Arvi (Tell me you didn't miss her in the slightest!)
I run up to my room, kick off my Indian juthis and climb onto the bed with my phone in my hands; excited to tell my friends all about my adventure.
I text in the girls-only group that we'd never bothered to name. The group was still called 'Dunno'.
I kissed Arjun!
Sam: what?
Dhriti: didn't you guys kiss aeons ago?
Aren't those some encouraging responses?
Sam: maybe she sent the text a long time ago but it never went through?
How'd she come up with that? Sounds way too smart.
I kissed him! Me!
How is it that kissing Arjun required more courage than bungee jumping or paragliding?
I put my phone down and roll over, onto my back, thinking about him. An instant smile graces my lips.
I turn back onto my stomach and get my phone.
Dhriti: Vi, you know it takes two people to have an actual kiss? Didn't you kiss him before?
I did! But I kissed him first this time!
Sam: Arvi Ravichander. How long has it been since you've known Arjun?
Did I do something wrong?
... five months?
Sam: and you've never initiated a kiss?! Dumbass!
Dhriti: and how long since your engagement?
... It has been three months at least, hasn't it? How come I've never initiated a proper kiss up until now? Even now, I hadn't kissed him properly! I pecked his lips! Pecked them! I'm not a fucking bird! What was I doing?
Arvi! I groan, rolling onto my back once again. I pull a pillow into my arms, taking another to cuddle.
Stupid, stupid, stupid Arvi!
what should I do?!
Dhriti: your inability to express affection put aside, you're lucky you found Arjun. Remember when we talked about what if he wasn't patient enough? Looks like he's patient enough for you
you're lucky, Arvi
I'm happy for you
Sam: well I'm happy for you too! But have you NEVER kissed him by yourself before?
I ponder over what both of them have said. I am lucky, aren't I? Tanay broke it off after two dates because I was too difficult; because I didn't open up. And here is Arjun, three months after our engagement, taking things at my pace without me ever having to mention it.
I must've done some damn good things in my previous life to be here, to have him in my life.
I have not...
Dhriti: darling, I know you take time to open up, to let people inside, and I know having Arjun in your life is a huge change, but this has got to change
What started as an amazingly cute text, ends with,
DO BETTER THAN KISSING HIM FOR FUCK'S SAKE!
YOU ARE READING
Poles Apart
RomanceArvi has just returned from the UK after six tedious years, two of which she had not even visited home. A lot of things seem to have changed on the surface. Her younger brother was going to go off to college and her older brother was getting married...
