A Beautiful Mess

Chapter 23

He's here, he's the best man, his sister's here, and he looks different better than what he looked like when we last met in London, boyish charms long gone now he was a drop dead gorgeous man with chocolaty brown eyes. It was hard to not panic when he looked like that. It has been years but I was still that girl from school who had worn his jacket and felt comfortable and safer and he was still the guy who I'd danced with and kissed for the very first time.

‘Just take a deep breath, everything has changed I am a grown woman now and things are different.’

My mind was box of crackling candies each candy had a different thing to say.

After Haldi there was no further interaction because he was obviously busy with thing and I was with mine. At dinner our eyes did meet a few times but he rudely ignored any connection. He was very clearly ignoring me and at dinner he also made a few jokes on me being an uptight bitch in a subtle manner. He showed a little animosity towards me and I got my hint, maybe it was the fact that he had changed or maybe that I declined his offer at Heathrow 3 years ago and that had taken a toll on his ego. Whatever it was, I’m going to avoid it, Josh has been nothing but tornado if trouble and unattended feelings.

Mehendi started the next day after lunch, Cheryl was mostly by my side and I must say she was as charming as Josh. 

So I had beautiful henna applied on both of my hands. So had all the other ladies.

It was lunch time and by then all the ladies were being fed by their better halves or boyfriends. We had our pictures clicked and moments captured. I sat for lunch and was soon served with different delicacies but only if I could eat. I was waiting for my henna to dry by puffing all over my hands.

Ashk's friend Aman came and sat next to me. 

“Oh Miss uptight needs help, does she?” He teased.

“Shut up,” I said squinting my eyes.

He smirked.

“So you've been spending time with D’costa haven't you?” I asked in vain tone. I had no one to prove to, I didn't need to show these people that I was better, especially to Josh, if he didn't know me by now then I was not to be blamed.

“So, do you want me to umm...Help you with the food?” He asked shyly.

He's blushing I thought awkwardly.

“Really?” I asked by now my tummy was rumbling with hunger.

“Yes Ofcourse,” he smiled.

“Thanks just help me with the rice and curry that way you're hands won't be messy,” I said.

“Sure,” he said and starting mixing rice and curry.

“Hey lover boy, uncleji is asking for you” Josh said haughtily.

“Oh umm...”he mumbled.

“It's fine, I'll eat later, anyway thanks Aman you're a sweetheart,” I said smiling genuinely.

“Anytime,” he was saying when he looked at Josh and said “Whatever Kals,” and walked away. I scrunched my face, was Josh running an ‘I hate Kalsi campaign?’

Josh was holding a plateful of food and he sat right next to me acting like I wasn't sitting there. I just sat awkwardly looking at all the yummy piled on my plate.

“Cheryl here,” He called out and a giggly Cheryl came and sat next to Josh.

“Hey Kals, he's feeding you too?” She asked.

I looked at her like she spoke alien.

“Huh?” I said dumbfounded.

“Yes,” Josh said before I could anything.

“Really?” I asked.

“Duh? What choice do I have, my sister practically bullied me into feeding you,” he said with a bored expression.

“Hey when did I,” Cheryl was saying something when Josh stuffed a huge Rasgulla into her mouth.

“Rice is fine with me,” I said

“Wouldn't want you to dirty your hands,” I added.

“You hate garlic curry,” he said and stuffed roti and amazingly creamy paneer vegetable in my mouth.

“Hmmmmm,” I sighed dreamily.

He smiled but quickly recovered with a smirk. Cheryl made a face at Josh and he hit her on her head. Turn by turn he gave a morsel to Cheryl and I. Cheryl quickly finished and left.

“Give me the pineapple raita,” I said to Josh.

“Hold on King Kong,” he said and fed me the sweet sour raita.

“One last Rasgulla and I’m done,” I promise, I said smiling cheekily.

“God, you're like a food monster!” he said and held a spoonful of Rasgulla under my nose, it was huge and juicy, and I made my move towards that yummy round thing, and yikes knocked I it off. It rolled onto his pants and left a wet mark. He got up and snapped, “Jesus, you're so stupid!” And suddenly the entire room was quite and glaring at us.

I was crimson with embarrassment, I got up and moved out, he didn't follow and I tried getting over it. 

******

Sangeet began at 8, Arya was always surrounded by people and I kind of felt lonely. 

Thank God for Cheryl sticking by me.

Dad would be arriving day after directly for the wedding. Lekha Danish the recently engaged and so in love couple would be arriving tomorrow for cocktail along with Zarine and Vidyut, till then I was stuck with Arya's stupid cousins and overjoyed relatives. Sangeet was more of a drunk uncle's dancing with jewellery clad aunties and an obnoxiously loud Dj with desi music. We youngsters had arranged cocktail tomorrow night. Ashk had a lot of friends from overseas who were frantically clicking pictures of each and everything they saw was Indian. So whole and whole Sangeet was me dancing with the Aunties and drunk uncles while Josh flirted his way through with the giggly girls high on champagne. Honestly I did try to get Josh's attention a few times by waving in front of him but he was too engrossed with those annoying girls. Well I was being stupid, why do I suddenly crave his attention. That boy is driving me nuts, help me God!