"Where are Sanaya's chandbali?" Somebody called out as Sahana hurriedly handed them to her.

"Here take them. Be quick." She said.. her mind puzzled due to lot of work left.

"Somebody please look for my stole!"

"Has somebody seen my sandals?"

"Did the groom side not give the necklace to Sanaya? So cheap!"

"Is the bride ready or not? The baraat will be here."

The room was ringing with all kinds of commotion and chaos. Nothing seemed to be at it's place. There was a lot of confusion as every body was speaking at the same time and at the loudest of their voice.

Sanaya was sitting for makeup which was being done by makeup artist and Ayesha who was not ready herself. Sahana was also running here and there carrying orders not getting time to get ready herself.

Short tempered, she snapped not being able to handle all this shouting.

"SHUT THE HELL UP!! PIN DROP SILENCE HERE." One very annoying aunty tried to say something but the look at Sahana's face made her silent. "Not a word anymore. Just get out of the room all of you. Only those who are needed should be here. All the ladies commenting on arrangements take your kids and leave the room right now!" The ladies started muttering again.

"Did you not hear me properly? I am in no mood to handle all this drama. When Ayesha and the makeup artist are handling her makeup why the hell are you guys trying to help. And Sulekha aunty, there are two hours for the baraat to arrive here. Saral must be getting ready himself. Just go and help mum and chachi. Leave the room!" Everybody stood up and left the room in a single file. They were muttering something under their breath but looking at the flustered state of Sahana didn't dare to say anything to her.

"Thanks Saha... They were getting on my nerves." Sanaya held her hand to which she smiled.

"What else do they have?! Only commenting on everything. Chandrahaar is not here. Where is the Chandbali? Blah blah blah..." She said mimicking the ladies as they laughed.

"Now get ready quickly. Ayeshu you will be the next one."

"No Saha... I will do your make up too." She tried to protest.

"Ayeshu... You will have to welcome the baraat too. And anyway I don't use a lot of makeup." Ayesha nodded and left the room to get ready.

"You are looking very beautiful Sannu." Sahana made a small Kohl dot to ward off evil eye.

"Saha... I will miss you." Sanaya had tears in her eyes as she looked down.

"Hey... Why are you sad? Even after the vidaai you will have to come to this hotel only isn't it?" Sahana asked her as she nodded her head in negative.

"No. For vidaai and reception, Saral's family has booked a different hotel."

Ohh was all that Sahana managed to say before she burst out crying, "I will miss you too Sannu." Both hugged each other as Ayesha entered the room.

"Don't cry. The makeup will smudge... Don't come to me if you look like witch then." This made them laugh between the tears and Ayesha entered the washroom to get ready.

Love me like you do started playing on Ayesha's phone as somebody called her. Sahana picked it up to find Rishi on the other side.

"Hello beautiful!" Rishi said in his best flirtatious voice possible.

"What is it, Rishi?" Sahana said rolling her eyes at his immature behavior.

"You? Where is Ayesha?" Rishi asked surprised.

"She is getting ready. Now come to the point."

"You talk like this on phone? At least ask about my well being." Rishi knew that she was getting annoyed but he loved teasing her.

"By your chirpy voice I am sure that you are well enough. Now will you come to the point or I hang up? I don't have enough time for small talks."

"Ok ok sorry. Just tell them that baraat will leave in an hour. That is we will be there in one and a half hours."

"Ok. Bye." With this she hung up and passed the message.

As soon as Ayesha came out Sahana entered along with the saree that Sanaya had forced her to buy. After a lot of give up sessions on the saree she finally came out wearing it and Ayesha gaped.

"Wow Saha... I never knew that you can carry a saree so elegantly."

"Please don't say that to mum or she will force me to wear this everyday." Sahana pleaded as Ayesha chuckled.

Sanaya forced her for make up but Sahana made sure to use minimal amount of it. The makeup just enhanced her beauty.

"Today a lot of marriage proposal will be there for Sahana too." Sanaya said and Ayesha nodded as Sahana rolled her eyes.

They were talking about random stuff when Mere Yaar Ki Shaadi Hai started playing along with the fire crackers.

