Where even am I going?
Reyansh has created an universe for me.
Yes. A universe.
Where he has caged me, wrapped me against his emotions, his feelings, which were all his.
But slowly his turned into mine. The same which he fells for me, I am starting to feel for him.
Now we both are in the universe, with each other's tangling lullaby, our heart pacing, racing and fluttering.
I tie the knot of the lehenga, securing it against my waist. Draping the long see through net veil across my body. The ethical dress chosen for me is pretty, matching my body curves, complementing my skin tone. The only problem is the swollen skin standing out at my back, from the blouse.
"Leave your hair open."
I turn over my shoulder, snatching a glance of him. Dressed in deep forest green kurta, with few buttons of the top left open, giving a perfect capture of his tan chiseled chest. He steps towards me, decreasing the gap between us. My heart paces.
He snakes his arm, behind my back taking out the hair pin, which secured my hairs in its grip. Like a river my hair cascades on my back, with his fingers trailing, gliding through the strands.
His dark onyx eyes secure me in an embracing warmth. He raised his hands, trailing the tip of his fingers against my naked skin of my neck, leaving a burning feel. He tucks at the hem of my blouse, pulling it up, momentarily squeezing the swell of my breast. An uncontrollable gasp leaves my mouth.
"Why is this blouse so deep?" he grunts, covering my cleavage.
Look who is talking.
I swat his hand away, tucking at the dupatta and covering my chest. My bangles clicking with each other. When he sees my covered chest then only a satisfied hums escapes his lips.
"Now this looks better." He circles his arm against my waist, pulling me to his chest.
"Conservative mind." I taunt him.
"Only for my lady." He replies with a smug face.
I roll my eyes. Raising my hands, I bring my hand on his chest buttoning up his kurta, uptill his collar bone, leaving not even a single peak of his skin for bare eyes.
He senses my motive, shooting back, "Conservative eyes."
"Only for her man." I shot back. He looks stunned but when he catches my playful eyes, he shakes his head. For a moment we stand against each other embrace, soaking in elixir warmth of compassion.
"You're okay to attend the function." Worry laces in his tone.
"Yes, I am." I assure him. Except of my back my feet are in good walking condition. As I try to assure myself of.
Together we exist the room, joining others in the hall. After helping at Shekhawat, everyone where back to get freshen up and change. As we ascend down, the view unfolding in the hall, stretches my lips in a smile.
Vedansh, Papa, Chote Papa, each carried a gajra in their hands, pining it on the hairs of their lady love.
Vedant on the other hands helps Vedika with clicking her pictures. Although they fight each other a lot but also holds a soft corner for each other. Even though Vedika is Reyansh's sister, but I've never seen them interact much. Vedika always act timid infront of him, so does she with Vedansh. But if I look closely, and observe his behavior, Reyansh acts coldly almost with everyone, even doesn't spare the little kid. Treating every one as if they're the reason his hold world was crashed down.
I walk towards the basket which has Gajras in them. I peek inside excitedly but found none.
"Maa, are they finished?" I point my fingers at the flower string.
"No. There like three more bunch." Her eyes furrows, as she also peeks a little.
"Varun." I snap my head at the scowling Kritika who fumes with irritation. Then jumping it on the little boy who wraps itself with the jasmine flower, clutching against the strings and messing with the frail flowers.
"Both the father and son never fail a minute to get on my nerves." She hisses, freeing Varun from the knots of thread of jasmine flower. Vedansh gasp at the open call at him, muttering some incoherent words against his breath.
My shoulder slumps seeing the spoiled bunch of flowers.
"Kiraz I am so sorry. You take mine-"
I cut her, assuring her,"Its okay. He is a child."
"Lets go everyone, we're getting late." Dadu ushers us outside.
Reyansh clasps against my waist helping me settle in the car.
"Kiraz, you remember what I told you?" Reyansh bats me a side eyes with firmness in his tone.
"I know." I mumble.
"Good." He gets back scrolling in his phone, whilst playing with my finger.
