manmarziyan: nesam chapter 1

I hope you like this. It’s a short one. Please give your reviews…. My other stories will be posted soon….
I have no clue of north Indian marriage customs… so this will be a south Indian Brahmin marriage. Hope you like this.

“here you apply the turmeric to her.” My mom gives to my granny.
“first call another girl to sit with her.” My granny says to my mom.
“I’ve called sam for this wait…. I’ll get her…” mom says as she turns towards my room.
“let her be inside. She has exams…. Call someone else…” my granny says.
“she is radhika’s sister mom… its her right to sit with her.” My mom says.
“please mala. That child is struggling with her exams…. You know this is her dream. She wants to do her MD in Germany. She is studying for that. Don’t disturb her.” Granny says.
“whats wrong? These days you like her more? This wasn’t the same few days back I suppose.” My mom asks my granny teasing her.
“I never hated her though.” My granny retorted.

Its true. I never got that kind of love and affection from my granny until few days back, when she was revealed to one of the largest secret of my life. After that she became my best friend. I don’t know if she loved me even now, or she felt pity on me. but she cared for me. I couldn’t tell mom dad or radhika about this secret. They were too happy with the marriage. I was too, who won’t be happy with their sisters’ marriage. I was scared to go out of my room. They would ask reasons for my puffy eyes, dark circles around it. I would get caught as I wouldn’t probably lie properly.
“sam….” My mom shouts from the hall where rituals were going on.

“sam, child how long can you be here. Mala called you many times, she would come here to take you. I guess you don’t want her to come here. Go wash your face and come we’ll go…” my grand pa caresses my hair. I was just lying on his lap. I nod and went towards the rest room.
“she’s coming mala. Wait.” I hear him reply for me. I sigh and wash my face. After some efforts to make up my face until, I felt that I covered my dark circles and puffy eyes properly, we went down.
“come fast… how many times to call you…. she’s is your only sister. Can’t you be here for her?” my mom scolds while dragging me to sit me down with her.
“sorry mom…” I say afraid if I may lose my control over my voice.
“okay… lets start the ritual.” She says. I can sense her ignoring me. she’s angry. This is not something new. Everyone would scold me, taunt me, tease me, except my dad and my grandpa.
I look at my granny who is not as happy as she should be in her granddaughter’s marriage. I smile and she replies with a frown. She comes and stands next to me.
“sam please don’t be like this. Your faking your smile. It won’t take more than a minute for others to judge you.”
“I can’t help with it. I’m trying my best. She’s happy now, let her not doubt about something wrong. We will talk later.” I say. I’m controlling myself really hard not to breakout in here. She knew I was struggling.
Only my grandparents knew of it.

“she’s is sad as her sister is leaving her to live with her husband. Isn’t sam?” my relative asks me. I faked a smile at her before nodding.
“I will always be with you Sammy….” Radhika said. She was so true. She had always been on my side. I smile at her whole hearted while she pulled me into a hug.
“guess your boyfriend pulled out his hand?” she whispered into my ears still hugging me.
“shut up…” I said as I pulled out.
“I don’t have any boyfriend.”
“you seem so vulnerable… whats wrong?”
“nothing… I would miss you….”
“I would miss you too…”

Granny took some turmeric in her hands, rubbed her palms against each other and applied it on radhika’s cheek, hands, feet. She did the same with me but the amount of turmeric was less. She blessed us with the holy rice (we call it akshatha) and next mom came. She did the same. Later all the ladies did the same.
“sam go get changed…” mom said after the rituals were complete.
‘and yeah… get radhika’s clothes fast. We would be in the bathroom.” She said and I nodded.
I went to my room cleaned myself and went upto her room to get her clothes. Her phone rang while I was gathering her clothes which fell when I opened the door of the wardrobe. I sigh and drop the clothes. I took the phone while my hand shook with at the sight of the name. Arjun. I just didn’t want to talk to him. I fear that I would blurt out something that may coz nonsense. I made my mind and clicked the green button.
“hello…” his smooth voice sent shivers to my spin.
“radhika darling done with your rituals?” he asked.
“Arjun radhika is not here. I’ll ask her to call you…” I say and immediately tried shutting the phone.
“wait Sammy…. Won’t you talk to me? you behave weird these days…”
“its nothing Arjun…. Just stress… my exams are nearing and we have your marriage too… so am quite busy…”
“yeah… my marriage…. Radhika would become radhika Arjun.” He said dreamily.
My heart clenched and my eyes fled at the name. I always dreamt his name attached to mine.

