Important: please read the Author's Note at the end of this chapter after you've read Chapter 32.

||CHAPTER 32||
《¤》

I don't think I have ever thought that a boy looked so ravishing that could make my hormones go haywire, even back when Aryan was my boyfriend.

But Vansh Mehra here, was doing that to me, and my heart beat didn't just accelerate because he had appeared out of nowhere, when he said he won't be making it.

But I was a messed-up person, and my first reaction had to be stimulated by the fact that he was holding a flower vase for me. He had to be the most considerate guy out there.

"You would have been my thirteenth flower giver," I speak, breaking the eye-contact, because it wasn't making it easy to breathe.

"See?" He glances at the flowers in my hands and then points at the vase in his, "You still haven't been able to figure me out. I don't know if I should be disappointed or, well... I guess, just disappointed."

I place the flowers inside the vase in his outstretched hands. "You should, actually, be smug about it."

"Oh yeah? And why so?"

"Because, for me you keep on being a mystery," I say  watching him as he places the vase on the table beside him. "And girls love mysteries?"

"I presumed you liked everything crystal clear."

"Didn't say I loved being Sherlock Holmes." I don't know why, but his chuckle sounded like melted chocolate. "Khade kyu ho, baitth jao."

"Poochogi nahi ki mai yaha kaise, kaha se, kab, kyoon, prakat hua?" He asked, as we both scraped a chair out to sit.

"Didn't I just say I am not into the Sherlock Holmes fandom?"

"Touchè," he shrugged. I didn't need to know the how's and why's regarding his sudden appearance; I could easily figure it out. The only thing that mattered was that he was here, and quite ironically, my twin, was not.

"So..." he started, looking at me. "How are you?"

"Very beautiful," I shrugged.

"That's very arrogant of you to say," he fake frowned.

"And very rude of you to not agree. I mean, come on. Baara ladko ne phool diya, kisika tho dil pighla hoga mujhe dekh kar?"

He laughed it off, and didn't flirt back. I didn't like it very much.

"Tumhe pata tha mai aane wala hoon?"

"Ishita ne bolne ka try tho kiya, par no, we haven't reached the sign language stage in our... relationship."

He grinned. "That's why I keep her around."

"Because she has a strong tendency to miscommunicate?"

"Basically because though she can be a blabber-mouth, she's not even good at blabbering," he nodded.

"I'll keep that in mind and make sure Ishita thanks you for the compliment then," I shrugged.

I played with the edge of the long sleeve covering my hand.

"How's... stuff with your mom?" He asked out of the blue and I looked up.

"Let's just say that my maa-beti relationship is the most non-clichè thing happening to me right now."

A passing waiter served us cocktails. His gaze didn't waiver though. "And what's the most clichè stuff in your life right now?"

"Vika darling!" Aryan's voice flew in first before he appeared in front of me and Vansh.

Looking at Vansh, I tilted my head towards Aryan. "The thing about clichè is that it never stands you up. Meet Aryan Oberoi, my new cousin!"

Aryan scraped out a chair and sat down before Vansh could introduce himself. "And you must be Arnav, my new brother!"

Things... couldn't be more awkward.

"Actually... this isn't your new brother," I clarify. "He's Vansh Mehra, your new brother's best friend."

Vansh didn't give out any expression, he just looked between me and Aryan.

"Mehra... From the MS Machinery?"

Woah, I thought company belonged to people, not the other way round.

"Precisely," Vansh nodded. "You've surely done your homework."

Aryan grinned. "Which reminds me, how's Negi Chachi?"

So he knew. He knew that his replaced aunt was having fun time playing with my grades.

"Have you been stalking me?" I questioned. "That's not how moving on works, Aryan."

He grinned again. "I needed someone to laugh at, can't help it if it's your life that is pathetic."

I couldn't help but genuinely smile. "I would say something on your sense of humour, but... truer words have never been said."

He winked, before turning to Vansh. "Anyways, isn't your best bud coming to his mother's wedding? It's like once in a life-time wali opportunity!"

He smirked, tilting his head. "Is it though?"

I shouldn't be laughing at jokes on my mother, but again, this whole situation was disgraceful.

"I like this guy," Aryan said to me, pointing his thumb at Vansh.

With my hand on my chest, I frowned, "He's not gay, and he doesn't even look like me!"

Aryan stood up, shaking his head at me. "It's your sense of humour that definitely needs some work. By the way, shaadi shuru hone wali hai, tho agar koi karm ka phal paana hai, I'm free."

When he was out of sight, the glint in Vansh's eyes caught me offguard. "Vika darling, huh?"

¿¤?

I had no doubts about the genes I had inherited; I knew I wasn't a common face because Maanyata soon-to-be Oberoi was stunning. When the classic scene of the bride coming to the alter had commenced, everyone had stood up and followed the commotion to the mandap.

I did not.

