13

∞Bhagad Bili∞

Rudransh Singh Chauhan

Dancing with her felt like I had bought some time from Mahadev in exchange for all my good deeds in this life. She was flawless, gorgeous, and graceful. So perfect that she nearly made me dance well.

After the sangeet, the next day everyone was ready for the mehndi ceremony. I was waiting for Abhir and Rohan, who went to do an important task for me. Walking in a bathrobe, I looked through the pending emails on my iPad and informed my manager once again to keep the work at the same pace. Seven years— all I invested myself in was this business, expanding it beyond my limits. No matter how much I tried to stay busy, her memories always managed to slip into my mind effortlessly.

"Come in." I trailed my eyes toward the door to see Mom walking inside along with Rishi, who had his arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"You see, Chaya, this brat is not ready yet." Rishi walked toward me, lifting my coffee mug from the table and taking a sip. "Rudra, why aren't you ready yet?" My mother, being the sweetheart she is, caressed my hair, brushing it with her fingers, and spoke in a soft tone.

"I am just waiting for Abhir. He and Rohan went to fetch my outfit." She smiled at my words, but a frown covered her forehead in a second. "But you had your outfits arranged beforehand."

I know, Mother, but they don't twin with your to-be daughter-in-law.

"Yeah, I didn't like them." I clicked my tongue, escaping her suspicious eyes.

"And since when did you start caring about your outfits?" Since I got to know that she would be seeing me in them.

"I don't care, Mom. You know me." I tried to shrug off the topic because I cannot lie to this lady, but I can't tell the truth either. She is going to utter everything to her husband, and the next day I might find my father proposing this relation to my love's family and getting a rejection firsthand.

"Someone else does, Chaya. Samjha karo." Rishi chortled, sipping my coffee and going through the emails on the iPad. He is more comfortable around my family than he is with his own.

"Oye, stop calling my mother by her name. If her husband sees, he is going to kill you." I hit his head playfully, trying to make my mother forget what this stupid man said.

"What? Your mother is too pretty to be called 'auntie'. I already had a beef with your father this morning. He warned me with a case of invasion of privacy, but I have my lawyer ready. You father and son can do all you can. Right, Chaya?" I mentally facepalmed myself because Rishi is not joking. He must have infuriated my father. The old man is very possessive about his lady, and Rishi manages to leave not a single chance of offending him by shamelessly flirting with my mother.

"Bhai! It matches perfectly." Great, just great! Abhir barged into the room without caring to knock or a thought of being careful, with a dark green outfit in his hand while Rohan tagged along.

"Matches? With what?" My mother's curiosity was growing, so I gestured to Rishi to take her with him to the ceremony hall.

"Nothing, Chaya, the theme of the function. Let's get going; your husband might be looking for you. He can't bear it if we spend some quality time together." She giggled but bought Rishi's words and walked out of the room, not before warning us three to be ready for the ceremony on time.

"Use the last two brain cells of yours and try behaving like humans." Rohan snickered at my words, which I threw at Abhir, who sulked like a baby while I took out the attire from the enveloped packaging.

"It matched with hers?" Rohan bobbed his head while Abhir smiled brightly. I knew there was something cooking in his head.

"What?"

"This outfit was supposed to be Aridhaan's, but he stole it from Aahana's collections." One glare was all it took for Rohan to vomit out all the information.

"Rohan Bhai!!!" Abhir whined at him, trying to fumble with words.

"Abhir! This is not the way!"

"What do you expect then? For that Aahana bhagad billi to give it to me happily? You should be proud of me and my smart mind." He proudly spoke, patting his back, and I could only wonder what else he might have done. I arched a brow at Rohan to get my answers.

"He kept your outfit in Aridhaan's room, basically exchanged both your outfits," Rohan blurted out.

"If Aahana murders you, I am not going to save you," I warned him.

"You should appreciate my efforts. I stole it from the lioness's den so you can twin with your girl, but kadr hi nahi hai meri." He cribbed like the kid he is, making me chuckle at his words. I did ask him the same because last night when I saw myself in the outfit that complemented hers, I felt at least a part of me belonged to her. So I asked Abhir and Rohan to check all her outfits for the ceremonies ahead and get me the complimentary outfits for the same.

"I appreciate your efforts, Abhir, but theft is not what Chauhans do." I tried to make a futile attempt, but Abhir Singh Chauhan had always been the one who made arguments fail.

"Technically, it is not a theft since I exchanged the outfit. Moreover, I heard Aahana talking to her staff about how all the outfits were surprises for the Rajvansh family. Physique-wise, you both look alike anyway, so I don't think there would be an issue of measurements even." No wonder law was his backup plan as a career; he had his reasons justified and arguments supported.

"I buy it, Abhir. Now go, both of you. Rohan, leave your phone for once." Rohan's eyes snapped from his phone's screen, and he looked totally unaware and unknown of the thing talked about.

"Told you na, Bhai!" Abhir chuckled, pulling Rohan along with him and singing the song he sang the last time, "Yeh ishq tum na karna, yeh rog hi lagaye!"