"Ayeshu baraat is here. Go. Quickly." Ayesha stood up and left after giving a touch up to her makeup.

Sanaya and Sahana looked at the procession from the balcony of her room. In front was Rishi and Devika dancing with Saral's family.

Saral slowly peeked out of the car's window and saw Sanaya and waved at her who waved back.

Rishi came to him running, "Oye look at bhabhi."

"Sanaya is looking beautiful isn't it?" Saral said totally smitten by his soon to be wife.

"Yes... Sahana always looks beautiful." Rishi said dreamily as his eyes fell on Sahana who was smiling and talking to Sanaya.

"What... What did you say?" Saral asked him but before he could realize his mistake, Ayesha reached him.

"Hi Saral! Hey Rishi!" She gave a sweet smile to both of them and Rishi looked at her from top to bottom.

"Ayesha you will kill me someday by your beauty." Ayesha blushed at his words as Saral rolled his eyes.

Rishi needs someone who can control him or else he will never be able to know about the feeling of love.

Both the boys were looking dapper in sherwani and the fact that Rishi had opened up two buttons and his well built chest was in view was also not helping.

After sometime, Sanaya was called down for varmala. As she came towards the stage with a red stole over her head Saral had tears in his eyes. This was the moment he had been waiting for all his life. He stood up and went to the edge to help his wife on stage as she smiled.

Rishi rolled his eyes. This was so cliché. What's the big deal? Why the hell is he crying?

Thinking all this his eyes fell on Sahana who came up on the stage along with the rose garland in her hands. Smiling she handed them to both of them and then stood beside Rishi.

"Hi."

"Hey." Sahana replied to him.

"Sahana... You are looking..." Before he could complete everybody started clapping as Saral put the garland around Sanaya and she did the same.

He turned to his side to complete his words to find that Sahana was not there anymore. She was helping Sanaya with the heavy jewelry.

"You are looking beautiful." He muttered to himself and left from there.

Later everybody started dancing and then the photo session started. Sahana and Rishi stepped on the stage at the same time so they decided to get a picture clicked together.

"Sahana... You are looking... Pretty!" Rishi finally got the words out but he still couldn't say that she looked beautiful. Angelic. Why? Why couldn't he say that? It was never difficult before.

"Thank you." Sahana gave a genuine smile to him and a smile came on his face which was interrupted by a flash and the photographer said, "Perfect shot. Thank you."

Hearing this both of their eyes widened. The picture was clicked when they were looking at each other. Everybody is going to get very wrong intentions.

Saral cleared his throat hence bringing Sahana back from he thoughts.

"Saral... Take care of Sannu or else..."

"Yes I know. You will come in the Bodyguard Sahana Verma reporting avatar." All of them chuckled and then they left hugging Saral and Sanaya.

Soon it was the main function of marriage around 2 a.m. The hall which was buzzing with activities till now was silent as the guests had left leaving just the extended family there for remaining rituals.

Ayesha was busy in dressing up Sanaya in a yellow saree for the phera  and others had changed to lighter clothes.

After a while Sanaya came out of the room along with Sahana and Ayesha. They walked her to the mandap where Saral was waiting for her and helped her sit there.

Sahana was called by Ayesha after sometime and it seemed as if the girls were having a very important discussion. And indeed it was an important discussion.... A discussion about Joota Churai.

Almost everybody knows about it but if you don't then it's a ritual where bride's sister steals the shoes of groom and demand money to return it.

"I will not stop at anything less than ten thousand for the shoes." A cousin of Sahana said and went in search of the shoes as other girls started gossiping.

After some time the girl came back with a puzzled and frustrated look on her face.

"Where are the shoes? Why do you look so angry?"

"We were being played with. Every male member of groom's side has the same type of shoes. No difference. How am I to find out which one is Jeeju's shoes?" She complained almost whining as the girls got to thinking.

"I have an idea. Call Rishi." This was Ayesha who smiled when Rishi walked up to her.

"Rishi, please tell us which one are Saral's shoes?" She said batting her eyelashes and biting her lips trying to look flirty.

Sadly she didn't know that Rishi had seen enough of these. And by now he was enchanted with someone else's eyes.

"No. Sorry!" He was about to turn and go away when a particular voice which he had recognized very well stopped him.

