Niranjan agreed to take the role of "Nivedita" as a bridesmaid for his sister's wedding, experiences a month-long transformation guided by his mother and sister.
Next day afternoon, Nivedita was in the kitchen, dressed in a simple floral-print saree, her long hair flowing and her wrists adorned with bangles that jangled softly with each movement. She was adjusting herself to the feel of the saree as she worked, the fabric sweeping along the floor. There was a sense of peace in the air, but also a quiet feeling of transition, a change within herself that had started to feel natural. The soft clink of her bangles accompanied every motion, and she was slowly getting used to their weight, the way they defined her movements.
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As she was cutting vegetables, the door to the kitchen opened, and in walked Priya, Aradhana's friend, bubbly and full of energy as always. Priya hadn't seen Nivedita in a while, and her eyes lit up as she greeted who she thought was Aradhana.
"Oh, Aradhana, you're already here?" Priya called out playfully, making her way toward Nivedita, who had her back to her. Without thinking much, Priya wrapped her arms around Nivedita from behind in a warm hug.
Nivedita, slightly startled, froze for a second before remembering that Priya had mistaken her for Aradhana. She decided to stay quiet for a moment and let the hug pass.
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"Good to see you already working hard in the kitchen, as always!" Priya said, sounding cheerful. "I thought you'd be resting today."
Nivedita simply smiled and remained silent, trying to keep her composure as Priya's arms lingered around her.
Priya pulled away after a moment, still smiling, and when she finally turned Nivedita around to face her, her expression changed from surprise to confusion. "Wait a second... you're not Aradhana," she said, blinking as her mind quickly tried to make sense of the situation.
Nivedita gave her a polite smile, her voice calm. "No, I'm not. I'm Nivedita," she said softly.
Priya took a step back, her eyes widening as she processed the change. "Oh my god, I'm so sorry!" she said, a little flustered, her cheeks turning pink. "I didn't realize-please forgive me. I thought you were Aradhana. You look so... similar."
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