"When your eyes met mine, my soul pointed at you and whispered to my heart, 'him'."
Sun started to set and the reception suddenly became alive with the chirps of people. A few of them were inspected after the decorations, while the remaining of them were eagerly waiting for the groom's arrival.
At seven that evening, Binni pushed her way inside the bride's room announcing, "They are almost near. Nithya ready la?"
"Akka eppavo ready. Mama ku dhan waiting." Sivangi; Nithya's one and only lil sister poked fun at her, only for a fake frown in return. By that time, uproars started to rise, jabbing people's ears. Sivangi hurried to the corridor and came back once peeping at the groom's car.
"Wandhutanga ma." Sivangi notified softly stepping toward them in joy. Some women and Binni took Nithya to the stage, while Sivangi and her cousins started clicking selfies. After a successful selfie session, they too joined the ongoing engagement.
The bride and the bridegroom exchanged their rings and the cheers of people filled their hearts, as well as the place. This engagement is occurring after 8 years of struggles in their love. Finally, their parents agreed to make their love official. A lone tear evaded Nithya's eye, as she smiled at her little sister, who stood by her side during all the tough times. Sivangi motioned her not to cry, reciprocating the smile and she cracked knuckles at Nithya, making her chuckle. After having a delightful time there, guests were asked to have their feast. People were having a meal, and Sivangi was busy playing with kids.
"Cheeku! Catch the ball da." Sivangi instructed only when the ball passed the ball passed their heads and was caught by someone. Sivangi sighed in relief as it didn't hit anyone's head. Sivangi bit her lower lip in an eagerness to see who the man is. The 6 feet man knelt and handed over the ball to the little boy, ruffling his hair. Once the boy left with the ball, he stood up and turned to Sivangi's side with a smile, without knowing destiny's game.
It was instinctive, the way he fell for her again, like an effortless intake of breath. Sivangi's eyes met with a pair of brown eyes. Both their smiles vanished, the moment they saw each other. Something about him made her feel a little more alive and far less lost. The surroundings were hushed when their eyes met. He stared at the most beautiful eyes that made him believe in love once, and so did she. A man whose face used to bring goosebumps to her is now giving nothing except tears. They both stared at each other with an emotionless faces. Their eyes spoke millions of painful words and their memories flashed in front of their eyes making their hearts shed tears. A lone tear escaped Ashwin's eye, without his knowledge. He came out of his trance, looked around randomly, and left the place looking at her for one last time. She too made her heart a stone and left the place, masking a smile.
It's the first time they are meeting after their breakup. It had been almost 2 years since they broke up the relationship, yet they still exist in each other's hearts as memories. Later, Sivangi attempted to go out of the crowd but was caught by her sister.
"Shivu! Inga wa. Avaroda siblings ku unna intro kudukkanum." Nithya whispered in excitement and Sivangi just hummed in response. She had no mood to talk with anyone. She just wanted to cry and scream her throat out.
Nithya dragged Sivangi through the crowd and reached a corner. She introduced her husband's sister, and Sivangi spoke frankly as she had already known her during her college days. But what she saw next, made her heart skip a beat. Nithya introduced Ashwin as her brother-in-law, and she was not able to believe the reality. Whom she tried to forget has now become closer to her by destiny. They both stared at each other like statues, only until Nithya shake Sivangi's shoulders.
"Hey, enna d aachu unaku? Idhu dhan Ashwin. Siddhu oda brother." Said Nithya, patting Ashwin's back. She couldn't help except plaster a fake smile.
"I'm Sivangi." She extended her hand formally, and he reciprocated the handshake with a smile. Nithya was confused seeing Sivangi's acts. Years back, Sivangi used to talk about her crush Ashwin to Nithya, without knowing that he is the only brother of Siddharth. Nithya didn't feel Sivangi's real vibe too, yet just wiped off the thoughts that flew into her mind. Sivangi tried to stay away from him, yet Nithya attempted to make them talk, relating their likes and dislikes.
Somehow, Sivangi escaped from the spot, went upstairs, and reached the corridor of her room. She sat there gazing at the stars, enthralled at the spectacle of the firmament. Her vision blurred thinking of their first meeting and the day they broke up. Memories sneak out of her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.
"Na enna thappu pannen kadavule. He is the only mistake I ever did. Avan en koodava iruppano nu nenachadhu adha vida periya thappu. He wasn't even ready to listen to me. He didn't how much I loved him. Naan dhan avana nenacha paithiyam madhiri irken. Aana avan Kandippa move on aagi iruppan." She crashed her throat out. His words still kept ringing near her ears.
"Ne sollu ma. Ennava irundhalum panren."
"Enakku ne podhum."
"Ipdiye iru ma."
"Cute uh d ne."
"Love you ma."
"Enna eppavum vittutu poidadhe ma."
Nostalgia hit her so hard and her memory was too vivid. She felt it all again. She heard it all again. She found her tears wet with smiles of times lost forever in his eyes. She hugged her knees and let her tears flow freely. She wasn't able to accept that hereafter, Ashwin would be in her close circle whether she likes it or not. She finally decided to stay away from him, as he no more belongs to her.
She never thought that their 3 years of relationship would end within a blink of an eye. Even though she wasn't able to fix things between them, she still couldn't forget him. She stood up and turned to leave, but froze there seeing Ashwin staring at her leaning on the door, with blurry eyes.
