Married To Mr. Malhotra #1 ✓ (2016)

5 : engaged •

(A/N: Second update for today. Looks like you guys really like my story. Now this will be the final update before March end. After my boards, I'll again start writing okay? Please bear with the delay for just one month. Sorry for the inconvenience and I hope you guys like this part.)

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"Manik, can you believe it? Tu shaadi karne wala hai! Voh bhi arranged marriage. WOW!" (Manik, can you believe it? You're going to get married! That too, you're going to have an arranged marriage. WOW!) Cabir chuckled hysterically and the others counted Manik's frowns.

"Parents are damn annoying, bro. Trust me. They're very hard to convince and my plans failed miserably. God! This Nandini Murthy, whatever. I hate her man." He spat, as if he meant every word. He set his hair with hair gel and then sprayed some deodorant on.

"Buddy, you don't even know her. Hate kaise?" (How can you hate her?)

"Exactly, pyaar..." (Exactly, love...) Cabir paused to look at Manik and read his expressions. His anger impressed Cabir. "...aur nafrat un logo se hota hai, jinko tum apna lete ho." (...and hate are emotions you feel only for those you possess.) Mukti and Alya pressed their smile. Manik wasn't liking the mess he was stuck in and Cabir was only adding fuel to the fire.

"Cabirrr..."

"Manik, we understand. We all believe in love but if things are destined to happen, they'll happen." Alya added and Manik looked at Mukti for some hope.

"Manik, your parents are in love. They had an arranged marriage. Similarly, you will fall for her and she'll fall for you. Because it's destiny and nobody can change it." Mukti said and Manik rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Enough. Mujhe abhi koi lecture sunne ka koi mood nahi hai. I have to attend my engagement ceremony." (Enough. I'm not in a mood to listen to your lectures. I have to attend my engagement ceremony.) He growled, fixing his tie. He put on his coat and checked himself in the mirror again before stomping out the room helplessly.

***

"Nandu, they're here." Amma called from outside. We were already at the wedding destination and I was getting ready for the ceremony. Everyone in the family was enthusiastic and over the moon for this wedding except the bride.

My room was filled with relatives and cousins, which meant loads of laughter, happiness and fun. How I wished I were like them, carefree and lively.

I was informed that Manik had paced through the corridors but nobody allowed me to even have a glance of him. All the girls from my side were the first to run and peep through the door.

"Wow, Nandu. He's so good looking! Good selection huh?" They peeped further while I was forced to sit for makeup. What the hell! People, I haven't seen the man I'm getting engaged to so please, cut the crap and let me look at him at least. Only if I could tell them that.

Not that I couldn't deny anything because Amma knew I was in love with someone whose name starts with M. She assumed it to be Manik. After all that drama in my life, it would actually be a lot better for me to move on and prove to my best friend that I no longer care. The only concern was if marriage was the right decision.

"Jiju, hi! Aap bahut handsome lag rahe ho." (Brother-in-law, hi! You're looking very handsome.) One of my little cousins, Manvi, approached him. I came to know through my teenage cousins who were drooling over him that he was offended by the word 'look'. He had the pride of being the hottest guy in college. Regardless, he bent down to match her height and smiled.