The night air was heavy with the scent of marigolds and jasmine, the music and laughter from the mehendi ceremony lingering in the background. Natasha stood in the garden, her face illuminated by the soft glow of fairy lights. She smiled, exchanging pleasantries with relatives and friends, but her mind was miles away. The weight of the secret she and Riya shared felt like a storm brewing just beneath her calm exterior.
Riya was standing nearby, her eyes darting nervously toward Natasha every few seconds. She still hadn’t fully recovered from what had happened in that room, but Natasha had insisted they keep their composure. No one could know what had transpired.
Just as Natasha started to drift deeper into her thoughts, Himanshu appeared by her side, his arm casually wrapping around her waist. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low and filled with concern.
Natasha gave him a tight smile, willing her heart to stop racing. “Yeah, just tired. It’s been a long day.”
He studied her for a moment, his eyes narrowing slightly. “You sure? You’ve been a little distant.”
She felt a pang of guilt but quickly pushed it aside. This wasn’t the time to show any cracks. “I’m fine, Himanshu. Just a lot on my mind with all the wedding stuff.”
Himanshu leaned in, brushing a soft kiss against her temple. “Well, if you ever need to talk, I’m here. I’m not going anywhere.”
Natasha’s stomach twisted. She nodded, grateful for his presence even though she couldn’t share the truth with him. Not now. Maybe not ever.
Just then, Kartik and Raj appeared, grinning from ear to ear. “Bhabhi!” Kartik called out, his voice filled with playful energy. “Aapko ab tak mehendi lag gayi, lekin dance ka time abhi tak nahi aaya! You can’t escape us!”
("Bhabhi, you’ve got your mehendi done, but it’s time for the dance now! You can’t escape us!")
Natasha couldn’t help but laugh at Kartik’s enthusiasm. “Seriously? Dance? Abhi toh main chal bhi nahi sakti,” she teased, holding up her hands to show the drying mehendi.
("Seriously? Dance? I can’t even walk right now!")
Raj snorted. “Excuses! Tumhari shaadi hai, dance toh karna padega. Bhai dekh raha hai, you can’t disappoint him now.” ("Excuses! It's your wedding, you have to dance. Bhai is watching, you can’t disappoint him now.")
Himanshu smirked. “They’re right, Natasha. You owe us a dance.”
Riya, who had been standing in the background, seemed to visibly relax at the light-hearted banter, grateful for the distraction. She stepped forward, her voice filled with playful challenge. “I agree! Natasha has no choice but to dance now.”
Natasha raised an eyebrow. “You’re the one talking? You didn’t even show your moves yet.”
Riya grinned, her earlier fear momentarily forgotten. “Okay, deal. We both dance, and let’s see who does better!”
Kartik’s eyes sparkled with mischief. “Let’s make this interesting—loser has to do an embarrassing dare.”
Raj chimed in, “Done! I’ve already got ideas.”
The group burst into laughter as Natasha rolled her eyes. “Fine, fine, let’s see what you’ve got.” She turned to Himanshu, her earlier tension easing for a moment. “Just don’t laugh at me, okay?”
Himanshu chuckled. “Never. But don’t expect me to go easy on you either.”
---
As the music picked up, the group began to dance, their laughter blending with the beats of the dhol. Natasha, despite the events of earlier, found herself relaxing into the rhythm, enjoying the playful energy of her devars. Kartik and Raj were in full form, dancing with exaggerated moves that had everyone in fits of laughter. Riya matched their energy, moving with confidence, her earlier fear now a distant memory.
But as the dance continued, Natasha’s gaze wandered toward Riya. She noticed the slight tremble in her friend’s hand, the way her smile didn’t quite reach her eyes. The events of the night were still haunting her, and Natasha knew it would take more than dancing to erase the trauma.
Just then, Kartik spun around dramatically, almost crashing into Riya, who let out a startled laugh. “Careful, Kartik! Tum mujhe girane ka plan bana rahe ho kya?” she teased, her voice lighter than it had been earlier.
("Careful, Kartik! Are you planning to make me fall?")
Kartik grinned. “Bhabhi, agar gir gayi toh Himanshu bhai ko bol dena. He’ll catch you!”
("Bhabhi, if you fall, just tell Himanshu bhai. He’ll catch you!")
Natasha rolled her eyes but couldn’t help smiling. “As if I need him to catch me. I can handle myself.”
Raj, always the instigator, chimed in. “Bhabhi, agar aapka dance acha nahi raha, we’ll have to tell bhai. He might reconsider this shaadi!” ("Bhabhi, if your dance isn’t good, we’ll have to tell bhai. He might reconsider this marriage!")
Himanshu shot his younger brothers a mock glare. “Try that, and you’ll both be out of this wedding.”
The teasing continued, filling the air with laughter. But beneath the light-hearted banter, Natasha’s mind couldn’t shake what had happened earlier. Her body danced to the music, but her thoughts were on the man she had killed, the secret she now carried.
As the song ended, Natasha excused herself, needing a moment to breathe. She slipped away from the group and into the quiet of the house. The laughter and music faded behind her as she made her way to a secluded balcony. The night was cool, and the stars above seemed to offer a brief sense of calm.
But that calm was shattered when she heard footsteps behind her. Turning, she saw Riya, her face pale but determined.
“Natasha,” Riya whispered, her voice urgent. “We need to talk.”
Natasha’s heart sank, knowing exactly what Riya was about to bring up. “Not here, Riya. Not now.”
Riya shook her head. “I can’t keep pretending like nothing happened. That man… Natasha, you killed him.”
Natasha’s eyes darkened. “I didn’t have a choice. He was going to hurt you.”
“I know, but—”
“No,” Natasha interrupted, her voice cold and steady. “No one can ever know about this, Riya. Do you understand?”
Riya swallowed, her eyes filled with fear. “What are we going to do?”
Natasha stepped closer, her voice firm. “We move on. We don’t talk about it. We don’t think about it. This stays between us.”
Riya hesitated, but finally, she nodded. “Okay. I trust you.”
Natasha gave her a small, reassuring smile, but inside, her heart was racing. The weight of what she had done was pressing down on her, but she couldn’t afford to break. Not now. Not with everything else going on.
As they returned to the party, Natasha’s mind whirled with the secrets she now had to keep. The celebration continued around her, but she felt like she was walking a tightrope, balancing between the truth and the lie she had to live.
She glanced at Himanshu, who was laughing with his brothers, completely unaware of the storm that had just passed. She had to keep it that way. No matter the cost.
---
Chapter 9 ends here! Natasha and Riya are struggling with the dark secret they now share, while the family continues to enjoy the festivities, oblivious to the storm brewing beneath the surface. How long can they keep up the facade, and will the truth eventually come out? Stay tuned for the next chapter!
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Forced trope to eternity
Fanfictionforced marriage turns to the biggest gift for their lives.
