Broken But Beautiful

58. Yeh Jawani Hain Deewani

Manik

"Now I'm officially worried." 

Alya announced as we stepped out of the Udaipur Airport, instantly catching the huge-bursting-with-color poster looking for the wedding squad from the Udaivillas. The entire poster- along with the multiple wingmen holding it for their dear life with the toothiest smile possible- this screamed classic Mukti Vardhan quirks. Alya chewed on her lips, Abhimanyu sighed, Dhruv looked too awestruck to give a reaction, Navya bit her widening lips in order and Nandini Murthy, beside me, was laughing hysterically. 

I was pretty sure real life Alya Vardhan and Dhruv Vedant never smile like that. And that creepily. Emphasis on the word 'never' and 'creepily'. 

"Will you stop laughing," Alya snapped, pinching Nandini on the arm. She hissed a bit, running to my other side, and still laughing. 

"I'm pretty sure Mukti found it hilarious."

"And that is the problem!" Alya genuinely looked thirty seconds from crying, "Last time when we were preparing for the wedding it was all me and Mukti making it happen. This time, it's all Mukti and Mukti making it happen. What if she hasn't picked anything of our taste? Oh my god, Dhruv, our wedding is screwed-"

"Oh, come on," Dhruv pulled her to him, "It is kinda funny?"

"Is-it?" Abhimanyu wondered loud, visibly questioning life decisions.

"Alya, you're worrying for nothing," Nayva finally let go of her mouth, the laughter apparently succeeded to die inside her, "Mukti knows you. You'll see, she's gonna throw you a Yeh Jawaani Hain Deewani kinda epic wedding."

"Please, YJHD wedding was a classic," Alya hissed, "This poster- this looks like that wedding poster from 2 States-"

"Duke and Minty?" Nandini finished for her, and this time Navya's restraints failed her. Both of them burst out laughing once again. 

"Manik, will you please tell your girlfriend to stop laughing?" Alya gritted her teeth, now abundantly glaring, "And I'll talk to Navya's one once I figure out what role he has played in this as my crazy sister's assistant."

"I'm definitely hoping it was his idea," muttered Abhi under his breath. I looked back at him and bared all my teeth, wide, "I'm pretty sure it was Mukti's."

Clearly, the sarcasm was not accepted graciously. But I was finding it hard to take offence on that, because (a) I knew he was going to suffer for the rest of his life and (b) A cord on my mind had gone stuck on the word 'Manik' and 'girlfriend'- which apparently now results in 'Nandini'.

I was...not used to that. And considering the ghosted look on Nandini's face- she wasn't, either. 

See, we still haven't had the 'labeling' conversation yet. It was on our list though, along with currently another 57 things to discuss. 

Yes. We had time to make a list. No. We did not have time to go through them. Or the...willing energy.

"Welcome to Udaipur  and welcome from the Oberoi Udaivillas!" The dude in the suit, definitely on charge, stepped forward, "I hope our wedding squad had no issues getting here safely?"

Luggage were taken over, hands shaken, pleasantries exchanged. They professionally carried all of our 30+ people to their separated parking location. 

"We're going to reach the resort in around thirty minutes, right?" Abhimanyu asked, helping them settle with the luggage. The manager smiled politely, "We would, sir, if you were directly going to the resort."

We all stopped on our tracks.

"If we were?"

"Ah, yes, Mukti ma'am did tell me it was supposed to be a surprise," his smile broadened at our puzzled faces, "We won't be directly going to the hotel. We'll take a two hour tour throughout the city, nothing tourist-y, just to give you a feel of the locality. Then we'll take a ride on the famous Lake Pichola- which will take us to the resort by 4 in the afternoon. Lunch has already been arranged in one of the famous local place here, we'll get there in between the tour."