Author's pov

"Aru,"

Aratrika heard her mother's voice followed by a knock on her door.

She wiped her tears away and said, "Yes, Maa…come inside."

Binita walked in with a packet in her hand.
"Are you sleeping?" She asked her daughter as she saw her face as it was swollen a bit.

"Yes, yes. I just slept a bit." Aratrika replied to her with a small smile.

It was a big lie.  She was crying in her room as she remembered she had to face Saptarshi tonight in the function . She had to hurt him as well as herself by ignoring him. The thought itself was painful .

Saptarshi is not only someone for whom Aratrika has started to develop a romantic feelings but also he is someone who is her friend, saviour, motivator — in a word an angel in disguise. So the thought of hurting him is very painful as if she is betraying her own self along with him. Though it is for his own which she has been telling her heart, still her heart is not accepting it a bit.

"That's good..you need rest as well. Always running here and there. There should be a limit . From now you won't do any extra work …no laundry, no dusting our house…you will only cook..infact I will help you in cooking as well. I can't let your health affected like this anymore." Binita said, patting her cheeks.

Aratrika smiled seeing her mother's affection which she always craved for. She hugged her mother being overwhelmed.

"Now listen, today is Kanika's reception. You have to look the prettiest." Binita said ,breaking the hug.

Handing Aratrika the packet, she said ,"Here, this is the saree. You will wear it today. There is a pair of earrings as well which will look good with it. Wear it as well."

With a huge smile and teary eyes , an emotional but happy Aratrika took the packet and caressed it affectionately. It's been years since her mother had gifted her something.

"I will wear it. Thank you Maa." She said, wiping her eyes.

"Now start to get ready. It's already 5 pm. We need to start within 6 pm. At Least that's the deadline. You know right, if you set the deadline  by 6 pm , we can start at 6:30 pm. We are late as always  ..no matter what." Binita said and the mother daughter duo shared a laughter.

"Now go..get ready. I want my daughter to be the prettiest." Binita said to her. Aratrika nodded with a smile.

Binita smiled. Patting her head, she left from her room ,leaving a huge grin on Aratrika's face.

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"Are you guys done?" Saptarshi said as he climbed down the stairs.

"We are done…it's you who are late today." Piyali said with a chuckle. Sanchita laughed.
Saptarshi rubbed his nape as his ears turned red due to embarrassment. Sanonda laughed, seeing him all shy.

"Okay Okay…Don't need to be shy anymore…can we leave now? We are already late." Siddhartha said as he looked at the watch.

"Yes yes …Let's go.. Priyansh and Akash have been calling me for a long time. You people come..I am taking the car out." Saptarshi said and rushed outside.

Parking his car in front of their entrance, he took his phone out and typed a message in WhatsApp.

Saptarshi : "Kone jatri ese6e ekhono? "
                  (Did the Bride's family arrive till now?)

He kept the phone on his lap and blew the horn to call his family .

His phone vibrated and he immediately checked it.

                    Akash : Somebody is being very impatient.

Saptarshi rolled his eyes in annoyance and typed back.

Saptarshi: Shut up you asshole!! Just tell me already.

His impatient state of mind and heart was screaming through his words.

His family settled themselves down in the car.

"Let's Go." His father Said.

Saptarshi nodded and was about to start the car when his phone vibrated. He opened his WhatsApp where he was chatting with Akash and Priyansh in their group.

                     Akash : 😂😂😂😂

                    Priyansh : Woah Dude calm down!! Don't need to turn into  Hulk…they didn't arrive yet. But you come fast, we are waiting for you.

Saptarshi sighed and typed back ,"Yeah…coming. We are on the way. Will be there within half an hour."

He kept his phone aside and started his car.

As he said , they arrived within half an hour at around 7pm. The reception of Akash and Kanika was held in a banquet near Akash's place.

Saptarshi and his family walked inside to see the guests who were from the groom's side had already started to arrive.  Akash and Kanika were already on the stage as guests were meeting them, giving them gifts and the photographers were clicking pictures of the newly wed with the guests.
Anu, Akash's sister, was also busy attending the guests. Saptarshi chuckled as he saw her walking here and there cautiously holding her saree .