“Arjun… mom’s calling…. I’ll tell radhika to call you….” I say and shut the phone immediately not waiting for his reply.
I went to the wardrobe and took her clothes when something shining stuck my eyes on her table. I stuffed the clothes back and went to have a look at it. it was the gold chin he gifted her on his proposal for marriage. The ring he gave her on the day he proposed his love was hooked into it. that was beautiful. Radhika was really blessed to have him. He was handsome, caring, successful and what not. They were a perfect pair as she was no less to him in her beauty, brains and success. I didn’t want to be a block in their way.
In no less than a second their wedding card flashed to my eyes. I took it in my hands and opened. My heart hurt to see some other name instead of mine. True she was my sister…. I know that…. but this stupid heart of mine still beats for him. I don’t even know if I can forget him. It seemed next to impossible. My great fate gave me a chance to listen to him confessing his love for her in front of me.
“ sam stand here…”
“hmmm….. I know you from childhood…. we have quarrelled till no limits…. You have plucked my hair and I plucked yours…. I made you angry for all the world’s silly reasons…. And you were no less in this…. I have made a place in your parents and the same with you and my parents… I stole your ice creams… I stole your chocolates…. I added chili in your food…. And what not…. You seemed so irritating to me from the start… but I felt a strong connection between us… I don’t know if you like me… but I love you… with all y hearts and minds…. And in no way I can live without you in this crazy world. I can see my future with you and two kids of ours…. Playing in the garden of our house where as you like rose plants are planted…. In my dreams…. I want to bear all the thick and thins with you and only you…. say yes if you want my dream to come true… if not please don’t avoid me… I don’t want to lose your friendship….” He says.
I was awestruck at his confession. My tears built up. I had dreamt of this….
“how was this? Will she accept me?” he asked. She? Wasn’t it for me?
“she?” I asked questioningly.
“sam…. I love radhika…. Will you help me proposing her??” he asked and I could deny being his best friend like he was to me. that day was something that I can never forget in my life. I was gifted to select the ring for her. Great… isn’t? my love would propose my own sister…. Was it a matter to be happy that my sister is getting world’s best person as her partner, or a matter to be sad that my love will be proposing my sister choosing her over me? I didn’t know then, I don’t know now….
“sam its getting late…. Come” my granny nudged me, wiping my tears. I hugged her and cried for a while. Why does heart break make us so weak?
“you will find the best person for you soon….” She said patting my face after breaking the hug.
“I don’t get what I want…” I said disheartened.
“no… I will find someone soon.” She says and drags me with her. I promised myself to concentrate on her marriage.
Radhika was drenched with haldi. It was all over her face, hands and legs. She’d wore a white salwar, which now has turned yellow….
“yellow yellow…. Dirty fellow….” I tease her.
“yeah… my Sammy is back…” she says as she tries hugging me. I could sense her smirking inwardly.
“don’t you do that… you’ll regret badly…” I said trying to sound serious but her pout made it way making me smile. She’s no less than a kid. I sometimes doubt if she really is my elder one. I feel she is so childish and that’s what makes her sweet.
I dragged her to the veranda where few ladies were waiting for us with turmeric water in 4 buckets.
“no….. no…. I’m not doing this….” Radhika shouted and tried running away as soon as she saw the turmeric water. I gripped her tight.
“what? I have enough turmeric all over, now leave me…” she says while I push her forward.
“shut up or else I’ll call off the wedding…” this was the mantra I got to tease her.
