Mehendi & Moonlight || Ana

Chapter 15:: The Wedding

"Shut up!" Atif scolded Shams who rolled his eyes. 
One of Nisha's cousins spoke, "See, if the groom wants his honey, why are you not letting him give us the money?" 
"Can we stop this honey-money tongue twister first?" Kabir asked, giving them a confused look. The right corner of Nisha's lips inched up as she continued, "Now since you all are going crazy, we can give you a small discount. Nineteen thousand nine hundred fifty takas." 

"Are they kidding right now?" Atif groaned. 
"Just give it to them. You can't even argue." Shams's mother sighed, watching the lousy males try to come up with comebacks. 
"Time's ticking. Quick quick!" Nisha tilted her head with a wicked smile. 
"Kabir, should we just give them the money? They reduced fifty taka." 
"Make it five thousand," Kabir spoke, avoiding Atif's whisper.

"Why should we?" Nisha arched a brow at him. He gave her a look, "If you don't agree, then the bride can sit there all she wants. We'll return!" 
She frowned, "That's the worst defence I've ever heard." 
He shrugged as Shams sighed, "Shut him up. Why is he arguing with them?" 
"I'm saving your money," Kabir whispered back. Shams scoffed, "You do anything but that." 

"Listen, we made ourselves clear. Either you give the money or go home without any honey!" Nisha gave him a sweet smile that irked him. He rolled his eyes at her and the next thing they knew,

they all were in a debate.

While the elders were enjoying the drama—some suggesting to stop—the youngsters were having the debate of their lives. At last, they agreed on eight thousand takas and once Shams handed it to Nisha, everyone cheered together.

The males stood there disappointed. Nisha smirked, "No honey is got with two thousand, Mr Kabir." 
He stared at her, tilting his head in amusement. 

She fed a sweet to Shams and served him a glass of juice. He was too hesitant to drink the juice properly.
"You got the pass, welcome in dulabhai!" 

Dulabhai.

Brother-in-law.

Oh, Shams seemed to love the name a lot because he grinned hearing it. 

The girls escorted him inside along with the elders as Nisha stood there, smiling widely. Her brows furrowed when one male from the groom's side did not enter with them. 
"Kabir?" She asked, tentatively meeting those blazing eyes. He smiled down at her, "No heel today?"
"Shut up. I have heels." 
He hummed, standing close to her. He took a sweet from the plate and popped it into his mouth, "Hey! That's kalo jam for..." 
"Shams left, already."
"Not him. For me." 

Kabir's eyes widened as he held his mouth. His face filled with guilt as he swallowed, coughing, "I'm so sorry! Oh my— I'll get you a whole box of it the next time we meet."
"Thank you, I'd be grateful. But it's fine for now. We have a box full of it there." She pointed towards the gift table. His eyes jumped from the box of sweets to Nisha's blank face.
"Then why did you say it out like that? I thought you were about to cry." 

She gave him a speechless look, sighing. 
"I don't know." 
He shifted closer to her, making her back away. He looked around as she whispered, "Can you move away? I get it, we're kind of relatives. But... the aunties there love to make up tea and deliver it to my mother." 
His gaze fell on her, "Tea? What kind of tea?" 

She could see a soft smirk form on his lips and it was confusing. Did he seriously enjoy that?

"Do you think it's funny?" She asked. He gave her a soft smile, his eyes taking in her face so obviously, that she had to look down so he wouldn't know the impact he had on her. 
"It's entertaining." He leaned down, coming face-to-face. Her lashes raised, giving her a view of his face.