3 ) Title: “Shaadi, Secret & Sharma Parivaar”

________________________________________ 3 ) Title: “Shaadi, Secret & Sharma Parivaar” ________________________________________ In a middle-class Delhi home where the pressure cooker whistled louder than people’s emotions, lived the Sharma family. Rajesh Sharma – father, government employee, part-time philosopher, full-time worrier. Sunita Sharma – mother, CEO of the house, HR department, and emotional backbone. Ayush Sharma – elder son, 26, IT job, believes he is the “sensible one.” Ananya Sharma – younger daughter, 23, MBA student, believes everyone else is the problem. And then there was Rohit. Ayush’s best friend. Frequent visitor. Unintentional chaos creator. And, unfortunately for everyone… Ananya’s secret love. ________________________________________ Chapter 1: The Marriage Mission Begins “Ananya ki shaadi ke baare mein sochna chahiye,” Sunita announced one morning like she was launching a government scheme. Ananya nearly choked on her paratha. “Maa, I’m 23, not a government tender.” Rajesh adjusted his glasses. “Aajkal log jaldi shaadi kar lete hain.” Ayush smirked. “Haan, specially jab ghar mein Wi-Fi slow ho.” Sunita ignored him. “Sharma ji ke ladke ka rishta aaya hai.” Ananya froze. “Kaunsa Sharma ji?” she asked carefully. “Arre wahi, Noida wale. Ladka settled hai. Package achha hai.” Ananya forced a smile. “Maa, mujhe abhi padhai karni hai.” Rajesh nodded. “Shaadi ke baad bhi kar sakti ho.” Ananya looked at Ayush for help. He shrugged. “Main toh shaadi ke favour mein hoon. Shaadi mein food free milta hai.” She kicked him under the table. ________________________________________ Chapter 2: The Secret Nobody Knew Ananya wasn’t against marriage. She was against this marriage. Because she was already in love. With Rohit. Ayush’s best friend. The same Rohit who walked into their house like he paid rent. The same Rohit who called her “chhoti.” Which she hated. “Stop calling me that,” she snapped once. “What should I call you?” he grinned. “Madam Ananya Sharma, MBA aspirant?” “Just Ananya.” “Okay… chhoti Ananya.” She glared. He laughed. And somehow, that stupid laugh stayed with her. ________________________________________ Chapter 3: Parents vs Reality Sunita had already entered “rishta mode.” Phone calls. Relatives. Horoscopes. WhatsApp forwards. “Beta, ladka 6 feet ka hai,” she said proudly. Ananya muttered, “Mujhe ladder thodi chahiye.” Rajesh added, “Package 20 lakh ka hai.” Ayush whispered, “Main adopt ho sakta hoon kya us family mein?” Ananya rolled her eyes. Inside, she was panicking. Because the person she wanted… Was sitting in the living room eating her chips. ________________________________________ Chapter 4: Rohit – The Problem Rohit was clueless. Completely. Utterly. Dangerously clueless. “Bro, aunty is looking for a guy for Ananya,” he told Ayush casually. Ayush nodded. “Haan, pata hai.” “Good yaar. She deserves someone solid.” Ananya, standing nearby, almost dropped the tray. “Solid?” she said. Rohit smiled. “Haan, matlab responsible, mature…” “Like you?” she asked. He laughed. “Main? Main toh khud project hoon.” Ayush added, “Under construction since 1998.” They high-fived. Ananya walked away. Heart slightly broken. ________________________________________ Chapter 5: The Rishta Meeting The big day arrived. The “ladka” was coming. House cleaned. Snacks prepared. Emotions… unstable. “Smile,” Sunita instructed Ananya. “Main joker hoon kya?” she muttered. Ayush whispered, “Thoda toh acting kar le. Netflix nahi hai yeh, live audience hai.” Doorbell rang. Enter: Kunal. Well-dressed. Polite. Perfect on paper. “Namaste,” he said. Ananya smiled politely. Inside: Please go away. Conversation started. “So Ananya, what are your hobbies?” Kunal asked. “Overthinking,” she replied. Awkward silence. Ayush coughed. “She means reading.” Rohit, sitting in the corner, was watching. Something felt… off. He didn’t know why. ________________________________________ Chapter 6: Realization That night, Rohit couldn’t sleep. Something about Ananya’s face. Her silence. Her sarcasm. It didn’t feel normal. He replayed moments. Her irritation. Her looks. Her sudden distance. And then it hit him. “Wait… no way.” Pause. “Oh no.” ________________________________________ Chapter 7: The Confrontation Next day. Rohit cornered Ananya in the kitchen. “Tum mujhe avoid kyun kar rahi ho?” “I’m not.” “You are.” “I’m not.” “You are.” “Tum detective ho