She fixed herself not to get attracted to him again. So she just tried to leave but was intruded on by Ashwin as he closed the gap in the door with his hand. She glared at him and his reply was blank.
"Na un kitta pesanum." He voiced shaky, for which Sivangi looked down, tying her hands across.
"I'm sorry." He muttered but got no response from her. He restated it again, staring at her. Sivangi had shaken herself off and watched him with a look of dismay. She was not ready to face heartbreak again. Even with time, she never got over the memory of that moment; the coarse, raw pain that broke her into pieces on that fateful day remained petrified in some vital center of her being. Since that day, she has begun to avoid long conversations with people. She has started to choose silence and loneliness to express her pain.
"Sivangi na pannadhu thappu dhan. I agree. It was all a misunderstanding. Adhukkaha ne enna punishment kuduthalum, I'm ready for it. Please enna avoid mattum pannadhe. Andha naal la irndhu ovvoru nalum sethutu irukken. Without you, I just.... I was just an empty soul. Na pannadhu thappu nu purinja appove un kitta wandhu pesalam nu irundhen. But I didn't dare to face you. Aanalum na unna pathi yosikkadha naale illa. Ne..."
She motioned him to stop and threw him a look that could burn him into ashes. The next moment, he felt a hard slap that made him rub his cheek. He looked at her with blurry eyes. So did she.
"Enna thedrathuku unaku rendu varusham pochu la. Ippo kooda ne enna thedi waralla. Ellame destiny. Yaro nadula wandhu sonnanga nu nambitu, enna thaniya vittutu pone. Do you know how you broke my heart? There were not even pieces to fix. Coz you shattered it totally. Ne enna meet panna wandhappo rendu thadavayum na wenumne dhan unna avoid pannen. It doesn't mean that I wanted you to feel hurt. My heart was already in pieces, and I was not ready for another heartbreak. So I just wanted to remove you from my life. Please get lost from my sight." She yelled, shaking him by holding his collar. Eventhough Ashwin knew that she didn't say anything from her heart, he looked scared on hearing this. Sweat broke out on his brow. He was not ready to lose her just for a mistake he did by not trusting her.
She pushed him backward and tried to move away from the place. Before she could leave, Ashwin held her wrist, with pleading eyes. She closed eye tighter, not letting go of her tears.
"Please. En thappu dhan. This will not happen again. Oru vaati na solradha kelu." Ashwin said holding the wrist tighter, afraid of losing her again.
"Enough Ashwin. Na pattadhu ellame podhum. Idhuku melayum, I can't bear with these heartbreaks. I don't want it to be us again. Let's end it all here. Forget...."
Before she could finish the statement, a familiar voice intruded in between.
"How can we let this happen?"
Sivangi turned to the side the voice came, only to spot Nithya there.
"Akka!" She couldn't believe her eyes. She threw her a look of confusion, for which she walked toward them with a smile. Ashwin loosened his grip on her wrist, and Sivangi took her wrist away, looking at Nithya.
"Sorry Sivangi. I already knew everything. I still can't believe that a love story just like yours, still exists. Ungaluku breakup aana two months la, un roommate Shruthi en kitta ellathayum sollita. But I didn't know that it was Ashwin. Later when I came to know every single thing, I was just dumbstruck. It's been 2 years. En kitta oru vaati kooda idha ellam solanum nu unaku thonala la. Aana, Ashwin en kitta edhayume marekkala. He said me everything. Last 1 year a, there's not even a single day he didn't think about you. Every night unna pathi kepan. Even today, avan wandhadhu..."
"Anni." Ashwin tried to stop her, but failed.
"Please Ashwin, let me talk. Sivangi ku onnu fixed aairuchu nna adhula irndhu veliya wara maata. But idhu unga rendu perodayum life. Avlo easy a vida mudiyadhu. Shivu, avan inniki inga wandhadhu unakkaha dhan. Unakkaha mattum dhan. Ellathayum vittutu unakkaha wandhu irkan. If you let him go, you will regret for it later. Na appa kitta ellame pesiten. Please da. Don't do the same mistake he did 2 years back." Nithya completed holding Sivangi's hands. Some drops of tear touched Nithya's hands, and she was happy that finally she understood him. Ashwin received a call from his brother, and Nithya left the place, asking them to join the photography session, that was about to take place.
Sivangi felt bad for splitting such harsh words at him. She turned to Ashwin's side, only to see him with a tear stained face. All of a sudden, she hugged him tighter making him go weak on his knees. He hugged her back even more tighter, and they stayed in the same position until their tears could dry. Sivangi broke the hug and looked into his brown eyes.
"Sorry." She muttered, for which Ashwin tilt his head negatively.
"Will you be mine Mr?" She questioned, and he nodded positively, chuckling. It was a beautiful night for them indeed. The night which connected their souls again, healing all the heartbreaks. Just after finishing taking candids of their moments, they decided to join their family photography too. They walked down the steps, just with a face full of sunshine.
Later, she tried her best to hide her love for him in front of her family. But someone took his name and her blush revealed everything. Her blush
was got caught clearly by a pair of brown eyes.
THE END
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Met with an accident a week back. Almost I'm okay now. Do include me in your prayers.
The ongoing story might be in halt for some weeks or months. Take care. Love y'all.