"Sindoor lagaiye.." The priest says making my already hyper heart go wild. Suhana extends the sindoor pot towards Advik, he takes a pich of it and turns sideways. I see Ahaana beside me from the corner of eyes, my eyes focused on the man infront. When Ahaana lifts the 'maathapathi', Advik reaches forward and fills the partition. My eyes close on their own as tears run down my face before I can hold myself.

I feel his fingers swiping away the wetness. "I fulfilled my promise, baby." At his whispering words, my heart weeps more. This is what they mean by happy tears. I hear the priest asking him to take the nuptial chain now. I feel his face come near mine again.

"Dekh toh le atleast. Don't miss out on the best moment of our lives." His own voice sounds hoarse, as if it's taking all his strength to not burst out in tears. I slowly peel my eyes open, his glossy orbs meets mine.

"Jaldi karo, kal subah panvel nikalna hai." I burst out laughing between tears. This man can be as broody and wicked as he wants with me, but the fact that he can not see a single drop of tear in my eyes remains unchanged. Advik and I turn to look where Sahil sat with a grinning face. Ahaana swats his chest with the back of her hand, glaring at him. "If someone else ruined your moment no, you'd kill that person." Samyak Papa shakes head at his son in disappointment.

"He's making her cry. Only I make her cry!" I smile at his dramatic side that has been unlocked on another level since Ahaana returned, Advik and I focus back to eachother.

He unfastens the lock and leans forward, his cheek touching mine. "I love you." My... husband murmurs locking the chain securely and moving back to meet my eyes. "I love you more." I whisper back as the priest announces us man and wife in the background. Our friends stand up and hoot, clap and celebrate our union.

He promised he'll marry me when we were fifteen, and today after almost thirteen years, he has fulfilled his promise. It was one hell of a rollercoaster but our rollercoaster ride and I wouldn't change it for the world.

He helps me stand up and before we meet anyone else, we hug eachother for some good seconds. "Thankyou for waiting for me." He says pulling away from the hug. "The waits been worth it." I reply turning away to meet our parents.

After we finish meeting everyone as husband and wife. Let the photographer take million pictures, we leave for our room with our friends. My cousin tries to help me with my outfit but I throw a look at my stupid bestfriends and they come running. "Aarya, you go make sure your grandfather takes his medicine. We'll take Falak to her room." Ahaana sweetly says to my cousin.

"But you are not allow—"

"We weren't allowed when she was Falak Khanna, now she's Falak Mehrotra. We are not only allowed, we are supposed to be around her at all times till the day we die." Suhana stands between Aarya and me. Ahaana glares at Suhana for being so rude.

"Aarya, can you check where Coco and Oreo are, for me?" Sahil asks her in such a sweet voice, my eyes go wide. I turn to my husband. "He never speaks to me this sweetly." I complaint pushing my bottom lip out in a little pout, Advik chuckles helping me walk ahead, Suhana by my other side.

"You have to be Aarya's level of evil to make my evil brother show sweetness to you. You know khud ki parjaati se pyaar and all." Suhana comments making us laugh. "I heard that!" Sahil yells behind us. We don't turn back and just quicken our steps, Suhana throws him a middle finger.

"Where's Shea?" Sahil asks stepping in the room with his parents, my parents and parents in laws.

"Here here." Ahaana comes with a food plate from the same way Sahil came. "I was right behind you all." She says to her husband, coming towards me. "You didn't have anything since morning no, I brought you some food." My sister in law sets the plate down and removes the second plate covering it. I smile looking at all six of my favourite items in it.

"Thankyou." I mouth to her, she gives me a flying kiss in return.

"What about me, bachu? Bhai ke liye kuch nahi?" Advik looks in the plate and then his sister. "Aapke legs kaam nahi karte, bhaiyu?" Ahaana gives her brother too sweet to be true smile.

"Learn something from her." Advik turns to Sahil, who pays him no heed and continues going through the file he brought.

"Here. Sign you both." Sahil put the papers on the table. "Coco and Oreo?" I ask my nemesis. He nods pulling his phone out. "Coco and Oreo. Falak's room." Sahil says on the phone and disconnects without hearing the other person. I shake head at the rude man.

Advik starts to sign wherever Sahil points, I go next. Coco-Oreo reach just in time with Hood for us to sign the final paper. Yug, Hood and Sahil stand with champagne and confetti crackers. The second we sign the marriage certificate, we celebrate our togetherness, this time between our favourite people. Without anyone spoiling our beautiful day.

We all take a moment to ourselves. Laugh, drink with our group. Our parents. Our friends. Whoever said home is not a place, it's a feeling, said true. I have been with my side of the family for twenty eight years and I have been with these people for more than a decade now and I can agree to this statement more than anyone. There was a time when I felt awkward, un-belonged in mu family and then it's this loud family where I, the quiet one belongs the most. I spend most of my childhood trying to find that belongingness and I found it in another family.

