Marked By Darkness

Chapter 80- One Day Before

Anshi walked quietly to Ruhi's room, knocking softly on the door. It was closed, and Anshi could hear her moving around inside. When she opened it, her face was pale, her eyes distant.

"Ruhi, come on. Everyone's waiting downstairs," Anshi said gently, offering a small smile. "We all need to be together for a bit. It's going to help."

She hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. She walked past Anshi and down the stairs without saying a word.

When they reached the living room, the rest of the group was already sitting on the couch, chatting. Anshi gestured for Ruhi to sit beside her, and she did, her body language stiff, her eyes not meeting anyone else's.

James, always the one to lighten the mood, immediately cracked a joke. "Well, well, well... looks like we're all together again. Just missing the party hats and drinks, huh?" He chuckled, looking at Neil for confirmation.

Neil, always ready to add to the humor, leaned back dramatically. "I'm pretty sure this counts as a bachelor party, right? No one's getting out of this without a speech from me. You know how I get."

Elijah, who had been unusually quiet, smirked and turned toward Ruhan. "Man, you're really doing it, huh? You're getting old. You're gonna marry her tomorrow. No more late-night wild parties or spontaneous trips. Things are gonna change for you, my friend."

Ruhan, who had been sitting quietly with his hands folded in his lap, couldn't help but feel a pang in his chest at Elijah's teasing. He couldn't believe it, either. Tomorrow was the day. He was going to marry Ruhi, and it felt like everything had happened so fast. His thoughts were racing, and for a moment, everything seemed to blur.

But the noise from everyone else slowly brought him back to reality. James, sensing the tension in the air, raised his glass and grinned. "So, this is the kind of bachelor party, huh? No dancing girls, no loud music, just a bunch of us sitting here and talking about how everything's going to change."

They all laughed together, and even Ruhi, despite her tension, cracked a small smile. Elijah chuckled and shook his head. "Honestly, though, Ruhan... tomorrow is going to be the start of something big. Just remember, marriage is the real deal. There's no going back now!"

Ruhan's mind wandered again, the words floating around him without fully sinking in. Tomorrow. He was getting married tomorrow. And it was happening because of the curse, because of everything that had been thrust upon them. He couldn't deny how much he cared for Ruhi, but part of him still struggled to believe this was really happening.

His thoughts were interrupted by Neil, who nudged him with his elbow. "You're not getting cold feet, are you, Ruhan?" he teased, a grin on his face.

Ruhan shook his head, trying to push the doubts away. "No. I'm just... thinking."

"Thinking too much," James said with a wink. "That's what you're doing. Just take it one step at a time. And enjoy this bachelor party, man. It's not every day you get married, after all."

Ruhi, who had been silent for a while, finally spoke up. "You guys... are really making this feel like a party?" Her voice was soft, almost melancholic.

Esha, who had been sitting quietly beside her, smiled reassuringly. "Yeah, we are. But don't worry, Ruhi. Tomorrow's going to be okay. We've got you."

Ruhi nodded faintly, but her eyes were still distant, as if she was still lost in thought. Ruhan could see how hard this was for her, how much pain she was carrying inside. His heart clenched at the thought of her being forced into this situation, but he knew there was nothing more he could do except support her.