RUE

Sandhya

The next day, I woke up to the loud tunes of Mehndi Laga Ke Rakhna, playing louder than the aloud decibel limits. The song was from one of my favorite Shahrukh Khan movies and there was a time, I would have jumped out of my bed to dance on it. But things have changed. I was no more fond of things like movie stars and songs.

I groaned in my pillow and reluctantly woke up, feeling Lucy cuddling under my shoulders. I knew that today was the Sangeet night and no important ceremony was scheduled for the morning. So I took the liberty to select my outfit this time, which comprised of my tight black ripped jeans and a dark grey halter crop top. I thought it was a bit improper for a wedding gathering...but who cares. Enough of that traditional shit!

As I left my room, I found two little boys standing at my door with a confused and fear filled expression. I looked closely to realize that they were my cousin Amit Bhaiya's twin sons, Aman and Amar. Whom I haven't talked to in two years! They looked up at me and moved closer to each other, fear evident in their eyes. Jeez Tee! Even Kids are scared of you. I looked down at them and realized that they weren't going to speak to me anytime soon if I did not ease them out. I went to my knees to be at their eye level and tried really hard to push sweetness in my voice.

"Hey Aman..hey Amar!" I ruffled both of their hair one at a time. "Did you want something from me?" I asked sweetly. Amar was still reluctant to speak to her witch resembling aunt, but Aman stood out as the braver one and spoke.

"Aunt Tamanna...Aunt Aleesa is calling you" he spoke in his crooked voice. "See asked you to come near that biggg shower" he explained, emphasizing on the word 'big' in a way that made me smile.

"Shower!" I asked confused. What! Did she want me in her bathroom?

"Yes Yes! That big shower near the biggg swimming pool" Amar explained feeling braver by seeing his brother speak.

"Oh! You mean Fountain," I inferenced and smiled. Gawd! They are so cute. I ducked inside my room to retrieve the chocolate bars I stached for emergencies after my intake and offered one each to them. Their eyes lit up at the chocolate and they took it from my hands. Both of them mumbled a thank you and ran off.

I took my time and sauntered towards the large fountain situated right at the center of the resort. There was quite a gathering at that place, the one person standing out was a man with white dupatta tied to his waist and an entourage of around twenty people wearing the same clothes behind him. I was busy witnessing yet another public display of fanciness when Alisha found me and tugged at my hand to drag me towards the white dupatta guy.

"Vicky! This is my sister I was talking about" she spoke in her usual cheerful tone. "Tammy Di just loves Shahrukh Khan's songs. Can you see that she gets a SRK song allotted to her?"

Vicky gave me a bored speculative look and started positioning the other uniformed people behind me.

"All other dance performances are done and waiting to be finally rehearsed so you better be a fast learner bride-sister" he announced authoritatively as if chastising his whole entourage.

"I don't need to be a fast learner because I am not doing anything" I retorted declining to take his crap. No one orders me!

"But Di! It's my wedding...You have to dance" Alisha came forward with his puppy-faced emotional blackmailing techniques.

"Come on , Ally! Isn't it enough that I am attending this wedding of yours, wearing stuff I am not comfortable in and around people I am not comfortable with? Please...Let it go!" I commented a bit harshly than I intended to. Jeez! Stop bossing me around people..