14. pehle dupatta, aur ab tumhara yeh pallu. (first dupatta, and now the end of your saree.)

•°•

I had been playing hide and seek with my brother for the last two days now. He had tried approaching me several times but I made an excuse to book out of the conversation every time he was even five feet close. It wasn't easy. But it wasn't hard either. Considering how work-obsessed he is, he rarely comes out to socialize. And mom doesn't even force him unlike how she forces me.

He has always had a reason to behave the way he does, so it was always excused. On the other side, I was seen as the child who throws tantrums and has attitude issues. Half of the time I'm like what!? My own family believes I ignore mixing with people intentionally. When the truth is, I get anxious and nervous and I sweat bullets if I've to make a conversation I hadn't previously rehearsed or imagined. The office is already hard, and you expect me to entertain people out of my limited social circle as well? No thanks. I just don't have the reason of work as my brother does. When he denies meeting people, he is making money, he is creating a name for himself, but if I do it, I'm being lazy and arrogant. I'm sorry if I'm not a workaholic. I'm making a living for myself and that is enough.

Today was the big day. The engagement day. The ceremony was to begin at six pm in the evening but I was all ready to go downstairs even though it isn't even four yet. I had put on my two-piece black suit, which thankfully fits me because mom had taken the measurements from my old suit and not just assumed I'm the same stature as Bhai. That would have been funny though. My brother is like six feet two and built like a boxer, while I have got the body that would best suit a male model. Tall, lean with broad shoulders and narrow waist. I remember being called 'chini' in my school days because I was fair, had fluffy hair and my looks leaned slightly on the feminine side. That was my biggest insecurity while growing up. While many of my male classmates began growing facial hair from ninth grade, I was clean as a slate even when I hit the tenth grade. Luckily, puberty hit me after boards and the teasing stopped.

"Haye meri jaan, kya lag raha hai! (Damn sweetheart, you're absolutely killing it!)" Vikram complimented upon entering the room. A smile bloomed on my face. "Thoda late nahi ho gaya lekin? Zara jaldi tayyar ho jata. (Aren't you late though? You should have got ready a little early.)" He commented sarcastically. My smile fell.

"Shut up," I rolled my eyes.

He chuckled and yanked a chair to sit in front of me. With the back of the chair facing me, he plopped down and crossed his arms on top of the backrest. "Nervous?"

I shrugged. "Not really." I tugged at my cufflinks.

"You're nervous," he smirked.

I sighed. "Thanks. I couldn't tell."

He chuckled. "She must be double nervous. So chill."

"Really?" My brows raised in surprise.

He hummed. "I once had a conversation about this with Nisha. She told me she was so nervous before our engagement ceremony she couldn't even stand properly because her knees kept trembling."

"But yours was love marriage," I frowned.

"Exactly," he pointed out. "So imagine how Priya must be feeling." He speculated.

I imagined Priya with trembling knees and almost laughed out loud. My imagination power is a blessing since I can make up stuff in high definition in my head and this was the most hilarious one. There was no way Priya can ever have cold feet before any of our wedding ceremonies. While yes, I've seen her getting nervous and shy in front of me several times, she had never let it become a moment but only a fleeting second of it.

"Mujhe toh sochke hi hasi aa rahi hai. Matlab kuch bhi? (Just the thought is enough to make me laugh. I mean, how stupid?)" I chuckled shaking my head.

"At the end of the day, she is a woman."

"That's sexist," I remarked.

"No, they are emotional and sensitive. Like you."

"I'm not a woman!" I scoffed, throwing a cushion at him. He dodged it and looked proud. I threw another one, catching him off guard. It smacked him straight on his face. Take that, asshole.

"I'm just saying!"

"Don't!" I made a zipping motion of my lips.

He sighed in defeat. "I don't know how this is going to work out between you two. Whenever Nisha and I fight, I've to be the big person and cajole her again. But in your case, you're more woman than a woman."

"Tu nikal, (You get out,)" I waved him off.

"Mein bas bol raha hoon. (I'm just saying.)" He shrugged. "Imagine you two have your first ever argument. You both feel wronged. Who's going to give in first?"

"The one who started it," I stated.

"Usually women start it."

"Really?" I asked, sounding interested whilst getting my phone out of my pocket.

"Aur nahi toh kya. (Don't try to tell me otherwise.)"

