The Audacious Hearts

Terrified!!!!!!

I shivered.

I shivered as I stood on the doorstep of the Sehgal Mansion, it wasn't the cold that sent shivers down my spine but the chilling atmosphere within. Despite the warmth of guests and smiles of the family members , a shiver ran down my spine amid the caravan of adversaries.

I startled a little when Aryansh gently held my hand and squeezed it a little. Inhaling deeply, I kicked the rice-filled pot, scattering its contents. Stepping into the alta, I walked into the house with Aryansh by my side, leaving footprints along the way.

Then everybody took us to play some fun games. Unaware of the fun I was about to play with them. I smiled a little when everyone teased me about the first night.

I won't even let him touch me, let alone the first night and all.

After finishing the games, relief washed over me as the guests left for the guest house, and I was sent to the mandir with Anya to light the Diya.

"Finalllllyyyyyyy" Anya heaved a sigh.

"You are looking more tired than me." I remarked with a slight scoof.

She smiled chirply. "Ofcourse bhabhi! Afterall it was my brother's wedding." She beamed.

The thing about her is that she is so positive that she even radiates it everywhere she goes. Her's is a heart that needs to be protected, preserved in the purest place possible.

She reminds me of.....me! When I was just me. When I was not this cruel, unfeeling and seething for revenge monster.

Entering the mandir, we both adjoined our hands and knelt down to make the Diya ready.

"You know bhabhi, having a sibling is a blessing." She started, taking the cotton in her hand and shaping it on her palm.

"Even when they irritates the hellout of you, even when they won't let a day be pass in peace , even when they would take the bigger part of the maggie for themselves." She chuckles. "Still your life will just be incomplete without them. You won't be able to find peace without those chaos. Your won't be able to enjoy that bigger part to yourself. Your life will be truly incomplete." She said, and a faint image of brown orbs and brown curls in white anarkali, smiling to the fullest waved in front of me.

"Just like mine is incomplete without Bhai and Adish. And having a chance to attend their wedding is a whole another thing. Its a festive in itself." I smiled at the excitement with which she was describing everything .

" You won't understand because you don't have one na...." My smile didn't budged but the pain peirced my heart. Yet, I decided to smile through the pain. " You are right. I won't understand."

" But from now onwards, consider me one. You know I have always wanted a sister with whom I will share my problems, chit chat for long hours, escape in the middle of a night just to irritate Bhai, who will pair up with me against Adish and a lot lot more. And now I have finally got one." She took my hand in hers. "From now onwards, I am your sister. And beware, I irritates a hell lot, too. " She said in the last making me smile.

She finally put the baati into the Diya and I added the oil into it.

"You know what bhabhi....I also want a love like yours." I put on a little smile at her comment.

"Just like the one you both share. The way Bhai looks at you, adores you, notices you." She said and I looked at her. "The way you guys met and fell in love. And OMG the way you guys met." She exaggerated with a dreamy sigh and I chuckled.

"In the Middle of the fire when he was worried about his family and I was struggling to make my way outside?" I asked rolling my eyes.

"Yesssss!" She said and I looked at her.