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Riya's Pov
The last ten minutes made me experience a plethora of emotions. From flustered to nervous, jittery to unnerved, I had felt it all.
My confident stance with which I announced my consent wavered as soon as I exited the room.
How could I maintain my composure when there was this man who had his restless gaze settled upon me?
However, my heart soon flared with incomprehensive contentment the moment I witnessed a beautiful dimpled smile emerge on his face hearing Paa announce our decision.
My Yes.
************
The discussion about the country's politics loomed in the living room while the aroma of crushed cardamom and ginger wafted in the kitchen. I fetched the snack-plated from the cabinet and was arranging it on the countertop when Isha, Aditya's sister made her way inside, rounding her arms around my shoulder.
My neck craned in reflex, a smile bursting through my lips at her vivacious aura.
As I did the mundane task, she watched me keenly. I peered at her with a tender smile and she vociferated in a heartfelt whisper, "We are so happy to have you Bhabhi." Her spirited words unfurled a sense of euphoria in my soul. The thought of experiencing the love and admiration of a new family germinated a profound intention to dedicatedly fulfill my responsibilities towards them.
"I am happy too." I whispered with a soft smile, struggling to voice anything ahead. I was a sucker in maintaining conversations and the thought itself had begun to gnaw my insides.
"You know Bhabhi," She spoke after a few seconds, helping me with the arrangements, "Adi Bhai and Kunal Bhai leave no stone unturned to tease me or pull my leg." She scowled at the thought. I reciprocated with a scrunch of my nose, empathizing with her, "But with you by my side, at least Adi Bhai will keep his mouth shut." She giggled heartily causing a tint of redness to spread through the apple of my cheeks.
"What are you studying?" I quizzed, the back of my overthinking brain propelling me to keep up with the conversation.
I was well aware of my insecurities and weaknesses, but she wasn't. This relationship was new for her to understand my overwhelmedness during social interactions.
"Fashion Designing." Her eyes glinted at the mention, "You have to accompany me for my shopping endeavors, okay? Because I can only rely on you at home now for genuine opinions regarding the materials and designs. All others have nothing to comment except beautiful." She dramatized, puffing out air from her mouth. Bhabhi and I chuckled, the former carrying the teacups outside.
"Pakka Pakka." I promised, picking up the snack tray.
The velocity of the voices from the living room shifted, leading my steps in the direction of the conversation, only to hear the ongoing discussion about our Roka.
Considering that today was an auspicious day and with both the families, having no issues with the same, it was decided that the Roka will be performed today itself.
Sooner or later it has to happen, hence neither Aditya nor I opposed the decision of the elders.
***************
Books. They taught us diverse aspects of life but not how to behave when you have your would-be-husband sitting next to you.
My gaze flickered to the kitchen time and again, hoping the women get out of there as soon as possible with the necessary arrangements for the Roka. I was losing my sanity here with him sitting beside me, eyeing my antsy self in partial amusement.
By now, I have marveled at every non-living thing in the living room. From the air conditioner to the sofa, front wall to the window. You name it and I have scanned it to the roots.
"Riya." His brazen voice reached my ears, forcing my eyes to switch to the dining table.
Oh Wow! Such a beautiful piece of furniture.
"You are happy with this, Right?" My anxiety began to fade at his silken tone. Before I could nod in assurance, he continued,
"If you feel the Roka is being rushed, I can talk to Dad." He let out a faint whisper, inclining his head towards me.
I peered at him through the curtain of my eyelashes. Effortlessly, my lips lifting in a gratuitous smile as I peered into those puddles of warmth and comfort, "I am okay with the Roka done today." I blinked my eyes positively, "And, I am happy with this. You?"
"Very." He replied extemporaneously, his fingers wrung together in confidence in contrast to my fidgety ones. Skillfully he jumped onto a hearty conversation with my parents while I struggled to initiate any.
My lips thinned, a sudden wave of insecurity crashing upon me realizing how different we were from each other. His extrovertedness unnerved me. His deftness in maintaining conversations with people around elevated my insecurities. The thought itself was unsettling, drowning me in an abyss of convoluted emotions.
"Hey." Startled, I flinched in my seat before shifting my gaze towards him. His eyes tinged with concern, gravity swirling in his aura,
"You seem nervous." He commented, fetching the glass of water from the table before handing it to me.
I shook my head vigorously, plastering an assuring smile.
"Just overwhelmed." I half-lied, sipping on the water. The moistness tranquilized my parched throat.
He peered at me cautiously, discerning the truth behind my words. Alas, I had been well-equipped in masking my emotions compelling him to nod his head in agreement after observing me for a few seconds.