"And what else?"

"Kya bataun, badi hi chant hoti hai yeh auratein - (What else can I say, these women are so cunning -)" he halted mid words spotting the call screen of my phone that had Nisha Bhabhi on line.

"Kya kaha tumne?! (What did you just say!?)" She asked in disbelief.

Vikram looked at me with the betrayed face that mirrored the one from two days ago when I had declared him dead to my to-be wife. "Ba- Babe-"

"Tum ghar aao, tumhe apni chantgiri dikhati hu mein. (Come home, I'll show just how cunning I can get.)" She threatened before hanging up.

"Babe!" He called out in panic before looking at me furiously. "Aise dost Bhagwan mere dushman ko bhi na de! (May god not give such friends to even my enemies!)" He snarled while getting off the chair and scampering out of the room like his tail was on fire. I laughed at his expense.

For the next two hours, I downloaded a random ass game on my phone and played it to keep me busy and distracted. It was five thirty when Mom came to call me down.

"Fix your hair before," she instructed.

I hopped down from the bed and went to stand in front of the full-length mirror. While I was fixing my hair, the door to the room opened and Bhai walked in. I spared him a glance before ignoring his presence altogether.

"Adi, I need to talk to you."

I stiffened for a split second. "What is it?" Fortunately, my voice appeared less nervous.

"It's about Pri-"

"Are you ready!?" Vikram barged in, thankfully saving me from the incoming catastrophe. I wasn't even prepared for the confrontation yet.

Bhai breathed out in frustration.

Ignoring him, Vikram walked towards me and nodded subtly to get out. I nodded back in response. "Later Bhai, everyone must be waiting for me downstairs," I murmured apologetically.

Vikram picked up my phone for me and we both made our way towards the door.

"Adi, it's important!" Bhai exclaimed.

I looked at Vikram before cautiously turning around to face my brother. "Can it wait?"

"It'll be too late." He looked into my eyes.

I swallowed. "What is it?"

He looked at Vikram, who upon getting the signal sighed in visible irritation. "Whatever he says, don't let it get to you." He mumbled to me in a small voice. "In the other room, Priya is getting ready for you. Not for him." He added softly then left the room.

The door closed and I met my brother's eyes once again. "Speak up,"

"I- Uh, Remember the woman I told you about? The one I'm waiting for?"

I nodded, unprepared and anxious for what was about to come.

"It's Priya," he revealed, expecting a reaction of shock from me. When I didn't react, he frowned."Adi,"

I nodded. "I know."

Shock replaced his frown. "You do!?"

I hummed.

"And yet you're still doing this to me!?" He accused.

My face morphed into the look of disbelief. "I'm sorry, what? What do you expect from me? You decided to wait for her. You decided to keep her identity hidden. You decided to keep your feelings hidden. Why are you blaming me?"

"Now you know, Adi." He walked to me, tears brimming his eyes. "Now you know. I love her, Adi."

My hand curled up into a fist.

"You're just attracted to her. You've known her for a few weeks. But I've been in love with her for six years!" He gritted out. "Imagine yourself in my place, Adi."

"I don't want to." I shook my head. "I'm sorry. If you think I'll give up on her then you're wrong."

"And if I go and tell her about my feelings?"

My breathing stifled at the thought of it.

"As you wish," I murmured and left the room.

I was glad Vikram wasn't outside waiting for me. In an attempt to calm down, I started to take deep breaths. With a long sigh, I turned and headed downstairs. My feet halted abruptly when the door of the last room in the hallway opened.

Priya stepped out draped in an orange saree, completely stealing my breath away. I watched transfixed while she was busy fixing the pleats of her saree. The moment she straightened, our eyes met and everything just stopped. No matter how cheesy or unreal it sounds, I felt it.

She looked away from me nervously.

I slowly walked up to her.

Her gaze lifted from my feet to my face once again.

"Orange suits you," I complimented her.

"And black suits you." She replied softly, gently pushing back a few locks that had curled over her shoulders, twisting like vines.

The sound of incoming footsteps stiffened me. Priya looked over my shoulder at the intruder before I stepped to the right, blocking her vision of him. Our eyes connected and I held out my hand. "Shall we, Miss. Mathur?"

