(Week 1)
We were buzzing with excitement as we got ready for Aadya's "Bride-seeing" ceremony. Her soon-to-be fiancé and his family were coming over, and even though it was an arranged marriage, she liked him and that was all that mattered.
(Bride-seeing ceremony are a big deal in south indian tradition. They usually happen after both families have talked and both the potential bride and groom have said yes. This ceremony is where it all gets officially confirmed)
"I can't wait to meet our brother-in-law!" I said, adjusting the dupatta of my pink kurti.
"We've only seen his photo," Mansi added, looking good in her green kurti. "I wonder if he looks just as good in real life."
"And he has a younger brother, right?" I asked.
Vanya, our resident drama queen and fashion icon, did a little twril in her yellow frock. "If he's anything like his brother, maybe one of us will get lucky."
We burst into laughter, but Aadya, sitting i front of the mirror in a stunning red saree, just rolled her eyes. She looked gorgeou; she was always the one holding our group together through every meltdown.
"Okay, okay, enough about me," she muttered, blushing.
"Not so fast," I smirked.
Vanya signed dramtically, "Look who said she doesn't want marriage right now.. ends up being the first one among us to get married."
"And she said yes after ONE blind date," Mansi teased. "Our teacher amma fell fast".
"Do you like him though? This isn;t just you giving in to your parents nagging right?" i asked her softly.
Aadya smiled, looking down. "I do like him, At first, i thought he wasn't interested in me... but he surprised me. He was totally different."
"You wanted an arrange marriage , ma'am. this is exactly how it goes," I teased her again.
She shot me a look. "Oh, at least I'm not like someone who had a huge crush on her senior and never even confessed."
I blinked. Did she seriously bring that up today? "Wow. You're really attacking me with that?" I groaned, pushing away the memories. Not the place.
But memories never care about timing. One small reminder, and everything rushes back like it never left.
"Hey am sorry! I didn't mean to-"
"It's okay." I pulled her into a quick hug. "Don't stress. Today's your day."
Vanya sighed dreamily. "I hope he's really handsome. I like older men."
I groaned. "Here she goes again."
Before she could argue, Mansi suddenly gasped. "GUYS!"
"What?" I asked.
"Why are you screaming?" Vanya frowned.
Mansi pointed at the window. "They're here!" Vanya and I rushed to the window, peeking outside. Cars were pulling up. A fresh wave of excitement hit all of us.
I turned to Aadya, with a wide grin. "Your future in-laws have arrived!" She sat frozen on the chair, eyes wide.
Aadya blushed-really blushed. Pink and red danced across her cheeks, and I had to bite back a grin.
Before I could tease her, Mansi and Vanya bolted out of the room, eager to receive the guests. I stayed behind with aadya, taking her cold hands in mine.
"So... ready to meet your future in-laws and..." I paused for dramatic effect, then giggled. "Your future husband?" Her blush deepened.
"Oh my God, I have to witness this," I teased, grabbing my phone. "Our girl is actually getting shy!"
"Indhu, stop it!" she whined, covering her face.
"Fine, fine... I'll save it for later," I winked, slipping my phone away.
A few minutes later, the guests arrived. Aadya's family welcomed them warmly, guiding them into the living room. Our friends rushed back to our room, looking giddy.
"They're all seated," Mansi reported, practically bouncing.
"And our future brother-in-law?" Vanya sighed dramatically, "Incredibly handsome." We exchanged excited giggles, but Aadya, poor thing, turned even redder.
"Look at her," I whispered. "She's about to combust!" Before we could tease her further, her mother entered, smiling. "Aadya, bring coffee for the guests."
Tradition. Obviously.
Aadya nodded and took a deep breath, carefully picking up the tray. As she stepped out, we followed, stopping just behind her to watch the moment unfold.
