𝐓𝐞𝐫𝐚 𝐅𝐢𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐫 - Chapter 13: Chapter 13

Akshara POV:
The early morning air in Mumbai was thick with the promise of the day's heat. I could feel the humidity stick to my skin as I stepped out of the cool confines of my home, papa's hand lightly resting on mt shoulder.
The day was shaping up to be another busy one, but today, there was something different-an edge of nervousness I couldn't shake off.
It had been a few days since the unexpected encounter with Shubman in Dharamshala. Since then, I hadn't spoken to him. The silence between us was deafening, despite the promise of an arranged marriage hanging over us. The engagement felt almost unreal, like something that didn't belong to either of us.
Yet, here I am, on my way to Chandigarh with Maa , Papa and Anika, to meet Shubman's family over dinner.
Rohan Bhai and Meera bhabhi, were supposed to join us, but an urgent meeting at his office had kept him back.
I was grateful in some way-it gave me a moment to think, to process everything that had happened, and what was yet to come.
My mind kept circling back to Shubman.
I had never intended for this situation to be complicated. I have always believed in the idea of an arranged marriage-a match made with respect, understanding, and mutual admiration.
But with Shubman, things were different. There was a lingering tension between us that neither have addressed.
As I sat in the car, looking out at the bustling Mumbai streets, my thoughts wandered. Papa was humming a tune softly beside me, flipping through the pages of a newspaper, while Maa was chatting with Anika about the new bakery opening in Mumbai.
For the first time in a long while, I felt alone in the midst of my family.
"Are you alright, beta?" Maa voice broke through my thoughts.
I turned to face her, startled by the question. "I'm fine, Maa. Just... thinking."
Maa raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. "Well, try not to think too much. You've been doing that a lot lately."
I smiled faintly and nodded. I appreciated Maa's concern, but there was no way to explain to her how unsettling everything had been. The thoughts of Shubman, of the dinner, of my future-it was all swirling in my head, and there was no clarity.
Soon, we were at the airport. The flurry of activity around us helped distract me from thoughts. I loved the energy of airports-the excitement, the chaos, the people coming and going. But today, even the bustling terminal couldn't keep my mind from wandering.
The flight to Chandigarh was smooth, and though I tried to sleep, I couldn't. I sat by the window, watching the landscape unfold beneath us as the plane ascended into the sky. The world below looked so small, so distant, and for a moment, I felt the weight of my own insignificance.
"Akshara, beta, are you sure you're okay?" Papa voice once again brought me back to reality.
I turned to him, my lips curling into a smile. "I'm fine, Papa. Just a little tired from all the travel, I guess."
Papa nodded, then leaned back in his seat, reading his book. Maa, ever the social butterfly, was already chatting with a fellow passenger about the best places to visit in Chandigarh. Anika was occupied with her phone, scrolling through Instagram, as always.
I turned back to the window, looking at the clouds beneath us. As the plane cut through the sky, I couldn't help but wonder what my life would be like after the dinner with Shubman's family. Would things be the same? Would they ever be the same?
The image of Shubman that had stayed in my mind since Dharamshala still lingered. He had been so distant after the accident-no texts, no calls, no real attempt to check in on me.
The silence had only made me more confused, more uncertain. I had expected him to reach out, to show some form of interest, but nothing came. Was it that he didn't care? Or was he afraid of the engagement, of what it meant for both of us?
It was maddening, really. All I wanted was some clarity.
Anika looked up from her phone, sensing my unease. "You look like you're a million miles away," she teased lightly. "Are you sure you're not just thinking about how this dinner is going to go? Because I'm already prepared for the awkwardness. We've barely talked to Shubman's family, right?"
I let out a soft laugh. "Yeah, it's going to be... interesting, that's for sure."
Anika shot me a look. "Is it just me, or does it feel like you're trying to run away from something?"
I froze. "What are you talking about, Anika?"
Anika shrugged nonchalantly. "I don't know, just the way you've been acting lately. Like you're avoiding something. I've never seen you like this before."
I felt a pang of guilt. It wasn't Anika's fault that she couldn't explain herself. "I'm just... I don't know, trying to figure things out."
Anika gave her a knowing look, but didn't push. Instead, she slid her phone into her bag and leaned back in her seat, giving me space to process my thoughts.
As the plane made its descent toward Chandigarh, the excitement in the air began to settle, replaced by a lingering sense of uncertainty. My heart was heavy with questions, my mind filled with a thousand what-ifs.
