"Why do you look so down?" Aryan asked taking the coke can from Vrishali's hands. Vrishali doesn't say anything just watches the wall with a blank look.
"What happened?" Aryan asked walking over to Hailey who is getting ready.
"Padmanabh isn't going to be there. He called her last night saying he can't attend her graduation as he had to attend an important meeting in Tokyo."
"Is that a prank or is he really not going to be there?"
"Duffer, why would he prank her? He is seriously not going to be there. That's the reason she is feeling down."
"Vrishali, are you guys ready? We need to leave in ten minutes," Gauravi said entering the door after knocking on it.
"Yes aunty, we are done. Hailey is just taking her time," Aryan said. Hailey smacked Aryan's arm before brushing her hair.
"Vrishali darling, it's okay. You don't have to be sad on your graduation day gudiya. Anyway, we will be travelling to India next week after your farewell. You will be seeing him soon..." Gauravi said pulling Vrishali up from her seat.
"But I really wanted him to be present for my graduation ma. He promised me that he would be there but then he suddenly said he can't make it."
Aryan and Hailey shared a look before stepping out of the room to give the mother and daughter privacy.
"Gudiya... Understand, we can't always fulfil the promises. Don't be sad, we are here. Come on, it's time to go," Gauravi said hugging Vrishali.
"Okay." She picked her graduation coat and hat along with her bag.
The dress code for all the graduating students is black and white. Vrishali wore a cute short white dress with puffed sleeves.
"Let me take your photos," Gauravi said grabbing her camera.
Aryan stood in between Vrishali and Hailey. They have posed for the pictures while Gauravi clicked the photos.
"You guys ready?" Deepash asked.
"Yes."
"Your parents are coming?" Vrishali asked Aryan.
"Don't know and no hopes. Maybe my older brother will be there," Aryan replied.
"What about you?"
"My parents are already there with my brothers."
Hailey came to Vrishali's home only because she isn't good with make-up. She wants to look good in her graduation pictures so she stayed in Vrishali's home along with Aryan.
"We will drive my car," Vrishali said to her parents.
"Okay."
"Who is going to drive?" Hailey asked looking at Vrishali and Aryan.
"I'm not gonna drive," Aryan said. Vrishali unlocked the car, Aryan sat in the back while Hailey rolled her eyes.
"I will drive," Vrishali said keeping her bag, coat and hat in the backseat beside Aryan.
"Drive safe, see you three there."
"Bye."
"What do you think of my hair?" Hailey asked Aryan turning in her seat.
"If you ask that question another time, I will fucking pull your hair," Aryan said.
"Geez, I only asked you ten times."
"Girl, you asked ten times not one time!"
"Whatever."
"You are looking pretty," Vrishali complemented Hailey reversing the car.
"She starts smiling," Aryan said.
"Shut up."
"You shut up."
"You do first."
"You stop speaking then." Vrishali shook her head as she drove the car with Hailey and Aryan bickering.
They parked the car, got down with their things. "Be careful in your heels," Aryan said pointing his finger at Hailey's heels.
"Yeah, you be by side then."
Aryan laughed, "as if, nah... I'm going to go and meet my cute boys," Aryan said waving his hand before going away.
"Let's go." Vrishali and Hailey started walking towards the graduation grounds.
Vrishali greeted her friends stopping here and there.
"Are you kidding me, how will I find my parents?" Hailey said looking at the thousands of people.
"You already got the message where our department people are going to sit. Ours is on the left. And see the flag," Vrishali said.
Greenwoods graduation event is one of the largest gatherings of the city. All the departments will be present, all the seniors of every department will be holding their degree on the same day.
So to make it easy and to find they put up the huge flags representing their departments. They walked to their flag bumping into students here and there.
"Yeah, my parents are here. I will go and meet them, see you girl," Hailey said before walking away to her parents. Vrishali looked around not finding her parents anywhere.
"Maybe they sat in the front, let's check there."
Vrishali started walking towards the front slowly as it is crowded with students and their families.
Everyone is excitedly introducing their family members to their friends and vice versa.
Vrishali smiled as she crossed the people she knew. Some are whispering looking and pointing their fingers to the front.
