I MEERA I

"Remya, I think I should wear my hair down", I tell her, lightly tugging at the strands of hair framing my face.

"Are you kidding me? You look beautiful. Now, all you need is some red lipstick", she says slapping my hand away from my face.

"Wait, I bought this lip mask today. All you have to do is apply it and after 5 minutes you can peel it off and your lips will be red and you don't have to worry about smudging it while eating ", she says as she rummages in her bag and grabs a tube. She applies it to my lips.

"And kissing", she says "you don't have worry about smudging your lipstick while kissing", she elaborates seeing the confused look on my face.

I elbow her in the ribs. Maybe I shouldn't have told her about that almost-kiss. And it's not like it'll happen again. He'll probably leave tomorrow. And I'll leave the day after since my exam starts in a week.

Yeah, don't think about your exams. You'll freak out.

"As if", I make a face at Remya trying to keep my mind off my impending doom.

"Stop talking", she says and I obey her. After a few minutes, she peels off the lip mask and she's right. My lips are red and it doesn't look like I've put any lipstick on.

"Kids, you should come down. The guests are starting to arrive', Ambika aunty says poking her head inside the room. I look at the clock and realise it's almost 5:30. We've been here for a long time.

After Remya and Vinash came back with Sarada aunty and her son, Karan, we had lunch with them as they were staying with Lakshmi aunty and had to leave to unpack and get ready in time. Vinash went to take a bath and by the time he came down, Remya and I were rushing towards our bedroom. And Vinash took Sarada aunty and Karan to Lakshmi aunty's.

It wasn't long after I relayed everything that happened with Vikram to Remya, that the makeup artists arrived. So we took a bath and started getting ready. Well, mostly, we were watching Shraddha getting her makeup done. It was the hairdo that took most time.

It's mehendi night, so Shraddha is wearing a green lehenga suit. I have to admit, she looks very beautiful in it. I have on a blue lehenga suit and Remya is wearing a black one. We decided to ditch our shawls, so now it looks more like a cropped top and skirt.

"Meera! Remya! Come with me. I told you the guests are here. You're the bride's sisters, everyone will ask for you", Vimala aunty says poking her head inside the room, again.

"Exactly, Vimalamma. We're the bride's sisters,not the bride", I tell her. But she just stands there giving us a blank look. So Remya and I leave the room with all the women except Shraddha, who isn't allowed to come down until the function starts.

I'm already tired at the thought of making small talk with distant cousins and old neighbours. It's just so awkward and uncomfortable. But it comes with these functions. And since it's the day before the wedding, people who wouldn't be able to attend the wedding comes today to see the bride and groom. At least, I'll have Remya with me to endure the next hour before the function starts. Vinash will probably be helping the men with wedding related matters. And even though my feminist heart weeps a little at the thought of men always doing all the wedding planning and stuff, I can't help but admit that I am glad that I don't have to worry about anything.

We walk down the Stairs that are decorated with garlands and lights. The living room furniture has been moved closer to the wall so that people can mill around without much trouble. In the last few hours that we were copped up in our room upstairs, they did a great job in decorating the whole house with fairy lights and flowers.

I can hear the music coming from our backyard as we move towards the back door next to the kitchen. Even the kitchen is filled with people and I heard the fridge door shut at least thrice in the last minute.

As soon as we enter the backyard where the stage is set up, I take Remya's hand in mine and drag her in the opposite direction of where Vimalamma is going. But before we can get away from her, Vimalamma turns back and when she sees us trying to flee , she takes Remya's hand and drags us towards a group of people standing at the back. She introduces us to some distant cousins that we probably haven't even seen before today. After telling them all about our life history, she sees someone and excuses herself to go talk with others, leaving us with our newly introduced cousins whose names I can't even remember. Do you know how awkward that is?

We stand there awkwardly for a few minutes, fumbling and smiling at each other. I accidentally look towards Remya and the moment our eyes meet, we know we have to leave before we burst into laughter at the situation. I try to hide my smile behind my hand, but I know a small sound from Remya will set it off.

"Meera", I hear someone yell. And I think to myself, whoever you are that called my name just now, I owe you my life. Maybe too dramatic. But anything to escape this scene.

"I think someone just called me", I say out aloud to our group before turning to look who it is. It's Pooja, Raj's girlfriend. I have never been more happy that Raj got a girlfriend and decided to bring her here.

"Hey, Pooja. I'll be right there with you", I yell over the music. I see Remya widening her eyes at me, silently telling me to ask her to go with me. For a moment, I think about leaving her with these people. But that would be too cruel and she would kill me.

"Remya, come with me", I tell her and she releases her breath making me smile.

"I'm sorry , we have to leave. It was great meeting you guys", I tell them with a smile and they return my smile muttering a "you too".

I grab Remya's hand as we move towards Pooja.

"Hey Pooja! We were asking Vimala aunty where you were. You said you would meet us at our room to get ready together", Remya asks Pooja once we reach her.

It's true. It was because we were waiting for her that we decided to watch Shraddha getting ready. Then we started to get ready when there was no sign of her after two hours.

"Yeah, I'm so sorry, you guys. I was planning to get ready with you, but Raj wanted to introduce to some of his friends who were her on a road trip. I couldn't even tell you guys that I won't make it", she says looking guilty and apologetic.

"It's alright", I rush to say, before she gets sad thinking about it. She smiles, relieved.

