••||••||••

It's all about confidence. When you are confident, it reflects. It's about knowing exactly, what's the moment require and showcasing that attitude. It's about the trust you have within yourself, in your actions. It's about you, how you perceive yourself, how you showcase yourself.

The spot light lit, following by other stage lights on the side of supposed runway. And he was there, standing under that light, body upright, face reflects nothing, but confidence and strength and power. Without a blink, an unknown stress in my heart falters as I awaited, and the loud cheers in the hall indicates all awaited too, impatiently, for the coming moment.

But there was a difference, they awaited for his performance, for him to walk like in real and I awaited as I definitely believe Mr Oberoi and this useless show in front of all, that's kind of not his thing and the mic beside him, I am sure he would announce to fudge off here everyone at any moment.

He took his first step. A long one but slow. Than another and another. And past that little mike on his left. I blinked, a moment latter registered the reality and choke on my drink. Wide eyed, jaw hanging open!

He didn't come announcing closing down this absurd show? Is he really...?

God really took seriously to make my, this day, so interesting. First, this surprise party shocked me. Secondly that strip dancer shocked me to the core and now! Now ever-so-serious Mr Oberoi, really walking down the stage! That's the father of all shocks today.

I saw him, still my eyes wide, simply a solid stance around his shoulder width apart and taking slow and long steps. His controlled steps showing balance and control while he moves towards his destination.

Taking longer strides than he normally would.

Oh my goodness! I didn't really think he would actually perform that, like this!

In front of fifty unknown women, in my bachelerotte party, Mr Shivaay Singh Oberoi, multibillioner and owner of one of India's leading, Oberoi Industry, Asia's one of richest youngest businessman is actually performing a ramp walk show, here in this hall, where I would have heard he don't even waste his precious second on unprofitable things or usual talkshows and here he is performing for a bet that his brother set. That's unbelievable just like a shooting star in fifty years thing! A rare thing!

He must really loved Om Ru that much, this is something I wouldn't think in my wildest dream too!

He walked strong, purposeful, and naturally sexy. Keeping his head up, his chin leading his body. This makes him appear a lot taller! Not once his oceanic gaze moved to down but it's like he picked one point in front of him when he walk, he focus on that point only. Having a clear destination and not looking around it's like given him a purpose and shows his walk more confident!

Just like a professional model!

Keeping his gait and his strides steady. Keeping everything simple and in moderation. Keeping his facial expressions natural. Walking tall with his body straight and his shoulders back. He doesn't even look like a robot! Often, there's just a fine line that separates looking really sexy and attractive from being awkward and robotic.

A powerful and confident walk makes him even more attractive!

"Oh my god" and girls literally going mad around here, cheering, flashing light of their i-phone's. Mallika said something about how attractive and like a professional he looks and something more that unintentionally blured out of my conciousness.

At the end of the runway, he stood for 3 to 4 seconds. But his blue deep oceanic eyes, they move towards this direction, more particularly towards me. I wasn't sure until, chorus of aww surrounded me plus Mallika jabbed my shoulder with hers playfully.

Our eyes locked, the noise surrounding us suddenly seems like it has went away, afar. And because my mouth is all sudden dry, I don't know why despite the drink I'm having I had it's last sip a minute before but it's dessert dry, so, with my tongue I roamed it lightly on my lips, wetting them and taking the lower lip in mouth due to the intensity of his gaze and I know he noticed my every action, from that far away too, as corner of his lips slightly, just slightly went upward despite his hard control in keeping his face neutral. And that told me, he knew. He so knew that without dancing also, indirectly he proved to be thousand time better than that lunatic, that's what he called.

He so knew, that and despite more control and instead of that tiny smile initially forming, now instead of that, a slight smirk formed . A winning, annoying, knowing smirk not only on his lips but also in his eyes. Just so small, to be not noticed by anyone else who isn't looking carefully. And here seeing him losing his neutral face expression control, this one thing he lose unlike professional models, my lips curled up in a amusing smile.

