First Wife, First Love.

15. Silly Siblings.

***Arya's POV.***

"Arya. Arya. Wake up." A familiar voice tries to wake me and shakes my shoulder lightly.

I open my eyes to see Vedant hovering above me and smiles, "Good morning, Arya."

"Good morning." I say and he backs off as I sit up and look at the clock on the opposite wall to see it is almost 8. "I am late. Why didn't you wake me up early?"

I get up from bed in a rush and almost fall when my feet get tangled with bedsheets, but Vedant holds me and says, "Careful. No need to rush. The Mooh Dikhai ritual is not till 10. And Mom warned me to let you sleep. I would have not woken you now also, but then Dadi said you would need time to get dressed."

"She is right. I have to wear a saree." I say.

"Okay." He says, "What time are your brothers coming to pick you up?"

"At 1 maybe. I insisted they have lunch with us." I say.

"Okay. I will inform Mom that you have woken up and also about your brother's time of coming. Also I'll be back with your breakfast in half an hour." He says.

"Okay." I say and after he leaves I rush to the bathroom to get ready.

Mom gave me a saree yesterday that I have to wear. So after a quick shower, I wear it. But it has been a while since I wore one so the pleats are giving me some trouble. I try to straighten it when Vedant enters the room with a tray. I have yet to put the saree's one end over my shoulder so I turn around after just a second of awkward look.

"I am sorry. I should have knocked." He says.

"It's okay." I say and drape the end and pin it to my blouse on my shoulder.

I turn around and see him looking anywhere but at me with the tray still in his hands. I go to take it from him but the pleats open up again.

"Not again." I say and try to gather it again. But another pair of hands took it from me.

"Don't misjudge. I used to pleat my dhotis and also don't tell this to anyone. I was dressed as a girl for one of the fancy dress competitions. I wanted to surprise my Mom so I had practised a lot and learned about pleats so I wouldn't embarrass myself in front of the audience." He says as he makes perfect pleats and gives me tuck in while he puts a pin on them.

"Thanks. And I must see the photo of it." I say.

"No way." He says in horror as he gets up, "I have hid it in the darkest corner of the house. No one can find it. Ever."

"Why didn't you just destroy it?" I ask and put on a simple necklace.

"I would have. But that memory is precious to Mom, and me too. It has us both in the pictures so I can't just destroy it. By the way, you look pretty in red. I am sorry if I forgot to compliment my bride yesterday. But you look beautiful in that lehenga." He says and gives me the coffee mug.

"You did too." I say with a shy smile.

"Hey, now. Just because I told you I was dressed as a woman doesn't mean you would call me beautiful." He says with a fake anger and I chuckle, "But thanks anyway."

"You looked handsome." I say after a beat.

"I know." He says with a broad smile, "That's why you can't take your eyes away from me even when I was in that cafe."

"Vedant!" I exclaim and turn around to see my face on fire in the mirror.

I wear my earrings while Vedant attends his call. I take a sip of coffee and sit on the couch to eat some paratha as I feel hungry. I serve Vedant some too when he sits down beside me.