Aman got ready wearing his grey trousers and black tshirt. He set his hair with gel and trimmed his mustache and beard.
He looked at his appearance. Hmm! He looked good. Will she like his look? He had always yearned for her one look at him.
But she seemed to not like his presence at all. Never once had she held eye contact with him.
Shrugging the negative thoughts away he went out to see his father ready and waiting.
"Maa kaha hai?"
"Leepa poti (plastering) kr rhi hai."
He chuckled. His father never liked makeup and stuff. He wasn't against it but he felt like women looked more beautiful in their natural looks.
"Ready?"
His sister, Sapna, came out ready in jeans, crop top and a shrug over it.
"Yup! Jaa ke mummy ko bula kr laa."
He said pushing her towards the room making her glare and grumble at him. He snickered. She was 3 years younger than him and he loved to tease her.
His mother finally came out and they drove to their destination.
They had their dinner at his grandfather's childhood friend's family. Even his father was friends with Rakesh uncle. Sapna had a good bond with her. The whole family knew each other very well.
And him, well, he was in love with her since he had remembered. But she had never shown any interest in him.
He parked the car and his father rang the doorbell. He mentally prayed for her to open the door.
Seemed like God was considerate to him today. He could have asked for anything. The door was opened by her. His Tamanna. His desire. His wish. His love.
He has always loved her simplicity. The way she dressed was very simple yet sophisticated.
Even right now, she was wearing a pistachio green kurti with white embroidered palazzo. He noticed that she was barefoot. Her right wrist adorned with metallic bangles that made a sound whenever she moved her hand. The other wrist was empty. Her face was devoid of any makeup other than the lip tint which she preferred making at home, using natural items. The small oxidized jhumkis completing her look.
She was beautiful. So so beautiful. He had always noticed how she never wore jeans and a top. He had seen her in suits and short kurtis, but never in tops.
Sapna had once asked her if she did not wear them because her parents denied her or something.
"I don't have anything against jeans and tops, na hi mumma papa ko koi problem hai. It's just that I feel exposed wearing them. Call me an old soul lekin mujhe kurtis and suits pehen kr achha lagta hai. It represents our Indian culture. Aur mai issi mai khush hu."
She had answered. He had never heard anyone in the 21st century think or say something like that. But she had always managed to surprise him. And maybe that's what pulled him towards her.
"Namaste aunty! Namaste uncle!"
She greeted his parents with a warm smile. His father patted her head and his mother took her in a warm embrace. She had always liked Tamanna.
"Namaste beta! How are you?"
She asked to which Tamanna replied politely and welcomed them in.
"Hii!"
Sapna chirped and engulfed Tamanna in a tight hug. Oh! How he wished he could hug her one day. She returned the hug with equal enthusiasm.
They broke the hug and she finally looked at him. It was a one second eye contact. Actually he would not even call it an eye contact. Isse jyada der tak toh insaan strangers se eye contact hold kar leta hai.
"Hi!"
She muttered a meek greeting while tucking her hair behind her ear and moved in with her arm entangled with Sapna's.
He sighed and mumbled a greeting back. She really was not interested in him at all. Didn't even wait for his greeting back.
The elders settled down and Tamanna went into the kitchen to help her mother serve snacks. Sapna too tagged along not wanting to sit with the oldies.
Tamanna peaked out of the kitchen and saw Aman talking to her father with a smile on his face.
Her parents liked him too much. She bit her lip thinking about what she had heard a few days ago.
Tamanna had returned home early from work and was taking a nap. She was woken up by the shrill sound of her alarm and groaned, switching it off.
She got up and rubbed her eyes. Freshening up and shooing the sleep away from her eyes she moved out of her room towards the kitchen to help her mother with dinner.
She was crossing her parents' room when she heard their conversation.
"Shaadi ki umar ho rhi hai ab Tamanna ki. Kya socha hai aapne?"
Her mother was asking her father and Tamanna froze. Marriage? Her marriage? She didn't want to think about anyone else than Aman. But how will she tell them? She didn't even know if he felt something for her or not?
Her thoughts were cut short by her father's words.
"Soch rhe hai ki Parth ko dinner pr bula lete hai. Ye baat bhi ho jaayegi lage haath. Aur sab sahi raha toh rishta bhi pakka kar denge."
Tamanna felt her heart skip a beat. Parth uncle? Aman's father? That meant they were thinking about her and Aman's marriage?
She desperately wanted it to be true. But why would he agree? He did not like her like that. They've never exchanged any more words than greetings and byes.
Her heart was beating at a wild rate. The nervousness that the 'talk' could start at any moment. Because it looks like even his parents were aware of the real reason for their visit. Did Aman have an idea though?
She was bought out her thoughts by a harsh nudge on her sides. She winced and saw Sapna giving her teasing looks.
Damn! She was busted. Just caught staring at the man she loved by his own real sister. It couldn't have been more embarrassing.
"Agar nazare dekhna (sightseeing) ho gya ho toh chale bahar. Chai pakdo."
She teased and Tamanna blushed gazing at the nazara again before shaking her head and taking the tray full of teacups.
She put each cup in front of everyone.
"Ye aapki without sugar wali chai."
She said placing the cup in front of his father who smiled and thanked her. She then placed a cup in front of Aman without any words.
"Umm-mujhe thodi sugar extra milegi please."
He asked and she stopped. She didn't look at him but answered.
"Aapke mai extra hi hai. Taste kr lijiye. Agar aur chahiye hogi toh mai laa dungi."
She said and went back to the kitchen. Why did it feel like her heart would leap out of her chest whenever she talked to him.
Aman smiled, taking a sip of his tea and felt elated. The sugar was perfect according to his taste. He felt content to know that she knew he liked tea with more sugar. She paid attention to him.
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