And it was all, our eyelock was just for five seconds, then still in control, using his pivot foot, he turned back for his return walk.

"That was so hot, man!" Mallika exclaimed, with an aww expression, "you two! I mean, he didn't even moved his eyes off you and you, you look like this flustered right now."

"It's nothing like that!"

"It so was! Don't deny that and moreover, it's okay, he is going to be your husband." Mallika gave me a side hug and why the hell am I looking down and feel heat on my cheeks! I am a strong woman, not some chui mui, sharmili! "Get used it now, my little sister."

But he smiled.

A little, tiny mini and almost as non-existent but it was a smile.

I looked up, smilingly the rest or the show that went on for an hour. Ryan Om Zizu Rudra, they all were having fun now. The bet was long forgotten and now they were enjoying the crowd cheering for them. In between when Mallika was irritated with girls showing affection to his dear husband, she tried snatching him back to floor but he pulled her up and possessively held her waist and walked with her proudly, showcasing all how much he love his wife. Same goes with Gauri and with Rudra too, as a good friend he pulled Saumya. Ryan however was bored, came down standing beside me and Prinku.

All this while, one thing somewhere disturbed my mind repeatedly that I didn't see Mr Oberoi. My eyes searched for him, his similar figure but he seems to be like vanished from this hall. It was than, I was going to have some water, I saw a similar figure sitting all the while in the corner in peace, eyes digged in...his mobile.

Seriously? In a party too!

When I went near him, I watched him disbelievingly seeing, he was replying to an office mail. One thing I didn't understand, and same I asked, "As far as I remember, dadi has snatched your phone and other gadgets, how did she gave it back to you?"

After a moment of tapping on send icon, he buttoned off the screen, looking up but once more I felt shudder feeling his gaze over on me and my body for a second. That kind of look, I haven't seen when he saw other girls, for the second time I dare think he looked me as if he was admiring. There was weird look in his eyes today, not much cold but soften one. My thoughts broke as he reveals seeing in my eyes, "she didn't."

She didn't? What were we talking about?

Ah, his mobile.

I cleared my throat, asking raising my eyebrows "Mhm, so you stole that?"

"It's not stealing, taking one's thing back." He said back, pocketing his phone. Standing up from seat, he added himself, "Moreover she has given me as long as I'm here."

"Ohhh," stretching that word, I nodded in understanding, "so that's why you are here,"

He narrowed his eyes at my long realising exclaimation, stood at a foot away distance from me, "Not particularly. You think, just to use my mobile, I would be here?"

I shrugged my shoulders off, saying nonchalantly, "Yes"

Oh come, on why would he looked at me in disbelief. In past few days it's much clear that this man could be anywhere to just work.

Once, blinking towards, silently gazing disbelievingly at me, he straighten up his spine, he told me, "It was Rudra. He forced me to come to some special party. I wasn't aware it would be this, yours bachelorette party."

And we both started walking towards no where in particular. "I, myself wasn't aware."

"Indeed?" He asked, looking at me from corner of his eyes, tilting his head slightly.

"Oh yes, indeed." I nodded, looking at him than in front where everyone are still enjoying, clicking picture and making noises. "I was told it's a Christmas Party, instead she gave me this surprise. A bachelorette party, school and college friends. And that crazy stripper."

Cocking his head towards me and eyes filled with amusement, and his cheek bone twitching slightly upward, he asked "So, you now agree he was a lunatic?"

I rolled my eyes, my hands acting with my words I told him "I didn't deny that earlier also."

"You claimed him as .... desirable." Measured words he chose.

Oh, so that time his tongue didn't stuck on word 'sexy'. Now he is presenting as elegantly he could.

"You mean sexy?" Intentionally as I asked smirking, he well, took a pause before nodding. Taking his expression it seems like, before, at that time he was saying in more of immeasurable words, in a flow, than at this moment. Well if he wouldn't keep his expression neutral all the time, I would assume he was hot headed that time. "Well, others girls did find him...what you called ah, desirable. But no, not me. Infact his creepy smile is enough to give me nightmares for a week."

