I was frozen for a moment seeing her. I didn’t understand what she was doing there and I had no idea what happens next. Before I came up with any idea, she walked inside the house. I called Anna to warn her to hide somewhere but she didn’t lift my call. When I heard the party music, I realized everyone was dancing inside so Anna and Roman too might be dancing.
I ran there and peeped in to see what’s happening inside. Anna’s mother was talking to Roman’s parents smiling along with few others. With their words I understood she along with her colleagues, came to the party to discuss about the funds for their college. There was neither Anna nor Roman inside for which I felt relaxed.
I again called Anna but she didn’t lift the call. Then I called Roman and he also didn’t lift my call. I turned back to ask Harry if he had seen Roman anywhere but he was already left. I walked inside hiding my face behind people’s back. I searched for them but they were nowhere to be seen. I asked few people but got no correct response from them.
Then I walked to the backyard in search of them. There they were, kissing eachother. Gritting my teeth, I started to walk towards them that’s when I noticed Anna’s mother was seeing them in a shocked expression from a distance. God! When did she came?
Her gaze then fell on mine that made me rooted to my place. Anna and Roman broke their kiss seeing me. They strolled to me smiling while Roman asked “What are you doing here? You interrupted our privacy.” Saying that he grabbed Anna’s waist and pulled her towards him.
I dragged Anna out of his grip saying “Anna! Your mom.”
They then saw Scarlett Aunt, who had been looking at us furiously.
“Mom?” Anna was startled. Before we tried to do anything or approached her, Anna’s mother left the party angrily.
“She saw me with Roman.” Anna mumbled in a scared tone.
“Relax Anna! You shouldn’t fear about it much. You are not a little girl, who always nods your head to your mother, anymore. One day or other she should know about this, right?” Roman said annoyed with Anna’s trembling state.
“What if my mom opposes our relationship? I can’t stand against my mom.” Anna said while her eyes started to become glossy.
Roman narrowed his eyebrows hearing her. He shook his head shouting “You are not serious, are you?”
“My mom is the only family I’ve left. I know how much she struggled to raise me.” She then held Roman’s hands saying “But trust me, I’ll convince my mom.”
Roman was beyond shocked with her words. I could see he was fuming with rage but was keeping quiet. Anna turned to me saying “We should go.”
I nodded my head and we both left the party. After few minutes, we reached her home. Throughout the drive, we both kept silent as we had no words to speak. We entered in her house and saw Anna’s mom sat on the sofa with reddened face. Anna stood in front of her bending her head down.
I stepped forward speaking “Aunt…”
Before I finished my sentence, she raised her hand stopping me in the middle.
“I want to talk to my daughter.” She said angrily. Then she looked at me shouting “Alone.”
I tried to speak again but her look made me shut my mouth. I turned back and walked away. I got in my car wondering what’s happening inside. My feet was dragging me to go in but I didn’t. After few minutes of staying there thinking whether to go in or not, I drove off.
I sat on my bed thinking about Anna. I took out my cell phone to call her but I decided to call her after few minutes. After I freshened up and changed my clothes, I took out my cell phone. I saw Roman’s missed calls and I called back him.
“Stella! What happened? Why won’t Anna lift my calls?” He shouted.
“Roman, she had been talking to her mom. Cut her some slack.”
“Stella, ask her to call me.” Saying that he cut the call.
After few minutes, I called Anna. She said she fought with her mother and she was so angry. I talked to her for few minutes and asked her to call Roman. After that she cut the call. The night I didn’t sleep peacefully. I felt guilt for lying to Anna’s mom. The look she gave me when she find out the truth, damn death was better than that look. Her look spoke I broke her trust completely. I didn’t understand how I could speak to her normally again. With all the thoughts, I drifted into sleep.
The next morning, Anna didn’t come to home though it’s time for us to go to college. I called her and she said she didn’t want to go to college. At college, Roman was so tensed about her. He said Anna didn’t speak to him properly in the call the last night. The same happened for two days. I didn’t understand what’s Anna’s and her mother’s problem. Poor Roman!
Gathered up the courage, I went to Anna’s house. I saw Anna and her mother sat on two couches reading magazines silently. I cleared my throat to get their attention.
“Stella!” Anna smiled and walked towards me.
“Morning Aunt!” I smiled.
She nodded her head saying with no expression on her face “Morning Stella.”
“Why are you not coming to college?” I asked Anna.
“She will attend for exams. As it’s your last year, you will have only project works. No regular classes I guess.” Anna’s mother replied.
Listening to her, I became furious. She can’t just control Anna’s life. How could she do that?
Ignoring her I asked Anna “You don’t want to come? Speak Anna. You are not a kid anymore. Do what you love.”
“Enough Stella.” Anna’s mother shouted. She stood from the couch saying “I think you shouldn’t waste your time here.”
I scoffed hearing her and shouted “What’s your problem Aunt? Just because she is your daughter, you can’t control every aspect of her life. Yes, she loves Roman, what’s wrong in it.”
“How can you support her love with a rogue, Stella? Don’t you know about guys like him? That Roman is a player, an idiot, a rich spoilt brat. If Anna had loved someone else apart from guys like Roman, then I might had accepted it.” Anna’s mother shouted.
“But he is not the same Roman now. He has changed into a decent guy. For Anna.” I supported him.
“Really? People like him never change. I will never accept my daughter’s relationship with any such guys.” She shouted.
