Off schedule update! :) Didn't proof read, so feel free to point out errors.

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Jo haal dil ka, idhar ho raha hai

♪

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Days had whizzed past so quickly. In the blink of an eye, it was Sunday evening. Sharanya had met his grandparents he had met hers. On the Saturday, the Kumars had arrived at her place to formally meet their grandson's bride to be. They had bough a few gifts for her among which was a beautiful silk saree.

All the elders of both families were happy with the alliance. Her grandparents were very happy for her.

However, her grandmother had upset all her plans to wear the lehenga that she had held in possession for three years but worn only once, to a college friend's wedding. It was fashionable set, with a nice long overcoat instead of the regular dupatta.

Her grandmother had arrived on a Thursday and the very same day the woman had taken all the responsibility on herself. From what was going to be given to the Kumar family as gifts to what Sharanya was wearing. Sharanya had little to worry about with her around. Even Akshaya had to let go off her plans to wear a gown. Both Kamat household daughters had to dress up in traditional attires, as per their grandmother's order.

Her grandmother had even suggested Gargi to dress up traditionally. Gargi had more than happily agreed. Sharanya was almost sure that her Ajji loved Gargi more than her. The two of them would never leave a chance to talk and bond.

Nikhil's grandparents were very kind and simple people. His Ajji seemed to have taken a swift liking towards Sharanya. The lady was so soft-spoken and sweet.

Sharanya glanced at the mirror one last time. She couldn't recognize herself. Her grandmother had insisted on wearing the silk saree she had been gifted. She said it would make her in-laws happy. It was one of many ways she could show them that she accepted all of them like family. However in very short time, they had to hunt for a matching ready-made blouse to go with it. Fortunately, Gargi, like always, had solved that problem quickly.

"Let's go," Gargi said, approaching her. "Here, have some sweet," Saying that she offered Sharanya a half eaten chocolate.

Sharanya smiled and took a bite.

"Shall we?" Gargi asked.

Sharanya nodded and walked out of the room, to the living hall with her. The Kumars had completely transformed their flat. The sofa set had been moved to the side. The balcony that opened in the living room had been decorated with flowers and fairy lights. The curtains had been replaced with white ones. The entire place had a warm, cosy and celebratory vibe to it.

The ceremony was simple. Without much fuss she was made to stand beside Nikhil. She glanced at him with a smile. He was lucky he didn't have to wear traditional clothes and be all decked up. He had dressed in a simple light yellow shirt and brown trousers.

Soon rings we're exchanged, claps echoed.

The moment he had slipped the ring onto her finger, he looked up at her. His gaze was packed with intent. Sharanya's heart jumped, missing a beat. She didn't know what that look meant. It was probably the third or fourth time he was looking at her like that. His gaze was very deliberate. She wondered what he was thinking.

She smiled, breaking their eye lock. She looked at the people around clapping with smiles.

"Time for cake!" Gargi announced as a servant wheeled in a cake heavily laid with cream on a food trolley.

While the cake was being placed on the table, his grandmother commented something about not having cakes in the wedding during their days. Her Ajji, agreed saying the whole concept of engagement was borrowed from the western culture.

Gargi handed Sharanya the knife. She turned to Nikhil, wondering if he'd like to hold it. He wrapped his finger around hers. Their gazes meeting halfway. It was as though time froze. He gave a very deliberate nod, as though a signal to go on. Taking the cue she looked at the cake, a butterscotch cake she guessed. They both leaned forward, seemingly in perfect synchronization.

As she sunk the knife into the cake, claps rang, silencing the soft music that had been playing all along for a few fleeting moments. His grip became a little firm while her hand trembled a little. The moment was by far the most intimate one she had shared with him so far. As they both bent forward, their faces came in close proximity to each other. She could catch the aroma of coffee from him.

With his grip on her hand, they drew three long cuts on the cake.

"Come on feed each other now, we can take care of drawing pieces for all of us," Gargi said.

Sharanya glanced at Nikhil with hesitation. Their proximity had already been messing with her head. She felt warm all over. Her heart was uncharacteristically jumpy. Her mind was at alert, noticing every little movement, while trying to remember the closeness as much as it could.

Nikhil was in a tight spot just like her. He picked up a tissue and then picked up a piece. He was about to place the piece on the tissue when his grandfather laughed and remarked, "Don't be shy my boy, feed her."

Nikhil fought a blush. He wasn't shy.

No way!

Maybe he was?

A coy smile made it to Sharanya's lips, her cheeks colouring to a deeper shade of red. Nikhil picked the piece of cake and took it close to her mouth. His gaze meeting hers. One of their very first intimate moments had their families as audience. At the moment he didn't know if he felt nice about the fact that he was sharing a very special moment with his wife-to-be or embarrassed that the moment had his family watching.

Sharanya swallowed the diffidence and quickly took a small bite of the cake.

The others cheered, among that she heard her sister say, "Your turn Di!"

Stuck between shyness and that weird feeling of having his intentional gaze on her, Sharanya wrapped her fingers around his hand instead of taking the cake. She guided his hand back to his mouth. He blinked eating a bit from the same pieces of cake, while the others clapped.

Sharanya turned to look at the others. Her cheeks were going to literally flame up. She hated the taste of nothing but cream in her mouth, yet the moment was ... special.

She glanced at him as he placed the piece aside on a plate. There was cream on the side of his lips. She picked up a tissue from the table and handed it to him. He looked at her puzzled for a moment until she gazed up at his face and he understood.

