Tables and chairs are set in the lawn which is surrounded by decorated light poles from the surrounding. Also at one of the side of the lawn food is arranged properly as a buffet. Trees surrounding the lawn are decorated by cascading lights which gives them a dreamy look. All in all, sitting and eating in the lawn seems like enjoying the food with a beautiful view.
Although many people are still in the hall, in the lawn also some people are present and enjoying their dinner. Soon Mahat Pawar and his group of five people also arrived in the lawn and in ten to fifteen minutes they are also seated in one of the tables with their food.
While eating and Talking eyes of Mahat Pawar gleamed when he saw two people sitting on the table beside him and his friends also saw the couple. Those people are Arushi and Aditya who is sitting and eating together.
Mahat Pawar beckoned his friend Ravi Shinde who understood his intention and went to the couple and said "Hello Ms Arushi! Why are you eating alone? Why don't you join our group there?" He pointed toward his table and to help her brother Priyanka Pawar waved at Arushi. Sister is totally in sync with brother it seems or she simply wants to enjoy the show.
Arushi is a bit hesitant in the start but she knows Ravi Shinde and also seeing two girls in the group she smiled and nodded. Both people carried their plates and joined on the table of the group of Mahat Pawar. People in the group made a place for them to sit together.
Naveen Jagtap initiated the conversation and asked the couple "Ravi mentioned that Mr Sharma of the Tax department is your father." And then he looked toward Aditya and said: "And you might be her boyfriend?" And then he looked toward Arushi with questioning glance.
Arushi laughed and then Aditya smiled and said "No, we are already engaged. Hello, I am Aditya Pal and I just came to visit Pune and I also had been invited to this event so we came together."
Mahat Pawar also joined and said "Oh, it means you are also from some business family. Great. Nice to meet you. I am Mahat Pawar from Bappa Hotels and this is my sister Priyanka and they are my friends." He introduced Arushi and Aditya to his group and soon they became familiar with each other. Soon they relaxed with each other and started eating and chatting normally.
Priyanka Pawar first noticed when Akash, Varsha and Swati entered the lawn. Seeing them her expression twisted a bit which is caught by Mahat Pawar and he also looked in that direction and saw that lovely girl he is infatuated with. Seeing them Arushi also turned her face and saw the group. Almost everyone on the table saw them and everyone has different emotions swirling in their heart.
First-person to become calm is Mahat Pawar and seeing the expression of Arushi and her fiancee, his scheming mind jumped with joy. He calmed and asked "Ms Arushi, do you know Akash Patel? He is the heir of Patel Family and he recently got married."
Hearing the inquiry from Mahat Patel, Arushi looked toward him and replied with a calm look "Yes, we have studied MBA in the same batch from IIM, Bangalore." Then she looked toward her annoyed fiancee and smiled "And Aditya also studied from there and he was one year senior to us."
Mahat Pawar nodded and said "Oh, I see. Then you must go and say hello to his wife. Or have you already done that?" He mentioned like an understanding person.
Arushi laughed and said "How forgetful. I really forget that. We have already met Akash but have not met his wife." She then looked at her plate which is empty now and then turned to her fiancee "Aditya! Why not go and meet the wife of Akash." She looked expectantly toward him.
She thought that Aditya will get annoyed or irritated from this demand. She knows that Aditya is aware of her brief history with Akash and although it was nothing but it is still hurtful to the pride of a man. But out of her expectation, Aditya smiled and said "Why not, of course. Excuse us.." He said to the group on the table and stood up.
Arushi and Aditya excused themselves from the table and walked toward the table which Akash and his group have taken. Mahat Pawar looked at the back of the couple and smiled cunningly. Naveen Jagtap smiled and asked teasingly "This girl is not bad. Beautiful, modern and well educated. Why don't you go for her? She is also not married yet."
Mahat Pawar looked at his annoying friend and then smiled and said "I have seen a lot of city girls like her. She does not have any new quality."
His sister laughed and said "Oh, so this is why you are attracted by that village girl because she is different. I thought my brother has got his intelligence impaired. Didn't know that he is just experimenting. Haha."
Ravi Shinde looked at the laughing Priyanka Pawar and then looked at Naveen Jagtap who is also speechless and both have the same expression on their faces which says 'Sister is equally ruthless as her brother.'
