Goal: Lav's desperate search, the disappointment of failure, and the intervention of fate via the reception invitation.
Lav spent the first half of the night after the wedding staring at his laptop, feeling stupid. He searched every variation of "girl in blue lehenga at [Wedding Location]" he could think of. He checked the wedding hashtag. Nothing. Roo had given him her full attention, but he had been too paralyzed by his own internal storm to even ask her name. The regret was a raw, aching punch to his gut. He slammed the laptop shut. He had been a fool to think that a genuine spark could exist for someone as broken as him. Let it go, the cynical part of him whispered. It was just a moment. He decided to leave it to fate, the ultimate surrender of a man who believed in nothing.
The Call
The next morning, the call came from his cousin, the bride's sister.
Lav answered, immediately sinking into his usual mask of world-weariness. His cousin was asking if he planned to attend the couple's reception party later that week.
"No, I won't go," Lav heard himself say, his voice flat. "I bored of all these functions going on. I am here just to keep my parents company, and so I am not needed there, and won't go."
He looked down at Ghost, who was lying at his feet, tail thumping gently. He closed his eyes and saw the memory of Roo's profound smile, the one she had given his pet. He remembered the feeling of her hair, and the challenge in her quiet voice. The darkness receded slightly, replaced by a reckless, sudden hope.
His voice changed entirely. "Actually, you know what? Yes. Tell me the details. I will absolutely be there."
A rush of gratitude washed over him. He disconnected the call, staring up at the ceiling and letting out a shaky laugh. He thanked fate. He even dared to send a silent prayer to a God he didn't believe in, simply begging to see her there.