I'm in the middle of settling my dupatta when Arjun calls out my name from behind me.

At present we're in my room, with Arjun propped on his elbow on my bed using his phone, while I am standing in front of the mirror and giving final touches to my look.

Today I am going to meet Arjun's family as his girlfriend.

Saying I am nervous would be an understatement.

"Yes?" I ask him as I pin my dupatta properly.

"Babe, are you done yet?" He asks.

"Arjun, just five more minutes." I tell him as I start putting my silver oxidised bangles on.

"Five more minutes? You've been saying that for the past half an hour, Shravya." He tells me in a grumpy tone.

I look at his reflection in my mirror and find him looking back at my reflection with a cute frown on his face.

"This time it's just five minutes, pakka [definitely]." I tell him and give his mirror image a flying kiss.

"Come here and give that to me, if you really mean it." He tells me.

"Nope, not now or else I'll not be able to finish in five minutes." I tell him and pick my earrings up.

I'm in the middle of putting them on when Arjun gets off my bed and walks up to me.

My back touches his chest and I realise he's right behind me.

One of his arms wraps around my stomach and he pushes me closer to himself.

I immediately freeze in his embrace.

He pushes my hair to one side causing my neck to expose and immediately dips his head down.

He nuzzles his nose between my neck and shoulder.

"Aa-rjunn what are you doing?" I ask him weakly as goosebumps start forming on my body.

"I'm trying to convince my girlfriend to kiss me because she is refusing to give me a kiss." He tells me, in a husky voice which causes chills to run down my spine.

"We're already running late, Arjun." I told him.

"Just one kiss, Shravya." He tells me and presses his lips on my collar bone.

"Arjun, no, my makeup is gonna get ruined because we'll end up literally eating each other's face." I told him.

"I like you and your face with or without makeup, Shravya, you should know that by now." He tells me and turns me around.

My palms now press against his chest and he wraps both his arms around my waist.

"Arjun, we're supposed to meet your family today. I want to look presentable." I tell him in protest but it's of no avail.

He's already crashed his lips on mine.

I try to resist but a few seconds later I give up and start moving my lips against his too.

My hands move to his hair and I entangle my fingers into them, softly tugging on his hair.

A moan escapes his lips and I smile.

A couple of minutes later we pull apart, gasping for breath.

I glare at Arjun and he smiles playfully at me in response.

I immediately turn around to face the mirror and fix myself.

Arjun tries to reach for me again but I give him a death glare and thankfully this time he doesn't continue trying to steal a kiss and instead goes back to wait on my bed.

A few minutes later I am finally done.

I walk over to my bed and stand in front of it.

Arjun looks up from his phone and a smile forms on my face.

"Why do you always have to look so pretty Shravya?" He asks me and my cheeks flush.

"Aur yeh laal laal gaal, haaye rabba, bande ko pagal kar dete hain. [And these red, red, cheeks, oh God they turn a guy crazy.]" He adds.

"Bande ki baatein hai he aisi. Yeh gaal laal ho he jaate hain. [The guy's talks are such that these cheeks turn red.]" I say in response.

"Iss bande ke paas toh saari tarifen aap he ke liye hai, madam. [This guy has all the compliments only for you madam]" Arjun says and gets down the bed.

"Aur kisi ladki ke liye hona bhi nahi chahiye, nahi toh bande ki khair nahi. [And They should not be for anyone else or else this guy won't get spared.]" I say.

Arjun leans towards me and kisses my cheek. "Rest assured Shravya, all my compliments and my whole self belongs to you and only you." He murmurs against my cheek and pulls back.

I stand on my toes and place a kiss on his jaw. "I know." I say a second later.

"Now, let's get going." Arjun tells me.

"Arjun, I'm nervous." I told him.

In response he intertwined his fingers with mine.

"Take a deep breath and calm down Shravya. They're going to love you." He whispers in my ears.

"I hope so." I mutter in response before following his instructions.

•

About forty minutes later Arjun stops his car in front of a beautiful white coloured mansion.

The golden coloured name plate has 'Mehrotra Mansion' written on it in black calligraphy.

"This is where you live? It's bigger than what I've seen in pictures." I tell him in awe as the iron gates open and Arjun drives his car inside.

"It's not that big." Arjun says in response and chuckles.

I hope he said that just to sound humble and did not really mean it because this sure looks like a palace.

Arjun stops the car a little away from the door and gets out.

A few seconds later he is already at my side, opening the car's door for me.

I unfasten my seatbelt and Arjun takes my hand in his, helping me out of the car.

"Do they know I'm going to be here?" I ask him as we make our way to the door.

"Sort of." He answers and I immediately stop in my tracks.

"Sort of? What does that mean?" I ask him.

