There’s a smile plastered on everyone’s face. Be it a genuine one or might be they were faking it, but everyone appeared to be cheerful.

There’s my uncle who’s laughing his heart out at something my father said as my mother stood by his side tickling my niece, who squirmed in her arms as she giggled.

Then there were my in-laws who seemed to have arrived with the sole purpose of getting to know everyone present here as they got along with almost everyone trying to initiate conversation and laughed at all those silly jokes. Who knows for what, probably in the hope of expanding their business circle.

Arjun seemed to be having the time of his life as he continued to chat with his friends, sipping wine from his glass at regular intervals. He has his arm wrapped around another girl who seemed to be pretty cozy with him as she leaned onto him, seemingly looking a bit more intimate given the situation of the moment for which I hardly cared.

Everyone seemed to be in their own world as they talked, joked, laughed, drank. Everyone seemed to be happy. Everyone except me.

I didn't know what to do. I was going to be engaged to Arjun in a few minutes. Nausea hit me and tears sprung my eyes but I blinked them away. No one seemed to even bother about my presence here.

It was then my uncle made the announcement for us to get forward with the proceedings. Arjun went at first with his parents followed by me with my mom and dad by my side.

In a few minutes, our match would be fixed. I’d no longer be by myself but would be Arjun’s fiancé.

I never dared look him in the eye as he stood facing me with his eyes fixated on mine. The world was spinning out of my control as the moment drew nearer.

We were gestured to pick up the rings and Arjun picked his first with a smile on his mouth that only made my heart to clench and my soul to be filled with disgust. My hand moved to pick up mine but my eyes involuntarily began to roam around in the hope of something that would save me from this madness.

I wanted to be swept away from this world, far away from the civilization where people like Arjun don’t exist. I wanted to find solace in something that would take me away from Arjun, from this crowd, from this house, from everything that constituted to my mixed feelings at the moment.

The only answer that appeared before me to all these questions was Rahul. I needed him to see him. I wanted him to be here.

Just when Arjun was about to place the ring on my finger, my eyes fixated themselves on the man whom I seek so much at the moment. I caught the glimpse of his face after almost a week as he turned away and struggled to limp when someone seemed to be dragging him away.

That’s it. My raging heart couldn't take it anymore. My feet took off on its own as my hands involuntarily shoved people away from my direction as my mind fixed itself on the sole purpose of getting back to Rahul.

I heard the distinct shouts of ‘Priya, what are you doing?’ growing fainter by each second but I didn't care.

When I reached the main door, I found Ajit standing by himself beside the gate as I rushed over to him.

“Ajit, where is Rahul?” I managed to blurt out catching my breath.

“Priya,” he said his mouth gaping open. “What are you doing here? You are supposed to……..”

“WHERE IS RAHUL!!!!” I yelled at him to which he flinched a bit but pointed out at something at a distance.

I turned to notice the distant image of Rahul and he seemed to be in a fit as he was about to swing something away when I shouted, “Rahul wait!”

He suddenly stood stunned as he seemed to take in the unanticipated situation. But I didn't wait for him to react as I took off on my heels at whatever speed my short legs would be able to hold it against my breathless situation and my pulsating heart.

Just when he turned to face me, I launched myself into his arms wrapping my hands tightly around his neck and buried my face in the crook of his neck as he stumbled a step backward.

He seemed too stunned to react as I tried to tighten my hold around him and he slowly muttered, “Priya?”

“Uhmmm?”

“Wh….what are you doing here?”

“I am where I'm supposed to be.”

“But….But aren't you supposed to be there. I mean….get engaged to …...”

“Will you just stop pondering me with your questions and hug me back? I love you you idiot,” I said as the flood gates opened and tears started to roll down my face.

I could feel the warmth of his hands on my back as he slowly wrapped his arms around my waist and hugged me tightly to himself.

“I love you too,” he said.

“I know.”

“I'm sorry,” he said which suddenly took away the heat of the moment.

“For what?” I said with a frown on my face.

“For…...for not staying by your side that day. For backing away when you need me. I'm sorry.”

“Me too. I'm sorry for keeping you away all these days. I just wasn't able to bear it when you left me. Please never do that again.”

“Never,” he replied to which a smile crept up on my face as I looked at him.

Suddenly the thought of what he was doing when Ajit pointed him to me crept up in my mind. He seemed to be about to throw something away and I pulled myself back from him and caught hold of his palm.

I pried open his fingers one by one and my eyes opened wider and my jaw dropped to the vision of what he was holding in his palm.

He had a ring in his palm which had the tiny shimmering stone seemingly exquisite adorning the golden ring. It looked so simple yet so beautiful that I immediately fell in love with it. I just couldn't take my eyes of it as I still had his wrist in my grip.

Finally after looking at it till my hearts content, I raised my eyes to find him looking at me and it’s when the reality of the situation sunk in.

“You…..you bought it for me. You were going to propose to….to me,” I muttered still in a daze to which he just nodded.

He bought it for me but couldn't find the heart to propose.

“But why did you wait so long?”

“I don’t know how you’d react to it. I just wouldn't be able to bear it if you rejected me. I always wondered if you thought of me just as a friend. Probably that was the reason I stepped back that day when Arjun came to get you. I….I thought that you deserved someone like him, of his status. I know I'm never going to get to that level and I…...”

“Just shut up!” I said with my glare shooting daggers at him. “Why would you think I’d want you to be someone else. Do you know I've been waiting for this moment since years? I waited every single day for you to propose to me. I mean….how could you think like that. I just love you for who you are.”

He looked at me for a moment taking in what I've said before getting down on one knee straining a bit to do so, for what I don’t know..

Ohmygod! He was going to propose to me.

“Priya, will you……..”

I didn't let him finish it as I went down on my own knees. I just grabbed hold of his neck and pulled him to me, mashing my lips against his.

My hands moved automatically to wrap themselves around his neck as his arms snaked around my waist and pulled me closer to him as he started kissing me back.

I kissed him with all the love and passion I can muster on. I kissed him with all the love that I've pent up for him waiting on all these years for him to confess to me. I kissed him with everything I have.

He rose up without breaking the kiss pulling me along with him as I melted into his arms under the comfort of his embrace.

He flinched again as he strained to fully get onto his feet. I pulled back from the kiss and asked him with concern, “Rahul? What happened?”

“Now’s not the time to discuss that,” he said as he pulled me back into the depths of the abyss that was filled with LOVE and I melted into a puddle as I closed my eyes.

I opened my mouth as my tongue met his wrapping themselves around each other as they danced to the rhythm of our unconditional love.

I could hear the faint yells of Arjun from the distance but I hardly cared. I was so lost in the intensity of the moment as it carried me into the bliss. I forgot the world around us, the only sound I heard being the sync of our hearts beating together.

We kissed like starved lovesick teenagers who were deprived of love. We kissed until our breaths couldn't hold it any longer and then kissed some more.

Finally after what felt like an eternity, I opened my eyes and looking at him in the eyes, I pulled back from the kiss and taking a deep breath, I said, “yes, I’ll marry you,” as he placed the ring on my finger.

                                                                      ~THE END~

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I thank everyone who've supportive of me in my first attempt at short stories. I hope everyone liked it. I'm open to comments and reviews so that I can rectify myself for my future works.

The support was overwhelming as my original plan was to wrap it up by four to five parts but the constant encouragement that enticed me into extending it up to ten parts. Will be back with a lot more to come.

Thank you.