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Parth's POV
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She gracefully answered a call, slipping into a formal demeanour – a work call, it seemed. The air shifted when she concluded the conversation, and then apologised to me with urgency in her eyes. "I need to have an urgent video call meeting with my senior. We have to cancel the plan. I am sorry," she confessed, and I nodded understandingly.
"No worries. Work comes first. Let's head back," I reassured her.
As we retreated to the hotel, she disappeared into her room, and I contemplated diving into some pending tasks myself, and the day unfolded.
As dusk settled, the evening breeze carried whispers of excitement as the hotel grounds buzzed with the melody of a gathering. I observed the lively scene, the distant melody of a soulful tune filling the air.
Curiosity led me downstairs, only to find everyone present, except for the only person I wanted to see, Sharvi.
My gaze searched for her in the sea of faces, but I couldn't find her.
I thought she might still be busy with work or somewhere around, so I engaged myself in a conversation with Keerti and Arjun.
We were laughing and talking when somebody asked Keerti about Sharvi.
"Sharvi has gone out with Karthik," Keerti disclosed casually.
My laughter paused.
Karthik?
The realisation hit me with a bewildering force.
Out of all the people, she had gone out with him! That guy? For real? Why?
A concoction of emotions stirred within me - confusion, disbelief, and a twinge of unease.
Karthik's actions were blameless; he had done no wrong. Yet, an unexplainable aversion for him nestles within me, defying logic.
Sharvi's decision to go out with him wasn't a big issue, but it kindled a peculiar discomfort in my heart.
Each interaction between them bore an unsettling twist within me—a sentiment I grappled to articulate, a silent storm swirling beneath the surface of our intertwined lives.
His presence around her, his smiles to her, his lingering glances on her – each detail irritates me profoundly.
It is as if he is trying to snatch something irreplaceable precious in my world.
A subtle battle wage within me, a clash between reason and emotion.
After around fifteen minutes, they strolled in, wrapped in laughter and conversation, reigniting that familiar irritation within me.
Just as the discomfort settled, Keerti intervened, calling us for dance practice.
As we gathered, Sharvi, seemingly unperturbed, joined me with a casual greeting. "Hi," she said.
Returning the greeting without revealing the turmoil within, I couldn't resist asking, "Where were you?"
"Bored after work, I decided to go for a walk. Karthik saw me going and joined in – he had some work outside," she explained patiently.
So, she didn't go with him; he went with her.
Thinking about something, I inquired, "Did you try the local food you wanted to?"
"No, Karthik and I were about to, but Keerti called us back," she replied, a hint of disappointment in her voice.
That means, if it would not have been for Keerti's call, she would have explored the local food with that guy. Just the thought of that tightened my chest.
The unexpected twist in plans brought an odd sense of peace.
Surprisingly, I found happiness in Keerti's timely call, realising it had inadvertently spared me from a scenario that would have left me grappling with emotions beyond my control.
In that moment, though it seemed outrightly foolish, an overwhelming desire surged within me—to say thanks to Keerti in every language known to mankind for that timely call.
The desire to be her companion, especially in exploring new culinary delights, lingered. I longed to share those moments, to listen to her rants about dishes – the ones that fell short of her expectations and the ones that pleasantly surprised her. The yearning to be the person offering companionship in those simple yet meaningful experiences lingered within me, just like old times.
In our three years in Delhi, I had been the constant partner on her food adventures, in exploring cafes and restaurants, indulging in her whims of trying different foods. It was an unspoken tradition – she would always take me along. There was never a second option.
Yet, today was different. The realisation stung; she had no qualms about choosing someone else. Why?
That's when, my conscience echoed the bitter truth, "Certainly because you weren't with her for the last 10 years."
A poignant reminder of the changing dynamics and the lingering ache of missed moments!
Regret echoed in the chambers of my thoughts as I wished for a different outcome on that day ten years ago. If only I hadn't run off, if circumstances had unfolded in a way more aligned with my desires. The weight of what-ifs hung in the air, a poignant reminder of the irreversible choices made.
Under the choreographer's guidance, we practised the familiar steps from yesterday.
Today wasn't awkward like yesterday, rather, today was about enjoyment and delight.
As we wrapped up the practice, an unexpected wave of longing hit me. I missed her proximity, cherishing the moments when we danced together. The desire for time to stand still, to hold her in my arms forever, slipped through my thoughts.
"Forever?" I questioned my own fleeting wish, realising the depth of emotions that had surfaced in that fleeting moment.
What was I asking for?
I turned to face her, and in that moment, she delicately touched up my face just below my eyes, retrieving a fallen eyelash.
