A dutiful daughter and caring sister. Alia runs away and meets Aryan and his friends that change her entire world. Join her on this journey filled with adventure, love and excitement.
Disclaimer: All stories of mine are completely fictional and pur...
It had been an hour since my family reached Aryan's Delhi apartment where our wedding was supposed to take place.
When we reached the apartment, there were already several people running around carrying decorations.
"Alia!" Suhana ran up to me as soon as we entered their apartment. "Finally you're here there is so much to do" She told me.
Our families greeted each other. "Alia?" I turned to Aryan's mother. "Yes?" I asked her. I watched her scroll through her iPad.
"Here" She passed me the iPad. "How is this for the backdrop for the Mehndi night?" She showed me.
"Oh aunty this is perfect" I told her. "I'm glad you like it but what aunty? It's ma now" I smiled at her sweet gesture.
"Ma" I repeated. Maybe she will be a mother that my own mother was unable to be. Maybe finally I could get the love of a mother.
After several hours, the house was finally ready for the Mehndi night the following day. I sat in the room I was temporarily staying in.
"So tomorrow Mehndi and the next day the wedding" Suhana said as she sat on my bed next to me.
"Why're you asking? Were you not invited?" I joked with her. "Ha Ha very funny" She said sarcastically.
"Are you nervous?" She asked. "Extremely nervous but third time's a charm I suppose" She burst out laughing.
"I can't wait though" I told her just as my mother walked into the room. "Suhana kafi late hogaya hai" [Suhana it's quite late] my mother told her.
"Ji [Yes] aunty" Suhana quietly said before she left the room. "Why did you do that?" I asked my mom once she shut the door.
"What? I need to sleep" She told me. My mom and I were sharing one room. My dad and brother were in another.
There weren't a lot of rooms in their Dehli apartment compared to 'Mannat' so we shared the guest rooms.
"Main dekh rahi hoon ke is rishtay se tum kuch zayada hi khush ho" [I've noticed you're a little too excited with this alliance] She said.
I turned off the lights and laid in the bed next to her. I didn't utter a word to her and tried to ignore her comment.
"Kahin yeh wohi ladka toh nahi jiske liye tum pehle bhi baaghi thi" [Is he the man you initially ran for] She asked bluntly.
"Koi ladka nahin tha main khud ghar se bhaagi thi" [There was no man. I ran from home on my own] I told her confidently.
"Toh itni khushi kyon?" [Then why so much happiness] She asked.
"Pehle do mein toh nahi thi" [You weren't this happy in the first two] She mockingly said.
"Kyunki iss wale mein meri marzi hai" [Because this one has my agreement] I muttered. "Apko kya masla hai?" [What's your problem] I asked her.
"Pehli baar apni shaadi mein khush ho rahi hoon toh masla hogaya?" [For the first time I'm happy in my marriage so you have a problem] I said to her.
"Itni khud gharz maa toh dushman koh bhi na mile" [Even an enemy shouldn't be cursed with such a mother] I said out of spite.
The next thing I heard was ringing in my ears when my mother's hand came into contact with my cheek.
She slapped me across the face so hard, I was sure she left a mark. "Batameez" [ill-mannered] She spit out and turned her back towards me.
I silently sobbed in my pillow and I eagerly waited for the moment I finally marry Aryan and get away from this woman.
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With the help of Suhana, I got dressed into my Mehndi outfit. "You ready?" She asked. I nodded excitedly and let her lead me downstairs.
I lifted my dress slightly so I don't trip over myself. I walked down the stairs with Suhana who then sat me down opposite Aryan.
There were two back drops, one on each side of the room. Aryan was already on one and I took the other one.
Our families started the rituals and I couldn't contain my happiness. I excitedly looked around as they completed the rituals.
I sneaked glances over at Aryan every now and then but each time without fail he was already looking at me.
The Mehndi artist beautifully filled my hands with Mehndi, just the way I always dreamed off. She hid Aryan's name in it.
"Can you write a letter 'A' on my finger?" I requested. "But I've already written his name here" She told me.
"I know" I assured her. She nodded sweetly and fulfilled my request. "Aw that's so cute" Suhana said as she noticed.
"Bhaiyya you should write an 'A' too" AbRam said. "Sure why not" I was surprised when Aryan said that.
He doesn't seem like a Mehndi sort of a guy. We got the artist to write an 'A' on the palm of his hand.
The music played and the few invited guest danced along. I watched in awe as they danced in the middle of the room while I finished off my Mehndi.
"Alia come" Suhana carefully got me up and brought me to the others. I moved slowly to the music, feeling slightly awkward.
I looked over at Aryan and he was watching me with an amused look. "Come bhaiyya" Suhana dragged him to the floor.
To my surprise, Aryan could really throw it down on the dance floor. I was more than impressed by his dancing skills.
Both the families enjoyed the Mehndi night. All I could think about was tomorrow at this time, Aryan and I will be married.
I sneaked around the house in the middle of the night. In the chaos of the event, the water in our room wasn't refilled.
I got extremely thirsty in the middle of the night. The house was completely dark and I walked around like a ghost.
I heard a noise behind me but had to stop myself from turning around. Whoever walks towards the sound in a horror movie always dies.
I found the kitchen and turned the light on. I hadn't washed off my Mehndi so it was difficult to function around.
"Boo" I gasped loudly but before I could scream, a hand covered my mouth. Whoever it was, my back was facing him so I couldn't see his face.
It took me a few seconds to regain myself but when I did, I recognised the hand. "Aryan" I said through his hand.
I relaxed and let my head drop back onto his chest. He let his hand fall from my mouth. He leaned down to whisper in my ear.
"What're you doing here?" He asked. "Water" I simply said. I felt him walk away from me. I finally saw his face as he walked past me to the glasses.
He poured cold water in the glass and handed it to me. I was about to awkwardly hold it with my hands still adorned with unwashed Mehndi.
"Oh wait wait" He said. He lifted the glass to my mouth and nodded. "Here" He offered. I was moved by his sweet gesture.
I brought my lips to the edge of the glass and he lifted it up for me to drink. I looked up at him as he held the glass for me. This man is everything.
