Today, there was complete chaos in the small house of the Sharma family. The reason? A prospective groom's family was coming to see Anutithika.
Anutithika lived with her parents, younger brother, sister-in-law, and nephew. Voices echoed from every corner of the house—utensils clanging, furniture scraping, and the old fan creaking. Everyone was busy with their assigned tasks.
Her uncle, Ashutosh ji, twirling his mustache, instructed strictly, "Everything should be perfect. No mistakes. The boy's family is coming for the first time."
He was especially serious because he had brought this proposal.
Her mother, Pooja ji, shouted while sweeping, "Anuti! Clean the veranda properly. And Kritika, beta, check the kitchen."
Both replied together, "Okay, Mom!"
Her father, Ritesh ji, said while leaving, "I'll go get the sweets. You all handle the rest."
From behind, her mother warned, "Yes, go quickly—and don't you dare bring sweets from 'Bittu Halwai'! He sells stale sweets and charges too much."
Uncle agreed, "Yes, brother, get them from Chandu's shop."
Anuti muttered in her mind while sweeping, "Of course, uncle's reputation is at stake. Even the sweet shop has to be special!"
Just then, her brother Shravan dragged the heavy sofa and said, "Let's move this so we can clean the ancient dust underneath."
Anuti thought irritably, "Creating extra work! Who is going to check under the sofa? Are they coming to inspect dust first or me?"
From the kitchen, her sister-in-law Kritika said, "Mom, food is ready. I'll fry hot puris as soon as the guests arrive."
Anuti chuckled to herself, "This isn't even a big house, but the chaos is like a Chief Minister is visiting!"
Their house was small—two rooms, one hall, and a kitchen. One room for her parents, one for her brother and sister-in-law. Anuti didn't have her own room; she slept in the hall, and her belongings were kept in a small storage room on the terrace. Still, she was the life of the house—carefree, cheerful, and everyone's favorite. She shared a great bond with her sister-in-law and was like a second mother to her little nephew, Shriyansh.
But today, she felt an unknown fear. While mopping, she thought, "What if they don't like me? Mom will never stop taunting me."
Just then, her mother came near her and, sensing her thoughts, said softly, "Don't overthink, or no proposal will work out. Anyway, your looks aren't that great."
Her mother loved her, but like a typical Indian mother, she constantly worried about her daughter's marriage.
Her father was practical and supportive.
Her brother Shravan was quarrelsome but equally mature.
Lost in thought, Anuti accidentally kicked the bucket—splash! Water spread all over the floor.
She looked nervously at the floor, then at her mother.
Her mother, hands on her waist, scolded, "You can't do a single thing properly! You always mess things up. That's why we say you're useless."
Anuti stared at her in disbelief and thought, "Make me work all day and then say I do nothing? That's unfair!"
In her mind, she even started chanting, "Inquilab Zindabad!"
Shravan seized the moment and laughed, "If she gets married tomorrow, she'll create the same mess there too."
Anuti glared at him, thinking, "Laugh now. Your time will come."
Her mother scolded Shravan, "Why are you standing like Ravana and laughing? Help clean this! We don't have much time."
Anuti smiled and resumed mopping.
But Shravan refused angrily, "I won't! She spilled it, she'll clean it. Even if the guests have to swim through this house, I won't help!"
Now irritated, Anuti threw the wet mop at him. "Get lost!"
His shirt got half wet.
Their mother held her head in frustration.
Shravan angrily threw the mop back, but Anuti dodged it and continued cleaning with a smile.
In her mind, she grumbled, "It was already hard to clean one room. Now the whole house! This is what you call trouble in poverty—not just wet flour, but a wet house!"
Exhausted, she started mopping while lying down.
Shravan mocked again, "Mom, your daughter has become the mop herself!"
Furious, she threw the mop at him again and said, "Now you do it!" and went to take a bath.
Her mother sighed, "Now deal with it. This is what happens when you provoke trouble!"
Poor Shravan ended up cleaning.
Thus, preparations continued in the Sharma household.
---
Mehra House
At eleven in the morning, sunlight streamed into the room. The atmosphere was calm.
His mother, Swati ji, knocked and said, "Avyansh! Wake up, beta. We have to go see a girl today."
Turning over, he muttered, "Let me sleep, Mom."
Hearing her, his father, Dilip ji, came upstairs and shouted sternly, "Get up, you useless boy! Everyone is waiting downstairs!"
Startled, Avyansh opened his eyes, stared at the ceiling for a moment, then reluctantly got up.
His father said to Swati ji, "Only a daughter-in-law can fix him. I'm going downstairs."
She replied, "Yes, I'm coming."
Avyansh opened the door as his mother entered. His room was slightly messy but large and beautiful.
He was moody—talkative only when he felt like it.
A 28-year-old police officer, he had just slept at 8 AM after night duty. Due to his job and past, he didn't want to marry. But because of his father and grandfather's insistence, he had to go meet a girl—the daughter of his father's friend's brother.
His mother took out clothes and said, "Hurry up. It's already 11:30. We have to leave by 12:30. You have one hour."
The Mehra house was large and beautiful, recently renovated.
Ground floor: hall, temple, kitchen, grandparents' and parents' rooms, and extra rooms
First floor: rooms for elder brother Nikhil and his wife Nikita, sisters Shubhi and Sana, brother Ayush, and a guest room
Second floor: Avyansh's room, gym, and essential rooms
His uncle and aunt lived in Dewas for work, but their children Sana and Ayush stayed here.
After some time, Avyansh came downstairs, fully ready.
Sana said, "Brother, you look very handsome!"
He wore a white shirt and brown pants, with neatly styled hair and polished shoes. Usually seen in uniform, he looked completely different today.
He walked ahead silently.
Ayush teased, "Oh ho! Brother is eager to bring home a bride!"
Without turning back, Avyansh said, "Anyone who isn't in the car in five minutes can stay home."
Sana and Ayush sprinted like rockets.
Soon, everyone laughed seeing them fight over the front seat.
Their aunt shook her head and sat inside. Avyansh drove, with his father beside him.
In the second car, Uncle Kailash drove, but their grandfather gently pushed Sana and Ayush aside and took the front seat.
Ayush sighed, "When two monkeys fight, the cat gets the butter."
Sana complained, "Dadu could have divided the turns, but no—he took the seat himself!"
Ayush tapped her head, "Show some respect. He's elder."
They both sat quietly at the back with their grandmother.
Grandmother laughed, "That's how your grandfather is."
They both laughed.
Shubhi, Nikhil, and Nikita couldn't come as they were out of town.
The cars finally left.
While laughter filled the air, Dilip ji was worried—would Avyansh say yes this time, or reject this proposal like the previous ones?
---
Back at the Sharma house, everything was almost ready.
At the gate—sweet fragrance.
Inside—Anuti's nervousness.
What will happen next?
How will their first meeting be?
On one side—playful Anuti.
On the other—moody Avyansh.
Perhaps today, the first page of their destiny will be written.
But the question remains—
Will they become part of each other's story without their own choice?
Will Avyansh say yes?
Or will Anuti mess something up?
To find out, stay tuned to Arrange Marriage: Stranger to Lover.
Written by Limanshi Kashyap ✨