(inline comments appreciated)

****

"Di, are you excited? First step towards Neeti Jindal from Singhania, how does it feel?" Akshara asked as she was helping Neeti get ready for engagement.

Neeti smiled, "Like I am going to give my first presentation, the exact fear but a bit more but also excited."

Before Akshara could ask something, there was a knock on the door. "Come in" Neeti said and two girls entered, Harini, their designer and Reem, the event planner.

"Ma'am, Keerti mam was asking whether you are ready or not? The groom's family will reach in 10 minutes." Harini said professionally. "Don't worry I am ready, also don't call ,.me ma'am, afterall tum toh family ka hissa hone wali ho, right?" Neeti teased as they recently found about Harini and Krish's relationship.

"Wait, what? Di whom are you dating to be a family member of Singhanias?" Reem asked her elder sister and received a reply of "Krish" from all the 3 ladies out there. After a few touch ups the girls made their way downstairs.

"Umm, aap log jaye, mein aati hu thode time mein," Harini said and Akshara smirked knowing exactly where she is going, "Sure, Krish bhai is waiting on terrace" she said and then added "Bhabhi" and ran away before Harini could react leaving Neeti and Reem laughing and Harini blushing.

The engagement went on as peacefully as a Goenka- Singhania function could go on with lots of quirky rasams and dance, also let's not forget some drama.

"Guys, I have a request!" Sanyam Jindal, the groom to be said to the cousin's gang, "Bolo jiju," said Akshara. "Let me also join you guys on your Goa trip please. Neeti ka birthday haiwoh week mein, I want to celebrate it with her, please maan jao."

"Umm guys Harini ko bhi le chale? Please, I wish to propose her, she is giving me isharas to do so and what's more romantic than Goa?" Krish added sheepishly.

"Well agar Harini is coming toh Reem ko bhi leke jana padega because I don't think Reem would wish to miss her eklauti sister ka proposal." Vansh added and the rest sighed.

"So, Sanyam jiju, to be Harini Bhabhi, Reem aa rahe hai! Aur koi?" Vatsal asked to no one in particular to which a voice came out of nowhere, "Ab tum sab jaa rahe ho toh mein idhar akeli kya karu? I'll join you guys too."

"Cupcake? I mean Ziyaa? What the hell are you doing here?" Vatsal asked and received, "Mere bhai ki sagai hai obviously I'll will be here, kyu tuje problem hai, cookie..I mean Vatsal?"

"Wait a second, cupcake and cookie?" Manan asked and Akshara said while Vatsal and Ziya were busy glaring at each other, "They are exes" which led other to make a questioning look and Akshara mouthed, "I'll tell later"

"Okay so Ziya di, Sanyam jiju, Harini Bhabhi and Reem di are also coming? Aur koi?" Manan asked. "Ab sab aarahe hai toh let me call Anisha too!" Kairav said with a small smile and then called his girlfriend.

After ending the call after few minutes, he said, "She will come but her cousin Nishtha would also tag along." Akshara sighed, "This was supposed to be a cousins trip but koi nai, I'll 6th wheel 5 couples and yes couples because I know about all your just best friend phase, going on with Nishtha Birla, Manan! And yes Vansh bhaiya I know about your crush on Reem di too."

"We aren't dating!!" Ziya and Vatsal shouted together which was ignored by everyone.

"Don't worry chutki, hum kitna bhi romance kar le, shaadi toh teri hi pehle hogi, remember panditji said so? Kairav you should call that Abhimanyu Birla too!" Neeti who was slient till now teased.

Before Akshara could retort Kartik came to them, "So kids, aise akele akele kya baat kar rahe ho? Hum bhi yahi hai, hum sab se bhi baat karlo!"

The engagement party ended and the excitement for the Goa trip kicked in. At night, Akshara couldn't help but go to her parent's room.

"Akshu, beta kuch kaam tha beta?" Kartik asked and Akshara denied but moved herself to sleep on her mother's lap. "Mumma, how did you meet papa?" she asked which caused her parents to laugh. "Aaj achanak se humari story jaan ni hai? Is this your way to start a conversation about your boyfriend or something?" Kartik probed.

"Nai papa! I am happy single but aaj sab Neeti di ki love story sunn rahe the fir baaki cousins bhi unki kahaniyan sunna rahe the so I thought why not know about the best Goenka love story, the KaiRa love story,"

Naira smiled and started narrating their story and Kartik added his pointers and Akshara thought, "Will I ever get a love like theirs?"

"Papa, do you regret missing those 5 years?" Akshara asked and Kartik answered, "Obviously, I did. Maybe we were not mature enough to converse well but we learnt, if I can go back in past, I'll definitely would wish to change that but this mendak will always belong to my sherni."

Naira chided, "Kartik, humhari beti hai idhar, sharam karo." Akshara smiled at her parents and looked up and prayed, "Kanha ji, please keep them like this always. My KaiRa."

Later at night Akshara found herself wondering, "Will I ever have something great of mine? My name brings memories of nani to my family, would I have a love story after marriage like hers or will it be like mumma papa? I mean I know I show as if I don't care about love and relationships but I too want someone who would look at me and see me as myself naaki kiski memory, koi aisa jo mujhe apni priority banaye. Chod de ye sab sapne you definitely going to get disappointed. Waise Abhimanyu Birla dikhta kaisa hai? And why does mimi have problem with Birlas?"

She fell asleep with a dream for a love story of hers, something like her nanu and nani, something like her parents, something like Neeti's or Krish's or Kairav's but most importantly something just like her – simple yet complicated in a mysterious way. She wished for a story that's solely hers.

****

Second chapter out!

So how is the bomd between the cosuins and start of all the love stories except AbhiRa?

How do you think Abhimanyu meet Akshara?

Will it be on the Goa trip or later?

Also do you guys want Instagram chapters in middle? Like for functions and trip?

Do vote, comment and share.

Love,

Writer!