POV :~ ROHAN

There are few things that can pull me away from my life in the U.S., and Kshitij’s wedding is one of them.

Kshitij — We’ve been best friends since school, and though life’s taken us in different directions, nothing could keep me away from his big day—not even my brutal schedule as a surgeon.

I barely get any time off, and what little I do get, I usually spend catching up on sleep or trying to piece together whatever’s left of my personal life.

I usually try preventing the visit to India because of personal reasons. But this wedding was non-negotiable. Even with everything going on back home, I had to be here. Anyhow.

Kshitij’s like family, and you don’t miss family events, no matter how messy things are.

So here I was, jet-lagged and exhausted, but ready to surprise the guy who’s been my anchor through thick and thin. He was actually always there. since our childhood days. When the going got tough. He knows all my secrets. Everything about me.

I stepped out of the car and looked up at the grand hotel that Kshitij owns, where the wedding was set to unfold over the next day.

The place was buzzing with excitement—flowers being strung up, guests arriving, staff rushing around. It’s the kind of chaos that would usually annoy me, but right now, it’s a welcome distraction from the noise in my head.

I hadn’t planned on crashing any bachelorette parties when I landed in India, jet-lagged and bleary-eyed, but somehow, life always had other plans for me. I’d flown halfway across the world for this.

Dhruv was already waiting for me at the hotel’s entrance, grinning like the devil himself. His hug was quick but tight, and as soon as he pulled back, he was talking a mile a minute.

“I still can’t believe you made it,” Dhruv said, slapping me on the back. “Kshitij has no idea you’re here. He’s going to flip.”

“That’s the idea,” I said, trying to ignore the dull ache in my shoulders from the long flight.

“Where is he, anyway?”

Dhruv shrugged, his expression half amused, half conspiratorial. “Running around like a headless chicken with all the wedding prep. But we can find him later. First, let’s have some fun.”

I followed Dhruv through the hotel, winding through hallways packed with decorators, caterers, and guests. It felt like the whole building was gearing up for the wedding of the year.

We stopped outside a door that read “Private Event, do not disturb,” and without waiting, Dhruv pushed it open. (Although I thought what kind of 'private event' happens in a room?)

The second we walked in, I knew we’d made a mistake.

The room was small and intimate, lit with fairy lights and filled with a cozy group of women who definitely weren’t expecting us.

And the rest that happened inside the room was history.

I barely registered the words she said back in the room because my gaze had already locked onto her.

She wore a red fiery dress that hugged her curves in a way that was impossible to ignore—tight around her bust, clinging to her like it had been sewn on moments before she entered the room.

Sayesha.

I didn’t know her name then, but it was like my eyes were drawn to her against my will, held captive by the boldness of her look. She wasn’t just beautiful, she was fierce.

The dress was bold and unforgiving, accentuating her in all the right places, and her hair fell in loose waves that framed her sharp, defiant features. She looked every bit like a woman who knew exactly the effect she had on people, and yet I got the feeling she didn’t care.

I couldn’t tear my gaze away, even when I knew I should have been focusing on explaining myself to the group. But there was something about her—something in the way she held herself, so unapologetically confident, that had me completely transfixed. I’d met plenty of beautiful women before, but none of them had ever made me feel like this, like I was staring at a wildfire I couldn’t put out. Until, she stepped out of the room.

We apologised to Kritika Bhabhi and Kshtij and walked outside the room leaving both of them alone.

Just as I headed outside and turned to move towards my room which I don't know where was, my body crashed into another body and a wave of current passed under my skin.

My eyes met with hers.

And my gaze stuck to her again, like a freaking fevi-quick.

My hands? One was holding her arm and another hand was around her waist.

AROUND HER WAIST.

Her eyes were stuck with mine.

We stared into each other's eyes like I wasn't the only one who was feeling this intense connection.

But suddenly, she stabilized herself and stood up straight, and within a span of second, pushed me back with all her force.

“Stay THE FUCK away from me.”

Her tone was sharp, and I should have been annoyed, but all I could think about was how her lips curled into a perfect, disdainful smile. I tried to focus, to act like I wasn’t affected, but it was like my eyes had a mind of their own, tracing the curves of her dress, lingering on every inch of exposed skin.

“Look, it was a mistake,” I said, though it felt like it had dropped an octave. “We were just leaving.”

But I didn’t move. Neither did Dhruv. We stood there, caught between awkwardness and something else, and Sayesha’s gaze never wavered from mine. She was challenging me, daring me to make a move, and for some reason, I couldn’t back down. I was caught—hook, line, and sinker.

Preeti, another woman, whom I hadn't even noticed before and got to know her name from Kritika bhabhi, folded her arms and glanced between us.

“You sure have a funny way of just leaving. Maybe you should take your eyes off Sayesha first.”

The heat crept up my neck, and I forced myself to look away, but it felt like a physical effort. But damn it, she made it impossible to focus on anything else.

Sayesha smirked, tilting her head slightly. “Enjoy the view, did you? Because that’s all you’re getting tonight.”

There was nothing sweet about her smile—just a razor-sharp edge that made my pulse quicken. I wanted to say something clever, something to wipe that smirk off her face, but all that came out was a weak attempt to save face.

“Not much of a view,” I shot back, but my voice lacked conviction, and we both knew it. “You clean up nice. Though, I must admit, the red dress was... distracting.”

She showed me her middle finger and muttered, “I'm out of your range.”

I caught her gesture and chuckled, uncrossing my arms to step closer. "Feisty, I like it," I murmured, my voice low. I noticed Dhruv and Priti standing beside us, Dhruv's eyes glued to the latter.

She murmured back, “Fuck off.”

