"Naku telsi... idhi first time nannu evaraina ila adagatam."

(I think this is the first time someone has ever asked me something like this.)

I slightly widened my eyes before replying, because practically... it meant he was important, right?

"Ammu, ninne thanu pilchedi... paluku!"
(Ammu, he's asking you only... reply! — my inner voice shouting.)

But before I could answer, he started speaking again.

niku telsindhe ee sambandham vallu already fix anukoni, ee arrangements anni chesaru. edo formality kosam mana idharni private ga matladukomani pamparu ani kuda naku telusu. kani enthaina... oka stranger ni cheskovali ani vinthaga ne untadhi.

(You know this alliance was already fixed by both families and all these arrangements were done. I also know that they sent us to talk privately just as a formality. Still... deciding to marry a stranger feels strange.)

nenu athani vaipu chusi cheppa, "haa haa"

ilopu thanu na vaipu chusthu "naku nuvvu nachav, Devika. present naku nilo nachanidhi ani em anipiyaledu."

(I looked at him and said, "Hmm... I like you, Devika. As of now, there's nothing about you that I don't like.")

"paiga amma nitho akka pelli antha vunnadhi cheppindi. dani batti chusthe, naku nitho em problem ledu."

(And my mother told me how you were there throughout my sister's wedding. From that, I don't see any issue with you.)

"edaina issue vasthe... adi nadhe. nenu chala ante chala introvert."

(If there's any issue, it'll be from my side. I'm extremely introverted.)

"see ippudu nitho intha matladuthunna... kani na hands wet ga aipoyay tension tho."

(See, even now while talking to you, my hands are sweaty because of nervousness.)

"naku telusu nenu em pedda matladaledu ani... kani naku kastam. kothavalatho matladadam ante chala kastam."

(I know I'm not saying anything big... but it's hard for me. Talking to new people is difficult.)

nenu ventane cheppa, "ayyo, em parvaledu andi. nenu chusaruga entha matladuthunnano."

(I immediately said, "Oh no, that's completely okay. You can see how much I talk.")

"alane miru eppudu matladali ankunna vinta kuda baga. miru ae time lo em cheppali anipisthe, naku direct ga cheppachu."

(And i listen well too. Whenever you feel like saying something, you can tell me directly.)

appudu Arvind direct ga adigadu, "ila chepthunna ani em ankokaku."

(Then Arvind asked me directly, "Don't misunderstand me for asking this.")

"nuvvu mundhu evarnaina love chesava? leka niku vere evaraina istama? lekapothe so-called force chesi chesthunara niku ee arrange marriage ani adugudham anukunna first."

(I first thought of asking whether you loved someone before, or if you like someone else, or if this marriage is being forced on you.)

"kani ninnu chusaka... ala anipiyaledu."

(But after seeing you, it didn't feel like that.)

"nuvvu 'naku miru crush' ani cheppinappudu, ni excitement chusi artham aipoyindi — niku nenu nachanu ani."

(When you said you had a crush on me, your excitement itself told me that you like me.)

"adi naku chalu."

(That was enough for me.)

Before the conversation could continue, my atha came upstairs and said,

"Mi matalu ippudu ayyedattu levu... kani first kindhaki vachi mi answer ento cheppandi.
(I know your talking won't end now... but first come downstairs and tell us your answer. After that, we'll give you more time.)"

We giggled, thinking she would leave us for a while — but no, she didn't go until I finally stood up.

ala levagane nenu Arvind vaipu chusi oka chinna smile ichanu. appudu he leaned towards me and said, "indhaka annav kadha... ekkuva matladuthunna nenu ani. kani matladuthu chala bagunnav."

(As I got up, I looked at Arvind and gave him a small smile. He leaned toward me and said, "You said earlier that you talk a lot... but you actually look very nice when you talk.")

"inka naku telsi... nenu nemmadiga niku padipothunna,emo niku " ani chinnaga navvuthu annadu.

(And I think... I'm slowly falling for you.)

aa moment lo, atha "ahm... ahm..." ani throat clear chesindi.

(At that moment, aunty cleared her throat.)

nenu emo ventane, "padhandi, padhandi" ani cheppi rush chesesa.

(I immediately said, "Come, come," and hurried forward.)

ilopu Arvind venaka nunchi annadu, "mari em chepthav? nenu nacha ani aa... leda nachaledu ani aa?" ani.

(Meanwhile, Arvind asked from behind, "So what will you say? Do you like me... or not?")

nenu thana vaipu ala thala koncham side ki lift chesi cheppa, "nannu 'Ammu' ani pilvachu miru... ippati nunchi."

(I slightly tilted my head toward him and said, "You can call me 'Ammu' from now on.")

ani cheppi munduku nadavadam start chesanu.

(Saying that, I started walking ahead.)

It had already been two hours, and I hadn't even realized how fast time flew.

When we came down, my atha (who should be supporting me!) instead started teasing him:

"Aarvind, loda loda matladathane vunda? Nuvvu matladataniki chance ivvaledu kada?"
(She talked non-stop, right? She didn't give you even one chance to speak?)

I turned back and shouted,
"ATHAAA!"

