Arushi’s POV

“Aru, jaldi karo! Hum late ho jayenge!” Mum shouted, her voice filled with frustration.

“Bas aayi, Mama!” I called back, rushing to get ready.

“Uff, Saad! Main iss ladki ka kya karu? She’s getting ready as if she’s going to her own wedding rather than a shopping trip. I’m so done with her!” Mum huffed, clearly exasperated after waiting for me for the past half an hour.

“Arey, begum, kyun meri gudiya ke baare mein aise keh rahi ho? It’s fine, we can wait,”Baba said with his usual calmness.

Just as he finished speaking, I finally appeared in front of them, flashing my cutest smile.

“Sorry, guys! I couldn’t find my earrings. I swear I’ll be early next time, pakka!” I said, hugging Baba and picking up my nephew.

“Chalo phir, let’s go!” Baba announced, and with that, we were off for some wedding shopping.

Oh! I almost forgot to introduce myself.

Hi, guys! I’m Arushi Saad Ahmed, the only daughter of the one and only Saad Ahmed—a well-known businessman. I have an elder brother, Armaan, and his wife, Mahnoor. They have the cutest love story I’ve ever seen, but that’s a story for another time.

As for today’s shopping, it’s for my cousin sister’s wedding in India! We’re buying gifts for the family and, of course, picking out wedding outfits.

Oh shoot, I didn’t even tell you about myself! I’m an interior designer by profession, but my heart belongs to cooking, dancing, and art. If you ever taste my Indian curry, you’ll be licking your fingers—I promise! Oh, and I’m a big-time perfectionist ✨. But don’t worry, you’ll get to know more about me as you read along.

Author’s POV

As Arushi and her family entered the shopping mall, they spotted Leisha wandering through the aisles, shopping all by herself. A mischievous grin appeared on Arushi’s face.

“LEISHA! SPIDER!” she screamed, knowing exactly how her best friend would react.

Leisha jumped in pure terror, her mini heart attack evident on her face. Before Arushi could even celebrate her prank, she got a smack on the head from her mum.

“Arushi! Kyu karti ho tum meri pyaari beti ke saath aisa?” Mum scolded while Arushi frowned, rubbing her head.

“Arushi! Tujhe main maar daalungi! How dare you?” Leisha fumed, glaring at her.

But instead of responding, Arushi simply grabbed her arm and dragged her towards the shopping racks.

Meanwhile, Arushi’s mum turned to Leisha. “Beta, tum akeli shopping kar rahi ho? Where’s Aarti (Leisha’s mum)?”

“Aunty, actually nani ki tabiyat theek nahi hai, aur meri bhi cousin ki shaadi hai. I’m leaving early to help with the preparations. Mum and Dad will join on the wedding day. I even invited Arushi and everyone, but she’s busy with her cousin’s wedding, and the rest are caught up with work. So it’s just me here,” Leisha explained with a small smile.

“What about Tanishka?” Arushi’s mum asked.

“Aunty, woh toh puri workaholic hai—just like Arushi. She has a ton of meetings and responsibilities. Someone had to stay behind, so she volunteered. Plus, she’s not really into all this grand Rajasthani wedding stuff,” Leisha said with a shrug.

Then she glanced at her watch and sighed. “Anyway, I should head out. I’m leaving day after tomorrow, and I still need to pack. Also, Arushi, don’t forget—everyone’s meeting tomorrow at our old café! Be on time for once, okay?”

She hugged Arushi, waved goodbye to everyone, and left.

After finishing their shopping, Arushi and her family returned home. With a cold coffee in hand, she settled down, scrolling through client emails and responses, determined to clear up her work before tomorrow’s meetup.

Not long after, exhaustion took over, and she dozed off