Sanvi was not hiding. She was simply... avoiding unnecessary chaos. Which just happened to involve a certain tall, annoyingly charming, flower-basket-insulting doctor.
Leaning slightly against the cool marble pillar in the quieter corridor of the banquet hall, she allowed herself a moment of peace. The hum of chatter and music from the main hall floated through the air, softened by distance. Outside the window, fairy lights shimmered like stars caught in a glass jar.
She fiddled with the edge of her pallu, still annoyed that the awkward incident with him kept replaying in her mind. His smirk. His stupidly perfect teeth.
The amused gleam in his eyes when he'd said-
"Next time you plan on attacking me with flowers, aim for the heart."
God, the audacity. She had half a mind to chuck a marigold at his head.
Just as she let out a frustrated sigh, a voice spoke from behind, smooth and unmistakable.
"Found you."
Sanvi whipped around, nearly slipping on her saree. "What are you-don't you have other people to bother?"
Vedarth grinned, holding up a plate with a single gulab jamun. "I come bearing peace offerings. Truce?"
She narrowed her eyes. "That's suspiciously sweet. Literally and figuratively."
He stepped closer, extending the plate. "You looked like you needed it. Or maybe I just missed your charming death glares."
Sanvi crossed her arms. "You're relentless."
"And you're dramatic," he countered easily. "I like that."
The banter settled between them like a well-rehearsed dance. Sanvi reached out and took the sweet, cautiously. "Just so we're clear, this doesn't mean I forgive you."
"Of course not," he said, hands in pockets, eyes glinting. "That would be too easy."
A beat of silence.
"You're not from the bride's side, are you?" she asked suddenly, tilting her head.
Vedarth chuckled. "You read minds too?"
She shrugged, popping the gulab jamun into her mouth. "Lucky guess."
"I'm actually from the groom's side. Aarav is my maasi's son. And you?"
Sanvi blinked. "Wait-Aarav? Aarav Mehra?"
"Yes?"
Sanvi replied, "Aarav's fiancée, Diya, is my cousin. My mama's daughter."
They stared at each other.
"You're telling me," Vedarth said slowly, "we've been pseudo enemies slash accidental flirt partners for the last hour... and we're practically family?"
Sanvi grimaced. "That sounds wrong in so many ways."
He laughed. A warm, genuine sound that curled around her chest unexpectedly. "Well, Diya and Aarav aren't blood-related, so I guess we're safe. Ish."
She gave him a flat look. "Stop talking."
"Right, sorry." He held up his hands in surrender. "So... cousins-in-law?"
Sanvi shook her head, almost smiling despite herself. "Only in Indian weddings can strangers turn into extended family within five minutes."
"I think we just skipped several stages of acquaintance," he said. "From enemies to cousins to... possible allies?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Try again after you carry three more flower baskets."
Vedarth smirked. "You're going to make me work for it, aren't you?"
"Damn right I am."
Before he could respond, a loud voice echoed from the hallway behind them.
"Ved!"
Both turned as a tall, lean boy in a bottle-green kurta jogged toward them. His messy hair was a shade lighter than Vedarth's, and his features bore a clear resemblance-particularly the easy smile.
"Raghav," Vedarth called, his face lighting up.
Raghav's eyes then fell on Sanvi, and he wiggled his brows.
"Oho. Who's this pretty mystery girl you're hiding away in corners?"
Vedarth cleared his throat. "Raghav, this is Sanvi. Sanvi, this overly enthusiastic person is my younger brother."
Sanvi smiled politely. "Hi."
Raghav leaned in mock-conspiratorially. "If he's bothering you, blink twice. I'll remove him immediately."
"I'm still here," Vedarth deadpanned.
"And still annoying," Raghav replied with a grin.
Sanvi chuckled. "You two are something else."
Raghav's smile softened. "Only because he raised me. This one practically acted like my second dad growing up."
Vedarth's face turned slightly sheepish, and something in Sanvi's heart tugged.
