The air in the small room was thick with tension. The groom stood against the wall, arms crossed and eyebrows knitted in anger. The groom's brother was opposite to him, arms crossed and eyebrows sagging in apprehension. The groom's friend found herself at crossroads, aiming to achieve an emotional state between boiling anger (for the brother), all consuming love (for the groom) and utter helplessness (for herself).
"Why are we so silent?"
Swayam shot his brother a scorching glare but kept mum. Sharon had asked him ("Don't you dare say a word") and he didn't dare anger her. He saw Sharon give an unimpressed look to Saurav.
"I stopped your brother from beating you into a pulp. That does not give you the permission to be a wise ass." Swayam smirked at that.
The air grew thick again as Saurav felt silent, his head dropped down. The girl (Sharon, his brother had called her) was the only reason he was still in fit state. He probably deserved the beating he would have got if it were not for her. After all, he had acted like the world's biggest prick.
"Why are you here? Haven't you done enough?"
"Swayam-"
"I have every right to ask him Sharon. You can not stop me from asking."
"Swayam, what happened? You had calle-"
"Nisha."
"Saurav?!"
--
Sharon had insisted on leaving them alone for a while. He still loves her, she had said to him. He, in return, had asked how she was so sure.
"I saw the same pain present in him, the same pain which I was in."
Swayam felt his breath constrict so much that it hurt. He clenched his fists tight and let out a long sigh, his eyes turning wet against his will. In a quick motion he pulled Sharon into a tight hug, burying his face deep in her hair, holding her tight against himself. He knew how difficult all this was her; more than him. He could console himself by saying that it was all for the baby but she had to bear all the brunt just because she loved him.
"You deserve someone better." He said in a small voice.
"What?"
"You deserve someone who keeps you happy, not someone who puts you in so much pain." Swayam said, skimming his fingers across her soft cheek.
"Yeah, you're right." Sharon replied and Swayam looked at her as if she had slapped him. It'd have been better if she'd done that.
"Maybe I do deserve someone better. But I want you and I think that counts for something, doesn't it?"
Swayam smiled.
"I love you, sweetplum."
"I know, Rapunzel."
"Don't call me that!"
--
Nisha had a hard time holding her tears in as she felt Saurav's eyes on her. It had been so long (4 months) since they had both been in the same room. She could still vividly recall the last conversation they had had.
*
"It feels like a slap to my face Nisha, that you are carrying his child."
"It doesn't matter! You will be his father no matter what."
"I can't believe this is happening. I know it's not your fault but it feels like such a betrayal."
"That's rich. It's not as if we started our relationship on pure situations. We cheated on Swayam! You remember why we did it right? You remember the promises we made right?"
"This was not a part of it. I'm sorry Nisha but I don't think I can do this."
"Saurav- no!"
"I can't be with you knowing you have his child."
"Nononono! Saurav!"
"I'm sorry."
*
"You son of a bitch. Why are you here? Today of all days?!"
Saurav looked down, abashed. He knew his answer but had no idea how to tell her. How to tell her, on her engagement night, that he still loved her, despite the fact that he left her. How to tell her that he regretted leaving her.
"Say something!"
"Come back to me."
"What?"
"I love you. Please come back to me."
--
"Swayam?"
"Yeah?"
"What is Saurav and Nisha are getting back together inside? Where does that leave us?"
"Here." Said Swayam, as he leaned down to capture Sharon's lips in his own and for a moment Sharon forgot about Saurav, Nisha and everyone else except him.
--
Swayam and Sharon walked into the room to watch Nisha crying in Saurav's embrace while he held onto her. Swayam distinctly remembered walking on them months ago. He had been so outraged to discover that his brother and his fiance had been fooling him. And now, seeing both of them together, he could only feel peace; now that the tension had been lifted off his shoulders.
Seeing them together, only one thought filled his mind.
I can be with Sharon, now.
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