Swiping for Shaadi: Episode 12 - Not Yet Hitched

Six months passed since Anjali had accepted her ‘wanna get married asap’ phase, and her status stayed fixed in its place. Anjali took it lightly and motivated her father who was half-shattered and his hopes were at a standstill.

“Papa, it has been only six months since we started searching for marriage proposals.”

“Technically, yes beta! But profoundly, we have been searching since you turned 24.” He answered sarcastically. Anjali made a wild guess that she had inherited sarcasm from her father, but when he used his quality against her, it hit her hard.

“Beta,” he added, “My gut feeling is convincing me that we should approach Premji for marriage proposals. Anyways, he is in this social work initiative for years and his judgment towards prospective girls and boys never goes wrong.”

Anjali hated him secretly, not her Papa but Prem Uncle. And social work? Wait! Does tying people’s knots fall under the social work category? She had always thought that it was the work of those who have no passion or hobby after retirement.

“No, Papa. I don’t find him to be a genuine person!” She remarked but her father continued to ridicule her choices.

“You have a problem with all the guys. You find someone’s profession to be unreasonable, someone’s habits bother you, and I have heard a new thing – you don’t like someone’s clicked pictures? Beta, you are not marrying a photographer, you are going to marry a person. I think you should learn to compromise and adjust or else, is janam to shaadi nahi ho rahi!” He said exasperatedly.

“Papa, even the previous guys rejected me based on my looks and hobbies. Do you know why? Because they were damn picky while choosing their life partner. Papa, even I have to be serious. Anyways, I have to spend the rest of my life with that person.” She convinced him but it seemed that her father had turned a deaf ear.

“I don’t know, beta. I just want you to get married before 27 and only three months are remaining for the same. I can’t have an unmarried girl at home after 28.” He snapped at her.

Anjali stomped her foot and moved towards the kitchen and gazed at her mother intently. Indeed, she had to be careful while choosing her better half.

                                                            -x-

“So, any luck with the marriage thing? I really feel you should register on a marriage portal. I met my hubby over there. And see, how caring and loving he is.” Reena flaunted, reminding Anjali about her bitter groom-search story.

“Yes, I have seen it several times. No matter how many times you have fought and demanded a divorce, you can’t get your hands off each other.” Anjali’s inherited sarcastic remarks were harsh for Reena to listen to.

“I was thinking, I mean if you don’t mind, can Manish stay with us? He won’t step out of the room when he will be here, and you won’t feel disturbed.”

Wow! What a modest way of asking a flatmate for permission! Anjali wondered.

“I am not sure. The security guard asks weird questions about you. And frankly, you both are married and will need space of your own; won’t you both be uncomfortable here? Especially Manish living with the other two spinsters, won’t he feel odd if he stays here?”

The counter-questions were enough for Reena to understand that Anjali had refused and couldn’t be easily convinced. Hence, she smirked at her vividly and shuffled to her bedroom.

Seriously! What kind of marriages people are into? Don’t they think twice before getting married? Anjali wondered and then, looked at her mobile screen.

No message from Varun. She had fiercely turned down Varun’s suggestion to meet up, considering that she would have to get married to another guy. Some peculiar thought popped up in her mind and she made an impulsive decision to message him, inquiring about his health and weekend plans. Why? She didn’t know.

Hey, what’s up? Sorry, we couldn’t meet last time. What about this weekend?

And then there was a long waiting time, which didn’t last for just a few hours, but for the next two days.

“He still hasn’t replied. Is he mad at me?” She asked, completely apprehensive about her so-called relationship with Varun. Obviously, it was Sid, her relationship coach those days who answered her worries and concerns in a flash.

“I don’t think he is obligated to do it, sis.” He replied easily.

“That day, Papa said that I should have searched for someone in Mumbai. He was not serious, but it was a good suggestion, isn’t it?” She said slyly.

“So, based on that random statement, you want to check your computability with Varun with whom you haven’t been on a single date?”

Anjali adjusted her hair in a typical girly way and said with a lower gaze, “Maybe, I should at least try talking to him. We might feel something for each other, and he will come to Agra to convince Papa and others in my family.”

Sid grinned humorously and burst out into a snigger. “Then, it will be a DDLJ in Agra. Wow! You have turned into a rom-com heroine, sis! Never expected this from you!”

She slapped him on his shoulder which didn’t hurt him at all.

“Come on, you go out with several girls and talk to them all the time. I have seen some of your messages. Suggest something how I can strike up a friendly conversation with him apart from my photography and boring job.”

Sid paused for a while and scratched his head and said in a firm voice, “Look sis, a girl’s psychology is different from a boy’s. And hence, I will have to think from a man’s perspective. He is the kind of guy who doesn’t open up and express his feelings. I guess he doesn’t have a girlfriend yet?”

“Of course,” she blurted.

“He is an introvert on a scale of 9. You will have to take the initiative to talk to him and ask him out, the way other girls flirt with him. Henceforth, no shyness and no hesitation. Go and talk to him directly. Understand?”

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