Virat took deep breathes before entering his room. He had every reason to be nervous. Afterall it was his wedding night. Usually girls get nervous on their wedding night, but here the role was reversed. He was pretty sure his bride would be as carefree as she has always been.
He was grateful to God that neither his brother nor his bhabhi or his filmy chachi were seeing him at the moment. They would 've teased him to death.
'Relax Virat, relax. This is just like any other night in your room. Only difference is you 've a room mate now. Relax.' He said to himself again and again.
Finally he gathered enough courage to face the fear waiting him behind the door. It wasn't the person inside who scared him, but his feelings towards that particular person. He realized his feelings for her at a wrong time, a very wrong time. If she had come to know about it, she would 've never agreed for the marriage. So he had given the excuse of her treatment and of course, her sister, to make her agree.
Virat slowly opened the door and found all his nervousness going out of the window. There sitting on his bed, correction – their bed, was his bride peeking weirdly under the hem of her veil, at the door. 'Trust her to turn a serious scene to funny one ! ' He couldn't help smiling seeing her antics. He walked slowly towards the bed and stood near her as she gave a happy sigh and sat straight, putting veil to its previous position.
"Kya kar rahi thi tum ?" he asked curiously.
"Oh nothing. Main bas dekh rahi thi ki darwaze pe kaun hai."
"Kyu ?! Koi aur aane wale hai ? Maybe your boyfriend ?" asked Virat as he sat down sideways next to her feet, his right side facing her. He stretched his legs and turned his head to face her.
"Arre nahi re buddhu ! Main bas yeh dekh rahi thi ki kahi tumhari bua ya who daadi toh nahi."
"Kyu ?"
"Tumhe pata bhi hai mere saath pichle do ghante mein kya hua ?! "
Virat shook his head confused.
"Pehle tumhari woh door ki daadi aayi, suhaag raat ki instructions dene." Manvi shrugged in horror.
"What ?! " Virat was surprised. 'Hey Bhagwan ! Yeh daadi bhi na ! Pehle kya tension kum thi ki ab yeh bhi ?!'
"Phir tumhari pyaari bua aayi mujhe lecture dene. Tumhari khandaan ki usool, parampara, wagera wagera. Aaj hi dena zaroori thi kya ?! Ek toh itni bhaari kapde aur jewellery. Upar se bua ki lecture. Kitni mushkil se maine apni neendh rokh rakhi thi yeh sirf mujhe aur Bhagwanji ko pata hai !!" Manvi continued without noticing his reaction.
Virat relaxed noticing that she was not affected by the two lectures. He couldn't see her face clearly. 'Why is that ? ' he wondered. Then he mentally slapped himself. 'Of course idiot ! Uski ghoonghat ! Umm.. should I remove it or she will ? '
Manvi noticed, while blabbering about her torture by his bua and daadi, that Virat was staring at her. " Oye hello ! Mujhe aise kyu dekh rahe ho ? Pehle kabhi dekha nahi kya ?"
'Oh no ! Got caught ! Damage control, damage control.' Virat racked his brains frantically for an excuse.
"Woh..umm…tumhe garmi nahi ho rahi hai iss ghoonghat mein?" Virat asked. 'Lame buddy.' He told himself.
"Arre haan !! Tabhi toh main sochu mujhe itni suffocation kyu ho rahi hai !! "
"Toh hataate kyu nahi ?"
" Arre woh daadi… Unhon ne kaha ki mujhe ghoonghat udaana nahi chahiye."
"Eh ?"
"Woh keh rahi thi ki yeh pati ka kaam hai. Uff ! Kya kya custom hai ! "
"Acha." Virat replied casually, but jumping with joy inside. ' Love you daadi ! '
He took his time to lift the veil and gaze at her face while she continued her stories, oblivious to the event.
After few minutes, Manvi's stories were over and she looked at Virat wondering what next. Silence reigned the room. Virat was looking straight, leaning back on the bed on his hands.
"Tumhe garmi nahi ho raha hai ? " Manvi asked suddenly.
"Abhi tak nahi. Kyu ?"
"Nahi woh..mujhe yeh bhaari kapdon mein bahut garmi lag rahi hai. Main change kardu ?"
"Toh karlo na. Poochne ki kya zaroorat hai ?"
"Theek hai theek hai. Bas woh..just help me."
