The mansion was echoing with the sounds of people, utensils, music and what not. Champak bhaiyya was done preparing the kheer, and now Dado was lecturing him on the importance of dry fruits in kheer.

Mihika's matching was on point as ever, and her phone's battery was also as dead as ever. But there was him. The person who's phone has been a victim of Mihika's kidnapping for the last 3 years- and today again.

"Mihi, mera phone de yaar!"

Mihika ran down the stairs and of course he chased her. Pushing him in the crowd of women, Mihika ran upstairs and got into the room locking the door.

Controlling her heaving breathes, Mihika moved closer to the dressing table, and sat on her knees beside the girl who was looking no less than a desi princess.

"Tum dono aaj keliye toh suhdar jao,"

She said, putting on the last bangle.

Ignoring her words, Mihika smiled and hugged her, giving a peck on her head.

"Humein chod, tu khud ko dekh. Aaj tak itnaa sundar kabhi lagaa hai koi?"

A smiled carved on Nishtha's lips, and she wrapped her arms around Mihika. But the hug only lasted until she saw that phone in Mihika's hand.

"Mihi, tune phir uska phone churaya?"

Mihika rolled her eyes while Nishtha was giving her that very famous glare of hers. She was about to snatch the phone from her hand, but Mihika hid it on her back tightening her grip on it.

"Tu kyun usse baar baar uska phone cheen leti hai?"

"Woh mera, uska phone bhi mera."

"Mera hai woh." Nishtha said, widening her eyes.

"Mera bhi hai." Showing her tongue to Nishtha, Mihika ran out of the room.

While Nishtha tilted her head up and said a little loudly, "Bhai, bhai hai woh tera."

Mihika smiled folding her lips inside and ran down the stairs.

_

Surrounded by girls, he was forced to let them put mehndi on his hand, while Mihika was sitting beside him with his phone in her hand, giggling.

He got closer to her ear, and whispered, "Mihi yeh sab teri wajah se hua hai. Tune mujhe inn ladkiyon mein phansa diya. Dekh, yeh kya horahaa hai mere saath,"

Mihika smiled, and pecked his cheek.

"Suno ladkiyon, inko zyada pareshan mat karna, theek hai? Aur haan, mehndi mein naam zaroor likhna."

The girls giggled, and Mihika ran away from there.

He smiled leaning back on the chair.

"Mehndi ho chuki hai aapki," a girl spoke, making him come out of his dreamworld.

He lifted his hand up, facing his palm.

"Ab dhundhiye iss mehndi mein, apni unn ka naam," the girls giggled.

"Par naam toh mujhe apna dhundhna hoga na uske haath par?"

He straightened up on the chair, asking.

"Haan haan jiju, aisa hi hota hai. Par yeh rasam humne abhi abhi banayi hai jisme aapko khud bhi unka naam apne haath mein dhundhna hoga, taake jab woh aapke haath mein apna naam dhundhein, toh aapko naam khud toh pata ho ke kahaan likkha hai,"

"Arey par tum log khud hi mujhe bata do na,"

"Nahi. Aapko khud dhundhna padhega."

They were stubborn enough to listen. He widened his eyes and started looking for her name on his hand. And in no time, a smile carved on his lips seeing 'Nishtha' beautifully written on his palm. He showed his hand to the girls pointing at her name, "Milgayaa."

The girls clapped for him and ran away from there.

He was roaming his eyes around the hall looking for Mihika as his phone was still with her, when his eyes got stuck on the staircase. His stood up from the chair, being lost in the view his eyes were witnessing.

She was looking like a princess. His princess. And he couldn't help smiling. She was his, and he was proud of it. Proud of himself, to have someone in his life who's her.

He went to the staircase, and forwarded his hand to her. She smiled looking down, and got the hold of his hand.

He was still busy admiring her, when some girls came running and pulled her with them making him widen his eyes. While Mihika was standing with a smile on her lips and her arms folded.

