~ ANUSHKA ~

01. The Roman Wedding.

   "YEH SHAADI NAHI HO SAKTI!"

  Nikita and I stared at each other in utter shock and wonderment when we heard the man's voice echoing inside the entire room. I tipped my head a little backward to see who exactly the asshole was to interrupt a Roman wedding that way with the stupid filmy monologue of his when it was least required.

  Because, the goddamn thing hadn't even started!

  Entered a man, dressed in a monochromatic tuxedo, an obnoxious, toothed smile — very stupid I might add — on his face and his eyes constantly planted in our directions. Nikita and I give each other a weird look, and shook our head in dismay. "He's my best man," Abeer piped in, a cheeky smile playing on his lips.

  Not him. Virat Annoying Kohli. Please not him.

  "You chose him as your best man? Like seriosuly?" I scoffed, rolling my eyes at him. Nikita couldn't help but chuckle at our banter. "What's happening to my best friends' choices!? First, Abeer pings me up and tells me to come to Rome because hello, he has decided to get married to that Italian pasta —"

  "Arista, her name is Arista. How many times will you spell it wrong, Anu?" Abeer glowered at me, while I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at him again.

  "Why can't you see that I'm purposefully calling her pasta, huh?" I retorted with a small, amiable laugh as I moved a strand of my straggly hair that clutched on the cheek of my face into my braid.

  "Stop picking on her. What has ever she even done to you, Anu? Even my mom is not that upset with my choice. On the other hand, you cannot even stop cribbing about my wedding as if all hell broke loose." he snapped at me, jutting his chin out.

  I shrugged sincerely because I honestly wanted him to be happy. "Whatever," I muttered, turning to Nikita. "And you chose this guy out of all the guys in this universe to get married to? Seriously, Nikhil is not even worth a single ounce of attention, Nikita." Gritting my teeth tightly, I looked at Nikhil who stood a little away from us with that pasta, looking at us with a forced smile. Seeing his smile, I felt like kicking on his groin, and running from the church at a top speed along with the priest so that this entire wedding could just get cancelled.

  But instead I sigh.

  My best friends have officially lost it.

  "Hello guys," the best man (who, he is certainly isn't) interrupted our conversation, after a few moments of deliberation, giving us his crooked smile. I just frowned, looking at Nikita who gladly returned him the smile. "Long time, no see." he exhaled a held breath, extending his hand forward in our direction while I notice how everyone was staring at us with their owl-like eyes.

  "It was much better that way," I muttered to myself incoherently, a weird expression transfixed on my face just to show him that I didn't fancy him a bit. He might be a part of the "Indian Cricket Team", but I didn't give a flying fuck about it, because a) he was the best man in my friend's wedding which I don't approve, b) my hatred for wedding was intense, and c) my hatred for Virat was more intense than my hatred for weddings.

  "Why the hell are you here?" I questioned, hardening my glare, swiping my tongue across my lips. His smile was making me sick, feeling my stomach to heave detest. Why the fuck was he smiling so much? What was so happening about this not-so-happening wedding?

  "Oh, she means you're Abeer's best man. So you should go, and greet him first." Nikita said in a sweet-mellowed voice, gesturing towards Abeer.

  Virat chortled, shaking his head, "You're right, Nikita." he nodded, upping his thumbs before his eyes flicked towards Abeer. "Abeer, I'm so sorry that I got late. But seriously wow, I'm not being mobbed here, and that is so cool!"

  "What even? You're not Harry Styles that people would mob you." I remarked sarcastically, an exaggerated groan escaping my lips.

  "Who's he? — " he asked, giving me a belittled expression and before I could open my mouth, he spoke up again, "Not that I really care about your non-existent boyfriend." he retorted, giving away a playful smirk before rivetting his eyes back at Abeer. "So I was saying that I got late because I met a crazy driver so was shooting the car with top speed. And he could hardly speak English. I just, somehow, saved my life and reached here."

  "I'm so thankful to God that he let you reach here, Virat." Abeer replied sarcastically, while I didn't shy away from hiding my chuckle. "But I'm seriously running late on this wedding, and pasta —" he bit his lip, embarassed, while I chuckle again.

  Abeer shot me a death glare when I did so. "— I mean Arista would literally kill me during our first night if we don't get married." he rambled off nervously, before going in the direction where his bride stood. I just shook my head in displeasure, secretly hoping that Arista refuses to marry my nutcase of a best friend.

