Viren Khanna
We reached Delhi after 2 hours 15 minutes journey. Our car was waiting for us. We were staying at Daksh's Penthouse. It was already 3 in the afternoon when we reached. We were so exhausted that we hit the bed the moment we entered. After taking a nap for 2 hours we were sitting on the couch in the living room, watching some series.
Daksh's penthouse has three master bedrooms, a kitchen attached with the dining, a spacious living room, a gym, and of course a gaming room. We can't live without gaming. We didn't want any helper because we were staying here one night and the next day we'll be leaving for Paris anyway.
And my mind went a certain russet brown eyes girl who wasn't there with me for the past one week. Somewhere in Delhi, she'll be enjoying the wedding. I can't help but wonder what's she'll be wearing.
I turned to look around Daksh and Sharav. Daksh was pondering over thoughts just like me. He likes Nila. She's a sweet girl. And Sharav obvious to anything was watching the series. I mentally chuckled at the thought.
Around six in the evening, we got ready. Even though we were attending our business associate's daughter's marriage. We need to keep our image. After taking a warm bath, I dressed in a grey blazer underneath wearing a black crew-neck T-shirt and wore a grey trouser matching my blazer. I wore black loafer completing my looking. Wearing my Fossil grant Fs5237 dark blue watch I came out of my room.
I saw Sharav dressed in Blue blazer matching it with Black turtle neck T-shirt and black trousers, whilst watching the series. Sighing heavily I sat near him. I looked around to find Daksh.
"Looking for Daksh??", Sharav questioned sitting beside me.
"Yeah. It's 7 already we need to go there soon.", I replied.
" He's getting dressed. I think he's gonna take more time getting ready than the bride. I bet he'll be taking the bride's place instead", saying this Sharav burst out laughing and I joined him too. Suddenly our laughter was broken by Sharav's phone call. Seeing the caller ID his expression changed into a grim one.
"Yeah...What??? What are you doing here??....No I'm not there....I've some work...I can't tell you everything.....Just cut the call", he yelled at the person on the other end. I knew whose call it was. He cut the call angrily.
"Hey calm down", I told him.
"How can I calm down when they are here.", he replied me gritting his teeth. I remained silent not knowing what to speak.
" I loath myself to be their son. I'm ashamed myself to call them my parents.", he said looking at nothing in particular.
"Hey!! It's okay calm down", I repeated the words again.
"No Veer. It's impossible to calm down. And I have hidden some events of Sara's childhood from everyone. I was the worst brother she could get. I couldn't even stay there with her. I also knew you had some different kind of feelings for Sara. Not like the one I had for Preeti. It was like the one uncle had for aunt."
Hearing this I turned my head somewhere else. I was sure I had feelings for Sara. But now it's for someone else. I couldn't help but notice one sentence, 'he hid something from us.'
"What did you hide from us?? ", I questioned him.
"My parents tortured Sara during childhood. Once they were talking something about prophecy and all. Because of Sara, my parents would face their end like that. So they beat her, didn't feed her sometimes. It was not after she was born. It started way before she was born. You remember my mother had a complicated pregnancy with Sara. Because she intentionally fell from the stairs."
I was horrified at whatever he said. How could parents believe prophecy over their children? I couldn't imagine how Sara must have felt during that time. I saw Sharav wiping his tears. He continued saying.
"They tried aborting Sara after they got to know the so-called prophecy. But they couldn't because Sara was already a five-month-old fetus. If they go for an abortion, it'll not only kill Sara but my mother too. So they didn't try this technique. The last one was to fell from the stairs.", I looked at him, shocked. He continued anyway.
"But my Sara was a fighter. She survived through each and everything. After she started growing up my parents treated her bitterly. When I came to know this I quarreled with my parents. But they didn't budge. So only Sara and I started staying at your home."
"So that she can get the love of parents", saying this I completed his words, whilst Sharav nodded his head. I was feeling so hurt right now. I wish I knew this all before.
I wonder if my parents and grandparents knew this. How could parents treat their own child in this attitude? It's a wholly inhuman act.
"So I guess now you got your reason for why I loathe my parents!?", he asked me and I nodded my head. We both dried our eyes when heard the sound of the door opening.
"Ah!! Finally, the bride is ready to go I guess", Sharav teased looking at Daksh. I knew he was trying to lighten the atmosphere.