She then said, "Make a fist," and I complied.
Placing the fallen eyelash on the back of my hand, she uttered, "Make a wish!"
"What?" I chuckled. "Such a child you are! It's just a fallen eyelash. Do they even hold any significance?”
She shrugged and replied, "Who knows? But there's nothing wrong in believing something until it doesn't harm anyone. There are thousands of things we believe in, unsure of their truth, yet we embrace them. It's always about belief."
"How should I?" I inquired. I didn't share her conviction in such things, but I hesitated to disappoint her regarding something she held dear.
She simply asked me to close my eyes and make a wish.
As my eyes shut, the first thought that emerged startled me.
A vivid image unfolded.
Her and I, together, certainly not as mere friends.
Was this what I wanted to wish for at that moment?
Her.
Abruptly, I opened my eyes, left in a state of perplexity, questioning the unexpected revelation within my own desires.
What was happening?
I saw her looking at me, and she asked, "You done?"
Still in my state of confusion, I simply nodded.
She instructed, "Then, blow it away."
I complied, yet the confusion lingered like a stubborn shadow.
At that moment, my phone rang, a timely distraction I embraced with gratitude. Without meeting her gaze, overwhelmed by an unexpected guilt, I hastily ran away.
Later that night, unable to sleep, I rushed to the terrace. There, I spotted Arjun and Keerti wrapped in each other’s arms, engaged in conversation.
Not wanting to disturb them, I contemplated walking to the other side. However, before I could, they had already noticed me and called out.
I joined them and took a seat.
Observing their happiness and contentment with each other, I smiled. They truly loved each other, and I felt glad that they had the opportunity to spend their lives together.
"Why are you smiling, Mr. Sharawat?" Keerti asked.
I responded, "I have such a good smile, unlike you. So, I am smiling."
She made a face and said, "Can't you talk without teasing me?"
I sighed and replied, "Fine, I am just happy for you guys. Both of you have brought so much love and peace into each other's lives. It's just so nice."
Arjun smiled while Keerti said, "Then, when are you bringing?”
"What?" I asked, confused.
She said, "Love and peace in your life, Parth."
Arjun chimed in, "Exactly! Do you really plan to remain single forever, bro? I mean, I've known you for so many years, but I've never heard you interested in any girl. If I didn't know better, I would have thought you don't like girls."
I exclaimed, horrified, "What?"
Keerti laughed out loud.
"And I think you've become an idiot after staying with an idiot like her," I chided him.
Offended, Keerti threw a pillow at me and said, "You are an idiot."
We continued talking and giggling when I felt thirsty. I poured myself a glass of water from the jug placed on the table between us.
While drinking the water, I heard Keerti say, "Anyways, seriously speaking, after our marriage, I am really looking forward to your and Sharvi's marriage."
I choked hard on the water I was drinking, caught off guard.
My eyes turned red as I coughed hard. Arjun came over, rubbing my back, and Keerti offered me tissues.
After a minute, when I was okay, Arjun said, "How did you choke, man?"
"Exactly. I didn't say something very shocking. All I said was, I am looking forward to your marriage with someone and Sharvi's marriage with someone else. Did I say anything wrong, Parth?" Keerti chimed in slyly, with a mischievous glint in her eye.
I shook my head in disbelief.
Goodness, this was what she meant!
Then, why did I imagine something else?
She then spoke, “By the way, Arjun, you know, I was really thinking of matchmaking Sharvi with Karthik. And, looking at Karthik, he really seems interested in Sharvi. They would make a nice pair, would look cute together, wouldn't they?”
Nice pair! That guy and Sharvi?
Whatever!
I wasn't wrong when I used to address this Keerti as an idiot. She really is an idiot.
With which eyes did she see that guy and Sharvi looking cute together? She really needs an eye checkup.
They will make a nice pair!
Hasn't she looked properly?
Sharvi is so pretty, like a flower. And that guy looks like an ass, worse than the bark of a tree.
I was lost in these thoughts when I saw Keerti beside me. Arjun had gone to attend a call.
Her irritating voice again fell into my ears, “What do you think, Parth? Won't Sharvi and Karthik look cute together?”
Again? Why the hell is she saying the same irritating thing again and again?
All the gratitude I had felt for her a few moments ago, for making that call, dissipated, and I suddenly wanted to seal her lips with the strongest glue, so that she couldn't open her mouth to say such things.
Cute together! Like hell that guy would look good with Sharvi.
She said, “No, then do you have any friends or anyone you know who might be interested in her? You need to help me find a guy for her.”
Interested in her? Find a guy for her?
Never in this birth, nor the next.
