Moreover, I didn’t want her burdened by the secrecy of our feelings, hiding them from her family. So, I decided to seek both her and her family’s blessing. That way, we wouldn’t have to navigate the treacherous waters of secrecy. And now… here we are.
Wait. Why is there an eerie silence?
I shake off my daydream and lift my gaze, catching the collective stare of my family: flabbergasted, petrified, utterly shocked. I know this is sudden, but…
“Guys!” I murmur, desperate for a reaction, but they remain dumbstruck.
Finally, I focus on the girl I’ve longed to claim as mine and see her fidgeting nervously with her hands, the familiar gesture she exhibits whenever she feels anxious. Aditi seems a universe away, her expression impossible to decipher with Amyra seated between us.
I need to bridge this distance. I rise swiftly and take the seat directly opposite her, landing beside my parents. I scan the tensefaces around me, feeling the weight of their expectations as I settle into my space.
“I just announced something important! I like Aditi, and I want to date her to explore the possibility of something we can cherish forever.” I emphasize this point, my voice steady, even as my heart races. I catch a faint sigh from my mom beside me.
“Since when has this been happening?” Finally, a question emerges, breaking the stillness, and it’s from my father, his tone sounding surprisingly inquisitive.
“Two years.”
“Why did you keep it hidden until now?” Amyra's Dad, Harshavardan Uncle, follows up with another question, his brow arched.
“I was waiting for the right moment, and now that we’re both nearing the end of our studies, I thought it was time to reveal it.” My eyes dart to Aditi again, who still wears a blank expression, her features unmoving.
“Isn’t this a bit much for a public announcement?” The next question comes from Amyra's Mom, Neelima Aunty, her voice tinged with agitation.
“I actually considered asking her out in private,” I explain, “but since we don’t keep secrets in this family and given how supportive you’ve always been. I thought a public declaration was best. I’ll respect whatever decision you or Aditi make.” I stress the last part, hoping to alleviate any pressure Aditi might feel from my proposal.
I’m braced for any answer she offers. I just… I couldn’t keep my feelings bottled up any longer. That’s why I had to say it, here, in front of my family.
“Reyansh!” A strong, commanding voice pulls my attention back to reality.
“Mom?”
“Don’t you think you’ve forgotten something important?” Her thick, serious tone matches the intensity of her expression, making my eyebrows knit in confusion. What am I forgetting?
“Can you elaborate, Mom?”
“Your promise.” She utters, her jaw clenched with barely contained frustration.
My eyes widen at her words, shockwaves of memory flooding my mind. Bits and pieces of a long-forgotten day resurface when I stumbled over my own words in a fit of adolescent blabbering. God… why did I ever say that? And why is my mom taking it so seriously?
My youthful, innocent ramblings suddenly feel like they are about to haunt me.
“If that makes me stay with my best friend forever, then yes, I will marry Ames one day.”
“Are you seriously clinging to that silly, childish blabbering I made when I was fourteen? It was just a mistake and a careless string of words. Isn’t it, Mom?” I groan, heat bubbling up in my chest.
“So you randomly make a promise and then nullify it, calling it a mistake now?” My father’s voice rises, and I can already see where this is heading.
“Dad! How can you call it a promise? It wasn’t intentional. I knew nothing back then. I only wanted to be with my best friend forever. I’ve learned that you can still stay close with your best friend without needing anything more. I never thought you’d still remember that.” I let out a dry chuckle and glanced at Amyra, stiff in her seat.
“But it’s still a promise, Reyansh,” Harsha Uncle points out, and I feel the urge to bang my head against the nearest wall.
“And we’ve been doting on it for years,” Neelima Aunty adds, only deepening my frustration.
Wait! Are the elders serious about my childhood blabbering and nourishing an idea that one day Amyra and I would marry? Can’t they see we never had such a feeling between us, and we always behave as two true good friends? Why don’t they check up with Amyra herself?
“I don’t know why no one understands that Amyra and I never felt anything but pure friendship, just like Dad and Uncle. You can ask her yourself.” My voice strains as everyone’s gaze swings to Amyra.
“Amyra? Do you have something to say?” my father presses, and the room falls into pin-drop silence.
