The Strings Of Heart

19

Sitara POV

I take the laddu from the box and sit beside Kavya. Rishi is talking with one of our uncles.

I look around, the whole place is chaos because of all the cousins and relatives. Kavya is playing with cherry while I eat my laddu.

"David is here!" Pihu yells in excitement running down the hall.

"Does her parents know about her crush on David?" Kavya whisper asks.

"They do."

"Don't they tell anything?" She asked. I don't know why but I'm itching to see his cheerful face.

"I don't know, maybe they did but Pihu is being Pihu."

Rishi stood up and went to where Pihu went.

"Aren't you going?" Kavya asked placing Cherry down as he ran towards the entrance.

"Why would I?"

"Aye... He is your crush anyway..." She starts teasing me while I roll my eyes.

"Hey, Sitara!" Aarav says walking towards me. There isn't anyone except Kavya and me. All the elderly are sitting in the dining room or in the backyard.

"Hey."

"Hello," he greets Kavya.

"Hello." Aarav sits beside me taking the laddu from the box I'm holding.

"Why did you become so thin David? Aren't you eating?" I heard Lilly aunty's voice. I watched as David entered the room with all the aunts and uncles surrounding him like ants around sugar.

I looked at him as he smiled at what my uncle said. He is wearing a blue shirt tucked in black trousers.

He changed his glass frame, I watch his tall form smiling and talking. Mum walks over to him from the kitchen hugging him tightly while others laughed.

"Ugh, do you know the lady who came with Tanu aunty?" Aarav asked.

I look at Aarav who is looking at David. "Which lady?"

"That lady standing beside Tanu aunty and Aishu aunty," he says pointing his gaze.

I shift my gaze back to where my mum and David's mum stood. Indeed my mum is hugging the new lady whom I never saw before.

"How do I know?"

"Isn't she, your cousin like far away cousin?"

"Nah."

David's mum is saying something while my mum smiles looking at the lady. Rishi walks over with a huge smile on his face.

I roll my eyes as Pihu shyly waves her hand at David who is now free from all the aunts and uncles.

My gaze meets David's, he smiles but I look away. Aarav chuckles beside me.

"Still angry on him?" Aarav asks but I don't answer.

"She is," Kavya replied. A presence falls on me.

"Hello Sitara, how are you?" David asks. I feel a stupid jolt inside me hearing his voice. Rishi, Kavya, Aarav and Pihu look at me but I ignore David.

"Brother, she is angry. You need to give her an apology gift..." Aarav says looking at David.

"Angry? Why? You two fought?" Pihu asks. No one answers her question and she keeps on looking at David and me.

"Why no one is answering my question?"

"Because no one wants to answer your question," Rishi says. I take another sweet and eat looking at my mum.

"Sit down bro," Aarav said.

"Why are you guys late? I thought you will be here in the morning," Rishi asked David and Aarav.

"Our David doesn't take any leave, does he? He had some work in the morning so we are late," Aarav spoke while I leaned back in my seat.

David sat opposite to me with his hands joined together. I look at him before looking away. He does the same.

"You guys are on time, lunch isn't served yet. We will be having lunch together," Rishi spoke.

"Where is Hansh and Nihal?" Aarav asked.

"They didn't come for the festival. They have some exams going on," Rishi said.

My gaze meets the new lady who walked in with David's mother. I don't look away as she looks at me before looking at others.

She is short, fair looking, dressed neatly, has a beautiful smile and silent.

"David who is the lady standing beside your mum?" Aarav asked. David turned around to see the lady.

"He is looking good," Kavya whispered in my ear.

"She is working with mum in the hospital."

"Oh new doctor," Aarav said taking another sweet from the box. 

"Residential doctor."

"Maybe more than a residential doctor..." Rishi said and everyone looked at him.

"What do you mean?" David asked. Rishi looked at us before closing his eyes, he was going to mutter under his breath but everyone heard it.

"Uh-ah? Ah... I'm not sure but I think she is the one whom Elora Akka met before going to London."

"Is she the one with whom your mum is trying to match fix?" Aarav asked with wide eyes.

"Pihu...You are doomed."

"Doomed." Rishi and Kavya said at a time. I looked at Kavya, we shared a look before looking at Pihu.

"Ah... How can you see someone?" She asked looking at David.

"Why can't he? I mean he is working, earning and it's time for him to settle down," Rishi said.

"David is going to settle down..." Aarav started teasing David.

"He is not!" Pihu said pouting and stood going somewhere.

"Good bro, she is good looking. Seems like the perfect match to you, you two work in the same hospital. Even if you are late you don't have to worry. I'm already imagining your hospital romance," Aarav said. 

