MINE

Chapter 1

It was a sunny day, a beautiful lady in a black knee length gown and pointed heels strolled on the streets of New Jersey. Her phone rang, she pulled it out of her bag and a smile blossomed on her lips as she read "Dad" on the screen. She quickly answered the call "Hello dad!!, how are you?" within seconds her eyebrows frowned and her eyes widened. Shilpa, her best friend, sneaking up on her yelled into her ears to surprise her but got no response. she tilted her head to have a better look at her friends face and questioned “Are you okay Janvi?” And noticed her friend's blank expression. Is everything alright? She asked again. “No…. just spoke to dad, mom is very sick… I should go back to India, help me out with the flight?” She asked Shilpa. “hey don't you worry…. she is going to be fine. I will make arrangements for your air tickets. You go home and pack your things” reassured Shilpa. 

In India

Janvi landed in Delhi airport, her heart felt heavy, she never wanted to return to India because of her past… but today she had to... She collected her luggage and walked out of the airport. “Excuse me!!” shouted a man and ran behind her. Janvi turned around to see who it was, she saw a young man, tall, well-built and he looked like a dream. Janvi kept looking at him as he walked to her. “That's mine” he said pointing towards the luggage in her hand “And this is yours” he said. It didn't take long for Janvi to realise that she had taken the wrong luggage "Oh I am so sorry …it kinda looked the same…. I got a little confused" she said. “No worries” He replied, took what was his and walked away. 

As Janvi was waiting for her cab she happened to see the same handsome man standing right beside her… looked like he was waiting for someone. “Hey Rajat!!” shouted his friend and gave him a tight bear hug. “Hey Rahul” replied Rajat lethargically. Rahul's eyes caught Janvi and refused to move away, which made her feel uncomfortable. she turned around and faced the other side. Rahul snapped out of the daze. “Why do you look so upset dude?”. “As if you know nothing! How many times should I tell them I am not interested in getting married!!” yelled Rajat. “chill man… marriage isn't that bad” said Rahul. “You!!” Rajat exclaimed pointing his finger at Rahul's face “either help me to find a way to escape from this marriage or just keep your mouth shut”. As they started walking away Rahul said “I have an idea… wait a sec!” he said as he handed his phone to his friend. Rajat was surprised to see a photo in which he was standing beside the girl who took his luggage by mistake. He glared at Rahul with an eyebrow cocked up “why?” he asked. “I just feel like I know her from somewhere and you guys actually make a really handsome couple!. Rahul looked at Rajat and figured from his expression that he was not happy… “if only looks could kill… I’d be dead” he murmured under his breath and grabbed his luggage. “cool buddy! what I am trying to say is.... let's show this picture to your family and say that you are married to her…. you will escape from this Marriage!!. “Do you think people in my house are Idiots like you!!” shouted Rajat. “what if someone in my house sees her and figures out the truth?”. “Hmmmm give me a minute” said Rahul and ran to Janvi. She opened the cab door to get into it when he stopped her and explained about his friend's situation. Janvi was taken aback by this random man at the airport making this weird request, she gave a visibly disgusted look at him “what crap!!” she said and banged the door shut on his face. “You deserved it” said Rajat trying to hold back his temper. 

Janvi's House

Janvi reached her house, her dad welcomed her with a loving kiss on her forehead. “How is mom doing?” Questioned a worried Janvi and saw her mom walking out of the kitchen fit as a fiddle, she ran to her mom and hugged her tight, her eyes welling up she asked “Mom how are you? You should be resting now” she slowly made her mom sit on the sofa and her mom replied “I am better Janu, it was just a minor attack, but doctor said mumma's heart is very weak and i want to see your wedding before something happens to me”. Janvi looked at her mom and said “yeah mom let's talk about this later…. you need rest now. “No” her mom said sternly. “we should talk now because you are getting engaged in the next two days” said her dad. “what!?!?!?” Screeched Janvi in shock. “Yes… no more excuses, don't you kill your mom with whatever happened in your past”. “Dad this isn't fair!” she retaliated. “it doesn’t matter to me and your mother Janu…. all I want you to remember that your parents will only do what is best for you” he said and walked away. 

Janvi barged into her room and banged the door shut behind her. She flung her phone in anger, and mid-air it started ringing and landed on the bed. she wasn't in mood to check who it was, but the phone rang nonstop. she reached out and grabbed it. The display showed “Shilpa”. By the time she attended the call it stopped ringing. As she was trying to call her back she received a message from Shilpa. Janvi opened her whatsApp and was surprised to see a photo of her with the man whose luggage she took by mistake. Janvi called Shilpa “who took this picture and how do you have it??” she pressed. “I will answer your question, but before that tell me how’s mom's health? Janvi told her about what happened in her house and shilpa was in shock, but decided not to advice Janvi about this as she know her friend very well. Janvi asked her about the photo again and Shilpa said that it was her boyfriend Rahul who clicked it. “He has seen your pictures on my whatsApp status but wasn't really sure if it was you so he clicked this picture to share with me to confirm it”. “Is he out of his mind?” barked Janvi. “He asked me to help his friend” argued Janvi. “I am sorry… seems like even his friend is stuck in a similar situation”. “I am already going through a lot and not in the mood to think or help others! Said Janvi through her clenched teeth. “I will talk to you later” she said and hung up the phone. 

Engagement day

Janvi could not escape from the betrothal, but never the less her mind did not stop thinking to find a way out of this.The day arrived. She was forced to get ready, her mom said “they all have come, if you respect and love me, say yes for the wedding”. Janvi spoke nothing, she decided that the only way out was to speak to the guy and cancel everything... Her parents and the potential groom’s parents were having a casual discussion, Janvi's mom came in and took her out to meet the family. she said Namaste to everyone never bother to look up at any one of them. She heard a bold voice say “I wish to talk to the girl”, Janvi felt like this is not the 1st time she heard that voice, she looked up and was surprised to see the same guy whom she met in the airport.