July 1st — The Countdown Begins
The month of their wedding had arrived.
Ruhi woke up in her PG to a message stuck on her door.It was from Simran, who had just returned from Paris.
✈️ "Back home, carrying croissants and courage.Also… we need to go lehenga shopping, you indecisive potato." 😏
Ruhi laughed and hugged her friend tight when they met."Did Paris change you?" she asked.
"No," Simran said. "It reminded me why I started."
They sat on the hostel terrace under Delhi's early July drizzle, sipping chai and discussing guest lists, mandap decorations, and which family members might cry the most.
🏏 Rudra's Calendar — Crossed-Out Days
In Rudra's room, the calendar now had red crosses through every day of June.
All that remained was July 21st — marked with a bold heart.
Aarav had returned unexpectedly from Mumbai the day before.
"Delhi missed me," he joked, giving Rudra a side hug. "Or maybe I just missed your confused, pre-wedding panic face."
Rudra smiled."I don't know if I'm nervous or just overwhelmed."
"You're both," Aarav said. "But also... completely ready."
📝 The Wedding Invite — More Than Names
Instead of a traditional invite card, Ruhi and Rudra wrote a joint poem:
"The Final Page"
*You met me when I was loudAnd you were louder.
Then we foughtAnd lostAnd found the rhythmThat sounded like us.
We don't promise fairy tales.We promise chai.And chaos.And choosing each other even whenThe WiFi dies and the dishes pile up.
On July 21st,We won't become perfect.
We'll just becomeOurs.* 💍
The poem went viral online.But for them, it was never about the world.
It was a vow before the vow.
💄 Simran's Secret — Not All Surprises Hurt
Simran handed Ruhi a wrapped box two weeks before the wedding.
Inside: a leather-bound diary with "Ruhi & Rudra" embossed in gold.
"This is your marriage diary," she said."Write everything — fights, laughs, pillow talks, and pizza nights."
Ruhi teared up."I can't believe you thought of this."
"I've always believed in your words," Simran said. "Now believe in this life you're starting."
🏃 A Twist in the Tale — The Accident
July 16th.
Five days before the wedding.Aarav was returning from a practice camp when a drunk biker sped across the divider near Saket.
The crash wasn't fatal — but bad enough to fracture Aarav's right arm and shoulder.
Rudra rushed to the hospital that evening.Simran was already there, pacing outside the emergency ward.
"He's fine," she said through tears. "But the doctors say rehab will take months."
Rudra nodded slowly, but his chest tightened.Aarav was supposed to be his best man, his brother through everything.
🛏️ In the Hospital Room — Broken but Smiling
Aarav lay on the bed, bandaged but grinning.
"Bro," he whispered, "don't cancel the wedding. I'll roll in a wheelchair if I have to."
Rudra laughed and wiped his eyes.
Simran stood at the foot of the bed and said:
"You're still giving your toast at the reception."
Aarav replied:
"I'll give it with one hand and a whole heart."
📓 Beyond the Buzzer – Page 192
"Every wedding needs vows.But every marriage needs people who show upEven with broken bones."
📱 Ruhi's Reaction — Fear, Then Strength
When Ruhi got the call, she froze.Not out of worry for the wedding…
But because she realized something:Her people were everything.
Not the dress.Not the stage.Not the guest list.
Just them — Rudra, Simran, Aarav.
She told her father that night:
"Even if we marry in a temple with four friends, it'll be perfect.
Because I'm not marrying a man.I'm marrying a lifetime."
🌧️ Delhi's Rain — A Metaphor, Again
On July 18th, Delhi poured.
But this time, the rain didn't feel chaotic.
It felt like cleansing.Like everything broken was about to be rebuilt.
Ruhi stood under it barefoot, arms wide, letting the monsoon wash away the last pieces of doubt.
Simran joined her moments later.
Then Rudra.
Then even Aarav, in his sling, walked into the courtyard — laughing through the pain.
📸 A Photo That Said It All
Someone captured that moment:Four friends standing in the rain, soaked to the bone, laughing like kids.
The caption Ruhi posted:
"We survived everything.
The distance. The doubts.The injuries. The insults.
Now let love do the rest."
💫 End of Chapter 40