Yes, the heart is heavy when I think about leaving my parents behind. I'm their whole world, their only child. My parents were out to make a living for us but that didn't mean that they ever forgot about me. Yes, I was lonely in my house but from their side, they did everything possible. I understood the fact that they are busy but it's for us, for me. My parents did their best to make sure they were available for me every time I needed them. They made sure to be there to drop and pick me up on my first days of school, they made sure to spend their mornings with me. They made sure that I get what I want, always.

When my parents found out about Advik and met his family the first, I still remember the conversation we had after we left their house.

•

"Did you like him, Mum?" I ask my parents from the backseat. Mom and Dad look at eachother, smiling wide, before she turns sideways and grins at me.

"Not really. They are so loud. It's like living between a joint family. I don't think you will be able to adjust into that household since you like your space—"

"But I love them in my space. It's not just Advik but his family that I am in love with, Mumma. They are so loud but I love their loudness, when I'm between them, I belong in that loud and craziness." I quickly cut my mother off and slide closer to her, almost begging. It takes me a moment to understand the reason behind her face splitting grin.

My parents laughters engulfs the small car, I face palm, groaning. Yeah, I walked into that one. The blush creeps up on my face slowly, warmth spreading into my heart like the waves of ocean coming and gently sliding on legs and going back, the flutters, that mild coldness and wetness seeping into not just the skin but the soul.

•

My father's phone ringing pulls me out the flashback, my gaze settles over my mother who's already looking at me. When she blinks her eyes, smiling wide, I know more than these two are happy for me. They know this wild, loud crazy but mine... this family will keep me the happiest. "Haan Papa." My father speaks on the phone, Ahaana and Suhana groans in the background. My mother chuckles lowly at their reaction. It's not as if I or these people hate him, they don't, he just really knows how to get on their last nerves and I don't blame the girls. He has been treating them the way he treated me all my life.

Well, that probably ends or ended today.

"Yeah, we'll be there." My father replies before hanging up. My lower lip pushes out in a pout making my father chuckle, he opens his hand and I walk in his arms.

"You have fun with your loud, crazy but your family, I'll go see the guests." My father mumbles making me hide in his chest. He never misses to tease me over this. My. Yeah, this is my family. The place where my heart belongs.

"We'll have to go see the guests. I'll see you at home, alright?" Papa says stepping away from me. My both parents in law and parents leave the seven of us alone with our pets.

They are as much as mine as they are stupid Sahdev's, I don't care what he says. Bully!

All the guests and our parents leave tonight while we six have our flights the next morning. Sahil says there wasn't any seats available but I know the man too well. He hates being in crowd and needs to detox for one night for his sanity—he might say he hates us but the man can't spend a minute away from me or Yug. Coco and Oreo leave by road with Hood and his brother, it's Hood's week off so they are going to be taking stops and roaming around.

"Why are you all crowding my room again?." Advik asks unbuttoning his sherwani. Suhana Ahaana starts helping me take off the jewellery and hairstyle.

"Because you begged me to?" Sahil meets his eyes with a look that says, 'I'm not taking Shea away only because of that, don't piss me off or I'm out'.

"You leave for your honeymoon tomorrow night, twenty days long honeymoon, keep it in your pants for one more fucking night." Yug grumbles with a pout. He's still sad for not being able to marry Suhana in January. The next date is 21st December. Six months later.

My boyfriend— oops— husband, my husband wanted us to not spend the night alone. He says and I quote, 'I will jump her bones, which I don't want.' Ahaana-Suhana had a barf attack when Advik said this on our Mehendi day to his best friends. So, my husband wanted us to not spend our first night alone. For him our first night would be when we reach our honeymoon destination tomorrow. That's why all six of us are staying the night together.

"I'll find your nightsuit." Suhana mumbles going through my luggage. I nod at Advik to come close. He unhooks the lehenga leaving me in the biker shorts, and I sigh a huge breath of relief.

Beside me, Ahaana stands up with her back to her husband, Sahil unhooks her blouse buttons, Ahaana keeps hand on her chest as to not let the blouse fall. Once Sahil's done he covers her back with her hairs. "I'll just take a second." Ahaana murmurs to me, when I smile back she heads into the washroom.

Ahaana and I hate wearing heavy outfits and have to be out of them as soon as we possibly can. Suhana can spend a week and half in those heavy outfits.

Once Aahu is done, I head into the washroom and come out after taking a nice long shower. The room is clean, with everything of ours put in the luggage's and dinners already here when I walk back into the room.

The six of us sit down to have early dinner and gossip all about that's happened in the last four days.

