The Mehendi Ceremony — A House of Henna and Heartbeats
Ruhi's family home in Darjeeling had never seen so many lights, bangles, or people.
The verandah had been turned into a floral dream — with orange marigolds, jasmine streamers, and fairy lights that flickered like shy glances.
Ruhi sat in the center of it all, dressed in a dark green lehenga with golden embroidery, her hands slowly darkening with henna.
But the real story wasn't in the patterns.It was in the emotions.
Each stroke told a story:
One of stubborn beginnings
Of clashing worlds
Of late-night diaries
Of one basketball match
And one impossible love
Simran sat beside her, resting her head lightly on Ruhi's shoulder.
"You look like a walking poem," she whispered.
"And you look like a punctuation mark I'd never remove," Ruhi smiled.
💬 Simran's Performance — Not a Dance, But a Voice
While most girls prepared group dances, Simran did something different.
She stood on the makeshift stage, microphone in hand, and announced:
"This isn't a dance. This is a dedication.
To the girl who taught me how to write louder.
And to the boy who reminded her she didn't have to apologize for being bold."
Then she performed her piece:
*"You don't need to walk seven roundsTo know someone's forever.
Sometimes, you just need a chai cupAnd a person who stays after your worst poem."*
The guests clapped.Ruhi cried.Rudra smiled and mouthed: "Thank you."
🧕 A Mother's Softening — Meena Sharma Speaks
Mrs. Meena Sharma had been quiet through most of the pre-wedding events.
She watched Ruhi from afar, guarded.
But that evening, something shifted.
She walked up to Ruhi during the mehendi and sat beside her. The room paused slightly — like the air held its breath.
"Your design is beautiful," Meena said softly.
"Thank you, aunty," Ruhi replied, trying not to over-read the moment.
Meena hesitated, then pulled a folded, faded envelope from her purse.
"This… was the first poem I wrote when I fell in love with Rudra's father," she said. "I never showed it to anyone."
Ruhi stared, stunned."You… write?"
"I used to," Meena said. "But I gave it up. For responsibilities."
She placed the envelope in Ruhi's hand.
"Don't give it up," she added. "Not even for marriage."
In that one quiet moment, the wall cracked — and love slipped through.
📝 Aarav's Speech — One Hand, One Truth
Aarav, in his sling, had refused to miss his moment.
He stood under a paper lantern during the sangeet and cleared his throat.
"I may not be able to lift a toast,
But I can still lift a truth."
He turned to Rudra.
"You were always the better player, the smarter strategist. But I never told you — you were also the better man.
Not because you won,But because you chose love even when it scared the hell out of you."
Then to Ruhi:
"You gave him something I never could —
A reason to stop running."
They hugged.
And Delhi clapped with teary eyes and full hearts.
📓 Beyond the Buzzer – Page 194
"The best wedding speeches aren't performed.They're confessed."
🕯️ The Night Before — A Rooftop of Memories
That night, Ruhi and Rudra snuck away from the crowd and climbed to the rooftop where fairy lights still blinked in the wind.
"I don't feel like a bride," Ruhi said. "I feel like a character in a story I still don't fully believe."
"That's how I feel every time I look at you," Rudra replied.
They sat cross-legged, watching the city blink below them.
"I had a nightmare last night," Ruhi confessed. "That you walked away."
"I had one too," Rudra said. "That you stopped writing."
They looked at each other.
"I'll never stop," she whispered."Then I'll never walk away," he replied.
🎁 One Last Gift — The Unread Diary
Before they left the rooftop, Rudra handed her a wrapped book.
Ruhi unwrapped it.
It was a leather notebook — identical to hers — with the title:"Letters I Never Sent"
Inside: every letter he wrote in Spain.Every page she never knew existed.
She clutched it to her chest.
"Tomorrow," he said, "we marry. But this — this is where it really began."
📸 A Moment Caught
Aarav took a photo of them on the rooftop:Ruhi holding the diary, Rudra leaning in, the stars just beginning to rise.
Caption:
"Not a fairy tale.Just a real one."
💫 End of Chapter 41