Mona felt numb.
They landed in California about three hours ago. Harlow begged her to accompany her to her house, but Mona adamantly refused, opting to stay at the hotel with the boys instead. She wasn't in the state of mind to go say hello to Harlow's family, knowing that if she showed up there looking like the zombie she felt like, she'd have to answer a lot of questions, which she didn't really want to deal with right now.
She spent the better part of the past few hours laying in her hotel bed staring at the ceiling. The traveling was tiring but despite all of it, she couldn't sleep. Her mind flitted from thought to thought relentlessly and she was starting to feel the beginnings of a headache swirl around her temples. Sighing, she hugged a pillow to her chest. Something about being in a hotel room in San Francisco had her feeling so incredibly alone.
Without thinking, she swung her legs over the edge of the bed, slipping her feet into her slippers before heading towards the door. She wasn't sure where she was going until she found herself in front of Niall's room, and it was too late to turn back because she could see her hand reaching forward to knock.
Niall opened the door almost immediately, glasses perched low on his nose and hair a disheveled mess. "Mo, hey," he breathed at the sight of her, lips curling up into that sweet smile she loved to hate. "Everything alright?"
Mona wasn't sure why she was here. But when Niall smiled at her, those bright blue eyes glimmering in her direction, she realized she just wanted to feel less lonely for a while. "Um," was what came out of her mouth as she averted her eyes. She wasn't sure how to phrase what it was that she was feeling. "I dunno, I just—is it okay if I—" She huffed at herself as she trailed off, frustrated at her inability to express herself.
Niall, as always, understood, his hands lightly brushing over hers to tug her inside. When she looked up, he was shaking his head at her, a knowing smile on his face. "Yes, Mo. It's okay if you hang out in here for a while."
Mona huffed again, but this time there was laughter in it. She let Niall pull her into his room, his hands warm against hers as he tangled their fingers together. There were books all over his bed and she couldn't help the way she grinned at the sight of them. Only Niall would study on their break.
"Sorry," he mumbled as he moved them to make room for her, looking up to send her a sheepish smile. "Was bored."
She rolled her eyes, immediately shuffling under the blanket to make herself comfortable. "Of course you were." Niall tossed her the remote with a scoff, slipping into the bed next to her. He continued reading as she flicked through the channels, eventually landing on the Food Network. She tried not to think too hard about leaning her head against his shoulder. For some reason, she'd been overthinking all of her actions lately and it was starting to drive her crazy.
Niall leaned into her as well, eyes never leaving his book. They stayed like that for a while, just breathing, quietly enjoying each other's company. Mona missed feeling like this, like she could just sit here and relax with him and nothing else really mattered, at least not for a while. Really, she just missed Niall in general. She hadn't realized just how unhappy ignoring him would make her. Her world was dim without her sunshine boy.
"What are you thinkin' so hard about?" Niall's voice was a whisper along her hairline, and when she looked up at him, he was smiling at her. She returned the smile easily, reaching up to push his glasses back up his nose.
"You," she replied. She could afford to be honest about this. Holding everything in all the time made her feel exhausted and drained. Niall raised his brows at her in surprise and she breathed out a laugh. "I just missed you."
Niall's smile curled into a grin. He pressed a light kiss to her nose and she tried not to overanalyze the fluttering she felt in her tummy. "Well I'm actually really glad to hear that."
Mona rolled her eyes at the way he laughed, but joined in nonetheless. He tugged her into him with an arm around her back and her head rested easily on his chest. For the next hour or so, her eyes alternated between skimming the pages of his book—something about the effects of globalization in the 21st century—and watching Cutthroat Kitchen.
It wasn't long until her eyelids began to feel heavier and heavier until she was starting to doze off on Niall's chest. She tried to stay awake but it wasn't helping that Niall's fingers were absently tracing abstract shapes on her waist. Eventually, she started to shuffle away, yawning.
"Where're you goin'?" Niall's voice was quiet and unsure, and when she turned around to look at him, his features were crumpled in confusion.
Mona shrugged. She got what she wanted. All she needed was a distraction for a while, needed someone to make her feel like she wasn't stuck in her head all the time. And Niall, as always, gave her that. "'M tired," she said through another yawn, trying not to feel like the asshole she was being as she swung her legs over the edge of the bed. "Going back to my bed."
She didn't turn around to look at him, but she could tell he was frowning from the way his next words came out. "You don't have to go." There was an unsure laugh laced in his tone. "You can just stay and sleep here if you want."
