Saturday comes sooner than expected and now as I stand beside my mother in the kitchen all I can wonder is how will this dinner go.

My phone beeps breaking me out of my trance and I pick it up to have a look at it.

Message from Arjun. I opened it.

Arjun : I'm on my way to your house. What's the floor and flat no.?

Shravya : Block 1, floor no. 8 flat no 8(b).

Arjun : Okay, cool.

I lock my phone and keep it by.

"Ma, Arjun just texted me and informed me that he is on his way." I tell her.

"What, he's on his way? Shravya look at yourself, you're in your pajamas. Go and get ready at once." She tells me.

"What do I need to get ready for?" I ask her, my brows furrowed.

"For our guest obviously. Now go.!!!" She says and literally pushed me out of the kitchen.

"Ma.." I begin to protest but she gives me a glare and that's enough for me to go get ready right away.

I enter my room and change into a light yellow coloured frock kurti with plain white pants.

I put my hair into a fish braid and let it rest on my left shoulder after which I wear my favourite pair of oxidised earrings and have a final look at my mirror image.

Just then I hear the doorbell ring.

He's here. I quickly leave my room and see Ma reaching for the door. When her eyes land on me she steps back and instead walks over to my Dad.

I take a deep breath and open the door.

It's finally happening. Arjun Mehrotra, my pretend boyfriend is going to meet my parents.

He stands in front of me looking his usual prim and proper self in a grey three piece suit with a white shirt underneath. His hair instead of his usual, run over by his fingers throughout the day, is styled back neatly looking in place. On his left wrist sits a Rolex and on his right one is his silver kada [Kada :Kara or Kada is a thick metal ring or bracelet usually worn on the hands or wrists of men and women of the Indian subcontinent. It is a religious bracelet which most sikhs wear.]. He has a fancy looking carry bag in one hand. I squint my eyes to see the print on it.

The Mehrotras'.

It's something from his restaurant I assume.

"The dinner meeting is happening at the threshold?" His voice breaks me out of my trance.

My face flushed and I immediately welcomed him inside.

"No of course not, please come inside." I tell him.

He gives me a boyish grin and proceeds to enter inside.

What he does next leaves me frozen on the spot.

Arjun Mehrotra leans in and places his lips on my left cheek.

He kisses me on my cheek.

What the actual FUCK?

"Hayeee." I hear my mother's voice in the background but I am unable to react.

"Namaste, Uncle, Aunty." Arjun greets my parents and they greet him back.

"Shravu,... Shravu." My mother nudges me.

"Huh, yes?" I ask her completely unaware of whatever is happening.

"Take the packet from him, and bring him a glass of water." She tells me.

"Yes,..okay.. I'll do that." I manage to say before walking towards the centre of the living room where Arjun is currently shaking hands with my father.

"Have a seat, please." I tell him.

"Of course." He says and looks at me with a mischievous glint in his eyes.

I glare at him in response.

"Take this." He says and forwards me the packet.

I take it from him, my fingers brush his in the process. I immediately pull my hand back while he gives me an amused smile and takes a seat on the sofa.

A minute later I returned back with a glass of water in my hand.

"Thank you." He says as he takes the glass from me.

I pass him a small smile and am about to take a seat beside my father but my mother beats me to it.

There's a smile on her face as she motions to me the seat next to Arjun.

"Ma, Papa, meer Arjun, my boyfriend." I introduce him to them and then inwardly cringe. They must have already introduced themselves.

"How long have the two of you been dating?" My father asks.

"Six months."

"A year."

We answer simultaneously.

I immediately turn my face towards Arjun who has a look on his face which says, 'we messed up'. I fake a sweet smile and start speaking.

"We met a year back and we started dating each other about six months back, is what we mean." I explain.

Papa looks almost convinced.

"What made you date Shravya?" Papa then asks.

I narrowed my eyes on him. "I mean that in a good way of course. I hope you do not mind me asking." He adds.

"Absolutely not, Sir. When I met Shravya for the first time, I couldn't help but keep on staring at her. There was something about her, something different. But because it's rude to stare at strangers for too long, I had to force myself to look away. From that moment onwards I decided I have to know more about her. Mrs. Mittal, her boss, is my acquaintance and I approached her for Shravya's number. Soon we met at her office and I asked her out. Talking to her makes me happy and always leaves me wanting for more. She's a good cook too and what better than good food to reach a man's heart yes? So there she is residing in my heart." He completes.

By the end of his Papa's facial expressions have changed and is a little less sterner, Ma stares at him in awe and I, well I am completely blown away.

This has to be the sweetest thing someone has said about me.

Reality soon hits me and I remind myself that he's pretending to be my boyfriend. These words have no meaning to it.

"Good. What is your family like? Do they know you're dating Shravya?" Papa then proceeds to ask.

What even is this? A question answer session with Arjun Mehrotra?

"My family is a typical crazy Punjabi family. They are good hearted people who love me and I love them the most in this world. For me my family is my everything. I haven't yet introduced Shravya to them, but I am sure when I do, they'll love her." He answers.

"They don't, why not? Is this relationship serious for you or are you the typical rich brat playing with my daughter?"

"Papa,.." I try to stop him but he shuts me down with a glare.

"I'm sure you guys came to know about us just a couple of weeks back and that too wouldn't have been had you not come to know about us through sources. The thing is that we wanted to keep our relationship as private as possible. I am a very private person and a public figure too. I wanted to keep Shravya away from the media, which these days as you know draws conclusions without knowing anything just for the sake of popularity and money." Arjun answers.

