Ayaan's POV:
Finally, after snoozing my alarm 10 times, I woke up for the 11th alarm. It's going to be a very long day. Before anyone gets a chance to scold me, I should get ready. I know how difficult work will be during weddings, especially with all these traditions in Hyderabad. I experienced all of this during Ishaan Anna's wedding, and now again for Kavya Akka's wedding.
I don't know what they are going to do without me. I don't know about your houses, but in my home, without me it looks like a library.
After getting ready, I went out to have breakfast. When I reached the dining table, only Anna, Vadhina, and Myra were there. They told me everyone had left for the wedding an hour ago, and they were going to leave after checking if all the required things had been sent or not.
Just after seeing me, Myra came running to me. She is just two years old but already knows a few sentences. And I know that little firecracker understands everything because every time she catches me.
"Ayu Babai, I woke up earlier than you. See, I even got ready. Mummy told me I am going to be pellikuthuru ( bride ) in Kavya Atha's pelli ( wedding )."
Just then Vadhina came with my breakfast and said,
"Adhi thoda pellikuthuru Myra, pelli kuthuru kadhu. Atha pellikuthuru."
(You are just a little helper bride, Myra. Your aunt is the real bride.)
"Haa adhey (samething) mummy, both are same. Where is my pellikoduku (groom) then? Atha has pellikoduku right?"
"Dhaaniki inka chaala time undhi ley Myra, nee pelli kanna mundhu naa pelli ithadhi."
(There's still a lot of time for that, Myra. My wedding will happen before yours.)
"And do you know something? I ate ice cream yesterday night on the terrace. But you were sleeping, that's why I woke up late. Hehehe," I said, sticking out my tongue.
"Orey Ayaan, why are you bringing ice cream into this? If she cries you are responsible, see," said my brother, glaring at me.
I immediately replied, "Its ok anna, she has to know someday about it. Haa Myra, don't cry. In fact, you know your father also ate ice cream after he made you sleep. He forgot about you. He loves me more than you."
Immediately I heard Myra scream. My brother was glaring at me and trying to console her.
Just then Vadhina came behind me and said,
"Devuda, okka nimisham urkovu kadha dhani edipinchakunda!"
(Oh God, can't you stay quiet for one minute without making her cry?)
"Myra, stop crying. No one ate ice cream," she said and hit my head playfully.
I acted innocently and said, "Haa yes Myra, if you want you can check the fridge."
I said that and ran from there when I heard my brother screaming my name.Okay, so today's quota of annoying my little princess is over. I like her cute angry face.
Suddenly I realized shit! I forgot the car keys. I ran back into the house.
My brother glared at me and said, "What now? Go to the groom's house and pick them up."
"Nothing Annaya, I forgot the car keys," I said.
I took the keys and went to Myra to say bye. I kissed her cheek and whispered in her ear,
"You know, the chocolate ice cream was so tasty."
Then I ran from there before my brother could say anything. Behind me I heard Myra crying even louder.
It was just a one-hour drive from our house to Rohith Bava's house, but because of traffic it took me two hours to reach there.
When I reached there, him, his parents, and two of his younger cousins were already there. Everyone left in other cars.
As part of the ritual, the bride's brother should pick up the groom from his home.I met Bava's parents. Athayya and Mavayya are very chill people. My Akka is very lucky.
We started the journey with the groom's parents in one car, and me, Bava, his cousins Kiran (who is currently pursuing MBBS), and his sister Anvi in my car. We started blasting music.
Anvi is currently in her 9th standard and she is very excited. I can tell by the way she keeps asking questions about everything. Kiran is also an easygoing person.
Soon we all reached the wedding resort. It was around 2 PM in the afternoon.
The resort is in the outskirts of the city. Some close relatives will arrive tonight, and the remaining guests will arrive tomorrow or the day after tomorrow.
Today we are just going to take rest and look at the arrangements.
Tomorrow night is the Sangeet. We will celebrate it together. Then the next day Haldi will start.
They said the groom and bride should not see each other after Haldi. Normally in our place we do Haldi for three days including the wedding day.
It was already 6 o'clock when I woke up. When I came outside, my Amma came towards me and gave me a huge list.
"Chinna, these are the things required for the muhurtham. Check if everything is there or not and please check twice. If we miss anything, matapadalsi vasthadhi malli."
(If we miss anything, it will become embarrassing later.)
"The things are placed in the ground floor last room."
I whined and told her, "Amma, I am tired after driving. I just woke up. I will do it later."
But she said Anna is taking care of decorations and Vadhina is looking after return gifts and gold things, so it is compulsory.
Without having any choice, I took the list and went to check.
It's good that I checked because there were actually a few things missing.
I went back to Amma and said, "Maa, these things are missing. I checked properly. Send someone to buy these."
She looked at me with an innocent face.
I knew she was planning something, so I immediately turned my back and started walking.
Suddenly I felt someone pulling my shirt collar from behind.
None other than my mother.
She said innocently,
"Naa chinna koduku undaga, why will I send someone else?"
(When my younger son is here, why should I send someone else?)
