"Perfect. Finished. Take a look in the mirror, akka. You are looking stunning."

Meera's voice drew me out of my reverie. I gave a feeble smile in return for her compliments as I adjusted my spectacle and gazed my appearances in the mirror. When I looked myself in the mirror, a mocking smile slipped off from my lips. I once had a dream that to dressed up in wedding attire and to marry Naresh. I may say that my desire of seeing myself in wedding garb came true at some point, but I am no longer happy. Life is a strange and unfathomable riddle because when the things we seek and yearn to occur at a certain moment in our lives, we do not experience the bliss as we expected. The only constant in life is change. As a result, I have a glimmer of hope in my heart that my life will change as well, and that I will find the true happiness for which I have yearned. When I heard the voice of someone who was completely unexpected, my thoughts were shattered.

"Arshika chellam. Awwe !!. You look absolutely fantastic."

I looked in the mirror to view the person who had entered the dressing room. I blankly stared the mirror for a few seconds when my gaze landed on those unexpected guests; automatically, I blinked my eyes to know whether I was dreaming or not; the touch on my cheek proved that I wasn't dreaming. Naresh grandma rubbed my cheek lovingly and said softly,

"I'm happy for you dear. May God bestow all of his blessings onto you."

We heard the soft and disgust filled voice of raghavan sir before I could respond to Grandma,

"Grandma. Why are you touching such a nasty thing ?"

My eyes welled up with tears the moment I heard his remark. I hastily withdrew my face away from Grandma's touch, not wanting to be humiliated any further. After his remark, the dressing room fell silent, and I was staring at my intertwined hands with watery eyes. Grandma let out a deep sigh and tried to say something to break the silence that had descended upon the room. However, Raghavan sir spoke forward before Grandma could say anything.

" Grandma. Come on, Let's go.."

As I sensed his presence near me, I raised my head and gazed at him. He came and stood between me and grandma. After giving me a rancor glare to me, he kept his hand on grandma shoulder as the way to indicate grandma to co-operate with him. However, despite of his approach, grandma firmly stated him,

"Raghu. You go and sit in the marriage hall and I'll be there after talking to arshika for a while."

After hearing grandma firm decision, he fisted his hand and looked at me with pure detest. Due to his constant despise gaze, sweats formed on my forehead and I felt slight shivers on my hands. Noticing my action, proud smrik formed on his lips slightly. He added as his gaze fixed on mine with a smrik.

"Grandma. You should not bother her like this. Today is an important day for her. A lot of things are going to happen today and all of those things are going to turn her life completely into different angle. So she needs lot of strength to face it.. Give her some time alone to prepare herself to face everything in her own specific way."

I looked at him suspiciously because of his ambiguous words. Regardless of my mistrust look on him, he moved away from us to attend his phone call. On the other hand, sudden statement of grandma washed away my suspicions and made my cheeks to flush with nervousness.

" Raghu. What you said is true. I should not distrub her in this special day. Arshika dear, I don't want my constant nagging to deplete your vivacity. To handle everything tonight, you'll need a lot of energy. "

Spotting my flushing face, grandma and meera laughed and continued their teasing session. I switched my gaze to the other side of the room in embarrassment as a result of their incessant pestering. My gaze was drawn to the raghavan sir, who was talking on his phone near the window in one corner of the room, as his stare locked on me. His eyes which usually scheme power and arrogant, are now shining with some kind of pleasant thoughts and evincing some undetectable emotions. Unknowingly my eyes trapped in his puzzle filled eyes as I tried to figure out his concealed feelings.

Usually his eyes have a rare entice competency which pulls everyone attention on him. However, now its baring greater extent of luring power and its trapping my eyes into his tightly without any way to decamp from it. As I was engulfed in his captivating look, several thoughts are running through my head.

Why is he looking at me with such intensity in his eyes ?.

How did Grandma and Raghavan Sir learn of my marriage ?.

I have not communicated with anyone in his family for the past six years, so how did he learn about the events in my life ?.

Why has he come to the wedding of the person he despises the most in the world ?.

My thoughts and eyes were drawn away from him, when I heard a loud voice from the hall.

"NAKUL, PLEASE. DO NOT TRUST IT. THIS IS NOT TRUE. OUR HARSHIKA IS NOT THE GIRL IN THIS PICTURE. HARSHIKA WOULD NEVER DO SOMETHING LIKE THAT."

I got up from my chair and run out of the dressing room when I heard Mama shouting. The scene which I saw in the mahal hall froze my steps and made my eyes to dank. My mama was laying on the floor, holding Nakul's leg, who had just stood up from the mandap and was attempting to walk away. Regardless of nakul's attempts to flee, mama clutched nakul's leg as if his life depended on it and pleaded with him while saying,

"Don't believe those pictures, Nakul. Harshika, my daughter, would never do such a thing."

I blankly stood at the same place for few mintues without understanding anything. Many questions arose on my mind as I was running towards mama with the intention that I should not let mama to beg anyone for me.

Why mama begging to nakul !.

Why nakul looking so angry !.

Why everyone looking at me with disgust !.

They are talking about what picture !.