No, I wasn't overly emotional about my mother being wedded off, but I wasn't completely emotionless either. Tears didn't come easily to me, but a hollow feeling often did.

The guests were making some noise and fussing over how beautiful my mother looked. She did, they weren't lying. She did have some amazing facial features, and growing up, I did have all of them memorized in the back of my mind.

I was still sat on the table Vansh had vacated a few minutes after Aryan did. My eyes got fixed on the complimentary vase on the table in which my flowers rested. Twelve companies were interested in Oberoi's business, and Oberoi was willing to invest fairly in ours.

The wedding had started officially, I could hear the barely audible chants of mantras.

I was never close close to my mother. Sure, there were many times when she had become my support during emotional breakdowns. There were times when we had those goofy mother-daughter moments, when she didn't hate me for my decision of not staying with her anymore. But the mental breakdown I was having now? She was the cause of it.

Shall I call Daadi? She'd probably be having her afternoon nap right now.

"Arvika?"

Aryan stopped infront of me. I put a few strands of my hair behind my ear. "Hmm?"

"Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho? Sab plan ke mutabiq chal raha hai- don't you want to have a good laugh?"

He was talking about the fire crackers he had managed to set up by the bride and groom's seats near the havan on my command.

I didn't nod, I was already rethinking my rash prank. However, I stood up and slowly followed him to the mandap.

People parted to let me and Aryan in front. My gaze first landed on Raman Oberoi, he really looked ugly clean shaven. I don't know how my mother could agree to marrying him when he looked like that, and she didn't love him in reality.

And then my eyes landed on my mother who was looking back at me. Her kohl-rimmed eyes brought out the innocence in her, but her shaped eyebrows brought out her confidence.

And her caramel eyes brought out the vulnerability. She was vulnerable because of me and my actions. I gulped.

Aryan was tugging at my hand, trying to pull me out of this reverie. But I had slipped right into that one, and I had to prepare myself to slip out of it.

Her eyes were pleading me not to ruin her new relation. I folded my hands.

The pandit said something about the beginning of seven rounds, but my mother's eyes didn't leave mine while she stood up.

They were taking the saat phere and then it dawned on me, how foolish I was being by thinking that I had any chance on stopping this.

She crossed by me and Aryan, and then I looked up at her husband.

Mr. Oberoi was being inexpressive. Maybe he knew how ugly he would look if he tried to smile.

When the first round was over, Aryan whispered in my ears. "Okay, are you waiting for a perfect timing to burst the crackers or something? We were supposed to let it off before they stood up!"

I sighed. In her second round, my mother wasn't looking at me. She was smiling at her new family and guests.

"We are not going to light up anything."

"What?!"

"I said we are not going to create any scene here. I'm bored with the foolish pranks, and my work here is done."

It was true, I'd got what I'd come here for. And I'd not come here for mending any broken cords. I don't know if my mother deserved another shot at family-making, but I was no one to decide that for her.

It's her life, she' got her own command on it.

A few months ago, when I had said that to Arnav, it didn't sound too unnerving.

"Are you kidding me?!" Aryan sounded distressed. "It was a huge deal hiding them under the- Arvika!- Arvika!!"

But I had turned around and started walking away from the wedding bells.

_____

Namoshtaii!

So last Friday, I had asked if anyone was interested in being a new character of Dil Jaanta Hai. What I mean, is, for example you are Sejal Gupta, you can be a character of Dil Jaanta Hai, in the bonus/one shot/epilogue chapter later in this book. You can either be the new character called Sejal Gupta, or create one character out, and decide the relation you have with the characters. So basically, you will be one of the characters of DJH.

Most of you wanted to be a character of Dil Jaanta Hai, hence I have decided to hold an easy competition through which the winner gets to be a character of DJH!

WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO:
Each participant will be assigned one week, and two chapters, one old chapter and the other will be the chapter I publish on that particular week. All you have to do is increase the reads and votes of the chapters assigned to you, by engaging new readers and/or promoting my book. If you also manage to increase my followers, you get an added bonus, though it is not necessary.

THE PRIZE:
The winner gets to be featured or create a new character of the Dil Jaanta Hai crew, like I have explained above. Plus, I will follow you back if I don't already do.

ELIGIBILITY:
1. Vote on all my chapters
2. Follow me!

If you want to participate, please comment 'I'm in' or dm me! If have any questions, you can comment or dm me too.

Also, in the last chapter, I had promised you that I'd be sharing sneakpeaks of the upcoming chapters on my message board, and those who follow me, were able to receive the sneak peak of this chapter two days ago. So if you want sneak peaks too, don't forget to follow me!

Coming back to this update, the last scene was again one of the vulnerable scenes I had to write and which was on my mind for quite a looooong time.

DJH has been entered for the Wattys 2018. Please, please, please vote and share this story so that it atleast qualifies the longlist.

So read, vote, comment and promote!

~emcee.