I did not hear that....

Calista cried in his arm.Nathan patted her back lovingly,sharp pierces piercing through his heart from each and every sob he heard from her.

"Hush now...I will get you out of this mess,"he assured her as he caressed her hair lovingly.

Calista raised her head from his chest.She peered at his face through her long eyelashes.

She hoped that he meant something else and not running away.

"How will you do that?"she asked out of pure curiosity and hopelessness.

"I will arrange a car that will get us out of here.Out of Canada and you will not come back until everything is settled,"he explained in low voice.

Calista let out a silent sigh.

She should have expected such an idea from him.After all,he was Izara's best friend and maybe their thinking was just the same.

She took a step back,away from him spoke calmly but firm.

"I am not leaving.I am not Izara.I will stay back and get married...have you given it a thought of what will become of my mother if I ran away?"she asked boldly.

Nathan was taken aback.

He had never seen Calista that angry and determined before.

"Serenity,this is not the time to prove yourself.Whether a coward or not,your happiness should come first,"he stated.

"My happiness?...do you think I will be any happy if I ran away and left my mother hooked on the clutches of that so called Maverick?"she asked in anger.

The idea of getting married to Maverick angered her and the idea of running away from him also made her steam.

She did not know what to do at all.

"Nothing will happen to aunt Ishaani,you just have to go away from this..."he argued her.

Serenity looked at him against and sternly responded.

"I am not leaving Nathan...let my fate be decided today.If I am to marry that man then let it be,"she answered.

Nathan grasped her shoulders and looked at her eyes.

"I am not letting that happen Serenity...I love you so much and I cannot loose you to another man and considering the fact that the man is not even your choice..."he boldly stated.

"I do not have a choice Nathan...I am not given choices to decide on one so I have to do this.I am sure you would have done the same if you were in my shoes.."she tried to reason with him.

"No way Serenity...I would not stop loving you or get married to another woman because of my brother's mistake.Marriage is a permanent union Serenity.Even if you get divorced but you will always be apart of the person's life,"he explaining to her.

Of course she understood all that but how could she run away.

And if she did...what will her mother do?

"You are being selfish Nathan..."her lips parted to speak.

"That's very true but for love's sake I am ready to be more selfish Serenity,"he confessed.

Calista looked at her friend.This was not the Nathan she knew but she understood what love would make one do but she could not agree to what he was saying.

She wanted to part her lips and speak but just then,a rap was heard from the door then it was opened.

"Dear,you have to start getting ready for the wedding.Two hours are remaining,"her grandmother,who had just opened the door informed her.

Calista nodded at her and when she closed the door again,she looked at him again.

"I am not ready to be selfish...thank you for loving me.I hoped that maybe one day I would be able to reciprocate your feelings but that won't happen.After tonight I will be a married woman but I hope you will always be my friend because I am not ready to loose my friend..."she spoke calmly.

Nathan was quiet for a while then he nodded at her.He then embraced her lovingly and mummered in her ear.

"I will always love you,that will never change and am sure of it...I will always be your friend, your brother,your Nathan...I will always be here for you."

Calista smiled against his chest.

She would have been more confused and unhappy if she had lost him as a friend today.

Nathan loosened hid grip on her.He cupped her face again and looked at her.

His face got closer to hers and he planted a kiss on her lips.It was not a deep kiss but he lingered there for almost a minute then he let go.

That was not more of a surprise to Calista.He had done that once,and that infront of her mother and sister.They still young then and he kissed her again when they were teenagers but it had never been a deep kiss.

"Make sure you take care of yourself baby..."he aurged her.

Calista smiled at him.

"And make sure you don't kiss me the next time we meet...I will be a married woman and I don't think my husband will take it easy,"she teased him.

"I did not hear that.."he teased back and walked away.Calista looked at him go until he reached the door.He stopped and looked back at him.

"Am sorry I will not be able to witness your wedding but make sure you call me as soon as possible...after your wedding and we will celebrate it as you wanted,"he said with a smile on.

Calista nodded again.

She could not ask why on earth he could not attend the wedding since she already knew why.

It would be much better if he would stay but again his reason for not being able to attend was so unequivocal.

"And you look beautiful in a saree..."he spoke.

"You must be kidding me..."she rolled up her eyes at the comment.

Nathan gave out a brief laughter and walked out of the bathroom.

After Nathan last the bathroom,she stripped off her saree and got into the bathtub.

The water wa a bit hot and she loved it.After the conversation she had with Nathan she felt much better.

She relaxed in the bathtub for almost a half an hour before she finally washed up.She wrapped a white towel and unhurriedly walked out of the bathroom.

How she loved the white color.Her room was plain white and everything in it as well.

She felt more comfortable in a white colored place and not any other color.

When she stepped foot in her room,she saw the trio and another young man.It was not Nathan and she did not know who it was.

Introduction was badly needed.

"Baby...this is Julio...he will be your make up artist today and we should rush since it is not on our side,"her mother spoke.

Calista remained silent and fixed on her position.She did not understand how her mood turned sour again when her eyes landed on the trio.

She felt an excruciating pain hit her chest hard anytime she saw them.

She swallowed hard and looked at the young man who was smiling broadly at her.

She could not smile back genuinely but at least she tried to smile back.

The trio have the artist space to do his work as they also went to prepare for the wedding.

"Bride's are always happy on their wedding days but you are not,"Julio made his observation known.

They had already done a simple massage and her hair was styled up beautifully.

She was already dressed in wedding saree.

Red was always the wedding saree color but she was glad that they did not buy her a red saree.

She had never felt comfortable in the red color.She even had a phobia when it came to sighting blood...even her own blood was an issue to see...she would vomit almost every time she saw her menstrual blood and dizziness would gladly embrace her.

"I guess not all of them are always happy...maybe they are forced to smile and act like everything is fine,"she answered,her voice portraying bitterness.

"It's a bad omen for a bride to be unhappy on her joyous occasion,"Julio continued.

Calista sighed.

She was already tired of listening to such superstitions.

It was an omen to wash off the henna...and now,being angry was also an omen.

How ridiculous that was!

'How can my feeling be a bad omen!?'she mused silently.

The makeup was soon done and two scarfs were taken by Julio.

He arranged one on her right side and the one he stylishly covered her with it.It was translucent and so, Calista could see everything but nobody could her instead.

"We are finally done...you are the most beautiful bride I have set my eyes upon,"Julio spoke with a sweet smile.

"Thank you..."Calista responded after a short hesitance.