Aarohi had barely stepped out of the house when her parents realized she was gone. They had hoped sheâd come around, that she would put aside her anger and join them for the wedding, but her absence felt like another strike against them.
Neelam looked at Rajesh, her concern evident. âWhere do you think she went? She was so excited about this wedding just a few days ago. Why would she leave like this?â
Rajesh rubbed his temples, clearly stressed. âI donât understand it, Neelam. Sheâs always been close to Shweta. Why would she suddenly act this way? And to lie about something so trivialâsaying she had something important at college?â
The truth was, neither of them could figure out why Aarohi had left. It wasnât like her to avoid family events, especially one that meant so much to her sister. But they both knew something had changed. She had been distant lately, and her deflection seemed to go beyond the wedding itself.
They were only half aware of the root of her frustration, unaware of how much Aarohi had been internalizing. To them, she was just being difficult, refusing to play her part in a family occasion. They didnât know how hard she was struggling, how the weight of the decisions being made for her had begun to crush her.
As the wedding ceremony went on, the Sharma family was left to worry about how to explain Aarohiâs absence to the guestsâespecially Vihaanâs family. Rajesh tried to settle his nerves, but the situation felt even more pressing now.
When Vihaanâs family arrived, they all turned their attention to him, trying to put on the best face they could muster. Rajesh stepped forward with a polite smile. âVihaan, itâs good to see you here. We were hoping to introduce you to Aarohi later, but I think she must have gotten caught up in something. Sheâs a bit... distracted today.â
Vihaanâs parents exchanged polite smiles, but he wasnât fooled. He could see the tension in their expressions. But he didnât want to get into it. Not yet, at least. The last thing he needed was to dive into the awkwardness of Aarohiâs disappearance.
He spoke, his tone calm but laced with a hint of frustration. âI understand. But itâs strange, isnât it? I thought sheâd be here. We were all set to meet, and now sheâs... gone? Whatâs going on?â His voice was quieter now, more personal, as he turned to look at the Sharma family.
Rajesh and Neelam exchanged a glance, their discomfort palpable. They had to maintain their composure. They had to make sure Vihaan and his parents didnât suspect the real reason behind Aarohiâs absence.
Rajesh cleared his throat, his mind racing to come up with a quick explanation. âSheâs been under a lot of pressure with her college work,â he said quickly, trying to hide his unease. âSomething important came up, and she had to leave to deal with it. Sheâll be back soon. Donât worry.â
Vihaan raised an eyebrow. The excuse felt flimsy, but he didnât press it right away. The idea that Aarohi could be too âdistractedâ by her studies to show up for something as significant as this wedding didnât sit right with him.
Neelam joined in, her voice soft but insistent. âYes, she really wanted to be here, but sheâs just not in the right headspace today. Aarohi has her own way of handling things.â
Vihaanâs gaze hardened as he processed their words. Aarohi was the one avoiding them, and they were clearly trying to cover for her. He had hoped the meeting would go smoothly, but now it seemed like a delicate situation.
âWell,â Vihaan began, his tone growing colder, âitâs just odd, donât you think? I mean, weâve been talking about this match for a while, and now sheâs gone? If she didnât want to meet me, she could have said something. Itâs not like she has to pretend everythingâs fine.â
Rajesh and Neelamâs expressions faltered. They had hoped to keep things light, to avoid any awkward conversations about their daughterâs behavior, but Vihaanâs bluntness made it hard to hide the truth.
âIâm sure sheâs just feeling overwhelmed,â Rajesh said quickly, trying to brush it off. âSheâs always been a bit... independent. She just needs time, thatâs all.â
Vihaanâs lips pressed into a thin line. His frustration was beginning to show, but he kept his voice low to avoid making the situation worse. âIndependent, huh? Thatâs one way to put it.â
His gaze shifted to his parents, who were deep in conversation with the Sharmas, oblivious to the tension growing between their families. Vihaan felt his ego flare. Was she deliberately avoiding him, or was it just another way for her to push back against the marriage?
He turned back to Rajesh and Neelam, his voice taking on a sharper edge. âI donât want to make this more complicated, but... she could have at least communicated. Itâs not just about the marriage, you know. Itâs about respect. She could have respected the fact that weâre all here, trying to make this work.â
Neelam seemed taken aback by his words, but Rajesh quickly tried to recover, his tone apologetic. âWeâre sorry, Vihaan. Weâll speak to her. Iâm sure itâs just a phase, some family issues sheâs working through. Youâll meet her soon, we promise.â
Vihaan didnât say anything for a moment. He stood there, his mind churning. Everything about this felt off. Aarohiâs absence felt like a slap in the face, and it made him question whether she was truly against the marriageâor if she simply didnât want to meet him at all.
He forced a tight smile, though the anger simmered beneath the surface. âIâm not angry,â he said, his voice cool. âBut this doesnât feel right. Weâll talk later.â
Vihaan turned to walk away, but his steps were heavy with unresolved frustration. He was against this marriage just as much as Aarohi was, but his pride had taken a hit. She had shown no interest in him, no effort to meet him, and it bruised his ego. But he wasnât going to make a scene. Not yet.
As he walked away, he caught the sympathetic glance of his father, Dev, who looked like he wanted to intervene. But Vihaan didnât want to discuss it anymore. He needed space to think. This wedding, this family, everything was becoming more complicated than he had ever expected.