My Destined One

Pre-Wedding Ceremonies Part 3 Haldi

Meera's POV

  "Ok, ok, all of quickly get inside the cars. Its already time, if you wanna play, go to Aarsh's house and play." God! Its impossible to control these big bad babies. Why do I always end up getting these type of work? Cruel world, terrible friends. I looked at Shagun for help, but she is behaving as if it doesn't bother her at all. To be frank, it actually doesn't bother her at all. "For god sake, you are my best friend, help me out." I shouted at her. "Whose responsibility is to make everything go right? Me? No. Its you. Come on, do your duty properly." She said as if she is my boss and am her bloody servant. I don't know about any one else, but this girl will drive me crazy soon. "Please, I beg of you. And if you don't help me out this time, then... then... ya... then I will go to your mother, and say what you do behind her back." I said with an evil smirk on my face. Ya, take that b***h. "Meera, you won't do any thing like that," she said in a threatening tone. "Wanna try bestie?" I said innocently. "f**k it, if you don't put your damn asses in the god damn car, we are leaving all of you. You too Maithu. Come to Aarsh's house by walking." Whoa, all the commotion stopped in a blink. "Good, now within 5 seconds, these 2 cars should be filled." And on cue, everybody was inside the cars. Wow. "You know how to make me work." She turned and told me cold heartedly. "Well, you see, I know you so well, now lets go." I said without any botheration.

  The journey was again chaotic. Girls and boys were singing songs related to marriage and love. Well, you see, our Bollywood never turns us down with good love and marriage songs. So here we are, singing them at our heart's content, without bothering how bad we sing. And if you think I didn't join them, well, you are absolutely wrong. No one can sit idle in this chaos. We reached Aarsh's home after 30-45 minutes of drive. When I got out of the car, I took up the manager role again. I made sure each and every thing was in correct order, ready to be placed in particular places. These things are needed to be done in proper order or any moment a chaos can break. And to be honest, I don't want them any more. We entered the house. It was decorated so beautifully. Fairy lights, flower garlands, the bunglow looked way different than its actual look. It is understandable that a wedding is taking place in the house. 

  "Oh my god! You guys have arrived just at the correct time. We are also done with the turmeric. All of you, stop playing, Lalita, Radha, Radhika, help them out please." Aarsh's mom said while we entered. And as if on cue 3 maids came for our aid quickly. We handed the gifts and all other items we were supposed to hand them, sat there for a while. They served us refreshments and to be honest I accepted them gladly as I haven't had anything after yesterday's dinner. AM. STARVING. The moment I was going to take the first bite of my food, Aarsh's mom called me. "Meera!" Oh boy, when will be something put into my tummy, literally cats and dogs are running down there. Leaving the food, I went to aunty. "Yes aunty, you called me?" "Meera, I know about Aarsh, I know Sana is not the one for her. Meera, we don't stay here with Aarsh, I hardly get to know what is going on with his life. I know you are his PA and his close friend. Meera, they will be happy right? I know I shouldn't have forced Aarsh to get married right now. But am scared, scared that he will never find his girl, scared that what ever belief is left in his heart about love, marriage, everything will be vanished soon, scared of that Deepak, I don't know what he will do. That time you saved him. I know what he did to you. Meera, for last one year, I was in peace, leaving my Aarsh with you. So I wanna ask you, what are your thoughts about this marriage?"

  I was shocked. Not because of her concern, but the timing. "Aunty, don't you think its a bit too late to know my opinions? I mean the marriage is in the evening. And moreover, how does it matter what I think about it. I know you are worried for him, but he is not a child anymore. He can take care of himself, but but but, if he can't, Sana will be there, I am here, everyone is here. Aunty, please calm down. Its true Sana isn't Aarsh's girl, but they still love each other. And you haven't done anything wrong by convincing him for this marriage. You guys are his parents, you know what's good for him and what's not. I believe in you, both of you. And please do believe in Sana, if not believe me, believe us. They will be alright. We will make sure of it, I will make sure of it." "Promise?" I looked at her with some unknown emotions in my heart. Yes I have to keep them together to keep them safe. "Yes aunty, I promise." I said with clear determination. "I trust you beta, I trust you so very much. Please keep them safe. Do whatever you want, but don't let them mess their lives." "Maa, where are you?" We heard Aarsh scream from somewhere in the house. "Don't worry aunty, I will never allow anyone, even them, to mess up their life." Aunty smiled at me, stood up and left the room.

