" Anjali, come out fast! The haldi has arrived from the groom's side."

"Two minutes more."

I give a final touch of my lipstick and check my hair for the last time in the nirror before moving out.

"You look beautiful", my dad complemented.

"Thanks Dad."

As the ladies applied the turmeric paste, I felt more beautiful. The thought that it has come after applying on my would be husband, makes me feel more beautiful.

Yellow is associated with new beginnings, peace and happiness. I just want a new begining, I just want to create a place for me in his heart without replacing my sister. Oh Aisha!! How I miss your presence on my wedding day!!

"Your skin is so soft!" One of my friends exclaimed.

"Her husband would be a lucky one!"

I blushed. Yet, my heart knew he won't even look at me, forget about a touch.

Admist all these teasings, Natasha kept quiet. She still feels I am taking a nasty decision.

" Nats, please have a talk with me!"

"You take all your decisions on your own, what's there to talk about?"

"Please!!!"

"Fine!"

"Don't you want me to be happy? If you want then please take part in my wedding whole heartedly. "

"Okay, I will", she said with a smile.

__________________________________

I didn't know when the morning rolled into afternoon. The sky was convered in a pinkish glow. There was a different aura today. Today is the most auspicious day in my life. Even the skies and the trees indicated that. You rarely hear a cuckoo singing admist the busy streets of Kolkata. And yet, today I heard a cuckoo's singing. Nature is celebrating origin of new life. She is clad with new life in spring. I hope my life too will experience a spring of new blossoming love between me and Rohan.

I am not guilty for deciding to marry Rohan. I didn't steal Aisha dii's love. I am just trying to bloom a new flower of love in Rohan's heart.

I stood still as the beautician draped the red Benarasi over me. Today I am glowing differently. The thought that today I am getting married makes my heart beat more fast. Blood rises to my cheeks at the thought of being married to Rohan.

"You have a flawless skin, I must say. "

I blushed at the complement of the beautician.

How my heart flinches at the thought that Rohan would atleast take a look at me! Alas, I know he won't. Atleast not today.

"Hurry up! Bring the makeup kit!"

They applied a golden glow to my face. My waist length hair tied in a perfect bun. She placed the maangtika over my middle parted hair. Today I don't need any blusher. The comments and complements are enough to add a scarlet colour to my cheek.

"There's something missing it seems", my dad said.

"Yes! The bindi!", Natasha squealed.

With the red bindi my bridal makeup was complete. I felt different. Red has completed me. I just wish to paint my heart with a bit of red.

"The groom has come!"

"Bring them in, we shall take Anjali to the mandap soon. "

My friends and cousins accompanied me to the mandap. There was a different beauty to the familiar place. My eyes fell on Rohan.

He looks so perfect!

Am I really getting married!

Does he notices me? Do I look good enough for him?

" Ahmm Ahmm! The queen should not stare at her king on the wedding day", my friend Pritam teased.

I saw my mother completing a few rituals for him.

"It's time to carry Anjali to the chadnatola."

Pritam, a few friends and my cousin brothers voted for this job. I feel like an elephant who weights a tonn kgs and need so many people for lifting!

"I thought my boyfriend is strong enough to carry a girl on the piri!", Natasha teased Pritam.

"Your boyfriend is strong enough to carry you, don't worry!", he teased back.

"Empty vessel sounds much, my sweetheart!"

Pritam couldn't reply her back but promised to take the revenge for his humiliation.

"Anjali hold properly! We don't want you to fall down and break your spine on your wedding day!"

I covered my face with betel leaves for the subhodhristi ritual. There's a different beauty of this ritual. No matter how many times the bride and groom have met before, the exchange of sights in bridal attire makes every girl experience an adrenaline rush.

"So how many turns around the groom?"

"Seven. "

"My innocent boyfriend doesn't even know this! And he promises to marry me one day!"

Pritam shot a deadly glance at Natasha. I couldn't help but chuckle at their sweet chemistry.

One... two... one... two rounds!

"Hurry up only two rounds completed!"

Three... two... three...

"Only three rounds! Four more needed!"

Admist this deliberately created confusions, I myself lost the count.

When I removed the betel leaves and saw his face my heart skipped a beat.

No matter how many times I have seen him before, today he looks different, so different that it makes my heart do somersault!

"Pritam, we have to lift Anjali up! Much above his reach!"

"Yeah sure! The bride has to win! The taste of defeat on the wedding day will help Rohan to accept life long defeats in all arguments in front of his wife in all his births!"

Everyone giggled...

"Anjali hold tight! We will lift you up!"

Rohan tried to reach me and put the floral garland around my neck but failed. I could see his despair admist all the beauty. He is not in a mood to be teased.

"Pritam don't do this anymore!"

Why is my heart feeling his pain! His pain of not being married to his love! Why can't I enjoy every moment of my marriage? I have accepted my fate then why do I feel a pang in my heart?

"Seens the bride is too eager to marry!"

Rohan and I exchanged our garlands.

"Sit beside him Anjali. We have a few more rituals. "

"Place your hand over his."

The priest chanted a few mantras, but my mind was lost in the special moment. I felt shivers down my spine.

Does he even understand what his touch is doing to me?