kya?” He sighed. “Just tell me.” She looked at him. Long pause. “Because I like you, idiot.” Silence. Complete silence. Rohit blinked. “Like… like?” “Like-like.” He leaned against the wall. “Yeh kab hua?” “Jab tum stupid jokes marte the aur mujhe hasna nahi hota tha… but main hasti thi.” He smiled slightly. Then stopped. “Ananya…” “I know,” she said quickly. “You don’t feel the same. It’s fine.” She turned to leave. He held her wrist gently. “Who said that?” ________________________________________ Chapter 8: Complications Rohit sat with Ayush later. “Bro… I need to tell you something.” Ayush looked up. “Tu pregnant hai kya?” “Serious ho ja.” Pause. “I think… I like Ananya.” Silence. Ayush stared. Then laughed. Then stopped laughing. “You’re serious?” Rohit nodded. Ayush leaned back. “Wow.” “Angry?” “Confused.” Pause. “Protective.” Rohit nodded. “Fair.” Ayush sighed. “Tu achha ladka hai… but she’s my sister.” “And she’s also her own person,” Rohit said softly. That hit. ________________________________________ Chapter 9: Parents’ Pressure Meanwhile, Sunita had decided. “Kunal achha ladka hai,” she told Rajesh. “Haan,” he agreed. “Shaadi fix kar dete hain.” Ananya overheard. Heart racing. She walked in. “Mujhe yeh shaadi nahi karni.” Silence. “Kyun?” Rajesh asked. “I just… don’t want to.” “Reason?” Sunita pressed. Ananya hesitated. “I like someone else.” Explosion. “KAUN?” both parents said together. ________________________________________ Chapter 10: The Truth Comes Out Everyone gathered. Living room turned courtroom. Ananya stood there. Rohit walked in. Bad timing. Very bad timing. Sunita pointed. “Kaun hai woh?” Ananya took a breath. “Hai.” And pointed at Rohit. Dead silence. Ayush closed his eyes. “Yeh hona hi tha.” Rajesh blinked. “Yeh? Yeh ladka?” Rohit raised a hand awkwardly. “Namaste, Uncle.” Sunita sat down. “Mujhe paani do.” ________________________________________ Chapter 11: Emotional Explosion “Tum dono pagal ho gaye ho?” Rajesh said. “Uncle, please—” Rohit started. “Tum chup raho!” Ananya stepped in. “Papa, please listen—” “Main sab sun raha hoon!” Sunita added, “Woh tumhare bhai ka dost hai!” Ananya replied, “Aur ek achha insaan bhi.” Silence. Ayush finally spoke. “Let them talk.” Everyone looked at him. “They’re not kids,” he said. “Aur Rohit ko main jaanta hoon.” Rajesh sighed. “Par society?” Ananya said softly, “Mujhe society se shaadi nahi karni.” That landed. ________________________________________ Chapter 12: The Turning Point That night was quiet. No shouting. No decisions. Just thinking. Rajesh sat alone. Rohit approached him. “Uncle… I know this is sudden.” Rajesh didn’t look at him. “Tum serious ho?” “Yes.” “Timepass nahi?” “No.” Pause. “I respect Ananya,” Rohit said. “Aur aap logon ko bhi.” Rajesh finally looked at him. “Prove it.” ________________________________________ Chapter 13: Slow Acceptance Days passed. Tension reduced. Awkwardness stayed. But something softened. Rohit started helping more. Coming less casually. More respectfully. Ananya stayed patient. No drama. No pressure. Ayush observed everything. Like a silent referee. Sunita slowly melted first. “Mujhe chai bana ke do,” she told Rohit one day. He smiled. “Ji, Aunty.” Progress. ________________________________________ Chapter 14: The Final Decision One evening, Rajesh called everyone. Serious tone. “Main soch raha tha…” Pause. “Agar ladka achha ho… toh rishta kahin se bhi ho sakta hai.” Ananya’s eyes widened. Rohit sat straight. Rajesh continued, “Aur tum dono… immature ho… par dishonest nahi ho.” Ayush whispered, “Compliment hai yeh.” Sunita added, “Shaadi abhi nahi hogi. Pehle career.” Ananya nodded instantly. “Done.” Rohit nodded too. “Done.” Rajesh sighed. “Theek hai.” Silence. Then— Sunita said, “Par shaadi mein paneer main decide karungi.” Everyone laughed. ________________________________________ Chapter 15: Back to Chaos Life returned to normal. Almost. Rohit still came home. But knocked first. Ayush still teased him. “Jiju bolun?” he smirked. “Maar khaega,” Rohit replied. Ananya smiled more. Sunita planned future menus. Rajesh pretended to be strict. But smiled when no one saw. ________________________________________ Epilogue Love didn’t come with violins. It came with: Awkward silences. Family arguments. Overcooked parathas. And people learning… slowly. Because in Indian families— Love isn’t just between two people. It’s negotiated. Debated. Tested. And eventually… Accepted.