"Tomorrow go and bring them. Also we still need to bring gold. Vadhina said some orders are still in the showroom, including Kavya's jewelry. And bring some extra small gold gifts also because we forgot about adapaduchu katnaalu."
(Adapaduchu katnaalu = gifts given to the groom's sisters.)
"Rohith has two cousin sisters and a brother. So we will give some gold gifts to them so it will be remembered."
"Amma, stop your serial acting. I know you people only want me for work."
"It's okay, I will go. But why only adapaduchu katnaalu? Don't they give any gifts to bamardhi? Even boys deserve gifts right?"
(Bamardhi = bride's brother-in-law)
"You should ask that to your ancestors." she replied calmly.
Then she said, "Now go and check if dinner is ready and call everyone."
"Amma, I think you decided to kill me with work. Only I have to take care of everything."
Just then my father came and said,
"Koncham vollu vonchi pani chesthe sir gaariki karigipoyedhi em ledhu.
(If you bend a little and work, nothing will melt away from you.)
"Eppudu somaripothu la padukovadamey kadha pani!"
(Your only work is sleeping like a lazy fellow!)
I ignored his last line. I know where it leads if I argue.
"Amma, if we give gifts to Bava's sisters then Kiran will feel bad right? Should I bring something for him also?"
"Haa chinna, baga gurthuchesav."
(Good that you remembered.)
"Bring something for him also. Now go call everyone for dinner."
"Okay Amma."
Samhitha's POV
It was already 8 PM when I reached home.Everyone left for the wedding this morning. I will go there tomorrow directly from the office.
I reheated the food Mummy cooked for me in the morning and went to my room.I am so tired. I just want to sleep.
But I am scared of sleeping alone. Not in the way that I am alone in my room, but knowing there is no one else in the house makes me extremely scared.
That's why Mummy was worried about leaving me alone, but I told her I will manage because I don't want them to worry.
Suddenly my phone rang. It scared me.
It was in the kitchen where I had left it while cleaning the dishes.
"Devuda, ee time lo evaru call chesthunnaru?"
(Oh God, who is calling at this time?)
"Ippudu kitchen varaku vellala?"
(Do I have to go all the way to the kitchen now?)
Somehow with courage I went to the kitchen, took the phone, ran back to my room, and locked the door.
It was Mummy. I called her back immediately. But Anvi answered.
"Hello Chinni, what are you doing? Why did you answer the phone? Where is Mummy?"
"Akka wait, Mummy is busy with relatives. She called to ask how you are and if you ate dinner."
"Oh I ate dinner. What about you? How is everything going there?"
"Akka you know, I met Ayaan Anna. He is Kavya Vadhina's brother. He is so funny. In fact we came to the resort in his car."
I sighed.
"Anvi, how many times should I tell you not to trust strangers so quickly?"
She made a face.
"He is a good guy Akka. We enjoyed a lot during the car journey. He even said he will bring ice creams for me."
I listened and asked, "Okay, but who is Myra?"
She explained everything about Myra and kept on going to ayaan.
Finally she said, "Akka I'm sleepy. When are you coming tomorrow?"
"I will come tomorrow evening. Go and give the phone to Mummy."
When my mother answered, I could hear many relatives talking beside her.
I immediately warned,
"Mummy, if you give the phone to any relatives, I'll cut the call."
Because I already knew what they would ask. "When is your wedding?" "Next is your turn!" My mother laughed.
"Enti aa mondithanam? Maatladithey muthyalu raalipothaya enti?"
(Why are you so stubborn? Will pearls fall if you talk to them?)
"Everyone here is asking about you."I sighed.
"I know exactly what they'll ask."
Then she told me something important.
"Tomorrow go to the jewelry shop and collect the gold gift. It will be ready."
"And don't come alone. The resort is on the outskirts. I'll send someone to pick you up."
"Mummy no need. I can manage."
Just then I heard Rohith Anna's voice.
"Who is it pinni ( Aunty )?"
"Rohith, it's Ammu. I told her to bring the gold tomorrow. I said I will send someone to pick her up but she denied"
He took the phone.
"Ammu, I'll send someone to pick you up tomorrow. Finish your office work early. Don't say no. This is final."
Just then I heard another voice.
"If you don't mind Bava, I can pick her up. I also need to go to that gold showroom anyway to get some gold."
I froze. I didn't know who that was.
Before I could say anything, Rohith Anna said,
"Perfect. Ayaan will pick you up."
I frowned. Who is this Ayaan?
Later that night I tried to sleep. Suddenly I felt like I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move my hands or legs.
It felt like my body was stuck. There was blood everywhere. Dead bodies. People crying. Fire. Screams. Someone grabbed my leg and started dragging me backward. Police sirens. Ambulance sounds.
Suddenly I saw a dead body near my leg and screamed.
I opened my eyes. I was in my room. No blood. No dead bodies. But I was sweating and shaking. I checked the time. 3:38 AM. If I call my family they will worry. I couldn't breathe properly.
Everything was spinning. I immediately took my medicine from the shelf and swallowed it.
After ten minutes my breathing slowly returned to normal.
I went to the washroom. I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again. So I took a towel and started getting ready for the day.