Same day

Beautiful fairy lights were hanged  , huge hanging chandeliers with fresh beautiful tulips giving a beautifully aesthetic look. No doubt whole batra mansion was decorated like a bride. Every single person of business world was invited and why wouldn't.  After all it was the engagement of the elder daughter of Anand Batra. It has to be wholey royal.

And then there stood Nimrat , checking all the arrangements in the kitchen. From all the refreshments to the snacks and then lastly the dinner. From handling all the decoration to kitchen work , everything was her responsibility. It was Misha's order that she wanted everything to be done by Nimrat on her engagement day but Nimrat knew well. This was all on purpose.

Misha just wants her to suffer as she promised. She wants to see her broken while she get engaged to the man Nimrat loves. It was all her plan.

In which she was totally successful.

"Baba guests kuch der mai aa jaenge. Aap please saare khane peene ka intezam dekh lijiyega , just don't let anything get wrong" As she explained everything to their cook , she found herself being turned around softly. (Uncle guests are about to come , you please take care of all the snacks and refreshments)

"Bas bas shaant ho jao di , kabse idhar se udhar bhage jaa rahi ho. Kuch khaya bhi nahi hai aapna shaam se"  Pratik exclaimed disappointed in his sister.(Calm down di , you have been running from here to there and haven't even eat anything)

Pratik Batra. 20-year-old with beautiful doe shaped eyes , Dark brown hair and simply charming face. He just completed his school and was in first year of BBA . As he stood there with a glass of juice in his hands and a slight angry look on his face. He couldn't control but to soft his gaze as he saw his sister smiling at him softly.

"Thanku little brother" She said taking the glass from him .

"Ye sab aapke kaam nahi hai di , iss sab ke liye workers hai yaha. Sab taiyaar ho chuke hai aur Singhanias bhi aane wale hai. Go get ready , leave all this to uncle. He will do these things . Why are you smil-" His blabbering came to end as he found himself being pulled in a gentle hug by Nimrat. (These are not your work sister. Workers are there for it , everyone is ready and the Singhanias are on their way)

As Nimrat slowly released a sigh , she didn't know when her eyes teared up and those stupid crystals started pouring resulting in her to tighten her hold onto her brother who embraced her firmly. If not for Pratik , she wouldn't have been able to survived now because she knew that the house which people called home was not home for them. Nimrat was hated by every member in that house and the disappointment the people had for Pratik because of his bond with Nimrat ,  she knew that they both had noone there.

"You are strong di , remember you are my superhero , my ideal. And you see up there , maybe maa have something more good with her to offer you" and there she was crying.

She loved her step brother to death , one of the reasons was the time when she heard him calling her mother maa.

****

Buttoning up the last button of his dark blue suit , keeping the first few opened , Yuvaan looked at himself in the mirror , then at the custom made kurta kept neatly on the bed. It was of cream colored with  small silver work done at its edges something he hates. Sparkly and itchy.

It was sent by Misha as she wanted him to wear it on their engagement day but there he was cladded in a dark blue suit , first few button of his white shirt opened and a rolex in his wrist.

He looked everything but a groom who was going to get engaged today.

It was something around breakfast when his father came to him , telling him that their company is going to collaborate with the Batra's on a project important for them but in return they asked for his hand in marriage with their elder daughter.

But Akash Singhania knew better then to agreeing with this deal , and so he asked his son. As for Yuvaan , as he stared back at himself , Why didn't he wear the dress his girlfriend sent for him? Instead getting dressed in that dark blue suit.

Dark blue is her favorite colour , the fact that how does he know is ridiculous because at that moment he knew that he was messed up.

With his messed up feeling for one particular golden-brown eyed girl. He said yes , he wanted to be away from her , from her eyes , from her voice ,  from her everything.

"Are you not ready yet Yuvaan-" turning around he found his mother standing there with both of her hands on her waist .

Being in her early 60s , Akshara Singhania was a definition of pure elegance . Running a successful clothing brand , she was an ideal of so many youngsters out there but at that moment she found herself tired and old seeing her son who was getting engaged but there was not a single expression on his face.