This time, I'll surely try to remember the rules set for me. As every time I go against it, troubles happen to fall on me. But not this time. I will be cautioned.
"Stop the car at any flower stall." My head snaps towards Reyansh. He catches my eyes, but gets back in his initial work.
At this state, this man is so mystifying, sometimes becoming an epitome of complexity. Like I know him but at the same time I don't. He pulls me like a magnetic force when he praises me with his words, but pushes me far when he appears indifferent to me sometimes. Like he has been doing now, he didn't pass a complement to me, nor did he comfort me when there was no gajra left for me. But here he is, stopping the car and personally selecting the fresh jasmine flowers, just for me.
"Kiraz, this one or this."
"That." I point at the slight orange one.
He gets in the car, turning my back to him, he pins the gajra in the middle of my head. He snuggles his nose, taking a deep inhale of the fragrance.
"You are turning me to a druggist." He rasps.
I smile hiding it with the help of my teeth.
We enter the venue together, the alluring decoration hitting us. The factory was decorated with flowers and lights.
After sometimes Reyansh excuses me, leaving me in the company of the ladies.
"Vedika where is your fiancé?" I whisper to Vedika.
She roams her eyes, among the crowd of people, searching him.
"There, the man dressed in ivory kurta is Advik Shekhawat." I nod when a six feet tall man, with sharp jaw and eyes falls in the vicinity of my vision.
"How did you meet him?"
"You see I's basically betrothed to him from my childhood. Shekhawat and Rathore's had been good friend, so to strengthen their year long friendship, they decided to trade me off, making me the barrier." She speaks, and from the way her tone sounds it only meant, one thing. She despises it.
My heart sank with my stomach twisting. I turn to face her, her pink lehenga making her stand out, with the radiating youth, adding as a final touch to her beauty.
"You are not happy with this arrangement." I ask discreetly. Vedika lifts her head, passing me a quick glance then settling it on nothing particular to be exact.
"Every girl wishes to have the freedom of choosing her groom, but this didn't happen with me. Since the age I turned eight, the constant tag that I belonged to someone didn't help me in feeling anything less than a product. I'd to do something keeping in the view that my respect is labeled to a man." Her eyes settled on me, and something flickers in them.
"Does he treat you good?" Before I could help, the words come out.
"Who my brother or my future husband?" She mocks. "Yes, Advik does treats me good. But just good. Not the special good which must feel from her love. People like Advik are probably the red flag guys. Who hides themselves so well, behind their beautiful appearance. You sometimes will feel like the luckiest person to have them in your life, but that just is your illusion. Just an illusion." She chuckles shaking her head.
"Should I talk to your brother?" I advise her, watching the sadness embroiling in her eyes.
"How can you talk to someone who probably is the reason of all of this?" Something in her tone, evokes the same bitterness which I saw in Shivam, the same hatred eyes directed at me, which still haunts me at night.
I inhale, to swallow the deep jab, her every fiber screamed of.
I want to forward my hand, pat on her shoulder, assuring her I'm there. But how?
How I'm there when I don't even know the exact problem. It's just the familiarity of the situation where I also didn't got the chance to select my groom or the hostility between Reyansh and Her, matched somewhat with mine.
"Kiraz." A call comes for me. I force my eyes from Vedika, turning to the husky voice which my body has got familiar with.
Feels like even if I gets mindless, my body will never fail to recognise the way my name rolls out of his lips.
Vedika blinks her eyes, assuring me to go, but the distinct forlorn never left her eyes.
I walk where Reyansh stood among the people, engulfed with richness yet ultimately becoming the center of attention.
I stand beside him, the smell of Gajra lingering with me, and he immediately puts his arm against my waist, pulling me closer.
Now, I feel belonged.
"She is my wife, Kiraz Reyansh Rathore." He introduces me.
My eyes frantically jumps from the three man stood before us to Reyansh. He looks down at me, catching my eyes, transferring the sweet silence which spoke millions of words, concern and comfort highlighting themselves as a lullaby.
