-32-
"You got to admit you were jealous", he stated almost amused about the turn of events. She leaned ahead her finger fisting the edge of the table glaring daggers at him.
"Raghav Hooda, if I saw you around another pretty girl showing all your chivalry. I'll chop your balls off..."
"From next time, make a clear decision either you can can become a gentleman to random woman or keep your balls to yourself because I don't repeat my warning", she spoke in a low dangerous voice.
A lazy smile formed on his lips.
"Is this how you talk to your fiancé", he questioned raising his eyebrow clearly amused by the turn of the events.
"Keep that wide grin plastered on your face.
I have witnessed how you enjoy random pretty girls eying you.
But if I saw you helping another girl, I'll put both my hands between your lips and tear your face in two halves.
And I am not fooling around", Jayasvi stated without a single wince at the image she painted.
"I don't share. And I don't let betrayers go. Every man knows their nature, if you can't stay loyal better step back from this marriage now only or things won't end well for you", she completed her warning with a chilling calmness.
"I didn't betray you. Stop acting like I did something wrong", he added with the sharpness evident in his voice.
"You think I should be scared of your cute little warnings because you are being paranoid.
If anything you should be glad how well-mannered your future husband is.
You should apologise for your harsh words just now", he stated with clear amusement dancing in his eyes sitting on his place resembling a merciless emperor.
"Sorry bolegi meri jutti", she snapped.(Sorry? My foot)
"But you aren't wearing any. With what I can observe you are wearing heels.
Even if you would've worn jutti, I am pretty sure they wouldn't have been able to say 'sorry'.
But I don't blame you, Principessa, girls do get crazy in love", he made a teasing remark winking in her direction.
Her eyes widen and the sudden endearment.
He was enjoying it too much for her liking.
The silence stayed prevalent in the room for few more moments before he broke it again.
"You know, Jayasvi-- I can point at any woman and she won't deny me", he let out with a scoff. Jayasvi's eyes narrowed right at that moment as she rise up from her place walking towards him slowly. She leaned down onto his seat close to his face.
"Why are you not pointing fingers at these women? I also want to see who got the guts to come closer", she whisper her voice dropping too low. Her eyes burning with fire.
"Is that a warning", he questioned raising his eyebrow.
"No, it's the potential future if you have the audacity to roam your eyes more than allowed", she stated reaching down to trace his Adam's apple looking dead in his eyes.
"I won't think twice before pressing it the next moment you say such absurdity again"
Instead of fear, she noticed his eyes turning more mischievous filling her with more anger.
"You are just finding reasons to stake your claim upon me and touch me", he spoke almost teasingly.
"Mein Rohtak ke chore te umeed bhi ke karu thi", she whisper under her breath pulling away from him watching how self- absorbed he was.
It was the very first time, he heard her speak Haryanvi.
It was his moment to be taken aback. Why did it sound almost sexy?
(What was I even expecting from a guy from Rohtak)
"You have a lot of hidden tricks in your bag", he almost laughed out pulling her in his lap making her eyes wide.
"I'll slap you so hard if you touched me again", she growled squirming in his arms feeling his hands wrapping around her waist tighter. By now, she was punching his arms hard struggling with all her might.
"My dear, you need to start exercising. You don't have the strength to fight me. Stop eating so much pizza, you aren't getting any energy from it", he declared, the mocking tone still prevalent in his words.
"Nyu te shaadi ke baad, ek round bhi na tikke tu.
Ar mera ek round te kuch na howe", he added, his breath fanning her ear.
He leaned forward nibbling over her earlobe making her tremble the very moment, her face going on fire at the meaning behind those blunt words.
(If this continues, after marriage you won't even be able to handle a single round.
And one round won't be enough for me with you)
She turned her head glaring at him.
"I hate you so much, Raghav Hooda. You haven't realized it yet", she retorted, her face having turned pink with the immense emotion she was feeling at the moment.
"I trust you, princess. Atleast, I am trying to", he spoke looking at her almost panicked expression pressing his lips over her neck. She froze for a moment, another quiver running through her spine, eyes widening. She wasn't actually prepared for anything that was happening here.
"The marriage will happen in 2 months. And exactly after that, I'll fulfil my promise of making your legs weak", he declared give a more aggressive suck to the side of her neck.
Her breath hitched, her struggle stopping for a moment.
She told herself to slap him so hard but she was frozen at her place feeling his lips press over her cheek licking her skin. Her breathing having turned heavy.
For once she hoped to be a gold-digger.
