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Chapter 2

This might just be the most beautiful wedding I've ever seen. The entire backyard is decorated with white lilies. The chairs are covered in white linen as guests fill them. There is a red carpet that leads from the door in front of me, right up to the mandap. There are medium sized chandeliers hung from the trees and glass center pieces on the tables. The back end of the yard is kept for the food that I'm sure serves the most exquisite cuisines.

I took in a deep breath. I really hope that this is a nightmare and I wake up from it soon. The one place that I did not want to be at and the one thing I did not want to do but here I am today.

My phone rang.

" Hard luck" the person on the other end said. " She is nowhere to be found. It's like she vanished off the face of the earth after last night."

"She is getting help" I stated, more to myself than him.

"Keep trying. Even if the marriage happens. Drag her back here if you have to but I want her."

I cut the call and turned around to see Nanu. " It's fate" he said with a gentle smile on his face, as if talking to a child.

My eyes filled with fury. " It's choice. A choice that she made, the consequence of which I am bearing."

He wheeled himself closer and took my hands in his. " It is fate" he restated. " I was talking to them for you. I wanted you to marry him. Not like this ofcourse, but I had hoped that this would happen" he said emphasizing on 'you'.

" He is a good guy, baccha and I want you to try this. For me" (Child).

I was about to answer him when my so called parents walked in.

"It's time" mother said.

She came closer to hold my hand while a bunch of girls joined her, most probably my run away sister's friends, all ready to walk me to the mandap.

I shrugged my mother's hand off, like it burnt me. " You are not walking me out there like a perfect mother" I spat.

She gasped as if she was shocked to hear that. " That is no way to talk to your mother" Father warned.

" You are in no position to tell me that."

" You both can go ahead and be with the rest of the guests and let Nanu be here" I ordered.

They were about to argue when I gave them my infamous look, daring them to go against what I said.

I let the charade of girls be and asked one of them to wheel Nanu with us. I dialed the one person that could help me calm down at this point.

" Hey Babe, I already sent the file with all the details" she said even before I could say hello.

"I know. I called you for something else."

I could see her sitting on her bed, sleep barely out of her eyes. Her hair was in a messy bun as Tia sat in her Mickey Mouse pjs.

"I want you to walk me to the mandap"

It was almost comical to see how the emotions changed on her face. She went from sleepy to shocked to tears in just a few seconds. "What?!" she gasped.

"You are my only friend and you are a girl so naturally I would want you to do that. You don't want me to walk out there with none of my friends by my side now, do you?" I asked feigning hurt.

Her mouth opened and shut a few times like a fish until she gained her senses back and her face morphed to anger. "YOU ARE NOT TELLING ME THAT I AM WALKING MY BEST FRIEND TO THE MANDAP IN MY PJS" she shouted.

"Surprise?" I muttered.

She sighed. "Can't blame you, I guess."

"Well, any advise for me? After all you are the married one here." Even though I asked it lightly, I needed this. I had no clue how marriage works and this is no where near what I thought of life so getting some insight would be good I guess.

"I don't know what to tell you" She said. Suddenly, she looked up from pulling at the lint on the sheets, her eyes held strength in them. "But I want you to remember who you are. You are no longer that helpless girl. You are no longer alone. You have me, us. You have achieved a lot in life and nothing and no one can pull you down. Also, if anything goes wrong, you call me up and we'll thrash some asses together"

I smiled. This is exactly what I needed to hear.

"At the same time I want you to give this marriage a chance." My smile faded at that. "You deserve all the happiness in the world, Babe. I don't know if this guy is the right one for you but just because this came to you under such circumstances doesn't mean you shouldn't give it a try."

I nodded at that. I did not have it in me to argue with her today, although I don't agree with her one bit. Nothing good can happen at this place and this situation is no different.

"You ready? We have to get going" I informed her. She nodded her head, taking a deep breath. I handed the phone to Nanu and once again turned towards the door while taking a deep breath myself. Here goes nothing.

*

All the heads turned around as the big doors opened. I took a step forward along with the girls around me, as Nanu was wheeled forward with the phone on his lap.

Murmurs erupted in the crowd as they saw my face instead of my sister's.

" Who is she?"

"She isn't the bride, right?"

"Did something happen?"

I could see the confused faces of a few people. I held my head high and looked at the mandap, avoiding looking at a certain person already seated there.

I could see a small crowd of people towards one side of the mandap. Three couples along with three boys who looked like they were in their early twenties with a girl around the same age. The groom's family.

I made eye contact with one of the elderly women and was slightly taken aback by the hatred in her eyes but then again I stared right back through thr blue veil with equal force until she turned away. I smirked at that.

We finally reached the mandap and I took my seat beside the groom. The rituals went on and on for quite a while until it all blurred together in my head. I would have fallen asleep if it wasn't for the pandit calling Nanu for the kanyadaan and then us walking for the pheras.

"Ab aap vadhu ko mangal sutra pehenaiye aur unka maang bhar le" saying so the pandit continued chanting. (Now, you may tie the nuptial chain and fill the bride's hairline with vermillion.)

The man beside me picked up the mangal sutra from the plate offered to him. I could see his veiny hands reaching for my neck through the veil. He was quick with his work, like he'd practiced this.

Someone lifted the veil from my head slightly to let him put the vermillion on my head. His hand once again came near my face with a pinch of the red powder between his fingers. My eyes followed his arm to his thick neck and bearded chin until my eyes met his.

It was a clash of forces. I could see it in his eyes. The flames in front of us reflecting in them, while mine were icy cold. The air around us shifted. We were both sending a message, he hated me as much as I despised him.