IshRa FF Strangers Chapter 22-27 Page 94-95 *Completed* (3/3/15) - Page 45

briliant writing- pls pm me when you update :)

😊

pls continue soon

Chapter 17

"Raman bhai! Meet Bala jiju, Professor Balachandran. Mihika's jiju. He is a Professor of Economics at Madras University. And Bala jiju, this is Raman bhai. My brother, friend, philosopher, guide, everything!" Mihir introduced Raman and Bala to each other. "Professor of Economics? No offense Mr. Balachandran but you do not look like a nerdy Professor one bit. You look like a South movie star or something," Raman commented shaking hands with Bala. "Please, just call me Bala.. And thank you for the compliment. It was a compliment, wasn't it? Or did I miss some underlying sarcasm?" Bala said laughing. "No! No! No sarcasm at all," Raman clarified. "Raman bhai, Bala jiju is going to be our guide throughout the Tamil wedding ceremonies," Mihir explained. "Yes! We will definitely a guide or we'll probably turn the Iyer wedding into a Punjabi one too," Raman said. "And that would cause a world war between the Iyers and the Bhallas," Mihir said as all three of them laughed heartily.

"Okay, so you have to be up at 3 in the morning tomorrow Mihir. We will start with the Vrutham. The pooja for the Vrutham will start at 4:25," Bala instructed Mihir. "4:25 in the morning? You mean 4:25 AM?" Raman asked in disbelief. "Yes Bhai. Its called the Brahmamuhurtham in their culture. It's the time for all auspicious events," Mihir explained before Bala could speak up. Raman looked at Mihir surprised. "I have been researching Tamil Iyer culture ever since I started dating Mihika," Mihir explained sheepishly as Raman and Bala burst out laughing.

"Oh and I hope you know that after this cocktail sangeet party, no more drinking till all the functions of the marriage are over," Bala added. "I know. Which is why we mixed all the Tamil and Punjabi functions and had this cocktail sangeet first so we Punjabis could have our style of fun," Mihir said as he raised his glass and Raman and Bala joined him in the toast.

"Ladies and gentlemen," a female voice sounded and Raman, Mihir and Bala looked towards the center of the banquet hall where the cocktail sangeet party was being held. "That's my wife, Vanditha," Bala said, indicating towards the woman on stage. "She is beautiful," Raman commented as he observed the woman on stage. She had a slightly dusky complexion, was very obviously pregnant and the tone of her voice told Raman that she was used to getting her way. "She is a Professor too," Bala whispered into Raman's ear. "Presenting to you, the very gorgeous bride, Mihika soon-to-be Arora Iyer! Accompanied by the beautiful women of the Iyer clan!"

The hall erupted in applause and even from the distance, Raman could see his mom and sister making faces and that prompted a chuckle from him. Some song played in the background that Raman assumed must be in Tamil as the dancing procession of Iyer women entered the venue starting with the youngest Iyer girls. As each person entered the venue, Vanditha announced their name and their relationship to Mihika. Raman was being a mere spectator to the events when suddenly Vanditha announced a name that piqued his interest. "Next up, Dr. Ishita Iyer! Ishita, ladies and gentlemen, is my very pretty younger sister and Mihika's akka. Please put your hands together for Ishita Iyer!" Raman's heart picked up speed and he slowly made his way towards the center of the hall, trying to tell himself that it might not be her. There could be hundreds of thousands of Ishita Iyers in the country. It could be anyone. And yet his heart yearned for it to be her and only her. The girl on stage was turned away from the audience but even without seeing her face Raman knew it was her. She was wearing a bottle green ghagra choli paired with an ink blue dupatta that was just perfect - not too gaudy and not too simple. Her long hair was braided neatly and a string of jasmine flowers was wrapped around her hair at the start of the braid. Her arms were crossed at her wrists above her head in graceful poise as she waited for her music cue to start her performance. When the beat of the music picked up, Ishita twirled gracefully to face the audience and started to dance.

His heart stopped, time stopped and the world around him simply ceased to exist as Raman took in her appearance. She looked so gorgeous. He had missed her so very much. Every instinct in him wanted to run to her and hug her so tight that he would never let go. His reaction to seeing her surprised him. He knew he missed her but he'd never really realized just how much. It disconcerted him. But he did not take his eyes off her dancing form. She was the epitome of grace as she smiled and danced. All other sights and sounds drowned out as he kept staring at her. In the milieu of sounds filling the hall, the only sound he heard was the delicate chime of her anklets and bangles. In the colorful lights circling the hall, the only light he saw was the glow on her face, the twinkle in her eyes. Was she even real? Or was his overactive imagination playing tricks on him? He took a couple of steps towards the stage forgetting where he was but checked himself when the hall erupted in applause and he realized Ishita was done dancing. He looked at her once more to his fill and then stepped back into the audience.

As if she had sensed his presence, Ishita paused while getting off the stage. Her eyes scanned the crowd of people gathered around the stage. Why had it felt as if a pair of intense, hooded eyes had been watching her throughout? Why did it feel as though her heart wasn't just racing because of the exertion of the dance she had just performed? Why? Ishita shook her head to clear her thoughts as she helped Mihika onto stage and joined her in the dance. She then dragged her Vandu Akka onto stage and the three sisters laughed and danced to their hearts' content unaware of Raman's unwavering gaze fixed n Ishita.

***

"Ishita"

The husky voice washed over her and her skin erupted in goosebumps. Ishita stopped in her tracks. She was in the hallway behind the banquet hall where the party was going on and had stepped out to go use the restroom. How many times in the last year or so had that voice haunted her dreams? Her every waking minute? This couldn't be happening. She was imagining all of this. She started to take another step.