She hummed, gently tucking her smaller hand into my larger one. I enveloped the gentleness of her skin, the nimbleness of her fingers, and her acceptance of my touch. I turned around, ignoring my brother who stood staring at us while I guided her downstairs to the hall.

Except for Vikram, Preeti had invited her local friend, so the two were the only ones that weren't immediate family but truly a guest. Since the living room was big enough, the main furniture was moved around to make some extra space and only the white couch was left in its place. Priya and I sat down on the couch, as a couple. The rings were then presented to us on a thali. During the official exchange of rings, we had to entertain Preeti and her photography skills. The main event lasted for merely two minutes. I can't believe I couldn't catch a wink of sleep last night because I was worried about today. What could have happened in two minutes? Definitely not an earthquake. Should have just slept when I had the chance.

Preeti was infuriating to the point I wanted to snatch the camera from her hands and tape that mouth forever.

"Come closer, na!" She insisted.

Priya and I stepped even closer. Our shoulders were almost touching now.

"Thoda aur! Arey yar, Military selection nahi ho raha hai! Thoda toh romance dikhao. (A little bit more! God, this is not some military selection camp! Show some romance!)" She grunted with a stomp of her feet.

Priya and I leaned our heads towards each other.

Preeti looked at us deadpanned. "Really?"

"Tum chahti kya ho!? (What the hell do you want!?)" I asked, my patience snapping in two.

"Thoda romance! Aur kuch nahi! (A little bit of romance! Nothing else!)"

I sighed, glancing around and accidentally spotting Bhai stare at us, or more like stare at my fiance. I clenched my jaw. Tearing my eyes off him, I looked down at Priya. "Mind if I?" My arm hovered around her waist.

She looked at it before timidly meeting my eyes. "Hmm,"

I wrapped my arm around her bare waist and pulled her closer. She shivered against me. "Sorry," I apologised for my cold fingers.

"It's okay," she whispered.

"Yeh hui na baat! Yahi toh chemistry chahiye thi mujhe! (Now this is it! This is the chemistry I wanted!)" Preeti exclaimed excitedly, pulling our attention towards her. We both looked at the camera and plastered a smile on our faces. The flash went off making Preeti smile in satisfaction.

Priya stepped back while I removed my arm from her waist. Her skin was soft and so fucking tempting. My head was going places it wasn't allowed to.

"Tumhara ho gaya ho toh ab hum inko leke mandir chale? (If you're done, are we allowed to take them to the temple?)" Mr. Upadhyay asked Preeti sarcastically.

She rolled her eyes and waved him off dismissively, more focused on the pictures in the camera roll.

Priya and I were ushered outside and told to pile in the same car. I took the seat behind the wheel while she slid onto the passenger seat. Preeti and Meghna occupied the backseat. The others joined Bhai in his car. I started the engine and pulled the car out of the driveway.

Unlike our first day here, we reached the temple in less than five minutes. After parking the car at the foot of the temple, I got out and waited until the ladies exited as well. Locking the car, I stuffed the keys in my pocket and waited until Priya came to my side. We climbed the stairs together.

Pandit Ji offered the deity sweets, flowers, and a silver coin on our behalf before asking us to take the blessings. Priya and I were told to go around the temple and pray to every deity. We obeyed and made our way down the main temple to follow the customs together.

By the end of all, we stood back in front of the temple and prayed once again. I looked around to find our families and noticed them heading downstairs.

"C'mon," I said to Priya once she was done.

On our way down the stairs, Priya slipped and grabbed my sleeve to hold herself up. I instinctively reacted with my arm around her waist, yanking her to my chest. My hand clamped over her bare waist protectively. "Why do you always keep falling?" I asked in disbelief.

She looked up from my chest, fear palpable in her eyes. "I don't do it intentionally!" She clutched my shirt in her fists, her body tucked snuggly in my arms.

"Did you hurt your ankle again?" I asked softly.

She lifted her right leg slightly in the air, checking if it was sprained again by twisting it to the sides before putting it back on the ground. "No. It's fine." She mumbled, looking up at me once again.

"You should be careful when you walk," I advised.

She blinked, pulling away from me slowly. "Thanks." She muttered. "Again,"

I chuckled and held her hand, helping her downstairs since her saree was giving her a hard time moving with ease. We got back in the car and headed home.

"I got so many good pics!" Preeti gushed in the backseat.

