Anu And Her First Love

ANUSHIYA VISHWANATH
One week later, our house had changed into marriage mode. Yes, the decorations were going on the full speed because we
didn't have time like a month or two, just a week so they were all busy. Flowers were hanging on the doorways and around our
house. Amma and Appa were super busy welcoming guests and Jo was standing beside me helping me to keep company.
Last week had been a mess. Which was I didn't stop getting those mysterious calls, who call just to hear my voice. That was
insane. In change, I get to hear whoever was on the other side of the phone's breathing sound. And Jo and Akhil didn't stop
cheating and killing others as Sammy calling me every day morning and giving me lectures about how to be a married woman
and to take responsibilities. And also she told me that once I married him I won't still be the same Anushiya Vishwanath, I'll be
Anushiya Smith.
I was thinking about that week, how they flew very fast as a jet. I didn't get any phone calls from him. I didn't even call him either.
And I even forgot that he gave me his visiting card that I forgot where I kept. My life was getting ridiculous and hilarious. If I
wasn't surrounded by dozens of people around me in our bride's room in that huge wedding hall, I'd have cried. I don't know I
was a sensitive person until then.
It's been an hour since we just transferred from our room in the house to our room in the wedding hall. Our beautician was doing
our touch-up. While thinking and scolding about me in my thoughts, reality hit me up with my beautician who was brushing my
hair which was sticking on my hair knots. After some aahs and ouches and sorry, she finally let my hair in peace and I was glad
that she leaves my hair and went to peat my saree.
The room was much bigger than our living room. The air conditioner seems working but still was hot out there because of people
standing inside the room and filling every space around the room to see me bride's getting ready like it was also one the world's
wonder. The room was filled with noise and chattering. Some of the aunties were looking at me sadly as if they missed the
chance to ask me to be their daughter-in-law. And some of them were happy for me that I was going to married and moving to
the US. And even some of them were being jealous of me which I don't care as if I was marrying a person I loved. And some of
the children were sitting on their mom's hips and watching me like watching a cartoon on big screens. And some of the teenage
girls were giggling at the corner of the room as if they were thinking of them in my place. I prayed to God that, "God, connect
them with the people they love and care about them and their decisions." To be honest I didn't like the stage lighting on me even
I was the heroine of that occasion.
I was looking for my sister and my amma in that crowded room but they were nowhere to see. While searching for them, a
beautician painted my lips with red gloss. And that's when I realized how I scolded my sister for painting her lips, god knows how

many times. I still didn't like that but I accepted for my sister's sake to paint my face and lips for this occasion.
Once the beautician finished her artwork on my face she gestured me to stand and took a photo of me to post it on Instagram
and Facebook for likes. She asked my permission for that and I said yes without thinking about it because I didn't concentrate on
what she was saying. And I was posing her for the picture.
Finally, I saw my mom who was busy welcoming our relations and guests. Once she made them seat she walked towards me.
When she came close to me I hug her tight, really tight which shows how much I'll going to miss her.
She gasped.
I pulled myself back and tried to lock my gaze at her because if that hug lasts for one more moment I'd have cried in front of
those of people, for now. Who knows how many people she invited to my wedding?
"Amma?" I was looking at her as her eyes were filling with water, speechless.
I pulled her into another hug. In that, I said her that no matter what I'll always be responsible and respectful for others and I'd not
let anyone scratch my name and family. That was just five seconds hug and the conversation within that second was very large
and emotional.
"I'm gonna miss you amma?" I told her with shaky words. "Take good care of Jo and appa. I'll try to call you every day, amma. I
love you and I'll always love you no matter what. You know that right?"
She just nodded.
"I know dear. Be careful and be good to your husband and your mother and father-in-law." She said kissing me on my forehead.
"Where is Jo, amma? I'd love to talk to her before the ritual starts." I told her as she smiled at me.
She turned her heel and shouted at the crowd to see where Jo was "Jo? Jo?" Once she found her she shouted in excitement
"Jo! Come over here" she waved at her.
Jo walked to me and hugged me tightly with her open arm. She said she needs to talk to me privately so we walked to the
balcony. There were no people over there so we took that spot.
I scrutinize the balcony for one last moment before speaking to her. "Jo, please forgive me for those times when were little we
used to fight a lot and cry a lot. Those were all, my fault and you were innocent. I was elder than you so I was the one who wants

to adjust but I was done all wrong. Sorry for beating you and making you cry. You are my one and only lovely sister. We used to
fight with words, do you remember?" she nodded as her eyes dripping the first drop of her tear. "Those were just words and I
never meant anything while saying that. I was trying to make you more angry than normal to calm myself. That was selfish of
me." I took her hands in mine and kissed her knuckle. "I'm so sorry, Jo. You know that I never meant anything while fighting with
you." She nodded and biting her lip to control herself from crying. "I'm sorry. You know, no matter what I'd always love you and I'll
always do." I kissed her on the cheeks for the first time since I get a memory of myself.
I can't say she was crying or smiling. That was something in between happiness and sadness. She held my hand tightly as she
spoke. "I know we used to cry and fight a lot. And I also know that you didn't mean any of those words while you yell at me
because you were more innocent than me." I looked at her confused. "I was the one who needs to ask to apologize because she
was truly innocent. Sometimes I was the one who started scene-like you know that pencil incident?" I nodded. When I was in
10th grade she was in 5th I took her pencil and pretended mine. So I got beat by amma for lying and stealing things. "Yeah, that
pencil wasn't mine. I took that pencil from your back bag and put it in my bag. I liked the color of that pencil and I wanted to make
it mine. I'm so sorry for that to get you beat from amma." She looked at me, pleaded. "I'm so sorry. I loved you, I love you and I'll
love you. No matter what," She gazed at me for a moment. I was speechless.
"You're forgiven." I chuckled, looking at her. "Will you forgive me?"
She smiled.
"You're forgiven." She mimicked me. She pulled me into a big sister's hug.
She was looking lost in thoughts. "What are you thinking about?" pulling back from the hug and making eye contact with her.
Once our gazes were fixed she started to speak. "I was thinking about stealing that pink necklace, your mother-in-law gifted for
you." She said acting like she was being serious.
"Don't you dare," I said as I smiled and patting on her shoulder?
We both were busted into a laugh.
We both were turned our gaze down the driveway as the BMW pulled over. The peoples were chanting as this was the first time
they were seeing an expensive car. I'm not one of them. I don't like to exclaimed about anyone's growth or luxury neither jealous.
That's their price for their hard work or even smart work.
As we were staring at the black BMW with silver border Jo winked at me and gave me a grin. I ignored her.

I saw Arjun hopping out from the car when I saw his with full zoom in my eyes, that was it I was dead. He was wearing a veshti
and sattai (Veshti and Shirt) the South Indian traditional dress for any ritual and important occasion. While scanning his attire
amma shouts at Jo, from a distance to attend some kind of ritual.
Before I try to see his face Arjun called me out and I can't even see his face from so much distance. I went to Arjun for that ritual
and Jo went to take arati for her brother-in-law who to-be in few hours. Arati is the Indian traditional waving of lighted lamps
before an image of a god or a person to be honored. In performing the rite, the worshiper circles the lamp three times in a
clockwise direction. She'll also get rewarded by her to-be brother-in-law for welcoming him by taking arati.