You will never even know how much I cried over you

Everyone applauded as the music stopped and the couple-dance as well.

The guest resumed themselves whatever fun they were having previously, while Avni approached the stage in intension to have a little chat with the DJ guy. She instructed him to play a specific song in a light mode the moment the ring ritual will be announced.

Bebe: it's time We should go ahead for the ritual before the auspicious hour ends. She said politely addressing the ladies, especially Tina' father.

It's time, the thought caused Neil felt heavy in his chest, he sucked a breath, his fist clenched anticipating the inevitable.

Avni silently took a spot close to her father who wrapped his arm around her shoulder and grinned broadly. Avni retuned her Dad's enthusiastic gesture plastering a little smile, only she knows there is an eerie tranquility crowding inside her. Kind of silence happens before those thunder- storms shatter on earth with heavy rain. The precipitation her chest is abounding with.

Biting her lips feeling totally out of the place Avni's abrupt gaze met with Neil's who is already watching her with same intensity. that something became a regular thing, it started since the day she rejected him. Him watching her all the time she is around. Which is less irritating more bewitching.

She frantically averted her gaze off him not able to look into his eyes without feeling restless, sorry.
Why did she make the mistake
of glancing at him? When she doesn't want him to get any kind of hopes out of this.

Shweta: Avni beta, could you please go get the rings?

Avni nodded with a light smile. She looked at Advay, who appeared having an uneasiness, concern written all over his face. He felt worse for her, at this point if he could have take her away from all of this drama, she might not has to face this. His heart breaking every second seeing her in so much pain.

Meanwhile when Avni reached the Mandir area she noticed both the rings are nicey placed in a decorated tray. In the middle two pristine diamond rings surrounded by flower petals, those are fresh red and pink roses.

Her thoughts wandered in that brief moment which did nothing but tightened her chest.

Her heart was still racing at full pace. She could still feel the ghost of Neil's touch on her skin from their little moment, as if his hands were still wrapped around her waist and hers lay on his chest.

Only she know how she pulled her sanity back when his tender touch
rested on her bare waist, bringing every part of her body into life, entangling, waking up those thousands of unwanted feelings. Only Neil khanna can cause that effect on her. Only he can break her, mend her. No one else. No one can.

His gaze had kept her in place, refusing to let her look
away, even if she wanted to. If Advay hadn't dragged her away, she might have had ended up bared to Neil with all her secrets are out and very much visible.

Shaking such dire emotions away, her shivering hands took a iron grip of that tray when her eyes caressed over Neil's ring. Her lips parted letting out a deep breath, her eyes on the verge of causing torrent. She can do it, Avni is made of iron. She can do anything for the people she loves. What about her love, the love she wants to keep for her? There is a small voice quivered inside her. And as always she ignored that voice shutting her eyes tight before she opened them inhaling a determined breath and stepped forward just like those soldiers in some mission.

Not glancing at anyone, anything around her she took steady steps, her unwavering gaze on the tray. However she can feel that particular one pair of strong stare was over her, piercing her heart into two halves. She do not need to look at the person behind those gaze to make it confirm because Her soul is enough for getting her the hint.

Shweta: Thank you, Beta, she replied, taking the plate from
Avni, she then moved to Neil and Tina.

Advay wrapped his arm around Avni's shoulder as soon as she reached him, giving it a soft squeeze sending her the sense of support that he is there for her. Looking at her, he blinked his eyes assuring her, and she nodded, which Neil observed with a gaze steel, distaste. His jaws clenched having trouble gulping the whole scene. And not able to hold it any longer he preferred to look away. Out of sight out of mind. That's what he thought.

No matter how hard he tries, His traitor eyes longed to look at that one girl, no matter how cruel she can be refusing to acknowledge his every plead he still love her with his everything he has.
His mind kept telling him to focus on Tina, whereas his heart won the battle and found himself drawing to Avni amidst this chaos of a ring celebration. How unfair.

Shweta handed  Tina Neil's ring first.

Ashish: Only a few more seconds and your freedom is totally gone. He said, making everyone laugh.

