Kabir and Kiara were laughing at each other during their
wedding. He kept teasing her. She kept blushing away. He taunted saying, “From
shorts to a wedding dress! Oh my God Kiara! Such a drastic change.” Kiara kept
blushing and occasionally nudging Kabir to stop with his teasing. It was a big
day for the two of them. It was something that they never imagined would happen
to them.
The two of them were childhood friends. Childhood friends
and not childhood lovers. It was a different and a funny day for them because
they had always been the best of friends. Their family knew each other because
of them. It was a perfect story but definitely not a love story.
Kabir and Kiara grew up together. They stayed in the same
neighbourhood. They went to different schools, had different set of friends but
were inseparable when they met in the evenings. Kiara had always been a tomboy.
It was an advantage for Kabir because that way he had company of a girl who
shared nearly the same interest as his. They played soccer, cricket, went
cycling together, had a paintball war together, arranged random treasure hunts
with other kids. In short they had the perfect life a child would ever want.
Kabir’s mother walked up to them and congratulated them on
their wedding again. She adjusted Kiara’s dress. ‘Stop troubling my daughter
Kabir! You both are married! Try acting a little more mature. She’s not my
daughter in law, she’s my daughter! And Kiara don’t let him introduce you to
any relative or teach you anything, he hardly knows anyone around.’ The three
of them laughed with the perfect Kodak moment capture. Kabir’s mother’s
statement made her go back to the time when Kabir taught Kiara swimming.
The two of them were just 12 years old and had gone to the
club for swimming. Kiara was playing in the shallow end with floats and Kabir
was swimming like a dolphin in the pool. She used to adore him swim and
show-off his talent to everyone around. Kabir always wanted to teach Kiara how
to swim so that she could race with him. ‘Why don’t you come with me to that
side of the pool? You take your float with you. I’ll hold your hand.’ Kiara
held his hand and held onto the float and followed him. Once they reached the
deeper end of the swimming pool Kabir let go off her hand and pulled the float
away. She tried holding onto him but he swam away and told her,’ Try swimming
and saving yourself. I am not going to let anyone help you. Come on Kiara
you’ll drown.’ Saying that he signalled
the Life-guard to stay at a close and safe distance from her. Kiara kept moving
her hands and legs and swallowing water occasionally. After quite a lot of
struggle she reached the shallow end and walked out of the pool. Kabir knew he
had invited trouble. He followed her but she entered the changing room. She was
opening her locker when she heard him say,’ I am sorry! But I wanted you to
learn. I know there are better ways than this. But you would never learn. I
know I am wrong that’s why I am standing in a girl’s changing room!’ Kiara took
her bag and entered a stall for a shower. She heard an aunty yell at Kabir for
entering the changing room but she was too angry to explain things to her.
Kabir had gotten a sound thrashing from his father after the
life-guard complained about this incident. Kiara knew he was right but he had
his way of doing things. Kabir snapped her back to the present moment and
introduced her to a few more people at the wedding.
They had been the best of friends but they never thought
about love. Friends kept teasing them but they never paid heed to their talks.
In fact Kiara had helped Kabir find his first girlfriend-Nicole. They were
together for 2 years and broke up and patched up millions of times during that
phase. They were mature enough to take serious decisions and they mutually
decided to walk on different paths. Kiara’s life was in a mess when she came to
know that there was a proposal for her of a family friend’s son. Kiara still
remembers how Kabir kept laughing when she told him that she would be meeting
that guy soon. Arrange marriage meetings were too difficult for Kiara to
handle. She couldn’t do anything because her mother wanted her to get married.
Kabir was not helping her out as well.
A few funny meetings and rejections later, Kiara’s mother
asked Kabir to talk to her. Kiara finally spoke, ‘I am not made for these
arrange marriages Kabir! It’s difficult to decide in a few meetings that you
want to get married this guy is made for you. Obviously the guy doesn’t know
that I have gotten drunk and stood on bar stools trying to sing like Kesha
because my friend Kabir let me get drunk! He doesn’t know that I sneak out in
the night with food because your mother locks the front door if you return home
late, we both don’t know each other. Plus mom is just being too adamant on
meeting guys nearly every-day. And she told you to talk to me but you are here
eating PIZZA and not giving two hoots about anything about me!’ saying this
Kiara got up to leave the room but Kabir ran in lightning speed and shut the
door. He held Kiara’s hand and said, ‘I heard everything that you said. You
wanted to get drunk that night so I let you because I was there to take care of
you, my mother locks the door but she knows you are the only person who will
open another door for me. I came here to talk to you because I wanted us to
find a solution together. And your explanations gave me the best answer. I know
this will sound funny but let’s get married!’ Kiara’s eyes were wide open in
shock. She never expected Kabir of all the people to say this to her. ‘See we
both know each other and life has always been good when we are together. That
way both our families will be happy and your mother won’t get so stressed.
Marriage is a big thing and I know you need to be in love or have the
compatibility to get married to someone but come on Kiara! Who are we kidding?
Our lives have always been insane so let’s do this in reverse. We get married;
we remain friends, we fall in love and have the best life together. Problem
solved.
A lot of thinking and a few satisfied decisions later Kabir
and Kiara got married. It was funny for them but in the end both of them were
happy. They can always tell their children and grandchildren that their
marriage was neither a love or an arrange and their story was definitely not a
love story.
Comments
Post a Comment