“You can’t judge him without knowing properly. Roman is a good guy. He loves your daughter so much. Give him a chance.”
“I gave a chance already. Many years before. Then I realized how stupid I am.” She gulped.
I narrowed my eyebrows hearing her. “What?”
“I don’t believe in guys like Roman. They know only one thing. Breaking hearts.”
“What’s the reason behind this, Aunt? Tell us.”
Anna’s mother’s eyes filled with tears. It was clearly visible that she was swallowing her sadness. I held her hands asking “Tell me.”
Anna’s mother wiped her tears saying “I loved a guy, years back. Who was so charming, cute, a rich one who always made me special. I loved him so truly and he loved me too. But he left me after using me. I asked him to marry me… no I begged him to marry me but he rejected showing the differences in our statuses.”
Anna and I looked at her in shock. We never knew she had gone through those things. Anna’s mother continued “But I’m lucky. After him, I married to Anna’s dad and then I came to realize what true love is.” She rubbed her cheeks saying “I decided to protect Anna from all those things. She is a naive girl just like me and I don’t want my daughter to get broken like me. So I’d been over protective towards her.”
She then turned to Anna shouting “Roman is similar to the one who broke my heart. Break your relationship before it gets too hard to even forget him.”
We all became silent that’s when I heard a familiar voice “You are wrong.”
“Harry?” Mumbling his name I turned back. Roman and Harry were at the door entrance. They started coming towards us. Looking at them, Anna’s mother’s anger increased.
Harry stood in front of Scarlett aunt saying “You are wrong Aunt. Roman is not like him.”
She scoffed hearing him and shouted “Says another rich spoilt brat.”
“We might be spoilt brats but we give our lives for the people we love.” Harry defended.
“I’m not interested in your dramas. Please get out boys.” She shouted.
“Please listen to us.” Saying that he dragged Roman, whose face was pale and his eyes were red and glassy, near her. He continued “Look at him. Don’t you see atleast a bit of love in his eyes? He loves your daughter so much. He will even die if she goes away from his life.”
Scarlett aunt scoffed hearing him. She said “Heard these words many times. I beg you both, do not spoil my daughter’s life.”
“Mom…” Anna tried to say something but was cut off by her mother.
“Spoil? If his intentions were really bad then he might have left Anna by now. Don’t think he is after your daughter just because of a physical attraction. Not all the men are same.”
“Really? How can I trust your friend?”
“Trust? Okay listen, when I asked him to get back to his old ways, he said no. He said he was committed to your daughter. Isn’t it enough to earn your trust?” He continued saying “He even introduced your daughter to his parents. Isn’t enough to say he wants your daughter for his entire life?”
Anna’s mother became silent hearing his words. Harry asked “Did that guy, who cheated you, ever said he is committed only to you?”
She raised her head looking at Harry angrily while tears started to roll down her eyes. Harry continued questioning “Did he ever introduce you to his parents? Did he even love you after you both had your first time?”
Anna’s mother shut her eyes tightly while tears kept streaming down her eyes.
“Harry!” I shouted but he didn’t stop.
He said looking at aunt “But Roman did. He did everything for your daughter still you are breaking their relationship. It’s not Roman, who is breaking Anna’s heart. It’s you Aunt. Only you.”
Scarlett aunt fell on the couch hearing his words. I sat beside her holding her hand. I could see she was thinking about his words and her love. Tears weren’t stopping from her eyes. How could Harry be so mean with her? He didn’t even know how to speak to others? I kept looking at him angrily but he was ignoring me.
Roman stepped forward and knelt in front of aunt. He spoke “I love your daughter. Yes I was a guy, whom you shouldn’t trust, but it was in the past. I’m changed now. I not only want to enjoy with Anna but also to marry her and make her mine.”
“What did you say?” Anna’s mother asked.
Roman nodded his head saying “I want to marry your daughter. If not now, then few years later. When we both get settled in our lives and careers. Please believe me. I’ll look after your daughter and take care of her more than you did all these years.”
“What if your parents won’t accept?” She asked.
“They accepted already. Even if they won’t or you won’t accept, I’ll never leave your daughter.”
Anna’s mother let out a laugh wiping her tears. She said “You boys… what did you do? I should be angry with you yet I’m smiling with your words.”
She stood from the couch and walked to Harry. She touched his cheek saying “Yes he didn’t do any such things for me. I was afraid for my daughter but I guess everyone is not the same. God bless you, boy.”
She then walked to Anna saying “I think I should give a chance again.”
Hearing her Anna cupped her mouth with her hands crying. She hugged her mother affectionately and her mom did the same. Scarlett aunt pulled out from the hug and looked at Roman saying “But it doesn’t mean I’ll accept whatever you do. Let’s see. You still have years in your hands. Career first.” She smiled.
Roman and Anna nodded their heads and they both hugged her thanking her. She then walked away from the living room to her bedroom. Anna ran to Harry and hugged him crying. It’s her first time talking to Harry since the day Harry and I broke our relationship.
Harry patted her back smiling. Anna said “Thank you Harry. I never thought you’d do this for me.”
“You’ve always treated me as your brother. But I never lived up to that.” Harry pulled Anna out of his hug and held her face between his palms saying “As a brother I should give you everything you love. And I do anything to give you everything you want.”
I wish it’s not a dream. Harry… supporting one love, felt really like a dream. But everyone’s curved up lips, bright faces were made me realise it’s not a dream. But the reality which I thought was impossible.