Page 24 of Strictly Solo

Naina was transfixed, remembering the similar sherwani color he had worn on their engagement. She swallowed hard as the memories of their beautiful past together flooded back.

His gaze swept across the lawn, and when it landed on Naina, his steps faltered. His eyes widened slightly, mesmerized by her beauty. The peacock blue saree made her look ethereal, and the backless blouse highlighted her delicate skin. Ruhaan couldn’t take his eyes off her.

Naina felt her heart race too as she saw admiration and something deeper in his gaze. Just then, a familiar voice jolted them both out of their trance.

“Ruhaan, there you are!” Poonam sauntered over to him. “Thank God you are here.”

He reluctantly broke his gaze from Naina and looked at Poonam. She wore a heavily embroidered lehenga choli that looked beautiful but demanded constant adjustments.

Poonam’s smile widened as she turned her back to him. “I hate to ask, but could you help me with this? The knot of my choli has come loose,” she said, gesturing to the ties at her back.

Ruhaan hesitated, his eyes darting back to Naina, who was now deliberately engaging in conversation with a group of guests. He could see the tension in her shoulders, the forcedsmile on her face as she pointedly avoided looking in his direction.

“I... I’m not sure if I should,” Ruhaan began, but Poonam cut him off with a light laugh.

“Don’t be silly! It’ll just take a second,” she insisted, reaching back to guide his hands to the loose strings.

Feeling trapped and increasingly uncomfortable, Ruhaan reluctantly complied. His fingers fumbled with the delicate strings, acutely aware of the intimacy of the act and the eyes that might be watching.

From across the lawn, Naina fought to maintain her composure. She kept her voice steady as she discussed the evening’s arrangements with the guests, but her mind was in turmoil. The sight of Ruhaan’s hands on Poonam’s back sent a jolt of jealousy through her, once again, an emotion she hadn’t experienced in years.

Unable to bear it any longer, she excused herself from the conversation and strode away, her saree swishing around her ankles. She headed towards the house, desperate for a moment of solitude to collect herself.

Ruhaan, having finished helping Poonam, immediately searched the crowd for Naina. He caught a glimpse of her peacock blue saree disappearing into the house and made to follow her, his heart racing with the need to explain, to erase the hurt he had seen flicker across her face.

Before he could take more than a few steps, a hand on his arm stopped him. “Ruhaan, beta,” his mother Kaushalya’s voice rang out. “Come, there are some people I want you to meet.”

Ruhaan groaned inwardly, torn between his familial duty and his desperate desire to go after Naina. “Maa, can it wait? I need to—”

“Nonsense,” Kaushalya interrupted, already steering him towards a group of elegantly dressed guests. “These are very important people. You can socialize later.”

With a last longing look towards the house, Ruhaan allowed himself to be led away.

****************

Naina made her way to a quiet corner of the garden, trying to calm her racing heart. She was furious with herself for letting Ruhaan get under her skin. She leaned against a tree, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths.

“Why do I care so much?” she muttered to herself.

She was lost in thought when Suman found her. “Naina, are you okay? You looked upset.”

Naina opened her eyes and sighed. “I’m fine, Suman. Just needed a moment.”

Suman gave her a knowing look. “Is it Ruhaan? I saw Poonam with him.”

Naina’s expression hardened. “It’s nothing. I’m just being silly.”

Suman placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. “You know, it’s okay to feel this way. You’ve been through a lot, and it’s only natural to have these emotions.”

Naina shook her head. “I don’t want to feel this way, Suman. I don’t want to care about Ruhaan.”

Suman smiled softly. “Sometimes, we can’t control how we feel. Maybe it’s time you let yourself feel something other than anger and frustration.”

Before Naina could respond, Rohit interrupted them.

“What are you both doing here? The ceremony is about to begin. Uncle and Aunty are asking for you both. Come on.”

Naina composed herself, faking a smile. “Of course, we’re coming.”