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Everyone's eyes followed as Mahi rushed up the stairs, and went into her bedroom. I bit my lip to stop myself from smiling, she was so cute when she was nervous. Amma looked down at me raising an eyebrow at me, "What happened to her?" She asked confused.
I shrugged, "I don't know," Amma looked at me suspiciously, "Amma, I didn't do anything." I tried to defend myself, "Maybe she actually has to go to the bathroom."
"Mein dekh ke aati hoon." Roza said, trying to clear the awkward atmosphere, "Until then, I am sure we can start Rehan Bhai's haldi."
"Nahi." Amma said, "Mahi needs to be here, to apply haldi on him first."
I bit the inside of my cheek leaning back in my seat, "I don't think she'll be that easy to bring down." I said out loud, "We all know how stubborn she is when she doesnt want to do something."
Sajal Khala chuckled, "You figured it out too?" I knew her, even though Mahi didnt want to admit it, but there wasnt anything that I didn't know about her. I grew up with her, and she just saw me occasionally. When Mahi wanted to get out of anything, her only excuse was to go to the bathroom and hide out there.
Amma caught on "She is using that old trick?"
I nodded, "It seems like it." The guests looked at us weirdly, and soon Amma became uncomfortable, "Do you want me to go get her?" I asked innocently. Everyone knew the only person who could get her out of her hiding mode when she was younger, was me.
Amma looked over at Sajal Khala, "Jaane do,"(Let him go) Khala said,
Groaning I stood up made my way upstairs, and knocked on her door, "Mahi," There was no response, "Mahi, we all know that you do not need to go to the bathroom, open up." There was a soft thump, "Mahi," I knocked harder, I was beginning to get irritated, "Open up,"
"Go away," She said quietly, "I'll come down, in a second."
"Come down now," I said firmly, I tried to open the door by turning the knob but she quickly locked it. "Mahi,"
"I am not putting Haldi on you." She snapped, "Change Khala's mind, right now." Something told me this little tantrum, was about a lot more than she was showing.
"Mahinoor," I sighed, "I am not going to go and change anyone's mind. Stop being a kid, and come out. Everyone is waiting for us downstairs."
"Saying my full name is not going to change my mind either. I am not going to put haldi on you." Irritated I looked back at everyone to see Nehmat, distracting them with songs and games, so I rushed down secretly got some haldi on my hand, and went back upstairs. Baba caught my eye, but I shook my head, no, as I walked upstairs. I knocked on the door again, "Mahi, everyone is distracted. Unlock the door." If she was stubborn, so was I too. If I could apply haldi on her, even when it was killing me to do so, she could too. If I was in this, she had to be in this too.