"God! Bhai and Bhabhi." Kunal's teasing vociferation reached our ears, straightening us in alarm, "Dekho toh sahi, abhi toh Roka bhi ni hua, and abhi se so so engrossed in each other." He whistled, a wolfish smirk permanently etched on his face. Cackles reverberated from our family around leaving both us aghast and mortified.
My cheeks blazed with fire at his remark, unable to meet anyone's eyes. Aditya let out a cough, scooting hardly an inch away in defense.
"Ek ghanta kam tha kya, jo abhi tak baatein chal rahi hai?" It was Isha this time, giggling at our expense.
My lips parted, my gaze haphazardly moving across to settle on something tangible. Finally, it settled over my feet.
Damn, you my foot. You are so tanned.
"Bas kar." Aditya hissed, certainly glaring at his siblings.
"Haan haan, ab to bas hi hai." How can I assume that my Bhabhi would leave without tormenting me? I pinned my glower at her, pleading with my eyes to not tease us anymore. She looked away, as if not recognizing me.
Haww.
A hushed chuckle reverberated from my right. There he seated, amusement dancing in his eyes at my crimson state.
"Bas karo." I mumbled, imploring him through my eyes.
He smiled, infectious and gorgeous, "Bas kiya." He let out a raspy whisper, scooting back to his previous position.
And I? For the nth time today, I sat there with my head bent down, shut eyes, and sealed lips. Not to forget my ruddy cheeks and fluttering heart.
Damn, these butterflies.
**************
With a red dupatta placed on my head, shagun and dry fruits on my lap, and a vermillion teeka on our foreheads, Aditya and I were Rokafied.
What followed was a round of taking blessings from all the elders and hugs and kisses from our siblings.
"Welcome to the family, Bhabhi." Kunal neared me, a stark resemblance found in both the brothers' eyes.
I smiled at his cheerfulness, "Thank you."
"Your devar is always at your service from now on, Bhabhi. So anything against him and I am in your team." He jested, rounding his arm around my shoulder. I laughed at his statement, leaving someone seething at my right.
"Me too, Me too." Isha seconded, rounding me from the other side, not before pushing a scowling Aditya to the far end.
"Oye!" He grumbled, watching each one of us in offense. His gaze found me, betrayal dancing in his orfices. I shrugged helplessly, relishing the newfound happiness from our siblings.
"Traitor." He whispered, loud enough for me to hear. However, his words and expression were mismatched as he watched us with a blooming smile etched on his lips.
God, he needs to stop showing me his dimples. Wait. I think I am getting a crush on them.
Damn you, Rii Rii.
**********
The sun was setting, announcing the arrival of the dusk. Aditya and his family were preparing to leave for Delhi when Avyuktha's incessant cries reached our ears. Bhabhi rushed toward her room when the sobs intensified.
My sleeping beauty missed my Roka. I puckered my lips at the thought.
Seconds later, my munchkin arrived with his bed hair and scrunched nose. Had I told you, how vexed he becomes after his nap?
His doe-eyes observed the new faces, his button nose pulled up in puzzlement. Agitated at the sight of new faces, he rubbed his blearing eyes before nuzzling his face into the comfort of his mum-mum's neck. My tot then met everyone, responding to each of them with a tiny hint of his contagious smile.
Aditya raised from his seat when Bhabhi reached him with a baffled Avyu in her arms.
"Avyu, see your Fu-Fu." Bhabhi pointed at Aditya, standing across from where the latter stood.
Hearing an alien word, my troublemaker examined his face as if recalling if he had ever seen him.
Aditya scooted closer, extending his arm to pick him up. Agitated by the unasked invitation, Avyukth blatantly disregarded him and nestled himself in his mother's arms, hiding his face in the nook of her neck. "Avyu." He called, caressing his cheeks. Avyuktha snorted, pushing his face more into her mother's neck. Though, curiosity overpowered his tiny form as he continued observing him from the side of his eyes.
Aditya's face fell at the blatant rejection. Noticing his fallen face, Bhabhi pacified,
"Don't worry he'll come around, he is just sleepy." She caressed Avyu's head, pressing a chaste kiss on his forehead. Chuckles filled the room when Avyuktha opposed her words, now craning his face to the opposite of where Aditya stood.
Having no say in front of our little master, Aditya scratched the side of his neck awkwardly, his evanescent gaze meeting mine in plea. I struggled to contain my laughter, pressing my lips to stifle the smile. "Acha Vinay ji, Bhabhi ji, Chalte hain." Papa and Mumma, as I was summoned to call Aditya's parents, voiced breaking our moment. Maa-Paa smiled, their eyes crinkling with an unsaid emotion. They immersed themselves in the last bits of conversation to finalize the date of our wedding.
