●begani shaadi mein abdulla deewana●

"You look way younger, are you married?"

It was a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence for Rajveer to get off his shift earlier. It was a full moon, not a blue moon, but who cared about celestial oddities when you had an escape hatch from a soul-crushing shift? Rajveer Singh Rathod, ever the opportunist, decided to seize the night. His plan? Gate-crash his "friend's" wedding.

Classic Rajveer move is bound to ruffle some feathers.

He sauntered into the reception hall like a peacock in a penguin convention. Heads swiveled, jaws dropped. Some, like the bewildered cater waiter juggling a precarious tower of champagne flutes, looked mildly terrified. Some looked at him with surprise, others with disdain-the groom himself-and most with pure awe.

"What in the seven chakras possessed you to pull this stunt?" Nikhil, Rajveer's best friend and reluctant accomplice hissed, downing his drink like a man condemned. He'd only agreed after a marathon session of "Dost ke liye..." ("For a friend...") manipulation that always worked like a charm.

Rajveer, unfazed, merely smirked, his gaze snagged by a vision in scarlet. A woman, all fiery red dress and killer heels sashayed across the dance floor. "Don't pretend you weren't secretly plotting Akshay's demise," he countered, winking.

Nikhil though reluctant hadn't been fully against the idea either. The groom, Akshay happens to not be in his good books either. Nikhil couldn't deny a certain satisfaction in seeing Akshay squirm. The groom had a long history of questionable pranks, most involving laxatives and Nikhil's prized signed cricket bat.

"Shall we grace the happy couple with our, uh, presence?" Nikhil drawled, gesturing towards the stage where Akshay and his new bride, Diya, stood awkwardly.

Rajveer, momentarily distracted by the red dress disappearing behind a phalanx of bridesmaids, mumbled agreement. They weaved through the throng, dodging an overenthusiastic uncle attempting the Macarena and a gaggle of gossiping aunties.

Finally reaching the stage, Nikhil launched into a dazzling display of fake enthusiasm. "Akshay! Long time no-oof!" he yelped as Rajveer elbowed him in the ribs. "Long time no see, my friend!"

The bride gave her husband a cursory look upon seeing the young men.
"Hey Diya, I'm Rajveer, and this is Nikhil. We're Akshay's friends from medical college," Rajveer introduced them, making the veil of confusion lift off her face.

"Oh, hey Rajveer and Nikhil, I assume this was a surprise to akshay as well" she smiled politely.

Akshay, resembling a malfunctioning toaster on the verge of exploding, managed a strained smile. "Indeed. A most...unexpected one."

Rajveer, ever the charmer, replied with a smug shrug.

" I must say it was rude of you to not invite your dear friends to your wedding" Nikhil said with hint of mischief.

"The universe works in mysterious ways, my friend. As they say, 'Destiny's a fickle mistress.'" Rajveer mused while grinning.

Nikhil, stifling a snort, chimed in, "Exactly! Like, what are the odds of bumping into you at your own wedding, right?" He winked at Diya, who seemed to be suppressing a giggle.

The air crackled with barely veiled hostility. After a few more barbs, thinly disguised as compliments, Rajveer and Nikhil decided to cut their losses and make a graceful exit.

"Well, congratulations, Akshay," Rajveer said, extending a hand. "May your marriage be as delightful as your personality."

Akshay's smile tightened even further. "Thank you, Rajveer. I'm sure it will be."

Diya, sensing the tension, jumped in. "Do enjoy yourselves, gentlemen. The food is exceptional. And don't forget to try the dessert; it's Akshay's favorite."

"Of course, we wouldn't miss it," Nikhil said, winking at Rajveer. "We're here for the long haul."

Diya's smile widened, genuine this time. "Thank you, both of you. And Rajveer," she leaned in conspiratorially, "Camp boots are a brilliant idea."

Rajveer winked, feeling a strange sense of accomplishment.

"Do enjoy yourselves and leave only after eating," Diya chimed reminding them for the last time with a warm smile.

Diya was a beautiful woman and if her approachable persona was any indication she seemed like a nice person from the inside too.