  "That's really not a very good thought, Anushka." Virat piped in, appalled at my facial expressions. "The way you're staring at him, it feels as if you're mad at him for choosing the path of love." he added, and I looked at him, disconcerted.

  Because Virat hardly talked sense.

  "This love is going to sink him one day," I heaved a sigh, but Nikita nudged me on the shoulder refraining me from saying anything bad.

  She then turned towards Virat, "So Abeer chose you as the best man? Have you prepared the best man's speech?" she asked with a chuckle before adding, "In Italian, huh?"

  "Italian?" Virat slowly repeated before the stark realization hits him like a thunderstorm. "Shit, shit, shit. I was supposed to prepare the speech in Italian!" he panicked, rubbing the nape of his neck. " And I have prepared the entire goddamn speech in English!"

  "Well done, you fucking idiot. Now Abeer has to cancel his entire wedding. Wait, I'll just inform him about the change of plan —" I smirked, stepping a foot towards where Abeer was laughing with that pasta but Nikita yanked my hand backwards. My stomach just sinked with thousands of thoughts at the sight of Abeer and Arista smiling and enjoying. He was really in love with her —

  "Anushka," Nikita's stern voice clicked my ears, and broke the chain of my thoughts. "You're not going anywhere." she warned, narrowing her eyes at me. A sigh escaped past my parted lips as I nodded, so she turned to face Virat. "Virat, I'm sure we're gonna work something out. Anu is well versed in Italian so I think she might help you." she pacified him with a reassuring smile.

  "Will she?" I could hear Virat's nervous voice, his brown eyes flitting towards me questioningly as wiped his tongue across his dried lower lip.

  "Of course," I gave him a grin while he looked at me in prostration, unable to read my face this time. "I'm so gonna help you in this, Virat."

-

   THE ENTIRE WEDDING CEREMONY consumes an eternity which included the newly-weds promising their vows, and giving each other a cringe-worthy kiss at the end. When it was time to raise a toast, the maid of honor decided to go first. Megan was with Arista (yeah, I'd learned to accept her as my best friend's wife) since her middleschool days, and didn't shy away from exposing Arista's most embarassing secrets which included peeing on her bed while sleeping during her highschool. In Arista's defense, she was having a nightmare which was allegedly the reason behind it. But whatever. Arista was going to be teased about this for an eternity. She also wished her all love and happiness in her married life, and they shared an emotional hug at the end which left everyone in awe.

  I was surrounded by such emotional fools, but I could hardly complain to anyone.

  The only person who stood there like a fool (minus tears) was Virat as he didn't understand a bit of what Megan said. "Why are everyone crying?" he asked in confusion, showing an abysmal face.

  The crowd's gonna go bonkers and laugh at you very soon, I secretly grinned to myself. "Nothing, the entire thing was just emotional." I sighed deeply, faking a sob. From the corner of my eyes I could see him staring at Nikhil and Nikita. "Nikhil is translating the entire speech to Nikita." How sweet... not. Honestly, for one moment I could even accept Arista, but Nikhil was a very bad influence on Nikita. And I didn't understand how she couldn't see that her association with a guy like Nikhil was disastrous.

  She needed a guy who could keep her happy forever, and certainly, Nikhil wasn't even close to it. With his jet-black hair, brown coloured eyes, and a swoon-worthy smile - Mr. Nikhil Dixit might look the most complete man to the other girls but to me he was a walking disaster. A bad guy, with a long history of breaking the hearts of girls, this man didn't even deserve to be in one kilometer close radius around Nikita.

  But as they say, love strips you off your common-sense and my thick-headed best friend could hardly see how she was heading towards a relationship which was destined to doom.

  "Hey Anushka," Virat wavered his hand in front of my face, snapping me out of my thoughts which revolved around the 101 ways to kill Nikhil Dixit. "I think it's my turn. C'mon now, help me out!" he hollered excitedly, and strolled towards the centre. I just quietly followed him, supressing my giggles. "I'm gonna keep it simple and short so it doesn't become tedious."

  "So hmm," he sighed out of nervousness. "Arista... though I haven't known you for long,"

  I sucked in a deep breath before taking the microphone in my hand and saying it aloud, "Anche se non ti conosco da molto tempo..." [Even if I havn't known you for a long time...]

  Everyone looked at Virat in adoration.

  "I think, you're gonna make my best friend the happiest man in the world."

