FF: To Be or Not to Be. [Chap4. Pg 24]

The sherwani collar was making his neck itch. As he stared into the human-sized mirror, he could see tiny droplets of sweat race down his forehead. It was so stuffy. He cursed the damn malfunctioning Air Conditioner. He wiped his face clean and swept his hair back, gelling it. And for once in his 26 years long life, his hair looked set. He didn't know why he felt so jittery. He had agreed to this so readily. They both had talked to each other and agreed.

The blaring sound of the drums and trumpets filled his ears. He peeped out of the window and chuckled looking at their family dance in euphoria. And then his gaze fell on the board near the gate and his smile became rigid. He gulped. A huge photo of them covered it beneath which was written in a flowy writing.

'Swayam Shekawat Weds Sharon Rai Prakash.'

****

She gazed at her mehendi covered hands and felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. Or it was just her authentic-cum-heavy lehenga which was giving her the feeling. She wondered if the designers had assumed that Indian girls were weightlifters. What else could justify the stupefying weight of a wedding dress and the jewellery to complement it?

She was feeling the pre-wedding jitters, and it was out of her undersanding as to why she was doing so. He was her best friend and she was getting married to him. Big deal. Maybe it was just the hype surrounding it. As much as she loved being under the spotlight, today she wished people would just leave her alone. Or better, leave them alone. She stared at the tiny 'SS' for Swayam Shekawat squeezed in her mehendi, for him to find. She was positive he would, he had a keen eyesight. Leave the fact that the jerk always used it to notice her bad mood and annoy her further.

My, she was getting married to the jerk. And she herself had agreed to it.

Shit.