And that's when I saw him. Tall, with a composed confidence that drew every eye in the room. His sharp features held a quiet intensity, and the crisp blue shirt he wore-sleeves neatly folded-fit him like it was made for him. Aadya's fiancé, Arnav, was undeniably handsome. But something about him...A strange sensation gripped me. Why did he remind me of someone?
My chest tightened.
No. Not now. I pushed the thought away, forcing my focus back on Aadya. This was her moment. Not mine.
As Aadya carefully placed the coffee cup in front of him, their eyes met. Just a second but the way both of them blushed had us stifling giggles.
I nudged Vanya. "Did you see that?"
"Oh, I saw it," she whispered, grinning. "Our girl is smitten, and so is he!"
Mansi covered her mouth to stifle a laugh. "This is too cute."
Watching Aadya like this made me happy. She deserved this kind of happiness genuine, soft, and filled with warmth. She had always been the one to put her parents' wishes first, never questioning their decisions.
But now, seeing her smile like this, I knew she wasn't just obeying them, she wanted this too. Once the coffee was served, she returned to our side, still pink-cheeked.
Meanwhile, the families got down to business, discussing engagement and wedding dates. We tried to listen in, but honestly, we were too busy stealing glances at Arnav.
"Okay, he's perfect," Mansi whispered.
"Aadya, I fully approve of this man," I teased.
Aadya groaned, her face still warm. "Will you all stop?"
"Nope," Vanya said, smirking. But even all the excitement, something nagged at me. We still hadn't seen his younger brother.
Curiosity got the best of me. "Isn't his brother coming?" I asked Aadya.
"Yeah, where is he?" Mansi added.
"I'm sure he's just as ridiculously handsome," Vanya mused dreamily.
Aadya shrugged. "I don't know! Let me ask him. I haven't seen his brother, not even in a photo."
"Seriously? You don't even know his name?" I pressed.
Mansi smirked at me. "Why are you so interested, huh?"
"I'm not!" I shot back. "Just curious, that's all." Why would I be interested in him? I was just asking. That was it.
Aadya chuckled. "Alright, I'll ask and let you know." Before we could say anything else, a small boy ran up to Aadya and whispered something in her ear.
The three of us exchanged looks. "What was that?" Mansi asked. Instead of answering, Aadya turned red. I folded my arms. "Fine, I think I get it..." I said knowingly.
Mansi and Vanya looked between us, confused. "Guys?" I subtly nodded toward the other side of the room where Arnav clearly waiting for her.
"Ohhh!" they chorused.
"Go on, girl," I nudged. "He's waiting for you."
Aadya glare at us before walking over, and obviously, we had to eavesdrop. I pulled out my phone, ready to record, when a deep voice interrupted.
"What are you guys doing?" We spun around. A tall, handsome guy stood before us about Arnav's age, with a confident grin.
Vanya huffed. "Isn't it obvious? We're recording our friend's beautiful moment."
"And you are...?" Mansi asked.
He smirked. "I'm Nihal Rathore Arnav's best friend. To be precise, one of the groomsmen."
"One of?" Mansi repeated. "How many are there?"
Nihal shrugged. "With his brother, there's one more."
"Wait, so his brother is here-" I started but aadya's mom called us before i could finish. We gave Nihal a quick nod before leaving. Something about the way his gaze lingered made me wonder who he was really looking at.
Later, when Aadya returned, we didn't let her off the hook. The teasing continued until the day finally wound down.
I came back to my apartment by evening, still buzzing from all the wedding excitement. But my mind couldn't stay on Aadya's blushes for long-I had to stop by my lab to check on a small experiment for our upcoming project.
One Week Later (Week 2)
With the engagement coming up fast, there was a lot to do-shopping, decorations, and, the ring selection.
Today's mission: picking out the perfect ring with Aadya, Arnav, and their families. When we arrived at the jewelry store, they were already there, waiting for us.
And just like that, the excitement of the next phase began.
Both families entered the jewelry shop, the air buzzing with anticipation. Just as we stepped inside, a familiar deep voice interrupted.
