Hidden Marriage

CHAPTER 16: Mehndi

After the ladke wale vs ladki wale dance competition, the entire ceremony proceeded smoothly, and soon it was time for dinner. The guests gathered on the front side of the venue, where the lively atmosphere of chatter and laughter filled the air.

Meanwhile, Abhay slipped away to the back side of the garden to attend an important business call. The contrast between the energetic celebrations and the calm serenity of the garden struck him as he walked along the dimly lit pathway. As he finished his call, a shadow caught his eye.

He froze.

Kavya was sitting by the pool, her delicate frame illuminated by the soft, silvery glow of moonlight. She had her legs dipped into the water, her eyes closed, and a peaceful expression graced her face. The stillness of the scene captivated him. Her presence seemed to fill the air with calmness-her every feature, every breath, and even her endless taunts, which he pretended to dislike, suddenly felt irreplaceable. For a moment, Abhay allowed himself to admire her in silence, his mind losing itself in thoughts he couldn't quite voice.

But then, he saw something that broke the spell.

A guy approached her and sat down beside her. Abhay's jaw tightened as he watched the stranger hand Kavya a can of Coke. She accepted it with a bright smile and began chatting animatedly. The sound of her laughter rang out in the quiet night, and something sharp twisted in Abhay's chest.

"Who the hell is this guy?" he muttered under his breath, his blood boiling as jealousy surged through him. Without giving it a second thought, he strode toward them, his anger mounting with every step.

Kavya noticed him before he could say anything. "Hey! What are you doing here?" she asked casually, her tone slightly surprised. Her expression shifted to confusion as she registered the stormy look on his face.

"Do you know him?" the guy beside her asked, glancing at Abhay.

Kavya nodded and turned to him. "Yeah, he's Abhinav's cousin-Abhay." She gestured toward Abhay as she introduced him. Then, turning back to Abhay, she said, "And Abhay, this is Shaan-Isha's cousin."

Shaan gave him a polite smile, but Abhay's expression remained hard, his jaw clenched. Ignoring Shaan entirely, he asked Kavya sharply, "What are you doing here at this hour?"

Kavya blinked, taken aback by his tone. "I just needed some peace and quiet," she said hesitantly, unsure why he seemed so furious.

Abhay's glare shifted to Shaan, who immediately picked up on the tension. "I think Bua might be calling me," Shaan said hurriedly, excusing himself. "I should go." Without waiting for a response, he got up and walked away, leaving the two of them alone by the pool.

Kavya stood up, glaring at Abhay. "What is your problem? We were just talking! He left because of you-you scared him off! Bechara!" she exclaimed, her voice laced with frustration.

Abhay's intense gaze didn't waver. "What was the need to talk to him? What's your relationship with him?" he demanded.

Her eyes widened in disbelief at his question. "He's my friend, and it's none of your business!" she shot back. "It's my life-I can do whatever I want!" With that, she turned on her heel and started to walk away.

But Abhay was quicker. He grabbed her wrist, pulling her back toward him. She stumbled, crashing into his chest.

The sudden closeness caught both of them off guard. They stood frozen, their breaths mingling in the cold night air. Kavya's heart raced as she found herself inches away from him, close enough to hear his heartbeat. Abhay's hand instinctively reached up to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her ear, his fingers grazing her skin.

The moment stretched between them, heavy with unspoken words. Kavya blinked, snapping out of her daze, and pushed him away.

Abhay stepped back, awkwardness creeping into his posture. Without another word, he turned to leave, but her voice stopped him.

"I first met him when I was in the 11th grade," she began softly. Abhay turned back to look at her, surprised. She wasn't facing him anymore. Instead, her gaze was fixed on the moon, its reflection shimmering in the pool.

"At first, I thought he was a bad person. He'd been in a relationship with one of my friends and broke up with her. I didn't like him much because of that. But Isha told me to give him a chance, so I did. Over time, I realized he wasn't as bad as I'd thought. We became friends, and then..." She hesitated, taking a deep breath. "And then his feelings changed. He told me he liked me and eventually proposed. I said yes."

Abhay's fists clenched at his sides as she continued, her voice trembling slightly. "We dated for two years. Then one day, he told me he was going abroad for his studies. At first, I thought we could make it work. But after a few months, he texted me, saying he wanted to move on." She let out a bitter laugh. "And I agreed. I didn't know why I said yes to his proposal in the first place, and I didn't know why I agreed to the breakup so easily either."

Her eyes finally met Abhay's. "Now he's back. He wants a second chance. He wants to tell everyone about us this time. And I... I don't know what to do." Her voice broke on the last word, and she looked away, struggling to keep her emotions in check.

Abhay stayed silent for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, with a curt nod, he turned and began walking away.

"I don't know why I told you all this," she called after him, her voice louder now, echoing in the stillness. When he didn't stop, she added quietly, almost to herself, "What should I do?"

Her words hung in the air, heavy with uncertainty, as Abhay disappeared into the shadows.

Next day_

Today was the mehndi ceremony, and tomorrow is the wedding. Shivani and Dhwani were busy arranging everything for the big day, while Rajveer also looked tired from all the rituals.

With a sense of hope, everyone gathered in the hall where the mehndi ceremony was to take place. Isha sat in the center, with two girls applying mehndi to her hands and two others working on her legs.

There was a glow on her face-the glow of impending marriage. Akshara, Kavya, and Emma were also helping with the household chores when the mehndi artist called them over so they could have some mehndi applied as well. After all, as bridesmaids, they had to look good.

Soon, Sakshi joined the group, while the boys were lazily sitting on the sofa, engrossed in their phones.
Karti got up to make a phone call and stepped out into the garden. After finishing the call, he accidentally bumped into someone. It was Sakshi, standing in front of him, trying to push her hair away from her face, her hands adorned with intricate mehndi patterns.

She was wearing a lehenga choli that revealed her slender waist, her dupatta modestly draped across her front, though her collarbone peeked out subtly from the side.

"Can you help me tie my hair? They're getting in my way," she asked, her face adorably pleading.

"Um, uh, o-ok, but how?" he stammered, unsure.

She turned slightly, flipping her hair over her shoulder, the silky strands brushing against his face and making him momentarily close his eyes as the faint scent of her shampoo lingered.

"Here," she said, gesturing toward her waist. He followed her gaze and noticed a small pouch hanging from the dori of her lehenga.

He hesitated for a moment before extending his hand to retrieve a hair tie from the pouch. With a nervous gulp, he carefully ran his fingers through her hair, brushing them gently, and tied them up.

"Thank you," Sakshi whispered softly before walking away, leaving him standing there, still processing the moment.

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Author's Note:
Sorry, everyone! I feel so silly-I actually finished writing this chapter on the 7th of January but completely forgot to hit the publish button. It wasn't until I received a comment today that it hit me-I hadn't posted the chapter yet! Thank you for your patience! 😅
Let me know if you'd like any further changes in the story??