Opposites attract

Chapter 25(Ashika)

When I entered my room Kali and Sahika were already there. They started teasing me saying things like, "your little fight this morning made your bond even stronger, didn't it?" or "do you still have almond shaped eyes or are they heart shaped now?".

I told them that we had confessed our love tonight and they were not at all shocked to know that. According to them it was inevitable. Sahika even mentioned that she knew we were made for each other since college.

So were we the only ones who couldn't see it? Maybe. She said we were the perfect example of opposites attract.

Next morning I sat on the breakfast table with Neil as we kept murmuring sweet nothings to each other. My parents gave me wide smile when they saw us together.

At the haldi ceremony I stood at the stage holding chunri above Yakshi's head and he kept eyeing me the whole time as if it was me who was supposed to be the centre of his attraction and not his own sister.

After haldi, we went to change from our brown dresses (according to Yakshi's colour pallet guests wore brown to haldi while she and the groom, Nihal wore yellow) into blue dresses (blue for the guests and pink for herself, this colour pallet is driving me crazy) for gharwa.

Gharwa is again a Marwari function between the bride and her maternal aunt where the aunt gifts the bride some nose and toe jewellery.

But before changing into clothes for gharwa, Neil pulled me into his room and we clicked a few couple selfies. If a few months ago someone had told me that I would be taking cute couple selfies with Neil, I would have slapped that person and called it cliché.

But right now in this moment with him, everything felt so real and so good that I want nothing more in this world. During the gharwa I stood next to Neil and he explained me all the rituals that were happening on the stage.

His aunt made a small comment about me being Punjabi and not understanding their rituals to which he replied that it's okay if I didn't understand or learn them because he is ready to learn all the Punjabi rituals for me. In that moment my love for him increased.

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Yakshi requested me to get ready with her for the wedding ceremony so that I can instruct the makeup artist and make sure that she ends up looking exactly like she wanted to. So that is exactly what I am doing right now.

I was pleating my dupatta when the bell rang so I hung it over my shoulder as it was and went to open the gate. It was Neil. He looked at me from top to toe and ten took a deep breath as if taking me in.

"Hey", I said to him while gesturing him to come in. He was already ready in his kurta set.

"Hi popcorn", he replied with a smile.

Then he leaned down gave me a kiss on the cheek before entering the room.

He went to Yakshi and sat beside her, "Can't believe I am going to invite the groom for my little sister's wedding, you grew up too fast Yakshi." Neil said and petted a hand Yakshi's head.

I got a little emotional after hearing those words and some of our memories from school college flashed through my mind. But when I gained I found little drops of tears forming on the waterline of Yakshi's eyes. So I did what I do best. I distracted them.

"Okay, babies no crying and Neil please save your emotional speech for her Vidai or you will spoil her makeup.", I said making both of them laugh.

I decided to leave the siblings alone and continue getting ready, but the next thing that came out of Yakshi's mouth shocked me. "Bhai Ashu was just saying she needed someone's help for her dupatta, now that you are here would you please."