He turned away wiping his mouth. Sharanya's eyes met Gargi's who was giving her a wide grin. Sharanya blinked trying to hold herself from smiling like a Cheshire cat.

"Time for photographs, I guess!" Arun said and immediately Nikhil's grandfather agreed saying something about having on his new shirt.

Nikhil stood beside Sharanya, their arms touching as they clicked photographs with his grandparents first. People kept shuffling but they stood rooted on the spot, refusing to look at each other. Finally a complete picture with everybody present was clicked. Just when they thought it was over, it was time for some selfies.

For the remnant of the night, they tried to avoid looking at each other. A new sort of feeling had come into existence between them. A tension of a kind.

Nikhil had never felt the attraction towards Sharanya like the one he felt today. Maybe it was the proximity they had been thrown into with all the cake cutting and feeding. He couldn't forget the feeling of her soft fingers over his skin.

Sharanya's cheeks took a lot of time to comeback to their normal temperature. She had stole some glances at Nikhil during the dinner. They were mostly next to each other, but just like her, he avoided looking at her. It made it easy for Sharanya. Gargi had been giving her knowing glances with a smirk. Sharanya wondered if it was so easy to read the blush on her face, or was it just Gargi who didn't miss it?

The others all seemed to have a nice time talking about life in the older days and life now. The older generation at the table was happily interacting sharing entertaining anecdotes from their life.

* * *

Sharanya was tired but still not ready to call it a night. She and Akshaya had made a makeshift bed using the two spare single bed mattresses in the living hall while their grandparents slept in their room. Akshaya was fast asleep, whilst Sharanya sat with her phone in hand.

A little while back Gargi had shared the link of the drive that had all the photos that were clicked today. She hadn't told a sole about it. She had patiently waited for everyone to go to sleep, so that she could peacefully look at the photos without being concerned about someone looking over her shoulder or catching her expressions.

She swiped on her phone screen and arrived at a picture of them cutting the cake. Smiling she went to the next and then the next. She stopped at the one where he was feeding her cake. Biting her lower lip, she zoomed the picture. Gosh, the way he looked at her! It made her insides tighten and her cheeks flush. She bit harder on her lower lip remembering that moment, the cute blush on his face. She smiled moving to the next picture.

* * *

Nikhil couldn't sleep. The sudden onset of attraction was driving him to the edge. Every time he tried to shut his eyes he felt her soft touch on his hand. They were so damn close. What warmed his heart was the delicate domestic feel the entire moment had.

She was going to be his wife. Some one he could count on. Someone who'd be there with him on gloomy nights when he needed a shoulder to lean on or during those brightly lit nights when he needed someone to share his success with. He wouldn't be alone.

He sighed looking at the ceiling. Did she feel all these overwhelming emotions too? Or was it just him?

He turned to his side. Close to fifty-three more days more.

Thoughts wouldn't just stop. He suddenly recollected Gargi mentioning that next week on Friday was Sharanya's birthday. He must gift her something, but what?

Flowers. Chocolates. Teddy-bears. Isn't that what girls liked?

But she was his fiancée not girlfriend. He made a mental note to discuss the matter with Arun. Perhaps he could get an idea from Gargi what Sharanya would like.

* * *

Arun sat before his wife as she finished explaining her plan.

"Are you going to say something?" Gargi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You want me to convince Nikhil?" He tried to clarify his doubts.

"Yes," she affirmed.

"He won't agree." Arun muttered, trying to sink low on the bed.

Gargi crawled forward, "why not?"

"He's... for the lack of better words a boring guy. He's not going to agree to waste three whole days and a little more than that of his time for a road trip to Ooty."

"Tell him, it's for Sharanya," she suggested.

"He still won't come. He barely speaks to her. Didn't you see his hesitation when he was sacked to feed her cake? And what makes you think Sharanya will say yes?"

"Because I am going to make her say yes." Gargi said smiling brightly.

"Look, we are different from them. Someone offered me to go on a road trip with you before our marriage I'd feel like the luckiest man on earth. But it's them. Their grandparents are here... they—"

Gargi didn't wait for him to complete, "Sharanya's grandparents are going back tomorrow and Nikhil's grandparents on Tuesday. And it's a weekend Arun. He'll come!"

"Fine, I will try. But you need to convince Sharanya before that."

"Listen, if we do that it won't work. You tell Nikhil that Sharanya is ready. I have my ways to convince Sharanya that."

"I am not manipulating. What if they communicate and have wrong assumptions. I am just going to tell him that you have planned this trip for Sharanya and that's it. If he wants he can join."

"Fine!" Gargi sighed, crawling back to her side of the bed. "I am so excited!"

"It's not final yet," Arun muttered patting her backside.

"Baby, you need to just wait and watch. Oh, and get the fuel in the car. We are going for a trip. I will decide a hotel tomorrow."

"You think they'll stay together in a room?" Arun asked.

Gargi gaped at him.

"What?" He mumbled.

"You're expecting way too much. Here I am just trying to get them into the friend-zone and you're talking of them sharing a room. Sharanya and me will take a room, you and Nikhil can share another."

"Wow, I take you to Ooty and I don't even get to sleep with you."

Gargi smiled at him. "We can sleep now."

"You know what I mean."

Gargi chuckled, "I know, how much of a turn on hotel rooms are for you, snuggly bear!" With that she hugged him.

• • • • •

Would love to know your thoughts! Anyone excited for what's to come?

Next update: by next Thursday.

-Anami!♡

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