"Mihi please phone de de,"

Mihika smiled and forwarded his phone to him. "Happy?"

He snatched the phone and went away from there rolling his eyes.

Mihika chuckled.

_

Her hands were in his, and his eyes were stuck on her face as if he's seeing her for the first time. Her lowered lids and the blush on her cheeks were making her look ethereal.

"Jiju, ab naam bhi dhundho na. Kab se unko ghoore hi jarahe ho,"

He blushed, and turned her hands upside down.

And again, this idiot got lost in her hands. How could he even help. The mehndi was so beautifully put on the beautiful hands of his girl.

She smiled looking at him.

"Jijuu!"

He straightened up shaking his head.

"Arey yeh kyaa, tumhare haath par toh itne saare naam likkhe hain! Vinay, Shekhar, Ravi.. inn sab mein mera naam toh kahin nahi hai,"

She shockingly took her hands back and started checking them.

"Yeh kyaa bolrahe ho? Kahaan likkhe hain yeh saare naam? Yeh raha tumhara naam, yeh dekho,"

She showed him her hands pointing at where his name was written. He held her hand with a smirk, and she realized what she just did. She sighed.

"Yeh raha mera naam, milgayaa mujhe. I won."

The girls slapped their foreheads, while he elders chuckled.

"Kyaa di yeh kyaa kiyaa aapne yaar!"

Nishtha widened her eyes.

Mihika cleared her throat and came forward.

"Chalo koi nahi, isne toh apna bhaanda khud phod diyaa. Ab dekhte hain ke yeh madam kyaa karti hain."

Mihika smirked, while Nishtha was standing with a confused expression.

Mihika held his hands and opened them in front of Nishtha, while Nishtha's eyes were wide open seeing mehndi on his palms. She folded her lips in, and bursted out laughing.

"Tumne....tumne mehndi lagayi hai? Wait wait wait, naam dhundhne se pehle let me take a picture,"

He was about to take his hands back, that Mihika held them tightly.

He gave her a glare, while Mihika smirked.

Nishtha turned the camera on and took a clear picture.

"Nishtha yeh kya tareeka hai beta. Uss bechare be itne pyaar se tere naam ki mehndi lagwayj aur tu uska mazaak udarahi hai?"

"Sorry dado but.."

Trying hard, Nishtha finally controlled her laugh and took a deep breathe.

He was looking at the other side not facing Nishtha. She smiled and made him look at her cupping his face. Seeing her smile, a smile caught his lips too.

She took his hands and opened the palms.

"Okay, mai tumhari tarhan cheating nahi karne wali hoon. Bina cheating ke jeet ke dikhaun gi,"

.
.
Ten minutes, and finally Nishtha's eyes glowed up with the spark of happiness, and a wide smile captured her lips reading her name written on his hand. She jumped and threw her arms around his neck. He responded the hug keeping his hands on her waist.

"I love you Rithwik," she whispered.

"I love you too Nishtha," he replied.

The hall was filled with sound of claps, when a guy came running with worry etched on his face. And now he was the centre of attention.

"Ramu Kaka, kya hua hai?" Nishtha asked tensely.

"W..woh bahar ladayi hogayi hai. Woh toh usko bohot buri tarhan se maar rahe hain, kahin uski jaan hi na chali jaye,"

And everyone knew who he was talking about.

Rithwik ran out and Nishtha followed him. The elders were about to go out too but Mihika stopped them and tried to normal the situation inside.

_

He was begging him for forgiveness, but he wasn't stopping breaking his bones. He clenched his jaw tightly and looked into his eyes.

"Aayansh Sehgal naam hai mera. Ratt le achhe se. Yeh toh sirf trailer tha. Agar picture dikha di na maine, toh kuch sochne ke kabil bhi nahi rahe ga."

He threw him on the floor and stood up wiping his hands with tissue paper. The guy took the chance and ran away from there with his wounded body.