𝐁𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐋𝐨𝐲𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐞𝐬

𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐄𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐘

She didn't need to fit into his world, she made her place beside him.

*Anamika*

Today was the day. Sanya's engagement was finally here, and I could feel the anticipation buzzing in the air like electricity. Standing at the entrance of the garden, I took a deep breath, letting the fragrance of fresh flowers around me. Everything had to be perfect. "Just a few more hours and it will all be worth it," I whispered to myself, trying to motivate myself. I was so tired because I stayed up all night decorating for the engagement.

As guests began to arrive, I shifted into high gear, moving seamlessly through the crowd. I checked the seating arrangements, ensured the caterers were on schedule, and made sure the musicians were ready to start. Each step filled me with a sense of pride, knowing that all my hard work was about to pay off.

When the engagement ceremony began, I took a moment to step back and observe. The laughter, the joy everything felt magical. But even amid the celebration, I couldn't help but notice Riya, who was having a little too much fun.

"Hey, Anamika! Can you help me with this?" Riya called out, struggling with a last-minute decoration.

I rushed over, my heart racing. "Riya, please! We need to keep everything look perfect" I said, snatching the decorations from her hands.

"I thought you were supposed to be the wedding planner, not the decoration police," she teased, giggling.

"Very funny. Just keep an eye on the guests, will you?" I replied, half-smiling. I could feel the chaos bubbling just beneath the surface, but I couldn't let it show.

As the engagement wrapped up beautifully, a swell of pride washed over me. Sanya was glowing, and everything had gone smoothly until I realized Riya had wandered off again, this time toward the dessert table.

"No, no, no!" I muttered under my breath, sprinting toward her. Riya was happily piling desserts onto her plate, blissfully unaware of my panic.

"Those are for the guests, not for you to snack on!" I exclaimed, my voice rising slightly. I grabbed her ear scolding her.

"But they look so good Ahhhh- leave my ear you chudail!" Riya protested, her one hand grabbing the plate while her other hand tried to remove my hand from her ear.

"You can have one later! Let's focus on the guests first," I replied, my tone firm but lighthearted. I couldn't let the dessert table run out before the guests had their share.

The next few days blurred together as I spent countless hours preparing for the Mehndi ceremony, ensuring the henna artists were ready and that the decorations captured the essence of the occasion.

Guests gathered, and the henna artists got to work, creating intricate designs on Sanya's hands. I hurried over to Riya, who was trying to help but ended up with more henna on her own hands than on Sanya's.