Shaadi ek rishta nahi, ek naya safar hota hai... jahan har kadam par dil ko samajhna padta hai."

(Translation -“Marriage is not just a relationship, it is a new journey… where at every step, the heart must learn to understand.”)

Shaadi ke saare rasmein khatam ho chuki thi. Mandap ka agni dheere dheere bujh raha tha... lekin mere andar to ek alag hi toofan chal raha tha.

(Translation - “All the wedding rituals had come to an end. The sacred fire beneath the mandap was slowly dying down… yet inside me, an entirely different storm was raging.”)

Main apne shaadi wale room mein baithi thi, lal joda, mehendi bhare haath, aur aankhon mein laakh sawal. Phoolon se saja hua bed, lekin dil mein ek ajeeb si uljhan.

(Translation - “I was sitting in my bridal room—draped in a red bridal attire, my hands stained with mehendi, and a thousand questions swirling in my eyes. The bed was adorned with flowers, yet my heart was tangled in a strange, unspoken unease.”)

Tabhi darwaza khula...

(Translation - “Just then, the door opened…”)

Aur Jay andar aaye. Dheere se, jaise kisi aur ki duniya mein kadam rakh raha ho.

(Translation - “And Jay walked in—slowly, as if he were stepping into someone else’s world.”)

White kurta, slightly messy hair, aur aankhon mein wohi jhijhak jise main pure din mehsoos karti rahi thi.

(Translation - “A white kurta, slightly messy hair, and that same hesitation in his eyes—the very one I had been feeling all day.”)

Usne meri taraf dekha bhi nahi. Seedha aake mere paas nahi, ek do kadam door ruk gaya.

(Translation - “He didn’t even look at me. Instead of coming straight to me, he stopped a step or two away.”)

"Uh... yeh... tumhare liye."

Usne ek glass milk ka aage badhaya. Haath kaanp raha tha thoda.

(Translation - “‘Uh… this… it’s for you.’

He held out a glass of milk toward me. His hand was trembling slightly.”)

Mainne le liya, humare haath chhu gaye ek pal ke liye... aur bas... usi ek touch mein kuch to tha.

(Translation - “I took it, and our hands brushed for a fleeting moment… and in that single touch, there was something—something unmistakable.”)

Usne ek choti si saans chhodi, phir couch par baith gaya-bed se door, meri duniya se door.

(Translation - “He let out a small breath, then sat down on the couch—away from the bed, away from me, away from my world.”)

"Main... yeh sab ke liye ready nahi tha," uski awaaz halki thi, jaise khud se bhi chup raha ho. "Mujhe shaadi ka matlab hi nahi samajh aata tha..."

(Translation - “‘I… wasn’t ready for all of this,’ his voice was soft, as if he was even hiding it from himself. ‘I never really understood what marriage even meant…’”)

Main chup thi. Phir dheere se kaha, "Mujhe bhi."

(Translation -I stayed silent. Then, softly, I said, ‘Me too.’”)

Ek lamba silence tha... na uncomfortable, na comfortable... bas ek naya sa lag raha tha.

(Translation - “There was a long silence… neither uncomfortable nor comfortable… it just felt… new.”)

Tabhi maine thoda muskura ke kaha, "Main thoda snore karti hoon... kabhi kabhi."

(Translation - “Then I smiled slightly and said, ‘I… sometimes snore a little.’”)

Usne aankhen badhi kar li, shock mein. Phir... ek halki si hasi...

Real, genuine, aur pehli baar... Jay jaisa laga.

( Translation - “His eyes widened in shock. Then… a soft laugh escaped him—real, genuine, and for the first time… so very Jay.”)

"Tum snore karti ho?" wo hasa. "Wah... main to deep sleep mein hota hoon. Perfect roommates banenge hum."

( Translation - “‘You snore?’ he laughed. ‘Wow… I sleep so deeply. Looks like we’re going to be perfect roommates.’”)

Roommates.

Pati-patni nahi...

Abhi nahi.

(Translation - “Husband and wife…Not yet.Not now.”)

Aur us raat, ek hi chhat ke neeche, do anjaane logon ne ek naya safar shuru kiya-door door se, lekin ek saath.

(Translation - “And that night, under the same roof, two strangers began a new journey—far apart, yet together.”)

Shaayad pyar baad mein hota hai... par samajh pehle zaruri hota hai.

(Translation - “Perhaps love comes later… but understanding must come first.”)

Thanks

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Gaura 🧿