________________________________
Chapter 2
Everyone clapped as the would be bride and groom, fitted the rings into the other's finger.Karthik and Naira's eyes locked, breaking the eye contact only when the applause died out.
Dinner was served, Karthik began looking for Naira, but saw her no where at any of the tables, so he excused himself, which was pretty hard because he was surrounded by his two brothers, elder sister and two saalis who kept on teasing him as he glanced around the room and did even more leg pulling when he asked to leave the table, knowing very well who his eyes were searching.
He saw her at the corner of one table, instructing chiiti uncle to make sure that there isn't a shortage of anything, she then walked along the table where the dishes lay and looked into each one of them and went to where everyone was sitting to eat going from table to table and asking everyone if they would like more.
Not paying attention she dashed into Karthik.
"I am sorry", she apologized without looking up, and only did when she felt the person dashed into pull her.
"Karthik", she whispered
"Kya kar rahi thi", asked the boy
"Bas yeh dekh rahi thi ke kiisi aur ko kuch chaiye toh nahi", she replied
"But you can do that after you eat something, Mishti informed me you skipped lunch, and Rajshri nani also said you didn't have anything to eat in between if you keep on skipping meals like this, you will fall sick and I can't see you like that so now like a good girl sit here and don't move", spoke Karthik as he seated her on any empty table at the corner of the room much further away from the occupied ones, he left returning shortly with a plate stacked with her favourite food items.
"Main khud khalungi", said Naira as Karthik lifted up a spoon of kheer near her favourite mouth, but her words made no difference and pushed spoon lightly on her closed lips getting some dessert on to them, finally getting he isn't going to leave her she obliged and ate the kheer. Pulling out a tissue from the box that lay on the table she gently wiped her lips and than continued to feed her.
She took the badam halwa in another spoon and put it infront of him, feeding it to him, "Kaise banna hai", she asked
"Tum ne banaya", he asked
"Tumhe kise pata chala", she questioned surprised
"Kyun ke yeh bilkul ma'am ke banye huye halwe jaisa taste karta hai, aur ma'am ke hathon ka swaad toh sirf unki beti ke hathon mein ho sakta hai", replied Karthik
"Tumhe pata hai Karthik yeh mumma ki recipe hai, main ne yeh issiliye banaya kyun ke yeh mumma ka favourite dessert tha, mujhe lagga ke kahi nahi kahi isse banna ne se mujhe mumma ki presence feel hogi", Naira spoke as tears filled her eyes.
"Miss kar rahi ho unhe, zarrorat nahi hai Naira, kyun ke miss unhe kiya jata hai jo hum se dur ho aur ma'am toh humesha tumhare dil mein rahegi, humare khyalon mein, humari bathon, hum unhe dur Jane he nahi denge", he told her as he traced his thumb under her eyes stealing her tears before they fell.
___________________________
The engagement was over everything had gone well, dadi had announced that Karthik and Naira couldn't meet each other accept during the functions, till the wedding day arrived and that too at the time of the wedding not before that.
Naira sat on her bed and looked at the ring on her finger, the ring he had made her wear tonight, the ring she had seen during Yash and Rose wedding when Rose had been selecting the ring for Yash. She kissed the ring multiple times lovingly.
"Kash jitna pyaar iss ring par araha hai utna mujh par ata", she heard Karthik's voice and went to the window knowing from where it came and pulled him up.
"Dadi ne milne se manna kiya tha", Naira reminded him.
"Main dadi se bahut pyaar karta hun, unki baath aur unki feelings ki izzat kar sakta hun, Magar kissi bhi reason ki wajhe se main tum se dur nahi reh sakta", Karthik said as he locked his eyes with Naira.
"I love you Karthik", she said kissing his cheek
"Sirf itna pyaar, iss se zyada pyaar toh mere phenai ring ko kar rahi thi", Karthik pouted
"Haan toh uss se zyada pyaar karti hun iss liye usse zyada pyaar dikha rahi thi", Naira said surpressing her giggle
"Kya", asked Karthik pouting
"Haan dekho main Yash bhaiya ki engagement se phele is ring se pyaar karti thi, aur tum se bas 7-8 mahine phele mujhe pyaar ka ehssas hua, toh obviously ring ko zyada time se pyaar karti hun", Naira said and then looked at Karthik's face and burst out laughing, making Karthik look upset
"Main tum se sab se zyada pyaar karti hun, Karthik, khud se bhi zyada", she said making Karthik face her.
"Main kyun manno tumhari baath", he asked
"Agar nahi karti, toh apni family ko chod kar tumhare pass anne ko taiyar hoti", she asked him
"Lekin jitna pyaar main tum se karta hun usse kamm hi karti ho", replied Karthik
"Woh kaise", It was Naira's turn to pout now
"Pyaar ka ehssas mujhe phele hua tha, toh mere pyaar zyada hai obviously", claimed Karthik
"Yeh kaisa logic hai, aisa kuch nahi hota, main zyada pyaar karti hun tum se", Naira announced
"Acha kyun, mere toh reason hai kahne ka, tum kaise mujh se zyada pyaar karti ho", Karthik demanded an answer
"Tumhari pass arahi hun apni family chod kar", pointed Naira
"Toh thik hai, tum apni family ke saath raho main apni family ko chod kar tumhare pass aunga, mujhe koyi problem nahi hogi, nani ke hathon ke desi ghee ki kachoriyan, tumhare hathon ka ma'am ke recipe wala badam halwa, yum", stated Karthik, licking and smacking his lips as he thought of the delicious items.
"Tum aur tumhara khanna, bhukkad ho ek number ke", taunted Naira and bursted out laughing as Karthik turned the other way and pouted, but than glanced back at her and began to laugh as well.
Karthik's laughing ceased and he looked at her lovingly, she was wearing her night suit, her face devoid of make up, no ornament except her smile she adorned. Yet she was the most beautiful he had ever laid eyes upon. More beautiful from the inside than she was from the out. He left so damn lucky to have her, to be able to call her his.
"Kaha kho gaye", Naira asked snapping her fingers infront of his face.
"Tum mein", he replied honestly holding her close, loosening his grip around her she walked near the window facing it and began to stare at the moon, he came from behind and encircled his hands around her, making her smile grow further, he gently took her hand in his and entered his fingers through the empty spaces between hers, so both their rings were one beside another, just like they would always be.
______________________________
Waiting for your reviews.
5