"Don't exaggerate," Vedarth said quietly. "You were a pain to raise."
"You were twelve and doing my homework," Raghav said with a grin. "Ma still brags about how you never let me feel dad's absence."
Vedarth looked away, jaw tight for a moment.
Sanvi didn't miss it.
Neither did Raghav, who clapped a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Anyway, bhabhi ke saath flirting karna band karo and come meet the rest. Mom's asking for you."
Sanvi blinked. "Bhabhi?!"
Raghav laughed. "Kidding! Just kidding. But seriously, don't let this one escape. He's annoyingly nice."
With a cheeky salute, he disappeared back toward the main hall.
Sanvi looked at Vedarth, whose expression had turned unreadable for a moment.
"You really raised him?" she asked, voice softer now.
He shrugged. "Tried to. Our dad passed when Raghav was six. Mom did her best, but... someone had to fill in the gaps."
There was no dramatic music. No heavy silence. Just a quiet moment, raw and real.
Sanvi didn't know what to say. So she said the only thing that felt honest.
"That's... really admirable."
He looked at her, something unspoken flickering in his eyes.
"You know," he said, voice lighter again, "this might be the first moment you haven't looked like you wanted to kill me."
Sanvi smiled, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear. "Don't get used to it."
"Too late."
Their eyes locked. The background noise of the engagement faded for a heartbeat. The moment held, delicate as a soap bubble, until-
"Sanvi!"
A tiny whirlwind of pink ran toward her, nearly crashing into her legs. It was Riya, Anju's little niece, dragging a string of fairy lights behind her like a trail of chaos.
"We need you! The power went off on the back stage, and the lights fell down!"
Sanvi blinked. "Fell down? How?"
Riya gave her a wide-eyed innocent look. "Maybe because I jumped on the table?"
Vedarth laughed. "Definitely your niece."
"Not mine!" Sanvi groaned. "Riya, you promised no table jumping today!"
"I lied," Riya said sweetly, and ran back, shouting, "Come fix it!"
Sanvi sighed. "Duty calls."
Vedarth stepped forward. "Need a hand?"
She raised an eyebrow. "Thought you were allergic to manual labor?"
"Only if it doesn't come with a side of sarcasm from you."
She didn't say anything, but when she walked toward the stage, she didn't stop him from walking beside her.
Just as they neared the back of the hall where Riya had declared fairy lights were falling from the sky, Sanvi glanced sideways at him.
He was walking beside her like he belonged there-hands casually tucked in his pockets, a half-smile playing on his lips, as if helping her fix fairy lights was the highlight of his evening.
Something about that made her pause. Then it hit her.
She still didn't know his full name.
Not really.
He hadn't properly introduced himself, and she hadn't asked. She only knew what Rishabh had called him-
Ved.
It suited him, annoyingly enough.
Short. Sharp. Mysterious.
She mentally kicked herself for not just asking earlier. But now it felt... too late? Too awkward? Like admitting she'd been paying enough attention to care.
Well, maybe she had.
But she wasn't about to tell Ved that.
So she said nothing, tucking the curiosity away in her already cluttered mind, hoping it wouldn't show on her face.
*****************************
As they disappeared behind the curtain of twinkling lights, laughter and hushed voices filling the air, a thought lingered at the edge of Sanvi's mind-a small, nagging thing that had no business being important but refused to let go.
She didn't know his name.
Not properly.
Not the one you'd write on a wedding card or save in your contacts. All she had was Ved. A nickname, maybe. A shortened version of something. Something more. Something real.
He hadn't offered it, and she hadn't asked. And now, with everything that had happened, it almost felt too strange to go back and say, "By the way, who are you?"
Funny, isn't it? How someone can feel like a story beginning... before even telling you their name?
Maybe she'd ask next time.
Or maybe... she'd keep calling him Ved just a little longer.
But was it curiosity that made her want to know more?
Or was it something else entirely?
Until next time-
with love,
-The Author. ❤️✨
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