When Mona stood up, she stretched her limbs slightly, turning around to get a better look at him. There was a sort of earnestness in his eyes that she wasn't sure how to respond to. She'd been doing so well with keeping her distance over the past few months. At first it was because she didn't want her feelings for him to grow. But now, it had a lot to do with the fact that every time she looked into those eyes, all she could see was him looking at a different girl with all of this adoration. All she could see was him kissing someone who wasn't her.
"It's okay," she got out, her voice nearly a whisper. "You're doing work anyway, and I don't wanna bother you."
She wasn't able to get too far, though. Niall's hand closed around her wrist, tugging her onto the bed again. This time, when she looked at him, his eyes were determined. "Mo," he breathed, eyes searching hers. "You're not gonna bother me. I want you here."
There was something about the way he said it that had her breath catching in her throat. She didn't have to think twice about getting back into the blanket. This time, Niall set aside his book, reaching behind him to turn the lamp off and set his glasses aside before settling in next to her. He tugged the blanket up to both of their chins as he faced her, his grin bright even in the darkness.
Mona was so, so tired, but she watched him through her slowly drooping eyelids regardless, admiring the way those bright blue eyes glimmered. They weren't touching, but she could still feel the warmth of his body radiating towards her beneath the blanket, surrounding her in a sheet of comfort that felt like home.
"I miss you," Niall whispered in the darkness. It was as if there was an invisible line between them on the bed, both of them facing each other on their respective pillows but not shuffling close enough to truly cuddle.
She huffed out a soft laugh in response, raising a brow at him. "I'm right here."
He laughed too but it was quieter, more somber. "Not what I meant." His fingers reached out to curl around her own, their hands now interlaced, resting between them. She couldn't see him clearly but she knew his bright blue eyes must have been sparkling. She loved those eyes. "You haven't been you in a while."
His words had her nerves flaring up again. There was an uncomfortable fluttering in her core that she couldn't ignore, and she just couldn't help the way she started to shift away from him. He was right, she hadn't been herself in a long time. She wasn't sure she really wanted to have a conversation with him about it, though.
Niall noticed, sighing. He tightened his fingers around hers in a way that felt like a plea, and at his touch, she relaxed. "I know my Mona darlin' is in there somewhere," he murmured, voice hushed and sleepy. "I miss her."
"Yeah," Mona breathed, voice getting lost in the pillows. "Me too." She wondered when she'd become this completely different person—one that was constantly afraid and stressed and just generally unpleasant to be around. Her heart sank at the realization.
Niall huffed out a laugh, rolling over to his back and draping an arm across his forehead. Mona startled for a moment, but when she looked up at him, she realized he was just lost in thought. "Remember when we first started to get to know each other? At the cabin?" There was a soft smile on his face, visible even in the dark, and Mona couldn't tear her eyes away. "You hogged half the blankets in the house because it was too cold for you to function."
Mona laughed, hands coming up to cover her face at the memory, and when she opened her eyes Niall was grinning at her. "Oh god," she groaned, tugging the blanket up to her chin as if she was transported back into that cold, cold cabin. "That was horrible."
Niall chuckled, fingers finding hers in the darkness, and she felt her heart skip a beat. "But oh did you make us laugh." He sighed then, a fond smile on his face as he looked up at the ceiling again. Mona wondered what exactly was on his mind. "All I remember thinking on that trip was that you were so incredible and I really wanted to be your friend."
Mona felt her heart beat right up into her throat, eyes focused on him. She didn't want to miss a word or a facial expression or a breath.
"You were sarcastic as all hell and funny and kind to me, even when I probably didn't deserve it." He turned his head to look at her, eyes bright and blue and honest. "I'd never met a girl with your kind of energy—just, genuinely honest and confident—with the ability to make everyone around feel safe. You weren't afraid to speak your mind but you also knew how and when to listen, which—now looking back I realized is exactly what I needed—for someone to listen."
Mona felt like she could remember that first time at the cabin like it was just last week and not over a year ago. It was such a turning point for her, how she felt so at home and at peace with five other people. But most of all, it was the beginning of this journey she's had with Niall. Looking back, it was so easy for her to let him in, to let him crawl into her bed and shuffle into her space, to let him touch her and kiss her when she'd never allowed that to happen with anyone else. Had she always been in love with him and just never even realized?
