Chapter 1

'Dad, I have a bit of a problem.'

Newspaper set aside, Arnav straightened his posture on the couch. 'What happened? Oh no, did you have another break down with jalebies?! Dammit Arahan! How many times have I told you to control! Do you not understand how danger-'

'DAD! I DID NOT OVERDOSE ON JALEBIES. CALM DOWN.'

'Okay...,' Arnav said, watching his son carefully. 'What is it then?'

Automatically, Arahan's thumb and middle finger entered his mouth. He began to nibble on them, staring down at the floor. Usually this happened when he was incredibly nervous about something important. This was when Arnav realized this was a dead serious topic, they were about to speak about.

'Dad...', quietly, Arahan began, eyes still focused on the floor. 'Dad...', he said again.

'Oh for the love of god, spit it out, Arahan!,' Arnav snapped, impaitently.

'Dad, I think I am in love.'

Silence. Complete utter silence settled between the son and father duo.

'... You are in love?,' Arnav said ever so slowly, still digesting the news himself.

'Yes... I am in love...'

'Okay... so what's the problem? Why is this an issue?'

Covering his face with his palms, Arahan slouched further in to the couch in defeat. 'Because she is the absolute worst person to fall in love with,' he mumbled to his palms.

'Okay, first of all, who is this girl?'

'Maya. Remember that girl I told you about? The transfer detective, who was helping out with a case?'

Arnav smirked. Oh he remembered. The first complain was a signal from the heavens as Khushi put it. "You wait and watch'', he remembered Khushi saying. ''She is the one. She is going to be my bahu.''

'Yeah, I vaguely remember. You fell in love with her? Well, I am not entirely surprised, but what made you fall in love with her?'

Disbelief sketched all over his face, Arahan threw his hands in the air. 'What! How can you even say that dad!'

Arnav shrugged. 'What? Unlike you son, I am not oblivious. And anyways, I have been down this road with your mother so nothing of this sort surprises me anymore. It was bound to happen, especially since you complained a lot about her. I'd be more surprised if you didn't actually fall in love with her.'

'Unbelievable,' Arahan muttered. 'Well,' he said a bit louder. 'I don't know when it happened.. I didn't see this coming. All I know is that she is bloody annoying. And by annoying I mean, utterly horrible. She is so serious about everything. Her expression is always like she is about to assassin someone, and never agrees with anything I say. So cynical and sarcastic about everything. For the love of God, she doesn't even like wearing heels! WHICH I have no issue with, but god, Dad. She is not someone I'd go for, but here I am going for the DARKEST, GLOOMIEST CLOUD EVER. What the hell is wrong with me!'

'Arahan, you have said all this before,' calmly, Arnav stated, watching his son carefully.

So this what he looked like when he was battling his feelings towards Khushi. Man, he didn't realize how comical the entire situation was, but now that he was watching it from another perspective, this was absolutely hilarious. History sure was repeating itself. Khushi going to be excited. Although he better not mention this to her, until Arahan figures out the entire journey himself, because knowing his insane wife, she'd start planning the wedding, when the poor girl Maya wouldn't even know what the hell is going on. He sighed internally. What a family he created.

'But that's just it, Dad! The very things I thought I hated, I ended up falling in love with. I love that she is sarcastic and cynical all the time. I love that she has these walls build up around her because I get more determined to break them down. I love that we argue all the time about life, love and everything in general. She brings out another side to me, which makes my mind work more clearly. She pisses me off, but at the same time, there's a side to her... God... Dad..', Arahan trailed off, staring off in to the distance. 'There's this side to her, I can't explain. She hates so deeply, and yet she loves so deeply. Does that make sense? She is a Rubik's cube, Dad, but I love her. I want to keep figuring her out until we turn to dust. Am I being lame?'

The air around the room suddenly got thicker. Memories flooded in to Arnav's mind as he listened to Arahan describing his feelings. This was real. His son was finally experiencing the most precious emotion that saved his life.

'You're not being lame, Arahan... You're far from being lame. In fact you're braver than I'd ever be. At least you're admitting this to yourself, and to me. Unlike what I did.'

Grasping, Arahan's shoulder, Arnav held his son for a moment.

'But Dad, what do I do? I know it was a challenge for you and Mom.'

A chuckle escaped Arnav's lips at the memories. 'More like I made it a challenge for your mother. Don't be me, Arahan. Don't waste another second. Go tell, Maya, how you feel. Tell her everything you told me. Yes, she might run away, because she sounds a lot like me than I would like to admit, but if she really wanted you far, she would have made sure to set the line straight. Maya isn't a girl that plays around. You might have to claw it out of her. Although, please do it respectfully. You have a lot of your mother's qualities than mine, so try not to freak her out, but at the same time, do freak her out. Balance it out. Does that make sense?'

'I suppose..., ' Arahan sighed. 'Sometimes I wish there was a book about the ultimate key for love. Life would be so much easier.'

'Ah, but that's just it, Arahan. There's no one key for love. Each key is specifically for the individual. The key for your mother and I was, insanity. It's your mother's insanity that saved me from an eternity of darkness. Her childlike innocence, and crazy antics was what lured me towards her. I was addicted. I couldn't stop. Somehow her key just fit perfectly with mine. Years later here I am, insanity still running throughout our family. The key may or may not be different for you and Maya, but at the same time, I have a feeling a bit of insanity will be present in your story. How could it not? After all, you have your mother's genes.'

Arahan laughed. 'Thanks, Dad.'

'Did I help?'

'Yes, you did. A lot. I am going to go sleep on it..'

'Good,' Arnav replied using his stern dad tone. 'It's already nine in the night. You should be asleep!'

Arahan rolled his eyes. 'Dad, I am 27 years old.'

'Who still sleeps with a stuffed lion, and also lives with his parents so yeah- no- you have no argument.'

'GADDAMIT, DAD!'

***

I am trying to get over this horrifying writers block. And in order to do that I am going to write much as possible. Even the silliest of stories. Even if the writing sucks, I am gonna keep doing this. Enjoy I guess.