"What ?!" Virat lost his balance hearing her request and fell on the bed. 'Did she just say..? ' He stared at her in disbelief from his current position. 'Either she is dumb or she is too fast than I expected.'
Manvi stared back wondering why he was looking at her like that.
"You..want..my help..to change..your dress ?! " Virat asked slowly.
"Haan." Suddenly it hit Manvi how her request sounded. "Arre nahi nahi, aisa nahi jaisa tum soch rahe ho."
"Maine kya socha ? " Virat raised one eyebrow, sitting up.
"Mera matlab hai..woh.."
"Tumhe kya lagti hai maine kya socha ?" Virat asked again, this time with a naughty glint in his eyes.
"Umm..woh.." Manvi couldn't find words.
Virat leaned towards her slowly, so close that he could hear her heartbeats.
"Tumhe kya lagti hai maine kya socha ?" Virat asked softly.
For some reason, the closeness freaked her out and she couldn't think of anything. She could hear her heartbeats racing. 'What is happening to me ?! Why can't I speak back ?'
All she could see was her face mirrored in his eyes. 'He looked cute upclose. Cute ?! What am I thinking ?! '
Virat could see the different expressions playing on her face – surprise at their close distance, then the mesmerized look, then the shock.
'Aha ! So I do have some effect on her.' He concluded.
He leaned forward very close and whispered, " Got you !!" and sat back smirking.
Manvi couldn't understand what just happened. All she remember is Virat coming close to her and then nothing. 'What just happened ?! ' then she saw him smirking.
"You were teasing me!" That was the only logic she could apply. "You !! " She grabbed a pillow to beat him.
Virat saw it and grabbed another pillow just in time to defend himself. A pillow fight followed.
Few minutes later, both sat back breathing heavily, yet happy at their lil fight. It had helped to bring the atmosphere back to normal.
"Toh..tumhari kya matlab thi ?" Virat asked curiously.
"Woh meri dress ki peeche kuch strings hai jo main akele nahi khol sakte. Issi liye.."
"Oh.. Let me help you."
"Pehle bed se utarne do." Manvi got out of the bed, struggling under the heavy dress and jewellery.
Virat felt sympathy seeing her struggle under all that jewellery and dress. ' Why do girls 've to wear so much for their marriage ? ' he wondered.
" Pehle apne jewellery utaro. Main madad karta hoon." He said and went behind her to help her take off the necklaces.
" Thanks a lot. Mujhe bahut dard ho rahi thi." said Manvi sighed, moving her hair to one shoulder.
" Toh tumhe yeh bahut pehle karni chahiye thi. Kyu nahi ki tumne ? "
" Woh…"
" Yeh mat kehna daadi ne mana kiya ! "
" Nahi… Pinky chachi ne kaha."
" What ?! Pinky chachi ?! "
" Haan. Chachi ne kaha ki jab tak sasural wale tumhare jhewar na dekhu, usse utarna mat."
" Par kyu ?! " Virat was surprised. ' Honestly, what's wrong with these women ?! '
" Taaki unhe yakeen ho jaaye ki dulhan khaali haat nahi aayi hai."
' Sirf Pinky chachi hi aisi bakwaas idea de sakti hai ! ' thought Virat.
" I know, its confusing." added Manvi.
They continued removing the jewellery in silence. Until Virat got a mischief idea.
" Waise… Tum khaali haat hi aayi thi." he said cheekily, as he started to untie the strings behind her dress.
" Kya ?! " Manvi spun around fast to face him.
"Kya matlab hai tumhara ? " she demanded, hands on her hips.
"Jab tum yaha aayi tab tumhare haath mein kuch thi ? " he asked, crossing his arms.
" Hmm.. Nahi."
" Wahi toh ! " he said with a wink.
" Ha ha. Bahut sadu joke tha." Manvi said sarcastically.
" Phir bhi… Sahi tha na ? " Virat shrugged.
" Uff. Apna bakwaas bandh karo aur meri madad karo." said Manvi turning around again.
" Kamaal karti ho yaar ! Main yaha taras khaakhe tumhari madad kar raha hoon aur tum ho ki…"
" Rehne do. Nahi chahiye tumhari madad." She replied irritated and started to move away.
" Arre main kar raha hoon na ! " said Virat pulling her back by her arms.