Niall's fingers tightened around hers and she met his eyes again. Even in the dark, they were as bright as the stars. "And I wanna be that for you. You helped me come to terms with everything that was wrong in my life, and I want to be that person for you—to make you laugh when you need it but also to be a shoulder to cry on and an ear to listen to what you have to say, because—"
Mona's breath caught in her throat as he paused. Her heart was beating in her ears at his honesty, and she realized they hadn't done this in a while, they hadn't been honest with each other in a while.
"Because," Niall sighed, rolling onto his side again until their noses were nearly touching. Mona was suddenly very aware of how long it had been since she kissed him, and she had to swallow down the lump in her throat to feel like she could take in oxygen again. Niall's fingers trailed up her neck and across her cheeks, cradling her face in his hand, and it felt like the world had stopped around them, felt like her world was comprised of just one person: Niall. "Because I care about you," he murmured, voice soft as it cascaded across her skin and nestled right into her chest. "You told me that you feel safe with me. Then why do you keep pushing me away?"
At the crack in his voice, she realized just how much this bothered him. She also realized how unfair it all was, that she couldn't tell him how she felt, that he kissed another girl. That they were here, in California, sharing a bed in some hotel room and she couldn't get a grip on all the things she was feeling in that moment, much less put it all into words. "Because it's easier," she blurted out, putting space between them again. Niall immediately pulled her back with a gentle but firm grasp of her wrist, eyes softened into this sad sort of blue. She huffed. "I just don't wanna talk about it sometimes. It's too much for me to even process and it would be too draining and exhausting to try and talk it out."
Niall frowned at her. "Maybe your life would be easier if you stopped choosing what's easy over what's right."
She opened her mouth to say something until his words caught up to her. "Did you just quote Harry Potter at me?"
Niall tried to roll his eyes but he ended up laughing instead, the sound seeping into her skin and making her feel warm all over. He pulled her arm over his shoulder before pressing his hand to her lower back, ensuring that there was no space between them, his smile a bright supernova in the dull, dark hotel room. "Maybe? Liam made me marathon it with him when we were putting off packing and we only just finished up a while before you got here."
Mona rolled her eyes, smiling nonetheless. They were so close, and she really wanted to kiss him, but the weight of his words earlier were still hanging heavy in the air around them and she didn't think it was the right time. Instead, she pressed her lips to the very corner of his mouth before tucking her head under his chin.
Silence blanketed them just then, and it seemed like Niall was giving this conversation a rest for now. But she knew it wouldn't be long until he brought it up again, and, like always, she would have to find more excuses to brush him off.
She sighed into the curve of his neck.
This was going to be a long trip.
~
"Mona darling!" someone was screeching as she walked into the Kotecha residence.
There were lights and flowers everywhere. The whole house was alive with colors and music and laughter, but Mona wasn't able to admire it for long because she was being jumped on by four really excited girls.
"You made it!" Pari squealed, barreling into Mona for a hug. Mona was caught off guard but she laughed nonetheless, holding onto the youngest Kotecha sister in a tight hug. "We were starting to think you'd bail on us."
Mona scoffed, only to be bombarded by the remaining three Kotecha girls. "Please. Like Roop would ever let me live that down."
Harlow laughed at that. "Damn straight! I'd drag your ass here personally."
Jyoti reached out to pinch Mona's cheek only to receive a scowl from Mona in response. Still, Jyoti was only a year older than Harlow and Mona but she carried this mature and slightly maternal air about her, her presence instantly having Mona feel significantly calmer than she was when she stepped out of the Uber. "Roop wouldn't have been the only one. We'd all hunt you down and drag you here if you stood us up."
Mona rolled her eyes but laughed regardless, knowing fully well that this was true. It wasn't like they hadn't done that before. When she laid eyes on Deepa, the eldest Kotecha and woman of the weekend, her smile grew infinitely. "Um, why is our bride standing out here?" Mona quipped, extending her arms towards Deepa who stepped into her embrace immediately. "We have to protect her from all the jealous eyes!"
"Uhh, I don't know about jealous eyes, but I know of a sight for sore eyes," Pari said, and it was only then that Mona realized that the boys were left standing awkwardly behind them, waiting for introductions but not wanting to impede on this reunion.
"Oh my gosh!" squealed Harlow, clapping her hands together as she rushed towards them. "I totally forgot. I need to introduce you guys to the rest of the gang!"
Harlow introduced them to the girls and they all squealed over them, bombarding them with a slew of hugs and exclamations of how they've heard so much about them. Harry and Liam seemed to love the attention while Zayn and Niall had the slightest flush to their cheeks when Harlow got to them in the lineup.
