Malli questioned Aparna, "do you really think that your parents and brother can be happy if they learn that you forced yourself?" in a serious voice. Aparna flinched at his serious tone and "I've lived for 18 years in comfort with content. There is nothing i could ask for now. This is the least I can do for them." she replied. "did anyone force you?" he asked as if suspecting something from her completely changed behavior. she shook her head sideways and "it's entirely my decision." she replied while staring at her toes inside the water. Malli "APARNAAA... Do you know how you look like?" he shouted at her as if he lost the control. Aparna didn't even glance at him "I know." she replied plainly. "aah!!!!! what do you mean by you know? You are not the one i know. How come one change within a day?" he asked perplexedly. "hey, Mallikarjuna, am I weird?" she asked him looking into his eyes. Malli almost teared up at the question she asked with such gloom expression he never saw on her face. Even though it's been less than an year, Malli got a brief idea about how she's, but this is beyond his comprehension. He stared at her eyes without uttering a word, no... could not utter a word after seeing the moistened eyes with a red tinge in front of him. "Tell me. Am I weird?" she asked him again. "No, not at all." he replied her without breaking their eye contact. Aparna lips slightly curled into a smile.... eyes looked even more gloomy.
"You are not weird." he repeated again. She nodded and stared into the river again. Malli looked at her concerned, "Aparna, don't bottle up your words. Throw everything at me. I'll listen and forget them all." he tried to ease her. Aparna looked at him once and shifted her gaze again. "Aparna..." he stopped as he couldn't continue his words. He sat silently beside her as she used to sit beside him without a single word just reassuring with their presence. Clouds gathered around the sun. After a short while, "will you really forget after listening to it?" She asked. "I promise."he put his hand over his head as he said those words. Aparna nodded, "you know, most of the girls in our village get married at the age of 14 to 16 without their consent, just getting married if the man likes her irrespective of her desire, and not many young ladies remain unmarried when they are 18, 19 or 20." she started. "Yes, when we were in our village too, some were married at 12 or 13 itself." he added to her. She hmmed and continued "When ladies don't get married by 17 or 18 years, People will say that they are defected or cursed or some other names. I used to attend every marriage held in the village since my childhood and watched them as I grew up. Some were happy, some were always fighting, some were having extra marital affairs either wife or husband, and some were blessed with beautiful children as a symbol of their love, and some were just as the byproducts of their lust. I watched them, no I observed them as I grew up. I subconsciously feared marriage even though I celebrate everyone's marriage. I thought what if I'm in that situation after getting married, many scenarios played in my mind that often messed up my sleep. I never shown this side to anyone. I was always cheery and energetic, making other smile, I liked how every one adored me, like me for the least thing I did. I was really happy. Still the fear of marriage didn't leave me...." she sniffled back her tears. Malli looked at her like a delicate glass that can be broken anytime if not careful. "Aparna, I thought that the girls even though they are afraid of leaving their parents, they often dream about how their husband should be and discussing their fantasies, about their married life, I've never imagined one could think like you." he exclaimed and saw her wiping her tears with her finger.
Aparna nodded her head and continued "You're right. That's why I asked if I'm weird for thinking like that." she told him gripping her hands together. Malli couldn't reply her this time instead glanced at her. Aparna continued " my parents or the others didn't know about my fear and asked me if I was ready for my marriage when I was 15 and I couldn't answer that, just fainted like that. I don't know what they discussed later but my parents never brought up that until recently. Krishna, Oormila, Siva brother and my brother never bring the topic of marriage unless I talk about that, even as a joke. Not many villagers directly mention it to me, but ask my brother or father like they ask others who's children are at the age of marriage. I still don't know why I fainted that day, but I'm starting to understand that now..." tears rolled down from her left eye, wiping those she continued with her nasal voice "my father still remembers that incident and asked my brother not to force me if I don't like that, and my brother who's almost sure that I will reject it, is ready for any consequence, how am I supposed to repay them if they are too kind. Some people don't like me, talk with me with all smiles only to biltttle me when I turn my back. Not just me, but my family. They know all these things but never brought those to me, this time father was reminded of conversation between our grandfather and village head's father. He couldn't just reject them again and brought it up to me." she wiped her entire face with her palms taking a deep breath through her mouth, wiping off the tears from her eyes.. "Aparna, then how could you...?" Malli stopped himself in the middle and saw her eyes which became reddened with all the tears rolled and partially because of the wind. "I don't know about my future. I can't really trouble them with this again and let villagers talk about this." Aparna replied him while closing her eyes to rest them a little. Malli "but, isn't it too hard for you to handle." he asked in concerned voice. "I still can't imagine my life with him as you told but, he's not a bad guy and I don't know what future holds for me." she replied him in a low voice that is filled with grief and a hint of fear.