"I'm telling you for the last time Maa. I don't want to marry at all.

I have so many
responsibilities on me and you want me to leave all that and marry some one I don't even
know. Why don't you listen to me?" Saranya told her mom for the nth time.

"I have heard your rant already. Why is it that you can't understand that you are not getting
any younger? You are already 28. I want your sister to marry as well but I can't look for a
groom for her until you settle down." Manorama, her mother replied.

"Maa, this is what I absolutely hate. You are blackmailing me by Ananya's name now. Who's
stopping you to find suitable match for her?"

"Don't try to change the topic Saranya. You very well know I won't think of Ananya's
marriage until you marry. You reject all the prospective boys with some flimsy excuses and
now I'm fed up with all this. This is a very good alliance that we have got and I want you to
consider it seriously. All our relatives have already stopped helping me in this regard since
they all know you are on a rejection spree. And please remember that just like you, I'm also
not getting any younger. Instead I'm getting older because of the tension that you give me all
the time." Manorama admonished and left the room.

"What's the harm in meeting once Di. Maybe you'd like this guy." Ananya cajoled her elder
sister.

"As if you don't know. All these alliances that Mom gets for me are just after one thing. They
are all typical chauvinists who want to marry only so that they can ask for a handsome dowry.
You know we can't afford to spend so much money and I have to save money for Mom's
heart surgery as well. Mom is planning to spend all the savings she got from papa's insurance
after his death on our wedding. I'm trying to work hard to save money that would help me to
arrange your wedding easily. And under no circumstances would I allow Mom to waste
money on this ghastly thing called dowry. That's why I keep rejecting all these proposals."
She answered annoyed with her circumstances.

"But this guy is not like those other boys. He's from a decent, rich family and they are not
expecting any dowry as well."

"How do you know? And, wait a minute. Maa said all our relatives have stopped helping us
so where did she get this alliance from? Why does a rich man wants to marry me?" Saranya
asked suspiciously.

"Actually maa met someone in the temple and she told her that she's looking for a bride for
her son. Maa meets her often in temple and she likes her a lot. Please go and meet and then
you can decide later. And he looks handsome as well." Ananya said looking at the picture in
Saranya's hand.

"Okay when do I have to meet?" Saranya asked, already forming plans to make this guy
reject her.

------------------------
"Mom are you serious? What made you think I'd go ahead with this?" Abhay asked his
mother rather amusedly.

"Why not? Your Dad and me got married after an arranged match, just like your
grandparents. I don't trust you enough to find a suitable girl for you. So I decided to do it
myself." Shilpa answered smiling. "And don't forget you promised me to marry a girl of my
choice."

"I did Mom. But that's doesn't mean I'd marry anyone just like that. And this girl which you
mentioned, she's a daughter of a bank manager who's no more. She herself is working as a
wedding planner with an event management firm while we are a business family. Don't you
think she won't be able to fit in our family?"

"I agree she's not from a business family, maybe not as hi-fi as your previous girlfriends but I
have seen this girl and she looks perfect for you according to me. She has that spark, that
liveliness which I feel is missing in your life. That's why I think she'd be perfect for you." She
replied.

"Well Mom, I'm going to meet her only because you have promised her family. I'm still not
convinced that I'm going to like this girl as my wife. When do I have to go?" He stated
directly without giving her any hope.

"Abhay at least go with an open mind. She's from a good family if not as rich as us. I'm sure
she can very well adjust in our family and we all are here to help her." Anuj,his younger
brother added rather excitedly.

"Why are you being so excited? What's in this for you? You can always go ahead and marry
your girlfriend, uhhh, what was her name? Hey, that reminds me, you never told me her
name. Why this secrecy?" Abhay questioned suspiciously.

"Well there's no secrecy. She said yes only last week and that too on a condition. I just didn't
get time after that to tell you. For now, it's decided that you are going to meet this girl and
seriously consider her as your future wife. Though last decision would be yours." Anuj said
evading Abhay's question. "When is he going Mom? She looks so pretty in her picture
though."

---------------

"This is the limit Anuj. I'm waiting here from past 30 minutes and she's still not here." Abhay
fumed in his phone.

"Relax Abhay. She's on her way. I mean she must be on her way. Maybe stuck in traffic."
Anuj tried to pacify him.

"Oh, I think she's here. I'll call you later." Abhay said as he saw Saranya approaching his
table.
"Hi. I'm sorry I got late." She offered as soon as she reached the table. "If you're getting late
because of me and have to reach somewhere else, you can leave."

"Excuse me? I'm waiting here to talk to you. Not to leave for somewhere else. Come, sit." He
said amused over her strange apology.

