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"Is something off between you and your parents?" Mukti asked Nandini while she helped Mukti get ready for her three-in-one ceremony of Roka, Chunri and Sagai (Punjabi pre-wedding rituals) in Mukti's suite.
Mukti had no sisters in her family. She just had one elder brother and a bunch of male cousins. Mukti's mother had to help her sister-in-law with something since she was pregnant so, Nandini offered to fill in and assist the bride to get ready for that night's ceremonies.
"Why do you ask?" Nandini asked her because she was genuinely surprised that Mukti had noticed the tension between them in spite of being the bride. Mukti had a lot on her plate, then how did she take attention to what was happening with her?
"Can I not wear something else? This looks so heavy." Mukti quizzed to which Nandini laughed, lightly.
"No can do, sis. Your mother-in-law has handpicked your wardrobe and jewellery so, if you do not wish to disappoint her then bear with them for a few days." Nandini vocalized with a teasing glint in her eyes. Nandini chuckled and secured the lock to the gaudy neckpiece around Mukti's neck.
"God! Eloping was definitely a better idea than this." Mukti commented while wearing the heavy pair of earrings which were already causing her pain near the ears.
"Told ya!" Nandini asserted and they recalled how Nandini suggested the couple to elope when they were busting their asses in working for this wedding.
"Back to the point- Your parents and you were seated on two opposite corners during breakfast and I know you guys long enough to know when something's not right. So, tell me already." Mukti's tone had a hint of brag in it for being right about her prediction.
"I told them last night that Randhir and I broke up when they were expecting that I'd announce our engagement." Nandini informed with a sigh. Arjun and Avni did not take that news well. In fact, they all got into this huge argument about why did Nandini invest so many years into this relationship if it wasn't going to last. Nandini tried to maintain her calm and explain how she did not suspect that this could happen but they pushed her buttons to great extent and she ended up fighting with them. She stormed out of her parents' room and hasn't spoken to them ever since.
"Ooh... That sounds rough." Mukti responded alongside applying her lipstick.
"I know. I'll talk to them again tonight. I just hope they understand." Nandini said, hopefully and finished setting Mukti's hairdo.
"They're the coolest people, I know. I'm sure they'll come around." Mukti said to which Nandini simply smiled.
"Enough about my trivial issues. Look at you, girl. You look beautiful. Excited for this?" Nandini quizzed and hugged Mukti from behind who smiled at her gesture.
"Honestly, I'm more nervous than excited. I mean reaching till marriage was easy because it was just Abhi and me but from now on it'll all change to family. That scares me a little." Mukti breathed after saying that. Abhimanyu and she had been together for a long time and every step in their relationship till date felt uncomplicated but after tonight, their families would get involved and moreover Abhimanyu and Mukti will also become a family. And that was a commitment for a lifetime. Mukti did not know how will she do and so she was a nervous-wreck.
"Let me tell you something. Abhi and you struck everyone as a married couple since college so believe me, you guys are going to be better than fine. Wait till you see him waiting for you at the end of the aisle, everything will fall into its place after that." Nandini kissed Mukti's cheek after that short speech and Mukti pat Nandini's cheeks with a gentle smile.
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"Have any of you seen Nandini around?" Avni asked out loud to Nandini's friends who were sitting on a round table, not far from the stage.
Almost all the guests had gathered in the hall for the ceremony including Abhimanyu who stood on the stage, eagerly waiting for his bride to grace him with her presence. Avni knew that Nandini wasn't with Mukti since she walked away when Mukti's brother and sister-in-law went into her room to escort the bride till the stage. But, where Nandini went after that, was unclear to her.
"I bumped into her in the hallway, about an hour ago, Auntie. She said that was heading out to the temple because Tejaswini auntie asked her to do something for the Chunri ceremony." Dhruv answered Avni but it also calmed Manik's senses who hadn't seen her since last night. Manik came down at the buffet, way past breakfast timing because he had to wait for his siblings to join him which was why he did not get to meet Nandini but he overheard Saeesha, who was having a late breakfast as well, telling her cousin Rohit about what had happened, the other night, with Nandini and her parents. Since then, Manik was worried for Nandini but he could not get a hold of her, throughout the day.
"God! I cannot believe, Teja sent Nandini by herself. Anyway, thank you, Dhruv." Avni mumbled the initial part to herself and then later thanked Dhruv for letting her know about Nandini's whereabouts.
"No problem, Auntie." Dhruv uttered to which Avni responded with a smile following which, they watched Avni walk back to her table, where Arjun, Saeesha, Rohit and Harshita were seated.
"What's wrong if she went alone? I don't understand." Cabir asked them and made sure that his voice wasn't blaring for anyone else to hear.
"If it's for the Chunri rasam(ritual) then I'm guessing they've sent Nandini to the Devi temple, at the end of the cliff. This place isn't new for Nandini but she hasn't been here in almost a year so Auntie might be worried about her safety." Randhir cleared Cabir's doubt. Manik wanted to feel bad about how Randhir knew more about Nandini and her family than himself but all that he could actually feel was his growing concern about how dark it was getting outside.
"Dang it! I should have gone with her." Dhruv said after hearing what Randhir said.
"It's okay! You did not know." Randhir reassured and Manik felt envious of the composure in his tone. Manik understood that Randhir wasn't nonchalant rather, he was very confident that Nandini would be alright because she knows how to take care of herself.
