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Riya's Pov.

The sound of my footfalls on the pavement echoed as I walked through the spacious college corridors. Carefree laughter filled the air when a group of students walked passed by, engaged in an animated exchange.

As my steps moved further, I glimpsed snippets of life within, every view reflecting a unique story, weaving together countless dreams, an amalgam of knowledge, humble discoveries, and dynamic dimensions of this eventful phase of everyone's life.

A sudden sense of tranquility enveloped me, offering a respite from the constant hustle and bustle as I footed through the quieter section of the pathway.

Exuberance brimmed my insides and my steps finally came to a halt when I entered the last room of the corridor for my next lecture on economics. The First-year room stirred with the usual commotion of students tagging here and there with some plopped over the benches while a few lying over them.

My lips puckered in an amused smile when they immediately silenced sensing my sight on them. However, some dreamy eyes remained unknown about my presence, jolting upright after a harsh nudge from their seatmate.

Avyaan scooted to the far end, inches away from Isha whom he had earlier seated quite comfortably. I bit the insides of my cheeks struggling to maintain my professional stance at the sight of these cuties who miserably failed to hide the crimson bursting on the apple of their cheeks.

"Good Morning Ma'am." A thunderous greeting followed in quiet a sing-sang tone when I reached the center of the class, right behind the podium.

"Good Morning." I beamed, nodding at them.

Keeping my marker and the whiteboard eraser aside I began with the usual fill-ups before taking the attendance that gave the students a chance to occupy themselves in hushed conversations.

After the attendance, I geared myself up to speak for the next forty minutes on Say's Law of Market.

Though, random occasional jokes, some not-so-serious scolding, and a little chit-chat had their occurrences now and then, thus maintaining a lively atmosphere in the class.

Teaching

My passion, and now my profession.

The urge to impart knowledge and the vigor to share thoughts had led me here, to this usually underestimated profession.

Maybe it was the faith of my teachers or the genuine reviews of my peers that I decided to become the motivator and the guiding light for the students, simultaneously willing to learn something new from them.

"Remember the test tomorrow, okay?" Their lips fell, disappointed at my remembrance of the test. "And yes, this would be an oral one." I dropped the bomb that had them palming their faces in horror considering they wouldn't be able to cheat this time.

"And, no bunks tomorrow." I squinted my eyes playfully well aware of their notorious minds before meandering toward the exit of the classroom.

Winding up the next lecture and my biometric attendance, I wrapped up the day and trudged towards the parking lot, leaving for home.

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There are several perks of living in a small town like Hoshiarpur, the most useful ones being the mobility and the time-saving it offers. You can reach anywhere and everywhere within this town in Punjab in a comparatively shorter duration.

Within twenty minutes of leaving college, I strutted inside my home, Gupta Sadan only to be engulfed by the tantalizing aroma of crushed ginger and cardamom. As her usual practice, Maa remained occupied in the preparation of the evening tea while Bhabhi tried her best to calm my wailing ten-month-old nephew, Avyuktha.

Avyu, as we lovingly call him has been gracefully turning into a troublemaker with each passing day, keeping each one of us, especially his mum-mum on our toes.

Monica Gupta, my mother, and a proud homemaker, is a perfect blend of practicality and emotionality. She is a firm believer in karma. A superwoman and the inspiration of my life.

Beaming at her sight, I discreetly hugged her from behind and pressed a loud kiss on her cheek. Mischief gleamed in my eyes when she angled her head only to grace me with her harmless glare.

Unlike other mothers, my Maa doesn't like kissing or being kissed at all, an all the more valid reason for me to aggravate her with my kisses until she starts giving me on her own.

Avyuktha's loud wail prompted my attention towards him. He eyed me offensively and wriggled in Bhabhi's arms all the while flinging his legs in random directions.

"Boo-Boo!" His tear-stricken sobs transformed into a wide grin and he spread his arms wide witnessing me inch closer to him. When I slowed my gait intentionally, this sly munchkin protruded his lips with big-fat tears glistening in his eyes as a retribution to my teasings.

"Badmaash." Reaching him, I kissed his cheek multiple times until he broke into a fit of giggles, his drool unceremoniously trickling through the corner of his lips. My gaze darted towards Bhabhi, who sighed in relief at Avyu's quietness. Smiling at me, she made her way towards the kitchen, presumably to fetch water for me.

Vaishally Gupta, My sister in law from the past two years, is the epitome of elegance and simplicity. She is the sister I've never had and a friend who I can always rely upon. She earlier worked as a business analyst in a reputed firm in Chandigarh which she left after Avyuktha.

After catching up with my family with hardly a few minutes of leisure in hand, I braced myself for the rest of the day, that is, three hours of tuition classes.

As the day progressed, both Dad and Bhai reached back home, comfortably perched in the room, with Maa, Bhabhi, and a dozing Avyu in Bhai's lap.

Vinay Gupta and Ayaansh Gupta, my father and elder brother, are the two pillars of my life. They are certainly not someone who would pamper me all the time, but they sure are the ones, who would bring hell and heaven together at my slightest discomfort.

Mind you, my brother is not any typical brother. With just an age difference of three years, we are each other's confidantes. Unabashedly, we can share anything and everything, be it our careers, friendships, relationships, or heartbreaks.

Where Dad is a Man of few words, Bhai is a complete extrovert.

Hence, my introverted nature came from the former while bhai took this extrovertedness from Maa where both of them can strike up a conversation with anyone at any time.

Right after the dinner and the usual bickering of us siblings, I was bestowed with the typical routine followed by the other four adults, with phones in their hands and big frowns on their foreheads.

Reason?

They are working on this very crucial mission.

Mission Groom Hunt for Riya.

As soon as I turned 24, they made my marriage their life agenda, wherein, every night, all of them looked for suitable biodatas for my prospective husband.

Alas, no person could fit into their list of demands, the reasons ranging from occupation to age, family background to horoscope.

Despite the cumbersome this lookout offered, I have always been fascinated by the concept of arranged marriages.

Although a Gamble they say, I always wanted to marry out of my parent's choice.

The faint intimacy of firsts, the curiosities of the hidden gestures, the bashful smiles, and the anxious anticipation have always intrigued me.

So here I am, sitting and watching four full-grown adults, scrolling each bio-data in a way, as if these boys were some products exclusively available on Amazon/Flipkart.

My insides groaned in exasperation for I knew the next one hour will be spent in their lookout. After which the considerable ones will be shortlisted and will be added to their shopping carts. However, please note that the final transaction will be initiated only if these boys meet almost all of my family's expectations in terms of Price, Availability, Durability, Features, and Looks.

Please wish me luck in tolerating yet another round of this troublesome torture.

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Heya lovelies!

So this was the first chapter to give you all a glimpse of Riya's life.

What are your thoughts about Riya? Did you like her character?

Also, Riya's passion is teaching, What is yours?

Would love to read your views on this chapter. Eagerly waiting for your inputs.

Do Vote (The Star Icon⭐) and Comment, if you liked this chapter. It will mean a lot.

Until Next Time

Lots of Love!

R❤️