Mona couldn't help but think how cute Niall looked when he was all bashful from all the attention. Beside her, Jyoti gave her a nudge when Harlow introduced him, and Mona had to send her a scathing look. She had to remind herself to yell at Harlow later. She had forgotten that she'd gushed about Niall and Mona's—nonexistent—relationship to her sisters.
Eventually, they were being summoned inside because Deepa was needed to start the mehndi ceremony. Pari and Jyoti started to usher Mona away from the group with Pari scolding, "C'mon, Mo, you know we're not gonna let you inside wearing jeans and a t-shirt," while Harlow left with the boys to go introduce them to other people.
Mona sighed. She knew she wouldn't be able to escape the interrogations from the Kotecha girls about her situation with Niall, but she thought she'd be able to elude them for a while. Apparently, that wasn't the case, because Pari was yammering on and on about how cute Niall is as she shoved an outfit into Mona's arms and directed her into her bedroom to go and change.
It was going to be a long night.
~
Mona hadn't felt so at ease in a long, long time.
She hadn't realized just how big of a chunk she was missing of herself by being away from San Francisco and the Kotecha family, but as she made her way around the house reacquainting herself with everyone, she realized that her shoulders, for once, weren't so tense and the smile on her face was easy and natural.
She was finally home.
Deepa was currently getting her bridal mehndi done and the celebrations were now in full swing. Music and laughter engulfed the home and the happiness and excitement was so strong it was nearly palpable. Harlow had dragged her up to dance multiple times and now her feet hurt, but even that couldn't wipe the smile from her face.
She sighed contentedly as she slumped into a nearby chair. She'd eaten so much food—she made a mental note to herself to ask Harlow's mom for a few recipes later—and danced to her heart's content. It was so strange how the place she'd tried so hard to run away from was the very place that had her feeling complete.
Her eyes scanned the room and it wasn't long until she found Niall. Again, she sighed. He looked very nice today, with his glasses swapped out for contacts and his hair done up in that deliberately sort of messy look that she loved. Suddenly, his words from last night were coming back to her, how he'd wished that she'd stop pushing him away, and she had an idea of what she wanted to do about that.
She couldn't help the way her feet propelled her towards him. He was in a conversation with Harry and one of Harlow's cousins, his laugh bouncing off the walls and illuminating his entire spirit. Her heart fluttered at the sight. He was beautiful.
It wasn't long until he caught her gaze. Niall grinned at her as she approached him, completely ignoring whatever Harry was saying as he turned all of his attention towards her. "Hey, pretty girl," he murmured as she slipped her hands into his.
Mona blushed. His eyes were sparkling and she couldn't help how enamored she was by him. Niall definitely noticed and his grin spread even wider, but she rolled her eyes at him before he could comment on how easy it was for him to get her flustered. "C'mon," she said, tugging him up gently, and it didn't take much effort for her to get him to follow her. "Wanna show you something."
Niall easily fell into stride with her. He held onto her hand as she led them through the crowd and towards the stairs. She knew everyone was too distracted by the celebrations to care too much about her and Niall sneaking off alone, but that still didn't stop her from peering over her shoulders a few times to ensure no one was watching.
Niall laughed at her, squeezing her hand, and she shot him a dry look before breaking out into a laugh herself. "The questions would be never-ending if anyone spotted us," she explained, and Niall brushed her off with a good-natured shrug.
She couldn't help but notice that he was a bit quiet since they'd gotten to the house. He seemed to be a bit more bashful, which was a side of him she didn't see often, but she couldn't say that she didn't find it endlessly cute. She internally huffed at herself because she found everything he did cute.
She led him through the second floor and up to the attic. If he had any concerns as to where she was taking him, he didn't say. Instead, he helped her drag a few boxes out of the way when she asked, giving her room to pull down the ladder that led up onto the roof. When everything was settled, she grabbed a bag from nearby, slinging it over her shoulder before she started climbing, gesturing for him to follow, and he did so without complaint, holding the hem of her anarkali from behind her so her feet wouldn't get caught in it.
"Whoa," was what left his lips once they'd gotten onto the roof and took in the view. She smiled. She'd missed this view, and while it was incomparable to New York City, it gave her comfort nonetheless.
Mona breathed out a laugh, reaching into the bag to pull out a blanket and spreading it out, taking a seat and patting the space next to her so Niall would do the same. The warmth of his body immediately radiated into her skin as he slid next to her, leaning on his hand, resting on the blanket behind her, so his body would lean into hers slightly.