  After aunty left, probably to her son, I came down stairs and joined my other friends. Yes I didn't try to meet Aarsh, well my plan is to be as far from him as possible. I am still not over with what all happened, and to be frank its hard to lie in this matter, specially to Aarsh. So for now, lets just maintain a distance. As I was coming down, I saw Maithili and few of Aarsh's cousin sisters dancing on some Bollywood number. They dance really well. I joined Shagun in the audience section. I know we came here for work, but what can we do if the groom's family is not ready yet. "So what did your best friend's soon to be mother in law said?" Shagun asked. "What are you? Five or six? You pretty well know Sana isn't my best friend. Then why are you teasing me huh?" I asked with slight agitation. "Cause you are behaving like a bride's maid. Ya ya, I know I know, we don't have bride's maid, but if we had, you would have been the perfect one. I mean come on, you are behaving like that. See y-" "You know what, I will ignore your blabbering from now on, I promise. You know, its useless to argue with you." I said and turned my attention to the dancing that was taking place in front of me.

  "Meera, come on, dance with us." Maithili said, and pulled me with her on the dance floor. We started dancing. And if I said I didn't dance with my heart, it wouldn't do justice. I danced and danced and danced. It was amazing. I don't know what happened to me, what got into me, but I enjoyed. All of a sudden I heard aunty calling my name. I told Maithili that she is calling me, excused myself and went towards the kitchen. By the look of it, I think the work is almost done. The turmeric is ready to be taken to bride's home. The little gifts they wanted to send were almost ready. Finally, I will be going home. Phew! My trail of thoughts abruptly stopped when I heard aunty. "Oh no, I left that box in Aarsh's room. Meera, beta, bring that box from his room please." "Which box aunty?" "Areh, that blue velvet box, I think I left it on the table. Please go and bring nah beta." I nodded and left the kitchen and proceeded to Aarsh's room. Again.

  Will it be bad if I say I don't like this. Like going to Aarsh's room again and again. I mean, ya, am his friend and his PA, but which friend or which PA ends up in the bedroom. A bedroom is a private space. Apart from Shagaun's house, I hardly enter anyone's bedroom. But I don't know why, everytime I end up in Aarsh's bedroom when I come to his house. I don't like this. I don't like this. I reached his room, knocked once, but no reply came from the other side. I waited for a reply but came none. I knocked again, but the same thing happened. 'May be he is in the washroom.' my mind said to me. I opened the door slightly, not wanting to barge in and face some unwanted situation like the first time I came here, and peeked in. No one is in the room. I entered the room and to be honest I never believed Aarsh is this disoriented. Wow, first time experience. I moved further into the room, went near the table in search of the box. Ahh... there it is. I quickly grabbed it and started walking  towards the door. Its better for me not to see him. But what can I do if my destiny is not with me.

  I was just walking past the bed when all of a sudden my legs got stuck in a towel which was on the floor which I have somehow ignored it. I couldn't balance my weight and was about to fall facing the floor. I closed my eyes in shock, preparing my self for the pain, but nothing came. I felt rough hands grabbing my waist, preventing me to touch the floor and turned me in such a harsh manner that I landed on the bed with something heavy upon me. I can hear quick breaths and fast heart beats, apart from mine. I slowly opened my eyes, knowing who I will be seeing in front of me, wishing at the same time its some one else. I opened my eyes and voila, its Aarsh. As expected. Well, silly me, its his room, who else is gonna be here other than him. We stared each other, trying to communicate through eyes, but honestly speaking we couldn't. At least I couldn't. He looked at me with some unknown emotions, emotions which he had been giving me for last few days, something soft, something desperate, but mostly strange for me. I looked at him with discomfort, obviously. I wanted to get up, rather get out of this position, from this room, but boy, he didn't get any hint of my struggle.

  We kept on staring at each other. I realized he didn't had bath yet, he was still covered with turmeric. It stinks to be honest. I struggled vaguely because of his weights. I gave up and said, "Aarsh you are heavy." "What?" He asked in bewilderment, "I said you are heavy." "Oh." And finally he got up. And being a gentleman helped me up too. "What are you doing here? Aren't you supposed to be in the bathroom having a bath?" "Well, that should have been my question cause apparently its my room. But nevertheless, am a gentle man, so I will answer you first. Well, I heard the door being opened, but somehow ignored it, then I heard things were being moved without my permission which made me come out of the washroom in hurry, you see its a boy's room, and there are lots of private things I have in here. So I don't want someone touching my things in my room without my permission." He said some what taking steps towards me, which made me scared and automatically I started stepping backwards hitting the wall, signaling me its a dead end now. He caged me in between him and the wall completely, looking at me strangely, which is at my discomfort. "Well, I have answered your question, now answer mine. What are you doing in my room that too without my permission? And why the hell were you touching my things? You are quite a nosy person more than my liking."