"So, I'm Abhay. And you are Saranya as I'm told."

"Yes. Are you really not angry over my coming late?" she asked confusedly. "Ma told me
you are a big businessman and are very busy as well."

"Did you come late deliberately to make me angry?"

"Yes." She said without thinking and regretted immediately. "I mean no. I just thought you
are a busy man and would not like it."

Abhay was intrigued with this girl's audacity. He realised she came late to incite him
deliberately. Why, was the question running in his mind.

"Why did you want to make me angry? So that I leave early? Why?" He asked directly.

"You are a smart guy. Good. It's really required to be a good businessman." She replied.

"Thanks for the compliment. I'm quite flattered as well. But you still haven't answered my
question. Why?"

"Well, I don't want to stretch it unnecessarily at all. I don't want to marry you. And I thought
if I make you angry somehow, you'd say no yourself." She revealed.

"If you were not interested at all, why didn't you say no to your mom? Why are you here?"
He asked.

"Why are you here? Certainly not because you've fallen in love with me just by looking at
one picture of mine. You are here to appease your mother and I'm here to appease my mom.
She just wouldn't take no for an answer." She revealed.

"Well why do you think I'm here only because of my mother? I do want to get married and I
came here to seriously discuss the same with you."

"Why would a rich, smart, handsome man think of marrying a middle class average girl like
me?"

"I just noticed you complimented me. Well, that was a good ego boost for me as ever since
you have come here, you are just giving me vibes that I'm not good enough for you and it was
very difficult for me to digest. This is the first time a girl is rejecting me you know." He
winked.

"Hawww..... Did you.... Did you just wink?" She said incredulously.
"Yes, I did. And sorry if it offended you but it was all in a good humour. I'm really enjoying
this conversation with you." He offered his apology quickly, something which he did rarely.

"So tell me Saranya, why are you against marrying me? Frankly, when I came here, I was not
anticipating this conversation but now that you've made it clear, I should at least know why
am I being rejected." He asked jokingly.

"Look Abhay. I'm sorry for blurting it like this but I can't say no to my mom. She'd be
heartbroken as she really thinks you and I make a great pair. I've already rejected 8 boys and
this time she's quite emotional."

"That's what you want to do. I'm asking why do you want to do this? And 8 boys, that's a lot !
So you don't want me to be the 9th one and instead want me to reject you. Why? Do you have
a boyfriend?" He was amazed with himself as well as he never thought he'd take such interest
in conversation with a girl he few hours back didn't consider his equivalent.

"No. I don't want to marry any men at all."

"Oh, if that's the case, you should talk to your mother instead of meeting boys. There's
nothing wrong in it and there are so many people who have come out openly and accepted
their sexuality." He answered, although a little disappointed.

"Hey, no, I didn't mean that. I'm quite straight. I just meant I don't trust men in general. And
my experience with these 8 boys told me they all were interested in either dowry or you know
what."She said embarrassingly.

"Oh.... Okay....I'm sorry. I thought something else. So you don't want to marry because your
experience with these boys was not that good. I see." He said suddenly energized.

"Yes. But why are you so happy? "

"No... It's nothing.So your experience wasn't good and that's why you think every man is the
same. That's stereotyping. What do think of me? Do you think I'm also like all those boys you
met earlier?" He asked in a husky voice, leaning on the table.

"I.... I don't know you that well to determine that." She managed to say, lost in his green eyes
herself.

"Well then you must have to say that you would reconsider your decision of not giving me a
chance at all."

"What? Why do you want me to do that? You can get any of those hi-fi girls easily. Why
me?"

"Why do you think I can get any of those hi-fi girls?"

"I said earlier as well. You're rich, handsome and smart. And your eyes are beautiful. Any
girl would love to be with you. Why me?" She answered honestly.
"All those girls would be with me because I'm all that you mentioned. I would want you to
consider me because you don't care about all these things." He answered with equal honesty.

"Even after all that I said?"

"Yes. I have never met anyone like you. And I'm not saying I'm in love with you already. But
I'd like to date you. I'd like to know you better. I'd like you to know me better. I'm sure I can
change your perception of men just like you changed mine." He answered and she smiled.

"What did I do?" She asked.

"Come with me on another date and I'd tell you." He offered and she smiled shyly.

Two people hiding in the shadows shook their hands in glee on success of their plan.

"Though they still haven't said yes, they are ready to give each other a chance. I think our
wedding isn't far. Let's call Mom as well. So this weird condition of having your sister
married before you is going to be fulfilled soon I think." Anuj told Ananya happily before
hugging her.

————