled and Tara smacked his arm.

Harsh rolled his eyes. "Now just take care of her. Good luck handling her again!"

Aryan, without hesitation, pulled Tara closer. "Yeh toh already mera favorite kaam hai."

Tara blushed furiously, nudging him while their families laughed.

Just then, Meeta took the phone from Aria and smiled at Tara's mom.

"Arre, amhi don divsat Mumbai la yeun jau. Nakkich kahi tari plan karuya, kay mhanta?"

(We will be back to Mumbai in 2 days. Let's plan something for sure. What say?)

Tara's mom beamed. "Absolutely! Now that you're a part of all this, we have to meet properly."

Tara watched, overwhelmed. The very thing she had once feared—Meeta's presence in her life—was now becoming one of the strongest bonds she had.

Aryan looked at her, reading every emotion on her face, and squeezed her hand again.

Everything was finally falling into place.

And for the first time in a long time, Tara allowed herself to believe—this time, it would last.

~•~

Later that night, after all the excitement had settled, Tara found herself standing on the small balcony outside her studio, the cool night air brushing against her skin. She was still wearing the silver ring Meeta had given her, turning it around her finger absentmindedly, a soft smile on her face.

She wasn't sure how long she had been lost in thought when she heard the door to Aryan's studio open. A few seconds later, he stepped into the balcony, just a few steps away from her.

"Couldn't sleep?" he asked, leaning against the railing, arms folded as he watched her.

Tara chuckled. "Too much happened today."

Aryan grinned. "Good 'too much' or bad 'too much'?"

She sighed dramatically. "Still debating."

Aryan gasped, clutching his chest in fake offense. "Excuse me? I planned a whole rooftop date, got our families to celebrate, even gave the most heart-touching speech of my life, and you're debating?"

Tara laughed softly. "Okay, okay, good 'too much' then."

He smirked. "That's better."

For a moment, they just stood there, looking at each other, the silence comfortable. The moon cast a soft glow on Tara's face, and Aryan couldn't help but admire her.

"You're staring," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Of course I am," he said easily. "My girlfriend is beautiful."

Tara rolled her eyes, but her cheeks turned pink. "Since when did you become so smooth?"

Aryan tilted his head, pretending to think. "Hmm. Probably around the time I realized I was madly in love with a certain stubborn, overthinking, absolutely stunning girl."

Tara bit her lip, shaking her head, but she couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face.

After a moment, Aryan leaned forward against the railing. "Come here."

She looked at him suspiciously. "Why?"

"Just come."

Hesitantly, she took a step forward. Aryan reached out, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear before gently holding her face in his hands.

"You know," he murmured, "I used to dream about this."

Tara's breath hitched. "About what?"

"This." He traced slow circles on her cheek with his thumb. "Being able to touch you like this. Talk to you like this. Love you without hesitation."

Tara felt her heart swell at his words.

Aryan smiled. "And now that I have you back, I'm never letting you go again."

She looked up at him, eyes soft, and whispered, "Good. Because I don't want you to."

He grinned before leaning in, pressing a gentle kiss to her forehead. "Sleep now, baby. You've had a big day."

Tara hummed in response, suddenly feeling warm and safe.

As she turned to go back inside, Aryan called out, "Wait."

She turned, only for him to wink. "Sweet dreams. Of me, obviously."

Tara groaned, rolling her eyes. "You just had to ruin the moment."

Aryan laughed, watching as she disappeared inside, a satisfied smile on his lips.

Yeah. Life was good again.

💛