N A N D I N I

"Yes, Mumma. Yes. I'll be there on time. Don't worry. Okay. I'll see the picture. Yes, it's in my bag. No, Maa, I didn't lose it." Nandini said to her mother on phone and her friend Navya chuckled beside her.

"Haanji, okay. Bye." Nandini replied and cut the call smiling at her mother's cuteness.

"So, you are meeting the guy. Finally?" Navya asked as soon as Nandini cut the call.

"Yes. They're coming over today. I have to leave in an hour." Nandini said keeping her phone aside.

"Great. By the way where's the picture? Show me. How could you not see the picture, when you're meeting the guy in an hour?" Navya asked amazed at just how weird her friend was, Nandini bit down on her lower lip, smiling.

"Umm... yeah. I just-- I don't know why I haven't." Nandini let out a confused chuckle. It wasn't as if she wasn't ready for this, her parents started looking for proposals after discussing this with her. But she didn't know it'd be this soon. Like they talked to her regarding this when? Five or was it four days ago? She's going to meet the first man for marriage. The nervousness, the confusion was making her heart pound.

"You see the picture. I'll give you a moment alone before I pester you to show it to me." Navya chuckled standing up and leaving. Nandini smiled behind her before her eyes went to her handbag. Gulping the lump in her throat, she reached out for it and pulled the envelope out. She can't believe that instead of sending the picture online, the man's family sent them the picture and biodata in this form. Of course, her father sent them the same old-fashioned way.

She held the envelope between her fingers, her cheeks felt really warm. Why is her heart so erratic? Is this because she's seeing someone for marriage the very first time or is it because this is it? Is he going to be the one? Oh God Nandu. You haven't even seen the picture and you are already blushing and thinking so much? What will happen when you meet him? Nandini murmured to herself.

After taking some moments to calm down, she finally pulled the picture out. The moment she saw the smile on his face. She was done for. And his eyes --gosh darn it-- those beautiful eyes. A huffed breath leaves her lips, her eyes trail down from his hairs to his chin. The mole on the corner of his lips. The lines forming on his cheeks because of his smile. Everything about him was magnificent but Nandini couldn't take her eyes off his smile and eyes. They seem to be the most beautiful pair of eyes she's ever seen.

The door knocked pulling her out of the thoughts of this fine man. She jumped up at her place quickly hiding the picture in her lap, the door pushed open, and Navya entered the room with smug grin on her face. Nandini let out a breathy sigh. This woman's going to give her a heart attack. Nandini shakes head at her best friend. Navya takes the seat in front of her, tapping her nails on Nandini's glass table. Nandini pulls the picture back on table and slides it towards her.

"Holy hell. He's the guy?" Navya yelled the second she looked at the picture. Nandini looked at her friend, confused.

"Nandu, you don't know him? How can you not know him?" To say Navya was shocked, would be an understatement.

"He's a celebrity Nandu. You're meeting a celebrity for marriage. Which fast did you keep that you received his proposal? He's the third richest man in Asia and not as a generational wealth. He's done it all by himself. He's also the lead singer of Fab5." Navya was screaming—almost— by the end of her rant. I don't need to see the biodata, Nandini thought mentally laughing at her friend's reaction.

"He's a singer?" Nandini asked even more interested than she already was.

"Yes!" Navya replied.

"What else do you know about him? How is he as a person? Rude? Arrogant? Calm?" Nandini questioned.

"Frankly, I have heard their songs and know their faces from when they are followed by the paparazzi. This family is really private and to be very honest, everyone knows him as the silent angry young man kinda types." Navya informed her with a sad face, Nandini breathed a tired sigh. Angry? He doesn't look like that kind from the picture.

"But I'd ask you to not have any image of him in your head based on my words. Media these days makes these high profile seem completely different than they are in real life. If uncle has brought this proposal for you, he must have done his research." Navya tried to calm her. "You head home? You have to get ready for him na?" Navya tried to take her mind off from overthinking.

Nandini nodded at her best friend, before getting ready to leave. She shoved all her items back in the bag and picked up her car keys.

"Don't be nervous. He is great guy. I am sure you'll like him." Navya hugged her. Nandini nodded taking a deep breath to calm her pounding heart. Nandini leaves her cabin and moves to the parking lot.

Dr. Nandini Murthy, 25-year-old, working in xyz hospital as Paediatrician. Daughter of Mr. Arjun Murthy and Mrs. Neha Arjun Murthy. Younger sister of Abhimanyu Murthy. An extremely down to earth and calm person.

She enters in the house to see everyone running here and there. She moved to the living room to see her mother cross checking all the last-minute details, when she noticed Nandini she comes towards her and smiling brightly.

"Get ready soon, they are on their way." Her mother said kissing the top of her head, to which she murmured 'okay'.

She heads up to her room and to the washroom. Her mother has already put out her outfit, Nandini quickly freshens up and starts getting.