And why the hell was she trying to find someone for her? When did she start a matchmaking business?
I looked at Keerti and saw her smiling innocently, but I have known this girl since childhood. She, for sure, is cooking something. She is saying something else and thinking something else.
“No, I don't know,” I said.
She nodded and said, “Okay. By the way, are you, by any chance, jealous of Karthik?”
Jealous of that guy! Why would I be?
"Does something twitch in your gut every time you see him with Sharvi? Do you get irritated when you find him talking and smiling with her? Does the thought of her being with him or anyone else burn your heart?", she whispered.
Her questions echoed the unspoken turmoil within, leaving me to face the uncomfortable truth that resonated in her words.
Her faint whisper echoed with uncanny insight, addressing the subtle turmoil within me. The questions cut deep – the twitches, the irritation, the burning thoughts. How did she know?
"Parth, accept and fight for what your heart is wishing for," she urged, giving a gentle pat on my shoulder. With that, she left.
Sitting on that terrace alone, the lingering questions swirled in my mind.
Was Keerti right?
Was I really jealous of that guy?
But why?
A sudden rush of memories from our college days flooded my mind.
She and I were in different colleges, and there was a guy in her college who was particularly close to her. Despite knowing he was just a friend and that I was closer to her than he was, an unsettling feeling of jealousy took root in me.
I couldn't shake off the unease that settled in my chest whenever I thought about her friendship with that guy. Rationality clashed with irrationality as the green-eyed monster of jealousy persisted. Each exchanged smile between them became a canvas for my insecurities, and the irrational fear of him replacing me gnawed at my peace.
But, the jealousy from those days seemed understandable, given my feelings for her back then.
Yet the perplexing question lingered – why now?
Was the jealousy towards Karthik a sign of lingering emotions?
Was I again harboring feelings for her? Were my emotions resurfacing? Or they already had?
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Third Person's POV
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The following morning, under the canopy of the hotel's back garden, the atmosphere buzzed with excitement as everyone gathered for Arjun's and Keerti's mehendi ceremony after a quick breakfast.
Parth made his entrance, donned in an off-white kurta and matching pants – one of the kurtas Sharvi had picked out, when they had gone shopping the day before.
Sharvi's compliment greeted Parth as he entered, "You look nice. The kurta suits you."
Parth responded to her compliment with his heartiest smile.
"You look beautiful too," he acknowledged, taking in the sight of her in a sleeveless lime green kurta set, adorned with earrings and a bangle. Her hair, tied in a messy ponytail, added a touch of casual elegance to her overall charm.
Just then, a deliberate clearing of the throat captured their attention, and they turned to find Keerti in their midst.
With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she playfully remarked, "She says, 'You look nice.' He says, 'You look beautiful,'" her fingers gracefully pointing at Parth and Sharvi in turn.
"Now, both of you," she continued with a smile, "tell me, how do I look?"
“Prettiest,” Sharvi remarked, giving her friend a short hug.
As the banter continued, Karthik joined the group.
Keerti, casting a playful glance around her, remarked, "Karthik, I was just saying how beautiful Sharvi is looking. Don't you agree?"
"Of course, Sharvi, you are looking very pretty, too beautiful," Karthik chimed in, seizing the opportunity with a compliment and a lingering stare.
Upon hearing it, Parth involuntarily gritted his teeth. His eyes met Keerti's, who grinned slyly, mischief twinkling in her eyes, clearly enjoying the effect her playful banter had caused.
Later, amidst the beautiful decorations, Keerti occupied the center, seated on a large sofa, engrossed in getting her mehendi done. Meanwhile, Sharvi sat a little far from her on a small single sofa, also immersed in the intricate designs taking shape on her hands.
In a mischievous act of revenge and with the aim of teasing, Parth approached Keerti, who was getting mehendi on her left hand, and playfully began applying mehendi here and there on her right arm.
Irritated by his antics, Keerti asked the mehendi artists to wait, and stood up with a mehendi cone in hand, ready to give it back to Parth.
Seeing that, Parth too stood up. However, just as he turned to make a hasty escape, he collided with someone.
To his surprise, it was Sharvi.
The collision was substantial, with Sharvi's mehendi-clad hand inadvertently coming to rest on Parth's chest.
As Sharvi removed her hand from the collision, they noticed that Sharvi's mehendi had come onto Parth's kurta.
With a playful smile and a smirk, Keerti remarked, "Parth, your heart has the letter S on it."
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Their outfits
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"𝐈 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐝𝐧'𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐣𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐬, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧'𝐭 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐞."
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Hello people!
Here comes the update!
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See you in the next chapter.