"Shut up." Whatever Aarav spoke is true. They fit together perfectly and I shouldn't think of David in any way. 

I shook my head looking at my nails. "Come on. Everyone, gather in the dining area," Shravya Akka (sister) called us.

"It's already lunchtime?" Aarav asked.

"Yes."

"Come on, let's go," I say looking at Kavya. Kavya and I stand up to go to the lunch area.

"Let's go," Aarav said looking at David who is busy in his thoughts. Our gaze meets again but I walk ahead.

"Is he really going to settle down?" Kavya asked.

"How would I know, maybe he will. I already told you that he is mum searching for a bride. He is twenty-nine now."

"She is beautiful though, but you are the best."

"Haha..." She wraps her arm around my arm with David and Aarav following behind.

"Everyone settle down," I heard mum as soon as we entered the room.

They hired catering people, they used the backyard cooking hall.

"Woah," Kavya said looking at the makeshift dining tables.

We stood there as the elders settled down first, the unknown woman sat beside David's mum and there is a seat empty beside her.

"David, come here. Sit beside Sejal," David's mum said.

"Sitara, Kavya, Aarav, Rishi and Pihu you all sit in this row," Lilly aunty said.

I nodded my head going over to the row. I sat in between Aarav and Kavya.

"Why is she frowning? Did anyone said something to her?" Vishal uncle asked.

David sat in front of me with the lady shyly smiling which made me roll my eyes.

"No one told her anything, she is being moody," Rishi replied looking at Pihu.

I looked at the table to see all my uncles, aunts, my grandma's sisters and their husbands along with the kids. The long table is filled out and there is no chair left to sit.

"Sejal, she is my second daughter Sitara," mum introduced me to the unknown lady whose name is Sejal.

"Sitara, she is Sejal." I can see David's mom's eyes on me.

"Hello, Sitara." Sejal softly smiled at me which I didn't like for some reasons. Her eye twitched when I kept looking at her.

Aarav and Kavya at a time patted my thigh as I stayed quiet not greeting her back.

"Hi."

"Is she the one who is going to be engaged with David, Tanu?" Rithika pinni (aunty) asked.

David's mum chuckled, "yes Rithika, Sejal is the one. They are yet to know each other." Tanu aunty smiled looking at Sejal squeezing Sejal's hand which is on the table.

My gaze went to David who is blankly looking at the empty plate. For some reasons, I didn't like the idea of David marrying or dating the woman or any woman in particular.

I shook my head pushing the thoughts away, I shouldn't think about him. I shouldn't get involved with that man.

"You good?" Aarav asked.

"Yes."

Kavya smiled knowingly as I slapped her thigh playfully.

*

"Seriously?" I say crossing my arms looking at David who joined us.

"David! You are here..." Pihu said with a huge smile on her face.

He awkwardly smiled at her before nodding his head.

"Aishu aunty asked me to go with you guys."

"We will go with the driver. You don't have to come," I say blankly.

"Why? He is better than driver uncle. It will be fun if David tags with us," Pihu says looking at me.

"You are excited to be with David," Rishi said shaking his head. 

Kavya and I decided to go to Charminar to watch the palaram bandi and other things. But Kavya had to go home as her relatives came. Then pihu and Rishi wanted to join us, mum made me agree to this and now even Minu and Cherry wants to join.

I can't say no to those puppy faces so I agreed and when we are waiting for the driver, David came.

"Mummy, I told you before I don't like it when you decide things without informing me," I say facing my mum.

"Sitara, David is willing to come and don't be rash towards him. He will take care of you all and it's safe with him."

"Ugh!" I groan.

"Whatever." I go towards the car knowing she wouldn't listen to me. David smiled at me and I glared at him.

"Hi David," Rishi greets him.

"Hello, Rishi." I open his car door, help cherry and Minu get in.

Pihu gets in the car and sits in the back with Rishi while David talks with the driver.

"I'm so excited!" Pihu says holding onto Rishi's hand. I take the bag and keep it on the car floor.

I settle in between Cherry and Minu as they both want to have the window seat. I observe David who is outside pushing his hair back.

"But don't you think David lost his weight? He looks so skinny," Pihu said. He is wearing a dark blue shirt which is making him look good. Indeed he is looking thin.

He walks over our gaze meets, I don't look away but keep looking as he walks over to the car.

He opens the passenger seat and gets inside. The driver starts driving while Minu taps my hand.

"Hmm?"

"Can you tie my hair pinni?"

I don't say anything, gently grab her hair in my hand and comb her hair with my fingers before tieing a hairband which I brought to tie my hair.