"Chandra, adjust my hair nah. It keeps falling into my eyes," my sister, Priya, requested for what seemed like the twentieth time in the past five minutes.

Letting out a sigh and putting on a smile, I stood on my tip-toes to get a clearer view of her ornaments. I could feel the patient eyes of the cameraman on me, which seemed to grow irritated with every passing second.

"Just a second," I muttered to myself, pushing myself to work faster. The next family had already occupied the stage for the photo with the couple.

"Got it!" I mumbled triumphantly as I pinned a loose hair into one of the many bobby pins that already littered her hair. 

I tried to move away quickly, but to add to my fate, stumbled backwards as my feet landed on the skirt of my half-saree. Terror got a hold of me as I gasped for air.

When my sister yelled and tried to reach for me, it was a little too late. My ankle twisted and my hands flailed as I felt myself going down. Blood rushed into my ears as I felt myself drift into a world filled with panic.

Oh, this is going to be so embarrassing...

Just then, a set of strong hands seemed to hold me from behind, making everything come to a standstill, my posture caught in mid fall. Taking the support of the hand, I quickly straightened my ankle and pulled the skirt from under my heels and stood straight, finally regaining my balance.

I turned to thank whoever helped me, but I seemed unable to get a word out as my breath was knocked out of me. Dark brown eyes that seemed to glow golden in the shimmering stage lights caught my attention.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice low, filled with concern. His face looked so calm and serene but the underlying concern didn't go unnoticed. I blinked rapidly, willing myself to return to the present.

"Y-yes," I finally managed. "Thank you."

He gave me a curt nod with a charming smile and walked towards my sister and her husband, who had now shifted their attention since I was no longer in danger. My eyes followed his every movement on its on accord. 

A woman, a man, and a girl not much younger than me were already there, congratulating the newly wed couple. He casually stood behind them, his hands in his pant packets, which made the perfectly tailored coat he was wearing to crinkle at the edges. His hair fell perfectly across his forehead, messy, yet neat. And when my eyes wandered to his eyes again, his head whipped towards me. I immediately put my head down, feeling his gaze on me, making my cheeks grow warmer and warmer.

He looked at me. He actually looked at me!

I sneaked a look again and found his eyes darting between the couple and me. Our eyes crashed for a second, and a faintest smile bloomed across his face. I put my head down again, feeling my cheeks grow red. Telling that I got flustered would be an understatement.

Soon, the family arranged themselves for the photograph, the girl standing between me and my sister, the woman on my other hand. The guy and his father stood on the other side, near the groom, cutting my view from him.

I so badly wanted to look at him again, to confirm if he actually glanced at me or it was all just a dream. I swayed back and forth on my heels, feeling ever so restless. The girl glanced at me, probably feeling my nerves. I smiled at her nervously, nodding politely and just as quickly, turned my attention back to the photographer.

The flash from the camera blinded me for a moment, making me shut my eyes. When I opened them again, I found the family already leaving, congratulating the newly weds one last time before walking down the stairs on the other side of the stage, without a second glance.

A sudden wave of longing hit me.

I guess this was it. Just a small fantasy I got to live in momentarily.

I quickly made my way closer to my sister with the determination to talk to her before the next family arrived. But, she beat me to it.

"Are you alright?," she whispered to me, her forehead pinched in worry. Taking out a kerchief, I started wiping at the excess viboothi from all the blessings of the families that left the stage. "I'm fine," I whispered, a small smile forming at her concern.

"Thanks to the guy who caught you at the right moment," she whispered back, which brought me back to what I was about to ask her.

"Do you know who he is?" I asked, my voice seemingly nonchalant. Priya's eyes narrowed down on me, a silent question in her gaze.

"A distant relative of Rohan's," she told me. "Please don't tell me that you–"

"Akka!" I groaned before she could continue her statement. A chuckle was the only reply that I got back.

The next family arranged themselves in a row, an endless cycle of congratulations and photographs showering all around us.

Amma and appa seemed busy down the hall, smiling brightly and directing the guests towards the dining hall. I've never seen them this happy before. Guess a daughter's wedding could do that to a person. They haven't sat down since the minute the wedding procession started. That doesn't mean I sat down either.

I've been standing beside my sister ever since morning, wearing this beautiful lavender half-saree and painstakingly high heels. The ever so poised and kind bridesmaid.

It was already time for breakfast and my stomach growled in hunger, making me glance at the stairs to the dining, looking at all those who got to eat with a look of longing.

"Did you know we had such a lot of relatives?" I whispered to my sister, leaning slightly towards her as my head still faced straight. She directed her attention away from her husband and towards me.

"Hungry, huh?" She asked with a teasing tone in her voice.

"Yes," I squeeked.

"Too bad," she murmured. "The crowd doesn't seem to be thinning."

I pouted as I put my head down, acting as if adjusting the delicate fleets of the fabric.

"Chandra, smile for the photo," Priya reminded me. "You don't want complaints from some unknown auntie telling Amma that you don't appreciate their visit."

I put my head up again and forced a grin. "There!" I muttered through gritted teeth. "Happy?"

Rohan bent down from beside her and glanced at me, a teasing smile on his face. "Seems forced to me," he whispered to me. I glared at him, wanting so bad to wipe that smirk off his face.

"Machaan," I cooed. "If you don't stop now, I'm going to start throwing a tantrum stating that whatever gift you gave me is not enough."

"Ooh, I don't want that," he said, straightening himself again.

"Do you have to do that?" Priya whined. 

"Hey! He's my brother-in-law! He's the closest thing I'm ever going to get to a brother!"

Priya shook her head and sighed in defeat. But a small genuine smile that coated her face didn't leave me unnoticed.

Which brought me back to the smile I witnessed not so long ago. A beautiful smile belonging to a handsome man. The one who caught me from falling. The one whose identity seems to be a mystery to me. A mystery my mind so badly wanted to crack, and that is not how I usually am. 

Guess the fantasy is not leaving my brain anytime soon.