"Raj was with me until someone asked him to pick up some of your relatives who got lost on the way here. He was worried, but then I saw you guys and I told him I would be fine", she says.

"Aah. Well, you just saved us from a very painful situation. Let's stay together against your mother-in-law's attacks. She likes making us suffer. She knows we hate small talk, but like a typical Indian mom, she's trying to make us socialise", Remya says and I nod my head, agreeing with her a hundred percent.

Pooja's blushes when Remya calls Vimalamma, her mother-in-law. But she doesn't correct us, so I'm assuming it's going to happen someday. Well, Raj bringing her home, itself, is a huge sign that he plans to marry her. Considering, he never even talks to girls, at least not that we know of. From the teasing smile on Remya's face, she doesn't miss this tiny detail either.

We stand around drinking juice and eating sweets while dodging Vimalamma and Ambikamma, Remya's mom. My mom, Rekha, is busy running around. So atleast, we don't have to worry about her trying to introduce us to random people. She's all around the place, double checking all the arrangements even after my dad told her that he had everything under control.

We place our empty glasses at the counter and I'm about to pick another laddoo from the platter, when I hear Vinash yelling our names from back. I turn in time to see him waving us over.

"Come on, let's go", I tell pooja and we make our ways towards him. He's standing next to Karan, Sarada aunty's son and a few others.

Just as we reach him, I spot a familiar face among the people around him. I almost stop for a moment as those brown eyes meets mine. I admit, I did look for him a few times since we came to the backyard. But I couldn't find him. And now here he is, looking all handsome in a red kurta.

I can feel his eyes on me as I move to stand next to Vinash. I want to look at him, but I'm afraid of what I'll find in those eyes. I listen to Remya and Vinash talking to each other and I want to say something but all I can think about now, is that almost kiss.

Is he still thinking about it like I am?

I can't seem to forget it.

We didn't even kiss, for god's sake!

It was nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Liar.

"Hey Vikram!", I hear Remya greet Vikram and I turn towards him before I can stop myself. He's already looking at me. I avert my eyes.

"Hey, Remya. You look great", he says. He then gives me a freaking smirk as he says, "and you too, Meera".

And I don't know why, but it just pisses me off when he says that with his usual charm, as if nothing happened.

I turn away from him and ask Vinash if he bought the stuff we asked him to.

"Yeah, it's all taken care of", he says giving us a subtle nod. I fold my hands against my chest and-

rip

My eyes widen as I realise the hooks on my blouse has come undone. I immediately put my back against Remya and ask her to check if my blouse will hold, in a low voice, so that only she can hear.

She takes a look before saying, " I told you to come with me to alter your blouse. If you did, then this wouldn't have happened."

"Remya, don't start. Just tell me, will my freaking blouse come undone", I hiss at her, trying to stay still in case I rip any more hooks.

"There's just two hooks holding your blouse together. You need to sew new hooks on or change your blouse", she says.

Shit!

"Come with me", I tell her as I drag her with me to where my mom is standing at the snacking counter. She walks close behind me, just in case, if my blouse decided to give up on me.

"Mom!", I call her as soon as I reach her. I call her name a few more times before she stops talking with the guy behind the snacking counter.

"What?", She asks distractedly before glancing my way, "oh! You look beautiful Meera. Why didn't you wear that necklace that I gave you", she asks, messing with my hair. She tugs my blouse down a little and-

rip

You've got to be kidding me right now!

"Mom! Stop pulling on my blouse. Oh my god!", I say, "my blouse is hanging on a thread. You have to sew new hooks on it, mom!" With that I turn around to show her the poor excuse of a blouse on my back.

Mom brings her hands to her mouth to cover her gasp. She looks like an Indian soap actress who just found out that her daughter has a boyfriend. Dramatic much.

"Meera! I told you to check if your dress was perfect, a hundred times. And you wouldn't listen", she says, glaring at me.

She's worse than Remya.

"Mom, I don't have much time. Come with me", I tell her.

But she shakes her head, saying, "Meera, I can't come with you. I've been running around all day making sure everything was right and talking to all these guests. Some of them won't be able to come tomorrow for the wedding, so I have to talk to them today. And if I come with you, they'll be wondering where the bride's mom went, leaving them to tend to themselves."

As if on cue, some aunty calls her name and she raises her brow at me as if saying 'I told you so'.

"I'll be right there, Mallika", she says before putting her hand against my elbow, " Meera, you know how to sew hooks. And you know where to find the needle and thread", she says making me whine.

"But, mom!...", I start only to be cut off by her, saying, "Meera, they're about to start the rituals. I have to be up there on the stage, and you do too. So don't waste any more time. Go. And make you keep the needle back in the box after sewing,"

With that, she leaves me. I can't believe her. I mean, it's my fault for not double checking my blouse. And maybe I should've gone with Remya to the altering shop when she asked me, instead of lazing around the house. But still.

I look around for Remya, but I can't find her. She probably left, thinking my mom would help me. I can't find her, so I decide to go upstairs to sew those hooks back in before my last hook decides to give up on me and I have to walk around with an open blouse.

A backless blouse is fashionable but not like this.

The blouse was padded, so I'm not even wearing a bra.

Today is not my day, I think as I walk back into the house with a hand against my back, in case that last hooks comes off.

This is what you get for being lazy.