Court you

Shruti's apartment

Shruti POV

Damn! How can mom want me to marry such men? Does she even think of me as her daughter? And that man, he had brought another man with him, what does he think about himself! Do I look like that kind of woman? I have to put my guard up now more than ever. I can't let her make me do what she wants, like she always does. First day back home, and she spoils my day! (Starts to unpack her suitcase and cleans up the house. After some time heads out to a restaurant to have dinner)

Restaurant

(when she enters mostly tables are booked or occupied, so she decides to leave, suddenly a guy calls her out)

Man: Hey Shruti! Are you here for dinner as well? Well I had booked a table only for me, if you don't mind you can join me for dinner.

Shruti: (he looks familiar) Have we met before? Do you work at my office?

Man: Ouch, I'm hurt! (puts his hand on left side of his chest and acts) how can you forget me!... Annirudha... Ring any bells?

Shruti: (omg! How did I forget you!! You were my first and only crush) You have changed! I couldn't recognize you. I never forgot you, it's just that you have changed (smiles shyly) i would have dinner with you.

Annirudha: (becomes excited) come on let's go in, (hold out the door for her to go in, and guides her by placing his hand on the small of her back. Then pulls out the chair for her to sit, then he sits on the chair opposite to her) i have tried to contact you since my graduation, but I couldn't get your contact from any of our friends, and you don't seem to use your social media much. (looks into her eyes and smiles)

Shruti: (your chivalry was one of your charms for which I fell, and you tried to contact me it just sends butterflies in my stomach that you were looking for me! I never told you or showed you that I was interested in you because I didn't want to ruin our friendship without knowing your feelings towards me, I always locked them away, but now I can try, and moreover my mom wouldn't keep nagging me for seeing you) yeah, actually i don't have much time for social media and all, it was long back that I was excited for having the insta account, but I got bored and I haven't opened it since 3rd year. I was mostly busy with my placement and my entrance exams, even i didn't contact any of our school friends for a long time, that's why they won't be having my contact.

Annirudha: (this innocent smile of yours has always melted me to my core, I always want to cherish and preserve that smile of yours, that's why I wanted to take things slowly, but unexpectedly we had to go in seperate ways for out college, now that we have met again, I will definitely take my time to court you) Hey no problem. It must be fate that we meet again even without contacting and away for 6 years. So now we can exchange numbers and contact each other more often what say?

Shruti: Sure why not, it's really good to have a old bestie to talk to.

( the waiter serves their dishes and they both talk about their present job and their life and share a special dinner together and he offers to drop her to her house.)

Shruti: Thanks for the ride, usually I take my car everywhere I go, but I didn't feel like driving today. So where do you live? I hope it's not out of the way for you to drop me you know..

Annirudha: Hey no, it's not safe to send a lady alone at night (smiles sweetly)

Shruti: (damn, even my iconic poker face is melting in front of his smile) Yeah sure ( looks down nervously)

Annirudha: (chuckles) Shruti you have definitely changed a lot, that badass tomboy girl is now a grown up into a more beautiful young woman.

Shruti: uh? Which means I wasn't beautiful back then? ( raises an eyebrow mocking)

Annirudha: (chuckles in amusement) From when did you start talking cheesy huh? You know even if I tell our friends that this is you, they will think that you are a con artist, hahaha...

Shruti: Go ahead, make all the fun you want, I'm sparing you because we met today after so many years. Hmph. (pouting)

Annirudha: (patting her head and chuckles) Here we are, your destination, and by the way my apartment is also nearby, 5 minutes drive, so we can meet more often.

Shruti: That's cool, let's decide later when to meet, I'm tired I need to rest early. Bye.

(gets out of the car)

(Anirudha waits till she gets inside her apartment and then leaves with a smile)

Shruti's house

Shruti: (phone buzzes) Ah! Mom!... Yes I'm at home, I was going to sleep and I've had dinner... (cut off in between by mom )

Mom: (yells) What did you say to James?! Did we never teach you manners, how can you say to him that he wanted to sleep with you! Do you know how difficult it is to find a wealthy and well settled groom! And you go and insult him, that too a person of such a high position, all these years we have raised you at least you can do this to give back something to the family, I'm really disappointed in you!

