Struggling with Denial, Yet Falling Deeper
Arun’s fingers twitched as he hesitated, feeling the delicate jasmine woven into his braid. The lingering fragrance filled his senses, comforting yet terrifying. He should have ripped them out immediately, thrown them aside, and proven them all wrong.
But he didn’t.
Instead, he sat frozen, his heart pounding.
Lakshmi watched him with a knowing smile. “Why aren’t you removing them, kanna?”
Arun clenched his fists. “I… I just…” His voice trailed off.
Meena smirked. “Ayyoo, Maami! You looked so peaceful just now, enjoying them in your sleep.”
Sumathi Mami giggled. “If we hadn’t woken you up, you might have even asked for a second garland!”
The laughter stung. He wasn’t enjoying this. He wasn’t!
With a sudden burst of defiance, Arun yanked the flowers from his braid and placed them on the table. “See? I don’t care about them.”
The women only smiled. Lakshmi patted his cheek. “It’s alright, kanna. We understand.”
That gentle tone scared him more than anything.
The Next Few Days: No Escape from Their Teasing
From that day on, the teasing never stopped.
Every morning, Lakshmi would sigh dramatically. “Poor thing. Without jasmine, she looks so incomplete.”
Meena would giggle, waving a fresh strand of flowers in front of him. “Shall we, Maami? Just a little? You miss it, don’t you?”
Even the neighbors started playing along.
At a family gathering, one of the older women clucked her tongue. “Lakshmi, why isn’t Arun wearing flowers today? A woman without jasmine looks dull, no?”
Arun’s face burned. “I-I’m not—”
Another auntie laughed. “Ayyoo, she’s too shy to admit it! Let me put it for her.”
Before he could react, gentle hands tucked a garland into his braid. The familiar scent wrapped around him, making his heart race.
The room filled with chuckles.
“See? So perfect. This is how it should be.”
Arun wanted to pull them out. He should pull them out.
But… he didn’t.
His fingers hovered near his braid, then slowly lowered.
Lakshmi noticed. She leaned in and whispered, “It’s alright, kanna. Some things are just meant to be.”
Arun swallowed hard. His denial was slipping, no matter how much he fought.
And deep down, he knew they were winning.
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