Snuck-in Bride

2.Way out

"Hello," Arjun Tendulkar said again, with a small smile as you still held the pani puri, its plate and your phone.

Another blink.

"Hello," you managed to say and before he could answer, you put the pani puri in your mouth.

Great way to act natural.

As you quickly swallowed that one too, the pani puri bhaiya placed another one on your plate from the side.

And you were still facing (up) at Arjun.

"Hope you're having a good time," he said with a polite smile.

Right. Wedding etiquette.

"Of course," you tried to smile, knowing it probably was similar to the one in the movie Truth or Dare.

Maybe not exactly but a variant.

"Have you had dinner yet?" Arjun asked again and you nodded.

"I did," you answered again. You did, at home before sneaking in.

"Hope you liked it," the smile was still on his face.

You hated it. Failed spaghetti with pizza sauce and garlic, refined oil, cheese, burnt on a heated pan. The smell is traumatic now.

(A/n: Based on a true story)

"Oh, the food was amazing," you stated as a matter of fact and added a truth. "Especially the pani puri."

"Glad. I'm Arjun, by the way," that innocent smile was still on his face, extending his arm for a handshake.

"Sara," you said the first word that immediately came up in your mind, taking his hand and shaking it, albeit with vigor and nervousness before you let go.

And you were surprised your hand wasn't wet, the plate wasn't dropped, and you weren't caught.

That was not intentional. Even if the first word that came up in your mind was dhokla, you would have said it.

You literally said the bride's name. The bride who was his sister.

"Oh, that's my sister's name too." Yeah, you knew that. "So, Sara..?"

Something else to not look like you were lying. An add up.

Think of something. The exit. The soaking pani puri. Ira's suitcase when she walked into the apartment building for the first time.

"Benneton," you said quickly and Arjun looked at you with a very subtle head tilt. "Sara Benneton."

Just then, your phone dinged with a familiar sound.

"Excuse me," you mumbled, handing your plate to Arjun and popping the one pani puri in your mouth.

You turned your phone on to see the notification of a text from Ira displayed on the lock screen.

Find your way out and get home to complete the dare.

Judging your phone's display for a long time, you muttered silently to yourself so that Arjun didn't hear you. "Jerk."

"Excuse me, again," you said, getting the plate back from him.

"Yeah," he replied patiently as you handed him your now turned off phone instead.

Turning around, you finished the last one pani puri so that it was four plates in total.

Dropping the disposable plate in a nearby trash can, you found a tissue to wipe your hand and burning lips.

You turned to face Arjun again, head inclined by 33 degrees. "Please convey my wishes to your sister."

Turning around again, you hid your shock for a bit, one last glance at the other cricketers you thought you could only see on videos and posters.

With a turn of your head, you looked at Arjun too, smiling at the sweet boy shortly before you bolted out of the dining area.

For two minutes, he stood there, slightly amused, until you came back the way you went.

"I forgot the way I came in and I don't know the way out," you said with a black face, looking up at him again.

"Please, let me," he gestured vaguely in a direction and you nodded, walking with him as he did.

You wondered how big the venue actually was. You've been walking for five minutes.

Somewhere in your mind, you felt like you had to tell Arjun the truth.

It was this compelling urge after seeing his nervous and at the same time, guileless nature. Calm and not a trace of arrogance.

"Sara's not my name," you blurted out. "Actually I snuck in."

"I know," Arjun said and you snapped your head towards him. "You took too long to say your name."

"Why didn't you call me out?" You asked him and he just shrugged.

"I didn't," he replied, still leading the way.

"Why?" You asked again. "I could've been a robber, kidnapper, serial killer or a crazy person. Moreover, I could've ruined the wedding. Why didn't you?"

Arjun looked at you for a couple of seconds.

"I just didn't," he said. "You haven't done anything so far. If it makes you feel better, we can find the way you came in and prevent similar circumstances."

He stopped in front of the entrance decor and you did too, three feet away, just to make sure you don't cause him any trouble, or bump into him.

"And you loved pani puri, so," he shrugged again and you nodded, looking down at the carpet.

"It was a dare," you said, not really sure why you did. "Lost a drunk bet in poker and, you know. Sorry, though." There, you got it out of your chest.

Arjun was still looking at you when you raised your head and there weren't any decipherable emotions.

"It's okay," he smiled a little, maybe because he thought that would make you feel better.

Indeed feeling better, you smiled back a little, nodding before you turned to leave.

"What's your name?" He asked and you looked back at him.

(A/n: He just said it)

"Y/n," you said before turning away again, making your way out.

He watched as you slowly disappeared into the night, staying there for another moment before he walked back inside again.

"Arjun, where were you?" He heard his father's voice and walked towards him, coming out of a trance he didn't even realize he was in.

"I was sending off a friend, papa," he answered, joining a group of their close family members.

It wasn't until five minutes later that he realized he was still holding your phone.