8| Chaos day two

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CORRUPT ME

Morning came loud — too loud — with my mother's voice echoing down the hallway like a war siren

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Morning came loud — too loud — with my mother's voice echoing down the hallway like a war siren.

"Tara! Get up, now! Guests will be here by noon, and your sister's mehndi hasn't even started!"

I groaned, burying my face under the pillow. "Tell the guests to bring their own mehndi then," I mumbled.

No response — just the heavy thud of my mom's heels storming closer.

"Tara Advani!" she barked. "If you're not up in the next two minutes, I swear—"

I sat up, hair a complete disaster. "Relax, Maa! I'm awake. See?" I threw my hands up dramatically. "Your lazy disappointment is alive and breathing."

She glared at me — the same glare that could make even ghosts apologize — and left the room muttering something about "ungrateful daughters" and "bad upbringing."

I grinned to myself. Morning victory achieved.

Sliding out of bed, I stretched, yawning. The house was already a full circus — decorators shouting, cousins running around, music blasting from one corner, and my aunt trying to stop someone from dropping the sweet trays.

Honestly, chaos was my aesthetic.

I looked at my phone: three missed calls from Ahaan.
Of course.

I called him back while brushing my hair.
"What?" I said.

He groaned. "What do you mean what? You ditched college! Bhai almost killed half the class with his mood."

I laughed. "Oh, really? Poor victims of Professor Doom."

"Tara, he looked ready to murder someone. I think he was... disappointed?"

"Aw, that's adorable," I said, mock-sweet. "He missed me. How romantic."

Ahaan sighed dramatically. "You're impossible."

"And you're predictable," I said, tossing my brush. "Now stop talking about your scary brother. It's mehndi day — I have to look like a goddess and ruin every girl's self-esteem tonight."

He chuckled. "Mission impossible."

"Mission already accomplished," I said, cutting the call.

I turned to the mirror. My reflection stared back — messy bun, oversized tee, zero motivation.
But the thing is, I knew how to switch it on — the confidence, the spark, the chaos that made people turn their heads and whisper "that's Tara Advani."

And tonight, I was bringing it all.

Hours flew by in a blur of laughter, glitter, and chaos. My sister looked like an angel, my mom looked like she'd aged ten years trying to manage the event, and I... well, I looked hot. The green emerald lehenga hugged perfectly, the jewelry shimmered, and the eyeliner could cut glass.

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