Making her way towards her son , Akashra caressed his head "Are you sure you want to do this beta. You would say no now and I promise that no one is going to force you in this or even talking about this alliance" As the words left her mouth , Yuvaan's wrist clenched more tightly as he found the built up walls of his fake determination breaking up.

Taking a deep breath,  he looked at his mother "I am happy maa"

Gently grabbing her hand he made her sit on the couch taking a seat next to her on the floor.

keeping his head on her lap , he closed his eyes trying to wash all the questions and confusion from him while Akshara sat there running her hand through his hair . Yuvaan has always been very vocal , be it about his happiness , his sadness or about his conflicting feelings . His eyes always spoke loudly , the words he couldn't utter . And now seeing him like this , Akshara knew that he was everything but happy. At that moment she knew to let him be the way he is because sometimes nobody can help us the way we can help ourselves.

"We are getting late Yuvaan , let's go , hmmm?" And as much as he wanted to deny and say no , he couldn't. 

What he didn't know was that his one decision was going to change several lives.

****

Shutting the door of his black SUV , Yuvaan stared at the Batra mansion. His grip tightened around the lock of his car door . His parents were already inside as they came from their car while and his brother , Aryan came in another car much to his liking.

"Bhai , dhak dhak ho rahi haina? Bhabhi se milne ki nervousness ho rahi haina aapka? Aap kaho toh aapke liye sidhi mangwau.....nahi wo maine movies mai dekha haina. The groom gets desperate and nervous and always wants to see his bride" Aryan teased pointing at Misha's room window totally enjoying teasing his brother which was very rare but as Yuvaan raked his eyes , he couldn't help but stare at those off white curtains of Nimrat's room. Her room balcony was not that big as compare to other ones in the mansion.  It was rather simple , a creeper spread over her railing with some plants at the side . Simple and cute.

So now you are even admiring her balcony , you are pathetic.

His subconscious mind mocked him , his eyes closing in sheer frustration as he looked at his brother , who stood there grinning at him like a stupid "Agar tera ho gaya ho toh chalein , We are getting late" Yuvaan said with a deadpanned look.

(If you are so shall we go)

"Mann ke laddo ubal ubal ke Bahar aa rahe hai aapke" Aryan said making his way inside but not before getting a smack on his head from Yuvaan.

Stepping inside the bustling hall of mansion , Yuvaan saw the hall filled with guests , his father's business associates as well as big names of business world were invited too. Raking his eyes all over the place he found his parents engaged in the conversation with the Batras , his father talking to them while his mother was least bothered , she never liked Misha .

"Bhai aap kise dhund rahe ho , Misha waha khadi hai , Mr. Batra ke side mai" Aryan said finding his brother's eyes which seemed like finding someone , desperately.

(Whom are you searching brother , Misha is standing beside Mr.Batra)

Coming back to reality , Yuvaan face palmed himself . This was not right . He was not doing right. How can he think of another woman when he was going to get engaged to his girlfriend . As he closed his eyes in anger , he found himself being pulled in a tight hug.

Misha stood there smiling and giggling as she hugged Yuvaan tightly "You are finally here baby. I am so happy today , I can not belive I will be your fiancé in sometime" breaking the hug Yuvaan faced her. And at that moment seeing her excitement,  he wanted to dig himself for his conflicting feelings.

"How am I looking?" Misha asked twirling , showing her pearly off white lehenga to him , meanwhile Aryan  quietly made his way towards his parents , not being able to bear her fake baby voice .

"You are looking beautiful Misha"  Yuvaan said passing her a forced smile . He wanted to enjoy , to be happy , now that he was marrying the girl he like but he was not . He was fucking desperate even in that situation trying to see that one particular pair of golden-brown orbs .

"You didn't wear the dress I send for you. I wanted to match our outfits Yuvaan , I specially customized that outfit for tod-" Misha's voice faded away as he found his surroundings getting blurred . She was there ,  decending the stairs , adorned in pastel yellow anarkali , her neck was bare with just jhumka dangling on her both sides like stars only did justice to her beauty. His already ragged breathing after seeing her stopped when her golden-brown orbs clashed with his dark ones.

And at that moment if somebody asked him the definition of ethereal , his answer would be her .

  ~~~

Do follow the character account of my baby Nimrat on Instagram

Id- nimrat_batra_

Love

Avni~