  "Penso che tu fallirebbe come moglie." [I think you're going to fail as a wife, big time]

  The crowd looked at him with furious eyes, a frown clouding over their jovial faces. I skillfully avoided Nikita and Abeer's gaze who understood my little plan. Turning to Virat, I noticed how he was looking at me feigning shock at the guests' reaction, but nevertheless continued, "Because you're so beautiful, he cannot take his eyes off of you."

  "lui ti condividerà con me perché siamo migliori amici." [He will share you with me because we are best friends]

  The crowd gasped, getting angrier and started getting noisy and deplorable. Virat snatched the microphone from my hands, shooting me a glare, "I think my dear friend has run out of Italian so I will sign off saying that, I love you both! Stay happy and blessed!"

  When we stepped down the aisle, Virat just started throwing expletives at me. I just chuckled at his reactions, enjoying his ability to reflect a vast array of reactions which only showed the grumpiness which had swallowed his entire good mood.

  "What did she say?" he asked Abeer, once we reached where our friends stood. Nikita slapped my arm violently, while Abeer attacked my hair, destroying my braid which took an entire hour of the day.

  "She said Arista's going to fail as a wife, and I'll share my wife with you." Abeer grunted, continuing to smack my arm. I felt a little too harsh, admittedly, but it was fun to make Virat realize that the world didn't always revolve around him. He had always been an airhead since our school days, though we hardly interacted but then again, the reason was because he was totally a total dick whatsoever.

  "How could you!" Virat gasped at me in bewilderment. "Anushka, even Google translator is far better than you. Do you even realize what you've done?" he gulped out of nervousness, while I notice how Arista's family was giving him a death stare. I am so gonna enjoy this show.

  "Nah," I chuckled, gesturing him to relax. "Besides, it wasn't that bad of a toast, Virat. Will you just relax?"

  "Sure it was. Arista's family think that I'm a pervert, and his brother is about to load guns to shoot me dead, I think." he rambled nervously, but his gaze hardened. "I hate you! So much."

  "Likewise," I retorted, rolling my eyes at him.

  "Will you two stop fighting? It's the time for the first dance." Nikita interrupted, leaving the hold of my wrist which writhered in pain. "Don't you try to mess up this time, Anushka." she warned, pointing her finger at me. I nodded in agreement, avoiding her gaze.

  The wedding dance began with the Abeer and Arista dancing to the tunes of A Thousand Years. After that, Arista dances with her father to The Best Day which looked so cute. After the entire sequence of dances got over, everyone settled on a glass of champagne and started chatting.

  Recollecting that I hadn't talked to my Uncle the entire day, I decided to give him a call when everything was going slow. Digging inside my bag, I took out my phone only to realize that there was no signal. Hearing Virat speak to someone over the phone, I became signal-envious of him, naturally. So when he ended the call, I looked at him expectantly. "Who the hell is your service-provider?" I asked, frowning.

  Virat gave me a weird look. "Why?"

  "I kind of signal-envy you. Can I use your phone? I've to make an urgent call."

  He gave me a lopsided smirk, "Nah, only if you say sorry for what happened earlier."

  "Sorry." I muttered, rolling my eyes at him. He was acting so petty.

  "A meaningful sorry, full of remorse and regret for making everyone believe that I'm a big time pervert." he added, laughing a little as he rubbed his thumb and index finger across his chin.

  I just puffed my cheeks, disgruntled. "Okay, I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry for everything I've done to you." I apologized grimly, moving my hands in the air to grab his phone. But Virat hid the phone in his pocket to which I gave him a pointed look.

  He laughed deeply, keeping this thumb on his jaw. "I'm not going to give you my phone, Sharma."

  My fists clenched beside me as I resisted the urge to punch him across his face. "Why so, Mr. Kohli?"

  He smiled dramatically, feigning his discomfort upon being asked the question, "Because you're just gonna take my number."

  I gasped, almost cringing and stumbling at his thoughts. "I'm not going to take your number."

  "You're gonna take my phone, and call your phone with it so that you can have my number. And I can't have you booty-calling me at something like two-thirty in the morning, okay?" A full-blown smirk tuagged across his stubbled jaws as he threw his head back, laughing once again.

  "What?" I looked at him, feigning shock. "Don't think so high of yourself, Virat." I hissed at him dangerously, coming closer towards his face.

  I should've known, it was more obvious than any law of Physics that "Once an asshole, always an asshole." 

  Even if he had his life on me, I would never help him, ever. I swore.