You and I - a pranushka tale

chapter twenty

It was the day of the engagement.

Mithrah ran down the stairs, already dressed, excited for the day to come. She wore a cream coloured saree with her hair in a curly low bun. She was glowing as she made her way around the villa, almost like the bride herself.

The villa was decorated as if it was welcoming the Gods to step through the door. Usually, the engagement tends to happen at the house of the bride to be. But the elderly members were keen to have it happen at their own villa. Thara had a spent a lot of time there growing up that her parents had no complaints. It was pretty much their home too.

Mithrah found everyone around the prayer room. She rushed over and stood next to Nithya, both with beaming smiles on their faces. Thara's family were offering a poojai to Lord Ganesh as the religious chants filled the atmosphere. Mithrah took this moment to admire the beautiful appearance of her best friend.

"She looks stunning," Mithrah commented with a huge grin as she caught Thara's eyes and winked. Thara laughed and shook her head as Nithya nodded eagerly.

"She looks like a goddess," Nithya said before turning to look at her cousin. She gave her a nudge and smirked. "You look quite like a bride to be yourself." She teased watching Mithrah roll her eyes in good spirit. "Thara is the first in our gang to be married. Soon it will be us." Thara said dreamily.

Mithrah shook her head with a laugh. "You will not find me trapped anytime soon." She said, her mind flashing with an image of Prabhas dressed as a groom.

Thara hummed and nodded in a way that was obvious she didn't believe Mithrah's words. "Of course. You are certainly not at all already trapped." She said dramatically, her voice hinting at the complete opposite.

Mithrah nudged her cousin away but nobody could deny the smile on her face as she acted clueless to what Nithya was talking about. "Have you hit your head somewhere?" Mithrah asked, trying to make her way closer to the front as Nithya followed right behind.

"Do you act clueless all the time?" Nithya asked with a smirk as they both reached the front and sat down. Mithrah just blew her a kiss in return before the pair quietened down and watched the poojai take place.

Soon enough, it was time for the two families to meet. Mithrah stood beside Thara as everyone who was in the prayer room made their way over to the largest room in the villa. Thara was made to sit on the decorated floor beside her parents as the other two girls went and stood by a pillar awaiting the others to come.

Almost instantly, Mithrah's family made their way in. Rana standing in the middle with her parents accompanying him. Mithrah's eyes immediately found Prabhas already looking at her. He was walking right beside Rana, his gaze not leaving her. He looked her up and down as Mithrah cocked her eyebrows once as if she was asking him how she looked. His lips made their way to a smirk before he looked away.

Rana had eyes for no other than his bride to be, who was sat waiting for him. A rosy glow was blooming on her face as she kept her gaze down, but the small smile on her face could be seen from miles away.

Mithrah and Nithya joined their family for a moment to help place the items on the floor around the priest before the younger adults went to stand to the side as the adults and Rana sat facing Thara and her family. As the traditions of the engagement began, Prabhas slowly made his way over to where Mithrah was standing. He bumped shoulders with her before standing close with his gaze towards the front.

"Oy." He whispered.

Mithrah raised her eyebrows and looked at him amused. "Oy?"

"You look beautiful." He said watching Mithrah break eye contact as she looked away, trying not to blush. But he could already see the red hue appearing on her cheeks.