As if we don't need any words,just utter bliss of silence with our gaze.
"Bhai."
Our gaze breaks. I gulp parching my dry throught. Turning my head, the same young man with masculine voice, breaks in.
He hugs Reyansh, and like a long lost brother they pats each others back.
"It has been a long time since we meet." One of them speaks.
"Kiraz meet Advik Shekhawat, Vedika's fiance. And she is my wife."
"Hello." I mutter.
"Hey." He replies.
If looked carefully, Advik is not less than a handsome man with youthness blinking in his sharp facial countenance.
"You married and didn't cared to invite your brother." Advik complains.
"It happened so fastly-"
Advik cuts me of, interrupting,"Yeah! I know what was the reason of your fastness." He rolls his eyes.
I shift on my toe, feeling uncomfortable the way the things of our initial marriage reason is thrown out openly. However, time is spent, I can never forget the first reason why we are together.
"Shut up." Reyansh nudges him with his elbow on his stomach.
Advik breaks out an arrogant smirk.
"Reyansh I'll be with others." I say him, not meeting his eyes dashing away without wating for his reply.
The air suddenly becomes suffocating, what was the need of talking about something, an incident which just changed my life.
About which I don't even know how to feel. About the direction I should go, and let my heart settle away from the chaos.
And heck I can even relate to Vedika.
My steps were fast, furious and by the time I collide into a hard chest, I know I's walking without my eyes set in front.
"Easy there women." Two arms hold my forearm holding me in my place.
I lift my head, matching the light brown orbs, caged in almond shaped eyes.
Just the way Reyansh's has been.
I take a step back, making the man retreat his hand back.
"Sorry." I mumble a quick apology exchange myself from me.
"What did your man do, to make your nose red with anger." The unknown man laughs, joking as if we are some acquaintance.
I try moving past him, but my step halts, making my eyes turn sharp making me pin the ill-mannered man with a fierce gaze.
"Sorry?" I add.
He agains laughs, letting a cruel smirk settle on his lip.
"Reyansh must have hurted you a lot, justifying your angry reaching its peak. But I can't put it aside him, can I?" He jest.
I scowl, not understanding the way he is addressing me and Reyansh.
"And who are you?" I remark, folding my hands in front of my chest.
"A devil but better than your husband."
"How dare you talk about him like that?" I grit under my teeth.
"The way he dares to breath everyday."
I ball my fist.
"Hello lady." Another voice pokes his head from nowhere.
I recognise him, from the reception party.
"Do this pretty lady recognises me?" He initiates, a playful grin playing on his features.
"No." I deadpan.
He keeps a hand on his heart, dramatically whispering few hurt words.
"Ouch, Bhai she doesn't remembers this handsome face." He touches his face, feigning a hurt look.
"Well, the first person who told you how your husband is practically a stranger to you. A danger to you and probably a threat. Who advised you. The Arav Malhotra." He gushes.
"I still don't remember you." I say borely.
"You do." Arav smirks, peering his eyes at me.
"What's with you both? I know my husband and I don't need any second opinion about him. So keep your comments to yourself. And get a life instead on poking your nose in others life."
"Devor."
I blink, a beffuddling line lacing on my eyebrows.
"What?" I call out again.
"Nothing. We were just messing with you." The stranger replies, hitting Arav at the back of his head.
I twist my lips at the creepy mans.
Did I just got bullied in the middle of nowhere?
Throwing both the guys a last look, I walk past them.
"Rishabh Malhotra."
I don't turn back, as I got no reason to do so and begin walking.
"Remember this name, it'll soon haunt your future. And be aware, be caution."
I stop.
••~~••
Soon you will realise this book is not only a romance book.
Hardly ten or fifteen chapters are left. Do you want me add more scenes and drag it. And whose pov you like the most.
Hope you like it? Do vote and comment and give me your feedbacks. It makes my day.
Follow me on my insta page, artof_ellasbook.
Published: 27 August, 2023.