chapter eight

So it's been quite a long time since I last posted a chapter but here's a new chapter now. Hope it's good enough.

Glossary :

Maushi : mother's sister

Jija ji : sister's husband

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Two years ago, ...

"Aai, is it really necessary for me to attend this wedding? Can't you just go alone?" I asked loudly from my room as I wore my dangle earrings.

Aai stood at the entrance of my room glaring at me "When I said it's important then why do you keep asking if it's really necessary?"

Looking at her reflection from the mirror, I replied annoyed "Because I don't want to attend. Is that reason not enough?"

"I never asked whether you wanted to attend or not. I told you to come along and I think that ends the conversation there" she said firmly.

"Exactly. You never ask what I want. You just do what seems fit to you" I muttered under my breath as I adjusted my dupatta.

She stood there for another moment staring at my reflection in the mirror, daring me to put up a fight but I stayed mum because who has ever won before her?

Once she was convinced, I wasn't going to start a fight, she turned around and left, leaving me alone in my room.

I sighed a breath of relief. My phone vibrated on the table and I glanced at it's screen.

Sameer
Lunch?

Meera
Sorry not possible :(

Sameer
No worries :)

Meera
Won't you ask why?

Sameer
Well, I am sure it's something
important

Meera
It's not! Aai is dragging me to
a wedding! P.s. I am not even
interested

Sameer
So you are going to be stuck
in a place that's equal to hell
for you? XD XD

Meera
I am glad you remember my
words precisely, Mr. Shaikh.

Sameer
Sarcasm, I see. Weddings can't
be that bad, I suppose

Meera
Well, they are if you've nosy
relatives and when you're 25

Sameer
So, 25 is the age you get married?

Meera

Girls should get married by 24-25 they say

Sameer
And who are these they?

Meera
Our judgemental society?

"MEERA!! Are you done getting ready? We need to leave in ten minutes" Aai yelled from the living room.

Meera
Got to go. Will keep you updated :)

Keeping the phone aside, I quickly straightened my hair lightly and curled the ends of it into soft curls. Giving a last touch to my make up, I quickly closed the door to my room before opening my footwear cabinet and taking out a pair of sneakers.

I couldn't help but bite my lip, to stop myself from grinning as I looked at the pair of sneakers before me. As I wore them all I thought was, being a little rebellious never hurt.

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Aai hadn't found out about my little rebellious act or maybe she was just plainly ignoring it. While Aai spoke to an Auntie, I decided to give my legs some rest. I settled on a chair nearby and glanced around. As I looked around, I couldn't help but think that my decision of not wanting to attend the wedding was so right.

Since the moment we had stepped in, I had encountered several Aunties all with the same question.

"Beta, shaadi kab karogi?" as they filled my mother's ears with utter nonsense like how I won't find a guy later or maybe I would run away with a guy who didn't belong to our caste or worse who didn't belong to our religion.

As they spoke this nonsense, all my mother did was nod. She didn't defend me nor did she try to end their nuisance by saying marriage isn't the end. There's so much beyond it and I want my daughter to achieve that.

It was only in that moment that I realized why she had forced me to come along.

She wanted to show me how the society worked, how important it was to get married to the right guy and mind it, if you thought right guy meant someone who was well educated, earned well, belonged to a decent family. These weren't the qualifications of the right guy. Right guy was someone who belonged to the same caste, same religion as yours, was wealthy, belonged to a well-reputated, respected family. It didn't matter if he was hardly graduated or whether he would treat your daughter well what was most important was his caste and his religion.

I glanced at my phone and realized I had a message from Sameer. I quickly unlocked my phone and checked his message. He had texted an hour ago.

Sameer
If you get bored, I am just a call away.

Meera
What does that mean?

Sameer
I will accompany you if you want

Meera
You can't be serious!

Sameer
Not kidding

Meera
Okay then I will share my live
location with you

Sameer
Woah.

Meera
Anything wrong?

Sameer
Surprisingly, I am nearby.
Maybe it will take an hour to reach

Meera
It took me three hours to
reach here

Sameer
OLA?

Meera
Nah... a cousin of mine drove
us here

Sameer
Okay then I'll text you when I reach

Meera
Drive safe :)

Sameer
I will :)

As I locked the screen and looked up, I found Aai standing before me with an unpleasant expression on her face.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"How many times have I told you to not use your phone during family functions?" she gritted out.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Meera..." she warned.

"What?" I snapped at her "What do you expect me to do? I don't even know the bride or the groom for that matter. This wedding isn't even a family wedding that you dragged me all the way here. So, plea-"

I paused as I saw my Maushi walk in our direction.

"Meera, I thought you wouldn't attend this wedding" she said as she approached me.

Aai raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, it's not exactly a family wedding choti that's why I didn't bring Kavya along with me" she said smiling.

Kasturi Saraf was my mother's elder sister and one of my favorite person from my Mom's maternal side. Both the sisters were different in more than one aspect. My mother had an orthodox thinking while my Aunt was more flexible and open which was the exact reason why many people weren't fond of her. Because she was different from others. She didn't follow the tribe but made her own and maybe that's why I admired her.

"Meera!" my thoughts were cut short by a familiar voice. I looked past my Aunt to find Maahi walk in my direction.

Maahi Gill was my cousin Aniket's girlfriend. Aniket was Kasturi Maushi's elder son who was in a live-in-relationship with Maahi who was a Punjabi.

I smiled at Maahi whilst she waved at me.

"I am so glad you came!" she squealed as she embraced me in a warm hug. "Mom said you would come" she whispered in my ear.

"How was she so sure?" I asked amused.

"Even I don't know but we'll have to ask her to find out" she chuckled.

She pulled away from me and looked at Aai.

"Pairi pauna, Maasi ji" she said as she bent down to touch Aai's feet to take her blessings.

But this was my Aai and of course she didn't think Maahi as one of us so she pulled her feet away. Even if Maahi was hurt, she hid it with a smile. I mouthed her a sorry and she nodded asking me to relax.

"Karuna..." Maushi called out "I want to introduce you to someone"

"Is that someone like her?" Aai said looking at Maahi with distaste for a moment before averting her gaze back to Maushi "Or have you decided to marry off your daughter to a Muslim now?"

"What rubbish are you talking? And its my daughter's life I will let her decide who she wants to marry and when. You don't need to worry about it" Maushi snapped at her.

"Well, now I know why Jija ji cheated on you. You might have allowed him to do so" she said harshly.

"Karuna, don't cross your limits" she warned.

Before they could argue further and create a ruckus, a voice stopped them.

"Auntie, I was looking for you..." he paused as if sensing the commotion that stopped due to his arrival.

"Is something wrong?" he asked looking at Maushi worried. He glanced at Maahi who gave him an awkward smile.

"Akshay, this is my younger sister Karuna" she paused "Karuna, this is Akshay. Amit's son and our nephew"

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Love,
-Rhea.