CHAPTER 12: HALDI

22 4 3
                                    


College_

Abhinav was in the middle of delivering a lecture when a sudden pop sound interrupted the rhythm of his words. His phone had gone off, and the unexpected noise drew his attention—and that of his students. Glancing at the device, he realized he had forgotten to put it on silent mode. Slightly annoyed with himself, he picked up the phone with the intention of silencing it immediately. However, as his eyes fell on the name of the sender, 'Miss Sehrawat,' a smile unconsciously crept onto his face. For a moment, his thoughts wandered, and he hesitated.

Realizing his students were still looking at him curiously, he cleared his throat and said with a calm but firm tone, "It's important." Without further explanation, he unlocked the phone and opened the chat, his expression betraying a mixture of curiosity and anticipation.

---------------
Miss Sehrawat

-You shouldn't have
done this everyone
is talking about your
secret fiancé

Why I wanted to-
announce that I am
booked

---------------------

A mischievous smile played on Abhinav’s lips as he began typing a flirtatious reply, his fingers pausing slightly as he thought of the perfect words to send. Just as he was lost in the moment, one of his students, clearly emboldened by curiosity, spoke up with a teasing tone.

"Sir, could it be Mrs. Singh on the other side?" the student asked, drawing giggles from a few others in the class.

Abhinav’s smile quickly faded as he looked up, catching the cheeky expression on the student’s face. He straightened his posture, adjusted his expression to one of composed seriousness, and locked eyes with the boy. "Hmm, is there any problem?" he asked with a calm but pointed tone, raising an eyebrow in a way that made it clear he wouldn’t tolerate further interruptions.

Without waiting for an answer, he put his phone back on the desk, silencing it this time, and turned back to the board.

"Now, where were we?" he said firmly, resuming his lecture as if nothing had happened.

The classroom fell silent, though a faint ripple of amusement lingered in the air, as the students exchanged knowing looks.

Evening
Singh house_

Minakshi had carefully prepared the haldi for the bride, following all the traditional rituals with great care. The golden-yellow paste sat in a beautifully decorated bowl, ready to be sent to the Sehrawat Villa for Isha’s Haldi ceremony. Abhinav’s Haldi was scheduled for the next morning, and preparations for it were also underway. Once everything was set, Minakshi handed the bowl of haldi to a servant and instructed him to take it to the car, as she was planning to head to Sehrawat Villa herself.

However, just as the servant was about to leave, Sakshi appeared and intercepted him. She gently took the bowl from his hands and turned to her mother with a reassuring smile.

"Maa, why are you stressing yourself? I’ll go instead, don’t worry," Sakshi said confidently, holding the bowl as if it was her personal responsibility.

Minakshi paused for a moment. She knew Sakshi’s deep attachment to Isha, her future sister-in-law. Sakshi and Isha shared a bond that went beyond the formalities of family; they were like sisters who truly understood each other. Reluctantly, Minakshi nodded in agreement, but her protective instincts prompted her to add, "Okay, but take Abhay with you."

Hidden Marriage Where stories live. Discover now