What is wrong with this boy?

The mehndi ceremony was in full swing by the time I arrived. The hall was decorated with vibrant marigolds and colorful drapes, giving it a festive atmosphere. The ladies sat in groups, getting intricate henna designs applied to their hands, while their men gathered around them, chatting and laughing.

I spotted her across the hall, her laughter ringing out as she talked with Aahana and a few other friends. She looked stunning in her lehenga, the intricate embroidery glistening and the color perfectly twinning with mine. Her eyes met mine briefly, and I gave her a small nod, acknowledging her presence. She took a brief pause, taking in my appearance, then turned her head toward Aahana. The smile was replaced by anger, and I could see Aahana looking at me with the same fierce expression—best friends for a reason.

"Looking good, bro," Abhir said, clapping me on the shoulder. "She won't be able to take her eyes off you."

"Dikh ra hai," I muttered, but I couldn't help the smile that crept onto my face, while horror traveled across his. ("Looks like")

"Bhagad billi is on her way to murder me, Bhai!! Save me!!" He hid behind me as Aahana took long steps toward him.

"You thief!" Abhir pulled me by the arm, getting sideways to save himself from Aahana. "Abhi toh dil churaya bhi nahi aapka, aap pehle se hi chorr keh rahi hai." He tilted his head, speaking, making Aahana halt in her steps. I could see her smiling at his words but instantly covering it up with anger. ("I haven't even stolen your heart yet, you are already calling me a thief.")

"Behave, guys." I tried to get away from their chaos, but my attempt failed. Instead, Abhir pushed me toward Aahana, who stepped aside, making me stumble. She ran after him while he halted and turned to face her. Aahana stumbled and hit his chest, her hand, with fresh henna applied, landing near his neck.

"Rang do, rang do, apne rang mai mereko." Abhir chortled, handling her, and Aahana smiled at him, straightening herself. Abhir bent before her to help with the bottom of her dress.

("Give me color, give me color, in your color.")

It was visible to all how she blushed at his actions. Witnessing this, my brother fell backward with his hand on his chest, "Hayeee." I laughed at his antics while Aahana ran away, covering her blush that was clearly evident. Well, these two really have something interesting going on.

I shall go to my lady. I turned to see my Dhaya, who was also smiling at the little scene these two put up. Her hair flowed freely, making her look like a fresh breeze after the rain. I took slow steps toward her, not noticing when Aahana, Abhir, along with Yug and Yagya, started dancing, involving Shravan and Ridhima. As everyone else enjoyed the dance they put up, I took the chance to go to my lady. I made my way through the crowd, exchanging pleasantries and greeting family members. When I finally reached Dhaya, her eyes were fixed on the dance floor, watching her cousins dancing to the beat. I sat beside her and carefully caressed her hair, tucking the fringes behind her ear. She snapped her neck toward me.

"Stay away from me, Mr. Chauhan. I can help myself." She tried to tuck the hair away from her face with her shoulder but failed to.

"I am not helping you, but myself. These beautiful hair of yours is making it difficult for me to see your beautiful face. They're getting in my way." She stared at me and turned her face to the other side.

"I don't wish to engage in any conversation with you. Go from here." As usual, her tone was straight and emotionless.

"But I want to talk to you."

"I would rather talk to a stone than talk to you."

"I would happily like to become the stone you would talk to then, milady." She snapped her neck at me while I blinked my eyes, tilting my head and stretching my lips into a soft smile. She glared at me, scrunching her nose—God, she looked so cute.

"Let it be. I am done." She told the henna artists and stood up carefully, walking toward her brother who stood at the other corner with her father and uncle. She is really stubborn, but somewhere, that just makes her even more interesting.

She was giggling, talking, throwing tantrums, looking as cute as ever. I walked to sit at the table across from hers. As time passed, all the elders started heading back into the hotel for the haldi ceremony scheduled for the afternoon, with the wedding set for tomorrow. She sat with her hands stretched out onto the table, letting her henna dry. The hall was almost empty; even Shravan and Ridhima had walked back to get some rest before the haldi.

Rishi came with his plate of food and sat beside me. "Are you going to satiate your appetite by just looking at her, or do you want to have some food too?" I took a spoonful of pulao from his plate while he stuffed naan into his mouth.

"I have your plate." He shrugged and kept on feasting while I watched my lady smiling brightly at her brother, who brought her a served plate of food. She is closest to her brother since childhood, and he has kept her his dearest for as long as she can remember. She was talking joyfully with him, her eyes shining brightly with every word. I could watch her just existing for the rest of my life.

As Rajvansh fed her the first bite, I saw her choking on the food, coughing readily. Seeing her in discomfort made me feel a tightness in my chest. I took a spoonful of paneer gravy from Rishi's plate and, tasting the texture, I immediately knew what had made her choke.

⋆✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:* ⋆🌿✦🌺✦🌿⋆*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧⋆

Happy reading!

Have a beautiful day!

(Okay the hindi translations, google should take some rest)