"How is Arun feeling now?" Sharanya asked, as she pulled up her legs and sat cross-legged on the bed.

The morning had been a very eventful one. During their breakfast their parents had decided to get them engaged in the following week, On Sunday. Mrs. Kumar was going to invite his grandparents over. Her father had already called her mother's parents and they were more than happy to come down from Gokarna for the weekend. So with minimal family present they had decided to conduct a very private engagement ceremony.

"He's fine. Can we focus on your wedding and engagement now? I want all the deets. You have no clue, how I had kept myself from calling you to take updates."

Sharanya smiled. Gargi's excitement was a treat to watch.

"And these pics you sent... why aren't you standing next to Nikhil? And no one bothered to notice and call it out? I am disappointed! One day I don't come and ... anyways for the engagement and wedding, I have got you covered. Now can you kill this suspense and give me the dates. And all the other details. Did you talk to him? Or was it just like Wednesday? You there, Sharanya? Hello?"

"I am going to talk if you give me chance to," Sharanya said.

"Fine, I am zipping my mouth. You talk."

"So the engagement is next week." Sharanya informed.

Almost immediately, there was a reaction from the other end, "Next week! What? Isn't it too early? I mean... we have only one week to prepare. Have you decided what to wear? Dress, jewellery, footwear? Where is the engagement ceremony going to be held? What about —"

"— Gargi, calm down! Breathe!" Sharanya spoke up interrupting her long exclamation.

"It's just a few of us. You and Arun are the only guests. His grandparents will come over from Mysore. And Papa has already invited my grandparents, they will be here on Thursday."

"Wow," Gargi remarked.

"Yes. As for the dress, I am planning to pull out something from the upper cupboard and get it altered."

"It's your freaking engagement, Sharanya!" Gargi exclaimed.

"Thanks, you told me. I wasn't aware." Sharanya muttered.

"Let's go shopping?"

"No way! I am done with distraction. And there's definitely no way I am buying any dress for the engagement. I am going to sit and prepare for an interview this week." She said, getting off the bed to shut the door. She didn't want anyone listening. If she told them that she had submitted her resignation even after they had hiked her salary she'd never hear the end of the lecture trying to tell her she was making a foolish mistake.

"Oh, I forgot to ask. How did it go on Friday?"

"Okay-ish! I have almost no expectations to hear back from them. I am expecting a call from Cloud Solutions Pvt. Ltd. The status of my application has moved from applied to second screening."

"Okay. Don't worry, you'll get a good job soon. Only an idiot will reject a sincere employee like you. Coming back to the engagement, oh wait— what's the date of the wedding?"

Sharanya smiled. "Guess,"

"Why do I feel you're blushing at the moment?"

Sharanya immediately stopped smiling, "why would I blush?"

"I don't know, I just pictured you all blush-y and smile-y. Anyways, umm February?"

Sharanya straightened up. "No,"

"Later than that? Uh, March?" Gargi asked.

"December!" Sharanya answered.

"WHAT!" Gargi squealed on the other side effect the line. "Like this December or next?"

"This!"

"Oh My God, and what's the date?"

"First!" Sharanya supplied.

"That's like... sixty days, like two months."

"Why are you so hyped today?" Sharanya asked.

There was no response from the other end. She could hear some shifting sounds on the other end. After a few seconds the line went dead.

Sharanya glanced at the phone, looking puzzled.

She decided to call back and before she could press the call button, her phone rang. She swiped the screen to pick up the call.

"What's really up with you today?" She spoke into the phone.

"I just got a little hyped and I needed to bring Arun up to speed. So next week Sunday is your engagement and on December first your wedding. God, I am so excited and happy for you."

A smile made it to Sharanya's lips. She had yet to let it all sink.

"What are you thinking?" Gargi asked.

Sharanya took a deep breath resting her head back against the wall, stretching out her legs. "It feels ... different. I mean, I am nervous and it's not the bad kind of nervous. Still, it's very daunting. Nikhil and I can barely make conversation. I can't imagine spending a lifetime with him."

"Relationship needs time and efforts. It's like a baby. When it's new, it's delicate and you've to take extra care of it, put in the efforts to make sure it's okay. And as it grows, it becomes strong and easier to understand. Then it just becomes a part of you." Gargi, the wise one said.

Sharanya wordlessly agreed. "Hmm, anyways what I actually called for was the engagement ring. I have zero knowledge. I will need your help with that."

"Don't worry about that. Let's do this, take a day off tomorrow. I will come over and we'll discuss everything from your dress to hairstyle for the engagement and then we'll see if we need to buy something. Where's the engagement ceremony happening?"

