Yellow.
The color of happiness. Happiness is only when our own people are with us, and when they are with us, that moment is nothing less than a celebration.

It was the Haldi day today and the setup was done in the hall with yellow and white curtains along with scented white and yellow flowers and fairy lights all around.

Guests were arriving and family members were busy preparing for the ceremony and the happiness was clearly evident on their faces. But there is one peron who was not looking happy at all and anyone who will see his expression can easily tell that he is annoyed.

He is irritated because of the incident, that happened yesterday. Flashbacks of yesterday night were running into his mind again and again. He never imagined that he would face such behaviour, especially from her. The way she pulled his hair, is still hurting. Whenever this thought comes to his mind, his hands automatically reach into his hair to protect his hair.

He was still in shock that how one could attack in this way, that too without even realising who the person is, and top of that she did not just attack him, but also called him 'kutta and khota'. 'Is that the way to treat someone? How can she talk to me like that?' he thought.

"Ughhh, Man I'm just hating this" he closed his eyes in frustration.

This was not the only reason for his irritation, he was irritated because of his friends also. He has only a few close friends, and it's a big day for him, but they're not with him. He wanted them to come and help him in everything, but they have not arrived yet.

"Aane do kamino ko, phir btata hoon main unko toh" he muttered under his breath.

He turned and was about to leave when a waiter bumped into him. He wanted to get all his anger out on the waiter, but looking at the family and guests, he composed himself and asked the waiter to go. He again turned and to try to calm himself, he closed his eyes in frustration and started massaging his forehead.

His mother, who was observing him from a distance came to him and while setting the collar of his yellow kurta, she asked him what's the matter.

"Mom mujhe Mumbai jana hai abhi ke abhi" he said, annoyed. She rolled her eyes at his demand as it is his daily dialogue.

"Ab kya huya hai tujhe? Jaldi se mood theek kar apna, warna sab ko lagega ke tu iss shadi se khush nahi hai" she said calmly.

"Han nahi hoon main khush" he said a louder. Her mother looked around and thanked her god that nobody heard them.

"Tu yeh shadi beech mein chod ke jana chahta hai? Kya jawab denge hum sab ko, ki kahan hai tu?" anger was clearly visible in her tone.

"Mom aap samjh nai rahi hain" he tried to explain.

"Toh samjha mujhe" he shook his head and when he didn't answer, she speak further, "Acha leave it, woh dekh, waha..."

He sighed and looked towards the direction where his mother had pointed.

There comes the bride.

She looked amazing in her yellow and white coloured simple but elegant dress. And the matching floral ornaments were enhancing her beauty even more. Her skin was already glowing even before the ceremony. With the twinkle in eyes and the gorgeous smile on her face, she was carefully descending the stairs.

His mother was smiling wholeheartedly and when she looked at him, he gave her a fake smile.

"She's looking beautiful, isn't she?" his mother asked smiling and then rolled her eyes when she saw his 'not so interesting' expressions.

"Chalo ab mere sath" with that she pulled him along with her.

Soon the haldi ceremony started and both, bride and the groom sat opposite to each other and their was a yellow translucent cloth between them so they both couldn't see each other. And then everyone walked towards them and started applying turmeric paste one by one.

Seeing him grumpy while applying the haldi, Neetu mumbled slowly, "Come on yar, thoda sa toh smile krde, otherwise photos achi nahi ayengi" seeing her pout, finally he smiled.

After everyone applied turmeric paste to both the bride and groom, they started applying it to each other and having fun. Suddenly out of nowhere songs started playing and all started dancing and enjoying.

*

After finishing the calls when he entered the hall, he saw them sitting and laughing with his mother. Seeing them enjoying, his nostrils flared and made his way towards them while mumbling, "saale, kamine"

Meanwhile, on the other side Vikas was telling something, on which Rita Maa, Ravi and Jai-Mahi were laughing while enjoying snacks.

"Arre Vikas, tumne toh kuch liya hi nahi" Rita Maa offered him a glass of juice but before he could pick the glass from tray, someone snatched it. He looked up and saw Sidharth, who was glaring him and others.

Seeing so much love for them in his eyes, avoiding his gaze, they looked at each other and gestured to speak.

Finally, with some courage, Vikas stood up, gulping his saliva, he smiled nervously. "Hey...Sidharth, how are you bhai?" Saying this, he stepped hug him. His eyes popped out, as soon as sid hugged him back, that too tightly.