How did Akshay manage to snag such a cool woman? Lucky bastard.

After a few exchanges of words and some eye-to-eye communication between the gentlemen, they decided to say their goodbyes.

As they walked away, Rajveer and Nikhil exchanged satisfied grins. "That went well," Rajveer said.

"By the way what was in the gift" Nikhil questioned while they made their way towards an empty seat. In return, rajveer just winked at him making himself comfortable on the chair.

After a minute nikhil got up to attend to a call leaving rajveer alone. Following the suite rajveer got up deciding to take a stroll around and have his stomach blessed, soon to regret it.

"Hello, beta," A crisp female voice spoke from behind him. Turning around he saw a short, chubby woman who appeared to be in her fifties looking up at him with a wicked smile.

"Hello, do I know you miss..?" Rajveer wasn't very keen on having a conversation with anyone but he was getting bored anyway so why not. Something is better than nothing he thought.

oh how wrong he was?

"Ms. Sinha," She hastily replied, extending a hand adorned with enough diamond rings to blind a small country. Rajveer took her hand then brought it near his mouth, bending his head a bit placed a soft kiss on the back of it. He could see the red tint spread across her chubby chicks.

With a slight smirk, he straightened himself. You could never go wrong with chivalry, especially when it comes to women of her age. It never hurts to be in the good books of rich aunties it might even be fruitful.

"You see, I have an eye for exceptional men," she proclaimed, swirling her wine glass. "And the moment I saw you, I knew you were one."

Rajveer, ever the charmer (and ever the opportunist), returned her smile. "Well, Ms. Sinha, your intuition is impeccable."

"I know, I know, I haven't greyed my hair in the sunlight," She went on. He stole a glance at her hair, not a single grey hair.

"What do you do beta," She asked as she placed her hands on his biceps.

He had been approached by elderly women before. Some regarded him with motherly warmth, some gave him straight creeps while some landed in the middle-the ones whose intentions weren't clear. Ms. Sinha seemed like one of them, she hadn't creeped him out, yet, but why approach him out of nowhere?

Not answering her question rajveer narrowed his eyes, scrutinizing her face to find any resemblance.

She shifted in her position under his gaze. Clearing her throat she adjusted her dupatta as a sign for Rajveer to maintain his chivalry.

Rajveer has never seen this woman as far as his memory could go.

"I am a doctor, a cardiologist to be precise," Rajveer answered her previous question with his most winning smile, which eased the air as Ms. Sinha gave him a big smile.

"Wahh, if I am not wrong you are Rajveer Singh Rathod right?" She asked with a slight frown, to which he nodded.

"I knew it, so how old are you beta?"

"Thirty" He replied curtly, not sure where she was going with this.

With all these questions she was reminding him of those relatives with a thousand questions you'd encountered at any family function. If she wanted to get her questions regarding him sorted, she could have just googled him, but then again, even Google didn't have much on him.

He had never really indulged himself with the media and stuff, that was until last year when Vanraj had made it clear to him that they needed the publicity to maintain their reputation, especially after all that had conspired between him and Bhabhi.

He decided to focus back on Ms. Sinha and her little inquiry session.

And what she asked finally made her intentions clear as day.

"You look way younger, are you married?" Good lord saves him, not this again.

Rajveer's smile became a tightrope walk. Single? Maybe technically, but it wasn't exactly a topic he wanted to discuss with a woman who could be his mother's age. He glanced towards the dance floor, hoping for a distraction.

Ugh, now that he thinks about this brief exchange between them, she does sound like those matrimonial aunty types.

Why can't such people let the single ones live or just accept the fact that some people are indeed enjoying their life without having the tag of married in their status?

"Not yet Aunty," He replied with a fake smile but it seemed like she caught the hang of the aunty as her smile faltered a bit.

"Good good, but you should start thinking of marriage, now don't you think?" She gushed flashing him a million-dollar smile.

"No," which soon turned to a hundred-dollar smile upon hearing him.

"You should! I have been telling my daughter the same," she tried to coax while dropping the hint of her daughter's existence.

