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“Inthe sixth round, we promise a life of honesty.”
Softocean breeze tickled my forehead, making me realize the temperature had dropped further.Ishould have been freezing after brushing off the blanket to stand, yetIfelt nothing but him.Hehad put me in a trance, andIbarely noticed my environment.
“Withthe finalPhera, we vow to love each other and pledge a lifelong friendship.Weare about to become each other’s family and promise to be there through thick and thin.”
Westopped walking and came to a final stop at where it all started.Mylips parted to finish explaining but no words came out, nor couldImeet his gaze.Iwas under his spell, mesmerized by the stranger captivating my heart.Ithad to be a dream because what else could make you lose rationality this way?
Somethingdeep and meaningful passed between us thoughIcouldn’t put it into words.Whatthe fuck had just happened?
Weexchanged something unfathomable with a walk around the fire, and everything in the world seemed different afterward.Theair was crisper, the ocean smelled saltier, and the sand under my feet was grittier.Everythinglooked different, as ifIhad rose-colored glasses painted on and couldn’t take them off.Nothingwould be the same again; nothing would feel the same again.
“Thecompletion of the sevenPherasmeans that the couple has made a promise to be together for seven lifetimes,”Ihardly recognized my voice. “Hence, we walk around the fire seven times, once for each lifetime.”
Acynic through and through,IexpectedAxelto fall to the ground, roaring with laughter.Hesurprised me by saying, “So, you’re mine for the next seven lifetimes?”
Iswore he could hear my heartbeat thumping louder than the crashing waves.
“Isaw the groom put something red on the bride’s forehead and hair after the...Pheras.”Hewatched me through thick, black lashes.Foronce, he didn’t mask the emotions on his face, filled with dark promises.
“Sindoor,”Iwhispered as if it were a secret.
God,Icouldn’t speak or breathe with the intensity of his proximity.Ihad to snap out of this; otherwise, this man would take me with him to the deepest corners of the ocean, andI’dnever reemerge.
Itook the slightest step back and cleared my throat. “Sindooris vermilion; it’s this red-pigmented cosmetic powder.Thegroom places it along the bride’s hairline to seal the deal.It’sa sign of being officially married.”
“Wedon’t have the box of vermilion.Bride’sfamily took it with them after the wedding.”
Animage of an oldBollywoodmovie unexpectedly crossed my mind, andIcouldn’t help giggling despite the intense moment we were sharing.
“What?”
“Sorry.Ijust remembered this sappyBollywoodmovie.Thehero in the movie tried to marry his lover but didn’t have vermilion.So, he cut his thumb and used the blood to swipe over her hairline.”
Thehero was a sentimentalSOB, immensely in love with the woman in question.Icouldn’t hold back another fit of laughter as the ridiculous scene of him cutting his thumb and using the blood in place of vermillion replayed in my mind.Igiggled without restraint, thoughItried to subdue the sound with a hand over my mouth.
Iwas so caught up in humoring myself thatIdidn’t realizeAxelhad moved to our setup on the blanket.Hisback was to me, andIhad to slant my body to see past his massive bulk.Heheld one of the empty beer cans we drank earlier and stabbed the side of it with his keys like he had done when we shotgun beers.
Iwalked to him. “Whatare you—”Igasped whenAxelpressed his thumb down the hole, puncturing his skin on the aluminum.
Redblood prickled, a drop falling on the sand to mar the previously pristine, white beach.
“Mygod,Axel.Areyou okay—”
Iwas cut off by a determinedAxelturning toward me abruptly.JustwhenIthought he’d fling me over his shoulders for some unknown neanderthal reason,Axelstumped me by pressing his thumb over my forehead and smearing the blood along my hairline.
“There.Nowwe are married.”
Gah!
Iwas wrong to ever make fun of the sappySOBfrom thatBollywoodmovie.Itwasn’t a corny move.
ItwasSO.FUCKING.SEXY.
“You’reso corny.”Myvoice was thick with desire, contradicting the comment.
Hesmirked. “That’snot what you were thinking,Princess.Youloved it when that man did the same thing in the movie.”
Ibit the corner of my mouth.Thiswas the most romantic thing to happen to me. “It’sunhygienic and gross.”
