Neiyat's POV:

'And what if I say you still have a chance!'

I hear a voice and then I feel my heart thumping louder....
A sudden breathlessness... restlessness...

'Say Neiyat!!!' I heard and my eyes filled with fresh ounces of tears and then I see my father smile at me. My hands shiver and I turn around to see the man who owned that voice...

The man...who owns my heart!!!

Aahir!!!

A sob stuck in my throat.

I see him and Sanchi taking slow steps towards me and within a few long strides he stands infront of me...

My voice still quite muffled and my chest feels constricted!!!
His eyes were also filled with tears and then I see Sanchi smiling...

I am out of words....

But to my surprise this time I hear Sanchi saying...
'Tell!!! How long should we all wait... we are all very hungry girl!!! Now that you confess the same to this man is when we clap and then we finally eat those delicious Chole Bhature... mannnn I've being eying those since they arrived...right Luv?' she asks and then I hear Luv saying...'Definitely!!! I have asked Aaryan to even keep those yummy gulab jamuns aside specially for us!!!'

And I'm completely confused...
I look around like a lost puppy. When Sanchi says it again...
'Quickly yaar Neiyat!!!' and I'm looking at my mother and father who nod and smile.

What is happening??? She wants me to confess my feelings to her 'husband'??? Not that I felt she was ever normal!!! She had lost a few screws in her childhood itself however now has she completely lost it??? What is she even saying???
And Aahir... he's standing here like a maniquin!!! What the heck is happening???

'Gosh Chah aunty... what had you eaten during your pregnancy? Why is she so dumb yaar...

'Ye bachpan mein gir wir gayi thi kya? Sar pe chot lagi thi ise? (Had she fallen somewhere in childhood? Did she hurt her head or something?)' She asked my mother and I scowled.

But honestly I was still confused!!!

'Let me explain it in detail this time to my dearest granddaughter!!!' and this time I see Mypie walking towards me and in one go he pulled me in a side hug...

'Puttarji(child)..my grandson about whom you kept crying and confessing sometime ago...is still SINGLE!!! Not married yet!!!' and my eyes widen and then I look around... everyone was smiling except Aahir who had a serious face.

'What do you mean by not married Mypie?' I ask and this time I hear Malu aunty saying...

'Wellll...don't ask us ..ask your grandfather!!' she says and I look at Mypie and then he quips...

'Dont...don't even look at me...I'm the sweet grandpa you have... that oldie Devil there is a criminal brain!!! I pity how did Ishu Bhabhi deal with him all these years!!!' and then I look at Daadu who stands next to Sanchi pulling her in a side hug and I am still confused.

I am shocked...
'Is this a joke???' I ask and this time my dad says...

'No princess it's not!!! It's a reality check for you!!! It was a plan so you realise how much it pains when people actually seperate...when you see the love of your life in someone else's arms!!! You wanted an epic lovestory with twists and turns...you wanted to have a bad boy turn a good boy for you just like your Daadu or me!!! So we wanted to give you a reality check about how painful it is to actually let go off your loved one!!! We wanted you to confess your love to Aahir!! Love which we all could see and feel but you never confessed to him!!!' and my eyes fill up with fresh tears.

'You guys...you...all...and you Daadu...you...how could you do this Daadu...do you know what and all I felt in the last 24 hours!!! You...you....you are a devil Daadu!!! Indeed a Devil!!!' I say running into him and hugging him. I burst out crying on his chest when he hugs me and caresses my head with his wrinkly palms.

'Puttarji...I know it was painful!!! But at times parents have to be strict to make children realise that the path they are taking is not right!!! When Ved's incident happened I thought you learnt your lesson. All though you learnt it the hard way but no...you were still reluctant. And then came Sanchi who looked like a ray of hope to me. I noticed how jealous and insecure you felt when she was around. So I just told her nicely to you know add a little ghee into the burning fire but...looks like she is exactly like her mom...

Musky was a naughty child but Sanchi is a devil's advocate indeed!!! She did everything to keep your flames high and when finally Sanchi gave us the good news from Goa that you both are probably going to confess it to each other is when she reverted the news saying how badly broken Aahir was after he got rejected yet another time from you!!!

Although this time it looked like you were unaware of your emotions and not unsure!!! Something stopped you from saying it out loud!!! And then i know you are my granddaughter!!! Like I took ages to accept my love for Ishu...you were no less!!! You kissed him but couldn't tell him and we wanted to make you confess it!!! So we planned this dummy wedding!' he said and my mouth opens and closes like a fish.

'You ...this....I mean... what the... dummy wedding???' I asked and then Mypie adds in...

'Well not dummy exactly to say!!! It's more like 'Begaani Shaadi me Abdulla Diwana' (An idiom in Hindi to explain how you go unnecessarily overboard at someone else's wedding)' and I blink as I'm confused and then Daadu says ...

'Well a couple definitely got married downstairs but that wasn't Saanchi and Aahir. It was a couple from Ishu's orphanage whose wedding expenses we beared and blessed them to live happily ever after!!!' he breaks the bomb and my I'm shocked.

They tricked me???

'You mean all this was a prank??? And all those family friends??? Those people??? Everyone knew???' and Daadu smiles saying...

'Yes my dear Lady Gabbar... everyone knew that it wasn't Aahir-Sanchi's wedding. It was Priya and Aniket's wedding and they are now living their happily ever after. We just pulled a little prank on you!!!' and I'm so so so angry right now.

I literally shoot everyone dead in their eyes but Sanchi comes and pulls my cheeks saying..

'Kudiye thoda kam jala kar!!! Aggg lag jani he balon me (Girl burn a little lesser else your hair may catch fire!!!) And then everyone bursts out laughing.

I look elsewhere with a grumpy face and then I hear Mypie say...
'Welllll...looks like someone is fuming!!! Anyways now that my dearest granddaughter has told it to me, her Daadu, her friend, friend's mom, her parents...to her cousin... just do me a favour darling... please confess it to my grandson here!!! He's dying to hear it from you!!!' he says pushing Aahir a little towards me and he stumbles and almost dashes into me and our eyes meet for a brief minute. He keeps looking at me with an intense expression and my lips quiver. I feel my hands going numb. I feel hot cold flashes in my body. I feel my knees buckling and I gasp for fresh air. He still keeps looking at me while I move my lips but nothing comes out of my mouth.

And I see my family around us waiting for me to say it. I gulp nervously!!!
It feels like I'm back to school and this is some elocution competition where I have forgotten my speech.

Damnnnn!!!

I almost see my parents move their lips and practically prompting me to say it out loud!!!

And I huff at once when Aahir groans and this time kicks the wall nearby and says...

'This....this girl!!! She's... she's impossible!!! Even now??? Bloody how stubb... stubborn.... damnnnnn' and he kicks the wall again when I hear Sanchi going to him and rubbing his forearm saying...

'Ririiiii...you are making her nervous!!!' and then I hear Luv say...

'Bolde meri maa (Say it at once) Nei!!!' but Aahir doesn't stay there and walks to the other corner of the terrace and that's when Malu aunty says...

'Lets give the couple a little privacy!!!' and the minute I hear couple I feel tingles inside my stomach.

And then my eyes fall on the man standing there in the other corner of the terrace. His back was facing me. In a white v necked t-shirt, black sweat pants he stood there fuming and looking at the sky probably cursing it. Or me maybe!!!

I slowly walked towards him. It was time for the final showdown.