Chapter 2: The Unexpected Introduction

Chapter 2: The Unexpected Introduction

The wedding was in full swing, with vibrant music, joyous laughter, and a kaleidoscope of colors filling the venue. Avni, however, was far from enjoying it. She spent most of her time darting behind flower arrangements, hiding behind relatives, or pretending to fix her lehenga, all in a desperate attempt to avoid him.

Ayaan.

Every time she spotted him across the room—leaning casually against a wall, chatting animatedly with his cousins, or sneaking an extra laddoo from the dessert table—her heart raced like it was running a marathon.

“He’s so oblivious,” Avni muttered under her breath, peeking from behind a pillar as Ayaan helped a little boy tie his shoelace. “Why does he have to be so… him?”

Her friend-turned-cousin Kavya, who had been roped into Avni’s little espionage mission, rolled her eyes. “You’re acting like he’s some celebrity. Just talk to him.”

“Are you insane?” Avni whisper-yelled, pulling Kavya behind the pillar. “I can’t let him see me. He’s my sister’s brother-in-law. It’s bad enough I had a crush on him in college. Now I have to pretend like I don’t even know him!”

“Relax,” Kavya said, stifling a laugh. “From what I’ve seen, he’s not exactly scanning the crowd for you.”

Avni shot her a glare but didn’t argue. Kavya was right. Ayaan didn’t seem to have noticed her at all, which should’ve been a relief, but it also stung her pride a little. Not even a flicker of recognition?

As the evening wore on, Avni felt like she was winning her little game of hide-and-seek. She managed to keep a safe distance, often ducking behind Meera’s lehenga or pretending to be deeply engrossed in a conversation with an aunt she barely knew.

But her victory was short-lived.

“Avni, come here!” her mother’s voice rang out from across the hall.

Avni froze, a sinking feeling spreading in her stomach. She turned slowly, only to find her mother standing near Ayaan, waving her over with a bright smile.

“No, no, no,” Avni whispered, her feet refusing to move.

Kavya nudged her. “Looks like your hiding days are over, Cinderella.”

Reluctantly, Avni trudged over, her heart hammering in her chest. Ayaan stood next to her mother, his hands casually tucked into the pockets of his kurta. He looked even more effortless up close, his disheveled hair falling slightly over his forehead, his expression one of polite curiosity.

“Avni, meet Ayaan,” her mother said cheerfully. “Raj’s younger brother.”

Ayaan smiled faintly and extended a hand. “Hi, I’m Ayaan.”

Avni stared at his hand for a moment before shaking it awkwardly. “Hi… I’m Avni.”

There was a pause. Avni expected him to say something like, Oh, you’re in my class, or Hey, don’t we know each other? But Ayaan’s expression remained neutral, as if he had no idea who she was.

“You’re Meera’s sister, right?” Ayaan asked, his tone friendly but detached.

Avni nodded quickly. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“Well, nice to meet you,” Ayaan said with a casual shrug, before turning back to her mother to continue their conversation about something trivial.

Avni blinked, her mind reeling. He doesn’t know me. He doesn’t recognize me.

Kavya sidled up to her as soon as Ayaan and her mother walked away. “So? How’d it go?”

Avni shook her head, still processing. “He… doesn’t even know who I am. He doesn’t know I was in his class. Nothing.”

Kavya raised an eyebrow. “And how do you feel about that?”

Avni hesitated, a mixture of emotions swirling inside her. She was shocked, of course, but there was also a strange sense of relief. The secret she’d been carrying—the crush she’d nurtured for months—felt a little lighter now.

“I don’t know,” she admitted, a small smile tugging at her lips. “It’s… kind of nice. Like a fresh start.”

“Well, there you go,” Kavya said with a grin. “Now you can enjoy the wedding without worrying about him recognizing you. You’re just Meera’s little sister to him.”

“Yeah,” Avni said, glancing across the hall at Ayaan, who was now animatedly explaining something to a group of kids. He seemed so… unbothered, so carefree. It was almost unfair.

As the night went on, Avni found herself watching him again, but this time with a little less panic and a little more curiosity. Maybe being invisible wasn’t such a bad thing after all.

For now, she decided, she’d let things be. There was a whole wedding to enjoy, and who knew what twists fate had in store?

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