Mahat Pawar just looked at the couple who just left and have reached the table of Akash and group. He smiled mysteriously and did not respond to his sister's comment. They continued their eating and discussion also diverted to other topics.
Meanwhile, Arushi and Aditya approached the group of Akash. They both calmed themselves and smiled naturally when they reached the table and garnered the attention of three people on the table. Arushi smiled and looked toward Varsha and said "Hello! I am Arushi. Sorry, for introducing myself late. I was classmate with Akash in college."
Akash looked at Arushi who came and introducing herself to Varsha smilingly. He felt suspicious about her intention as he still remembers how she talked about Varsha before. He then looked toward Varsha who is looking toward him questioningly and he nodded. Seeing his affirmative nod, Varsha turned and looked toward Arushi and smiled and said "Hello. I am Varsha, your classmate's wife."
"Your classmate's wife." This made everyone laugh on the table as Arushi introduced herself as a classmate of Akash. Even Akash laughed at the witty reply of Varsha. Akash asked Arushi and Aditya to sit out of politeness. Soon introductions are over and they are conversing normally.
Sometime later Aditya asked Akash "Have you not yet done your dinner? I don't see your plates or any sign of it." He then said apologetically "We have already done ours. Hope we are not delaying yours."
Varsha smiled and said, "I am on fast and they were just accompanying me and did not get a chance to go bring their food yet." She then turned toward Swati and said "Let us go bring dinner. We can talk while eating. Let us not delay it anymore." And then she stood up along with Swati to leave the table and bring the dinner.
Akash looked at her and asked, "Where are you going?"
Varsha looked at his concerned gaze and smiled and said: "To bring food for you."
Akash felt a newfound feeling in his heart which comes from being taken care of. He felt happy due to her caring act but how can he as a husband make her do such type of chore for him. He stood up and smiled and then said "Let me go fetch it myself. I also am not planning to eat a heavy meal." And he made Varsha sit back on her seat and then left to go bring food for himself. Swati also excused herself to go and bring her food.
While queuing to take the dinner, Akash looked at Varsha who is sitting at the table with Arushi and her fiancee. He is a bit concerned about leaving her there but he is sure that at such an open public place Arushi won't do any misdemeanour toward Varsha. When their gazes met he smiled at her in assurance and then moved ahead in line. Swati is just behind him in the queue.
On the table, Varsha smiled back at Akash and then looked toward Arushi. She got startled seeing the strange expression on the faces of Arushi and her fiancee. Arushi saw how Varsha and Akash interacted and it enraged her. Now when Akash is gone, Arushi does not need to mask her feelings.
Arushi expressed her ridicule openly toward Varsha and said: "You must be happy to marry such an outstanding person compared to your village background."
Varsha is startled and after hearing her sentence she silently observed the expression of Arushi and Aditya and said in a calm voice "Why does it matter to you? It feels like you have suddenly changed."
"He first liked her but due to his family he had to marry you." Aditya interrupted and answered for Arushi. Even Arushi along with Varsha got surprised by his response. Now Aditya has already put it this way, So Arushi also wanted to use this as a base for her next attack.
Varsha looked toward this girl who Akash liked in past. Did he really like her? She can see that Arushi is very smart and her way of dressing and talking all are so attractive. She is highly educated compared to Varsha. Varsha already felt a bit downhearted due to this revelation.
Finding Varsha looking at her Arushi said in a mocking tone "Now you see what type of girl he likes. He married you due to his family. Don't be conceited due to marrying a person who was initially out of your league."
Arushi has just shot an arrow in the dark as she is not aware of the actual relation between Akash and Varsha. But this arrow has really hit the painful nerve of Varsha. "Am I not his ideal type really?" This thought made her eyes welled up. Seeing the downcast expression of Varsha, the couple has a smug look on their faces.
Once a seed of suspicion is planted, it will sprout and many leaves will keep growing. A similar thing is happening in the mind of Varsha. She can not stop her negative thoughts now and one after another is coming in her mind.
"Is that why he couldn't accept the marriage with a full heart?"
"Is that why he does not care even if I try so hard to be good?"
"Will my love ever be reciprocated?"
The more she thought, the more pain she felt in her heart.