"Show me!" Meghna demanded.

I glanced at Priya, surprised when I found her fast asleep beside me. It hasn't even been a minute since we left the temple. How can she doze off during such a short drive? We reached the farmhouse and I turned off the ignition. Preeti and Meghna stepped out first, leaving me alone and awkward with my fiance.

Fuck, I thought Preeti and Meghna would have woken her up. Now I've to do it.

"Priya," I whispered, my voice barely audible. I licked my dry lips, taking a look around to call for help. "Uncle-" he walked inside with my dad before my voice could even reach him. "Vikram!"

He looked at me first, then at sleeping Priya in the passenger seat, and smirked. He wiggled his brows, mouthing 'Have fun,' at me and walked inside the house. I resisted the urge to jump out of the window and throttle him to death. With a helpless sigh, I looked back at Priya who was fast asleep.

Should I scream?

Or should I shake the whole vehicle?

That should get her up, right?

"Priya," I called out softly.

She hummed in her sleep, snuggling more into the seat.

My eyes located the music system and I pressed the play button, flinching as a booming rock song came up. Priya startled awake, looking around herself frantically before her eyes met mine and the panic in her eyes subsided. "Oh! I'm sorry. I didn't realise when I fell asleep. I just- last night- I should go!" She opened the door and shoved her feet down the car, stumbling right out. Had I not grabbed her elbow to pull her back, she would have smashed her face against the concrete floor.

"Can you be a little more careful, please!?" I requested in shock.

She blinked up at me innocently. "Sorry."

"It hasn't even been an hour since you last tripped." I reminded her.

She bit her lower lip as her dusky cheeks flushed pink.

"You could have lost a tooth or two," I said in a light voice. "And then I would have to roam around with a toothless wife." I joked to elevate the tense situation.

She chuckled before falling into fits of mellow laughter. "That's not funny!" She met my eyes with a smile.

"And yet you're laughing." I grinned mischievously.

"Because it's a joke! People laugh when they hear jokes." She defended pathetically.

"That makes no sense. How do you run a successful company?"

"Thankfully, I don't have to deal with clients like you," she retorted.

"Why? Am I too hard to handle?"

She shook her head. "You're-" she sucked in a long breath. "You're too interesting to ignore. And I don't mix business with pleasure."

"Is that a confession?" I cocked a brow.

She played silent for a while. "No," she breathed out. "I'm just telling you how unprofessional you are."

"How do you know? You've never had clients like me."

"I don't even want to."

"Why?"

She looked down at her lap. "I need to go," she tried to tug her elbow out of my hand.

"Why, Priya?" I emphasized.

She lifted her gaze to connect with mine. "Let me go," she requested softly.

I freed her elbow.

She stepped outside the car hurriedly but couldn't leave because the end of her saree got stuck in the corner of the seat. I leaned in to help her.

"Aditya, let go." She requested softly, halting me in my place. I slowly sat back relaxed with my chin resting on my folded knuckles as I watched her in amusement. "Aditya, please," she gently tugged at her saree. I chuckled. "Aditya-" she turned around in annoyance, her face falling blank when she realised the seat was the real culprit and not me. With an embarrassed flush, she yanked out her saree and rushed inside the house.

I laughed at her retreating back.

With a shake of my head, I stepped out of the car and locked it before making my way inside. Priya was in the living room, huddled between her sisters as they showed her photos on the laptop. She looked up when I entered and then quickly looked down, pretending to pay attention to the screen. I smiled.

Meghna pulled me to sit beside her, showing me the same photos on her phone. I watched some, preferably the ones that had me and Priya in focus. I was surprised to find out that the little accident at the temple was also captured. Priya looked so perfect in my arms. I looked up at her in time to catch her eyes on me. She snapped her gaze to the left.

"Yeh wala dekho. (See this one.)" Meghna gushed, pulling my attention back to the screen.

"Mujhe bhi dikhao na, (I want to see as well,)" Mom requested, taking the spot on Meghna's left. She gravitated towards our mother and began showing the photos to her. I interlaced my fingers, glancing at Priya once in a while and sometimes accidentally grabbing her attention.

"Aankhon ki, gustakhiyan..... Maaf ho. (Forgive the trespasses of my eyes.)" Vikram sang as he plopped down beside me. I nudged him in the ribs, shooting him a glare.

