High School Romance Revisited

Chapter 42 - The Haldi

I was a benevolent spirit, not the violent one. Hence when Elora, Sanjana and Chitra stared at me with their mouths hanging open, it seemed natural.

"Okay, who told you?" Rai desperately wanted to hide my morning episode from them but here we were ready to be interrogated.

"Himesh spilled it. He realised later that he was not supposed to say!" Sanjana informed still not turning away from me.

"Umm, Did you really attacked him like an animal?" Elora asked cautiously.

"Who the hell told you that?" Not that I was complaining, I did attack him brutally but why compare me with an animal!

"Later Karan painted a quiet visualizing picture of the episode, nothing was left for our imagination, he described bit by bit once we started questioning him," Sanjana shrugged.

"And all this happened when we were driving!?" Rai glared at Sanjana.

"Well, we were practically awake since the moment Himesh called to ask if you both had reached or not," Sanjana shrugged.

"Oh my god!" Chitra suddenly started crying.

"Why the fuck are you crying!?" Rai shouted.

"I missed it!" she howled.

I turned and directly went into the bathroom to get my morning shower. Before I could turn on the shower I heard Rai yelling, "Get up Chitra! You need to be ready for the Haldi ceremony, Koushik is already waiting downstairs, there's no time for your childish dramas!"

It was true that the bride and groom were not allowed to meet before the wedding but that archaic custom was edited. Instead, the Banerjees and the Lahiris had decided to host the Haldi ceremony together at the huge garden space.

When I came out of the bathroom a big smile lightened my face. Chitra was looking adorable. Rai draped her saree in the traditional Bengali style and instead of wrapping the red gamcha around her like a shawl she used it as a second pallu. Her jewellery was made of real flowers while alta adorned her feet and hands. She was looking straight out from the pages of some Indian folklore.

"Koushik is going to have a hard time controlling himself today!" I said hugging her.

"Well, get ready now, I don't want to see Mahen waiting alone while we all rejoice and dance!" Chitra hugged me back. Sanjana and Elora concentrated on giving the finishing touch to Chitra's hair-do as Rai set the bindi on her forehead.

"Now it's complete," she said, satisfied with the work she had done on Chitra's face.

"Not yet," I said. They looked confused as I smiled and went to take out a small pouch from my bag. Chitra gasped, "you remembered!"

As they all recognized the pouch they quickly came near me. I pulled out five charm bracelets made of cowries and tiny silver danglers, "of course. We made a promise long back."

I tied the bracelets on their hands, "the day the first one of our gang ties the knot we would all wear the same bracelets as an honour to her."

"I always said I would be the first and made you all promise that. I can't believe you would keep it for so long," Chitra said jumping with extreme joy.

"Well you are not the first," Rai said while caressing the bracelet on her wrist.

"What?" Sanjana asked as we all turned towards her.

Chitra and I quickly shared a glance. We both understood that Rai had accidentally said that but telling Elora and Sanjana now was her choice.

"Yes, you are right. Koushik and I are the first in the gang!" Chitra quickly covered up as she noticed Rai becoming stiff.