Tiara's Pov
Seated around the breakfast table, the atmosphere was buzzing with familial warmth when aunty dropped the bombshell about Dhruv's upcoming marriage. Dhruv was Shruti and Akshit's cousin brother which I got to know from Shruti. In response, Shruti, being her curious and enthusiastic and unaware, began firing off a series of questions, updating the rest of the family about the news.
Sensing about the celebration about to happen , I turned to aunty and gently expressed my intention to head back home. However, aunty, with a nurturing smile, immediately countered my suggestion, saying, "No, beta, why would you leave? You're family to us, and I've already shared the news of your presence with everyone. They're looking forward to meet you."
Politely, I maintained, "Aunty, I appreciate the invitation, but attending a family function unexpectedly feels a bit out of place for me." Not giving up, aunty persisted, "No, you must attend the wedding. I've already informed everyone, and it'll seem as if I've excluded you if you decide not to join us."
Attempting to explain my reluctance, I gently stated, "Aunty, I truly appreciate your kindness, but I don't think it would be appropriate. There are several reasons, and I believe it's best if I refrain from attending."
Despite my efforts to convey my viewpoint, aunty remained steadfast in her decision with others and especially Shruti's support but obviously except Akshit. She responded, "Beta, your presence will add so much to the joyous occasion." Caught between my own concerns and aunty's persistency, I reluctantly agreed, "Alright, aunty, if you insist, I'll attend the wedding."
After heading upstairs to my room to continue with my work, Shruti unexpectedly entered, playfully commenting, "Work, work, work! Why are you always working?" Her statement lingering in the room, and before I could respond, she instantly declared, "Okay, we need to go shopping."
A bit surprised, I questioned, "Today only?" Shruti, with a sense of urgency, insisted, "Yeah, yaar we just have two weeks left, and there's so much shopping to do." Teasingly, I added, "Yeah, yeah, I know how much shopping you'll do. You just want to eat outside, you foodie!"
Shruti, undeterred, playfully responded, "So? Don't you want to go or what?" In a casual tone, I replied, "Nah, I don't want to go and I have enough outfits for such occasions in my wardrobe I think." Shruti, with excitement flowing in her voice, insisted, "Okay, we'll even go to that bookstore you like. Will you go now?" Feeling a bit reluctant, I uttered, "Uhhh, yeah, I suppose I can go now. Are you happy?" Shruti, with shear enthusiasm, exclaimed, "Yesss! So, we're going in the evening, okay?" I nodded in agreement, saying, "Okay, okay".
Akshit's Pov
In the silence of my room, Aarav and I were deeply engrossed in dissecting the intricacies of our ongoing case. In the middle of our professional discussions, a sudden realization struck me, I was genuinely surprised when maa insisted that Tiara should stay for the wedding. It meant she would also be attending the event. In that moment of contemplation, maa unexpectedly entered the room, and I couldn't help but express my surprise, "Maa, aap (you)?"
Her attention shifted to Aarav, and she inquired, "Beta, did you receive the invitation?" Aarav, looking confused, asked, "Aunty, what invitation?" Maa clarified saying, "The invitation for Dhruv's wedding. I conveyed to Dhruv that I would provide you with the invitation, but he was insisting on personally delivering it to you." Aarav, now with a spark of realization, responded, "Ohhh, yes, yes, aunty, I have indeed received the invitation." A nod from my mother acknowledged his response, and she exited the room.
Turning to Aarav, curiosity in my eyes, I asked, "You will attend right?" Aarav replied, "Yes, I think so." Realizing the longtime close associate between Dhruv and Aarav, it seemed natural that Dhruv invited him. They were friends through me but due to busy working days we all couldn't keep up with the casual meetings and only met occassionally sometimes.
A sigh of relief escaped from me as I expressed to aarav saying, "Thank God, you're coming to the wedding." Aarav, being his usual self, humorously remarked, "Since when did you start finding peace in my presence?" Responding in kind I countered, "Okay, don't indulge in nonsense now."
In response to his inquiry, I revealed, "She'll be attending the wedding." Aarav, slightly puzzled, immediately asked , "Who's she?" With a teasing smile, I responded, "Uhh, madam tantrums," prompting him to guess, "Ohhh, Tiara?" Catching on, he teased, "So, this is why you were so eager for my presence, huh? Now I get it. Ofcourse you don't care about me asshole." His teasing continued for a while, gradually testing my patience and leaving me somewhat annoyed.
Tiara's Pov
After we got ready for our shopping spree, Shruti and I descended the stairs. She confidently approached aunty and announced, "Maa, we're going for shopping." Aunty, seemingly surprised, questioned, "Now? Today only? You still have two weeks left, nah?" Shruti, determined, replied, "No, Maa, we want to go today only," including me in her impromptu plan. Oh, this girl and her schemes. She skillfully convinced aunty, who eventually gave in, saying, "Okay, okay, go, both of you."
Aunty then inquired about the required money, but Shruti assured, "No, maa, not needed. I already asked baba for money, and he sent it to me." Aunty, turning her gaze towards me, asked, "Tiara beta, don't you want some money?" I replied, "No, aunty, I don't want to buy anything." Aunty insisted, "Why you won't buy anything? The wedding is coming." I responded, "Really, aunty, I don't need anything. Whatever I have in the wardrobe is enough."
Aunty, firm in her decision, declared, "You have to buy something for the wedding. It looks bad to not buy something in a wedding house." and wanted to give me some money. Politely, I declined, "Aunty, not needed. I have some and if needed i will take from Shruti, no problem."
