TOGETHER WE STAY

CHAPTER 8

Novembers are the time which announces onset of winters for most of India. With sun setting earlier than its usual time, nights getting longer and a tinch of coldness that the breeze starts carrying during these times. Making the whole environment soothing.

The Sun was making its way to warp up for the day and set down somewhere behind the horizon.

Dressed in a vibrant hand-embroidered corset tube blouse, paired with the elegant lehenga skirt featuring mirror-work on the hemline and sheer dupatta with details in harmony with the rest of the outfit and a set of bejeweled tassel earrings top off the look wonderfully, went Koel towards Faizi's room. She would not have ever even thought to come face to face with Faizi, but it was Nikhil who made her do all this. In the afternoon Nikhil refused to have lunch and put up a condition that he would eat only if Faizi will be the one to feed him. Since afternoon Nikhil was with Faizi. Koel stopped at the doorstep; she could clearly hear them giggle. The door was left half open, on peeping into the room she found Faizi and Nikhil watching some cartoon movie and continuously laughing. Koel was watching all this happen from the very spot she was standing. She was about to step into the room.

How wonderful it would have been dad if you too stayed with us, said Nikhil.

This statement stopped Koel from entering further.

How much fun we could have together, he continued.

Faizi spotted Koel on the doorstep.

I had come to give you this, said Koel handing over Nikhil's clothes for the function into Faizi's hands.

And hurry up the function is about to start, said Koel before leaving.

******

Sangeet evening was held at the open lush areas of the property. There were crystalized chandeliers & mogra trellis hanging down the ceiling, all over the venue. Royal moroccan arches, flowy drapes, pillar candles and vintage vases were also thoughtfully infused into the decorations for the night. It was indeed one regal celebration.

Everyone was getting ready for the dazzling evening which would be all about sashaying down the dance floor. For this fun-filled night, the bride and the groom stunned in coordinating black outfits. While Karan wore a black and golden traditional outfit, Monami glimmered in a black and silver lehenga set. She let her hair down and made sure to have maximum fun at her Sangeet night!

Karan and Monami were made to sit on a whimsical wooden swing. The right infront of them the stage was set. Whimsical sit-down arrangements, colourful tassels and a backdrop adorned with umbrellas were the key decor elements for this hep ceremony.

*****

Sanjana clads herself in a mesmerizing pastel green mirror-work lehenga with a glimmering choli & matching dupatta with a pop of blue beaded necklace and a pair of tasseled earrings. Soft pink lids, nude pink lips and open crown braided tresses accentuated her beauty by multi-folds. The music playing loud in the speakers and echoing sound of hooting and clapping were screaming the very fact that Sanjana was late. In a hurry she rushed towards the stairs. But she suddenly stopped. It was sight of Siddharth struggling with the collar of his kurta, which did not seem to sit at its place.

Siddharth had worn a glamorous kurta and ivory churidars.

I can help offered Sanjana as she saw Siddharth still struggling to set his collar at it's place.

You have no other option left everyone is in the function, continued Sanjana.

Left with no other option Siddharth hesitantly agreed to take Sanjana's help.

After getting a nod from Siddharth within moments Sanjana began pressing his collar back and forth in order to set it. Sanjana's full focus was on setting Siddharth's collar. Sanjana had bended herself in direction of Siddharth that now they stood very close. Siddharth kept looking at Sanjana setting his collar.

Done, said Sanjana after moments. She turned his gazes to his and found that his were already set on hers. The clapping sound that came from outside broke their stance.

Both started looking here and there.

W-we should go, said Siddharth as he led their way towards the garden area where function was being held. And Sanjana followed him. She was still smiling at the moments of closeness.

******

Soon the evening turned night as it witnessed various performances by the relatives of both sides.

Karan's paternal uncle was a passionate dancer. Yeah, he could literally dance on any song no matter the genre and language but what made him stand out was that he would spot the nervous ones who hid themselves in the crowd just so that no one asks them to dance. He would pull out such ones from crowd and force them to dance along him.

And then came Monami's father who thought that he was a good dancer. He never could proceed to further step of the dance. He only knew this one step which he used to do in all songs no matter the occasion. The baraati dance.

After a gala event of everyone dancing and enjoying their hearts out as they shook their body to the tunes playing on large loudspeakers.

Karan and Monami were pushed towards the stage by Karan's bhaiya-bhabhi to dance on a romantic track.

Karan held Moanmi by her hand and led her to the center of the stage. Everyone started clapping and hooting. The song started Karan held Monami by her waist with one hand and brought her close to him. He then put his other hand on her waist.

They were way too close to another to think about anything else and the world vanished around them. They created a reverie of their own which was not at all affected by the hooting and applauds of the crowd that constituted of their friends and relatives. 

Monami went into a flashback of how it all started off with just an awkward hi and to submitting one another into each other's arms. These 11 years have seen a lot of ups and downs. From Karan's family's hesitancy to Monami leaving her well-paying job to start working as a graphic designer to living in different cities to numerous arguments to seeing their friends drift apart from one another to reaching on verge of breaking up thrice to screaming at one another to returning to one another after a bad day. They had seen it all. And best part being that they never gave up on each other, they never gave up on their love. Even in this face paced and ever-changing life they kept holding one another's hand tight.

Karan giggled remembering how he had proposed Monami with a cupcake in college canteen counter on a random Saturday evening. It took Karan 10 months and numerous ted talks sessions by Koel and Faizi to gather courage to confess his feelings to Monami. And how he screamed in top of his voice when she accepted his proposal. From that first time when they hesitantly held each other's hands on their way to hostel teaching to Monami Economics just the evening before exam to sitting quietly in library by one another to those all-night chatting to crying on last day of college as the hugged one another to seeing each other turn mature and act silly the very next moment to always being by each other. 

The song got over and then they came the continuous hooting and clapping sounds. Karan and Monami had a gala time dancing their hearts out along everyone else present. Monami was busy dancing when Karan signaled her something. He held her hand and lead her to inside the villa.

that's all for this update. Hope you liked this update. Do comment down your views would love to hear them out and do vote if you liked the chapter.

Next update soon.