Ayesha was very excited for the ritual of mehndi. She sat with everybody who were applying mehndi.

"Dude.. my hand hurts like hell!!!" Sanaya whined. Why not... She had to keep her hands in same position from last half an hour!!

"Then don't get married. It's not a problem." Ayesha teased her... Of course from a safe distance.

"I don't want to ruin my mehndi... Or I would have slapped you or asked Saha to punch you." Sanaya glared as Ayesha stuck her tongue at her.

Ayesha and Sanaya were more on teasing terms because Sahana used to be reserved. But Sanaya and Sahana were very close to each other.

Sanaya always noticed whenever there was any problem with Sahana and it was the other way round too.

A few days and then she will not be this free.... Everything will change. Sanaya took an internal sigh.

Sahana saw Sanaya sitting with a sad face so she sat with other ladies and they started singing all the folk songs to lighten the atmosphere.

"Saha... Come on get mehndi on your hands too. " Sarika called out to Sahana who was busy with some work later on.

"No mum, I don't want a mehndi. It's an added hassle. And I have a lot of pending work for now." Sahana tried to slowly cut away from this messy ritual.

"Oye drama queen... Sit right here. And get it applied." Sarika's voice held a don't you dare cut me attitude.

Sahana sat down reluctantly and spread her hands.

"Keep it small and not too messy. Please." Sahana whispered to the girl who was applying mehndi to her.

But her mother heard it and tapped her head.

"Sahana Verma... If you say one more word about this... Then you know what's gonna happen!!" Sarika's tone changed. Sahana knew that if her mother uses her full name it's either she is too happy or too angry. Right now, it definitely wasn't the former case.

The girl was telling about the ritual of mehndi.

It is very auspicious occasion in an Indian wedding. It is said that if the mehndi gets a dark color then husband loves the girl a lot....

Sahana tuned out the girl as she sat there with a bored face. Sanaya looked dreamy... Maybe thinking about her wedding and Ayesha was constantly pestering the other girl to make more design or make it darker.

Typical!

That is when Devika entered the room and asked nobody in particular, "Who has gone to bring the sweets?"

At the same time the mehndi girl asked Sahana about the name to be written on the mehndi.

"Rishi!" Sahana replied to Devika but... Yes the readers got it right! The mehndi girl assumed it to be the name for mehndi and hid it well in the intricate designs.

Finally it was over, Sahana took a sigh of relief and ran off the room. Now it has to dry first. Oh God, why mum? Why?

She was on the terrace watching everybody helping each other. Even Saral was there working with some flower work.

That is when her phone rang. Oh shit!

She saw Rishi jumping here and there with some work.

"Rishi, I need your help. Please just pull out my phone from the pocket of my jeans." Hearing this Rishi's eyes widened.

This was not a new thing. And he had done more than pulling out a phone from someone's jeans but it was Sahana. He felt his hand shaking as he slowly pulled out the phone and received the call. He had to slowly remove hair from her ears to keep the phone at her ears. Everything just felt weird to him and he felt as if he had lost his speech. Her deo was taking over his senses. Holding the phone to Sahana's ears he gulped visibly. This was awkward. And the proximity between them...!!!

"Saha... Please get my lehenga from the shop. I had sent it to be altered and it has not arrived yet." Sahana blurted almost panicked.

"Sannu, don't worry. I am leaving. Wait a minute." She nudged Rishi to hang up thus pulling him out of his trance.

"Rishi you free right now?" She asked looking at him.

"Always free for you sweetheart!" He said cheekily.

"Not the right time, Rishi!" She said looking at him pointedly and then asked him to accompany her to the shop.

Rishi quickly called a cab and waited for her. His mind diverted to the weird shaking of his hand or him getting goosebumps whenever he was near her. This was so unlike him. This was so not Rishi! This was what Saral once said used to happen to him when he was with Sanaya. Then why Rishi now? Does he loves her? Eh no, not at all!

Horrified at his own assumption he shook his head to let all these thoughts go away. But these stubborn thoughts came back as soon as he saw Sahana coming out of the gates in a blue top. It would always be a mystery for him at how she managed to change her clothes without ruining the mehndi.

"What?" Sahana asked him a bit conscious at the way he was looking at her.

"Nothing." He said in a hazy voice. Annoyed at himself, he opened the door for her and made her comfortable.

He was still annoyed at himself when he noticed that the cab driver had angled the mirror at Sahana. He was looking at Sahana in a way that just burnt Rishi with anger and she, oblivious to all this was looking out of the window.

"Stop the car!" Rishi shouted at the driver which made Sahana flinch a bit. She had never seen him like this. Why was he angry? What happened that she missed?

"But.. we haven't reached yet!" Sahana whispered a little scared and Rishi realized that he was just too loud.

He looked at her and as if by telepathy she understood the urgency in his words. She got down first as Rishi opened the door of her side and then he got down himself.

Paying the driver he glared at him with a very angry expression and the driver also looked shook.

They started walking to the shop.

"Rishi, what had happened there in the car?" Sahana asked after sometime and noticing that Rishi was back to normal now.

"The driver was looking at you from the mirror." He replied nonchalantly but Sahana caught the concern in his voice.

For a moment she couldn't take away her eyes from him. Though he is a flirt but he is caring and sensitive. He is a good guy. Just a bit childish. But sweet.

"Rishi, thanks." Sahana replied to him and he smiled at her.

Entering the shop, Sahana was looking at the lehenga when Rishi saw his name.... In Sahana's mehndi!!!???

"Sahana just show me your mehndi!"

She forwarded her hand towards him and he examined it thoroughly making sure he didn't touch it without her permission.

Though he acted like a jerk but he was aware about certain boundaries and consent.

She looked at him confused.

"Why is my name on your mehndi?" Rishi asked her as her eyes looked more confused.

"What? Where?" She looked surprised when he showed her his name.

Yes it is his name. No doubt in that. RISHI was written in bold fonts in between her mehndi. It seemed as if it ridiculed her. Now Rishi will tease her always with this and what if he tells it to Ayeshu??? What will she think?

She was in horror. It took years for everything to get normal with Ayesha and now just because of a petty mistake from the unknown girl everything will be ruined.

She looked at Rishi.

He must be truly enjoying it. But nowhere on his face was a look of amusement but instead he looked concerned for her.

"I... I don't know how did this happen? I am sorry." Was the only thing she blurted out when Rishi stopped her.

"It's alright, Sahana. It happened. Big deal! And if you are worried that I am going to tell about it to someone then you don't need to. I will be silent." He did a lip zipping act as he handed her an invisible key.

She smiled.

He smiled.

She was grateful.

He was in love.

She chose to show her gratefulness by giving him a half hug.

He chose to act oblivious to the butterflies in his stomach... To the nervous feeling he had when she hugged him... To the fact that he loved her....

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                 AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hi,

I am back. Thanks for waiting.

Also I was thinking about having a spin off about Ayesha. So I have short listed two guys for her.

Tiger Shroff

Or

Siddharth Malhotra

Your votes will decide. Please do vote.

Love Love ❤️

A.S.