57. COLOURS
AAROHI:
I wake up excited. Actually excited. For the first time, Holi does not feel loud or overwhelming. It feels fun. I get ready carefully in a simple white saree with a light pink border because everyone says white looks the best on Holi.
I braid my hair loosely so it will not tangle too much, though a few strands still frame my face.
When I look at myself in the mirror, there is a strange glow on my cheeks these days.
Maybe it is happiness. Maybe it is something else.
I quickly shake the thought away because today is Holi and I refuse to overthink anything.
The moment I step into the courtyard, color explodes everywhere.
Pink gulal floats in the air while green streaks decorate faces.
Buckets of colored water splash around as loud music echoes through the haveli.
Suhana notices me first and screams, "Bhabhi!
" Before I can react, she smears bright yellow color across my cheeks.
I gasp loudly while she runs away laughing. I grab a handful of pink powder and attack the nearest cousin immediately. Soon I am laughing freely, throwing colors, dodging water balloons, and smiling without even realizing it.
Then I see him. Veeransh stands near the center of the courtyard, already half covered in colors while talking seriously with some relatives.
He looks far too serious for Holi. A mischievous idea immediately forms in my head.
Quietly, I grab a water balloon and hide it behind my back while sneaking closer to him.
My heart races like I am planning some huge crime. The next second, I throw it straight at him. Splash. The balloon bursts perfectly against his back. Everyone around him freezes while I burst into uncontrollable laughter.
He slowly turns around and looks everywhere suspiciously. "Who was that?" he asks. I clap dramatically and grin. "Happy Holi!" His eyes finally land on me and I instantly notice that dangerous calm on his face.
He wipes the water from his shoulder slowly and says, "Just wait.
" I immediately step backward while he takes one step toward me.
"I will deal with you now." I squeal loudly and run across the garden while lifting my saree slightly so I do not trip.
He follows right behind me while guests laugh and move out of the way.
"You will not escape today," he shouts after me. "Catch me first," I yell back confidently. I almost slip near the fountain but somehow regain balance. Suddenly his hand wraps around my wrist and I gasp loudly.
"Caught you," he says triumphantly. Before I can protest, he dips his fingers into a plate of red gulal and slowly smears it across my cheek. Deliberately. Gently. My breath catches instantly. "Now this is official Holi," he murmurs softly while staring directly at me.
I narrow my eyes at him dramatically. "I have not even applied color to you properly yet." He raises an eyebrow suspiciously. "Oh really?" I nod quickly and point at him. "Close your eyes." He looks unconvinced. "Why?" I cross my arms stubbornly.
"Trust me." After a few seconds, he finally closes them. Immediately, I grab dark blue color with both hands and smear it all over his face. Forehead, cheeks, nose, everywhere. I burst into laughter again and run away before he can react.
He opens his eyes in complete shock. "You did not just do that.
" I laugh louder while running away again.
"Happy Holi!" I scream from a distance. "You are finished," he shouts behind me.
After running around far too much, I finally get tired and sit beside Suhana.
She casually hands me a glass. "Thandai," she says innocently.
I am thirsty enough to drink it without thinking. The taste feels slightly different. Sweeter and stronger somehow. "Nice," I comment while taking another sip. Suhana starts giggling strangely beside me.
Within minutes, everything starts feeling lighter. The music sounds louder while the colors appear brighter than before. I begin laughing for absolutely no reason. "Why is everything so funny?" I ask while holding my stomach.
Suhana bursts into laughter too. We both stand up and start wandering around the courtyard.
I grab random snacks from the table and continue eating happily.
"Bhabhi, you are glowing," Suhana says while giggling uncontrollably.
"You are spinning," I reply seriously. "I am not.
" "You are." That only makes us laugh harder.
My eyes suddenly land on Veeransh again. He stands near the entrance with one of his friends, looking serious as always. Why is he always serious? I grab a jug of water from a nearby table while Suhana gasps loudly.
"Bhabhi, what are you doing?" she asks. I grin proudly before shouting dramatically, "Happy Holi!
" Then I pour the entire jug over him. Water drips down his hair, face, and kurta while his friend freezes awkwardly beside him.
Veeransh slowly looks at me. "Aarohi," he says in a dangerously calm voice.
I blink slowly because my brain refuses to process his tone properly. Instead, I grab another jug immediately. "Happy Holi again!" Before anyone can stop me, I pour water on him for the second time too.
Suhana is practically dying from laughter behind me.
I try stepping backward afterward but the ground suddenly feels unstable beneath my feet.
The entire world tilts strangely and I lose my balance.
Before I can fall, strong arms catch me instantly.
Veeransh. He holds me firmly against his chest while I blink up at him seriously.
"Why are there two of you?" I ask while staring at him carefully. His jaw tightens immediately. "Maa," he calls out loudly. Maa rushes toward us and studies my face carefully before sighing softly.
"Veer, I think she drank that special thandai.
" Veeransh immediately looks sharply at Suhana while she slowly steps backward nervously.
"I did not know," she mumbles weakly. He sighs heavily in frustration.
Meanwhile, I poke his blue colored cheek and start laughing again.
