R I T I K A

Life could be this perfect, I never imagined, cause here I am in the amusement park with my husband who has held my hand, and is guiding me through the crowd towards the roller coaster.

"Finally, we are here!" He exclaimed as we reached the ride.

"Great job, husband." I smiled at him.

"Thank you, wife." He looked at me with a smile on his face and continued, "Then, let's go?"

"Definitely!"

And we both sat on the roller coaster, my heart throbbing because of the excitement and fear, but maybe cause of him too, who has been looking at me fondly, while interlocking our fingers.

I smiled and held our hands together, and muttered, "This feels so amazing."

"It does." He smiled back and came closer to me and pecked on my cheek, making my cheeks in the shade of pink.

I could never get enough of him kissing me; it doesn't matter that it's a forehead kiss in the morning, or on the cheeks at a random time of the day or on the lips, devouring me whenever I sit on his lap.

And suddenly, a scream escaped my mouth, making me widen my eyes, but his laughter echoed in the air, "So cute, Ritika."

"Ya, nothing is cute in this; that was too sudden."

"Well, it was not. The announcer did announce it, but you were in your own thoughts and smiling."

"So, what were you doing? Couldn't you tell me?"

"I was admiring you." As soon as those words left his mouth, my heart raced, and a heat travelled on my cheeks.

I looked at him and smiled and went near him, and pecked on his lips, "Advi, stop making my heart beat faster."

He smiled, "Well, I can't control it, Mrs Bansal."

I winced and looked away from his gaze, "This is so beautiful." I spoke, looking at the sky.

"You are." He replied while looking at me.

"Adviii." I blushed.

"Hnji?" 

"I am hungry."  Those words left my mouth because I had nothing to reply to his flatteries.

"Have it." He took out a chocolate bar from his hoodie and gave it to me.

"You didn't eat it?" I asked.

"I was not hungry."

"Now, you are?" I asked while opening the bar.

"A little bit, but you have it." He said and looked away.

"You are such an idiot," I muttered and softly grabbed his chin to make him look at my way.

"What-"As soon as he opened his mouth, I kept the chocolate between his mouth.

"Eat it," I said.

He started munching on the chocolate while my eyes were wandering over his beautiful features.

He was so handsome.

***

It was night, but we were still wandering around the park, while holding hands and talking about our lives.

"So, you passed JEE?"

"No, but I cleared Mains." He replied.

"That's so great!!" 

"But you know my dad literally didn't talk to me for months; he was really disappointed."He spoke, his tone now a just whisper.

 "But I am really proud of you, Advik. I really am." I spoke while stopping and looking at him.

"Thank you, Ritika." He replied and pulled me in a hug.

His scent surrounded me, making my heart melt - because his only scent calmed me. 

We kept hugging for some time and then pulled away, starting to walk again.

"My parents thought I was the best, because from childhood I had been feeding them marks, excellence, but then 11th happened, it was I don't know ... it was depressing without any reason, or maybe there was- I still don't know. But when they get to know that their son was not up to their expectations, they became distant." He continued.

My heart ached at the reminder of little advik struggling, trying to fill the expectations of his family; he didn't deserve any of this. 

"Advik, you didn't deserve to be treated like a stranger in your own house," I whispered.

"No one deserves that, Ritika." He spoke while looking up at the stars.

I looked at him, feeling the hurt and loneliness, but even though he remained the same- kind, lovely and strong advik I know. The one who couldn't be changed by the world- the parents' expectations, distance and disappointments.

"What about cooking? Were you always interested in it?" I asked.

"When I was in ninth grade, my parents had to go far for some family gathering, and my mother instructed Riya to do everything. She was the youngest, yet my mother explained to her to do everything. And the night they went, Riya cried to me, told me things my mom told her. I consoled her, told her she didn't have to do a thing and enjoy her holidays, and that night I cooked for the first time."

"It was messy, not even tasty, but still I tried, and when I started cooking well, the smiles on Riya and vihaan faces would light me up, make me the happiest boy."

A smile plastered on my face, imagining him as a big brother cooking and feeding his little siblings.

"You were amazing brother," I whispered, literally feeling the most proud of him.

He smiled and continued, "But the day my parents came and got to know I cooked, they were shouting and saying things. My mother scolded Riya more for letting me even cook. And that day she said you would never cook in this house, you are a man."

"You know what? I couldn't believe she said that cause I thought she was my cool ma. When she was away, I would dream of telling her that I love cooking and would think of her reaction, which would be her smiling. I would think of her teaching me dishes. But in the end, it was a dream. She didn't support me but scolded me."

He continued, but as minutes passed, my vision turned blurry, and tears welled in my eyes.

"But I would cook for my Vihaan and Riya whenever my parents weren't home. And when I left my house and shifted to Himachal for college, I learned cooking, all by myself."

I stilled, hearing his words.

"Advik, Oh my god. Advik." I spoke and looked at him, the tears in his eyes welled up too, and my heart ached at the man standing infront of me- he was no more twenty eight years old but looked teen to me, who was cooking dishes for his siblings, and learning everything on his own.

"I am proud of you. You are the best brother, a son and husband anyone could ask for, but more than that, you are the best human being, Advik."

He looked at me and passed me the faintest smile and engulfed me in a hug.

"Thank you, my Ritika." I kept rubbing his back, trying my best to provide comfort and warmth.

A/N

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