"Bride?? Who's the bride here??" , Daksh questioned us in a confused manner.
"You", I replied him pocketing my hands in trouser's pocket. He was dressed in a beige blazer with V neck black T-shirt and black trousers. He was about to reply when we cut him off.
"It's already late, let's get going", We told him.
"At least tell me how do I look?", he questioned us.
"Aww the bride looks handsome, and I think the groom will certainly fall in love with you", saying this Sharav burst out laughing I joined him, whilst Daksh was scowling at us.
"Okay let's leave", saying this he headed towards the main door.
"Ooh...the bride can't wait to see the groom I guess", I said this time, and Sharav laughed so hard. Laughing we reached our car to head towards our destination.
..................
We reached the destination after one hour and a half. The Delhi traffic tired us. Arora's house was looking like a bride. The wedding was a talking place in their backyard. The house was bursting with guests. We entered inside and looked at the decorations. The place was looking so beautiful. The whole place was decorated with flowers.
We have greeted the elder Arora's meaning Kedar Arora and his wife along with their sons the moment we entered. All of them were polite to us. We reached late, so the couple had already exchanged the garland and were heading towards the dining area.
"Look Daksh your groom is leaving with a woman. Go get your groom", I heard Sharav say and I laughed. Daksh was scowling at us.
"Enough it's not funny anymore.", he replied back narrowing his eyes at us.
"Believe me, it's damn funny", I told him. Daksh was about to reply when Sharav looked at someone narrowing his eyes, whilst Daksh and I were standing clueless.
"Sahil?", we heard him say. We saw him grabbing his phone out and calling someone. We saw Sharav raising his hands and waving at someone. We turned to see a man of our age waving back at us. Not us at Sharav.
We saw him heading towards us. He was dressed in maroon designer kurta and black pants. It's like I have seen him somewhere, but I couldn't remember.
"Sharav?? What a surprise!! What are you guys doing here", I heard the guy apparently named Sahil questioning us.
"We were invited to the wedding. You see, we trade with Arora's. So as a business associate we were invited. But what are you doing here?", Sharav asked him.
"Well, you see it's my cousin's wedding. So here I am ", he replied shrugging his shoulder. Then Sharav introduced Daksh and me to him The moment he saw me his eyes grew wide. What's wrong with him.
"Means you are 'THE ARORA', grandson of Kedar Arora and Dheeraj Singh??", Sharav questioned him with wide eyes. While Sahil just grinned and nodded his head.
"Then Akruti is their granddaughter. Where are Akruti and Nila? They must be here right??".
The moment these names slipped out of Sharav's mouth, Daksh and I turned to look at him in a swift moment. I guess I could've even broken my neck in the process. But I cared less. Now the bulb in my head glowed.
The surname Arora. Oh my god!! She's from the Arora family. Still, she chose to work in another company. Now I get it. He's the guy, I saw with Akruti in the park. I think he knew us, so only his reaction was like that I guess.
I was about to question on Akruti when Sharav bet me in that process. "Oh, those two are upstairs. They've returned from the hospital just now.", said Sahil.
'Hospital', I was horrified at the thought.
Then Sahil filled us with Nila's condition. Daksh was looking so worried on hearing this. But I was cent percent sure it was something to do with Akruti. Sahil was about to say something when he looked back at us. "Oh look there they are", I heard him say.
We turned to look around to see them. There these two were standing. But my eyes were strained on the one who was looking like an angel dressed in wine color lehenga. Her hair tied in a front puff with loose curls. I saw both Akruti's and Nila's eyes red.
'They were crying', I thought. Those two still didn't see us. They were walking in our direction comforting each other like little girls. She was looking cute. The moment they heard Sahil's voice, they looked at us with shocked faces and wide eyes. The moment Akruti and my eyes met, I was feeling something altogether. My heart beating at such pace which is actually not good for health. But what she did next, not only caught me off guard but others too.
She ran towards me lifting her skirt and jumped on me, hugging me by my neck. Thank god I supported us from falling. She buried her face in the crook of my neck and continued crying. I even saw Nila crying silently.
"V-Vi-Viren", I heard her say while crying and hiccuping. While I hugged her back and whispered in her ears.
"Shh...Shh....I'm here now...don't cry"
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