"Baat karni hai, (Need to talk to you.)" He whispered to me.

"About what?"

"About what happened after I left." He stated as though it was obvious. "I'm surprised you went forward with the engagement. I was scared for you."

I shrugged. "I don't know what he wants."

"He wants you to end it with her. But he won't say it directly cause he doesn't want you to blame him in the future."

I stared at my best friend with a frown.

"What? Don't give me that look. No one's innocent, Adi. If you end this with Priya and regret it, you'll want to blame the guilt on someone else. Your brother will be an easy and most adequate target. But you know what he'll say? I did not ask you to do that for me. It was your decision. Blah blah blah." Vikram mocked.

I mulled over his words. It made sense. Bhai just expects me to give up on her. But he didn't say it exclusively. He just said he loves her.

And even if I do that, what happens when Priya says no to him? What is he going to achieve by making me break up with her? No one's winning. If he wasn't so confident about her before, why does he want to ruin my relationship for something he isn't even a hundred percent sure about? Not that I'm considering doing that. I'm just drawing out the conclusions.

I heaved a tired sigh and looked up, confused when I didn't find Priya in front of me. I looked around, noticing her absence in the living room.

"In the kitchen, Majnu ki aulad. (Majnu's son)" Vikram snorted.

"I'll be back," I said, getting up from the couch.

"All the best," he wished.

Rolling my eyes at his out of the context wish, I manoeuvred towards the kitchen. Priya was heating the food for dinner. Upon sensing a presence, she tilted her head up, looking back down instantly when she realised it was me.

I entered the kitchen, my feet leading me towards the refrigerator. After grabbing a bottle of water from inside, I closed the door and turned around to lean against the edge of the counter. I twisted open the cap and took a sip. My eyes fell to her lower back, accidentally of course, but those rascals seemed glued to the view. She turned around and I snapped my head away, pretending to drink some more water from the bottle.

She walked to the refrigerator that was located right beside me and opened it. The next was her neckline which had me clenching the water bottle. She grabbed whatever she had leaned in for and stood straight, directly meeting my eyes. "Woh, (That...)" she stammered.

"Hmm?"

"Microwave," she whispered.

I looked over my shoulder, realising I was blocking her way to the microwave. "Ah, right. Sorry." I scooted aside, giving her enough room to do her job.

While she was busy doing the little chore, I stared at the floor, trying to bring myself to leave the damn place before I end up humiliating myself once again. But one glance at her and my feet seemed cemented to the ground. God knows when I'll get to see her in the saree again. I wanted to make the most of today.

She held the edge of the counter, her body strained slightly. "Do you need anything else?" She asked me in a small voice, intentionally not meeting my eyes.

"Uh," I began to stutter. What am I supposed to say? Let me just stare at you while you do your work? Wow, that's a whole new level of creepy, Adi. "You look gorgeous today." I blurted out.

She turned her head, looking up at me. "Thanks."

I nodded.

The microwave beeped, breaking the moment. She quickly turned it off and pulled out the casserole. Sliding it over the kitchen island among the other food, she turned around to put off the main switch. Just as she made a move to leave the kitchen, I hunched forward and grabbed her wrist.

Her breath hitched with a noticeable low gasp.

I kept her hand in mine while coming around to stand in front of her. She lifted her gaze to look into mine.

"What?" She questioned in genuine confusion.

"We're engaged," I reminded her. "You're officially mine now."

She looked down at her feet.

"And I'm yours."

"Kitni movies dekhte hai aap din mein? (Just now many movies do you watch in a day?)" She asked me raising her gaze.

I chuckled, not correcting her that I'm more into books than movies. "Enough to know how to fluster a confident woman." I stepped closer. Her breath got noticeably shallower.

I rubbed the pad of my thumb over her knuckles, stroking the diamond on the center of the ring I had slipped on her finger this evening. "Thank you,"

"For?" She whispered.

"For saying yes to me." I smiled, slowly raising her hand to kiss her knuckles. My lips pressed gently onto the back of her nimble fingers, the cold diamond stood out against her warm skin.

She gasped and plucked her hand out of my hold, rushing past me to leave the kitchen. I watched her go with a smile.

I'm sorry, Bhai. Not this time.

Their first kiss!

I'm so happy for my boy Idk why he is not even real lmao.

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