As if on cue, they witnessed Nandini, walking past their table, towards the stage where Tejaswini was standing along with some of Mukti's relatives. Manik sighed in relief, careful about no one noticing him. In two minutes, Nandini turned around to first glace over at her family's table and even though she wanted to go there and sit with them, she did not feel like spoiling her mood or anybody else's mood. Hence, Nandini headed towards the table where Cabir, Dhruv, Manik and Randhir were seated.
"You don't look like a girl." Cabir teased Nandini with a goofy smile. All the guys at the table frowned at the comment and watched Nandini settle on a chair between Manik and Dhruv.
"Well, thanks. I don't think you look like a man either." Nandini retorted and pressed her lips into a forceful smile. That knocked out Cabir's glee, right off his face. The other guys laughed at Cabir's expression.
"I meant that unlike the stereotypical girls at wedding, you aren't fussing over your looks and that heavy dress. God, you are mean." Cabir said giving them the explanation behind his words.
"Next time, be clear with your words." Nandini rolled her eyes at Cabir while telling him that.
"I was all decked up, an hour ago but my little escapade out to the edge of this cliff, wiped away all the make-up. I just want to lie down for a bit." Nandini exasperated. Dhruv rubbed Nandini's back with a pitiful look. The elders treated youngsters like laborers at weddings, as it is and here when they were in short supply of guests, Nandini had to help them with a lot of things. She could not get a moment to herself, throughout the day because any one of the elders kept her on her toes with work, every time they saw her.
"If it's any consolation, you look even more gorgeous without your make-up on." Manik's compliment surprised all of them for varied reasons. Nandini wasn't expecting him to say that in front of their friends let alone her ex-boyfriend. Randhir's surprise edged into annoyance, quickly, for obvious reasons. Dhruv and Cabir passed each other a knowing look but could not deny the fact that this was awkward.
"Th... Thanks, Manik!" Nandini uttered and eyed Manik towards Randhir's presence which Manik shrugged, indifferently.
"Your mom was looking for you." Randhir cleared his throat before informing Nandini about Avni's encounter with them.
"Was she?" Nandini quizzed in astonishment. Randhir nodded in affirmation.
"Their table is at capacity. I'll talk to her after the function." Nandini said, gaining composure of herself. She did not want Randhir to know about the issues between her and her parents or at least the reason behind them.
Manik nudged Nandini's thigh over the fabric of her lehenga gaining her surveillance. He showed her his phone, under the table and then eyed at her phone on the table, implying that he wanted her to check her phone but in a covert manner. Nandini passed him a confused look but nonetheless picked her phone, after a moment when Cabir, Dhruv and Randhir slipped into a casual conversation. There was a text from Manik which she clicked on to check it out.
Manik- I heard what happened with your folks. Do you not want Randhir to find out about it? (Nandini looked up at Manik after reading the text who raised his eyebrows at her.)
Nandini- How did you HEAR about this? I haven't spoken to anyone about this except for Mukti.
Manik- Saeesha was telling your cousins about last night and I was at the adjacent table so, I overheard. (Nandini glared at him while he smiled sheepishly.)
Nandini- You're unbelievable. But yes, I do not want Randhir to find out.
Manik- When will you tell me, what happened between you two?
Nandini- Patience is virtue, curious cat. I'll tell you when we are alone. (Manik waited for Nandini to make eye contact with him and then aimed a 'bored' look at her. Nandini chuckled, mutely while checking if the others are looking at them.)
Manik- Your grandma words bore me, sweetheart.
Nandini- Not a grandma. And DEFINITELY NOT YOUR SWEETHEART!!!
Manik couldn't hold back himself after reading her text so, he burst out into laughter. All the guys looked at him weirdly while Nandini stuffed her phone away so that they don't get suspicious of her. Nandini stomped on Manik's foot slightly making him press his lips from shouting.
"You've gone full nuts, haven't you?" Cabir asked Manik with a wretched expression as if he was heartbroken to have lost a friend.
"I was reading a joke." Manik justified himself and forced a fake smile in Nandini's direction.
"Care to share it with the lot?" Dhruv quizzed with a playful glint. He had caught Nandini stuffing her phone away in his peripheral vision so he put two and two together.
"More of an inside joke between me and my friends. You won't get it even if I tell you." Manik responded by refusing Dhruv's request.
"Cool! Dhruv, you were telling us about your stay in your parents' house at Indore." Randhir dismissed Manik and urged Dhruv to continue with what he was saying earlier. Nandini shook her head realizing how Randhir could not stand people talking about Manik even if it was to make fun of him.
"Yeah, this time, it wasn't as bad as it usually used to be. But then again, it could be because I decided to help my father with his business." Dhruv began telling them about his time in Indore. Nandini already knew all this because Dhruv was in constant touch with her so she wasn't as much interested. Manik, on the other hand, took an interest in this because it was news for him too.
"Will you text me if Mukti arrives? I'll just freshen up and come." Nandini whispered to Manik because Dhruv was busy talking to the rest of them and she did not wish to interrupt him.
"I can do that." Manik responded, positively.
"Thanks!" Nandini mumbled out to him and got up to leave. Randhir frowned at this interaction because he did not hear what it was.
In the next five minutes, Manik received a text from his sister Dakshika about needing some help. Manik excused himself from the table and went in the same direction where Nandini left because Dakshika asked him to meet her and Daivik near the reception.
This was enough to let Randhir's imagination run wild about where did Manik and Nandini go off together when in reality they had left in two different directions.
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Few words for Mukti and Nandini's bond.
What do you think of Randhir?
Clearly, Manik and Nandini have some feelings for each other. Do you think Randhir could be the reason that's holding them back?