***Arush's P. O. V***

My eyes opened of their own accord and I groaned - the sky was still dark outside. My alarm couldn't have had gone off. Then why did I wake up?

And most of all, why does my heart feel heavy? And then the events of last night dawned upon me - Sahana saying that our act of intimacy is something she's ashamed of, and how I'd stormed out of there, and back to my room.

Tears stung my eyes as the events of last night flashed in my mind again - how could she be ashamed of our intimacy! How can we start our married life with this thought sticking in my head?!

And then, I felt something press against my bladder, and realized that my filled bladder was the reason why I'd woken up all of a sudden.

I turned to get up from the bed, and that's when my eyes fell on the sleeping form of the girl beside me, with her arm wrapped around my waist, and her leg hooked to my hip, pressing down on my bladder.

Snoring softly, she slept on, the wisps of her hair fluttering under the running fan. I couldn't help but smile as I finally got used to the darkness and could make out her face - Sahana of course!!

But I frowned as I racked my brain - when had she come and slept beside me?! The last thing I remember was stewing in anger and falling asleep alone on my bed. Wait.. I was in my own room, right?!

I looked around, at the room - the neatly arranged study table with motivational posters, and the black faux-leather sofa ... this was surely my room. But when and how did Sahana end up in my room?!

My heart leapt to my mouth in fear - had she come to my room at the middle of the night... alone?! What if something were to have happened to her?! 

She's so irresponsible!! So immature... so...

My internal rambling stopped as she snuggled closer to me in her sleep, making me smile. She is mine... irresponsible, immature, whatever she may be, she's mine... and in 2 more days she will be my wife!!

Sahana moved her leg up and the pressure on my bladder increased, so reluctantly, I had to remove her leg off of me as slowly as possible, trying not to wake her up, before removing her arm too off of me, and making my way to the toilet.

Five minutes later as I returned back to my bed, I found Sahana as I'd left her, and smiling, I slid into the bed next to her and put my arm around her.

My smile only broadened as she too put her arm around my waist, and scooting closer to her, I planted a kiss on top of her head before closing my eyes and instantly falling asleep.

It only felt like ten minutes later when my buzzing phone woke me up - the alarm had gone off, and I switched it off before turning to find Sahana looking up at me with sleep still in her eyes and confusion etched on her face.

"Shush... go back to sleep" I murmured, kissing the top of her head.

"What time is it?" she stifled her yawn and blinked her eyes, trying to ward off her sleep.

"5.45... you go back to sleep" I kissed her eyelids one at a time.

"5.45?! Shit!! I had to leave by 5.30 in the morning Arush!!" she sprang up from the bed, looking panic stricken.

"Hein?!" I blinked my eyes in confusion, frowning at her.

"Your mom told that your grandparents would be up by 6 in the morning!! And even my grandparents would wake up early... I have to reach home Arush!! Today is Ahana and bhai's wedding! We have to make things ready!!" she said hurriedly, taking her coat from my chair.

"Mom?" I blinked at her in confusion.

"I... your mom opened the door for me last night and let me in... I'll explain everything later Arush... could you just make sure that the coast is clear for me to leave?" she bit her lip.

Sighing, I nodded my head and made my way downstairs, with Sahana right behind me. Nobody was up yet, and as noiselessly as possible, I opened the main door for Sahana to leave.

It was still cold outside, the early morning mist hanging in the air and with daylight just breaking the surface.

"I'd parked the scooty outside the gate.." she grinned sheepishly at me as she indicated her father's scooty that she'd parked right outside our house gate.

"I'm sorry... for last night" she said in an apologetic tone.

I pursed my lips at the memory of our fight from last night.

"Well... see you in a few hours!" she smiled before moving forward and wrapping her arms around my neck, standing on her toes to place her lips on mine.

Even before I'd given myself time to feel the kiss, she'd let go off of me, rushing out of the gates and onto the scooty.

Waving me bye, she drove on, away from the place, around the corner of the street and out of sight.

"She just left?" mom's voice made me jump.

"I... yes..." I trailed off, waiting for the explosion.

"Tu ne galat kiya beta! She came here all alone at the middle of the night! What if something would have had happened to her?!" mom scolded, glaring at me.

"I.. I didn't know she was coming here to meet me" I said defiantly.

"You'd fought with her and left her place even without letting her talk! Of course she was gonna come here to make things right Arush!" mom rolled her eyes.

"She started it! She said she... she was ashamed of.." I bit my lip, not wanting to voice out the word intimacy.

"She is a cultured and well-behaved girl. She isn't ashamed of anything.. she just felt that her parents would think low of her!! Any girl would feel that Arush! Be understanding a little!! Yeh baat-baat pe gussa kar na achchi baat nahi hai!!" mom hissed irritably, still glaring at me.

I opened my mouth to counter argue, but she cut me in.

"Now that's enough.. come in... it's almost time for Reyansh to leave... he wouldn't want to find us here now would he?" mom chuckled, dragging me into the house.