"Where's your other friend?" I turned to see Nihal, smirking as usual.
"Which one?" I asked, knowing exactly who he meant.
"The shortie. Angry Bird."
I burst out laughing. He had her pegged perfectly. "Oh, thank God she's not here, or you'd be a dead man." I shook my head. "They went to buy something from a nearby shop. Don't worry, they'll be back soon." I gave him a knowing look.
He smiled and nodded. "So, you guys are the bridesmaids?"
"Yep," I said.
A few minutes later, Mansi and Vanya returned. The moment Nihal saw Vanya -his "Angry Bird"- something flashed in his eyesm Amusement? Admiration? Maybe both. I grinned, watching it unfold.
"What are you doing with my friend?" Vanya demanded, arms crossed.
Nihal didn't even blink. "Talking."
She turned to me. "Did he bully you, Indhu?"
I smirked. "Nope."
"Do I look like a bully?" Nihal asked, his voice calm, teasing.
"In my eyes, absolutely," she shot back.
He stepped closer, tilting his head slightly. "But in my eyes..." His voice dropped, smooth as silk. "You look like mine." My jaw dropped. Vanya's eyes widened. Even she froze for a second.
Well, damn. That was smooth.
Before she could retort. Aadya called us from the other side of the store. Without another word, Vanya spun around and walked off, leaving Nihal with a satisfied grin.
I let out a low whistle. "You're lucky she wasn't in the mood to fight." But Nihal? He was still smiling at her retreating figure, looking far too pleased with himself.
I nudge him. "What's with that grin?"
Nihal didn't look away, his eyes still on her retreating figure. "She's fun when she's pissed."
I scoffed. "Yeah? Fun for who?"
He just grinned. "Me, obviously."
I shook my head and followed the others, grinning. This is going to be interesting.
As we helped Aadya choose her ring, she gravitated toward a simple yet elegant design, something that perfectly reflected her.
But before she could even consider it further, her mother frowned.
"You need something grander," she said, her tone leaving no room for argument. "Jewelry is a sign of wealth and status."
Aadya's fingers hesitated over the delicate ring. Then, without a word, she set it aside.
I watched as she picked up a heavier, more elaborate piece instead-one that gleamed with extravagance. One her mother would approve of.
I exchanged a look with Mansi and Vanya. We all knew she wasn't happy. But this was Aadya. She never spoke against her parents' decisions, no matter what she felt.
Mansi nudged me: Let it go for now.
I sighed and nodded.
As we peeked into Arnav's ring selection, who was still on a call, deep in conversation.
He sighed and ended the call just as we reached him.
"Are you done, Arnav?" I asked.
"Almost, Indhu. Just waiting for my brother to finalize his opinion," he replied with a warm smile.
Mansi leaned in. "What about our friend? Did you ask her? Is she okay with this ring?"
"Of course," he assured us. "I wouldn't make the decision without her. In fact, she was the one who selected it."
"Ohhh, your woman chose it?" Vanya teased.
He didn't hesitate. "Yes, my woman," he said proudly, his smile unwavering.
I chuckled. "Of course, she is." Just then, his phone rang-a video call from his brother. He answered, but the video was blurry. We couldn't see his face, but we heard his voice.
A deep, smooth voice.
Something about it made me pause. It sounded.... familiar. Before I could place where I'd heard it before, Arnav excused himself.
"I have to take this call," he said.
"It's okay, go ahead," I replied, still distracted by the strange sense of recognition.
With that, our ring selection was done. After lunch, we all returned to our respective homes, but my mind was still stuck on that voice.
Why did it feel like I'd heard it before?.
--
"A celebration of new beginnings.... Shadowed by a past she thought she'd outrun"
NOTE:
That's all for now! But trust me, the real drama is just getting started.
If you enjoyed this chapter, don't forget to like and comment-your support means everything!
See you in the next one!
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