Everyone laughed.

The moment I stepped down, nanna took me beside him, holding my hand. Arvind also came and sat near his mother. My ammamma, who couldn't control her āthruta (eagerness), asked:

"Em antaru mari? Idharu idharu chuskunara?"
(So what do you both say? Did you like each other?)

Everyone's eyes were waiting... because this is the moment.

Arvind sat beside his mother, looked at everyone, and said clearly:

"Naku Ammu nachindi, andi."
(I like Ammu.)

My atha immediately clapped loudly and shouted,
"Whooooo! Ahaa Ammuuuu Ammuuu!"

I was already tomato red... now I felt like I'd turn full kumkuma color.

Nanna gently rubbed my hand and asked,

"Thalli, nuvvu cheppu. Niku em anpisthundi?"
(Dear, you tell. What do you feel?)

I looked into my father's eyes and said softly:

"Miku nachithe... naku nachakunda untara, nanna?"
(If you liked him... do you think I wouldn't like him?)

Everyone became so happy. Nanna even side-hugged me without letting go of my hand.

But in all the noise of happiness —
in all the claps, teasing, joy, and chaos —

my heart stored only one name
in one quiet place inside me:

Arvind.

ilopu ee maata vinagane, ee Munni — adhe ma ammama — kumkuma mariyu sweets tiskoni vachindi. adhe laddu lu.

(Just as those words were spoken, Munni — my grandmother — came in carrying kumkum and sweets. Those same laddus.)

inka atha andhariki kumkuma petti sweet tinipinchindi.

(Then aunty applied kumkum to everyone and made them eat sweets.)

nanna emo Arvind ki chethulatho thinipincharu.

(My father personally fed Arvind with his own hands.)

Arvind valla amma vachi naku kuda sweet tinipinchi, bugga meeda oka mudhu petti, navvuthu atu kurchunaru.

(Arvind's mother came to me, fed me a sweet too, kissed me on my cheek, smiled, and went to sit on the other side.)

After placing everything in the hall, Arvind's mother said, "Ammu, kasepu ikkadiki raa, manam maatladdukundam" (Come here dear, let's talk).
I went and sat between Arvind and athayya — yes, now I guess I should call her that.

She looked directly at my face. "Chala andamgaa unnav ivala" (You're very beautiful today), she said.
Arvind glanced at me, and from the side I noticed he had a dimple.
Which, for god's sake, I did NOT expect — and every time he laughs it shows up mercilessly.

ala kurchopetti, ma ammama emo
"sweets tinipinchukondi" ani annadhi.

(After making us sit side by side, my grandmother said, "Feed each other sweets.")

nenu atu sudden ga chusi,
"enti thinipinchukondi? maku chethulu vunnay... memu pedhavalame... ma chethultho memu thinestham" anna.

(I looked at her suddenly and said, "What do you mean feed each other? We have hands... we're adults... we can eat by ourselves.")

ammama gattiga,
"mottikayulu kavala? silent vuntava?" annadhi.

(Grandma snapped, "Do you want a slap? Will you keep quiet?")

nenu scoff chesi,
"ahh... andharu mundhu enti amamma!" anna.

(I scoffed and said, "Ahh... what is this, grandma, in front of everyone!")

ma atha ilopu navvuthu,
"enti ippudke siggu padithe, tharvatha acharalaki em aipothavo Ammu... ammama kanivandi" annaru.

(My aunt laughed and said, "If you're getting shy already, what will happen to you during later rituals, Ammu? Let grandma do it.")

nenu emo, naku thinipiyali anesarki enduko vinthaga anipinchindi... alochana lo padipoya.

(When it came to being fed, I suddenly felt strange... and got lost in my thoughts.)

alochana theese lopu, Arvind oka laddu ni sagam chesi,
sagam naku thinipinchi, migatha sagam thanu thinesadu.

(Before I could even process it, Arvind broke a laddu in half, fed me one half, and ate the other himself.)

paiga laddu pettaka, aa crumbs konni na mouth chuttu antukunnayi ani,
thana cheththo nemmadiga thudichadu.

(And after feeding me, he gently wiped the crumbs stuck around my mouth with his hand.)

nenu paiki chusi, evaraina chusara leda ani adiginattu chusthe...

(I looked up as if asking, "Did anyone see this?")

andharu mamalne chusthunaru — kallu arpakunda.

(Everyone was staring only at us, without blinking.)

inka red aipoya nenu.

(I turned completely red.)

sare ani, nemmadiga andharu matladukuntu,
ma idharni ala vadilesaru.

(Slowly, everyone got back to talking among themselves and left the two of us like that.)

I murmured to Arvind, "Miru Instagram vadtara?" (Do you use Instagram?)
He said, "No."
I turned to him. "What? Leda? Insta leni vallu kuda untara?" (What? Are there actually people without Instagram?)
I laughed. "Wahh...
Miru enti, millennial anpinchukunaruga." (You really proved you're a millennial.)

He replied sarcastically,
"Marenti, nannu Gen Z anpinchikovala?" (So what, you want me to act like Gen Z?)

And I said, "Haa."