I pretended to be hurt, clutching my chest dramatically.

"Wow, such language from a beautiful mouth like yours.” I looked up and down on her, “Though, I must say, it's... fitting.

My eyes darted between you and Priti, then to Dhruv, who was blatantly staring at her.

“I'll pull your tongue out of your mouth or better control it.”

I grinned wider, enjoying this banter.

"Oh, really?.. You're welcome to try.”

I leaned in closer, my voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “But be warned, I'm a surgeon. I know my way around... delicate parts.” I winked at her.

She probably felt shy because her jaw trembled for a second and cheeks turned pinkish. So I've an effect on her. Good.

I noticed the slight flush on her cheeks and the tremor in her jaw. Satisfied that I've managed to rattle her, at least a little, I stepped back and turned to Dhruv.

"Dude, stop staring. You're being obvious."

Just then Kshtij came outside the room. I wondered what he was doing inside with her fiancee alone. Dirty mind

He stepped forward and almost stepped back again when Priti shouted on his face because Dhruv whispered something sick and flirty to her,

"Apne Bhai se kahiye mujhse panga naa le, face ki geography bigaar kar rakh dungi."

["Tell your brother not to mess with me, or I'll ruin his face's geography."]

Sayesha, my girl, joined right after that,

"Aur dost se bhi. Aa jaate hai muh utha kar ladne humse."

["And even your friend. They come and argue with us arrogantly."]

Babygirl, I wasn't exactly fighting, was I?

His eyes snapped to us and we spoke in unison to save ourselves, although I was fucking joking,

"Haan toh hume bhi koi shauq nahi hai tum dono ke chehre baar baar dekhne ka, ghoonghat daal kar chala Karo."

["Yeah, we also have no interest in seeing your faces again and again, so better cover them with a veil and walk."]

Priti snapped back,

"Jyada mat bolo, ussi ghoonghat se gala daba dungi tumhara."

["Don't you dare say too much, or I'll strangle you with that very veil."]

Poor Dhruv.

Sayesha laughed. God, she looks so beautiful while laughing.

Dhruv was going to shout back again, when Kshitij interrupted,

"Silence guys, silence. What the fuxk are you all doing? We're standing in the hallway."

Sayesha spoke, scrunching her nose, like a cute baby, "Jiju, they started first. Especially this shitty -faced guy," she pointed at me.

Shitty faced guy, not valid, my wildcat. I'll make sure you due upon this shit face of mine then.

He inhaled deeply and looked at me and Dhruv, then at Sayesha and Priti.

"Relax you guys. No one will fight now."

He looked at the two girls, "Come-on go to your rooms. I'll talk with them on your behalf."

"Take good care of them, jiju, huh," Sayesha replied, "Yeah. Gigolo's," Priti laughed and both of them turned on their heels to leave us alone.

But before Sayesha could enter inside her room, I'm sure she stole a glance to look at me. I'm damn sure. You cannot ignore this shitty-faced guy, my wildcat.

Kshitij turned his attention to Dhruv and me, and we started laughing. Like hell.

“Bhai, Kahan se laaya hai tu inhe dhundh kar. Atom-bomb hai dono ki dono." Especially mine one.

Dhruv laughed, a playful smirk on his lips while he said to me,

"Black dress wali teri Bhabhi hai. Door rahiyo usse."

I warned him back, "Aur Red wali teri."

"You guys are unbelievable. They're Kritika's best friends. You cannot choose them," Kshitij lowered my voice, "as one of your casual flings."

“Just because you didn't have flings before your marriage doesn't mean we shouldn't either." I replied.

I've had a lot of flings back at US. Seriously a lot of them. But Sayesha, she doesn't seem to be a fling material. Told you, she is exceptional. She has something else inside her. She looks different. Very different.

He rolled his eyes, walking us towards our room.

"How the fuxk did you two barged into Kritika's room?"

I began explaining honestly, "Bhai, look, we both had planned to surprise you by our visit. We were coming to your room. I think  we miscalculated, and we probably entered the room opposite yours."

Dhruv laughed, "The door was open too, and no one stopped us."

I replied again, smirking, "Inside, we saw Shreya and three hot girls, and then we didn't even feel like leaving, so we stayed." Three? Just one. Thought of teasing the two of my bestfriends.

"One of the three is my fiancèe, so better take care of your language," he said to me and chuckled.

Dhruv argued, "Saley, you don't even speak a work. That fight outside your room with those two wildcats happened because of you. You got busy with romance inside, while here, they were giving us a hard time."

"Yeah, if you hadn't come at right time, who knows they would have surely filed a harassment case against us," Rohan said. My babygirl was even ready to pull my tongue out of my mouth. No kidding.

"Whatever happened has happened. Now you two, stay away from both the girls. They are Kritika's friends. She will feel bad," he said, unlocking and entering into our room, which was probably empty in case some emergency guests arrive.

"Humara ladka pyaar me gir Gaya hai."

"Our boy has fallen in love."

I said, smirking, while Dhruv was keeping the suitcases in place.

He shook his head, sitting on the bed,

"It's not that. It's just that— she is a nice girl. She is already suffering a lot. That's it."

I sat beside him, tapping his shoulder,

"Eventually everything gets better. Don't worry."

He nodded his head, "I'm feeling sleepy you guys, you two take a good sleep too."

"Yeah," Dhruv spoke.

Kshitij left us alone after that, while I freshened up and got inside the blanket, exhausted from the journey, jetlag and what not.

“Eventually everything gets better.”

I don't know to whom was I exactly explaining that line to.

Kshitij?

Or myself.

Because I need to accept the fact more than anyone else.