"Sid" came Ravi's voice. The moment Sidharth looked back, Vikas took the opportunity to escape. Ravi hesitantly going to hug Sidharth but yelped in pain when Sidharth punched him in the stomach. Concerned Rita Maa was about to speak something but was interrupted by Jai's voice.

"Sid tu aagya?" Jai said passing a sheepish smile.

"Nhi, abhi raste mein hun" Sidharth said sarcastically, making Rita Maa and Mahi laugh. Jai was smirking at Ravi and Vikas that Sidharth did nothing to him but before he could react further, Sidharth held his neck tightly under his arm and said, "Saale kamine, ek toh khud late aate hai aur mujhse hi puch rahe hai ke aa gya"

Mahi, who was laughing non-stop, stopped laughing when Sidharth looked at her. "And you..iss bandar ko lekar jaldi nhi aa sakti thi?" Sidharth said to which she pout and while freeing Jai from his grip, she said,

"Sid, gussa kyun kar raha hai? Hum jaldi hi toh aaye hain"

"Jaldi? Itna bhi jaldi aane ki kya jarurat thi? Seedha bidaai ke bad hi aa jate tum log" said Sidharth, and Vikas who was holding back his laughter finally cracked up.

"Teri toh" he said, moving towards Vikas, who was now hiding behind Rita Maa and whined like a child.

"Now stop it bacho" Rita Maa said but none of them were ready to listen.

Seeing the turmeric paste on Sidharth's face, Ravi placed his hand on his shoulder and said teasingly, "Kya baat hai bro, haldi shaldi and all han" and then he winked at others. Understanding what he is trying to do, Vikas also came close to him and said,

"Han wohi toh, dekho kitna glow kar raha. Acha yeh btayo, yeh haldi ka kamaal hai yaa..." he said  mischievously.

Removing Ravi's hands from his shoulder, Sidharth narrowed his eyes at Vikas and about to open his mouth when Jai also came near to them and said,

"Kyu bechare ko tease kar rahe ho tum dono" he paused and showing the bowl of haldi, he spoke again, "Seedha yeh lagayo na"

Before Sidharth could react, Ravi and Vikas held his hands tightly while Jai applied a handful of turmeric paste on his face.

After painting him in yellow, they left him and started laughing. Seeing him glaring dangerously, they looked at each other and shouted, "Run" and started running in different directions and Sidharth also ran after them.

Watching their running and chasing game, Rita Maa and Mahi were laughing maniacally, Preeti and Neetu also joined them.

*

Her mother was showing her some dresses but seeing her busy with her phone, she got irritated and said,

"Sana kya kar rahi hai, bata na inme se kon sa jyada acha hai?"

"Sabhi dresses achi hain Mumma" she said while still looking into her phone and then immediately looked up when her mother threw the dresses on the bed.

Shaking her head, she got up from the bed smiling and went to her mother. Pulling her pouty cheeks, she said teasingly,

"Aap kuch bhi daalo, seedha dulhan ko takkar doge" her mother smiled and she also pulled her daughter's cheeks and said,

"Lekin mainu payari si dulhan ko takkar nahi deni hai"

"Ohh, toh phir ek kaam kar sakte hain..." picking up the peach color dress from the bed and while showing it to her mother, she said, "Tusi dulhan se matching karlo, dulhan ko bahut acha lagega" this made her mother chuckled and she mumbled 'Theek hai'

The next moment, her phone started ringing and excusing herself, she left from there, but not before hugging and wishing her mother good night.

-

She was in the hall, talking to her friend over the phone, when she saw him coming out of his friends room and making his way towards the terrace. The thought 'Why is he going to the terrace at this hour?' confused her. She then shrugged her shoulders thinking that maybe he need some fresh air. But when she saw his body language, it confused her more.

Her trance broken when she heard a voice and she realized that she was on phone. "Main tujhse baad mein bat karti hoon" saying this, she disconnected the phone but her eyes were still fixed on him.

She saw him repeatedly running his fingers in his hair and pressing his forehead. 'May be he is having headache' as soon as those words came out of her mouth, she started feeling bad as the flashes of that incident started running into her mind.

She was very embarrassed, the way she behaved, that too without even seeing who the person is. Thinking about what she had done, she pouted and then something came to her mind, to which she smiled and left from there while mumbling 'Babaji Mehar Karna'.

-

He was sitting on the terrace bench, enjoying the fresh air. As the cool breeze touched his skin, he closed his eyes and leaned his head back. Finally his frustration diminished with the arrival of his friends, but his headache did not ease.

