On her last morning in Mumbai before heading back to Delhi for her senior year, Shruti frowned. While she was still wrapped warmly in the blanket on Arjun's bed, his side was empty.
"Sunny?" she called.
"In the kitchen!" he yelled back from downstairs.
She groaned and rolled out of bed, grabbing her robe on her way out the door to cover up in case he wasn't alone; since telling everyone else about their relationship in June, they'd had very little alone time.
"Good morning," he beamed when she found him moments later over the stove wearing only his boxer briefs. "I'm almost finished with breakfast."
Shruti stood in shock. "You cooked."
"I did," he confirmed, nodding at the spread on the small table in the breakfast nook of his kitchen. "It's your last day here; I wanted it to be memorable."
"But you never cook," she went on, taking a seat at the table. "And there's coffee!"
He chuckled as he turned off the stove and carried over the last plate-parantha-to join her. "Well, you've been drinking tea all summer and I know you missed it, so I sent Rakshit out for some last night while you showered."
She leaned over to kiss him. "Thank you."
"Of course," he smiled, pleased with himself to have made her so happy. "Now, eat up because we have a busy day ahead of us."
At the end of the day, after spending hours around Mumbai, Shruti noticed that Arjun was leading her through Victoria Memorial to the Riverfront Park.
"I'm feeling a little déjà vu," she joked as they sat on the same bench.
"This is the place where I first opened up to you," he began, "and where you opened up to me. It was here, almost exactly one year ago, that I knew I was completely in love with you, Shruti Sarnaik, and I haven't regretted it for a second."
"I'm glad," she smiled. "I haven't regretted it either. Leaving tomorrow morning is going to be the worst day of my life."
"That's why I want this one to be your best," he replied, reaching into the pocket of his jacket to pull out a small velvet box.
She looked around nervously and for the first time realized they were completely alone in the park. "Where is everyone?"
"Neil rented out the space for me," he explained. "I needed this to be perfect." He got down to the ground on one knee in front of her. "I'm difficult, to say the least. I'm stubborn and opinionated, and I have to get my way, always. But above all of that, I love you. You came into my life just as this wild ride was starting and I can't imagine going through it with anyone else at my side." He opened the box to reveal a stunning round-cut diamond on a simple white-gold band. "Shruti, will you marry me?"
"Yes," she answered quickly, with no hesitation in her response. "Yes, I'll marry you."
"I can't believe you all came!" Shruti cried happily upon greeting her Mumbai friends after her graduation ceremony had ended.
"Of course we came," Arohi said, hugging her tightly. "You're part of the family, and we stick together."
"Forever and always," Shanaya murmured, taking her turn to hug her. "He's at your apartment. He didn't want to draw attention to himself on your day."
Shruti just grinned. "Then let's go."
She hadn't seen Arjun in person since March, despite talking via webcam every day. To say she missed being with him was an understatement, and now that she had graduated, she would be moving to Mumbai to be with him full-time.
When they arrived at her apartment, the rest of the group offered to head to the restaurant Neil has secured a private room to give the couple some alone time. Shruti hurried inside and found Arjun waiting for her on her couch, much like he'd done the year before.
"Hello, beautiful," he greeted her warmly.
"Hi," she beamed, launching herself at him. "Bappa, I missed you."
"And I you," he confirmed, kissing her softly. "Congratulations, Shruti."
"Thank you," she accepted, pulling the chain that held her engagement ring out from under her dress. "Can I wear this now?"
"I hope so," he chuckled, helping to remove the necklace. He slid the diamond off and then returned it to its rightful place on her ring finger. "Much better."
She kissed him again, this time with a little more oomph. "Are you certain you want to go to dinner? It's been two very long months, Sunny."
"I know," he muttered as she kissed her way down his neck, "and I plan on making it up to you this evening, but we really should go. Everyone is waiting."
"Oh, fine," she sighed, standing up to straighten herself out. "Let's go."
Arjun offered to drive. "I don't get much practice here in Manali."
"Why would you?" she teased. "You can barely drive on your side of the road, so I can't imagine you on mine."
He ignored her dig and climbed into the driver's seat of her Sedan. "What a Mumbai-based car you have, sweety."
"It reminds me of you," she admitted without shame.
"I'm glad," he smiled, typing an address into the GPS system of the car.
"Where are we going?" Shruti asked moments later as he drove in the opposite direction of the restaurant.
"We have to make a pit stop," he explained vaguely.
"How do you even know what's here?" she asked. "You've been to Manali like, three times."
"Just wait and see," he advised. "You won't be disappointed."
Shruti just huffed and looked out the window as he drove through Sterling Manali.
When they arrived at their destination, they were entering a building from the back alley, so Shruti still had no idea where they were.
"Where are we?" she demanded as he took her hand and led her inside. "Arjun, this is absurd. Everyone is waiting for us."
"Just through here," he murmured, pushing open a door.
Inside, the Mumbai group-along with her mother and Akshara-was gathered around a man in a long black robe.
"Is he a judge?" Shruti realized.
Arjun stopped walking to face her. "I'm sure you want a big wedding and I so wish I could give you one, but the only way for us to be married and keep our privacy is to do it like this, sweety."
"We're getting married?" she breathed as a smile erupted from her lips. "Right now?"
"As long as you say yes," he confirmed.
"Yes!" she declared. "Let's get married."
The judge cleared his throat. "Excellent. If the two of you will stand just here in front of me, we'll begin."
Arjun took Shruti's hands and held them throughout the entire ceremony, still shocked she'd agreed to be his wife. He wasn't sure he deserved her, but he was going to do everything in his power to make sure he kept her.
"What's all this?" Shruti asked the following evening as Arjun led her out to her mother's backyard.
"Well, even though we didn't have a big wedding, I thought I could still give you the couple's first dance," he explained, leading her to the middle of the candle-surrounded gazebo. He hit 'play' on the portable radio he'd brought out earlier and took her into his arms. "I wrote this song just for this moment."
"Will you sing it, too?" she whispered, lying her head on his shoulder.
"For you?" he asked. Anything.
Mainu Rab mileya
Sab mileya
Jab tu mileya mainu
Mainu hajj mileya
Rajj rajj mileya
Mainu jab mileya hai tu
Mainu Rab mileya
Mainu sab mileya
Mainu jab mileya hai tu
Mainu haq mileya
Rooh tak mileya
Mainu jab mileya hai tu
Tera hona ik sapna lagda
Bas ek tu hi apna lagda
Tere bina hun nahi ji laggna ve
Oh sohneya
Mere sohneya
Mainu nahi jeena
Tere bina
Oh sohneya
Mere sohneya
Mainu nahi jeena
Tere bina
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu hai
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu hai
O... Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu hai
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu
Tu hi tu, Tu hi tu hai
Raat da hanera main
Tu hi chann mera hai
Dekh kitna sohna rabb ne
Saath likh diya hai
Ab yeh khwaab toote na
Saath ab ye choote na
Kaske tu thaam lena piya
Har saah tere naam main kar doon
Gham saare tere khud mein hi bhar loon
Rehna bas mere roobaroo
Oh sohneya
Mere sohneya
Mainu nahi jeena
Tere bina
Oh sohneya
Mere sohneya
Mainu nahi jeena
Tere bina
"It's beautiful," she murmured when he finished singing to her.
"You're beautiful," he corrected, "and you deserved something that matched."
"I love you, Arjun Punj," she told him.
He kissed her. "And I love you, Shruti Punj."