10/11/2019 - At Chennai - Tambaram.

Shiva's P. O. V:

I lit the candle with my lighter and turned to Anni.

She was there sitting on the chair near my bed.

Her brown eyes looking straight at me.

The candle light throwing shade on her face. Her light skin shining with a golden glow.

I was hell shocked at who was in front of me. She is the girl I saw in that ladies hostel.

Her pointed chin, the sleek hair framing her face, her huge eyes.

It was as if I was in a dream. I moved closer, scared that I am imagining all this.

She gasped loudly and got up from the chair.

She hastened out of my room. I stood at the same spot frozen.

The power came back and I blew out the candle.

I slowly sat on my bed and replayed my brother's words.

That Prerna didn't visit Chennai, not even once in the past four years.

I closed my eyes and ran over that night again and again. I was missing something.

We jumped into the hostel. We ran into the wrong room. A girl was there. I caught her and closed her mouth.

We told her the truth.

Some lady asked from outside, if she was okay. She said yes.

She showed us the way out.

What did that lady say, she said some name. But it did sound similar to Prerna.

Fuck, I should have written down that name.

I turned off the lights and laid on my bed.

Was that girl really my Anni? Was she a doppelganger?

This is so unnerving, did I have a crush on my sister in law two years ago? , I can't even digest this. The only girl I ever had a crush on ended up as my sister in law. I felt disgusted on myself.

Wait, but why did she run out so quick? Was she scared of something? Did she remember something?

Why can't this day just end?

11/11/2019 - Monday

My phone rang and woke me up.

It was the Bastard Hari.

" Shiva, you asshole! Where are you? " He scolded as soon I picked up the call.

" What? " I asked. It was only 8 in the morning .

"You were supposed to pick me up from my home, remember? " He said.

Shit, today was his engagement. I totally forgot that. I had to take him to the parlor.

" Yeah, yeah, I will be there in 10 minutes " I said and rushed to the bathroom.

" You Bastard! " He said and cut the call.

I gobbled the idli on the dinning table and ran out. Both my mom and Anni were out of my sight.

I started my bike and drove to Hart's home. He was standing outside and he started cursing as soon as he saw me.

" Sorry! Hop on! " I said and he sat behind me.

We went to the nearby naturals unisex parlor.

"Why are we even doing this? " I asked him as we walked inside the parlor.

" Because Shwetha wanted me to! " Hari said and I shook my head in regret.

" Good morning, Sir, have you booked an appointment? "The receptionist girl asked.

Three girls were waiting on the lobby and they whispered something on looking at us. Make all the jokes that you want I murmered to myself.

" Yes! Hariharan " Hari said to the receptionist.

" Okay Sir, please go into the gents section " The girl said pointing to the left most door.

We walked shyly and hopefully the beautician was a gen.

Hari sat down and they were applying all sorts of face pack on him.

I sat on a chair near him and was scrolling through my phone.

" So, What did you tell your mom about that Anjali matter ? " Hari asked, his face was covered in some pink coloured cream and he could only speak.

" I said she doesn't get me. Dude, seriously I can't tell my Amma that she was crossing the limits! People would laugh when a boy tells that he feels uncomfortable for things like that! " I said.

" Are you gay? " Hari asked.

"What the fuck? " I asked him.

" I was kidding! " He said laughing.

" By the way, do you remember that night, that ladies hostel? " I asked .

" Yeah " He said dragging.

" There was this girl remember? " I asked.

" Yeah, the one you were drooling about for months " He said.

" Shut it, do you remember her name? " I asked him.

" No macha, but Shwetha might know. " He said.

" Ask her now! " I said.

" Are you kidding, she would kill me if I call her today. She strictly told me to not disturb her make up regime. " He said.

" Whyy!! " I said running my hands into my hair.

" Don't worry, I will ask her later for sure! " He said.

" Yeah, okay " I said.

It was afternoon when we left the parlor. We went back to Hari's home and he started getting ready.

Karthick came after lunch and we were trolling Hari endlessly.

We left to the reception Hall by 4 in the evening.

I was with Hari in the groom's room. The photographer was torturing Hari asking him to do 100 poses. We were laughing looking at the helpless Hari.

The function began by 5. Me and Karthick sat on the last row with all of other Hari's friends.

We were throwing comments at everyone.

We walked to the stage for the ring exchange ceremony. Hari did a English type kneeling proposal to Shwetha and we stood behind him shouting.

" You are next! " Hari murmered to me and I mouthed " Fuck you! " to him.

We were laughing endlessly. We went back to the last row, as all the guests went to the stage one by one to bless the couple and take pictures.

" Macha, look at that green dress, what a girl! " One of Hari's school friends told me pointing to a girl standing near Shwetha on the stage.

She was wearing a long green dress and her hair was styled differently. She had a clean make up, but I know what i saw.

It was her!

It was my Anni !

" Macha, she was the girl in that hostel da!" Karthick told me.

We ran to the stage to catch her. But within minutes, she disappeared.

She was no where.

" Fuck! " I said to myself.

" What? " Hari asked from the stage.

I shook my head and looked at the confused Karthick.

" Where is she? " Karthick asked.

" She definitely saw us " I said.

I knew from day one, something was fishy. But I was totally confused. Who is she ? Is she really my brother's wife?

When I looked around, suddenly the photographer caught my eyes.

" Gotcha! " I said and walked to the camera man with a wicked smile.