They went to the stage and greeted them. Piyali and Siddhartha gifted a beautiful gold necklace to Kanika whereas Saptarshi gifted a set of couple's watches to them. Sanonda also gifted Kanika a beautiful saree and Pearl jewellery set.
Akash's and Priyansh's family which means Chatterjee family was very close to Saptarshi's family due to their Children's friendship. They were almost like a huge  family. That's why Kanika got so many gifts from the Chowdhury family.

" So ready to meet her?" Priyansh asked Saptarshi when they were standing in a corner away from their parents.

" That I am …but I am more excited to meet your girl. Is she coming today?" Saptarshi asked him with a wink.

Priyansh smiled and nodded. " She called me sometime ago that she started from her home already."

All of a sudden Priyansh's phone chimed and he looked at the text which he received.

"She is here. " Priyansh said and excused himself to go outside so that he could bring his girlfriend inside.

Saptarshi waited for them.
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"Carefully," Aratrika said as she helped her mother to get down from the bus. Her family and other guests also got down from the bus.

The Bride's family arrived at around 7:30 pm and were welcomed by the groom's family .

The Mukherjee family and their guests were in awe seeing the arrangements which Chatterjees made for the reception party. Everything was grand and was screaming elegance and beauty.

Biplob and Brijesh had a proud smile on their faces as they heard their guests praising Chatterjees who were now their relatives …Kanika's in-laws.

When everyone was looking at the grandeur of the banquet, Aratrika's eyes were searching for only one person. Her search ended as soon as her eyes fell on the desired person but the scene in front of her broke her heart.

"Let's Go to the stage. " Binita whispered near her ear which broke her gaze from him and nodding at her mother, they climbed on the stage.

Aratrika greeted the newly wed, Kanika hugged her elder sister dearly which warmed Aratrika's heart. Breaking the hug, Aratrika stood aside to give space to her family who excitedly met Kanika.

Her eyes once again went towards Saptarshi who was busy laughing with an unknown girl and the scene pained her and made her uncomfortable.

She saw how girls were eyeing Saptarshi . She looked away, unable to see all these. She couldn't help but agree how Saptarshi looked handsome in a black bandh gala which hugged his muscular figure perfectly giving him a dashing look.

Aratrika sighed sadly as she thought how Saptarshi didn't get the time to see her, whereas she  was checking him out from the time she arrived. It was she who was determined to avoid him but it was Saptarshi who was avoiding her.

Suddenly doubts aroused her mind.

Did her attitude and her avoiding him on the wedding day changed his mind? Was it she who misread the language of his eyes?
No…it's not possible because she had seen how his eyes were screaming adoration ,affection, passion and some strong yet unknown emotion .
Then does his feelings die down?

But unknown to her, the person of her thoughts was also stealing glances at her from the time she entered the hall. Though he was busy talking with Priyansh's girlfriend, his entire attention was on Aratrika.
When the eyes of the female around the hall are busy checking him out, his eyes are only admiring the beautiful lady who rules his heart which was still unknown to him.

In a yellow silk saree she is looking like sunshine to him…definitely she is  sunshine but his sunshine as she lights up his entire world with her mere presence.

"Hi," a sweet voice broke Aratrika's thoughts. She turned towards her left to see a girl standing beside her.

"Hello ," Aratrika greeted her.

Why does an unknown girl want to talk to me? The question raised in her mind.

But the next statement from the girl cleared her confusion.

"You are Aratrika right? Kanika Boumoni's (sister in law) sister. " The girl asked her. Aratrika nodded with a smile.
"I am Sanchita, Akash Da's friend Saptarshi's sister." Sanchita introduced herself, forwarding her hand towards her for a handshake. Aratrika shook her hands with her.

"By the way you are looking very pretty..this saree is very beautiful. " Sanchita complimented her.

Aratrika blushed and said ,"Thank you. You are looking very pretty as well." Sanchita grinned.

While they both were busy talking with each other , Saptarshi was thinking about how to talk to Aratrika.

All of a sudden a plan came into his mind which made him smirk .

After loooonnnggg time here I am. 

Author is apolozing for giving very late update as she was suffering from writer's block.

So here we are with another update .
Share your opinion on this chapter.

Next update will be on tomorrow. (This time it's a promise. )

Thank you for reading.

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