He opened his eyes when he felt a soft touch in his hair. Thinking that would be his mother, without looking at the person, he closed his eyes again and asked, "Maa aap soyi nahi abhi tak?"

"Nahi, agar bache ko sir mein dard hai toh maa kaise soyegi?"

Upon realising that this was not her mother's voice, he opened his eyes in jerk. Confused he lifted his head up and saw Shehnaz's mother standing behind with a bottle of coconut oil in her hand. He frowned and asked confused,

"Aap? Yahan? I mean..."

"Aapko headache ho raha hai na, isiliye socha malish kardu" she said smiling softly.

He moved a little and said, "No no, i'm fine, main bilkul theek hoon. Raat kaafi ho gyi hai, aap ja ke so jayie. Main bhi bas jaa hi raha tha" he tried to smile.

"Acha? Dekh ke toh nahi lag raha ke aap theek ho aur jane hi wale the" she teased him.

"Woh..main.." he was fumbling for words. Understanding that he does not want to give her any trouble, she smiled and said,

"Pata hai meri beti Shehnaz kehti hain ki malish karne se dard toh theek hota hi hai, lekin relaxation bhi milta hai"

"Aur Shehnaz yeh bhi kehti hai, agar koi pyar se aapki malish kare, toh karwa leni chahiye" she said again when he didn't respond.

Those words made him look at her instantly and took him back in yesterday and made him think that is it the same Shehnaz who pulled his hair yesterday.

His chain of thoughts broke, when she shook him. He smiled and mumbled 'Ok' and he sat back in his place. She smiled brightly and took some oil, then rubbed it on her palms and started running her fingers through his hair.

As soon as her hands touch his hair, breathing deeply, he shut his eyes. The creases between his brows slowly erased and just got lost in the heavenly feeling as this massage of her was indeed relaxing.

"Kaisa laga raha hai beta aapko?"

"Relaxing. Aapke hathon mein magic hai"

"Toh fir aapne Shehnaz ke hathon ka magic nahi dekha, woh toh mujhse bhi achi massage karti hai" she chuckling.

A soft smile spread across his face and whispered to himself, 'Interesting'

#Meanwhile On The Other Side

"Are kya kar rahi ho tum, betiyan pairon ko hath nahi lgati" said Sidharth's mother.

"Bhale hi maayo ko pair dard se chila rahe ho, haina?" With that Shehnaz took her feet into her lap while she shook her head smiling.

Shehnaz slowly started massaging her feet and talking about random things with her, while his mother was adoring her the way she was lovingly massaging her feet.

Actually her feet were aching, and was searching for the painkillers. Shehnaz was passing by her room and when she saw her disturbed, she went to her and asked what was the matter.

'Arre shehnaz ke hote huye koi painkiller le? Aisa kabhi ho hi nahi skta' and when she said that and started massaging, she could not help admiring her caring nature.

She came out out of the trance when Shehnaz shook her and asked, "Kahan kho gaye aap, main kab se akele bat kar rahi hoon" she shook her head and mumbled 'Nothing' in reply.

"Apko pata hai Maa kehti hain ke main bahut acha massage deti hoon, hath lagte hi dard gayab ho jata hai" said Shehnaz.

"Bilkul sahi toh kehti hain woh" she said pulling her cheeks.

"Haye sachi" she smiled brightly, while his mother nooded her head and caressed her hair while saying,

"Han isiliye toh bahut hi relief mil raha hai"

She smiled and continued to massage her feet and suddenly out of nowhere she asked, "Yeh Sidharth itne khadoos kyu hain?" Soon she cursed herself for asking silly things when she saw her frown and said quickly,

"I'm sorry, mera matlb woh nahi tha. Main toh bas..." Before she could complete her sentence, his mother interrupted her,

"Arre nahi bacha mujhe bura nahi laga" hearing this she smiled awkwardly.

"You know? Sid na bahut hi caring hai, aur apne apno ko leke toh bahut hi protective hai woh... hamesha har kisi ki help ke liye ready rehta hai woh, jaise ke tu" she said last words, pinching her nose to which Shehnaz smiled.

"Or rahi baat khadoos ki toh... Han, thoda khadoos toh hai woh" with that both laughed.

After massaging few minutes more, she asked Shehnaz to stop as she was feeling much better than before and after spending some more time with her, Shehnaz hugged her and left from there wishing her good night.

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Hello Everyone!

Here goes the second part of 'Arranged By Shukla'

I hope you will like it. Please do vote and drop your valuable comments because it means a lot to me.

#HappyReading