Unfazed

74. Sisterhood (Alana)

(IMAGE ABOVE: Final Look of Sneha, courtesy Dee's styling and Alana's make-up skills)

"I will take it upon myself to kill you if you make me look like a clown" Sneha swore under her breath, holding as still as possible while I finished touching up her eyes and lips.

Seated in Vish's bedroom and getting ready for a "launch party" of one of Vish's new "projects", Sneha knew how important this was to Vish, but little else. When she turned to Dee and myself to help her pick clothes and all the paraphernalia that go into the making of her appearance, we were more than happy to help. And yet, none of us had had a slip up until now. In a few hours, my step-sister-cum-best-friend would be engaged.

"Hmm.. But if you look good, do you promise to give me a contract as your official make-up guru for the rest of your life? And dedicate your firstborn to me?" I ask, spraying some setting-spray onto her finished face.

"Like you haven't been doing it for the past eight years, Lanny!" she exclaims. I roll my eyes and step away from the mirror, just as Dee walks in, all dolled up.

"Holy Moly, Lan!!!!!" says Sneh, leaning forward to take a closer look at herself in the mirror. "This is even better than what you did for my graduation!! And I had thought that was the prettiest I could ever look!!"

"She looks BEAUTIFUL" says Dee quietly and I know she means it. Despite our differences, woman to woman, I know we have a lot of respect for each other.

"Hell I might even ask you to do my make up if and when I get married!!! Oh my goodness... you're a magician", Sneh says, turning around to give me a hug.

"Okay – fine. I'll even give you a discount if that happens", I joke and between me and Dee, there is a very quick known glance passed. If only Sneh knew what she was walking into.

"Al – could you come here for a minute?" Vish called from the living room and I stepped out, while Dee was helping Sneh with the last bits of draping her saree perfectly, for one last time.

"Sup bro?" I ask and I notice how he flinches at the word. I giggle but he looks like he could cry any moment. "Vish.. All okay?" I ask, when he repeatedly glances after me at the ajar door to the room where Sneh was getting ready.

"Dev just called. Everything is okay at the venue – Harsh has even managed to get Viren to come towards the end of the party", he whispers to me, "But I am jittery. A little. A little jittery" he says.

"You don't say", I mock, but I tell him to take deep breaths. "You're sure about this, right?" I ask, before adding "Because if you're not – I'm gonna be so mad at you as I spent a lot of time making her look like she does."

Just as I know Vish is about to reply, his eyes focus behind me and he forgets to breathe. "Make me look like what, Ally?" Sneh asks from behind me and suddenly, Vish's reaction is completely justified.

"Duuuuudeeee" I say as I turn to face her and see that Deeksha has indeed managed to form a new drape with the top half of Sneha's saree – making her look ethereal. "DAMN Dee... You got some skill, giiirrrllll!!" I almost howl but everything either Dee or I do is lost in the background as Vish and Sneh just look at each other.

After a long moment, it gets awkward for us, so I nudge Vish and whisper, "Say something!"

"Um.. Hi! You look amazing. So do I", he stutters out and Dee and I throw each other amused glances, before bursting into laughs. Surely enough, his ears turn a deep shade of pink while Sneha joins us and says, "Thank you.. And yes, yes you do."

"Okay – you know what, both of you, get going. We are yet to get ready and Alana and I will be there soon okay? Get going" says Dee, borderline pushing the two of them out of the door. Though they say bye to us a couple of times, we know for a fact that the two need some time together.

"Hey Al?" Dee says to me once they're gone.

"Yeah?" I ask, surprised that she called me a nickname instead of my full name for the first time.

"I know things between you and Harsh are super complicated – and I don't know if I have completely gotten over the part you've played so far. But I hope you know I don't hate you right? I mean.. If all these things with Harsh weren't in the picture.. You'd be one of the coolest people I've ever known", she says, handing me the clothes she picked out for me while also finishing up her own minimalistic make-up.

I can't hide my grin when I say, "Right back at 'cha, sista!" to which, she rolls her eyes and says "Whatever" before grinning back at me through her reflection.