Dilkash

(vi) tune jo na kaha

"Baaton mein pehle si baatein hai,"

Advait's POV

We were on our way back home when Bhai Sa asked me to do something a guy who has been in love with a woman for the longest time would do on their engagement for her today. I scoffed when he did say so. Then he explained how it would be better to get the attention of the people off of the negative stuff.

So, here I am on the stage, going down on one knee for a girl I never thought I'll go down on one knee for again. Bhabhi Sa handed me the mic and I was ready to say something but I didn't know what to say. I put a second's thought into it and started saying whatever came to mind.

"You're the love of my life. I don't remember the first time I saw you but I surely remember the first time I saw you and felt like everything around me was dim and you had the spotlight. We were just twelve. I still remember wondering every single time our siblings took us as covers to their dates when I will take you on one of these. We might have fallen apart for sometime, but when you came back six months ago and we met, I knew I couldn't live without you anymore. I didn't have the chance to ask this question then, but I do have the chance now. So, would you like to become my wife? Will you marry me?" I spoke into the mic and my eyes were on her the whole time.

I don't know why I said all this. I don't know how much of this is true. None of it is, right?

I observed the look on her face as I said all of this, she was shocked. Shocked? No, flabbergasted. It felt like she would grab the mic any moment and punch me on the face. But, she didn't. I passed her the mic and waited for a reply.

"Yes, yes I will." She spoke into the mic and I made her wear the ring with trembling fingers and then stood up. She opened her ring box, which had my ring and made me wear it too. Her fingers were trembling when she was making me wear the ring, but she managed to hide it well from everyone else. She'll handle quite well in front of the media.

We then sat down as it was now time for everyone to come up, congratulate us and click pictures with us, apparently. Typical Indian wedding stuff, basically. This time, unlike today morning, it was a sofa and not two individual chairs.

"Are you out of your mind?" She said as she moved a little close to me, leaning towards me and starting to whisper.

"Oh, darling," I dryly chuckled. "This is nothing, wait for all the other things I'll do." I said and winked at her as she clenched her jaw. Winks still do really piss her off.

"You'll be paying for this." She said, moving her leg really close to mine and putting it on my foot so that it could hurt me. It did. But, I acted like it was nothing and gave her a sarcastic smile and then she distanced herself. Finally, I can breathe.

Can I really breathe now, though? I mean, I'm getting married to the last person I would want to talk to in fifty-something days and I'll have to live under the same roof as her for a year and half? Wouldn't that be worse?

I was thinking all this and just then, Ruhani walked up on the stage with her parents and I saw even the fake smile on her face drop as Ruhani walked towards her. I always knew she hated Ruhani but never understood why. Ruhani is nice and sweet to me and is pretty much nice and sweet to her too.

Ruhani hugged me for the second time in the day and I could feel her stare right through us as we were hugging. I got the feeling that she didn't like it when Ruhani was around. This is like an ace of spades for me. It is almost like there is a glint of hurt when Ruhani is around the two of us.