Chaahat

Chapter 22: Sangeet

Xavier clips his daughter's hair back before letting her run out with Meesha. Xavier looks at his reflection in the mirror. He's wearing a black embroidered kurta. The intricate work on the front of the of the piece of clothing mesmerising him as it shines in the light. Wanting to see her reaction immediately, he leaves his room to find her.

He looks all around but can't find her, he walks into her room, calling her name but can't seem to find her. His heart begins to race as his movement become frantic.
The sun had set and the moon is out. All the invited guests were going to be joining in tonight's events and there is a high chance her stalker might be here.

In search for her, he rushes up to the terrace. He opens the door, revealing the sky filled with twinkling star, a full moon glowing down at the girl standing against the brick railing.
"Riya!"

A gasp escapes her lips as she turns back. The waves in her hair dance faint the wind as she turns. The moon hangs low in the night sky, casting a soft, ethereal glow over the terrace where Riya stands, her beige, sparkly saree shimmering in its gentle light. Xavier stood beside her, mesmerized by her beauty as he watches her silhouette against the moonlit backdrop.

She looks surreal, like his gateway to heaven. Like the slightest touch and she'll disappear. Xavier reaches out to gently touch the curls hiding her face, the moonlight dancing in her eyes as she turns away from his gaze. Something sweet and intimate about the moment.  "You look like a goddess under the moonlight," he whispers, his voice barely above a breath.

Riya smiles, the moonlight accentuating the curve of her lips as she lets him compliment her further. "Like you're the moon that'll light up my darkest nights," his voice filled with warmth and affection.

As they stand together, bathed in the silver glow of the moon, their emotions seem to transcend time and space, bound only by the beauty of the night and the magic of the moment. "What are you doing here? Everything is almost ready?"
Riya sheepishly smiles at the man before showing him her left hand.

"I didn't get my mehndi done, so I'm doing it myself now."
Xavier takes the cone from her hand before examining her work.
"When everyone was tying you to get you to sit and get it done, you were running around."

A pout sets on Riya's face, "That's because we had so much to get done. Normally Muskaan, Aarav and me work together, but it's THEIR wedding!"
Xavier can't help but want to feel how her plump lips would feel against his own. Resisting the urge to pull her closer he takes her right hand in his. "And what about this hand?"

The pout of Riya's face grows, "I guess it'll just have to be bare."

Xavier nervously shifts from one foot to the other, his gaze fixated on Riya's hands as she stands in front of him. The soft glow of the moon illuminate her delicate features, casting a warm ambiance around them.

"Um, Riya," he begins, his voice slightly faltering. "I was wondering... if maybe I could do the mehndi on your hands?"

Riya's eyes widene in surprise, a blush creeping up her cheeks as she looks down at her hand. She bites her lip, feeling a flutter of excitement mixed with apprehension. "Oh, um, sure," she murmurs, her voice barely above a whisper.His voice is just to soft and sweet to say no to.

Xavier's heart skips a beat at her response, a rush of relief washing over him. He carefully reaches for her hand before guiding her to the seats, his hands trembling ever so slightly as he prepares to draw intricate designs on Riya's delicate skin.

As he starts tracing delicate patterns on her hand, Riya can't help but steal glances at Xavier's focused expression. Her heart races with anticipation, feeling a sense of intimacy in the shared moment.

With each stroke of the thick paste, Xavier's confidence grew, his movements becoming more assured as he adorns Riya's hands with beautiful, swirling designs. And with each passing moment, their connection deepens, as unspoken emotions linger in the air between them.
"There."

Riya's eyes snap away from Xavier's face and lands back on her hand. She smiles at the design, the lines are crooked and the circles are uneven, but it's the most beautiful mehndi design she's ever seen. She smiles when she notices that the centre of attention is the lotus, reminding her of her reflection in the vessel from this morning.

"Thank you, Xavier. This is really really beautiful."
A soft hint of blush covers Xavier's cheeks and the tips of his ears.
"You're being too kind, but this is nowhere near as beautiful as your one."

Riya can't help but giggle at his words. In the moment, all she wants to do is to soothe the heat of his blush with a kiss, so that's what she does. She presses a kiss against his cheek. But instead of soothing his blush, it only intensifies it.
Xavier's eyes darken as he takes in the sight of her from up close.

Feeling shy from her actions, Riya can't help but want to hide herself from the intensity of his gaze. His gaze follows her movements as she stands up, brushes past him and hurries down the stairs. A smiles makes its ways on his lips as he gazes back up at the moon.
After a few minutes, he makes his way down to find his daughter.

The guests have began to pile in and Shourya and Rohan seem to have their eyes glued on some of the gusts that had also been invited to their celebration in Dubai. Rohan points them out to Xavier, but his eyes are focused on Saksham.
"Who is that?"

Rohan looks at the man, "Oh that's Saksham. He wasn't at the Dubai event, so don't worry about him."
Xavier knows he was there at the boutique that day, he could have been the one to take the picture of he in change rooms.
"Was he invited?"

Rohan's hand stops midair, "Yes."

Meanwhile, Riya sits in her room with her hands in front of the tale fan as she watches Aarav place the duppatta in his brides's shoulder and pin it in place.
"Beautiful."

Muskaan blushes before standing up to place a chaste kiss on her almost husband's lips.
"Chalein?"
Muskaan hums at him question before grabbing his hand to lead her out.
Riya tells them to go ahead without her as she needs to wash her hands first.

The couple are welcomed with loud cheers and a roar of claps by their loved ones. The two laugh as they greet their families. The evening if filled with laughter, silly dances and small pranks. Muskaan and Aarav love every minute of their sangeet. But, Xavier's eyes are fixated on the stairs that lead to the rooms upstairs. Specifically, Riya's room.

His eyes yearn for the sight of her, her absence eating him away.
He tries hard to focus somewhere else, but she struggles. His eyes returning to where she will appear from any second and alas, she finally makes an appearance. Her frame glowing under the twinkling lights. Just as she's about to reach the bottom of the stairs, Xavier finds his feet walking towards her.

But just before he can get o her, someone blocks his sight. That someone happens to be Saksham and approaches her, giver her a drink before holding her left hand to help her down. His hand touching the one that has Xavier's imprint on it in the shape of the mehndi.
He watches as Riya smiles at the man, leans towards him to whisper something in his ear before letting him lead her to the dance floor.

He watches her sway to the music, he watches her laugh at what the man whispers in her ears. Her hands around his neck, his arms around her waist. It's all too much for him to deal with, he knows he's jealous, but why?

He lets her antics play out a little longer, as he tries to enjoy himself. But the sight of the two of them burns every bit of his existence, he's consumed by the thoughts of them and when he loses sight of them, his heartbeat surges through the roof.
Desperation fills his veins as his eyes search for her frantically.

A/N:
How are you?

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Also we are almost half way through the book!