It's been fifteen minutes since I came to the club. I can't see Sid anywhere. It's so dark here and very noisy.

I went to the bar and ordered a mocktail. I don't want to get drunk. I want to help Srikanth to make sure everyone reached home safely. I sat on the barstool and called Sid. He didn't lift my call.

Just then I felt a tap on my shoulder and turned to see that it is Karthik. He is looking at me surprised.

"You look hot", he said.

"Thank you. And you are not looking hot", I replied nonchalantly teasing him.

He clutched his hand to his heart and said, "Ouch".

We then hugged and I asked him, "Where is the couple?".

He pointed at a group, "They are in the middle. Everybody flocked at them to greet them."

"Let's sit here. We can go to them once they are free." I told him.

"Yep", he replied. He ordered a whiskey on the rocks.

"So, you and Sid are not dating?" he asked me. I remember he asked me once in Sharanya's engagement. He never brought that topic again.

I raised my eyebrow and looked at him. He cleared his throat and lifted his hands in the air and told, "Just asking."

"Nope. He and I are best friends from the fifth standard. His family bought the house after Arjun Sir's family left for Delhi." I explained to him.

"Arjun told me that you guys were close in your childhood and he told me the stabbing incident." He informed me.

"Please, don't call it the stabbing incident. If anyone listens they might think I am a murderer. And I was never close with Arjun Sir, it is my sister who is friends with him." I pouted at him.

He smiled and said okay.

Just then Sid waved at me from the other end. Karthik and I left to meet him. He greeted Karthik.

"Where were you?" I asked him.

"Srikanth Bhai and I went to buy some things for the wedding. Indira Aunty forgot to buy and we will wake up late tomorrow." He told me.

"Okay. Where is Srikanth? He is working his ass off for this marriage." I asked.

"Yeah. He doesn't want your parents to stress about the preparations. He went to speak with the hotel people. He will be here in ten minutes I guess. And what the hell are you wearing?" he looked at me unimpressed.

"Duh. A dress," I winked at him.

Karthik cleared his throat and asked, "Are you sure you two are not dating?"

Sid and I both looked at him surprised. What is his obsession with Sid and my relation?

"Eww....that's why I always tell you not to follow me everywhere. Not even one girl looks at me. everyone thinks that I am booked" Sid complained to me.

Meanwhile, Srikanth joined us and asked, "What happened?"

We all three simultaneously said, "Nothing."

"You and Karthik grab a table for us, Bhai and I will get some drinks for us", saying Srikanth and Sid went to the bar counter. I immediately turned to Karthik and asked, "What is wrong with you?"

He just shrugged and said, "You two look like you are dating. Come, let's grab the table".

I am annoyed at him right now. He doesn't have any right to meddle in our relationship.

"I have told you so many times. We are just friends. And you don't have any right to meddle in between us. So keep your opinions to yourself. No offense."

"None taken."

Just then Sharanya and Arjun sir joined us. We greeted them and Srikanth and Sid too joined us. We all sat and talked drinking, eating. After some time, Karthik asked my sister, "Why are you guys not dancing? You love dancing."

"Oh, I am tired. I want to save my energy for tomorrow." She replied to him.

"What about you guys? Let's dance? I am feeling bored", he asked me, sid and Srikanth.

"She can't dance for her life", Srikanth pointed at me and told him. I scoffed at him.

"Forget dancing. She can't even walk properly in those high heels", sid added.

"So, let's sit and protect my sister from falling", Srikanth winked at me.

I gave Sid and Srikanth a dirty look and announced, "You know what, I will dance", and stood up.

Srikanth too stood up and told, " I will protect you from falling. Come. Sid, protect me from her, please" he dragged Sid too to the floor.

My sister too joined us and we four went to the floor leaving the Devil and Karthik to themselves.

We all danced for some time. Translation: they danced. I tried to stop falling. Sid and Srikanth went dancing with some of our cousins after seeing that I am of no use on the dance floor. My sister joined some of her friends. I went and joined some of my cousins. By the end of the night, everyone was drunk. Sid is wasted. He can't even stand properly. Karthik looks a little flushed. I myself am feeling a little drunk but in my senses. Don't even start on my cousins. Around one in the night, Srikanth and I along with the help of the devil and Karthik sent almost everyone to the farmhouse. Because, if our family see them like this, they will kill them. So Srikanth told them that since everyone will wake up late, they should sleep at the farmhouse where the wedding will happen. He already sent everyone's luggage to the farmhouse.

After sending everyone, Srikanth, Karthik, Sharanya, Sid, and I went in one car to the farmhouse. Sharanya is sleeping on the devil's shoulder in the middle row. Sid is snoring beside me in the back seat. Karthik is leaning his head on the window and sleeping next to me. My brother is sitting beside the driver.

When we reached the farmhouse, Srikanth and Karthik grabbed sleeping Sid and took him to Srikanth's room where they will sleep along with the devil. I went to join my cousins in my room. Sharanya's room is free because she is the bride.

I changed my dress into pajamas. I have to join work the day after tomorrow afternoon and I want another day's leave to just sleep. I couldn't sleep because of this marriage and relatives. Soon I slept.

I don't know what time it is. All the curtains in my room are closed. It is still dark in my room but I can see daylight which is blocked by my curtains. That is not what woke me up. My bedroom door was open and I can hear someone crying, someone yelling. I looked at the watch, it is almost three in the afternoon.

Oh my god.

The wedding is in five hours. I have to get ready. So many people are there in the house. it is difficult to get a washroom. I can't be late for my sister's wedding.

Wait.

What are those voices?

They are coming from the living room. When I joined the living room, everyone was there. My parents, Devil's parents, Sid's parents, my cousins, Karthik, Sid, Amit Dadu. Everyone.

I am still not woken up completely. They are talking about something. My head is pounding. I went and stood beside Sid and Srikanth and nudged Sid and raised my eyebrows asking him what happened. He is still closing one eye. He is worse than me. Just then Srikanth handed me some papers. Looks like a printout of an email and some papers.

I squinted my eyes and looked at them, Sid also joined me to read them. When we read those papers, our sleep ran off. We both looked at each other with wide eyes and looked at the devil simultaneously.

He is looking at the papers in my hand and seems to be in thought. Karthik is standing beside him. I looked around the room and saw the stoic faces of the elders, my mother is crying, Arjun's mom is crying. Arjun's sister is holding her. Amit dadu has his head in his hands.

What the fuck did she do?

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