Yato hastah tato drishṭih|
Yato drishṭih tato manah|
Yato manah tato bāvah|
Yato bāvah tato rasah|
"Where the hands go, the eyes follow;
Where the eyes go, the mind follows;
Where the mind is, there goes the expression;
Where the expression is, ther...
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Usually, the boys who'd met Chandni for a potential bride visit, had undergone several scenarios.
They'd always start the same way though.
Chandni'd wear a beautiful saree but with minimal and bold accessories. She'd then walk in to meet everyone without bending her head down in shyness and serve everyone some hot beverages while giving the visiting family her best grin.
And from then, the scenarios would alter.
The visiting family themselves would sometime say that they're not interested in a girl who'd like to pursue an artform even though she studies a science course in her college.
Or that they didn't want a girl who makes it clear that she wouldn't add her husband's name after the marriage.
Or that they didn't want a girl who'd work after marriage.
And her favourite one? They didn't want a girl who wouldn't bow her head in respect.
Why it was her favourite? Well, Chandni liked to think that they were kind of intimidated by her and it only gave her an amazing ego boost.
Chandni still didn't know how her father smiled thinly when all of the above accusations were made because as far as she knew, right after the visiting family had left, Chandni's father would start cursing on how these families were "so fucking patriarchal".
And Chandni would be neither happy, nor sad.
She didn't invest any feelings to get cheated in the end, so she was never affected by the denials.
Then there was the case where the guy wouldn't accept.
They'd say that they didn't want a dancer. Too much maintenance.
Or that they didn't want the marriage at all and that they were forced.
Or that they already had a secret relationship.
Or much to Chandni's elder sister's dismay, they'd ask for Chandni's sister's hand in marriage instead of her.
So, again, Chandni would be neither happy, nor sad.
She didn't invest any feelings to get cheated in the end, so she was never affected by the denials.
In fact, she had gone the whole way and helped the groom to get out of the marriage whenever they said, 'it isn't you, it's just me' and Chandni couldn't help the pity that she felt.
And eventually it became fun, rather than mere pity.
She'd think of every single thing she'd do to help the groom if they were from the 'it's not you, it's me' category, and how to get away with it if at all there was a possibility that she might get some colorful thoughts from her parents.
All her operations had been successful, and she'd been left unscathed by her parents as a single girl who'd rejected so many guys or as one who'd been rejected by so many guys. For several reasons.
Until him.
He was definitely from the 'it's not you, it's me' category.
And she had helped him, and even got away with it but only to get caught in the end by her parents.
For the very first time.
And Chandni would be neither happy, nor sad, since she didn't invest any feelings to get cheated in the end, so she was never affected by the denials.
Or so she thought.
A/N: Thoughts? Vote and comment, please and thank you!