For some reasons, Mr Oberoi instead of cold, icy form seems well calmed, pleased. Was he happy because I find him creepy or is he satisfied that I may have nightmares now? A moment later he asked, "So, you didn't enjoy his-- the party?"

I frowned at his quick correction of term, however nodded, "Initially no, but that ramp walk." I smiled wildly, stopping in between as well he halted there. "Yeah it was incredible."

"Offcourse," he exclaimed sarcastically, "you would enjoy that."

"Have you been into modelling before?"

"Most certainly not." A pause, than raising his eyebrows and completely turning to me, "Are you insinuating I did walked the ramp as perfect as a professional model?"

"Oh no no." I didn't want to raise his already sky reaching ego to moon, so with a false frown I nodded, "but you did fine."

"Liar," he immediately concluded, adding, "your hanging jaw and unblinking eyes were saying something else that time."

Oh, he did not just!

I opened my mouth to say something between it was his imagination or for once I thought to pinpoint him smiling at that time. Remembering that moment now, made me feel my ear growing hot. As if they are radiating heat. But instead I smiled widely at him, he watched me with a crease forming on his smooth forehead. "That says, how much you notice me, Mr Oberoi."

He tried saying something. A loss of words from his side. My my, the man of vocabulary and wealth now seems on lose. "That's just your misunderstanding."

Enjoying his state, I added further Mallika's statement, "It's fine, you know I am going to be your wife. Once I had heard some great man saying, ' A wise man has his eyes always on his wife'."

"A great man or a young woman" he said, more like taunted and with that he was about to turn when I stopped him.

"Party is going on that side, Mr Oberoi" I informed directing towards the opposite direction we were heading to.

He looked at in front, at the exit door. "I am well aware of that. But I am not staying in this earpiercing noise, anymore."

"Nor I want to." I sign tiredly, thinking what Mallika will do if she found out I have left earlier at 7. "But I guess I had to stay or else Mallika would eat my brain later."

He seems to be realising now, a sigh escaped past his lips, looking behind me, "Same, as will Haider."

Speak the devil's name and he shall appear, idiom fits the situation as magically Zizu appeared beside me just a second later his name was taken, followed by a grumpy Mallika. Nonetheless, we were pulled and scolded for missing everything out. There zizu pulled away Mr Oberoi and here Mallika complained how much she wished to see Mr Oberoi and I walking on stage but after announcing hundred of times, as she exaggerate on that, calling us and we didn't come, they had to end.

An hour went on eating Italian and catching people up, again. This time not to spoilt my mood I avoided mean girls, they just had to smile on my face but bitch about me on my back.I still can't believe they could thought I might be pregnant or for money I may catch and marry Mr Obeori. So, I avoided them. Stood in my group, beside my friends and yeah all the time one person constantly on my side, was Mr Oberoi.

Sometimes later, we were all standing, our group posing, smiling big, infront of a huge Merry Christmas tree, instead of cheese we all are yelling on top of our voice, "MERRY CHRISTMAS"

And ladies and gentlemen that's how my bachelor party went on.

••||••||••

"At least have some sprouts, or like this you're going to fell ill."

"You're not getting it! It's a marriage and there are hundreds of responsibilities to fulfil."

"But there is still time. You are worrying like it's in next hour. You sit down first, there's still a day left."

"Only a day. I have to get dresses, call makeup artist, do the packing, check list, call the caterer, talk to wedding planner and than have to check upon our guests."

"Maa maa maa, please calm down." Holding her wrist I made her sit beside me, on the bed. "Take a deep breath."

"But Ani-"

"No Ani, just take a deep breath."

She stops arguing, and finally inhales a deep breath.

"Good, good. Now exhale, slowly. Yeah. Just like that. Feel better?"

"Yeah"

Taking a spoon I made her eat some sprouts. She ate quietly, and even if I tried made her understand but clearly she was tensed more about rituals, formalities and our guests.