"That means they know I'm bringing home someone but they don't know I'm finally introducing you as my girlfriend to them." He says.

"Uh well then I hope they're not surprised." I told him.

"Don't worry, even if they do get surprised, it'll be a happy surprise for them." He tells me.

Okay, take a few deep breaths Shravya and do it.

You're meeting your boyfriend's family and they're all good people who have always welcomed you lovingly so there's nothing to worry about.

I tell myself in an attempt to calm myself down but deep down I'm still scared.

Arjun rings the doorbell and I am broken out of my trance.

We're on the doorstep already.

A minute later the door is opened by his Chaachi.

"Shravya?" She asks as soon as her eyes land on me.

"Namaste [A form of greeting] Chaachi." I tell her with a nervous smile and join my hands in front of her.

"Namaste beta [child]. Andar aao [come inside]." She says with a wide smile and steps aside.

I look sideways at Arjun and he blinks at me in assurance.

We enter inside together and the very next second Aarohi and Abhi approach us.

"Bhai, aap Bhabhi to be ko ghar laa rahe the? Bataya bhi nahi? [Brother, you were bringing sister in law to be home and you did not even tell us?]" They ask Arjun.

"I wanted it to be a surprise." Arjun says in response.

"What surprise haan [yes]? Arjun this is the first time you have brought your girlfriend home and we did not even make any preparations. His Chaachi says.

"Meri pyari Chachi, main aapko pehle se pareshan nahi karn chahta tha na, isliye nahi bataya kuch. [My dear Aunt, I did not want to bother you from before hand, that's why I did not tell you anything earlier.]" Arjun tells her.

"Isme pareshan hone ki kya baat thi [What was there to bother about?]. I would have prepared Shravya's favourite dishes. You should have told me before hand" She says in a disappointed voice.

I take her hand in mine and smile at her.

"Chaachi, it's okay, you can cook my favourite dishes for me the next time I come here. You'll invite me again, right?" I ask her.

"Of course beta [child] I will and then I am going to treat you to some amazing food." She tells me.

"Deal." I say and she passes me a wide smile in response.

"Haww Mom, aap hamare liye toh kabhi itne pyar se khana nahi banana chahti [Mom, you never want to cook food for us so lovingly.]" Abhi says.

"Yes, Mom, Bandar [monkey] is right." Aarohi adds faking disappointment.

"Is that so? Har roz khaana kya tumhaari dadi banakar khilati hai tumlogon ko? [Does your grandmother make food for you guys to eat everyday?] You ungrateful children." She tells them, narrowing her eyes on both her children and they laugh.

"Who's remembering me?" A voice says and all five of us immediately freeze.

My eyes land on Arjun's dadi who has just made her way downstairs with his Bua.

"Shravya puttar [child] is that you?" She asks me as she squints her eyes to have a clear look at me I assume.

"Namaste Dadi, Bua." I say as the two of them approach me and they greet me back.

"Arjun, have you brought Shravya to our house today for the interior designing work that we were speaking about last night?" His bua asks in a teasing voice.

My cheeks turn warm while I see Arjun's ears turn red.

"Bua, you know Shravya isn't an interior designer." Arjun says with a smile a second later.

"That we all understood the first time we met her, boy." His Dadi says.

"Dadiii." Arjun whines.

"What Dadi, yes? I was sure there was something going on between you two." She tells him.

"That we all were, Mummy ji." His chachi adds with a smile.

"Right bhabhi." His bua says.

"I hope I'm not too late." His Chaachu adds a few seconds later as he too joins us.

"No you're on time Chaachu. I was just about to officially introduce Shravya to you guys." Arjun says.

"Not as Mr. Dholakia's assistant, I hope." Chaachu says in response and Arjun's face turns red as the rest of the family bursts out in laughter.

I look down at the floor trying to suppress a smile.

"Enough you guys. Now, meet Shravya, my girlfriend." Arjun tells them as he holds his hand in mine.

"Finally." All of them utter together and smile.

The rest of the afternoon that follows is filled with laughter, smiles, teasing sessions, tasty food from The Mehrotras and love, lots and lots of it from the Mehrotra family.

Surprise Surprise! An unexpected update. :)

So that's how Shravya met the Mehrotras as Arjun's girlfriend!

Do let me know your views on this chapter here >>

And don't forget to vote on it by tapping on the star button. It'll make me super duper happy if you so!

next update on Friday (that is tomorrow, YAY!)

Sneak peek will be up on my instagram @ coo.kiedough0104

p.s. incase you haven't figured out already, the Dating Pact is coming to an end soon. I've mixed feelings about this but every good thing has to come to an end one day so....

I'd love it if you guys would tell me what would you like to read in the epilogue ? I'll write what the majority suggests. So comment here >>