The Bride’s Replacement

The people around her clapped happily.

The name was written on her palms and left to dry.

Calista was taken to her room.Her mother,aunt and grandmother went to the room with her and some of Izaras friends but they left as soon as she got to her room..

If not for the henna that was not dry yet,she would have taken the saree off.

She felt hot and it was weighing her down.Her hair was also becoming a bother to her now.

Everything felt uncomfortable to her.

The henna was really taking too long to dry up.

”Can I wash this now? ”she asked her mother who was sitting beside her.

Her mother looked at her,her eyes holding a similar warmth.A warmth that Calista felt she should bring it into action and words and not just in her eyes.

How she hoped the warmth would take the place of the coldness she felt emitting from her.

”Of course not…if you wash it off and it has not darkened then its considered a bad luck for the bride, ”she responded.

Calista almost shook her head in disappointment.

This was ridiculous.

”A bad luck?…what luck could be as bad as marrying a man I don know anything about? ”she found herself blubbering.

The smile on her mothers face subsided almost immediately when she said that.

”Sweery don start this again…its already hard for us to do this, ”her aunt spoke.

That did not settle in Calistas head.She did not even believe that at all.

”No way…its not hard for any of you so you don have to keep on pretending with me.Its me who is marrying that man… Maverick. And am hoping that,that is his real name. A man I have never set my eyes upon…a man I don know his full names not even his family.Not even his businesses…he does not even know about me being his wife.Its not hard for you because its me who is taking Izaras place. Its my wedding but I have no choice on it. Nobody is asking me of what type of wedding I want or even the color of the saree for my wedding..why?… because it was not supposed to be my wedding at all and here you comfortably say that its hard for you…? ”Calistas could not keep up with their lies or maybe their fake pity.

And yes,she did not need any pity from any of them.She did not pity herself for being in such a situation and so she needed nobodys pity.

The trio remained silent at her word.

They were touched by what she said but nothing could be done to help it.

None of them had actually never heard Calista speak so many words all at once.It was actually the first time.

She stood from the bed and took a step from them.

”And thanks to you mother for naming me Serenity.Atleast it helps me keep calm otherwise I would have jumped off the window and ran away like your daughter did… ”she snorted rudely but she did not dare shed a tear.

At that,she stormed away to the bathroom.She roughly grabbed the tap and twisted it open.

She washed off the henna.To her surprise and distress,the henna had really darkened and the name was evident at the centre of her palm.

She was glad that it was written in small handwriting.

She tried to rub over it again and again but nothing happened.

She hit the sink with her fist.

Unexpectedly,the bathroom door flew open.She had expect that it was one of the trio she had left at the bedroom but when the person spoke,it proved otherwise

”Someone seems to be steaming, ”she heard a male voice speaking at the door.

She knew who it was without even looking back.

”Not really…am actually boiling, ”she responded without looking back at him.

”Hhhm,care to tell me why? ”he asked.

”Not now.. ”she responded calmly.

The young man did not want to force her so she let it be.

”Okay but I thought you had a concert… ”the man spoke.

”Yeah,I did,until now.. ”she answered without looking.

”So why are you here then? ”he asked.

Calista remained silent.If not for the respect she had for him and for the friendship they had and for the serenity in her,she would have snapped at him at this point but she did not.

”So you don know what is happening or are you also pretending with me? ”Calista asked in a soft voice.

”What are you talking about? ”the guy at the door asked while moving closer to her.

It registered to her that he really did not know what she was talking about and she saw no need of telling him.She did not want to hurt him given that he had already confessed his feelings to her.

She had turned him down because she had never considered having a boyfriend and she had not even fallen in love with him.She knew she liked him and was always comfortable around him than anyone else but she was not sure if it was love.

He was a good man,very handsome and too caring for her but she could reciprocate his feelings.Now she felt it would have been a thousand times better if she was marrying him and not some strange weirdo.

She got emotional at the thought and turned to face him.She looked at his handsome face for a while then threw herself at him and hugged him.Her embrace was too tight that he could feel her peaks pressing hard against his chest.

He swallowed the temptation that came along with him hugging the woman he loved so tightly.

He hugged her back softly as though she would break in his arms if he applied the same energy she was hugging him with.

After a while,she loosened her grip around his body and stepped back while wiping away some drops of tears.

”Hey… whats wrong? ”he asked calmly, cupping her pretty face in his palms.

Silence*

”Serenity…. ”he called patiently,now looking directly at her huge deep green eyes through her glasses.

She looked up at him then shook her head.

”A-am fine Nathan… ”she tried to assure him but he did not have in to the lie.

First,she stammered and she never stammered when they spoke unless she lied.

”You have never lied to me… ”he reminded her.

That was a bit of a blackmail to her.

”Then that means I cannot tell you yet… ”she answered.

Nathan was quiet for a while then he spoke again.

”You promise to tell me..? ”he finally asked.

Calista nodded at him.Ofcourse she would but that is when she would already be at her husbands house or rather her sisters husbands house.

”Yeah…I of course will, ”she quickly responded to get done with it.

”So why are you here? ”she asked before he could say anything else.

”Am I forbidden from coming here? ”he asked with a frown.

”No..you know that you are always welcomed here and I never meant it that way, ”she responded while hitting his chest lightly.

”Ouch…! ”he teased her then started laughing.

”I saw how you did at the performance.It was incredible.I loved it…was that song for me? ”he asked with a smile.

”You did!…thank you and I sang the song for you.I will always be waiting for you, ”she spoke with a warm smile.

”Aaaw…how I wish that was true but too bad its a lie and somebody told me there is a wedding here. And,I saw aunt Ishaani but she said I should ask you.So is there really a wedding? ”he got to the real question.

”Yeah…and thats why I got my hands drawn, ”she spoke showing him het hands with her palms closed.

”Whose wedding…? ”he asked.He was really surprised.No one had told him that there was a wedding.

There was a little hesitance from Calista then she patted her lips to speak.

There was no need to lie to him.He would know the truth somehow so she decided to tell him the truth.

”My wedding… ”she answered, looking away.

”Is that a joke!? ”he asked narrowing his eyes at her.

She knew that he would never believe her.She stretched her right hand and opened her palm.

Nathan looked at her hand.

The name Maverick sat on her palm with pride.He felt a sharp pain piercing through his heart.

He was not Indian but he knew what it meant to write a mans name on a girls palm.

He wanted to speak but he did not know what to say.He felt as though his voice box was broken and he could not say anything.

Calista also remained silent as she waited for him to speak.

Nathan felt really hurt. He had always loved her and thats how he would loose her to another man!!

”You never told me you were dating,let alone getting married, ”he spoke when he found his voice again. His voice was low.It reflected pain and disappointment.

”I never did… ”she responded shortly.

A heavy fold appeared on Nathans forehead.

”So when did you meet him and you are already getting married… ”he asked again.His voice still low.

”I never met him…I don even know him, ”she confessed.

”I don understand… ”came Nathans confused response.

”I only know his name… Maverick.He was supposed to marry Izara but she…she ran away and now.. ”she broke down again as she spoke and tears began washing down her pretty face.

Nathan could not stand seeing the woman after his heart cry.He pulled her to himself and hugged her.

Calista cried in his arms.Nathan patted her back loving as he tried calming her down,sharp pierces piercing through his heart from each and every sob he heard from her.