He had made his mind to marry her and he would stop at nothing till he does that.
With the power and money, he had. She couldn't fight him.
She promised herself; even though he would get what he want but she will make sure of not ending up as a trophy in his shelf.
She'll put all her efforts to have him regret this very decision throughout his life. She was done being a good girl.
And now that she think of it. There was no perfect definition of good or bad in this world. She could be submissive and sweet and still be called a damn idiot. So why not choose to be a headstrong individual.
Everybody is having a different perspective to view things but none can see or feel like her because it was her who was living this difficult life taking so many strenuous decisionsevery single day. If nobody else can share her pain and solitude, they had no right to judge her.
The only thing she was sure was her never ending up like her mother.
She would never be a doll to be played by anyone.
She would never stop fighting, never let anybody crush her dignity and pride beneath their boot just because they think they are dominant in anyway.
Never let someone humiliate her just because they got money. She'll earn her own money.
"What is going on in your mind?", Ankita asked her sitting across to her adhering to the war going inside Jayasvi's mind. Anybody with a good observation skill could tell, she was fighting with her ownself about something.
"Even if we talk about being in the modern time. The things haven't changed a lot", Jayasvi remarked calmly leaning back over her sofa raising her feet to sit comfortable crossing her legs.
"What are you intending to speak about", Ankita questioned trying to dig deeper into the problem.
"Initially, women weren't allowed to study because the society thought if women left home, they'll be far more ruined to be a proper housewife.
But than time changed with all the revolution, women were now allowed to study even though we don't need anyone's permission to exercise our own right.
Women think they are free, but we aren't. We still live in shackles.
A different kind of shackle and even more complex.
From being sold makeup to have the flawless skin to match the beauty standards; to having taught feminism in schools and colleges yet not allowed to use what we learn in the real world. .."
"You have a lot in store", Ankita stated realising how heavy the words felt and how much she was overthinking about something to go this deep.
"I learnt the hierarchy of women, at who gets to dominate whom. And always the woman in the dominating role is connected to a powerful man. We can try as much as we want but we can't run from the truth. Our existence is tied up to the men in our life."
"Our parents motivate us to study and win our life goals, yet they still want us to behave in a way society permits where men are preached to be the givers and protectors.
Since when did it happen? How can be man claimed as givers when it's a woman who gave birth to him, when it's a woman who fed him when he couldn't eat, when it's a mother who cared for him.
I am seriously questioning everything I studied from the practicality of life I am getting now", Jayasvi declared still lost deep in her thoughts accompanied with a heavy long pause.
"Yes, your mother told me you aren't very excited with the thought of the marriage happening this soon", Ankita stated with a sigh.
"And you are here to have me change the decision.
Tell me, Ankita, I agreed to the marriage.
I was told I'll be given time but nothing such happened.
Those people are just going back on their words again and again.
How is my family trusting them is beyond me now?
They say I can stay here on the weekdays and stay at their place on weekends.
You think this solution is practical? Soon it would be my family only who'll start saying how neighbors are talking about me staying here for so long.
It would be the neighbors and my family gossiping about me not having a comfortable relationship with my in-laws since I stay at my parents place for so long.
And than it would be my mother only who'll tell me to spend time there", Jayasvi stated clearly.
Every word explaining every cent of a possible future which didn't seem too far anymore.
"They are just too deeply tied in this cycle of pleasing the society.
The society won't come to save us if something goes wrong but the society is always there to pass comments and gossips.
If the society is so great, why is poverty still prevailing in our country; it should've been eradicated long ago"
"You are overthinking about everything. Let your mind relax.
Your family is giving you so much freedom.
You have Raghav's number. Call him, talk about your fears.
Let him know what you feel like. I am sure you'll feel better", Ankita offered the only right suggestion she could come up at the moment.
Jayasvi so wanted to scream curses at her suggestion.
"For once, Ankita, it's not a freedom. You can't just expect me to marry a stranger just because my parent said so.
This is basic need of the hour. I need to know him.
I can't just marry someone just because he is rich, tall and handsome.
That's not the criteria you look for in a partner.
It's like I am going out in the market to buy potatoes by seeing it's outer appearance.
But it can still turn out to be rotten or sweet from inside", Jayasvi stated out her voice overflowing with frustration.
She knew it was her mother's decision to have Ankita here and talk sense to her but at the moment, it was her family and relatives who seemed senseless to her.
It was like they weren't even trying to understand how wrong they were while deciding so many things about her life without even making sure if she was fine with such decisions.