Chapter 1
Celebration was in the air. Rows of flower decorations lined the tall pillars of the hall, accentuating the majestic height of the pillars and the grandeur of the room. Thick sounds of merry laughter and conversation competed with wedding shlokas. A broad shouldered man emerged from a corner. Cloaked in fine silk, his tall frame made him stand out even from a distance. His sanguine face registered a look of mild confusion. This was a happy ocassion, after all, and he was in a good mood, but why did he feel so anxious. Sukriti was getting married but he had butterflies in his stomach as if he was the one getting married. He found himself stealing glances at Prachi all evening. She was so beautiful, just like she had always been, but it was as if he now allowed himself to experience it. He felt sheepish. Aankhon ki gustaakhiyaan maaf ho...
His body went on auto-pilot, fulfilling his duties, making sure the wedding was going smoothly. He retreated to hushed corners once in a while searching for her with thirst in his eyes. He just needed to look at her.. quietly, secretly.
On occasion, she would return his glance with a distant coyness. Their flirting was unspoken, but certainly not silent. It was undeniable, palpable. It was a chemistry that fluttered playfully in the air over their heads, teasing them both about their unexpressed desire for each other. He felt far from normal, but he enjoyed this absent-minded bliss. He allowed himself to be consumed by her. Har dum tumhe sochti hai. Jab hosh mein hota hai jahan, madhosh yeh karti hai.
Some minutes passed, and suddenly, he realized that he was about to come face to face with her. She saw him approaching. She slightly averted her eyes for a brief moment and then looked back up at him tenderly. A slow smile danced unsteadily on her lips. He had never noticed before the slight quiver on her unsure lips that he noticed today. She was usually so sure of herself. So sure of right and wrong. He had always only seen her as Sukriti's friend. But in the past few months, he had grown to respect her because of how she fought him over his stubborn refusal of Saket. Milind was originally against Sukriti marrying Saket until Prachi convinced him that it was the right thing for Sukriti. Prachi's calm wisdom, her thoughtful concern for those she loved, and her persistant and pure dedication to the right thing had all won him over.
"Where's your saafa?" she said, as she nervously fidgeted with the end of her dupatta. He smiled at her as if she was the singular object of all of his attention. And as a delayed reaction, a few seconds later, he replied, "Right.. Actually, I don't really know how to tie one. Help me?" He let out a brief sigh, realizing that he had been holding his breath, transfixed by her.
"Sure," she said, signalling him to follow her to a nearby chair. He let out another brief sigh, and followed her. He settled in the chair, resting his elbows on the armrests as he clutched together his broad, warmly brown hands. His posture signalled ease and authority, but his slightly downcast eyes hinted that he was preoccupied. He was not looking at her as she stood over him preparing the saafa. His wrists featured an oversized watch, not unelegant by any means, but certainly loudly expressive in its masculinity. The sleekness of his watch oddly complemented his overgrown hair and facial stubble. Prachi took in his raw charm silently as she carefully wrapped the saafa around his head with the other end of the cloth wound taut around her wrist. As a contrast to his broadness and strength, her wrists were delicate and thin, encircled by an elegant narrow bracelet made of the smallest sparkling diamonds. Her eyes were fixed on his head, focusing deeper and deeper on the task at hand to distract herself from her overpowering attraction to the man mere inches away from her. She had never stood so close to him before.
It's true. They had known each other for years as acquaintances, as family friends, but never really connected this way before. She knew he was ambitious, ruthlessly successful, and a strict older brother to Sukriti, but she pondered the quietly tender side of him that she witnessed now as he sat silently in front of her, trying not to look at her, his eyes suppressing a knowing look, as if he just figured out a secret. Just weeks ago, they had argued vociferously, especially over Sukriti and Saket's relationship, almost staking a claim over who understood her better, trying to prove who loved her more. She realized now that their mutual stubbornness brought them together, even if it was through initial clashing.
She stepped back as she finished, raising her eyebrows at him as he rose up.
"Not bad."
"You mean I look so good you can't stop staring at me?"
"Not. Bad," she gently enunciated as her cheeks reddened. She slowly pulled her eyes away from his handsome grin. "And you're welcome," she said, slightly narrowing her eyes playfully and quickly meeting his gaze before she looked away again.
He smiled further, withholding his 'thanks' on purpose, doing everything he could to prolong their interaction. A wave of childish disappointment hit him as he realized she was beginning to walk away.
She turned head to look over her shoulder and faced him one last time before she walked back into the wedding hall. She shook her head with a soft chuckle.
He drew in a sharp breath, reluctantly recovering from her spell.
Edited by --arti-- - 13 years ago
45