On the Brink of falling in Love (On Hold)

"Maybe, maybe not!"

~ Namaz mein who thi, par laga dua humari manzoor ho gayi ~

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The next morning was a hustle at both houses as they geared for the engagement in the evening. Jyoti had suggested doing a small, simple Roka before Srishti and Akash could exchange the rings, in order to follow the customs and traditions strictly. After lunch, Srishti was taken to her room by the beauticians her mom and aunt had arranged to give her the much needed grooming before her big evening. Just when she had dipped her feet into the warm, soapy solution her phone buzzed from the side table. She leaned over and picked the phone to check the message.

"Ready to become officially mine? Can't wait any more" - Akash

"I am getting ready. And...I can't wait either" - Srishti

"Are you blushing, my girl?" - Akash

Srishti blushed deeper after reading his text. She masked her expressions almost immediately when she noticed the beauticians looking at her teasingly. She then furiously replied back on the phone, her fingers tapping the screen hurriedly.

"Maybe, maybe not! *winks* Anyways, I got to go. I'll see you in the evening!" -Srishti

"Aahh!! Now I definitely can't handle this!! Waiting desperately to see you, milady" - Akash

Srishti simply smiled as she imagined his desperate face and placed the phone back on the table, focussing on her feet. After about two whole hours, when she was about to lose the last thread of patience left in her, she heard the girls tell her they were done. Sighing audibly, she mentally thanked her level of patience to have put up with the whole process. She then took the saree that Akash had gifted and walked into the washroom to change. After five minutes, she walked out with her saree half done and the girls then helped her get the pins right as she set the garment perfectly over her shoulders.

She strictly ordered the girls to keep her makeup subtle and light, just the way Akash and she, both preferred. Once her hair and makeup were done, she thanked the girls and sent them, assuring them that she would manage the accessories by herself. She then wore a beautiful pair of gold jhumkas. She decided to ditch a neckpiece and wore only the chain Akash had brought her. She wore her favourite anklets and matched her look with a set of alternate green and orange glass bangles arranged between a pair of gold bracelets.

She completed her look with a string of jasmine flowers adoring her hair and a small designer bindi of green shade on her forehead. She looked at herself in the mirror and the girl looking back at her seemed unrecognisable. She smiled shyly as she thought of Akash's reaction. Just then her mom and aunt entered the room and once all the hugs and kisses were exchanged, Harsh, Vinod and Shanti set off to Akash's house. Srishti sat on the couch rubbing her palms to cover her nervousness. She felt the anxiety kick in over and over again as she tried to wipe the sweat off her face carefully, avoiding any smudges.

Sushma smiled at her niece and sat next to her talking about life in Delhi, to take off the poor girl's mind from worrying unnecessarily. After about twenty five minutes, they heard Vivek call out to them from downstairs. They carefully locked the house and walked to the car. Within half an hour, they reached Akash's house.

As much as Srishti wanted to roam her eyes around the place, looking for someone special, she resisted and fixed her gaze on the floor, as if her feet were the most fascinating things at the moment. Once she neared the living area, she was ushered by Jyoti who took her to introduce her to a few family relatives. Srishti smiled politely at her to-be extended family as Jyoti made her meet a few distant aunts, uncles and cousins of Akash.