R I T I K A 

Time passed and now only seven days are left. A strange, exciting feeling settled inside me. I looked around the house, which is now decorated, shining. So that's how shaddi wala ghar feels. But it's not wedding of my cousins or anyone else's but instead of mine. Just few years back, I was in college daydreaming about this day but now they are finally here - it doesn't feel real. Did my younger self think of these days?

"Ritika, come!"

"Aayi!"  I smiled at my reflection and moved out of my room for my Haldi. 

My cousins grabbed my hands and made me sit, there laughter echoed in the hall. 

"Ritika toh shaadi se phle hi glow mar rhi hai." My elder cousin sister spoke in a low tone so only our girlies group could here.

"Uhmm jiju ka rang chad gya hai." I blushed.

"Chup ho jao tum sab" I said as I hid my face in my hands.

Before they could speak my mother's voice entered, "Let's start the function." And with that my skin turned to turmeric color, the blessing of everyone settled in the surrounding. Someone wishing me luck, someone teasing.

"Where is rheya?" I asked as I rubbed my hands on clothes.

"I haven't seen her." Isha, my cousin spoke.

"Oh, lemma go and check."

"No wait, I will fetch her."

"It's okay, I will go." I smiled and moved to find her.

I roamed around the house, until I spotted her. There She was in the balcony.

I made my way towards her. Today is her sister's Haldi but here she is on her phone.

I pinched her waist, "Here, It's my Haldi, tu yha kya kar rhi hai?"

"Ahh"

"Oh, Vihaan was showing me Jiju's condition." She laughed and my heart raced at the name of him.

"What happened to him?" I said and she showed me her phone-

There he was, all wet. A laugh escaped my mouth as I looked at him, his face a little annoyed, his kurta wet and his friends were laughing at him.

And as soon as he heard my laugh his eyes met mine, the annoyance turned into a soft smile. 

"Kya lag rhe ho" I spoke, still laughing.

He snatched the phone from Vihaan and moved outside, and i did too.

"Bilkul apka lag rha hu." he spoke as we both were alone.

I grinned.

"How's your Haldi going?" He asked in his soft voice.

"You can see." I said and showed him my body which was covered with the Haldi.

"Looking so gorgeous, Mrs. Bansal." He spoke as he scanned me.

I blushed. 

"I am feeling so excited. You know there was a time I wished for this moment, and now that I am living it, it feels surreal."

"I know. Wedding does feel surreal. and that too with you."

I grinned and before i could reply Rheya snatched her phone," Ab teri haldi ni ho rhi kya?"

Yeh kha se aa gyi?

(Where did she come from?)

"Okay bye, jiju." She said and cut the call.

I rolled my eyes,"Beta dekhiyo, jb vihaan k sath shaadi hogi" 

She showed her tongue and took me out of room.

⋆. ˚ ᡣ𐭩 .˚

The home that always felt lonely now was full of crowd, my cousins, relatives, friends everyone was here and somehow, they have become my comfort in the past days.

Now that only five days are left for wedding, the house was filling more and somehow it was shining more. Today is Mehndi, his name will be written on my hands.

"Di, come."

Rishika, my younger cousin took my hand in hers and dragged me outside- where everyone was present. A smile pulling on my face in its own.

"Come beta, Mehandi lagwa lo."

"Ma, I am going up with her." I spoke and took my childhood best friend with me.

"Wahh shampiii kya plan bnaya hai jiju ne."  She said as I told her about plan.

"Thank you, Tannu." I spoke and laughed.

"He will come late until than let me apply henna."

"Sure!" I forwarded my hand to her as she started applying the henna.

"Where should I write jiju's name?"

"Here." I said as I pointed towards my palm.

And with that one hour passed, sitting there my whole body ached.

"Listen, I am coming in some minutes and will fetch something to eat for you."

"Please, meri baggo." She smiled and went away.

And with that my thoughts drifted to my future husband who has just made a plan to meet me. 

"I will come to your house and say I was there to meet my friend and then will come to you, what say?"

"Please, Ritika don't say no. It's been literally three days since we met."

"aye, come advik." I smiled.

Footsteps of someone brought me out of flashback. And I drifted my gaze from my henna filled hand, and my eyes met his brown one's. 

He was here. I smiled.

"Missed me, Mrs. Bansal?" He spoke as he came closer to me.

"Alot." I replied as I spread my arms, to take him in hug.

He kept something aside and hugged me.

"I missed you." He spoke and pecked my cheeks.

"And baby you look ethereal." I blushed.

