Pallavi was the first one to wake up the next morning. She saw the position in which they were sleeping. Instead of being awkward she felt the urge to move her hands through his hair. Alas, she couldn't do it as there was no actual relationship between them. She just tried to get out of his hold only to be pulled closer.
"Raghav, please chodo. Mujhe abhi taiyaar hoke Grahmukh ki taiyaari karne bhi jaana hai."
Raghav woke up by her voice. He smiled seeing their position but quickly got up.
"Sorry woh tumko aise woh pakad ke.."
"Nahi. It's okay." She said cutting him in between. "Main chalti hoon mujhe kaam hai." She said and ran away from there.
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She was in a Royal Blue Banarasi Saree with silver border. Almost all the preparations were done. They were all waiting for the priest to come.
Meanwhile, he descended down the stairs folding the sleeves of his grass green colour kurta looking extremely handsome. She was literally ogling at him. He saw this reaction and decided to tease her. She controlled herself quickly as they were in front of so many people.
Soon, the priest came and the pooja started. Pallavi did not have any work there. She was sitting on one of the chairs a little tired. Raghav went and sat besides her.
"What happened Saree Ka Dukaan? Are you tired?" He said it in an extremely seductive tone. "Should I give you a massage?"
"No need." She whisper yelled. She was already in a different world about how will she manage today as there were two ceremonies and tomorrow the wedding. While, this man was making it difficult to keep her composure.
"You seem tired. Let me give you a nice massage." He again teased her with a smile on his face.
Pallavi got up from there and started walking towards the kitchen where there was no one as all were busy in the pooja.
She reached the kitchen and drank 2 glasses of water to calm down her mind. He came behind her.
"If you wanted water you could have told me. I would have bought it for you, sweetheart. " He whispered in her ears. His breath fanning her ear.
She was again lost when he touched her back a little to tell her to answer him.
"No. I can manage myself. You don't need to care for me. Go in the hall, I will come after a while. I have some work here." She told him confidently.
He inwardly laughed at her attempt to act confident.
"I will help you, afterall you are my wife." He said playfully.
"Raghav, please stop it. Just because we slept hugging each other doesn't mean that you actually are my husband." She was being serious now. She was getting affected by the proximity and he was making fun of her. By now, she knew one thing for sure that she was physically attracted to him.
"Saree Ka Dukaan, you became serious yaar. I was just teasing you. I did not have any bad intentions. Please trust me. I saw you ogling at me when I came downstairs today so, thought of teasing you. It has nothing to do with us hugging each other while sleeping." Raghav said and left from there.
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Everyone had finished with their lunch and were getting ready for the Haldi ceremony. It had been 3 hours that Raghav was ignoring Pallavi. She was not liking it even a bit. He was addressing her as Pallavi and not Saree Ka Dukaan whenever they spoke. She decided that she will talk to him. She was ready and was waiting in the room for him to get ready. He came out wearing a lemon green kurta and white pajama. She saw him and went towards him.
"Ghamandi Rao." She called out to him.
"Hmm." He was busy in his phone.
"In whose car are we going to the venue?" She tried making a conversation.
"Idk." He answered in one word. The reason for avoiding her all these hours was because he thought that he made her uncomfortable and he did not want to make her uncomfortable or hurt her in any way. He turned back to his phone.
"Why are you avoiding me Raghav? I know maybe I overreacted. I am sorry. Scold me but don't avoid me like this." She said in one go.
He was shocked as to why is she saying sorry.
"It's nothing like that. I am not avoiding you because you said that to me. I am avoiding you because I am guilty that I made you uncomfortable which was never my intention. I just wanted to tease you."
"You can never make me feel uncomfortable, Raghav. I feel very safe and secure when I am with you. It was just that I was very much affected by our proximity. On top of that, you were making it difficult for me by saying things which made it even more difficult for me to keep my composure." She spoke in one go not caring about revealing this small secret which she had kept hidden from everybody.
"So you mean to say that my proximity affects you but in a good way?"
"Yes." She said looking down.
Raghav in his mind knew that he was attracted to her since their initial meets. He felt a different kind of emotion when she was around or was touching him. He always brushed it off denying it. But, now it was impossible to deny it.
Raghav held her chin and made her look up.
"Same here." He said making her smile.
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They all reached for the Haldi ceremony at the venue. There was still time for Mansi's haldi as Rahul's haldi was going on. It is a ritual to apply the groom's Haldi on the bride first and then start her haldi ceremony.
All the arrangements were done and everyone was just waiting for Rahul's haldi ceremony to get over. Pallavi was standing in a corner messaging Krishna about what work is to be completed today as tomorrow the shop would be closed. Raghav came there to talk to her.
"Saree Ka Dukaan, I was thinking what if we go for dinner sometime after Mansi's wedding." Raghav asked her.
Listening to this Pallavi was already blushing hard.
"Will see. I have some work to get done even after Mansi's wedding. All the things in the house are misplaced and how? I have to help Aai clear that out."
Pallavi replied to tease him. It was true that she had work but a dinner wouldn't be a problem.
"Okay then, I will ask Amruta if you are not free." He was sad at first but then he understood that she was teasing him.
She was jealous but did not want to show it to him. "Okay. Take her to dinner. But, don't complain when she clings to you." She said and laughed at his puzzled expression. "How does it feel to be on the other side of the road Mr.Rao where you are being teased?" She winked at him.
"When did you become so bold?" He was flabbergasted.
"I was always this bold." She said chuckling.
"Did Mandar know about your boldness?" He asked in a low voice as he wanted to know what all happened between them even though they were just friends.
"Why do you always ask me about Mandar? Just to answer your question, No, he didn't know about my bold side because he never pushed my limits like you do." She answered.
"This was a taunt?"
"This was a compliment."
"Fine."
Aai called her for Mansi's haldi. Sulochana applied haldi followed by Aai. Aaji could not apply as she was a widow. Even though everyone insisted her she said that she doesn't believe in all the other widow related things like wearing white saree, not making food for everyone etc. but she does believe in this and so she won't do it.
It was Pallavi's turn next. She came forward but was stopped by Sulochana.
"Kya hua Sulochana, tune Pallavi ko rukne ke liye kyu kaha?" Aaji asked.
"Woh catering waale use bula rahe hai." Sulochana covered up.
Raghav understood it was because Pallavi was a widow.
"Koi baat nahi Kaku. Mein dekhta hai." Raghav said and signaled Pallavi to continue. Amma and Keerti who were also present understood both Sulochana and Raghav's intention. Both of them were happy that Raghav was supporting Pallavi.
Author's Note - Finally, Pallavi and Raghav admitted that they are attracted to each other. Hope, I am not going too fast with their love track. Please tell me in the comments if I should continue this same way or show them fighting for their feelings like they think that they are attracted to the other person but there is no love? What would you all like to see?
Date - 3rd May 2022.