Neela: Tina. Make Neil wear the ring.

Tina nodded, but before proceeding, she moved near Avni,
who glanced at her with a puzzled face.

Tina: Today is the most important day of my life, and I
want my best friend beside me. She smiled as she looked at Avni.

Without wasting any time, Avni felt Tina grasp her hand,
and a few seconds later, she was standing next to Tina and her family. But what made her heart race was seeing Neil standing directly opposite her.

Neela urged Tina to go ahead, while Neil extended his hand.
He gave Tina a faint smile and at the very moment something slowly scrambled inside of him. It is the hope he lost forever.

Everyone clapped as Tina put the ring on Neil's ring finger.

Neil took the ring from Shweta, glanced at it, and then
at Tina, who was beaming with happiness. He moved his hand to slide the ring on her finger.

His gaze rested on Avni when he swiftly made Tina wear the ring. This is so wrong Avni is in his spell. Realisation hit her like a truck,her eyes widened. In a single day he had caught her looking at him this  being this lost and that too when he was putting the ring on Tina's finger. In instant the feeling is she wants to be anywhere but not here.

There was a burst of applause, and several others whistled.

Avni moved and hugged Tina; she felt Neil's focus still on her while been congratulated by his folks and guest.

Looking away, she stepped away from there, and the DJ gave
her a thumbs up, which she acknowledged it with a little head node.

The rest of the family members congratulated Tina and Neil.

Jaaniye heeriye
Jaaniye heeriye

Neil: This song. He whispered. It was one of his favourites. But it felt like he is not liking it anymore, not the way it was before.

Mere mann ye bata de tu.

Tina: see that's what I say. Uff Avni and her song collections, are just boring like her.

Kis or chala hai tu

Neil: Avni's song collection? He asked Tina, frowning.

Kya paya nahi tune
Kya dhundh raha hai tu

Tina: Haan, I saw that on her playlist. I had no idea she
was going to play this, or I would have had sued her from the songs selection job for my engagement. Can you believe it? there are so many songs and she choose this one. She remarked complaining first then ended up giggling as if she made a funny joke. With his forehead knitted, questioning eyes Neil stared at her for few seconds. For a reason unbeknownst to him his heart started thumping like never before.

Neil: Are...Are you sure it's her favourite song? His voice faltered, gut twisted.

Tina: I mean it's SRK song ofcourse I like it but not as much as Avni does. He wasn't ready for this, he felt suffocated.
It's her favourite song....

Flashback

Neil : I like this song Mitwa...
Tina (Avni): Don't tell me....
Neil: Oh c'mon stop it now...
Tina (Avni) : I swear It's my favourite too, why so difficult to believe it?...
Neil: shut up and stop copying me.

End of flashback

Tina: Are you okay? You look pale.

Neil: I am, I just...do you??...

Before he could keep going with his jittery psyche; incomplete, broken sentences some more, Tina's team members walked up to them. They congratulated Neil, tried to get Neil engaged into some teasing conversations, which he responded with nodding, feigned smiles with a lost mind. Everything got blank as if he is not present there, atleast not his mind is.

He is having difficulty in breathing, he is having denial in thinking to the direction his brain indicating to rummage things. The thoughts are disturbing, agonising. He need a space, air to breath, and think rational.
He didn't realise when he moved away that spot until his eyes fell at Avni who is standing beside Advay accompanied by three elder men.

With his blurry vision he noticed Avni handed Advay a glass of juice. He responded with a shake as she said something to him and then smiled at the elders before she took a leave to the way, probably to her room upstairs Neil guessed. His eyes didn't leave her, with a trembling hand he pulled his pH out of his pocket and clicked on the mail icon.

jo hai ankahee jo hai ansuni
woh baat kya hai bata
mitwa kahe dhadkan hai tujhse pyar
mitwa yeh khudse toh na tu chhupa

Thank you so much for being with us this long, we really appreciate your support and those kind words you have showered whenever we felt low and a little demotivated, You lovely readers are our true inspiration.

We hope you all like chapter. And will be waiting for all the positive feedback.
Lots of love from me and NeilAvni_love