"This used to be my hideout," she explained, leaning her head onto his shoulder. The sky was clear above them, the stars shimmering slightly. Still, they didn't compare to the brightness in Niall's eyes. "I used to come up here whenever I needed to get away from home and I also didn't want Harlow to bother me for a while. She'd leave me be for a bit before meeting me up here with snacks and hot chocolate and we'd just watch the stars together."
She looked up to give Niall a smile but he'd already beat her to it, his lips quirked up into one that she could only describe as fond, bright blue eyes twinkling. He reached out to brush a few strands of her hair behind her ear, the light brush of his fingertips warm against her skin. "You look beautiful today," he murmured, tucking his fingers under his chin, thumb stroking her jawline. "You wear that smile so well."
Mona felt the heat flood her cheeks and she hoped she wasn't blushing as hard as she felt she was. Either way, she didn't care all that much, not when Niall was looking at her like that, not when he was so close, his skin warm, his face inches away. Something surged up within her. All she could think about was how much she really wanted to kiss him. She hadn't in such a long time and every single part of her being craved him and his touch and his lips.
So she did. She kissed him. She slid her hand under the curve of his jaw and pulled him in, brushing her lips against his for a lingering moment before pressing fully into a kiss. After all, she was in California, back in her hometown where she'd promised she'd never return, and they were on the roof of the Kotecha house, the breeze warm around them, and in that moment, anything seemed possible.
And it was so worth it. This, like so many other things she realized today, was something she'd longed for since it happened the last time. Since they'd gotten back from the cabin for the holidays, all she'd wanted was to distance herself from him, as if it would have helped diminish her feelings for him. But if anything, her love for him has grown immensely over the past few months. And there was nothing she could do to stop that.
She wanted him to feel that, through this kiss, through her lips despite the fact that the words won't leave her throat. She found herself hiking up her anarkali so she could comfortably swing her legs over to fall on either side of his thighs, straddling his lap as she pressed both of her hands to his face this time, pulling him closer closer closer and kissing him with everything she had.
She wanted more. Or rather, she wanted to give him more, of her, of her soul, of her feelings.
A surprised sound left Niall's throat at the way she kissed him harder, but he held her close regardless, his hands resting comfortably on her lower back, kissing her with just as much urgency. She knew they couldn't keep up like this though, and that they'd have to part eventually to catch their breaths, but she just couldn't stop. She'd been starved of him, of being wrapped up in him like this, and she couldn't let go just yet.
Niall sighed into her mouth, the tiniest of sounds leaving his lips, and Mona's entire body reacted to it. She rolled his lower lip between her teeth teasingly, just to hear it again, and she did, the slightest bit louder this time. Eventually, she had to ease up, pressing quick pecks to his lips as he leaned back, hands pressed to the blanket.
When she pulled away to get a good look at him, he was gazing at her through hooded eyes, lips parted slightly as his chest heaved with his ragged breaths. "Wow," he breathed out, eyes glazed over with a frosty sort of blue. "What was that for?"
Mona couldn't help the grin that spread across her face. The sight of a breathless Niall had her heart fluttering high in her chest. She leaned forward to kiss him again but was smiling too wide to do it. Instead, she pressed her forehead to his, watching as his eyes fluttered shut, short puffs of breath fanning over her skin as he struggled to catch it. She traced his lips with the tip of her finger, wondering what exactly was going through his mind. "Just because."
Niall huffed out a laugh, shaking his head slightly. "Just because?"
Suddenly, a wave of insecurity passed through her, and she wondered if she probably should have asked before kissing him, if she came off too strong. "I, uh," she stumbled, pulling away slightly. "I'm sorry if that wasn't okay, I just—"
"Mo, are you kidding?" He laughed, tugging her close again with a hand on her wrist. She could feel his smile as their lips brushed together again and she relaxed instantly. "That was so," he pressed a kiss to her lips, "very," and another, "okay," and another.
She grinned, trailing her fingers up the thick column of his neck again. "Good," she whispered, voice low and raspy, pressing her lips to his again, and this time the kiss was slow and lingering and a bit reverent.
When Niall smiled against her lips, she felt completely whole.
~
Mona felt like she probably got a bit too carried away with Niall on the roof.
