In A Heartbeat | ✓

Chapter 33 : Holi

Nishaant stood beside his brothers. Dhruv and Priya who were so overexcited that they couldn't stop talking about the celebration the following day. They went on chattering about who they had invited. He took Aauysh in his arms when Shiv's phone rang.

Gauravi entered the lawn walking towards the sticks that had been set up to light the fire for the pooja. Gauravi was reminded of the celebrations at her own home.

Daadi smiled calling her forward. Gauravi looked on while Raashi was preparing the plate for pooja.

Nishaant was standing diametrically opposite to Daadi. At his line of sight he caught Gauravi smiling. She was dressed in a simply red kurti, her hair braided and left on her shoulder. He looked away quickly not wanting her to catch him looking at her.

Gauravi was a little surprised and a little shy when Daadi involved her in the rituals saying that she was also a part of the family now.

After the pooja, as a custom, everyone went around coloring everyone's cheeks with the red color from the pooja plate.

Nishaant turned after applying color to Priya to find Gauravi turning towards him. "Happy Holi!" He muttered, passing by her, not bothering to color her cheeks. She nodded mumbling the same, walking over to Priya, forcing a smile on her face.

"Do you guys even talk?" Shiv asked Nishaant having observed the awkward exchange of wishes between the two.

"Yeah," Nishaant muttered, "just casual stuff, about office and...sort."

"Don't you think you guys should make efforts to know each other on a personal level? I mean you guys are engaged... unless you still have second thoughts. Do you Nishaant?" He asked solemnly looking at Gauravi who was smiling and talking to his wife.

Nishaant sighed, "I don't know. It's just weird."

"Did you just agree because of Daadi's suggestion? I mean if you did it solely because... "

"Shiv, it's not that way. Just that... we have a professional relationship between us. It's going to be awkward to ... you know."

"I understand that." His brother cut his sentence off. "But, maybe you two could start with friendship. Shouldn't be that hard."

If only Shiv knew! Nishaant had memories flashing in his mind in a sequence like an unwinding video tape. From their first kiss to their fight last week. A lot more than friendship had happened between them. Maybe that's where it all went wrong. But Nishaant didn't regret about anything a bit.

Gauravi may be stubborn or difficult at times, yet a part of his heart had already accepted her.

* * *

"I don't freaking understand the concept of Bhaang. I mean Daadi has a problem with alcohol but not mixing Bhaang in the Thandaai." Shiv spoke irritated. "Have you also had it?" He asked Nishaant.

Everything was going well, they were all playing and having fun. There were colors, music, a pool filled with colored water. Until the snacks came in. Shiv wasn't even sure whether the Gujjias had Bhaang or the Thandaai. He had taken extra precaution to have nothing, other than fruits.

"I haven't eaten anything or had Thandai yet!" Nishaant muttered looking around. His appetite was lost because Gauravi was still ignoring him. She was nicely mingling with Priya and Dhruv's friends.

His gaze was currently trained on his parents, who were laughing endlessly giving each other high-fives. "Mom, dad, are drunk too!" He said staring at them.