MAYA'S POV

The wait was finally over, The day has come. Tara, my sister, was getting married. the whole house was buzzing with excitement. Unlike all the other functions, it was not just family invited today, the close neighbours too were present. I was wearing a white silk saree with golden foiled embroidery and a pink blouse. We had received amumma's ultimatum that all girls will wear saree and gold ornaments. My poor ears and neck were hoisting gigantic jumkas and necklaces. My hair was simply let down. All bridesmaids followed the same pattern.

Tara was... She looked heavenly. Her dark blue saree and gold ornaments, with her fancy hairdo and the jasmine flowers, makes her look like a bride. Oh my god Tara is a bride. I cant believe it. It only feels like yesterday that she was running upto me to say that she had her first period, or that she had a crush on a classmate. Time flew past so fast. My eyes began to burn at the memory but no... I cant cry now. The makeup, I cant ruin it.

Tara was pacing up and down in the corridor, her knuckles working overtime as she cracked them every five minutes. She was nervous I got it. But she turned into whole bridezilla attack mode. Every time someone asks anything she would just burst out shouting or crying. So we were kind of walking on eggshells around her. I got her, I really did. Her whole life was about to change. Last name, family, house everything new. If Im in her position I would have rocking in a chair somewhere.

Vivek came towards us wearing an coral silk shirt and Dhoti. Every guy in our side was wearing that outfit. He sprinted towards us and immediately slid to a stop when he saw Tara pacing. He came over and whispered in my ears "Its time"

"Why are you telling me this?" I whirled on him.

"Im not gonna tell her. She's gonna eat me alive" He whispers.

"And do you think im gonna tell her? No way!"

"No you do it"

"No you-"

"SHUT UP!! " Tara yelled "Come lets go"

We followed her like ducklings following their mama. When we reached the end of the pathway we could Arjun and his family gathered around the makeshift temple. It was a small platform where we placed the large idol of lord Ganesh and lighted few diyas around him. We had no choice. There was a talk that now that the lockdown is gonna lift we could postpone the wedding and do it properly. But the people most stubborn about this small wedding was the bride and groom themselves. They were so obsessed with the simplicity of the rituals that they didnt want the whole Hungama filled wedding ceremony.

Tara sharply turned towards us her eyes brimmed with tears "Im scared"

"Aww baby" I immediately went and hugged her. Dhriti ran towards her with tissues so as the tears wont fall down and wiped it immediately. But it was vivek who said "Its okay to be nervous. but think about this you are going to be with the man you love, and who is approved by your whole family. And in a few months Maya will be there with you too"

"A few months, at least two years. We're not gonna-" I ramble as vivek shushed me with his eyes.

"So dont be nervous. Now chin up and sweep Arjun off his feet" Vivek kiss her forehead as Tara walk over to Jeevan uncle.

"When did you become so wise?" I ask vivek

"After last night's party. Its the hangover wisdom, it'll pass in a few hours" he winked.

We walk over to the temple, Tara holding on to Jeevan uncle's hands and he try to hold back his tears. Arjun's face filled with awe and love as he gaped. Then I saw Adhi and Arjun's father waiting by his side with his wife and Arya and on the left was adhi and arjun's mom and jeeth's dad and along with him was jeeth holding the camera like a gun ready to shoot anytime anyone moves. That's right they're all a big family. I haven't seen or talked to adhi's mom after that day jeeth came back. But now as she looks at me I pass a small smile. Afterall she's my future mother in law.

Then I see him. Standing in the side his face filled with pride, wearing a light blue silk kurta and dhoti was my prince charming. His eyes were set on me and a small smile spread on his lips and he lifted a single eyebrow in greeting. I just winked at him.

The rituals started. And by god's grace we could actually have a pandit over here and not play mantras in a Bluetooth speaker. Again jeeth had to fly over to bring manny's parents over here. And by the looks of Manny's mom, I think she is pretty impressed with Jeeth. The pandit started the mantras and handed Arjun the Mangal sutra. My heartbeat faster as tara bend her neck and arjun tied the mangal sutra around her neck.

They were showered with flowers. Tara straightened and I could see her cheeks were stained with tears. And I realised I was crying too. My big sister was married. I passed Tara some tissues and Vivek took a large chunk, shoved some into his pocket and handed the rest to adhi, who was trying so hard not to cry but deliberately failed. A smile broke on my face seeing him, vivek went behind my back and wiped his tears as well. My big babies.

That was it, they were married. There were a lot of rituals left, so they moved to the stage. The rituals passed by one by one. Tara's nervous face melted away and pure bliss showed in her face. The pandit aka Manny's father, called over Jeevan uncle to join the bride and groom's hands. Now that was when I Iost all my control. Jeevan uncle, lips trembling eyes red, joined his daughter's hands with her husband and blessed them with all the happiness in the world. Then they started the pheras.

Each time they rotated the fire, my crying became harder. I felt adhi's hands press on my shoulder as he pulled me into him. I rested my head on his shoulder. My cries were evaporated when I looked at my fiancé's 'Not trying to cry face', and I burst out laughing. After the Seven pheras they both sat down for the rest of the rituals. When the pandit announced them as Man and Wife that was when it hit me.

Tara was married, Varun was married, I was engaged, and im pretty sure Vivek was texting someone nonstop via Instagram and that wasn't a fling. We were moving on to the next stage of our life. We were growing up. Bleh! The thought itself makes me nauseous.

