Our Arranged Marriage

VIII.

"Shubman? Vaishnavi?" They heard a voice causing them to jerk off from each other.

"Mumma..." A whisper left from Shubman's mouth, in shock. Vaishnavi was too frightened to react even.

"It's not like what you think, aunty ji." She mumbled softly and slowly.

"Mumma, Myra was here, we didn't get-" Shubman was cut off.

"I didn't ask for an explanation, puttar." Keart said calmly. Vaishnavi's eyes shot up at her. "Puja k liye aajao." She smiled and went away.

Vaishnavi and Shubman stood there with awkwardness hovering over them.

"Uhh, sorry."  "I'm sorry."
They said in a jinx. Vaishnavi tucked a few strands of hair behind her ear, biting her lower lip.

"Umm, chale?" She asked.

"After you."

Gentleman. She smiled walking ahead.

Quietly and silently, they both walked to the hawan. Vaishnavi sat beside Abhimanyu while Shubman joined Shahneel. Vaishnavi sat silently, looking down fidgeting with her dupatta end. She decided not look here and there; she had many reasons of course she didn't want any eye contact with Shubman and she didn't want a coincidental eye contact with Shreyas.

Shubman turned his head to Keart and Lakhwinder, found Keart whispering something to Lakhwinder. Shubman frowned but then looked down immediately as Lakhwinder snapped his head at him.

"Shubman aur Vaishnavi? Ki baat kar reyo?" Lakhwinder whispered to Keart, being shocked. While she nodded.
(What are you talking about?)

"Hum karenge baat, puja k baad." She nodded at him.

The hawan continued. Shubman, this time, didn't have courage to look at Vaishnavi. He closed his eyes. The moments flashed in his mind causing him to open his eyes with a jerk. He huffed glancing at Vaishnavi slightly.

"Heyy.." Vaishnavi heard a soft voice of a girl. She looked at her either side to find Anushka.

Wait what? Anushka Sharma?????

Her eyes widened.

"Heyy.. ma'am." She fumbled.

"What's your name?" Anushka asked smiling.

"Vaishnavi Salian."

"Vaishno Devi." Vaishnavi's cheeks flushed at Anushka's words. "What do you do?"

"I'm a fashion designer." Vaishnavi replied softly.

"Alright. It was nice talking to you, Vaishnavi. I'll get going now.." Anushka said smiling when she recieved a call from Virat.

"Baba, Anushka Sharma?" Vaishnavi, still in shock, said to Abhimanyu who chuckled at his daughter's reaction.

The puja continued with the flames of fire in the middle of the room, silence spread, just the priest's enchanted mantras were audible along with some muffled whispers.

"Abhimanyu ji. Khana shuru karlijiye." Lakhwinder said, once the Puja was over.

"Jald kis baat ki? Karlenge. Humare param mitra k saath." They laughed.

"Then, I won't be making you wait so long. Kaam nipta k aata hu." Lakhwinder said to which Abhimanyu nodded.

..

"Vaishnavi ko bolke aaja bacha plate pakadne ko." Keart said to Shahneel.

"Umm, mumma. She feels awkward when she is alone, specially in a crowd. So...-" Shubman said.