Vrishali's eyes widen when she saw- "surprise!" Hardik, Riddi, Manav and Aadi yelled.
"Woah! What you guys are doing here? I mean how?" Vrishali can't keep the surprise away looking at her cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents. She walked over hugging her dadu and dadi first then hugging her cousins, aunts and uncles.
"You look pretty babe," Riddi said.
"I can't believe you all are here. I didn't expect this..." Vrishali said hugging Hardik.
"You should thank jijusa, he was the one who planned this surprise."
"Huh?"
"He is there," Aadi pointed behind.
Vrishali turned around to see Padmanabh standing tall wearing a suit. She looked at him in shock before walking over to him. She hugged him tightly and he hugged her back. Vrishali pulled away kissing him shocking her friends who were watching them.
Hardik looked at his cousins in surprise. They knew they were married but they also knew that they kept their distance because of the age gap and also they were taking things slow.
Vrishali's aunts and uncles chuckled looking away. Her family sat down in their seats.
"Why did you lie that you weren't coming?" Vrishali asked.
"I wanted to surprise you." Padmanabh tucked her hair back.
"Is he Vrishali's boyfriend?" Hailey's brother asked as they looked at Vrishali and Padmanabh.
"Husband, she told you that she was married," Hailey replied.
"What? Like seriously she got married?"
"Yes."
"I thought she was kidding, Woah."
"Hmm, he is good looking and handsome," Hailey's mum commented.
"He is."
"Thank you, that is the best surprise..." Vrishali smiled at Padmanabh.
"I know you wanted all your family members to be present at your graduation. So I brought all of them for you."
Vrishali shook her head as a few tears of happiness dropped from her eyes.
"Hey... Why are you crying?" Padmanabh whispered.
"Ugh, nothing. I'm just happy and it's just happy tears."
"I request all the parents to settle down and the students to settle down in their respective seats. The graduation ceremony will be beginning shortly."
"Go, I will watch you from here," Padmanabh said. Vrishali nodded her head before hugging him and placing a kiss on his cheek.
She walked towards the student's section where students have to sit. They have to sit in order so Vrishali sat in between Aryan and Michael.
"Girl, your husband is really good looking huh? People can't stop looking at you and him when you guys shared a kiss," Michael said and Vrishali blushed.
"Hahaha."
Vrishali turned her head and waved her at Hailey who said beside Lexie and Belle. The ceremony started with the engineering department then computers then commerce.
"Woah! Xahria looks bomb," Aryan commented when Xahria took her degree from her mother who is the principal of the university.
"Both mother and daughter match," Vrishali said looking at Xahria and Mrs knights. Xahria is always a unique person, while everyone wore dresses. She decided to wear her mother's saree for her graduation.
"I'm proud of my daughter..." Mr Knights said in the mic making everyone smile and chuckle. Mr Knights is the director of the university.
Xahria did a handshake with a damp with her mom before stepping down the stage. It continued and continued finally it was the fashion designing department's time.
"Ms Vrishali Mewar." Vrishali stood up and went over to the stage to get her degree.
"Congratulations."
"Thank you." She posed for the picture before making eye contact with Padmanabh who is taking a picture of her. She chuckled giving him and her whole family a flying kiss.
*
"Is he your boyfriend?" Lexie decided to ask. Vrishali looked at all her friends and at Padmanabh.
"No."
"Oh." All her friends including Troye is present gawking at Vrishali and Padmanabh.
"Everyone meet my husband Padmanabh Singh."
"Oh... Wait what?" Lexie asked in shock. Troye's eyes widen. Padmanabh looked at Vrishali in awe.
"Yes, you guys heard it right. He is my husband, we got married last year."
Before they could ask questions Vrishali pulled Padmanabh to another side. They are having their graduation party and Vrishali wanted Padmanabh to attend too.
Thankfully the graduation party is happening in a private pub.
"Let's go and dance," Vrishali said pulling Padmanabh with her to the dance floor. The dance floor isn't packed as the pub is huge.
Vrishali wrapped her arms around Padmanabh. "You don't know how happy I'm seeing you here."
Padmanabh leaned down kissing Vrishali's forehead as they slow danced to the song forgetting about everything and everyone.