Chapter 16: A Puppy Love

Ananya

The ride to college was uncomfortable—not because of Aarav's brooding silence, which I was slowly getting used to, but because of the tension simmering between us. I could feel his gaze on me every now and then, sharp and assessing, though he didn't say anything.

I played with my scarf, shifting nervously under his scrutiny. I knew he still wasn't happy about my outfit, even though I'd covered up. Aarav had always been intimidating, but when he was silent, it was worse.

"You don't have to drop me every day, you know," I said finally, breaking the silence. "It's unnecessary."

He glanced at me, one eyebrow arching. "Unnecessary? Making sure my wife gets to college safely is unnecessary?"

"It's college, not a war zone," I mumbled under my breath, looking out the window.

"What did you say?" His tone had that low, warning edge that made my heart race.

"Nothing."

He didn't respond, but the way his fingers tightened on the steering wheel said enough.

As we pulled up to the gates, I started to unbuckle my seatbelt, eager to escape the thick tension in the car. But before I could step out, Aarav grabbed my wrist, stopping me.

"Wait."

I turned to him, confused. "What now?"

He leaned closer, his dark eyes piercing into mine. "Keep the scarf on."

I blinked at him, my mouth opening and closing like a fish. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're being ridiculous."

"Maybe," he said, his voice infuriatingly calm. "But I don't care. Humor me, Ananya."

For a moment, I considered arguing, but the look in his eyes told me it was pointless. With a frustrated huff, I yanked the scarf tighter around my shoulders.

"Happy now?" I snapped.

His lips curved into a small, knowing smirk. "Ecstatic. Go to class."

I slammed the door harder than necessary as I got out, muttering curses under my breath. But even as I walked away, I couldn't ignore the way my cheeks heated under his gaze.

The car ride from college was quiet, but not in an awkward way. Aarav seemed to have loosened up a bit after the little fight this morning. Though he still wasn't fully convinced about my wardrobe choices, at least he wasn't sulking anymore.

I rested my head against the window, watching the city blur past when the car slowed down at a red light.

And that's when I saw it—a tiny, scruffy puppy sitting helplessly by the curb, trembling as cars zoomed by.

"Oh my god, Aarav, stop the car!" I shrieked, leaning forward in panic.

He frowned. "What's wrong?"

"There's a puppy! Look!" I pointed frantically.

He followed my gaze, his expression unimpressed. "It's just a stray, Ananya. Leave it."

"What do you mean, leave it? It's a baby! It's scared and alone!"

"Ananya, we can't just pick up stray dogs off the street—"

"Yes, we can!" I turned to him, my eyes pleading. "Please, Aarav. Look at it. It's so tiny. What if it gets hurt?"

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ananya—"

"Please," I whispered, clasping my hands together for added effect. "I'll take care of it, I promise. Just... please."

Aarav's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he'd say no. But then he glanced at me—at my wide, pleading eyes—and groaned.

"Fine," he muttered, pulling over to the side of the road.

I beamed, practically bouncing in my seat. "Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

As soon as he parked, I jumped out of the car and carefully approached the puppy. It looked up at me with big, scared eyes, and my heart melted on the spot.

"It's okay, little one," I cooed, crouching down. "I've got you."

I scooped the puppy up, cradling it against my chest. It was tiny and shivering, and I could feel its little heart racing.

When I got back to the car, Aarav gave me a look. "Happy now?"

"Very," I said, settling into my seat with the puppy still in my arms.

We stopped at a nearby veterinary clinic to get the puppy checked out. Aarav stayed back in the waiting area, scrolling through his phone while I fussed over the little dog.

"It's a boy," the vet informed me with a smile. "He's a little underweight, but otherwise, he's healthy."

I grinned, stroking the puppy's soft fur. "Thank you, doctor."

When we walked back out, Aarav stood up, his expression somewhere between amused and exasperated. "All set?"

"Yep," I said cheerfully.

Our next stop was a pet store, and that's where things got a little... chaotic.

"Oh my god, Aarav, look at this bed!" I exclaimed, holding up a tiny blue dog bed.

"Ananya, he's a stray. He doesn't need—"

"And these toys!" I grabbed a squeaky toy and tested it, laughing when the puppy perked up.

"Ananya—"

"Ooh, and this collar! Isn't it adorable?"

Aarav sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as I piled item after item into the cart.

"Are you done yet?" he asked after I added a bag of premium puppy food to the mix.

"Almost," I said, grabbing a little blanket.

He shook his head, a small smile tugging at his lips. "You're unbelievable."

"And you're just grumpy old man," I shot back, sticking my tongue out at him.

By the time we left the store, the backseat of the car was filled with puppy supplies, and I was grinning from ear to ear.

When we got home, the house was buzzing with activity as usual. Aarav's cousins were sprawled across the living room, chatting and laughing.

The moment they saw the puppy, all conversation stopped.

"What's that?" one of them asked, pointing.

"It's a puppy," I said proudly, holding him up like Simba in The Lion King.

The room erupted into excited chatter as everyone crowded around to see the newest member of the family.

"Wait, wait, wait," one of Aarav's cousins said, looking at him with mock disbelief. "You hate animals."

"I don't hate them," Aarav said, scowling.

"You do! You've always said you'd never have a pet!"

"I didn't have a choice," he muttered, glancing at me.

I smiled sweetly. "Aarav couldn't say no to me."

The room burst into laughter, and Aarav shot me a look that promised payback later.

After everyone had gone to bed, I found Aarav sitting in the living room with the puppy on his lap.

"See? You like him," I said, sitting down beside him.

He glanced at me, his expression softening. "I tolerate him."

"Liar."

He smirked, running a hand through the puppy's fur. "Fine. Maybe he's not so bad."

I leaned against him, feeling a warmth spread through my chest. For a moment, everything felt perfect—like we were a real family.

And in that moment, I realized something: Aarav might be grumpy and overbearing, but when it came to me, his heart was as soft as they come.