"I understand where you're coming from." Papa says.

No more questions please. I internally pray.

"When do you plan on introducing her to your family?"

"Very soon." Arjun answers.

The confidence with which Arjun is answering Papa's questions amazes me and I simply stare back and forth between Papa and him.

So far, everything is under control.

"Do you see a future with her?"

"Definitely, if things go as per plans we will take our relationship to the next step." He answers.

At this my eyes go wide.

"Too much exaggeration, Arjun." I mumble under my breath.

"That'll be perfect. I can't wait for you guys to get married and settle down." Ma, who had remained silent for so long finally speaks up.

I shake my head while Arjun passes her a wide smile.

"Perfect, really. Right, Shravya?" He asks, looking at me with a sweet smile playing on his lips.

At this point I really wish Arjun and I could communicate through telepathy so that I could tell him to not lead my parents on and speak so sweetly with them.

"Yes, right." I answer with a forced smile.

"Do you drink? Smoke?" Papa asks.

This isn't going the way I want it to at all. Why is Papa asking him so many questions?

He's not even my actual boyfriend for God's sake.

"Uh well occasionally I do." Arjun answers but I can sense his discomfort from the way he scratches his eyebrow.

"I may have appeared rude and strict while asking these questions, Shravya is my only child and I just wanted to make sure she is dating a person who is worthy of her." Papa concludes.

I sigh in relief. Finally done.

"So, do you approve of me then?" Arjun asks with a cheeky grin on his face.

"I do, Madhu, what's your opinion?" Papa asks Ma.

"Of course. He's a suitable match for Shravu." Ma answers.

Arjun turns to look at me and leans in towards me.

"Your parents are impressed, Shravu." He whispers to me in a voice that makes my heart hammer against my chest.

He then winks at me and immediately pulls back.

"Should I serve dinner now?" Ma asks.

"I'd love that, I've heard from Shravya that you are a very good cook, Aunty." Arjun says.

Ma blushes and waves her hand dismissively at him.

The four of us then move towards the dining table.

Arjun acts all sweet and gentleman like as he pulls the chair for me to sit on.

Ma serves us all and we begin eating.

The moment Arjun takes the first bite of the naan and butter chicken a smile forms on his face.

"Wow, aunty, this is amazing. Butter chicken is my favourite." He answers.

This guy will even earn brownie points from my parents if he continues to act so sweetly with them

"Is it really? Have as much as you want then, Arjun." Ma tells him.

"Of course, of course I will." He says and digs in again.

I bring a morsel of food to my mouth and eat it.

My Ma definitely is the best cook there is.

"Shravya, try this, here take." Arjun says a couple of minutes later and before I can even react he has already stuffed the morsel into my mouth.

With my mouthful I glare at him.

"Is it good?" He asks me.

I am about to glare at him but then my eyes land on my parents in front of us. Both of them have smiles of admiration on their faces.

So instead of glaring at him I nod my head.

The dinner goes on with Arjun stuffing my mouth with morsels from his own plate, which to my parents appears very romantic but I can clearly see how he's enjoying this acting. There is a mischievous glint in his eyes throughout.

Finally when we're done with dinner, I excuse Arjun and myself.

I wrap my fingers around his wrist and walk towards the direction of my bedroom.

Once we're inside I lock the door.

Arjun raises an eyebrow at me.

"What were you doing back there?" I ask him.

"I was acting as your boyfriend." He answers innocently.

"No, let me correct you, you weren't acting, you were overreacting. This is all false. Everything is fake. This is the first and last time you're meeting my parents and most probably the last time you're meeting me. So don't act so sweet and mushy Arjun or else..or else.." I immediately stop mid-way.

He walks towards me and in two long strides he is right in front of me. We're now just a mere inch apart.

"Or else? Or else what, Shravya?" He asks me, in a husky tone.

His voice sends chills down my spine.

I remain silent, frozen on my spot not knowing what to say.

"Answer me, Shravya, complete your sentence." He says and takes another step towards me.

I take a step back and this time I feel the bed right behind me.

I grab the collar of his shirt in order to stop my fall but instead pull him with myself in the process and we both fall on the bed, him on top of me.

He presses both his palms on either side of my head and keeps his weight off me.

"Or else what, Shravya?" He asks, looking straight into my eyes.

"Arjun, I think we should get up first, this is an indecent position." I tell him and try to get up but he holds back both my hands on either side of my head and prevents me from doing so.

"Answer me and I will free you." He tells me.

"Or else, I'll not want this to end." I blurt out and then immediately give myself a mental smack.

What the hell did you just say, Shravya?

"Shravya, Arjun,?" Papa's voice from outside the door immediately makes me push Arjun off me.

Arjun gets off the bed too and smoothes the creases on his suit while I immediately yell, "Yes papa we're coming out."

I then compose my flustered self and open the door.

When we're out of my room Ma and Papa are waiting in the living room.

I focus my gaze on the floor refusing to look at Arjun.

"I'll take my leave now." I hear him say but I still don't look up.

"What? Are you leaving already? Stay for a little longer." Ma says.

"I would have loved to, Aunty, but it's quite late already." Arjun says.

Ma is about to insist further but Papa stops her before she can.

"Madhu, let him go if he wants to." He says.

"Okay fine but next time you'll have to stay longer, alright?" Ma asks her.

There won't be a next time. I think to myself.

"Definitely." Arjun answers and this time I cannot help but look at him.

Why did he even say that?