"His mother said that they'll organize it at WoodRose Hotel if possible otherwise they'll arrange it at their place. She said she'll confirm by tomorrow."

"Cool, then. You sit and prepare for your interview and I am going to be your wedding planner."

Sharanya smiled, "you may want to coordinate with Akshu, she's been on  her laptop ever since we came back."

"Look, I am making it clear. I am your maid of honor okay. That reminds me, the Bachelorette party. Let's do that on your birthday week? Two in one? We'll call some of the girls from college group."

"No," Sharanya muttered. "It's going to be odd, most if them are already married and won't even show up."

"You know what, that's my domain, sorry I mentioned it. You prepare for your next interview. Okay, bye... I have loads to do. I need to make lists and what not!"

Sharanya closed her eyes. It wasn't new news, Gargi had always been more excited about her wedding than Sharanya was herself. She decided it was best to spend time on preparing for the interview, it would be good distraction from the pre-wedding jitters.

* * *

When Sharanya had asked for Gargi's help in purchasing a ring for Nikhil. She hadn't anticipated that she'd tag Arun along. But what surprised her was that Nikhil joined them too.

The moment she had sunk Nikhil's presence, she had looked at Gargi with questioning eyes. He looked surprised too.

"Nikhil needed Arun's help and you needed my help, so we thought it'd be best if the two of you shopped for matching wedding bands. You'll also get the size right." Gargi had explained with a sweet smile.

Sharanya had smiled, but she wanted to blast out at Gargi for not giving her a heads up. What if he liked an expensive ring? She hadn't even taken time to chose a proper dress to wear for shopping she'd picked the first dress that was appropriate. Though she was glad she had worn her black kurta. The color black was the best color ever made, if made you look relatively thin and it was also hard to tell how old the outfit was.

"There are a couple of jewellery shops on this street. You two go ahead, have you pick. Gargi and I will be around," Arun spoke up. And with acknowledging nods the two of them walked away.

Sharanya watched as Arun's arm went around her shoulder. She then switched her gaze to Nikhil and smiled, taking a step towards him. It was weird standing away like strangers.

"Which shop?" She asked politely for his preference.

"Uh, I don't know," He said looking down the road, disputed.

He then looked back at her, "KL Jewellers? I have heard a lot of their advertisements on the radio."

"Okay," Sharanya said and they began to walk towards the store.

"How was your day?" Sharanya began a conversation.

"Regular. Yours?"

"Regular," she answered, seconds later wondering why she had answered just like him. He'd think she had a limited vocabulary.

"I have never worn a ring before." He spoke up as they climbed up the stairs to the store. The doorman opened the door for them and they entered the brightly lit store.

"It's annoying at first and then you get used to it," she said, walking over to a counter.

She placed her hand on the glass counter looking around. Tiny price tags were attached to the jewellery with tiny digits scribbled on them.

Almost immediately, his gaze went down to her fingers. She had one ring on, in the middle finger of her left hand. Sharanya followed his gaze to the ring on her finger.

"It was my mom's," she smiled.

He acknowledged that with a curt nod of his head and looked up at the man who had approached them.

"Good evening, Sir and Madam, how may I help you today?" The man behind the counter asked.

"We're looking for rings for an engagement." Nikhil answered.

The man smiled, "Okay Sir. What kind of rings would you like me to show you? Platinum, Gold, diamond, any specific stone preference?"

"Uh," He glanced at Sharanya but she didn't say anything, he looked back at the guy, "anything simple? Umm, platinum or gold."

"Sure," the man smiled and went back to retrieve a box of rings.

Nikhil looked at Sharanya, "What's your preference?"

"I really don't have one. Anything simple will be fine."

He nodded in agreement. The man placed two boxes that had rings arranged on them. The small pieces of metals sparkled in the light. One box had the gold rings, the other platinum.

Sharanya's gaze carefully looked at each. She picked one up, and then placed it back. The diamond on it looked very expensive. Her gaze moved to the platinum ones. She looked up at Nikhil's face to find him gazing at the rings with a hard to decipher expression.

She had browsed through them online last night to get an idea about the price range. No doubt they were expensive. Also, this was just the ring for the engagement, she had to buy one for the wedding too. However, it was only a one time thing. So she was willing to spend a good reasonable amount on it.

"Do you like these?" He said pointing to a pair of simple platinum bands.

Sharanya leaned forward to examine it closely. "They're nice," she remarked. It was way too ordinary. Her eyes quickly began looking for something similar but more tasteful.

Her gaze paused at a pair just as simple as the one he'd suggested but having a twist at the top which made it look better. Also the woman's ring in that was thinner. "This?" She said pointing to it.