As we prepared to leave, Aarav and Akshit joined us in the hall. Aarav's gaze briefly met mine, but then he shifted his attention to Shruti, looking at her for quite some time. Meanwhile, Akshit's eyes locked with mine, and it quite stayed like that for a long time. The staring session was abruptly interrupted when aunty came out and inquired, "Akshu beta, where are you going?" Akshit responded, "Maa, we both going out to buy some things." Aunty suggested, "Since you both are going now, and Tiara and Shruti are also going, take them together with both of you."
Simultaneously, Akshit and I disagreed, saying, "No". We both looked at each other with irritation, but Aunty persisted, "Since you all are going, go together and take the car or any of your car." Shruti chimed in, "Yes, brother, take us with both of you."
In my mind, I couldn't fathom the idea of going with Akshit, and the exchange of disapproving glances between us echoed a bit of tension. Yet, aunty's insistence left us with no choice but to comply.
As we were settling in the car, Shruti quickly made up her mind and said, "I'll sit in the front, please,". However, before a blink, Akshit firmly refused her request with a quick "No." Consequently, we found ourselves to the backseat, while Akshit and Aarav claimed the front seats.
As we navigated our way towards the shopping destination, Shruti seized the opportunity to interrogate Akshit, "Hey, what will you buy for me, bhaiiiiiiiiii?" Unfortunately, Akshit, playing the role of a buzzkill, promptly retorted, "I'm not buying anything for you," initiating a typical brother-sister banter throughout the journey.
Upon reaching the shopping mall, Shruti dove into the sea of choices, her eyes shining with excitement at each attractive item. Meanwhile, I found myself in a more contemplative state, scanning the displays, yet nothing seemed to captivate my attention. As Shruti effortlessly picked items that caught her eye, my shopping adventure remained a quest, a search for that something that resonated with me.
We were navigating through different sections, when a beautiful saree caught my attention. The works done into this made this an absolute art. It was a simple yet ethnic piece. After staring at it for a long time, I caught Akshit staring at me. Meeting his eyes, he raised an eyebrow. In return I rolled my eyes at him and went into the trial room to try a piece of suit Shruti demanded me to try.
After our shopping spree, which was quite a failure because we couldn't decide what to buy, even for the boys, Shruti decided to have some ice cream, to which I agree. So, we both decided to treat ourselves to an ice cream session. Shruti presented the idea to Akshit, who, in his usual 'i-don't-eat-junk-food' demeanor, refused, saying, "Not now, Shruti." Determined, Shruti persisted, "Why, bhai? I want to eat ice cream now & Now means now, and both of you have to come and eat with us."
To my suprise aarav agreed with us. Finally, Akshit gave up and muttered, "Okay, okay, fine. You all go, I'll be there in a few minutes with our car. I had parked the car a bit away."
At the ice cream stall, the shopkeeper asked about our preferred flavors. Shruti, I and aarav shared ours, and when it came to Akshit's turn, and the vendor asked for akshit's flavor, I couldn't resist a teasing remark. I scoffed and said, "Something bitter, as he has a bitter taste in his mouth all the time."
Suddenly, out of nowhere, Akshit appeared behind me, whispering in my ear, "You had a taste of it?" His unexpected questioning statement and closeness caught me off guard, and our eyes locked with an intense gaze. His eyes were dark and it felt like it was growing dark every second of this interaction. I catch my breath without realising when I stopped breathing.
Shruti, oblivious to the tension, interrupted, "Bhai, did you say something?" Akshit glanced at me and replied, "Nothing." He then looked at my ice cream then ordered himself a butterscotch flavoured ice cream, same flavour as mine.
I rolled my eyes at him, diverting my attention to indulge in my ice cream. Eventually, we made our way back home, concluding a day filled with almost no shopping, ice cream, and unexpected moments with Akshit, which we both hated I am sure.
Akshit's Pov
Returning home after all the chaos, a yearning for peace echoed in my mind. The chaos of the day had taken its toll, and my tired limbs led me straight to my room. The prospect of a shower felt like a refuge, a safe place to wash off the remains of the day.
As the water cascaded down, an unwelcome guest entered my thoughts-Tiaras' bitter comment. Her words and actions seemed to linger, taking up space in my head. Despite the fatigue that weighed on my shoulders, I couldn't escape the twist of her words. Seeking peace, I found solace in the comforting rhythm of the shower. The warmth of the water provided a momentary escape, creating a barrier between the events of the day and the solitude within.
As the water washed away the remains of the day, I surrendered to the coziness of my bed. I was supposed to be at dinner after an hour but that didn't stop me from taking a nap. I was tired but more then that thoughts of Tiara bothered me enough to push myself into this nap.
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𝗛𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼 𝗱𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿 💗
𝗟𝗲𝘁 𝘂𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗱𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁❗❗
𝗪𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗽𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗹𝗶𝗸𝗲 𝗶𝘁. 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗮𝘀 𝘄𝗲 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗴𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱𝘀. 𝗣𝗹𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁.
𝗪𝗲 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲 𝘂𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗽𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝗼𝗼𝗻 𝘀𝗼 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘂𝘀 𝗯𝘆 𝗮𝗱𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗹𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘂𝘀.
𝗔𝗹𝘀𝗼 𝗱𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺 @pihuwrites17 𝗯𝘆 𝗰𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗸 𝗶𝗻 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗯𝗶𝗼 -- 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗿𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲𝘀 !!!!!
𝑇𝑎𝑘𝑒𝑠𝑜𝑚𝑒𝑙𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑚𝑢𝑎ℎ❤