When the stage was cleared and the never ending photoshoot started, adhi's hands never left mine. adhi and me had to pose with both my side of the family and his side of the family. I had dragged Jeeth and manny to both sides of the photoshoot. And if that doesn't qualify as the most subtle coming out of the century I dont know what does. Jeeth just mouthed thankyou as his hands tightened around Manny's waist, infront of everyone. And manny being manny, his hands was on Jeeth's butt. Manny is obsessed with Jeeth's butt I think. Ew! now that I think of it I think I know why. Ew! Ew! Ew!

I had seen that man who claimed to be my father sitting in the crowd. But not once did my eyes follow him, not once did I feel sorry for him as he wasn't invited to the family photoshoot, as he had to sit there alone while everyone stared at him wondering why no one is calling him. I enjoyed his misery, he deserved it.

Everywhere I looked was filled with happiness, laughter and love. The food was served and we as hosts had to serve the groom's party. And that was the most fun part, every time I pass by the table where adhi was seated people would turn around to see what was gonna happen. They would cheer, hoot and do all sorts of crazy stuff. Its like we turned into some kind of hot couple overnight. Yesterday was weird too, but it doesn't hold a candle to today. After a while adhi literally pulled me and made me sit on a chair beside him and made me eat. So me, Adhi, Tara and Arjun were seated in one table. The couples table, everyone said.

Not only that We even received an official engagement photoshoot. Adhi knelt at one knee while I dramatically acted surprised. Manny was a scary photo coordinator, he would curse at us if we messed up the poses, we needed to move at the exact time as he said, we needed to have the perfect expressions. Ugh! Guess who wont be hiring him for her wedding? Me. No matter how torturous the photoshoot process was, the photos came out pretty good. Unedited, un filtered, just pure happiness. Jeeth was an excellent photographer. Every frame showed pure happiness, everyone's face filled with joy and nothing else. Sure maybe Greeshma's face might be sad. but she deserves it.

At night, when all the functions were over. When the elders went off to their corners in their rooms to either gossip or to have a small party of their own, Us kids were gathered on the roof staring at the sky. We had no alcohol with us, just a few plates of banana chips leftover from the wedding feast. I was leaning back to Adhi's chest while he balanced himself on the humungous water tank. Varun and Manny were lying down in the mat, while Vivek, dhriti, pooja, jeeth and the rest were sitting.

All we wanted to talk about was the wedding night happening in Arjun's room in the outhouse, but as the person in their happens to be our sister we chose to ignore it. But no one said I couldn't think about it, as if he could sense my thoughts adhi slowly nips on my ears now and then when he's sure no one is watching. My toes would curl but I would make sure not even a gasp should leave my mouth.

"I cant believe Tara is married" Pooja says.

"It happened so soon no?" Varun asks

"Maybe its because" I say " we were all here the whole time. If it wasn't for the lockdown, we would have come for the engagement and then left then would only come back for the wedding, or the day before. Since we've all been here-"

"The days rushed by" Adhi finishes for me.

"Woah, you guys are finishing lines for each other. That's kind of creepy" Vivek says as he leans back to stare at the sky. His phone buzzes again with a text and he practically jumps. The minute the name flashes across the screen, his face lights up more than the phone.

"Who the hell is that? You've been texting this girl or a guy we dont judge" I say and manny winks at me "this whole week. Who is it? why cant you even tell Me?"

"All of you shall know when the time comes. Until then suffer in ignorant bliss my children" Vivek proclaims.

All of us stay silent for a minute, vivek basically pales thinking his joke didnt work and then only we burst out laughing. Adhi's hands tightened on mine as he pulled us both up.

"Excuse us children." Adhi says as he directs us out of the cluster.

"ohhhhh" the cheers echoes as dhriti asks "Are you guys going to make out? can I come and watch?"

the cheers dies down "Excuse me?" I ask

"OH no no, im not a pervert. Its just for reference purpose. Im writing a novel" She says smugly

"Haven't you seen the video? Isn't that enough?" Adhi ask and choke burst out of me.

"Yes, I have but I want to observe more closely" Dhriti winks,

"No." Adhi says.

"Dhriti sit back down" Varun says and she immediately pouts and plops down.

Adhi pulled me towards him and walked towards our corner of the room, where he proposed. We both sat down and watched the full moon glazing in the sky. My head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat, his chin on my head.

The prime minister had announced that there will be some adjustments in the lockdown procedure, cross district travels were allowed after 21 days. Only if it is important, and our situation looks pretty important. So adhi's family had decided that they will leave. Tara with them. That was the only bad part, I will have to stay away from 2 people I love the most in this world.

Apart from that life was good, for the first time in a long time, life was perfect. There were talks about our wedding next. But adhi and me decided that it would be better if we took some time. I mean, we love each other, but we only knew each other 3 weeks in college and now a month here. We know each others deepest darkest secrets and fears, but doesn't what each other's favourite color is. We need more time, to be with ourself and to let our hearts breath.

I took my phone out and opened my music player. I played blue and grey by bts. The soft hum of music blending with the beautiful scenery of the night. The cold night air forcing us to scoot over together.

"Do you think its bad idea to not get married right now?" I ask

"No, its the right thing. I need to know you more, More than any other person in this world know you. We need to able to trust each other completely, without a sliver of doubt of fear in our hearts. We need time for that. Lets give us time, Well get married when the time is right" Adhi says.

"yeah" I hum and I dwell into him even deeper. His warmth seeping through his t-shirt insulating me.

"Maya..." he calls

"Yeah"

"I love you" adhi says.

"I love you too adhi" I say.

I dont know what life has In store for us. I dont know if it will be good or bad. I only know that whatever it maybe I want to spend it with him. My first love, my arch nemesis, my best friend. Adhi.