"You're right", she said, sounding contemplative, "Maybe I should grow up and be more practical."
"Well...you know 'Princes on white horses' are 'fairy'-tales right?" Abhi said, air-quoting again. He was feeling relieved now that she was seeing some...
Divya stood there shocked to see Abhi and Manav in a heated argument. Abhi took a deep breath trying to calm himself down. It was a big day for him, he was not going to let Manav ruin this for him.
He finally spoke to Manav, "I don't care what you felt for her, but know that she never returned your feelings. This argument is pointless. Today is a big day for me and Siya. If you can't be happy for me, please at least don't ruin it for her. She is happy with me, don't destroy her happiness."
Manav shot Abhi a murderous look before shaking his head.
"This is far from resolved Abhi. I'm not going to let you live this down. I know Siya deserves better, but you are right. You are her choice, and today is a big day for her. So just for Siya I will pretend to enjoy the festivities. But you so much as hurt her, I will not stop till I break your bones." Manav stalked towards the door, where Divya stood stock still.
"Divya, your friend needs you now more than ever. Please take care of her." Manav left the room after he said the words to a stricken looking Divya.
There was a beat of silence.
"Abhi, what the hell was that about? I know there has been an issue between you and Manav. But I didn't know there was something so serious."
"Divya please! I can't okay?! Not today, definitely not now. I promise to tell you everything. Just not today!"
Divya nodded in agreement. "Siya is heading down. Let's just forget about this for the rest of the day."
*
Siya's heart was hammering as she climbed down the stairs. It was weird that Natasha was helping her with her attire as they climbed down.
She walked almost blindly to the dressing room connected to the hall. It felt unreal, like a scene out of a movie. Only in her movie the girl was about to get engaged to her childhood bestfriend whom she might or might not be in love with. Who might or might not love her back!
She slowly pushed the door open to find Divya and Abhi waiting for her.
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The moment Abhi made eye contact with her she knew.
She was in love with her best friend.
He looked so utterly handsome in the Sherwani that Divya had designed. It was gold and it matched with her outfit.
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Her entire being seemed to come alive as his eyes surveyed her. He looked positively mesmerized, unable to say anything. And that made her feel like a queen.
He walked towards, both of them in a bubble of their own, everyone else in the room ceased to exist for Siya.
He took her face in his hands and kissed the top of her head.
"You look like a princess Siya. So lovely!"
Siya was glad her head was resting on his chest so he couldn't see her blushing so hard. She wanted to tell him. She wanted to shout it out to the world.
The man who was holding her so close, so protectively, who was looking so utterly handsome, was the man she was in love with. A man she had always been in love with.
As she broke away from their embrace and looked deep into his eyes, she searched. She searched to see if her feelings somehow mirrored to his own, she searched for a single trace of love or longing. All she found was gratitude and relief.
She couldn't tell if he loved her back, because although he was smiling, it didn't quite reach his eyes. He was worried and relieved. She wanted to ask him about it, but Divya chose the moment to clear her throat.
"Divakar Uncle just called. The guests are waiting for you two! Come on love birds."
*
She had just come out from a bath. Wiping her wet hair with a towel, she was humming under her breath. She looked blissfully happy.
He thanked god that the ceremony went smoothly and beautifully. Manav had definitely left him shaken with all his weird claims. Siya belonged to Abhi. It was absurd that Manav would ever even hope she would return his one sided feelings. And that thing about Natasha, he wasn't sure how Manav knew about it. He would have to talk to Natasha about it all. He didn't want any kind of trouble in his marriage.
His marriage! Abhi smiled as he watched his fiancé walk to the moonlit sitting window, still happily humming. He slowly walked towards her, she seemed so seemingly lost in her happy thoughts she didn't hear him approach.
Her moonlit silhouette was strikingly beautiful, and sexy. She was tiny, but had defined curves, which he wanted to run his hands along. He wanted to brush her wet hair aside, pull down the shoulder of her tank top and kiss her bare skin, and never stop.
The capacity of his mind going in the gutter when he was around her surprised him at times. He had never felt this other worldly desire for anyone. His need to claim and consume her had started to scare him a little. It didn't help that she was a little doe, to be handled with care and patience. She had the fire in her, but he knew he had to take things slow so as not to spook her.
She was so beautiful today, in her shimmering dress. She looked like a princess, his princess. The way she looked at him throughout the ceremony, something in her gaze had changed, he couldn't quite place it, but it had given him immense happiness. He wanted to grab her hand and lead her to a secluded corner and have his way with her, to show her how crazy she made him. He was sure she wouldn't have appreciated such a gesture so he tamped it down.
But now, in her bedroom, with her smelling of fresh peaches, her skin looking so soft, her face so beautiful, her eyes closed as she smiled, he wanted to steal a moment of passion with her. He could atleast hold her.
He put his arms around her and pulled her back tight against his chest.
"Hey sweetheart", he whispered, giving her a kiss on her cheeks. She didn't freak out or stiffen as he'd expected her to, she just smiled wider.
She turned in his arm and flung her arms around his neck, pressing her whole body impossibly close to his. Then backing off a little, she kissed him on his cheek.
Abhi was shocked to say the least. This was the first time she had initiated the intimacy. It thrilled him in a way nothing else could. He took her face in his hands and looked into her eyes.
Yes. Something had definitely changed. He could see it in her eyes, but he still couldn't place it. Before he could do anything else she closed the distance between them and gave him a tentative kiss on the lips. He froze in shock, as she continued to kiss him.