"Ek-minute, ek-minute." Kunal exclaimed before anyone could take a step outside.
"Kya hua?" Mumma asked, adjusting her dupatta.
"Inki photo toh hui nahi." He commented, pointing at us.
Vaishally Bhabhi let out a silent gasp standing beside me while Bhai peered at her theatrics, shaking his head at her.
The elders remained perplexed while the young clan made us stand in the center, asking us to smile at the camera.
We did. Only to receive disapproved faces in return.
"Kya hua?" Aditya quizzed, observing the disappointment on their faces.
Isha scurried to where we stood, letting out a mumble, "Kya, kya hua?" She frowned, "Konse zamane se ho?" She rebuked, "Shaadi ho rahi hai aap dono ki. At least, pose like one." She grumbled, before pushing Aditya closer to me.
My heart flip-flopped when his shoulders brushed mine, the ephemeral contact bringing shivers into my cores. He eyed me warmly, leaving me in the state of flustered mess.
Our pictures were clicked, and poses were made but throughout, I remained zoned out. His siblings made multiple attempts to let him encircle my shoulder but a decisive glare by him and they were rendered mute.
Maybe he understood my comforts well? I wouldn't know. But his regard for my consent touched me in ways I would fail to ever express.
Never have I allowed a man except my family to stand in such proximity the way he now did. Not only his touch was foreign but the feelings too. It wasn't uncomfortable by any chance, but was certainly overwhelming.
For many today, physical nearness comes out naturally. But for me, I needed time to collect the horde of the plethora of emotions this day had made me go through.
"Am I getting your number today? Or, do I have to send you letters every day?" Mischief. Not only his eyes but his smile was brimmed with it.
I glanced at him, to the shimmering pools of friskiness, "Letters can be a good medium too." I bit the side of my lips, containing the traitor smile.
I don't know if it's his comforting aura or those heartwarming dimples that my words follow my heart more than my conscious-driven mind.
"Save Environment, they say. The use of letters doesn't qualify the saying." He retorted with a challenging glint, his gaze fleeting to our family who now walked ahead of us, towards the main gate.
I looked away and shook my head, amazed by his comeback, "And mobiles are?"
He nodded vigorously, "They do. Convenient and Accessible."
"Is it?" I raised my brow, feigning confusion.
"Ji bilkul." A boyish grin dancing on his face.
I looked away to hide the blush crawling on my cheeks, smiling inwardly.
"Am I eligible now to get your number? Or are we yet to have a discussion on the pros and cons of mobile phones?" He questioned, alongside, extended his phone in my direction, silently announcing his win.
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh before punching my number in the keypad and pressing the call symbol.
Immediately, his call flashed on my phone.
"Eligible." I murmured brazenly and extended his phone in his direction.
Our fingers brushed faintly as I returned his phone, allowing our flickering gazes to settle on the other.
Awkwardness seeped in for reasons unknown and he thrummed his fingers over the phone, an action I noticed he does, when nervous. He parted his lips a few times with no words coming out. His confidence betrayed him as he struggled to elicit a conversation. While I, moved with flow, stepping next to him in symphony. However, our gazes time and again found each other's only to look away with a bashful smile.
As we took slow, unrushed steps, our breathing turned out to be in harmony. My insides churned as our shoulders unconsciously grazed with each step we took, forcing me to breathe softly to calm the torrent of emotions.
I wonder if these faint flurry of feelings could ever be vocalized. They were beautiful. Heart-fluttering beautiful.
Maybe this was the captivation of arranged marriages that everyone talks about. You undergo a thousand unfathomable sensations at every first. The uncertainty of the first meeting. The expectancy of the first conversation. The serenity of the first smile. The overwhelmedness of the first ritual together. The bashfulness at the first eye contact. The flip-flops at the first flirtatious remark. The fuzzy feelings at the first touch. You don't weigh the beauty of these little yet significant sensations unless you go through them.
"Message me when you reach home." I initiated after a long thought.
He looked taken aback, before nodding softly.
"Bye." He voiced after moments of contemplation, his lips lifting in a smile.
"Bye." I reciprocated, unable to hold his gaze for a long time.
We separated to take our blessings from the elders. Embracing Isha and Kunal, I stood at the threshold of our home, watching them leave.
His neck inclined, regarding everyone with a polite smile before resting his eyes on me. Goosebumps trailed over my forearm at his prolonged gaze before he took the driver's seat. Seconds in, and the engine came to life, driving them towards the end of the street. Their sight blurred but not the memories today. They were etched in my mind, forever and for eternity.
**********
Heya Dear Ones!
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