Don't tell me you're going to snoop?

Gautham observed Sindhu's apparent discomfort to the so he suggested going back for which she gladly obliged.

Their parents were still in deep discussion about god knows what. Anyways, Sindhu just sat down on the couch and started fidgeting with her fingers... She kept fidgeting. She was bored and she had no phone to pass time while Gautham was sitting beside her and doing just that. He was going through his phone. She was tempted to take a peek or maybe even borrow it and see if he had some games. If her mum could read her mind she would have given her a stern look and asked 'Really??' as if she was crazy. But Sindhu was seriously bored… so much so that she might eat someone just about then.

But right then it came... Rain... The smell of wet sand filled the air and you could feel it even before you could hear the downpour. Sindhu couldn't help the grin that spread on her face. She had been waiting for it to rain from the morning. That was the whole reason why she was late in the first palace. She silently excused herself and went to the kitchen. She looked back to make sure her mother did not notice her. Through the kitchen, there was a back door to the yard. She quickly sneaked out through there and was now watching the downpour with a gleeful grin. Sadly she couldn't get wet now... for obvious reasons of course. She cannot exactly go back in there looking like a wet battered puppy. But she couldn't help herself from stretching her hands into the rain.

Sindhu was so caught up with the rain that she didn't even notice that she had an audience and you guessed it right. Gautham was staring at her play in rain with that stupid lopsided grin on his face. He had sneaked out right behind her.

Let's just say he couldn't resist the crazy glint that filled her eyes when she left.

Without knowing what he was doing, he took out his phone and snapped a photo of Sindhu.

The shutter sound from snapping the photo brought Sindhu back to reality. And she gave Gautham an accusatory look but when the reality of the situation she was in struck her... Her expression changed to that of a kid caught with his hands on a cookie jar.

She gave Gautham a pleading look as if asking him without words not to tell anyone.

If her mom had caught her... she sneaking out of the back to play in rain with guests at home... she will never hear the end of it.

But Gautham was not let down by her antics. He seemed thoroughly amused.

My god!!!! This girl!!!

Something about her ticked all the right boxes for Gautham.

She... Okay let's face it; he had absolutely no idea how to describe her. Maybe it was the casual way she carried herself around a stranger or the simple way she was dressed without taking much effort to impress him or his family... She didn't seem to be making much fuss on, "Oh I should make a good first impression and sit there like a doll to the whips and whims of her mother...” And for some reason he just liked it. A lot.

And he did not miss her mom glaring at her as soon as she came to the living room. Probably for being late or it could be for dressing up so simply.

She didn't seem to be intimidated by this whole arranged marriage thing.

She was herself. She was not trying to pretend to be the proper lady. Even now she was playing in rain like a child without any care of others' criticisms. He liked that the most.

And he knew that she means no disrespect to him or my parents. And he was pretty sure she will screw him to the next universe if he ever disrespected her parents in any way. Don't ask me how he knows that. He just does.

My god Gautham! Get a grip on yourself. You just saw the girl an hour ago and you're thinking about her as if you know her for ages.

"Don't worry I won't tell anyone about you sneaking out", Gautham replied to her pleading look. "And we can hang out in here if you want" saying which Gautham went ahead and sat on the swing in their backyard.

Sindhu signed a relief and joined him on the other side of the swing. It was a sofa-like swing made to accommodate three people.

"Oh, thank god! I was getting bored in there. And no offense to your parents, mind you" Sindhu said sighing in relief.

"None taken! Even I was getting bored" Gautham said shaking his head.

Sindhu sat down comfortably crossing her legs Indian style as she asked, "Hey can I borrow your phone"

"What? Don't tell me you're going to snoop?" Gautham asked her with a confused look. By the way, he was totally teasing her... but then again he forgot she was not the nervous type.

"Oh please! If I decided to snoop... you won't even know that I was snooping! Anyways I just wanted to play some games to pass time and again before you ask my phone is upstairs in my room. So hand it over" She sassed with a smirk.

"Bossy much", Gautham commented but handed her the phone anyways.

She played with the phone for 5 minutes but quickly got bored. So they started talking. She talked all about her schooling and college stories. She told him about her bestie who also happens to be a guy. Aryan Singhania... Okay, Gautham doesn't have enough feeling for Sindhu yet to feel jealous and all but can't really say it didn't bother me. Not in a way I am going to doubt her but in a way "How can this guy know more about her than me" kinda way. Anyways she did not seem like the type to find jealously as something cute so he kept his mouth shut.

Even Gautham told her about himself. Might not have narrated it as a grand story as Sindhu did, but he did tell her enough about himself.

In all the speaking and sneaking they forgot all about their parents. And luck has it; they were caught red-handed sneaking out together, which seem to amuse their parents more.

After some teases and some glaring from Sindhu at her mom for teasing, they all went inside for lunch. Lunch went without much drama.

Gautham's family was about to leave when Sindhu spoke up.

"Aunty and uncle," she said addressing his parents, "And Gautham. Can I talk to you guys for a minute???" she asked. They all nodded and settled down around her. She took a minute for herself then said, "I mean no disrespect to anyone but I would like to clarify certain things out first. I know as per our tradition marriages are arranged and the decisions are taken by the parents... especially on the bride side. But in this case, it will be my decision and mine alone. And to take that decision I first need to know him first. We are practically strangers and marriage is a long-term commitment that affects not only the both of us but also our families. Even you guys don't know anything about me. I mean... What if I am some spoilt brat who will end up disrespecting you and take your son away from you.”

"So what I am trying to say is- I am going to need time to make a decision... a lot of time actually. And if you guys have any constraints, you can tell me straight away. And at any point you think I am not good enough for your son, you can tell it to my face. As you see I like things open. And one last thing... the final decision will be mine and mine alone regardless of what my parents tell you. Unless and until I say "Yes", this marriage is not going to go anywhere.", she finished confidently. She then turned towards me.

"And Gautham", she addressed him directly now. "I know I am blunt but I don't know how to be any other way. So if at any point you feel that I am not good enough for you, I want you to tell me to my face. And I will respect that decision. But if by some chance you decide that you can put up with my craziness, I want that decision to be yours and yours alone, no strings attached. If there are any strings, I want you to come and tell me about it."

Gautham simply nodded with a smile

"So you are ready to give me the benefit of doubt I guess??" she asked again looking straight at him.

"Yup", Gautham simply said popping the 'P' at the end. Then he looked at his mom and he could say that his mom is already half in love with this girl. And if at all he knew his mom, he knew she would have liked the no-nonsense speech Sindhu gave just minutes ago more than anything else. His mum liked straightforward people, who criticize or praise to face.