Since I wanted to get ready with my friends, Sahil booked a king suite and shifted me here after Aarya left me alone with my mother. My mother, Avni Aunty, Shikha Mumma and Suhana-Ahaana, I got ready with them. The people I wanted to be with on my wedding day. We all have our flights back home tomorrow

After dinner we all are so tired, we decided to call it a night. I snuggle in my husband's chest. He juts out his chin at me, feeling my gaze on his face, I shake head in negative, hugging him tighter, his lips brushing against my forehead. We suddenly hear loud snoring and snap our head to where Ahaana has her face hidden in Sahil's chest. The snoring continues making me chuckle. She never agrees that she snores, so loudly. But she snores more when she's tired and deeply asleep.

Advik pulls out his phone to record her. Sahil throws a cushion on my husband. "Don't." Sahil warns Advik. "How do you even sleep with her snoring like that?" My husband asks laughing at his sister. Sahil looks down at his wife, never replying to my husband. His eyes shining with love and only love for the woman in his arms.

Sahil rolls them over turning his back to us. The movement makes Ahaana stir up, I try not eavesdrop but in the dead silent room couldn't help. "Was I snoring?" Ahaana asks in a whisper. "No, I just couldn't hug you properly that way, now I can." My heart feels so heavy when I hear him say those words. Man. I will never forget how hard the last five years has been on these two and everytime I see their happy content faces, it just soothes my heart so much.

I focus back on my husband, leaving the couple alone. My husband. Damn. I'll never get used to, or over calling him —husband. My husband.

I turn the light off. "You better prepare yourself well, birdie." Advik murmurs softly, his hand roaming around my back and then under the tshirt. "It's you who has been adamant about keeping your promise, I'm prepared since you officially put the ring on me." I whisper back in his ears. His fingers digs into my waist.

"This must be the first ever first night of a couple where they are spending the night with their fucking friends." Advik mumbles, his voice irked. I rub my nose on the side of his neck.

"You wanted this. You begged Sahil & Yug— on your knees— to not leave us alone." I whisper in the dark room. He sighs tiredly and fall over me with a thud.

"Ayy!" Sahil yells not loud enough to wake his tiny vicious wife but enough to reach us, I chuckle hiding my face in his chest. "Don't traumatise us!" Sahil hisses from his bed. I lowly chuckle hearing my husband grumble he should have thought about this stupid plan of his a million times before going to them.

Our friends planned our honeymoon. They did all the planning and execution. We don't even know where we are going. Sahil's handling the money. Yug planned our outings and travels. Suhana's handling the shopping and our outfits for the trip. Shea has packed our bags. We will know about the destination when we reach the Airport tomorrow night. Since they all know I love travelling at night, they made sure both our flights are booked for the nights.

Ahaana can't keep a secret to save her life so Advik managed to coax out few details. In Aahu's language— it's water place. Fluffing beautiful sunsets. First five days only in the bedroom— she dry heaved after this. But she also ended up confessing to Sahil that she told us stuff and that son of a gun made her pinky promise to not tell us a single thing. Ahaana never breaks her pinky promises to her husband—actually no one. Her pinky promises are sacred.

"We're not doing anything. Get your mind out of the gutter!" Advik scolds his bestfriend. Sahil doesn't say anything after that. It's taking all his strength to not pick his wife up and take her to their bedroom. But he knows what hell Ahaana would bring in the morning so he's holding himself back.

Advik suddenly sits up and turns sideways. I meet his gaze, puzzled. He says nothing and lifts my tshirt, I smile when it dawns upon me. Spreading my legs apart, I let him get comfortable and hide his face in my bare stomach. I cover his face with the oversized tshirt and then his body with the covers.

Our relationship took a hit after Ahaana left. Where I understood her side and could feel whatever she felt, it broke Advik apart. He had lost his sister. In one night. And whenever I tried to make him understand, cajole him to go meet her and not be angry with her, he distanced himself from me. I didn't agree the way she handled the stuff, but I understood her feelings, her actions. Advik didn't care about all that. For him all that mattered was she left. She left. Leaving him. Without even talking to him.

My fingers graze his shoulders. I remember the way he looked at me the first day I stepped in the classroom. I felt many eyes on me, but only his met mine for a brief moment when I was walking to the empty chair. I didn't know it was his eyes, I found that out when they asked me to join me for lunch. Till this day, I seek comfort in his eyes like he offered on that first day.

Our love story was not all rainbows and sunshine. Their was a time when I didn't trust him, maybe a part of me did, but I just couldn't bring myself to accept that a guy like him can like me. From that phase to tonight. Being in eachothers arms as man and wife. We have had one hell of rough ride but what matters is this. The end. Or a beautiful beginning?

I wish fifteen year old Falak knew that this man who laughed loudly, made everyone around him laugh, one day would remove the fake smile from her face and teach her to laugh for real. Make her heart happy. I wish she knew that one day, she would be the most loved, cherished and cared by not one but three families, four crazy friends and one great lover. And she wouldn't have to hide her tears from her parents this time, she will have someone who will wipe those tears away and replace it with the biggest smile ever.

—Author's note—

From here on the chapters would be in flashbacks. The story will start from their school days. Hope you all enjoy it.

Thankyou for reading.