“sorry…” she says pouting. I couldn’t hold my smile.
Those laddies asked me to pour some on her and later when I was done they flushed it over her. She made an annoyed face and I winked at her. Cute.
“take bath…. I’ll get your clothes…” I said as I passed on a towel to her. We were in her room now.
“and yeah… Arjun had clled you long back… call him once… I’ll see you later…” I trued going out not wanting to disturb their conversation as she held her phone in her hands.
“are you not happy with this marriage sam?” she asks me.
“ are you insane?” I raised my voice.
“why do I feel that there is something you granny and grandpa are hidig from me?”
“there. Is. Nothing…” I said each word with a pause, fearing she might catch me.
“sure?” she asked but before I could answer her phone rang. I was relieved. I came out of her room.
“sam mehendi artist is coming over…. Wait for her in the entrance….” Mom said and I nodded.
I was waiting for her while Arjun entered with a fair guy. Arjun launched himself at me and squeezed me into a hug.
“aaahhhh…” I shouted as herr squeezed me more.
“sorry….. how are you? you look so pale…”
Before I could answer the other person poked his nose.
“she would get paler and also thinner when you squeeze her this way….” He said as he hugged me tighter than Arjun did and lifting me off the floor. A jolt of current passed through me but I ignored.
“hey!! Leave me…” I say and he dropped me down. I fell and my back hurt bad.
“idiot” I scold him.
“ahh… what a name!!!” he says.
“stupid…. He’s my friend sam. Neil.” Arjun intervenes before I shed the dust off his face with my words.
“sorry..” he murmurs and I nod like a kitten stuck in a basket, floating in the warmth of his eyes.
“where’s radhika?” he asks me.
“in her room.”
“okay I’ll just come… you both speak… and neil don’t bore her.” He says as he walks his way away from me. neil dragged me into reality.
“is there something I should know?”
“yeah… get some manners from Arjun…” I say as I walked away from him.
Mehendi was done in the evening. Two days more my sister would get married to her love.
“what does she think she is doing? He is her sister’s to be husband.” I heard mom shouting in my room.
I entered to see my mom, granny and grandpa standing there. Radhika went out for her facials with her friends. Mom had some photo in her hand. My heart beat raised. I feared that she got to know.
“what’s this sam? Don’t you feel shame to write such nonsense things?” she handed me the photo.
It was mine and Arjun’s… we had took it when we were on a camp from school.
“I’m sorry mom…” my words slipped without my knowledge.
“what are you sorry about now? If someone gets a hint of this, her marriage would be at stake…. Do you atleast have the idea about how bad the turn over maybe? blo*dy love… you love a person who is getting married to your own sister. You are ruining her life. See sam, there is nothing called love at your age. If something happens in the marriage because of you or if you hurt radhika in any other way, you’ll see the bad of me. how could you think of intervening in her life? What else will you do to get what you want. I just kept quiet on your decision with studies, but now, because of you my daughter’s life is at stake. What if you try sedu..”
“shut up…. Just shut up and get the hell out of my room.” I said not able to listen further. How could she use those words?
“see… this is what was left. She has grown so much to ask me to stay out of her room.”
“there’s nothing wrong in what she said.” Granny answered for me.
“mom…” my mom started.
“enough…. I’ve done nothing with YOUR daughter. I didn’t even tell anyone about this. I had burnt all the pics but maybe missed this one. I’m sorryfor intervening in YOUR daughter’s life. I will see the end of this photo now…” I said and dragged the draw of my dresser and took out the lighter. I burnt my memory into ashes. My heart clenched. I ignored it but my tears didn’t support me.
“what’s happening?” my dad rushed and caught the sight of a photo burning in my hands.