"You are blue," I tell him proudly. He looks half annoyed and half worried.
"Can you even walk properly?" he asks me. I smile proudly and shake my head slightly. "I am floating." Without another word, he lifts me into his arms. I rest my head against his shoulder while everything around me feels warm and safe.
As he carries me inside the haveli, I hear Maa saying softly, "Take her to the room and let her rest." My eyes slowly begin closing while I mumble lazily near his collar, "Happy Holi." After that, the world fades into colors, warmth, and distant laughter.
When I wake up again, everything feels heavy and slow. For a few moments, I cannot even remember where I am. The loud music from outside sounds distant now while soft sunlight filters through the curtains quietly.
Then the memories return. Holi. Water. Laughing. Two Veeranshs. Oh. I slowly turn my head and find him sitting on a chair near the bed with his arms crossed while watching me silently. "You are awake," he says calmly. I push myself up slightly and immediately declare, "I want to play Holi."
He does not even react. "No." I frown immediately.
"What do you mean no?" He stands casually and walks toward the door before locking it right in front of me.
The clicking sound echoes through the room.
I stare at him in disbelief. "Did you just lock the door?
" "Yes." My jaw drops instantly. "You cannot do that.
" He shrugs calmly. "I already did." I dramatically throw the blanket aside and walk toward the door anyway, trying the handle myself. Of course it does not move.
I turn around and glare at him angrily. "You are very mean.
" He points toward the bathroom casually.
"Go take a shower, change your clothes, and sit quietly.
" The authority in his voice makes me roll my eyes dramatically.
Instead of listening to him, I walk toward the balcony door connected to the next room.
He notices instantly. "Aarohi." I pretend not to hear him and continue trying to open it.
Before I can escape, his hand catches my arm and he spins me around gently to face him.
The room tilts slightly again and I pout immediately.
"I feel dizzy," I complain softly. "Exactly," he replies dryly.
"That is why you are not going outside." I cross my arms stubbornly.
"I will go." "No." "Yes." He raises an eyebrow slowly.
"Try it then." Challenge accepted. Before he can expect it, I lightly push him backward.
Mostly because he is surprised, he falls onto the bed instantly.
I jump onto the bed too and sit cross legged dramatically while glaring at him.
"You are becoming a stricter husband every single day," I accuse him dramatically. He rubs his face tiredly, clearly trying not to laugh. "Strict husband?" "Yes. You are letting everyone else play Holi except me." He points at himself.
"You drenched me with water twice in front of guests.
" I grin proudly. "Happy Holi." He shakes his head helplessly.
Suddenly, another thought enters my mind.
"I want ice cream." He stares at me like I have completely lost my mind.
"Ice cream again?" "Yes." "You are still intoxicated from bhang and you want ice cream? "
I nod seriously. "Ice cream solves every problem." He sighs deeply before muttering, "You are behaving exactly like a child." I crawl slightly closer on the bed and grin lazily. "Because I am a child." He gives me that look.
The one that clearly says I am testing his patience intentionally. Since my brain is barely functioning properly, I decide to test it even more. Slowly, I reach forward and begin opening the top button of his shirt. He freezes instantly.
"What are you doing?" he asks quietly. I blink up at him innocently.
"Can you not see?" His eyes darken slightly while his voice becomes softer.
"Aarohi, do not do something you will regret later.
" I immediately copy his serious tone dramatically.
"Do not do something you will regret later.
" He exhales slowly in frustration. Before I can react, he catches my wrist and flips our positions smoothly.
The next second, I am lying on the bed while he hovers above me, gently but firmly holding my wrists.
I blink up at him and complain immediately, "You are very heavy. Let me go. I want thandai. I want Holi. I want water balloons." Before I can continue rambling, he kisses me softly. Not intense. Not forceful. Just enough to silence me completely.
The moment I try speaking again, he kisses me once more. When he finally pulls away, I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously. "You are not nice at all." "Really?" he murmurs quietly while brushing a strand of colored hair away from my face.
"You were about to fall down the stairs earlier," he reminds me softly.
"I was not." "You were." "I was flying," I argue confidently.
He almost laughs at that. "You poured water on me in front of my friend.
" "Good." "You embarrassed me." "Very good.
" He leans closer afterward until his forehead rests gently against mine.
"You drank bhang." My voice softens slightly.
"I did not know." His expression changes immediately. "I know," he whispers gently.
For a few moments, all the teasing fades away completely.
There is only warmth between us. Safety.
The faint smell of sandalwood and colors lingering in the room.
Slowly, my eyelids begin feeling heavy again.
I try forcing them open while mumbling stubbornly, "I still want ice cream.
" "No." "You are mean." "Sleep." "I am not sleepy," I protest weakly, though my words already sound slurred.
The room starts feeling soft and distant once more.
He finally shifts beside me and pulls me gently against his chest instead.
I try protesting again. "I want to..." But I never finish the sentence.
Sleep crashes over me suddenly and completely.
The last thing I feel is his hand gently stroking my hair.
And the last thing I hear is his quiet voice near my ear. "Crazy girl."