He needed to do something soon to get himself out of this, he glanced around the hall the dance floor, hoping for a distraction. And as if on cue he saw nikhil strolling towards him.

"I am in a commited relationship," Rajveer blurted.

That did it, Ms. Sinha's smile completely vanished.

"Oh really?" she said, a hint of disappointment in her voice " who is the lucky girl?" She said plastering the same fake smile that he had smeared on his face, previously.

She wasn't going to deter, was she? Ok then.

"Lucky man actually," Rajveer said with a slight playful glint in his eyes, Ms. Sinha's face slowly morphed into a horrified look.

"Who is the lucky man then?" Ms. Sinha asked clearly not interested in knowing the answer.

Nikhil upon finding Rajveer indulged in a conversation with a lady, silently came and stood beside him regarding the woman with a curious look

"it's him!" He exclaimed while looping his arm possessively around Nikhil's shoulder, who froze like a deer in headlights

Ms. Sinha reluctantly smiled at nikhil which he returned with his awkward one.

"What am I lucky for" Nikhil inquired whispering in his ears.

"I will handle one of your shift, just shut up for now"

"Ok" Nikhil agreed, pleased by the deal. He then turned back to the women. His eyes lingering on her.

A vivid image of the said woman approching him while he was on phone flashed in his mind. She had waited for some seconds for him to get finished with his conversation, but then strutted away with her eyes fixed on someone.

He hadn't paid much attention to it but now that he thinks back, that was quite weird of her.

But looking at her now, it seemed like she was about to faint.

Should he check her pulse.

"That's great, you indeed are lucky, he is handsome" Ms. Sinha expressed with a strained smile. Not meeting Nikhil's eyes.

"Isn't he?" Rajveer beamed while Nikhil stood there immobile without a single clue as to what on earth was conspiring there. But he felt weirdly violated by the way this particular lady was eyeing him as if he had stealed her husband.

Didn't she mention he was handsome just now, then why was she making those disgusted faces?

"Are you done" A velvety female voice made its presence heard. All three sets of eyes turned toward her with different emotions.

One with recognition, one with relief, and one without any clue.

She stared at all three faces, mimicking Nikhil's turmoil.

Ms. Sinha's face washed with relief upon seeing her daughter behind her.

"Haan haan I am done, I was just having a brief conversation with these gentlemen," She said as she pointed towards the men who had their hands looped with each other.

Nikhil was about to correct her that he didn't even know her name yet, but then decided against it.

"This is Mansi Sinha my daughter" Ms. Sinha introduced the lady as her daughter who greeted both the men with a polite smile and a nod.

"Who are they," Mansi asked her mother as her eyes went between them.

Nikhil stood there with a blank expression still clueless while Rajveer stood there stunned-

the red dress and stilettoes, Ms. Sinha, Her Daughter, the same the very vision that had initially captivated Rajveer.

Fucking hell.

His luck can't be that bad.

Or was it?

"This is Dr. Rajveer Singh Rathod" she introduced in a clipped tone, of course. Mansi's gaze flickered between Rajveer and Nikhil, who still looked like he'd been struck by lightning.

Finally, a slow smile spread across her face, her eyes shone with recognition as she glanced at him. Just as she attempted to say something Ms. Sinha gripped her arm as a silent signal to not utter a word.

"And this is Nikhil,"

"Well, nice to meet you both," she said, extending a hand towards Nikhil, who fumbled to take it. "Especially you," she added, her eyes lingering on Rajveer for a beat too long before turning back to her mother.

"Mr. Nikhil is..." Ms. Sinha found it necessary to make it clear to her daughter.

"...Rajveer's boyfriend" Ms. Sinha completed.
.
.

.
.
What followed was complete silence-
if it weren't for the speaker blasting the tunes that had all uncles shaking their hips to they would have herad crickets.
Thr man who was a silent spectator up until now finally spoke.

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK!?"

─── °∘❉∘° ───

Rajveer and Nikhil are on roll today.

What do think of their friendship, also your thoughts on Ms. Sinha

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Your likes and comments gives me an idea about if or not people are liking the story and would futher motivate me to keep going.

Thank you for reading