It's morning, eight O'clock. Today there was a ganesh puja my Dadi has asked to do, scolding maa a little for her not remembering it earlier. It didn't help with already tensed maa and made her even more tensed, worried if all the things will get over on time. I fear if it's going to be like this she may get her blood pressure raised. She may be a doctor by profession but at home I have to be her personal doctor.

It was than, zizu and Ryan came forcefully making maa to assign them some responsibility. Zizu has always treated maa as her own ammi and now as a son he rightfully made her take rest and took the work.

Somewhere in deep corner of my heart I thought if Mr Oberoi would be one of them?

The day went on a very buzy note. Everyone is buzy either taking care of preparation or taking care or their own. Even Mallika, Ryan, Gauri they held me and made me sit on a place, even if I tried to work they hold me to a single reason, 'you're a Bride and tomorrow you have to look fresh so sit quietly'. And on that my phone has been taken off as according to them it's rays are harmful for my skin. Like seriously!

The whole day, I haven't seen Rudra or Om or Mr Oberoi, all were buzy in preparation. However when Gauri was on video chat with Om, I had a glimpse of him sitting on bad quietly, hitting Rudra with a pillow for irritating him with his jokes and not able to getting him a damn phone. That's what his words were to Rudra, not mine!

So, preety much our both situations are similar.

It's night, eight o clock now. I was lying on my bed, over my stomach, seeing my mehendi and engrossed in my raging thoughts about tomorrow. It was then, Mallika came huffing hard, bringing up a box and slammed down her hundred kgs almost on me.

"Psst, move away!"

"Issh! Just two.. minutes." She pleaded, after a moment of struggle, she slowly removed her weight and lay down facing the ceiling. "O god, my legs, they are paining so much. You know how much work I have done today!"

"I asked you, but you yourself didn't let me. Not it's good, do everything yourself."

"Bhai, which bride works in her own wedding?"

I shook my head in disbelief, and we kept lying. It was than a thought I voiced out to her, "Kher, u know what--"

"What?"

"I still can't believe whatever happened in the party! There was Christmas decoration in my bachelorette party, there was a damn stripper that still gives me a nightmare and there was a that ramp walk--"

"Amazing ramp walk" she said smilingly.

"Yeah, but I had no idea it's going to be turn out like that."

"Yeah well, we initially thought of Christmas party but than I remember something very important ritual is missing."

"Ritual? As in bachelorette party?"

"Yeah"

"You are mad!" Than turning my face to her, I said, "And that strip dancer? Don't you think it's a step too far? He was literally going to pull all his clothes!"

She looked at me, her face jn disgust as if she is regretting that idea now. "He wouldn't. Naa, don't give me those looks. He was paid to just tease and a dance, he wouldn't have pulled his pants."

"He was going to, but why would you call him?"

Shrugging her shoulders off, "A little spice in party?"

I rolled my eyes at her. "More like whole lot of chilli in party!"

"I don't know," she said looking up at ceiling than confessed a moment later, "Dia gave me that idea... saying these boys also have dancers in their party!"

Dia?

"How could you come in Dia's silly talks?" And than something clicked in my mind, I snapped at her, "Wait a second, you didn't call that strip dancer because you thought zizu'll be enjoying a dancer in their own party, did you?"

Silence.

"Mallika? Seriously...I mean you were so jealous that you called a strip dancer!"

She looked at her nails, fidgeting and murmuring in a low voice, "Your zizu doesn't care about me anymore."

My head snapped at her, "What are you talking? Zizu and doesn't care about you? Have you gone mad?"

"Leave it Ani, just let it be."

"No" How can she even think like that! "you need to hear me! You weren't there when zizu called that lunatic strip dancer, angrily, and you should see, how he glared him. It was like he would punch him any moment just because you were there too. And than that ramp walk, do you know how possessive zizu is of you? How he look at you? Where would these thoughts, all come from?"

A moment or silence, "he does care. I know."

A moment later I sighed, asking staring at her face, trying reading it carefully, "There's something else, isn't it?"

Silence

"Tell me"

"It's complicated."

