Together Forever

Chapter 1

Anika's POV

"Anika, come down fast! We're getting late!" Piya’s voice rang through the house.

"Just a minute, Piya!" I called back, hurriedly trying to finish my conversation with Mom.

"Mom, I’m getting late. I’ll talk to you later," I said, trying to wrap things up quickly.

"Okay, but behave well, Anika. Greet all the guests properly," she reminded me in that firm yet caring tone she always used.

"I will, Mom," I assured her, though my mind was already on the event ahead.

Today was the day of my cousin's engagement ceremony, and despite my reluctance, I had to attend. My masi's (aunt’s) family was in Canada, and now that I was here too, there was no escaping it. My parents were supposed to come from India, but with my brother Akshit’s board exams coming up, they decided to stay back. So here I was, about to navigate this big family event all by myself. Being an introvert, social gatherings were never my favorite, but my masi was special to me, so there was no question of not going. Thankfully, Piya, my close friend and almost like a sister, agreed to come along. I always took her to masi’s house whenever I visited, so she was practically family too.

As I hurried downstairs, I found Piya waiting for me. She took one look at me and exclaimed, "Oh ho, you’re definitely going to turn some heads today!"

I laughed, brushing off her compliment. "Okay, let’s go, or we’ll be late."

We hopped into the car and started driving to the hotel. My mind was a jumble of thoughts, mostly wondering how I would get through this evening without making it awkward for myself. When we arrived, I scanned the place for the room where the engagement was taking place. Spotting it, I was about to head inside when Piya tugged at my arm.

"Anika, I need to use the washroom. I’ll be right back."

"Alright, but don’t take too long. I’ll wait here," I said, watching her disappear down the hallway.

As I stood there, trying to take in the beautifully adorned surroundings, someone suddenly bumped into me.

"I’m really sorry," he muttered, clearly in a rush and not even glancing at me before moving to walk away.

But just as he was about to leave, I felt a slight tug. My dupatta had gotten caught on one of the buttons of his kurta.

"Oh no, I’m sorry. Let me fix it," I offered, fumbling with the fabric, but I couldn’t seem to free it.

"Relax, let me do it," he said, his voice calm as he stepped closer. With practiced ease, he untangled my dupatta and handed it back to me.

"Thanks," I murmured, looking up at him. But before I could say anything else, his phone rang. He gave me a quick nod, then turned to answer the call, disappearing into the room.

Just then, Piya returned. "Let’s go inside," she said, and I nodded, still thinking about the brief encounter.

Inside, the hall was buzzing with activity. My eyes immediately found Pranav, my cousin, sitting on the stage with a girl who I assumed must be the bride-to-be. I hadn’t met her yet, so I wasn’t entirely sure. As I scanned the room, my masi spotted me and waved me over.

"Come on," I said to Piya, and we made our way to the stage. As soon as we reached, masi enveloped me in a warm hug. She then turned to Piya, pulling her into the hug as well. "You both look so pretty!"

"Thank you, masi," we replied in unison, smiling at her.

"Come, let me introduce you to the bride-to-be," masi said, leading us towards the stage. "Nitya, meet my niece, Anika, and this is her friend, Piya."