Ira's pov
Delhi felt softer in the mornings now.
Maybe it was the excitement. Or maybe it was the fear I wasn't ready to admit yet.
The engagement was five days away.
And I had a hundred things to do.
---
Shopping with Aarav
Aarav picked me up that afternoon.
His car smelled like mint and cologne — neat, just like him.
"Ready?" he asked, flashing that usual polite smile.
I nodded. "Let's get this over with."
He chuckled. "That's exactly the tone every girl uses before shopping."
We went to a fancy boutique in South Delhi. Soft music, velvet curtains, golden lighting.
Aarav's family had already selected his outfit.
Now it was my turn.
I tried on lehengas one after the other — peach, lavender, champagne gold.
I looked at myself in the mirror, but something always felt… off.
"Too heavy," I said.
"Too plain."
"Too shiny."
Aarav sat quietly through it all.
He wasn't impatient. Just... distant.
"You don't like any of them?" he asked after a while.
"I don't know," I sighed. "They're beautiful. Just not… me."
He nodded thoughtfully.
Then, he got up and walked to a section I hadn't noticed.
"What about this one?" he asked, holding up a soft ivory lehenga with delicate silver work.
I touched the fabric.
It felt like moonlight.
Simple. Elegant. Soft.
"I like this," I whispered.
His eyes met mine in the mirror.
"I thought you might."
Something in me softened.
Maybe this could work.
---
With My Family
Back home, Maa had turned into a wedding planner overnight.
"Guest list is too long," she muttered, scribbling in her diary. "And where is the contact for the decorator?"
Papa was folding invitation cards. Bhaiya was checking the menu on his phone.
I stood in the middle, holding a glass of water, watching the chaos swirl around me.
"Ira, did you book the mehendi artist?" Maa called out.
"Done," I replied.
"What about the ring tray?"
"I ordered it yesterday."
"And flowers?"
"Yellow roses. Like you wanted."
Maa looked up, smiling. "You've grown up."
I smiled back, but my throat felt tight.
It was strange — watching my family prepare for my new beginning, like packing me into a new chapter.
And I wasn't sure if I was excited… or just scared.
Later that night, Papa found me sitting in my room, surrounded by jewelry boxes.
He sat beside me and gently placed his hand over mine.
"Nervous?" he asked.
I nodded.
He didn't say anything for a few seconds.
Then, "It's okay to feel a little lost before something big. But remember, you're not alone."
His words wrapped around me like a blanket.
And for the first time in days, I let my head rest on his shoulder.
---
With My Girls
The next day, Tanya, Sanya, and Rhea dragged me out for accessory shopping.
We went to Janpath — noisy, colorful, alive.
"I want jhumkas," Tanya declared.
"You're not the bride," Sanya said, rolling her eyes.
"Still," Tanya smirked.
I wandered between stalls, my friends chattering beside me.
But my thoughts were floating elsewhere.
"Ira, what do you think?" Rhea asked, holding up a pair of silver anklets.
"Huh?"
"You okay?" she asked softly.
I nodded. "Just tired."
"You've been quiet since the lehenga shopping," Sanya noted.
I looked at them.
"I'm not sad," I said.
"I'm not unsure either."
"I'm just… processing."
They didn't push me.
They simply walked closer, forming a quiet circle around me.
Sometimes, friendship means giving space — but not distance.
---
The Final Countdown
Two days left.
We did haldi at home. Light, fun, close family only.
Maa smeared turmeric on my cheeks and got teary-eyed.
"Don't cry, Maa. Your makeup will run," I teased.
"I'm not crying," she sniffed. "Just… allergic to happiness."
Bhaiya laughed so hard he dropped a bowl of flowers.
That night, we practiced the engagement entry.
Aarav and I were to walk in together, under a canopy of flowers.
It felt dreamy.
Almost too dreamy.
Like I was watching someone else's life play out in mine.
---
The Engagement Morning
The house was buzzing like a honeycomb.
Makeup artists came in with suitcases of brushes and palettes.
My room was filled with laughter, curling irons, and the smell of hairspray.
Tanya was managing my earrings. Rhea was fixing my blouse hook.
Sanya had taken charge of my lipstick.
"You look so stunning," Rhea whispered.
I looked in the mirror.
Ivory lehenga. Silver shimmer. Soft curls.
But my eyes…
They looked uncertain.
"You okay?" Tanya asked.
"I think so," I replied.
She nodded, understanding more than I said.
One by one, the elders started leaving for the venue.
Then Bhaiya called from downstairs.
"All set? Come soon!"
We stepped out of the house.
But halfway down the lane, something struck me.
"Wait!" I gasped. "I forgot something!"
"What?" Sanya asked.
"My ring," I said breathlessly. "The engagement ring! I kept it in my drawer to double check the size!"
Everyone stared at me.
"I'll go get it," I said quickly. "You all go ahead. I'll take a cab and meet you there."
"Are you sure?" Tanya asked.
I nodded. "It's just five minutes."
They left hesitantly, waving from the car.
I turned and ran back inside the house.
The rooms were suddenly so quiet.
Like they were holding their breath.
I rushed upstairs and opened my drawer.
There it was — the little velvet box.
I picked it up, clutching it like treasure.
And then — my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
I frowned and answered without thinking.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Then a voice.
"Ira."
I froze.
That voice.
That one word.
So familiar… so dangerous.
"Kabir?" I whispered.
The line stayed quiet.
Then he spoke again.
---
End of Chapter 7