"Is it another way to say, you can't share that with me?"

"No, it's nothing like that." A pause, "it's your marriage Ani, and I don't want to worry about my problems now. You should enjoy, not take tension."

"To be honest, when I see you off or sad, or feel like some tension is in between you and zizu, I worry about you. And even it's my marriage, so what, you can share anything with me."

She smiled, "I can, and I'll but when you come back from your honeymoon."

"Honeymoon?" I choked

"Haye, you are red from now only. What'll happen in suhagraat." She laughed hard, seeing me wide eyed.

"Shut up Malli!"

And when I was about to say something, she got up with a jolt, picked up the box she just brought, forwarding it to me, commanding, "Open it."

"What is in it?" I frowned, opening the box, and removing the white sheets, it seems like a dress and I was right but...!

Holy Moly!

"Is it my wedding lehenga??" I asked feeling numb, excited, nervous, absorbing the magnificent design of lehenga in my mind. "When did it come? And who gave it to you? Omygod, it's so amazing!"

"Haina? It's even beautiful than my own lehenga. God Anika, I feel jealoused how much your staff loves you?"

Really, I didn't know that. This is actually their best creation till date.

She further added, "Kirti gave it to me. She is, you know wanted to meet you, is downstairs right now. And here, this is from your staff."

She handed me a note, clearly written by Kirti, her writting is just that amazing.

"To Anika ma'ma,

Congratulations mam, we wish you a heartful congratulation and abundance of happiness that now you are stepping in your life's new phase.
This lehenga, we made it with love and hard work, tried to give our best and we really hope you like it.

If you didn't, there is a second box we are sending as a backup, it's designed by your favourite designers.

Thankyou

Yours sincerely
A&h team"

"They deserve a personal thankyou and a good raise, madam." Mallika suggested, reading the note herself.

"Yeah, they do. I didn't even... it's really unexpected. I should call Kirti now. I want to meet her. Now"

"We'll go but let's rest for ten minutes. Please? I'm so tired."

"Here" I throwed a orange juice bottle, she catched it, passing a grateful smile and instantly gulping it like water.

After a few moments of silence and we lying down just like before. The lehenga reminds me Mallika's wedding, how I myself had to adjust her dupatta every five minutes. Her wedding, it was just so memorable, her eyes showed that happiness and unlike other brides dhe smiled and laughed and enjoyed throughout the wedding but her bidaai. It was really unexpected from a strong girl like Mallika, would ever cry.

I voiced out, "You cried a lot in your bidaai."

"Bidaai" she turned to me, saying with a small smile, "offcourse I did, every girl do cry."

"Not every girl. Just like I won't." I said turning to her, resting my head on elevated elbow.

She scoffed, "even I said the same, but I did na? It's just the environment, that makes you cry automatically. You'll see day after tomorrow morning."

She said smiling teasingly as I hit her lightly on her arm, "We'll see."

A moment later, "but if you can't. Still cry a little. I heard it's a good omen."

"Seriously? Crying is a good omen?" Unbelievable!

She shrugged her shoulder off, "Ammi told me, after you know she finally made me calm down."

I nodded, than a moment later, "Mallika?"

"Yeah?"

"Will you handle maa after me? I know she'll cry hard and her blood pr--"

"Offcourse. Kaisi baat kar rahi hai tu? You don't have to say, I'll take care of massi."

"She's stressing so much yaar."

"Don't worry, every mother does." She sat down and assured me, "Ryan, your zizu, me everyone is here. We'll take care of everything. You shouldn't worry. Think about your big day tomorrow, everything else will be taken care off. Marriage comes once in your life and it's special. Think about it and enjoy this moment, this phase. Okay?"

Sitting up, even before I could say anything, she engulfed me into a tight hug murmuring how she still can't believe I am going to be married by tomorrow.

I myself couldn't believe that, but tighten that hug, instantly feeling better, my mind filming thoughts of us spending time since childhood till now, sleeping, playing, shopping, eating, school, all those time of our together, made me hug her a little tighter.