"Are you going to just walk away from me? Without a word? Like last time?"

This couldn't be her imagination. She turned around slowly. He was leaning against the wall in a nonchalant pose, his arms and legs crossed casually but the way his lips were pursed in a thin line gave away the tension he was hiding. She wanted to run to him and hug him. She fought the urge down by clutching her fists so tight that her nails dug painfully into her palms.

"Excuse me Sir. Are you talking to me?" she asked as casually as she possibly could considering the emotional turmoil she was in.

Of all the possible scenarios he had imagined when he would meet her again, this was completely unexpected. He straightened and took a step towards her.

"Ishita?"

"Yes. I am Ishita. Ishita Iyer. But I don't think we have met before. I think you are mistaking me for someone else," she said as she turned on her heel and walked quickly, almost ran towards the restroom.

Once in the restroom, she closed the door and slumped to the floor. Why? Why was this happening to her? She had decided to let go. She had accepted her fate. Then why? Why was she being tested so? Ishita hugged herself and started to cry.

***

"Akka! Where were you? We've been waiting for you for so long!" Mihika complained as soon as Ishita entered the party hall a long while later. All the elders and kids had dispersed and as Mihika led Ishita into the hall, she noticed that there was just one group of people sitting around a table - Bala jiju, Vandu Akka, Mihir and.. Raman. "Mihku, I.. I have a headache. I.. I came to say I am going to rest.." Ishita tried to make an excuse. "What Akka? No excuses! I'll get you painkillers for your headache but you have to join us. I have something fun planned," Mihika said as she made Ishita sit at the table, right across from Raman. Ishita smiled at Mihir who was sitting beside Raman but did not dare to look at Raman.

"Okay! Listen up everyone! Before we begin, Ishu Akka, this is Raman Kumar Bhalla, Mihir's brother, and pretty much all in all. And Raman Sir, this is Ishita Iyer, my sweetest Akka!" Mihika said performing the introductions. Ishita smiled formally at Raman but Raman simply stared at her, a mixture of anger and puzzlement mirroring in his eyes as he watched her. "Now that the introductions are done, lets start the game!" Mihku said excitedly. "Game? What game?" Vanditha asked. "Its called Never Have I Ever! The rules are simple," she said placing bottles of Coke in front of each of the persons sitting at the table and water for Vandita. "It's a really fun, exciting game. Each person, in their turn tells the others about one thing they have never done. People in the group who have done it have to finish a bottle. When you finish drinking all your bottles you get eliminated. The last person remaining is the winner. This is actually a drinking game, you know, played with beer and all but we'll just have Coke instead," she said finally sitting down. "Sounds interesting!" Bala commented. "So, who is going to start?" Mihir asked. "We'll start with.. Hmmm.. Vandu Akka, you start," Mihika said. "Okay.. Let me think.. Never have I ever.. eaten chicken!" Vandu exclaimed. "How boring Vandu Akka! This is supposed to be a fun, naughty game. Think naughty!" Mihika complained. "Mihku! I have an 8 year old son and I am about to have another kid and you are asking me to think naughty?" Vandita said. "Oh come on Vandu, if we weren't naughty, we wouldn't have two kids, would we?" Bala teased and Vandu blushed. "Bala!" Vandu protested before giving in. "Okay! Okay! Never have I ever.. Hmmm.. Never have I ever watched an adult movie," Vanditha giggled as she confessed. Bala, Mihir and Raman chugged down their drinks while Mihika and Vanditha looked on giggling. Ishita sat fiddling with her dupatta, thinking of a way to get out of Raman's sight as soon as possible.

"My turn! My turn!" Mihika said and everyone turned their attention to her. "Never have I ever... been kissed!" she said winking at Mihir slyly. "Mihir! You haven't even reached first base yet? Bro, at this rate, you won't reach home base till your 25^th wedding anniversary. I think she is giving you a hint and you should take her up on it," Bala said as he chugged down his drink. "Why not? Come on Mihku.. Let me take care of your complaint right now," Mihir said as he got up from his chair. "Mihirrr!!" Mihika shrieked as she warded off his advances. "Till when will you stop me baby? Just a few more days and then you will have to come to me! I've waited so long, I can wait a few more days," Mihir said as he sat down. Vanditha smiled sheepishly as she drank from her bottle, "Bala kissed me right after he proposed and I accepted. But don't tell Appa and Amma, okay?" she warned her sisters. Raman's eyes were fixed on Ishita and her untouched bottle. For the first time during the game, Ishita's gaze locked with Raman's. Her breath hitched and she swallowed nervously. As Raman drank from his bottle, Ishita could see the open challenge in his eyes as he dared her to accept the truth. Her hand reached for her bottle and then, she took it back. She pushed her chair back and got up, "Mihku, I am really not feeling well. I am going to my room," Ishita said as she left ignoring everyone's protests.

She was about to open the door to her room when a hand yanked her back and she found herself pinned against the wall by none other than Raman Kumar Bhalla.

Hahaha.. Makes me feel special! Thank you! 😃

OMG they finally met and I am so glad that Raman founded her because I wanted Raman to find her. Ishita's reactions was predictable, she is running from Raman. Why? She knows Raman very well, it's sad that she still can't trusts her heart though her heart is yearning for him only.

Raman has to be stubborn and patient with his madrasan to accept him.

They have missed each other so much.

Can't wait to read next chapter

Update ASAP.