Shruti: (holding her phone away from her ear) Mom, first of all, it seems that you are ready to trust someone outside the family than trust your own daughter even though that person misbehaves, secondly, if your so interested in finding someone wealthy because dad's wealth is not enough you should marry that person, you cannot always dictate the personal choice of my own life, you are not gonna live my life, it's me who's gonna live this life, I will marry whom I choose, I'm not saying you don't have a say in that but you should respect my choice. And finally, if I ever had an option, I would have chosen not to be born in your family, and it's the responsibility of each and every parent to raise their child and that child has all rights, and if you think otherwise, don't worry, I'll earn money fast and repay all the money you used to raise me up, and I'll like to give you a final warning, don't ever try to impose your choices on me ever again. I've spoken about this to granny and she agrees, I've nothing more to discuss to you about this. ( Ends call)

(smirks and thinks to herself, I also thought for a minute that she called me to ask if I reached safely and have I had my food on time, seems she is only interested If I was able give her a fortune. Sigh, what am I gonna do if she keeps doing this again and again, she's my mother though, I also want to be with like all those girls are with their mothers so happy)

6 months later

Feelings between Shruti and Annirudha becomes more close, and she confides in him about everything including her family matters. And Annirudha feels that he should confess his feelings to her sooner. But both still don't have the courage to say it to each other. Shruti's job goes really well and she also runs a side service secretly helping people who are victims of online fraud and makes allies with many important people who were ready to help her at any time. Then one day Shruti gets a call from her younger brother saying that her granny's health is deteriorating. And she rushes back to Chennai.

Hospital

Granny: Ah, my lovely daughter! I was waiting for you. You do know that I'm getting older now, and I don't think my body is ready to get any more worn out. What do you think? (smiles)

Shruti: (tears in her eyes) What are you saying! I won't let anything like that to happen to you! How can you say that to me, you are supposed to wait till you see me getting married, didn't you say that yourself! How can you go back on your words.

Granny: Hey child, don't cry, you know that everybody in this world have to leave someday, it's just that my time has come now before that I want you to swear that you will accept the request that I'm going to do to you. Promise me child?

Shruti: (crying) Anything you say Ma!

Granny: (Showing her a document) I want you to sign these papers dear, and never give it up to anyone who forces you to unless you are willingly giving it up for sale. Can you do this child?

Shruti: (reads the document) Ma why are you giving me the papers of your house? You know I can't accept this! This is too much.

Granny: Child, I don't trust anyone else more other than you, not even your grandpa. He'll take his daughters side and both the daughters will fight over for this document, so it's better I directly give this to you, so that nothing like that happens.

Shruti: Why are you saying as if you are not going to live anymore! This ain't fair, I... (cut off)

Granny: Listen to me, when I built that house i had in my mind to give it to you. Will you not fulfill this wish of mine.

Shruti: (Signs immediately) I'll do whatever you say Ma. (gets a call from Annirudha, automatically smiles slightly ) Ma , just a minute I'll take this call. (goes outside to talk and after a few minutes comes back)

Granny: Hmm what are you not telling me child? Why such a special reaction for that person who's it? (Gossip mode on)

Shruti : (Shy) MA, it's just a friend of mine, worried about me because I came here all of a sudden and didn't inform.

Granny: (seems as if understanding) child if you have some special feelings for him don't delay anymore, you should say to him before it's too late. Now tell me about him. (eyes sparkling for information)

Shruti: (chuckles and tells her about him) But Ma, I'm still not confident that the feelings that I'm having for him is completely love and we can marry confidently, but yes, his family likes me very much, his mother knows me since a long time and is fond of me. Even if we go to that stage, mom and his mother don't get along well. Mom always tries to pick arguments with his mother even if his mother ignores her for my sake. But that's not the main problem, the thing is I'm not sure about myself, I just don't want to disappoint him.

Granny : Child if you don't try you will never know. Finally I feel at peace that there's someone who will really look out for you! I know what your mother did previously. That's why I want you to get married as soon as possible, so that she doesn't trouble you anymore. Now go home and rest sometime, you must have come running to me without even having your food properly. And think about what I said. Ah! And before going home, just give these documents to our lawyer, he will take care of the rest.

Shruti: (kisses granny's check) love you Ma. Take rest and medicines on time. Bye.

(Shruti leaves. For 3 more days she continues to visit her granny and takes care of her. But her health keeps on worsening. And on the the fifth day early in the morning she passes away. This is the biggest shock she gets in her life, it's like a scar on her heart, because she lost the only person who gave her the warmth of having a mother. And now she's not able to cop up with the grief that she's going through)