TRUE LOVE (PART 2)

PART 3

I hold Aly's hand as we walked.

The first thing I noticed as we entered the restaurant was my mother. I didn't know if I had invited my mother and then I saw rohit sir and I gasped.

As I walked towards the big table of 20 or 25 sitters; that I guessed and not count, one by one I saw all the faces of our friends and family. My mother, rohit Sir, Nidhi,Punnet,bharti, avika, harsh, pankaj,disha,rahul, five male friends of Aly I guessed and three more females whom I don't recognize. Everyone was talking among themselves and smiling, drinking beverages that were already served. The restaurant was the same place where we had disha's engagement dinner.

My mother was talking with avika and nidhi, and then she saw me and got up.

Everyone turned and looked at us as we reached the table. The two chairs were emptied beside my mother and I walked towards her. I bend down and hugged her once, as I reached and so did Aly.

"What a surprise," I whispered in her ears.
"I know" she replied, smiling.
"Hello." Sir greeted me smiling.
"Hello Sir, how are you?" I asked as I sat down.
"I'm good you tell me," he said, smiling.

Then everyone started talking and Aly introduced me to his office colleagues. My friends were sitting beside my mother and I bend backward to look at them with both eyebrows raised.

"Hi" bharti mouthed.
"Hi" I mouth back.
"Hello," avika waved at me.
"Hello," I waved back.
nidhii gave me the biggest smile, and I blushed.

The servers started serving starters and drinks beverages to us and everyone. I took the maroon-coloured drink. I looked at the table there was a small menu stand displaying drinks on both sides.I looked at it closely and saw the name, Cranberry punch with the image of the punch which was light red coloured and the other name showed Roy Rogers, a maroon- coloured drink. It was the first time I was drinking this. I looked at my drink; There were cherries and with curiousness, I took my first sip and instantly was taken back because it was cola mixed with cherries. I loved it instantly and took one bigger sip.

"Thank you, everyone, for coming tonight." Aly stood up and started talking to everyone. I looked up at him and he turned to look at me once, smiled and then continued.

"Before we continue with our dinners, I would like to say a few words." He paused.

I usually don't share my emotions or my personal life with anyone, not even to my friends or family. I have always been uptight and a loner, that's what you all say"
he clucked and everyone laughed. I was just amazed as I looked at him and confident and happy he sounded.

"But today I don't want to stay alone or to be by myself." He paused again.
"Because today I'm not feeling myself, I'm feeling a whole new person. I'm smiling, I'm happy and I feel like sharing it with everyone" He smiled.

"i'm happy because of her" He paused and looked down at me. Everyone looked at me and I looked at him smiling and with wide eyes
"Most of you may have heard me appraising her, that she is smart, kind, loving, caring and beautiful," he paused again looking at me with wonder.
"Her kind and loving nature has changed me, changed me to the core, and I fell in love with her again" he said softly smiling.

I was stunned and pleased at the same time. I kept smiling and raised my hand to hold his as he spoke.

He pressed my palm once and continued.
"I love her and I want to love her more."
He paused and let go of my hand, to pull something from his pocket.
"So, will you marry me and make me the
happiest and luckiest person in this world?"
He was holding a box with a diamond ring I covered my mouth as I gasped and I heard my friends gasped too.

He stood there holding the ring in front of me and I sat there with my hands covering my mouth. I was shocked, I was already engaged, and I had already told him, yes, but this was an official proposal and it was an official engagement dinner. Aly smiled crookedly as I continued looking to him, and then he winked; breaking my shock and I blinked twice and said.

Yes" I replied softly and everyone started cheering and clapping.
I turned to look at my mother she smiled and so did rohit Sir, sitting beside her.
Without any warning tears started flowing, I looked at Aly rejoiced. He removed the ring from the box and I raised my hand up, instantly realizing that I was already wearing a ring; his ring. I quickly removed the ring and wore it on my other hand and raised my hand again. Slowly and gently He slides the ring on my finger and kisses my knuckles. I giggled and wiped my tears with my other hand.

Everyone started clapping again loudly.
"Thank You," I said, crying and looking at everyone's happy faces.
Everyone was happy and everyone started walking towards us, to hug us and congratulate us. I hugged my mother a little longer. I was emotional and was worried that she might not understand, but seeing her happy and smiling in my happiness was the best thing I could ever wish for.

This evening could have not been any more perfect than it already was. My family; mother and rohit sir giving us their blessings, my friends;  smiling and laughing, my best friends;  bouncing with me and making me smile, Aly's friends; making jokes and telling me his loner talks.

Everything was perfect; Magical in a way just like a fairy-tale; my fairy-tale.