My stomach made a sound.

Oh fuck i was hungry and now embarrassed too.

I pulled out of hug and looked down. 

"Awe, my Ritika is hungry?" He laughed.

"Apko thodi ghanto tak baithna hota hai."

"I wish I could sit beside you." he spoke in a soft voice.

"Advii" I whined.

"Well, I know you well, so these for you." He spoke as he sits beside me and gave me snacks.

"Hayyee, itti sari chizzi?"

"Hnji, and vo bhi apke liye."

"Advik you are best." I spoke and kissed his cheeks.

"Now make me eat them too."

"No need to say, baby." He spoke and opened the packet of kurkure and made me eat them.

"Mehndi lag gyi?" He asked.

"Lag rhi hai, vo tannu snacks lene hi gyi hai niche."

"Acha Acha."

"And mehndi bs itni lagi hai." Is howed him my hand which was covered with the henna.

"It looks so beautiful." He spoke as he took in the design.

"Mera naam likha?"

"Nope, why would I write your name?" I teased.

He rolled his eyes.  

"Just show me, nah?"

"Nope, you will find it on our wedding night only."

"Such a bad girl." he scoffed and kept feeding me.

And in minutes Tannu came, "Oh so finally he is here?" She smirked.

"Well, you can see." I smiled.

"Hello, tannu."

"Hie, jiju." 

And with that three of us dwelled in conversation which merely covered my bezzati by both of them.

And just like in two hours my both hands were covered with henna, his name imprinted in it. 

"Dark color ni aya nah, dekh lena."

"Vo toh dekh hi rha hu." He spoke.

I rolled my eyes, trying to stop my smile.

"tannu?"

"hnji?"

"Can you write ritika's name on my palm?" He looked at me and my cheeks heated up, the smile never leaving my face.

"Sure, jiju." She replied, smiling and printed my name on his palm.

RITIKA BANSAL

                                                                                                                  AT NIGHT

"Bach gye, dark color agya."

"Vo toh aana hi tha, Mrs. bansal." He smirked.

"Whatever."

He chuckled. 

"See, your name also came in deep red."

I grinned, "Vo toh aana hi tha." He laughed and we kept talking until sleep took over us.

 𐙚˙✧˖°📷 ༘ ⋆｡ ˚

"Let's go." And with that all of my cousins went to stage and they played the drama. 

Acting of me and Advik. 

I looked at him, and like always he was staring at me.

"They all look so adorable and funny." I laughed.

"I know right." he chuckled.

"And with that the drama ends, now I would like to call- the people who are the main characters of this whole thing. ADVIK & RITIKA."

"Chale?" I forwarded my hand.

"Let's go." He interlocked our hands.

[IMAGINE THEM AS ADVIK AND RITIKA<3]

Everyone's clapping surrounded us, and we both looked at each other sighing and smiling.

We both made us towards our place and sat.

And with that my sister's performance started.

The claps, loudness, music, everything surrounded us, but I was in my own thoughts.

"What are you thinking?" His soft raspy voice bought me out of my thoughts.

"You know, I never had desire to do my wedding like this. I always wanted simple wedding but now that I danced with you, performed each function, it feels so nice and I feel glad that  didn't miss any of the function."

He interlocked his hand in mine, "You are happy? That's what matters."

"So, chale stage par?"

"Kabhi apko mana krunga kya?" he spoke and with that we both moved to dance floor. His hands encircled my waist, me around his neck and the music played in the background. But I was lost in him, in his brown eyes.

And with each step i took with him, these three days felt too far. I wanted him. And that much that I was ready to be married to him.

 𝜗𝜚 ࣪˖ ִ𐙚 

[HALDI, MEHNDI AND SANGEET OUTFITS]

A/N

So hey beauties! how was the chapter?

longest till nowww!! anyways i hope u liked it, and yeah, it will be more interesting now!

just wait for it! <3

(note : Sweethearts, I just want to tell you that I didn't feel like writing functions like Haldi and all cause in real I have never experienced that joy or fun (Yes, we only go on wedding day). I am sorry, I am not robbing you or something. You may be disappointed by this chapter- cause maybe I am too. But know that this chapter is boring doesn't mean whole book is. I am pacing it or something- but yeah, please try to understand<3. So that's why All the functions were performed in this one-chapter i.e. Haldi, mehndi & sangeet. Also, the functions were performed at their respective houses (normally, in India we do) And about engagement- don't worry that will be a whole chapter (a surprise!) )

Do vote and comment.

Thank you for reading and luv you all<3