On the Run

Chapter 1: Blind Date

Skyye lounge, Bangalore.7:30pm.

Death! This meeting's going to be the death of me along with my professional as well as social life! Aiyappa, why do these things happen to me? I'm just 21 years old, I have my whole life ahead! Why do I need to get married at such a young age? I have so many dreams and aspirations. How will I be able to fulfil them if I have to become the 'conservative bahu' of the Singhania family?

I know Chacha-Chachi have a point. I'm probably never going to get such a proposal again. The Singhanias are one of the wealthiest in the country. The only reason I was chosen for their precious son Madhyam Singhania was because my Amms and Madhyam's grandmother have been best friends since school. They've been planning this alliance for a long time, but I didn't realize it would be happening so soon!

Nandini Murthy, your life is officially screwed!

I was so happy just three months ago. Everything seemed perfect. I had been offered an internship at ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation), the youngest ever to be given this opportunity! I was on cloud nine and so were Chacha-Chachi and Amms. I was finally getting the chance to live my dream and become an astrophysicist. Amma and Appa would have been so proud of me, especially Appa since he had also been a scientist in his lifetime. I had been making leaps and bounds of progress at ISRO and had gotten to learn so much in the past three months. However, I still had to work harder to solidify my position there and be offered a permanent job. I had never been so content in all my life.

But, my happiness was short-lived! Yesterday, I was informed that I was to get married to Madhyam by the end of the year. Apparently it was the Singhania family tradition that, the son gets married when he's 25 years of age. Madhyam had just turned 25 this year, so the wedding was to be held as soon as possible.

Aiyappa, what sort of stupid family tradition is this? He may be 25 but I'm not ready to get married!

I had an argument with Chacha-Chachi yesterday about this very issue. I tried to convince them that I wasn't ready. But, they were adamant! They said Amms had already given her word and it was too late to take it back now. They told me that Madhyam would be travelling from Mumbai to come and meet me today.

Another shocker! Madhyam Singhania, someone who I'd never laid eyes on, was to be my future husband. I know it's surprising, but I've never met him before. Truth be told, I never thought the matter would get so serious so quickly. So I never bothered finding out much about him, since I was always so busy with academics and then later, my career.

Yesterday, I had tried stalking him on social media but he was neither on Facebook, nor on Instagram. In fact, he was a social media ghost. I had found many pictures of his father, Mr. Mukesh Singhania, but none of him. The whole ordeal was really strange! How much of a recluse was he?

And here I am, in a posh restaurant, waiting for him to show up, when I have no idea what he looks like!

I had asked Chachi for a photograph but she said they didn't have one of him. Instead she sent my photo to the Singhania family and said that he'll recognize me and introduce himself when he sees me at the restaurant.

I absolutely love Chachi, but she's committed such a blunder! I don't even know what picture she's sent! What if he doesn't recognize me? I've recently started wearing lenses instead of spectacles and, trust me, I look like a whole new person! But that's not important! Focus Nandini, focus!

I took a sip of my cosmopolitan cocktail (aka my liquid courage) and thought about what exactly I would say to him. I had to share my troubles with him. I had to tell him that I couldn't get married any time soon because my career was way too important to me. I would tell him that I couldn't be the obedient wife he desired. I would tell him that he had to reject me because that was the only way we'd both be happy. Otherwise, I would just end up resenting him forever and he'd be punishing his own family.

Yes, that was perfect! He would have to understand! If he didn't, then I would just be more firm in my approach. Till date no one had won an argument, against me, unless I had let them.

With a final breath, I strengthened my resolve and said confidently, to myself "Bring it on Madhyam Singhania! Let's see what you've got!"

"Ahem...Miss...Miss?" A husky voice snapped me out of my reverie. So he was here! Finally! A whole twenty minutes late! Determined to reprimand him for his tardiness, I put my game face on and lifted my head up.

However, when I looked up I was dumbfounded! I was left paralysed by the most beautiful and expressive pair of eyes I had ever seen. Although, they were brown, they were just like the ocean and held an astonishing amount of depth. I was certain that I could drown in those orbs for hours. My throat had gone dry and my heart started beating faster as I got a good look at the person who was the owner of these hypnotic eyes.

Was this really, Madhyam? I felt my resolve weakening already...

*****