Chapter 12Another night passed by with me thinking about my future with Raghu. I was having a hard time imagining myself as his wife. The image didn't come to my mind. In an attempt to make it seem more realistic, I opened up my closet and found a saree. I tried it on. Maybe this wife thing wouldn't be so bad. Maybe I could pull this off. But for how long?
I think about what life would be like with Raghu. We would be sharing the same room and be expected to behave like husband and wife. Our lives would change so much. Antara, what's going to happen, is going to happen. No one can change that, not even you.
I couldn't believe it. Love, Antara, all of these mixed feelings within me. Mach Mach had told me that I should profess my love to her before we got married, but I thought that it would be better to hold back for a while. Just a bit.
I picked up my phone and looked at my wallpaper. It was a picture of us from the night of the party. The night that had changed it all.
I think about calling her. She would probably still be awake.
I look away from the mirror as I hear my phone ring. I pick it up and see that it's Raghu. "Hello," I say. "Chashmish, actually mujhe neend nahi aa rahi. Kya hum thodi der baat kar sakte hai? You know, just like the old times," he says. "Yeah of course," i say, sitting down on my bed.
The two of us start talking about our childhood and some other random things and the night passes by.
"Antara," I hear my father say and I open my eyes. "Papa? Aap yahan? Kuch chaiye tha kya?" I aask sitting up.
"Kuch nahi hua beta. Main bas tume uthane aaya tha. Aaj tumari haldi hai na," he says. "Ji. Papa aap chaliye. Main aap ke liye kuch khaane ke liye banaa deti hoon," I say.
"Nahi beta. Tum tayaar ho jao. Woh log kuch der mein aate hinge," he says. "Main apne liye khud kuch bana longa." He gets up and is about to exit the room when he turns back and says, "Anjali Aunty sent your clothes. They're over there in that bag," he says gesturing toward my dresser. I nod.
I get up and open the bag. In it is a beautiful white and silver lengha with a colourful dupatta. I smile.
I quickly change and head downstairs for the rasam. I find Anjali aunty, Rukhsana and a couple of other people waiting for me down stairs. In a few minutes, the haldi rasam begins.
"Raghu I am so happy for you," Mach Mach says, walking into my room. "But Mach Mach, I don't think that she loves me the same way that I love her," I say. "Raghu, I think it's quite possible that she could love you too," he replies. "Mach Mach, are you crazy? Antara doesn't love me. She never has and she probably never will," I say. "How do you know? What if she eventually does start to fall in love with you? Will your answer still be the same then?" he asks.
"Mach Mach, Antara is my best friend. I've known her since we were little kids. Antara would never fall in love with me. She just considers me her best friend, nothing more and nothing less. Love, it's just not possible," I say. "Okay, leave all of that for now. We should go downstairs, it's time for your haldi," he says. I nod and head downstairs with him.
I wipe off the last bit of water from my face as I head out to the balcony to put my towel to dry. As I hang the towel, my eye catches Raghu on the other side. He was weight lifting. Remembering that I wasn't supposed to see Raghu, i turn around and walk back into my room.
I take out my old photo album and find the picture of my mom. "Mom, kal meri shaadi hai," I tell her. "I wish ki aap yahan hoti. Par koi baat nahi, Anjali aunty hai na. Woh bhi toh meri Maa jaisi hai na."
"Antara, woh mehndi lagane ke liye sab aurate neeche aai hai," Rukhsana tells me later that evening. "Haan tum chalo, main aa rahi hoon," I tell her.
I walk downstairs and sit with Rukhsana and Anjali aunty. Aunty starts off with the mehndi first and than Rukhsana continues it.
"Raghu hi likhna hai na?" she asks me. "Aur kya likhegi tu?" I ask. "Jo tu usse bulati hai, yeda, pagal etc," she says. "Raghu hi theek hai," I say.
She fits Raghu's name into my mehndi beautifully. "Ab dekhna, Raghu aapna naam kabhie nahi dhoond payega," she tells me. I smile and look closely. Raghu's name fit perfectly into the design on my hand. It looked as if it was meant to be there. Was Raghu really the one who was written in my destiny? A/N: A completely unedited update cuz I'm super exhausted! Hope y'all like it though! :)
Edited by Wahian4lyf - 10 years ago
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