MEANT TO BE

VAISHALI

"Are we ready?" Arjun bhai asked our soon to be Payal bhabhi. She took his hands in hers. "Since the beginning." Her eyes chimed with bliss.

"Shall we start our ceremony?" the priest added to which both of their respective parents nodded. This was a signal for me to come forward with the engagement platter hiding a precious ring box under a garden of rose petals. I moved forward along with sona following me.

We were in the first line of the crowd which included Sona, our grandmother, father, mother, and a few of my maternal and paternal relatives. I was busy holding a huge gigantic plate whilst focusing on the stage when I felt a jolt on my shoulder. I turned around to find the owner only to get irritated by him, Raghav. Who else could it be?

"My apology however this careless nakul is to blame since he struck me which made me jolt back at you. It's one of the laws of physics. You understand?"
"I dare you." I gritted my teeth and responded to his fraud clarification. I know he did that intentionally. One of his hobbies is to annoy humans. "You look hot when you talk back." I rolled back my gaze to my front.  I better terminate here if i do not want to give him a green card. I must focus on the ceremony.

I was struggling to hold this platter. For how long am I supposed to stand here with this disc shaped object? I'm so tired at a point that I might pass out. "Let's bring the rings." Finally someone thought. I was about to forward the plate when my wrist bent abruptly, maybe because of a sudden motion after thirty minutes which felt like an eternity of stillness. I sensed an unusual touch against the skin of my hand. My body tensed  at the warm sensation vibrating from the touch.

I peeped down at the hold. A muscular arm with visible veins staring back at me. A peak of endorphins gushed in my stomach making it churn up. Why is this view so devouring? "Thank you, my kid." My face moved to the voice, it was my mother's. "My pleasure." I rushed back to the husky voiced male. I panicked. It was, I wish not but him. It was him who strengthened my hold, who saved me from attracting the gazes of the crowd, Mr. Dinaker. I want someone to punch me off my face, to bring me back from this hallucination. I can't ever believe his hold, which must be nothing but a help to him, gushed a wind to my own hollow bones.

'Okay, that's enough.' My intrusive voice yelled at me. I closed my eyes for a second before straightening my posture and retorting my hands back. I predicted that my movement did reach him and that he scrutinised me. Our eyes met. I felt a sudden need of  oxygen.  And before a fresh but un- avoidable conversation could start, I spined to my right and joined with others. This was my way of proving to him that nothing much happened right now. I hope I proved it.

The rings were on the deservers' fingers. I was happy for them. They were together after ups and downs. We all clapped back and cheered for them. Everybody was clicking their pictures and me, just admiring them, they are together after un imaginable hustles. Love is like a war, easy to begin but hard to stop. Sadly, not everyone is meant to receive it, the true love.  Not in this universe. If I talk about myself, I don't believe in this anymore as it was never meant for me. All it gave me were vulnerability wrapped with guilt. I hate this feeling. It's better to live with yourself, your scars than letting someone turn them to wounds.

"Di lets go and enjoy. '' Sona enchanted, brought me back from my turmoil of thoughts. "Vaishali and Sonalika, come here" We both walked towards the owner of the voice, Payal. " How is my soon to be bhabhi feeling?" Sona spoke to make her already pink coated cheeks turn more pink. "I'm feeling like a family. Officially a part of his family." Sona and I awed with happiness." We are so lucky to have a bhabhi like her.

"Arjun, where are your buddies? I want to meet them as well." Payal enquired to bhai. I do not understand how Bhai found them. These three out of all. Specifically him. My intrusive voice yelled the last words when my eyes landed onto raghav who was coming near us along with a guy who wore round specs over a light blue Kurta-Pyjama who I assumed was their other buddy.

"Looks like bhabhi missed us." Mr. Dinaker uttered with an annoyingly pretty smile. It became more annoying after whatever i felt because of his touch against my hand.  "Mother fucker, not you only but the whole F4." Payal responded which was audible to us but hardly to the other guests. I was shocked by this abrupt curse. What if someone had heard her? Our conservative family is no easy to handle.

"So, My bhabhi curses too." Sona's sarcasm spoke only to feel a light pinch by payal. "Your brother taught her." Raghav sneered  sharply at sonalika. " Haha nice joke." The stubborn sonalika neglected Raghav. Exactly we do not have to nod in agreement with every sentence he says. Go on sonalika beat that annoying ass of his.

"Ask bhabhi and nakul. She does not cheat." Raghav Stated. "I agree. Your lawyer brother is behind such lessons.  I'm not at fault, your owner."  Payal uttered while shifting towards Sona. She took Raghav's side. His chin held up high. Ughh i can't stand him. " The jury finds you guilty." Sonalika spoke in response to which they all giggled.

"Nakul you seem tired. What happened?" We all looked at Nakul after Payal's concerned question but before he could say something, Mr. Dinaker, as always, jumped in. "You know him bhabhi, him and his obsession of escorting bugs." Raghav's statement surprised him with dragers.

"So, Mr. Silent serves as a bug escort agent." And Sona serves as a CEO of nicknames. Gosh, I must stop the rain of confusion. " he probably meant bugs of the website." I clarified; earned their attention. Were all the gazes at me right now? Yes they were. I must not interrupt, ever. "Exactly" Nakul noded. The man requires to work on his clock.

The rest of conversations held my smile. Only if I was
aware about the storm that was a knock behind. The notification vibration. The text.

Sender: Ignoring me won't help, Doll.