The photo was almost burnt that my hand started hurting. he came to me and threw the burnt thing aside and rushed me to the restroom. He washed my hands while all the time I was hissing in pain.
He sat me on the bed and got the aid kit and dressed my hand. My mom stood there shocked. Her tears were pouring.
“what’s wrong child?” my dad asked me while dressing my hand.
“nothing dad… same old thing about my studies.
“I’m sorry sam…. I’m really sorry..” my mom said her voice totally broken, moving away from me with her fists balled.
“it’s okay mom…” I said as I motioned towards her getting my hands off clutches of my dad.
“I’m really a bad mother…” she said. That wasn’t true.
“please mom… don’t say that….”
I hugged her as we both cried. Dad was not at all aware of what was going on.
“I want you people to accept a decision of mine….” I said after pulling out.
“I don’t want to stay here…. I will do my masters and stay abroad for a few days, maybe years. I will come back when I’m fine with things. Done?” I asked.
“okay…” dad said. I knew he wanted to ask why but was reluctant.
“I would tell you everything before I go dad. I promise.”
“fine…”
“lets end the chapter here…. I want to enjoy my sisters’ marriage. “
And that was it. none spoke about it later.
It was the day before marriage. Everyone were waiting from groom’s arrival. Radhika had finished her shower. She was excited while her to be husband was nervous. He had called my n number of times to ask if radhika would be fine with him. I could just laugh which fuelled him.
The groom arrived. Mom and dad with all the elders and of course, me were standing at the entrance to welcome the groom. Radhika came later on. Dad and mom went to put the small garlands of mogra to all the gents and ladies respectively. Radhika was holding a bouquet in her hands for Arjun. she was about to run to him while I held her tight. As soon as she gave him the bouquet, I dragged her in. arjun’s relatives were spread all over that it made me difficult to find him.
“I won’t talk to you…” he said standing behind me. I shook at once.
“sorry… I was just teasing my best friend…” I said after coming out of my trance.
“fine… forgiven…” he says as he pulls me into a hug.
“where’s..’
“wait for some time….” I cut him. I knew he would ask about her.
“okay…” he says. I soon escaped from him. I couldn’t stand things at once.
I rushed to the nearby room and just collapsed on the floor.
“love should be expressed…. He wouldn’t know if not….”
I raised my head to see neil standing there.
“what are you speaking about?”
“good actress…. Isn’t?”
“please don’t eat my head…” I said wiping my tears and turned to go out.
“you love him…. Don’t you…?”
“no I don’t…. and its better if we end it here.”
Now it was the best day of my sister’s life but worst of mine.
Everyone were early up. Radhika was dressed I a half white saree. Arjun’s mom had gifted her… it was pure dharmavaram saree. She looked beautiful. With that she was shawled with a maroon saree, which mom had gifted. After few mantras and rituals radhika’s hand was kept in Arjun and my parents were asked to pour milk over the coconut that clad her hand. Later Arjun was asked to adorn the magalsutra which had blessings of everyone there to radhika’s neck. I was happy and at the same time was sad. After this Arjun held radhika’s leg and made her wear silver rings to the second toe.
“radz this is the only time he holds your leg… take advantage…” I whispered and she turned crimson.
The couple threw couloured rice I each other. My granny took some that was fallen down and put them on me.
“I want you married soon” she whispered. I gave her an impossible look.
Now this was my time. I was supposed to pull arjun’s nose. I stood in front of him and smiled. Well, a cruel one. He smiled back. I slowly walked towards him and slowly ran my hands through his hair and down his face till the tip of his nose. I shot radhika a look. She was enjoying the sight.

“if you ever think of making my sister cry…”
“ahhhhhh” he shouted as I pulled his nose.
“sam… are you nuts….? Leave me…” he asked his voice had lost its melody. Radhika was laughing so as me.
“give your wallet, your card and your pin number… I’ll let you go…” I said and winked at him.
Not able to bear the pain he did as I said and let go of his nose.
The next day radhika was sent to her new house while I had to pack my bag. I finished it as soon as possible and bid bye to everyone asking them not to tell radhika.
———————————
I know its idiotic…. But please do tell me how it is….. Silent readers…. Do give me your views…..