This is Perfect...

24

"I think you should go."

My eyes widened. I got up from Gauri's couch and mocked angrily, "You think I should go?"

Gauri was eating a donut and said casually, "Yeah. I don't see a reason why you're not sure about this."

I laughed angrily and shouted, "Tell me you're joking!"

Gauri clicked her tongue and replied, "I'm not joking, Nik. I really think you should go."

I paused for a while. Was Gauri high? So, I confirmed, "You're saying that I should attend Rajat's wedding after all the confusion that has happened between us?"

Gauri blinked cluelessely and said, "You have forgiven him for messing with your feelings, right? I think you should let go of the past and just be there on his big day."

"What about my feelings for him? I still like him."

Gauri chewed on her donut and said, "I think its best if you just forget about him and focus on someone better and less straighter than Rajat."

In a normal situation, I would have laughed. But in that moment, I realized that Gauri was correct. It made some sense. In fact, it was logical. I could not just wait my whole life for Rajat. I was not an idiot. Even though I acted like one for the past 2 months.

So I cleared my throat and said, "What if I don't want to attend their wedding?"

Gauri walked to the kitchen to wash her hands and replied, "Then it will be obvious that you still have hard feelings towards him. It will look as though you're avoiding him."

I nodded my head slowly. She was right. Gauri walked to the living and sat next to me. She said, "Nik, I know you're heartbroken. But let me tell you this. Attending his wedding will make Rajat feel better and will also help you move on. And I don't want you to have feelings for him anymore. You deserve someone better than him."

I nodded my head. When I'd see Meera and Rajat holding hands after the wedding, I would automatically hunt for someone else. Definitely a 100 times better than him.

So, I replied, "You're right. Anyway, I don't have to worry about being sad there, as long as you are there with me."

Gauri coughed and said blankly, "About that. I'm sorry. I can't come."

"What?" I shouted.

She replied apologetically, "I have some work to do here. I can't come there. But I'm sure you can manage everything."

"No! I can't. I don't want to do something irrational when you're not around."

Gauri thought for a while and said, "I'm just a call away. But you should go."

***

And there I was, 2 weeks later. Rajat had booked a hotel room for all the guests including me. So, I lived alone in that room. The hotel was amazing. The room was neat and clean. The view from the balcony was that of the Delhi airport nearby. My bed was cosy. Like, really cosy. I could sink in there and never bounce back.

At 5 o'clock in the evening, after I had settled down with unpacking all my clothes and sanitary belongings, I heard a knock on the door. When I opened the door, there stood my love.

He had trimmed his hair so short, that he could not tie it anymore, but it was still long. He had pushed the hair behind his forehead and he was wearing a plain black top and blue jeans.

He came inside my room with a huge smile on his face. We were meeting after the whole 'Karaoke night' thingy.

I greeted, "Hey. How's the groom?"

Rajat hugged me and said, "I'm glad you could make it."

He patted my back twice and let go of me. I smiled and said, "Well, the hotel is good."

"Thank you."

We stood in front of each other awkwardly. We both knew what we were thinking about. We were thinking about the tension between us.

Finally, Rajat spoke up, "Today at 7pm, you need to come to the wedding hall for the 'mehendi' ceremony."

I furrowed my eyes and asked, "You mean 'henna painting', right?"

Rajat nodded his head. I asked, "But what will I do there? Its for the bride and all the girls."

Rajat clicked his tongue and said, "While all the girls do their thing there, we men can chill in the bar."

I raised my eyebrows and exclaimed, "Oh! I got that."

Rajat simply nodded his head and looked at our feet. For some odd reason, he looked very sad. So I asked, "You okay?"

Rajat looked at me with surprise and said, "I'm fine. The wedding preprations have made me a little tired. The next 3 days, I have to entertain all the guests and plaster a smile on my face all the time."

I furrowed my eyebrows and asked, "Why do you have to 'plaster' a smile? Aren't you happy with this?"

Rajat slowly nodded his head and replied, "Yeah. Kinda?"

My eyes widened with shock. I asked, "What do you mean by 'kinda'?"

Rajat thought for a while and said, "I'm happy that I'm getting married but I'm scared."

"Scared of?"

Rajat let out an exhausted sigh and said, "I just don't want to end up like my mom and dad. I don't want to get divorced because it is mentally tiring. I know what it is to get divorced. Of course, as a child I know, but not as a life partner."

I nodded my head and replied, "Look, you have chosen Meera for a reason. And the reason is that, you love her. So if you love her, then promise her that you'll always be there for her, no matter what. If you fulfill your promise, then I don't think you'll need a divorce."

Rajat looked at me with a small smile on his face and said, "I hope I don't break that promise."

I didn't say anything to that. In that logic, he had already broken her trust because of me. But maybe, things would change.

Maybe.

Rajat cleared his throat and said, "I'll see you downstairs? I need to welcome all the guests who've come and get ready for the ceremony."

I nodded my head and replied, "Of course. The groom has to look handsome tonight."

Rajat blinked for a second then eased down by saying, "Oh yes! And you. You wear something sexy so that Karan can fall for you again."

I gasped and asked, "What? Karan's here too?"

Rajat said casually, "Of course he's here. He's my friend too."

Oh great! After that weird date, I had to meet him during the function. Thank you God!

But this time, we could move things forward, since Rajat was no longer the reason to hold me back.

So I nodded my head and said confidently, "Yep. I'm gonna meet Karan today."

Rajat smiled and said, "Call me if you need anything. Bye. See you."

"Bye."

And soon, he left my room.