What if Shubman didn't want this marriage? What if he had changed his mind? What if he was simply going along with it because it was what his family expected?
And what if... what if he had genuine feelings for her, but he was too afraid to express them?
The plane touched down with a soft thud, and my heart skipped a beat. We were here.
As we disembarked and made our way toward the exit, my stomach churned with nerves. This was it-the moment I would finally see Shubman again. Would he be different? Would I?
As we approached the car, I felt a wave of determination wash over me. I had come this far, and no matter what happened tonight, I would face it with grace and clarity. I owed myself that much.
Maa, Papa and Anika chatted happily around me, oblivious to the turmoil inside me. But as I looked out at the approaching horizon, I couldn't help but wonder what the evening would bring. Would it be the start of something real, or the beginning of the end?
🍂
I stepped out of the car and glanced at the Gill house, which stood grandly against the night sky, illuminated by soft lights that made it look welcoming. I was a little nervous, though I wouldn't admit it. This wasn't just another dinner- I couldn't shake the feeling that things were more complicated than they seemed.
Anika, noticed me fidgeting. "You're going to be fine, Di," she said, giving me a reassuring smile.
"I know," I replied, though I wasn't entirely convinced. The weight of everything-the engagement, my relationship with Shubman, our awkward silence after Dharamshala-it all loomed over in my mind.
As we walked toward the door, I tried to steady my nerves. When Keart aunty greeted us at the entrance with warmth, I felt myself relax slightly. I had always liked Keart aunty, her genuine kindness was like a balm.
"Welcome, Akshara! It's so lovely to see you," aunty said, giving me a warm hug.
"Thank you, aunty," I responded, my smile sincere but my thoughts swirling. I was conscious of Shubman standing nearby, looking a little distant, though polite. The moment I met his eyes, a strange tension bubbled between us. He had been avoiding me ever since Dharamshala, and it stung more than I cared to admit.
The evening unfolded in a blur of conversation-polite questions about café and family, my responses automatic as I tried to focus on the present and not the overwhelming sense of distance between me and Shubman.
I caught glimpses of him every now and then, his gaze occasionally shifting toward me, only for him to quickly look away. The tension between us was palpable, like an invisible thread pulling us in opposite directions. I couldn't help but wonder why. Was it the engagement that made things so complicated? Or was it something else?
When we finally sat down to dinner, I found myself seated across from Shubman. I could feel his presence even when he wasn't looking directly at me, and I couldn't help but feel that familiar flutter in my chest, the one that had always been there whenever he was near.
But tonight, that flutter was tinged with confusion.
As the conversation moved around mr, my mind wandered. The warmth of the meal, the sounds of laughter, the gentle clinking of cutlery-it all seemed to fade into the background as I tried to make sense of what had happened after Dharamshala. Why had Shubman been so distant? I had wanted to reach out to him, but something had stopped me.
I train of thought was interrupted when Keart aunty asked me about the café. I answered automatically, talking about the seasonal desserts we had been experimenting with. But my mind wasn't really in it. I couldn't help but steal glances at Shubman, his silence pressing down on me, making everything feel heavier than it should have been.
Then, as dessert was served, Shubman spoke.
"So, how's your wrist?" he asked, his voice surprisingly gentle.
I blinked, taken aback by the sudden question. It was the first time he had addressed me directly all evening. I met his gaze, momentarily unsure of what to say.
"It's much better now," I replied, offering him a small smile, though inside, I wasn't sure what I was feeling. "Thank you."
Shubman hesitated before speaking again, and his next words caught me off guard.
"I... I should've checked in. I'm sorry I didn't."
I paused, looking at him more carefully this time. There was something in his eyes-regret, maybe. Was he apologizing for avoiding her? Or for something more?
"It's okay. I'm fine now," I said softly, hoping my response sounded more convincing than I felt.
But even as I said the words, the weight of the silence between us lingered. I could tell there was more to what he wasn't saying, just as there was more to what I wasn't saying. But neither of us seemed ready to open up.
The dinner continued, but my thoughts remained on Shubman. I noticed the way he kept his distance, the way he seemed to struggle with whatever emotions were swirling beneath the surface.
He wasn't the same Shubman I have seen in those short video and reels. There was something more guarded about him now, something unresolved.
As the evening came to a close, and we said our goodbyes, I couldn't help but feel the distance between us once again. As I stepped outside, I turned back for a moment, my eyes meeting his across the porch. There was something in that look-a mixture of uncertainty and something else, maybe hope.
But before I could process it, Shubman turned away, leaving me standing there with the lingering question, What now?