"Reyansh?" I blinked at mom in confusion.

"You kids consider us to be idiots don't you? But unfortunately for you all, we're much more smarter than you think!! I know and your dad knows too that Reyansh had come over to meet Ahana last night... he usually leaves around 6 in the morning... it's time for him to leave.... and he has to get ready for the wedding too right!" mom rolled her eyes, speaking in a low hushed voice as we entered the house.

"Usually?" I raised my eyebrow at her.

"Well yes... the first time he'd come over,  your father and I were shocked to hear the ladder scrapping on the ground, and we'd thought that there was a thief!! And when we saw out the window, we saw Reyansh climbing up the ladder to Ahana's balcony... and the next morning, we heard Ahana talking in hushed voices as she walked down the stairs with him and opening the main door to let Reyansh out... the rooms aren't exactly sound-proof beta! Won't we get to know if someone is climbing up a ladder right outside our bedroom window?!" mom rolled her eyes as she lead the way to the store-room.

"And you're okay... with this?!" I asked, feeling rather amused as she closed the door shut behind us, trying to be as noiseless as possible.

"Told you beta.. we had been in this situation before... " she trailed off, her cheeks turning pink at what I'm sure to be a memory of dad dropping in to her room before their wedding!

I'd just opened my mouth to talk when she pressed a finger to her lips and indicated me to listen.

It was the sound of footsteps and hushed voices as I realized that Ahana was leading Reyansh out of the house.

"Everytime he comes over, she does this.." mom trailed off, trying hard not to giggle.

"And you're okay with this?" I asked in surprise.

"Love is a beautiful thing beta... we're just glad that our kids too get to experience that beautiful feeling of being deep in love" she shrugged.

We stood there in the store room in silence as we heard the main door being opened and then getting shut, with a pair of footsteps walking back up the stairs and Ahana's bedroom door being closed again, as noiselessly as possible.

"You owe Sahana an apology. You hurt her a lot beta... she loves you just as much as you love her... just don't let your temper rule this relationship" mom cupped my face and I nodded at her.

I did owe Sahana an apology!

***Sahana's P. O. V***

Fixing my necklace in place, I stared at my reflection, whilst the beautician worked on my hair. My make-up was done, and I was already dressed in my lehenga for the day - a beautiful teal blue colored lehenga. 

Arush of course doesn't know this is the lehenga I've chosen for my bhai's wedding... Arush wouldn't let me to wear such an exposing lehenga too anyway! My waist is seen and even the neckline is deeper than I usually wear - oh Arush is gonna be so pissed! 

"It's such a beautiful color... it looks great on you, and moreover, not an inch of your skin will be visible!"  he had said gleefully as he'd picked out a 1970's style peach colored lehenga with a knee-length blouse! It literally covered every inch of my body!!

But Ahana had told me to go with my heart, and my heart had picked out this blue colored lehenga I'm wearing now.

I still hadn't met Arush today - after we'd come to the wedding hall, we'd spent the time setting the place up, before I came in here to get ready. And that's when Ahana bhabhi too had come into the dressing room, pink in the face.

"Where's Rey?" she'd whispered, the moment she'd entered the room and closed the door shut behind her.

"Bhai must be searching for you in the other end of the hall" I winked at her, making her blush even more.

"I want to meet him once... before the wedding" she'd blushed.

But even before I'd opened my mouth to speak, there was a knock on the door, revealing bhai on the other side!

"A couple more hours!!" he'd beamed, hugging bhabhi, without a care in the world!

"Love you" he'd pecked her lips before dashing off.

Ahana had just stood rooted to the spot with a dazed look on her face, and grinning, I'd pulled her into the room, to help her get changed.

"Bhai won't be able to take his eyes off of you!! Oh these two days are gonna be such a big torture for him!!" Ahana sniggered, winking at me through the mirror as she stood behind me, dressed in her bridal lehenga.

"My bhai toh is gonna be gawking at you the whole day today mark my words!" I winked at her, to which her cheeks turned to the same shade of pink as her fuchsia-colored lehenga.

"Because my bhai wouldn't be gawking at you?" she winked, and it was my turn to flush now!

After Arush had stormed off last night from my room, I'd just sat and pondered over his words - I wasn't ashamed of our intimacy... it was just the fact that our parents knew about it which made me feel weird.

But then Arush was right - marriage wouldn't make me feel different! I'd just be known as his wife and he'd just be known as my husband... it wouldn't make me love him any less than I already do! 

And as soon as that realization had hit me, I'd run downstairs, to go meet Arush and sort out the issue. But only a frowning papa was there downstairs, who looked rather shocked to find me there.

"where is Arush? And why are you here?"  he had asked. After I'd told him how we'd had a fight, he hadn't looked too pleased with me. He himself had sent me to go meet Arush and make things right!

And when I'd reached Arush's house, I was only wondering how I'd get in, when Arush's mom opened the main door for me to enter, saying ma had called her and informed her of my arrival!