Once done, she settles down on the bed's edge. Nervous and her heart pounding in her ears. Her throat dries as she looks at the clock. They were supposed to arrive at 4pm. The door burst open, making Nandini's soul jump out of her. Nandini glared at her best friend. 'Navya. Stop scaring me!" Nandini hissed at her friend. Navya had to attend a patient so she came before her as she also had to get ready, Navya must have reached just now because she threw her bag on Nandini's bed and ran to washroom.

"They are here." Navya yelled from the washroom. The nervousness returned back ten folds. Navya comes out of the washroom, looking a lot more presentable than she entered.

"How do I look?" Nandini does a little twirl in front of her best friend. Navya blows her a flying kiss, "gorgeous." Navya replies.

"Yes, like the barbie doll that you are." Abhimanyu, her elder brother says from the door bringing their attention to him.

"Nandu. Manik is a great guy. You don't need to be nervous, just be yourself. And if you don't like him. It's fine, just tell me and I'll handle it."  Abhimanyu cupped her cheeks, making her understand, when she nodded, he kissed her hairs. She held her brother's hand and he walked her out of the room, Navya on her other side.

Reaching downstairs in the hall, she saw two girls and two boys on the couch but none of the guys were him. On the other couch, an elder couple sat opposite her parents. Abhi led Nandini to their parents. Nandini goes to greet the couple first, they greet her back and she sits down beside her father after greeting the four youngsters as well.

"Nandini, she's Manik's mother Mrs. Nyonika and a very good friend of mine. This is Mr. Raj Malhotra, Manik's father. " Nandini's mother started the introductions. "I told you about him being part of a band no? These are his friends. She's Alya. Dhruv. Cabir and this is his twin sister Mukti." Nandini smiled at all of them one by each one. They returned the smile with a brighter one, like they already loved her. Nandini blushed at the thought.

"I'm really sorry. My brother's running late. He's stuck in the traffic." Mukti looked up from her phone, she even turned the screen around for everyone to see his message.

"It's okay, beta. We all know how Mumbai traffic can get." Nandini's father replied back. Manik's father started conversing with Nandini, asking about her work, her choices, her favorites even. It was nothing like the interrogation she thought she would have to go through. They were simply getting to know her while they waited for him to arrive. It was as if they already liked her.

The moment finally arrived. The doorbell rang and everyone stopped speaking. Nandini was facing the door, she saw a house help heading to open the door. "Manik hoga." She heard his mother say, her eyes moved to the woman from the door. Everyone looked at the door, but it was Nandini who felt she will pass out any second now. The door opened and Nandini looked up, just in time for both their eyes to meet for a flick of second. As if he already knew where she was sitting. It was a fleeting moment, but it left layers of warmness over her skin. Nandini found it hard to control her breaths, her throat dry. She looked at everything but him.

He crossed the distance between them and reached the families. From the corner of her eyes, she saw him bend down to touch her parents' feet. She didn't touch his parents' feet; she barely greeted them. God. The blasphemy, Nandini!

"I am so sorry for making you wait for me. The traffic was terrible." Manik apologized to her parents. "It's okay, beta." Nandini's father gestured at the empty couch on their side. Just merely inches between the two. Nandini could feel his eyes on her but didn't have the courage to look at him. Nyonika asked her something bringing her attention back to them from him, he started replying to her father.

Mukti looked at her brother's finger. Alya and she looked at each other before shaking their heads at his antics. "And to say he wasn't ready to even see her picture this morning." Mukti whispered lowly to her best friend, Alya chuckled. Mukti cleared her throat gaining everyone's attention. "Mumma, I think we should let these two be alone for some time? It's them who are going to be spending their lives together not us." Manik owed her. The things she does for this brother of hers. Mukti mentally rolled her eyes at her brother when she saw him feigning innocence as if he wasn't the one who asked her to get him alone with her.

"Yes. Right. I agree. We should let them talk to each other alone." Abhi agreed. The parents nodded too.

"Yes. Nandu, why don't you take Manik upstairs to your room?" Neha said to which Nandini gently nodded. Nandini stands up. Manik meets her parents' eyes, when they nod smiling at him, he gets up too. The mere gesture has Nandini's stomach flutter. He still asked for their permission even after they already allowed him?

"Shall we?" He asked slowly and she nodded, turning around and heading towards the stairs. They both walked upstairs side by side, he matched his pace with her tiny steps. She pushed open the door to her bedroom and entered inside, his footsteps followed. She didn't hear the door closing which means he kept it wide open. Nandini walked towards the couch and turned sideways gesturing him to sit. He moved his hand to the couch, as if telling her to sit first. Nandini gulped the lump in her throat and settled down. He sat down opposite her.

"Hey." He whispered. One breathy word and Nandini felt goosebumps raising all over her body, she moved her eyes up. Meeting his eyes directly for the first time.