She couldn't stop staring at him. It wasn't as if she could help herself, really, not when he was just strolling around looking that damn perfect all the time. He was standing off to the side laughing with Harry, Zayn, and a few of Harlow's cousins. To be honest, he was actually looking a bit more at ease now, and Mona couldn't help but smile to herself at the thought.
"Helloooo," Pari drawled, waving a hand in front of Mona's face. "Earth to Mona. I get that your man is beautiful but I'm trying to catch up with you here."
Mona rolled her eyes, scowling at her. "Shut up," she grumbled, begrudgingly allowing Pari to hold her hand. It was her turn to get her mehndi applied and Pari would not let her out of her sight until she agreed to let her be the one to do it. "He's not my man."
Mona blushed as the words left her mouth, and it deepened tenfold when Pari waggled her brows at her, a devious grin on her face. "Not yet." Pari gave her a look when she opened her mouth to protest, which was scathing enough to shut her up for a while. "Literally don't even start with me, Mo. I know enough about you two to root for you and you're not gonna let my dreams die."
Mona huffed. She knew Pari very much approved of Niall. She'd followed him on Instagram immediately after Harlow first introduced all of the boys to her over Facetime, and as soon as she found out that he and Mona were close, she would never let her hear the end of it whenever they spoke. Now, as she carefully started a design on Mona's palms with her mehndi cone, she was quiet, allowing Mona to get lost in her thoughts for a few moments.
After she and Niall managed to pull themselves together and she gathered the self-control to keep her lips away from his and climb off his lap, they laid together on the blanket and watched the stars. His body was warm as she rested her head on his shoulder, his fingers idly tracing random shapes onto the skin of her arm. The silence around them had been comfortable, but it also allowed her to get lost in her head, and all she could think about then, as she curled into the warmth of his body, was how strongly she felt for him, and how those feelings just wouldn't seem to go away.
It wasn't long until Niall had been rolling over to face her, a knowing grin on his face as he met her eyes. His fingers traced the tops of her cheekbones, trailing down the curve of her neck, and then he was leaning down to kiss her again, a slow but fiery one that had her seeing stars. "Sorry," he'd murmured, tugging at her lips the slightest bit with his teeth. "Can't really seem to stop doing that."
That was the moment she realized she was so going to get her heart broken by this sunshine boy.
And yet, she absolutely couldn't find it in herself to care all that much.
Pari started to talk again, bringing her back to reality, and when she looked down at her hands, they were covered in an intricate design that nearly took her breath away. "Mo, I know you're leaving right after the wedding, but can you promise me something?"
When Mona met her eyes, there was a somber look in the deep brown, and she looked like a small child again. She wasn't much younger than her and Harlow, but she was still the baby of the Kotecha's, and Mona always felt this fierce protectiveness over her, so much more than with the other girls. "Anything."
Pari gave her a soft smile. "Will you call more? I miss talking to you all the time." Her smile turned into a grin. "And not just because I want the inside scoop on whatever happens with you and Niall." Mona rolled her eyes at her, laughing nonetheless. "But because, sometimes Jyoti gets a bit wrapped up in her own life and Harlow is so far away and whenever we talk she ends up rambling about the randomest things. And now Deepa's leaving because she's getting married and," she shrugged, "sometimes I kinda want someone to talk to who would actually listen to me. And that was always you."
Mona's heart clenched in her chest. She felt incredibly selfish in that moment. She never thought of how her distancing herself from everyone would affect other people. "I promise," she said softly, leaning into Pari to compensate for her not being able to give her a hug at the moment. "I'm sorry I haven't exactly been the most emotionally available person for the past few years."
Pari shrugged, going back to finishing up her design. "It's okay. I totally understand."
Mona glanced down at her hands just in time to catch Pari drawing Niall's name into a flower petal. It was small enough that, at first glance, no one would be able to tell it was there, but Mona caught it immediately. "What are you doing?"
Pari grinned up at her. "You know how they say that if your mehndi stain is dark then it means your husband loves you or whatever?" She shrugged again, and Mona felt her stomach turn in anticipation of her next words. "Well, I'm putting your boyfriend's name in the design so now you'll know how much he loves you with how dark it is!"
Mona rolled her eyes but she could feel herself starting to panic again. She was doing so well, and she hoped she wouldn't have to excuse herself to go hyperventilate in a corner or something. "For fuck's sake, Pari," she griped, "he's not my boyfriend."
When Pari looked up at her this time, Mona swore her eyes fucking sparkled. "Not yet."
This was definitely going to be a long weekend.