But when I'd reached Arush's room, he was fast asleep - he hadn't even stirred when I'd laid down beside him!

But everything was alright now - bhai's wedding today, and mine and Arush's wedding the day after! I blushed at the realization that in two days' time, I'll be known as Arush's wife!!

Once the beautician was done with my hair, I got up to look at myself in the full-length mirror, whilst Ahana sat down at my vacated place, for the beauticians to get on with her hair and make-up now.

I knew I looked beautiful today - the lehenga looked very good on me! The beautician had put minimal make-up on me, like I'd asked her to. My hair was up in a neat and elegant bun, with jasmine and roses decorating the bun.

I couldn't believe that I looked so pretty!! I knew that Arush wouldn't be able to take his eyes off of me! I flushed at how he'd react when he'd finally see me!! I just hope that he'd not do anything stupid in front of all those people - like grabbing me and kissing me in front of everyone!!

Just the thought of Arush looking at me with that heat-filled passionate gaze made my heart stumble and set my body on fire!

A sharp knock on the door made me turn to it - was it time already to take Ahana bhabhi out to the mandap?

I went to get the door, but my breath hitched in throat as I came face-to-face with my man!

Dressed in a teal colored sherwani himself, and pairing with an off-white dhoti, he looked bewitchingly handsome! He'd blow-dried his hair and let the loose curls of his front bangs fall freely to his forehead, with his set jaw and his beard set neatly.

He opened his mouth to talk, but no voice came out, so he cleared his throat, and blinked his eyes as they slowly passed from my face, to my neck, to my body, taking in my lehenga and the way I was dressed.

He cleared his throat again and looked around as all the ladies in the room remained busy with getting Ahana ready for the muhurat.

Not uttering a single word, Arush wrapped his arms around my waist and placed his lips on mine, murmuring that I looked pretty.

"I thought you'd complain that the lehenga is very exposing.." I trailed off, wiping my lipstick from his lips.

"I don't mind... you're marrying me day-after-tomorrow... you're mine" he murmured kissing my cheeks, making me flush.

"But we do need to get a picture clicked today without fail" he kissed the top of my head.

I nodded, biting my lip and looking shyly up at him.

"Is Ahana ready? It's almost time for the muhurat" he smiled, finally letting go off of me and looking around.

"Yes.. she's almost done..." I whispered, turning around and looking at Ahana, who had her final make-up touches going on.

Arush wordlessly moved forward towards where Ahana was sat, looking stunned.

"Bhai!" she whispered, getting to her feet and turning to stare at him.

"You are looking exceptional" he smiled, tears welling in his eyes.

Ahana smiled shyly as Arush wrapped his arms around her and placed a tender kiss on top of her head.

"Reyansh is one hell of a lucky guy!" Arush smiled, sniffling his tears away.

"Not as lucky as you though" Ahana winked at Arush, indicating me. Blood rushed to my cheeks as everyone turned to look at me, with Arush and Ahana both grinning widely.

"Dono betiya bohot sundar lag rahe ho!" Arush's mother's voice came in as she too entered the room and stood next to me.

*************

Leading the way to the mandap, and holding one end of the duppatta over Ahana's head, Arush walked along with Ahana and three more of her cousin brothers. She looked ethereal in her fuchsia colored lehenga, and the dupptta of jasmine and roses held over her head.

Everyone turned to look at the bride as she shyly walked towards the mandap, but nobody looked as stunned as my brother, whose eyes shone with tears of happiness as he gazed at his bride with all the love in his heart. 

As Ahana finally sat next to him in front of the holy fire, bhai blinked in rapid succession as Ahana adjusted the duppatta over her head and passed one shy look to him, before turning her gaze back to the holy fire.

Clearing his throat, bhai shook his head a little, before moving forward and pecking Ahana's cheeks and sitting straight!

"Shuru kijiye pandit ji!" he said seriously, nodding at the priest as though nothing had happened.

"I so hope I don't end up kissing your lips when it's us sitting there!" Arush murmured in my ears, making me jump - when had he come here and stood next to me?!

"It's gonna be us in there two days later" he whispered, fondly tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear.

"I'm sorry for last night" I whispered, looking into his eyes.

"I'm sorry too... I should have had understood you... I just listened to my temper!" he shook his head sadly.

"I am not ashamed of us Arush... I was just... " I trailed off, not knowing what to say and what word to use without upsetting him.

"I know" he smiled, putting his arm around my waist and kissing the top of my head.

Resting my head on his shoulder, we watched as Ahana and Rey bhai walked around the holy fire, taking the seven promises - sapthapadi.

"We will take eight promises... the eight promise being that I won't behave like an angry arrogant prick" he smiled, making me giggle.

"Meaning you won't let become an angry douche?!" I grinned at him.

"Meaning I'll love and cherish you forever and won't let even a single tear reach your eyes" he smiled, yet again kissing the top of my head.

To be continued...

A/n - yes the next chapter also has been uploaded :P