A/N: Shraddha Patel is the co-owner of Pihu's company and a very good friend of Pihu and Nidha from the first book.
Nidha's POV:
I stare into the mirror in disbelief, the image in front of me not identifying with my eyes. 'What is this?' I think to myself. 'What have I become?'
I move my shoulders, trying to adjust them in the heavily embroidered saree my mom gave me. For the first time in my life, my mother picked out clothes for me to wear. The one time, I don't want to wear them.
"You know you could wear something more comfortable," Shraddha says from her position on my bed.
I turn around, her face clearly annoyed at the situation. "I think I'll get scowls if I go downstairs in anything but this." I sigh.
Shraddha gets up from the bed and wraps me in a big hug. "I wish Pihu was here for you. She would knock some sense into you because I clearly am not working!"
"I am in my senses." I try to tell her but fail to convince even myself. "Plus Di had a doctor's appointment today." I point out.
If Pihu was here, none of this would be happening. She would reason with my parents and even fight with them to not get me married.
Just then my mom walks in to take me downstairs.
"Remember, don't say much." She whispers to me as we walk down the stairs.
"Yea let's tell them Nidha is mute!" Shraddha jokes sarcastically.
My mom gives Shraddha a scowl. "I don't want anything going wrong." My mother warns us both.
We arrive to the living room. Jatin and his parents are seated at one end of the couch, and in front of them, a bunch of delicious foods are laid out.
Jatin gives me a small smile which I ignore.
I sit down next to my father and Jatin's mom approaches me.
"Arre wah, badi pyaari hai." She says grabbing my chin and pointing it up. Her eyes travel throughout my body, checking out every nook and cranny. (Wow, she's pretty)
Their gaze and touch makes me feel extra conscious and sends a small shiver down my spine.
"Beta khana bana leti ho?" She asks me, taking a seat next to me. (Do you cook?)
"N-" Before I can answer, I am cut off by my mom.
"Ji ji, yeh saab usne hi banaya hai." My mom lies straight through her teeth pointing at the samosas and pastries in front of her. (Yes, she made all this.)
I look at her appalled. Never understanding the need to lie on occasions like this. Just because I can't cook, doesn't mean I am any less talented or capable. I'm a doctor for god sake.
She asks me a whole list of questions to which I give vague one-word answers to. Jatin's dad then asks me a couple of questions about work but they sound barely interested in my answers.
After a couple of side conversations between the family, my brother turns to Jatin.
"Should we decide a date for the marriage?" He asks around the room eagerly.
For the first time in an hour, I open my eyelids all the way and let my gaze study everyone's faces in the room.
"Agle hafte kaisa rahega?" Jatin's dad asks my father. (How about next week?)
My father takes a moment to think. As if preaching to the impossible, I pray he says no.
"Hume saab chalega," Is all my father says. (Anything works for us)
My hands start shaking as both families start celebrating and feeding each other sweets.
"Uncle, we aren't in a hurry to send off Nidha. This is a wedding, not an Amazon delivery." Shraddha tries to help and postpone my wedding date.
"Shubh kaam mein deri kaisi." Jatin's mom says, to which my mom laughs and nods. (Why wait with something good)
Suddenly the room starts to close in on itself. The saree I'm wearing starts feeling a bit too tight and I want to rip it off of me. The bangles on my hands start feeling too reminiscent of handcuffs and dig into my palms. I start sweating like I'm in the Sahara and my eyes feel stingy.
Noticing that everyone is busy doing their own things, I get up and sprint towards my room. I get in and lock myself inside.
The saree and jewelry come off in an instant and are thrown to the floor.
My head starts spinning and lay down on the bed trying to calm my racing mind.
'I'm not ready for this marriage.' I think to myself. 'You have to get married' Another voice in my head counters.
The thoughts race back and forth as if the angel and devil are fighting one another.
I grab my phone off of the nightstand and dial the first number I can find.
"Hello?" A voice answers the phone.
My tears finally start spilling and I can't muster up the courage to speak.
"Hello? Nidha? Can you hear me?" Vyom once again calls out to me but the words have difficulty leaving my throat.
I wipe my tears, sniffling into the phone.
"Nidha! You have to say something, let me know you're okay." His voice gets higher and his tone is concerned.
"I'm ok." I finally say.
"Are you sure?" He asks in a hushed voice.
I don't know what to say to him or why I even called him. "I'm getting married next week." Is all I say before hanging up the phone.
I don't know why I told him, it just felt important.
The tears are pooling my eyes again and I start crying.
"Nidha open the door they left!" Shraddha knocks at the door.
I open the lock and she lets herself in. She takes a look around the room and locks the door and wraps me in a tight hug.
We don't say anything to each other and just sit like that for the rest of the evening.
Precap: Nidha's mehendi
What do you think will happen next?
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