Parting from hug, I shook my head as environment around us felt a little emotional and from nowhere throwed a near by cushion, messing all her hairs up and laughing. She glared at me, throwed the pillow back. And just like that we kept messing and after finally ruining our room perfectly, we went to downstairs, to meet my team.

••||••||••

"Anika!"

"Hmm"

"Wake up, bacha"

"Mh"

"It's already eleven a.m."

"Nng"

"Breakfast is getting cold."

"Mm"

"Wake up, chlo, you have to go to parlour"

"Mn"

"Mallika is waiting for you."

"hmm"

"Ary, don't pull me! Leave me and wake up. Chlo it's getting late."

"5 mint...more"

"No more five minutes. Stop showing me your fingers and now leave this blanket."

"Maa please! It's cold!"

"Wake up!"

"No"

"Ary, ye ladki!"

"Gud nyt"

"Ani!"

"Mm"

"Anikaa!"

"Mm"

"Anika Harshvardhan Trivedi! Get up Now!"

"Yh..2 mints later"

"Get ready!"

"Hm..Later"

"No later! It's your wedding today!"

"Later..." and than her words registered to my sleepy mind, Wedding "....Wait--What?"

'27 dec 2020, Sunday'

Shit!

With a jolt, I sat down, picked my green sweater from sofa, hurriedly wearing that up.

"Ah, finally you are up. Here, your breakfast, yh hold it, your clothes." She forcefully put it all the stuff on my lap, "Now get ready fast, you have your appointment booked in an hour. I'm now going to check upon your mandap. Eat it all."

With saying so she went away, my gaze moving to her from fruits salad and again to her.

It's your wedding today! It's your wedding! It's your wedding!

My mood to eat anything died that instantly, and in my warm blanket too, feet turned cold. It's already my fast, so it won't matter I eat right now or not.

Numbing my thoughts, I went for a quick relaxing hot shower. It did clear my mind for a while, but as daily it shows me my schedule for the day, today it got stuck at one thought!

It's your wedding today! It's your wedding! It's really your wedding!

Wearing a kurti pajami, along with a cardigan, I rushed to downstairs. Probably Mallika is going to kill me, there are her five missed calls that I missed during my an hour long shower.

As I made my way outside, around me, today it seems like no one has time, everything is rushing here and there, workers and helpers are literally running and preparing. The whole place is being decorated in colourful lights, tent, flowers and on it's best.

Don't stop! Don't admire the view now! It's your wedding today! Keep walking!

While rushing outside, among hundreds of people, a glimpse of similar tall- broad figure of Mr Oberoi, I catched from afar making my steps involuntarily slow. He was there buzy talking to Khanna bhaiya and Bade papa, wearing a red coloured kurta with cream pajami. A tilak on his forehead shining from that far also, and his face as hard as granite as always.

He was ordering to Khanna Bhaiya, thier face reflects they were talking something serious, something important. Bade papa, patted Mr Oberoi's back in assurance and his expression is just as a father would guide his own son. Maybe he was advising him to leave else tension and concentrate on day and when Mr Oberoi was about to say something back, his eyes raised and in a heartbeat they stuck with mines, making me caught my breath suddenly, and smiling feeling uncharacteristically nervous. His deep stormy oceanic eyes, turned a bit softer as I felt his gaze taking once over of whole me.

Bade papa called for his attention repeatedly, and here I for my part awkwardly nodded in acknowledgement, and what surprises me, he also nodded back to me though his mouth buzy speaking to bade papa.

Hurriedly I removed my gaze and made my way outside, my thoughts racing just as first day when we met, when our roka held. That day too, I  can't believe I was going to be his wife. On that day too, I can't believe he's going to be my husband. Today,  I still can't believe. I still can't believe it's our marriage. That too tonight. In a few hours.

I still can't believe!

It was than when I reached outside, Khanna Bhaiya came to me in his all giant scary look form, politely passing me a smile. I raised my eyebrows questioningly when he told me, "Shivaay Sir ordered me to drop you, mam."

••||••||••