He had a careful look at her suggestion. "Looks good to me,"

"Can you show us this one," He said to the man.

The man behind the counter picked up the rings and detached it from the plastic strip that held them together. He put it into Nikhil's palm.

Nikhil held his palm towards Sharanya. She picked up the thinner, smaller ring among the two and slipped it onto her finger.

"Uh, this is a little loose," Sharanya said looking at the man.

"Sure, I will show you a size smaller," He said.

Sharanya glanced at Nikhil. He had worn the band on his ring finger and was looking at it.

"Is it okay?" She asked.

"Yeah, seems fine."

"It's not loose, right?" She asked warily.

He tried to pull it out and with little effort it came out. "I think it's perfect." He spoke.

The man handed Sharanya a similar looking ring. She could hardly made out the difference in this one and the previous. When she slipped it on, she was sure this one was perfect. She twisted it and wore it on her other finger before saying it was fine.

"Do you want to have a look at more?" He asked with uncertainty.

"No these seem fine,"

"Okay," He said. Turning to man he asked for the specifics of the rings and the pricing. The man excused himself to get the description card after noting the number on the tag.

* * *

"They're done so quickly?" Gargi asked astonished as Arun ended the call while she stuffed the chocolates she had bought into her bag.

"Yeah, I told them we'll meet at KFC,"

"Sharanya won't eat there. She doesn't like anything there." Gargi spoke up.

"There's a Chinese restaurant above KFC, sweetheart. I don't know what's the name. Hence, I said KFC."

"No wonder," Gargi muttered as they began walking towards the restaurant.

Gargi wrapped an arm around his. "Can we go for ice cream after this?"

"Remember I had fever today morning," he smiled.

"Oh, come on!" She muttered.

"Oh, I see them," He said distracting her.

Gargi looked at them walking towards them. "Who'll say that they're going to be married in two months? I mean look at them. If they could, they'd keep two arms distance between them."

Arun chuckled. "They'll eventually get used to."

"There's no scope of brushing hands also," Gargi muttered, observing them carefully.

"Uh, you know right, that when we were in that phase, I would purposely try to get my hands to brush against yours?" He glanced at her.

Gargi grinned looking at him, "what makes you think, I didn't do the same."

A wide smile came to reside on Arun's lips. "Gosh, you were always a Pattakka!"

Gargi blushed and her wide smile broke into a laughter. "I will never forget that third grade movie you took me for."

"It was my first time too, I didn't know it would be that cheap,"

"And, don't call me pattakka, sounds very vulgar."

Arun rolled his eyes, "you are one," he mumbled quickly smiling at the two who smiled at him wordlessly.

"Nikhil you're lucky. Gargi's record time at jewellery shopping, even if that's buying a few coins during Diwali is forty minutes. And by record I mean the lowest time spent."

Gargi jabbed him in his arm. "I can just be a little choosy," she spoke.

"Very little," Arun muttered sarcasm evident in his expression.

"Okay, let's go get something to eat," Gargi spoke up.

Sharanya immediately began to protest. "Gargi, some other time, it's..."

Gargi interrupted her, "— come on. It's your wedding we are celebrating. Wedding isn't just about that one day you tie the knot. It's the whole period from meeting each other to the post wedding rituals. And worry not, we are not going to KFC. We are going up there," she pointed at the board which read "72, China Town".

"Are you up for it Nikhil?" Gargi asked.

"Yeah sure," He said, glancing at the big KFC board, on the side.

"Cool, let's go then," Gargi said, climbing up the narrow steps.

"Careful, with the heels," Arun called out behind her. Sharanya followed her friend's trail.

Arun then looked at Nikhil. "KFC some other time!"

Nikhil made a face, passing his favorite place to eat and climbing up the stairs.

From their first meeting to the present day, so many things had changed. Sharanya couldn't help but reflect on the first time she met him at Rose Sky Rooftop, weeks ago. Just like that he had ordered a can of coke while she had opted for hot and sour soup.

He glanced up at her from the menu and smiled looking back at the menu. She smiled catching his gaze. The first time she met him she had assumed he didn't like her and that he didn't smile much, that she didn't feel je was anything out of the ordinary.

She was slowly being proved wrong. He did smile, and it was a beautiful one only that it was less frequent. And maybe, he wasn't as ordinary as she had assumed him to be.

She sat wondering how many more new things she would learn about him. Would she like them all? What if there were things she didn't like about him? What if there were things about her, he didn't approve of?

The idea of a marriage was all rosy, but no one really spoke about how to deal with the thorns. Maybe people figure out— how to cross that bridge when they come to it.

• • • • •

Would love to know your thoughts!

Next update: by next Thursday.

-Anami!♡

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