"Rishi, please tell us. A ritual is still left." He smiled at her calm voice which had a hint of eagerness.

"Ok... Only if you guys are forcing so much. But don't tell anyone that I betrayed them or they will kill me."

Taking a deep breath, he turned and hurriedly pointed to a pair of shoes and went away.

After the marriage was over, Sanaya was taken to her room to get some rest and the girls huddled near Saral for negotiation.

"Ok... How about 5000?"

"No... Nothing below 10,000." The girls retorted.

"What? Have you gone mad? I will get two brand new shoes with 10,000." Saral said with his eyes widening.

"No... If you can get new shoes right now then go on ... Or else give us the money."

Rishi was lying on a chair eating grapes and listening to them bickering when Saral called him, "What are you doing there? Come here help your bro!!"

"You seal the deal. I will come when I will be needed. Crash entry you know." Rishi winked at him and continued eating grapes.

Finally the deal was done at 9000. Ayesha forwarded her hand to take the money when Rishi walked in.

"You are coming now... All the money is gone. Go away. You have hurt your bro!" Saral said jokingly.

"Ask them to show your shoes before handing them the money." Rishi said snatching the money from Saral's hands before Ayesha could take it.

Ayesha thought that he was putting up an act so she pulled out a pair of shoes he had pointed at.

"Check them... Aren't they yours?" Ayesha looked at Saral who nodded in negative.

"No, these are not mine." He said and the girls looked at each other in confusion.

"But... Rishi..." Ayesha trailed off looking at him with a frown on her face and he smiled at her.

"Yes Ayesha... What did I do?" He asked acting innocent.

At the same time, Rishi's father, Sashi, entered searching for something.

"Has anyone seen my shoes... Oh finally got them. Who brought them here? I was so worried looking for them outside." He said pointing at the shoes in Ayesha's hands.

"These are your shoes Uncle? What did we do?" There was a sudden buzzing among the girls about what to do next.

"Yes girls. You picked up the wrong shoes because Saral's shoes are here... Safe with me. Sorry girls... Bro code." Rishi said displaying the shoes kept in a box of sweets and winked at Ayesha which went in noticed by everyone else. Ayesha blushed but glared at him.

Sahana who was a mute spectator until now, looked at Rishi who was smiling and enjoying pranking the girls. She finally decided to speak up.

"Wait! We wanted shoes. How does it matters if they are not Saral's but uncle's? We can get money for these too." Sahana spoke before looking at Rishi whose face had fallen at the sudden turn of events and smirked at him before continuing, "And now we will take 10,000 only because of all this hassle or the ritual will get disappointed." At this the girls giggled and high fived each other.

Hearing this Sashi Malhotra smiled at pulled out 11,000 and handed to the girls.

"This is for all the girls sitting here... And the extra 1000 is for Sahana for being so smart." He said before patting her with appreciation as she smiled and muttered a shy Thank you.

Rishi looked at her and smiled inwardly. She is smart indeed. It didn't take her long to turn the tables and make the game in her favour. Beauty with Brains!

Soon it was Vidaai and everybody gathered outside to bid farewell to Sanaya.

Sanaya met everybody as Ayesha handed her puffed rice to throw back as she walked out. She started crying as she hugged Sahana who started crying herself. This was the first time Rishi saw her crying and it goes without saying that he didn't like it.

After saying goodbye to everyone, Sanaya sat in the car along with Saral. Rishi's heart clenched at this moment.

Everyone started leaving along with the couple and Sahana stood on the door with joined hands greeting everyone.

He stopped in front of her and she looked up at him, "Sahana, if anything that I did had hurt you or you didn't like it... Then I am sorry. Also Sahana... I Hate Tears Re!!"

This made her smile in her tears and Rishi felt a bit light hearted.

The only thought he had in his heart at that time was that the last time he was going to see Sahana would be in reception and maybe never again.

       ----------------------------------------
              AUTHOR'S NOTE

Hey,
Sorry for the late update.
Few more chapters left.
Tell me how was it? Wasn't Sahana really smart at that?

Next: Reception. Rishi decides to say I Love You to Ayesha.

Until then,
Love Love ❣️
A.S.