  Well, the last line hit me hard. I didn't like it. Am not a nosy person at all. But the worst thing is that this simple comment, for some unknown reason, brought tears in my eyes. Well not breaking the dam kind but enough to wet my eyes. "I .... uh.... I came to take this box." "Why? Who told you?" "Your mother." "Really? Fine. You took it. Now leave." He stepped away from me letting me go. I was near the door when I heard him say, "You are a stubborn piece. You sure you only came for that box right." "Yes." "Ok, leave. Don't make my would be wait for you.." and with that I left. Coming down, I gave the box to aunty, Shagun came and told everything was ready. We bid them adieu and left.

   In the car again the same excitement and playfulness took place. We reached Sana's house, got down the car. Everybody helped in unloading. I was about to enter the house when someone yanked me from behind. It was Shagun. She pulled me until and unless we were a bit far from everyone, made sure nobody was in audible range and then she let me go. "Are you mad? Who pulls a person like that?" I shouted at her. "Excuse me, am trying to help you ok. So without thanking me, turn your voice down lady." "Fine, I will turn my voice down. But please explain me how on the earth yanking me is helping me?" "Well, first tell me how the f**k did you get the turmeric on your body. Almost everywhere is turmeric." What? What is she saying? Maybe she understood my confusion by the look on my face so she continued. "Well, its not much, but if someone looks at you properly they will see it too. Thank god everyone was playful back in the car. I also didn't notice it before. But thank god I noticed before anyone else. Now lady am asking you again, how the hell did it come to your body? Don't you know its not a good omen. After the groom applies turmeric, the first unmarried person to come in contact to it should be his would be bride. That's the only reason that in groom's house unmarried  girls can't play with it. This is the reason why bride's family plays with it after the bride has been applied turmeric. So how the hell it came on you? As far as I remember no one played with it in his house after we reached there. Meera, please, for god sake, don't test my patience."

  "Let me clean it fist then I will say everything." She nodded and let me go. I went to my car, took out a bottle, and washed all the turmeric spots properly, making sure nothing was left. Shagun helped me were I couldn't reach. After I was cleaned, I dried my self with tissue papers, kept back the bottle and locked my car. "Am waiting." "I got it from Aarsh, happy?" I said with a slight annoyance. Though she is my bestie but I don't like people pushing me constantly for something. "You are joking right?" "Absolutely not." "Spill. Now." I said everything that happened between us back in his room. After listening to my story with utmost patience, she opened her mouth and said, "I told you to keep a distance from him, so how the hell you always end up either in his arms or on his bed?" "That sounds bad. What do you think? I do that intentionally? Am not a w***e!" "I didn't say that." "Well, may be not in words, but your words meant that." She pursed her lips in a thin line, trying to control her inner rage. She gathered herself, turned me towards her and said, "Listen Meera, am sorry if a made you feel that way. Its just that am concerned about you. About this whole s**t. I don't know why, since that thing happened with Deepak, am just scared, scared about this marriage, about you. I know its something that shouldn't bother me. But the way you end up being beside Aarsh scares me most. And the fact that Aarsh is Sana's would be, makes it worst. You know what happened to me. You know what exactly I went through. I just don't want you to get mixed up in that way. That's all."

   I know she is scared. I know how she suffered. Honestly speaking, I am the only person who saw it, felt it, understood it, supported her, helped her gather her broken pieces, been by her side when she was preparing herself to face the world again. Shagun suffered a lot, more than any of us, but the worst part was she only had me and no one else. I understand her concern, her worriedness, and for that am thankful, at least someone has got my back. "Am sorry I snapped. I didn't mean to. Its just your words made me feel that for a moment. Lets just forget what happened. Its over, no one saw and I washed it off before anyone could have seen it. And about the bad omen, lets watch out for that together. What do you say?" She smiled and nodded like a little child. I smiled back and together we went inside Sana's house. Lets just get done with this.