Christmas Magic

Hey! Look who's back from the dead! I sincerely apologize to my wonderful readers for how long it's been since I last updated this story. There were a few deaths in my family after which I was too distraught to write and then I had my GCSEs, which required most of my attention. Nevertheless, I hope to finish this story soon enough. Please leave a review- they encourage me to write more/better/more frequently. ;)

Chapter 5

The entire wedding hall had gone quiet and almost everybody was staring at her.

'Anjali?' Her aunt, whispered in awe. There was a moment of silence, before all hell broke loose.

People stared and gasped and spoke in loud stage whispers around the room, as Angel winced at the scene she was unwittingly causing. Really, all she had wanted was to quietly see her family again, watching from the corner while her sister had her big day. She'd never meant for this hubbub to break out. Her heart began beating faster and she unconsciously backed away from the oncoming crowd, only to bump into Soryu standing like a tall pillar of strength behind her.

'It'll be alright.' He whispered reassuringly and Angel instantly felt better, calmer. If he could be that calm in such an uncomfortable situation, she could too, after all she had been dying to see her family again.

Steeling herself, she faced the crowd, confidently striding through the tittering relatives to pull her younger sister into a tight hug.

'Preeti! I've missed you.' Angel said in a hoarse voice, using all her strength to not cry.

'I've missed you too, sis! You're not dead. Oh that's great. Although, you sure know how to make an entrance Anjali.' Her sister said, crying and laughing at the same time.

'What about you!? I can't believe you're getting married. You're ancient now!' She mocked.

'Oi, you're older than me. Now come on, Anjali. Mom and Dad are with most of the guests in the back garden. And so is my husband. I can't wait for you to meet him! Oh there's so much I have to talk to you about…' Preeti chattered on, while Angel half listened.

'It's Angel now, by the way Preeti.'

'Angel? Like what you're name means? Isn't that a bit vain?' Her sister asked, only half teasing.

'Oh shut up. I've only been here 5 minutes and you're already getting on my nerves.' Angel shot her a look.

'Ok whatever, Anja- I mean, Angel.' Her sister giggled childishly and Angel just rolled her eyes in exasperation. When would this girl ever grow up? 'But seriously, Anjali. You really know how to pick a moment. You just had to come crashing in on my wedding day? You couldn't have let me have one day of attention to myself? I mean, you had your wedding day- all the attention was certainly on you then.' Preeti continued. Her sister had never been one to filter what comes into her head before it passed her mouth and Angel noted that 5 years hadn't changed that much atleast.

Her sister had always been the childish one. The chatterbox, the social butterfly. Angel had been the one working silently in the background at any party, making sure everything ran perfectly. However, it was Preeti who got all the praise: the one who stood out front; slim, pretty and decked up beautifully; whose mouth was constantly going, charming and befriending all those she met. Angel had never grudged being overshadowed though. It made sense. Angel was the introvert- the smart one whose talents lay with anything intelligent. While her sister went out, she stayed at home and studied. When Preeti had been out partying until 4 in the morning, Angel had been the one who covered for her in front of their parents. While her sister preferred to live her life, Angel had spent her time buried in books- focused on her career and studies. Although Angel had occasionally felt a stab of jealousy at the carefree, perhaps selfish manner her sister overlooked her and all she did for her, her own nature was far too generous to ever hold a grudge. She loved her sister and would do anything for her, and she knew her sister loved her too, even if she could be selfish every now and then. But that was to be expected from someone who had been pampered as the youngest and prettiest all her life.

Angel took her sister in with a critical eye. Preeti hadn't even realised that what she said might be perceived as hurtful or selfish. There was no spite in her- just a blissful ignorance. Angel laughed it off, as she always did, throwing an arm around her beloved baby sister.

'How could I possibly let my only sister get married without me? Don't you want me here?' Angel asked with a pout. Preeti immediately forgot her previous woes about Angel taking away the attention, and invested her energy into cheering her older sister up instead.

'Oh no! How could you think that? This wedding is much better with you around! I was so sad when we had to do everything without you. Dad's been miserable- though he hid it much better than Mama. She kept crying the whole time. My wedding reminded her of yours, I suppose, and that reminded her of you and she kept going on and on and on about how both her little girls were going away.' Angel smacked her lightly.

'Be more sensitive, Mom's been through a lot.'

'And who's fault is that?' 5 years ago, Angel would have kept arguing but she'd matured a lot since then. Besides, her sister had a point. Angel felt intensely guilty at the thought of having caused her parents grief.

They stepped out into the vast garden, twinkling under the fairy lights that were strung up everywhere. Snow blanketed the trees and shrubs, giving it an ethereal contrast to the warm looking, bright marquee in the middle of the garden. She could see people inside the huge white tent, laughing, eating and generally celebrating.

'Come on,' her sister urged, 'They're all probably wondering where I am.'

'Wait! There's someone with me. Someone important- really important.' Angel gulped and stretched out a hand to Soryu who had been following the two sisters and their small entourage of relatives at a safe distance. 'This is Soryu. He's my… my…'

'Her boyfriend.' He filled in, with a faultless British accent.

'OH. MY. GOD.' Preeti's eyes bugged as she took in the tall, handsome and muscly man standing before her. She felt a twinge of jealousy. How had Anjali managed to land such a perfect looking guy? 'Not only did you manage to lose so much weight but you're dating such a man that looks like he could model for Calvin Klein? You're life has definitely rocketed in the last five years.' Angel smiled shyly, pressing closer to Soryu who looked torn between feeling uncomfortable at Preeti's disbelief, and pride at having been called a model.

'I've been working out.' Angel said in a non-committal tone, careful to not mention her work.

'Seriously? You and exercise? Don't make me laugh. You should have seen her when she was younger- like a dumpling! I wish I had a figure like yours.' Preeti laughed. Angel's eyes narrowed dangerously. Her sister had gone mad. Right now, Angel had become so thin that she was dangerously close to being malnutritioned, whereas earlier she had been a normal, healthy size.

'Your ideals on what women should look like are dangerously unrealistic. What I was, wasn't fat- it was healthy. Me right now is unhealthy. I wouldn't wish this on anybody- it's the result of a rather harrowing life.' She muttered the last part quietly but her sister had already moved on, pulling her into the Marquee with her.

Angel immediately spied her parents inside, laughing and chatting with the guests. Angel walked confidently through, the crowd of people growing silent as they recognized her- the girl who'd mysteriously disappeared after her wedding was called off under very suspicious conditions. Angel ignored the whispers around her and crept up on her mother, casually hugging her from behind.

'Missed me?' Angel asked quietly with a smile. Her father's face had blanched, the glass of wine falling from his hand. Her mother turned and gasped when she saw who it was, looking as if she'd seen a ghost.

'Anjali!'

'Whoa!' Before she knew it, Angel had been pulled into a rib crushing hug in between both her parents. Her father was a tall, stately man, slim and muscly from years of serving in the Navy. While he struck an intimidating figure, her mother was more soft and gentler, carrying herself with a Queenly air that was to be expected from high-class women. Now, however, her professionally applied make up began to run as tears poured down her face, as she cried into her daughter's shoulder.

'Oh my, we thought we'd lost you.' Angel's mother said quietly. The feeling of guilt and shame began to prick her again, only intensifying when she realised her father was crying too. The only time she had seen him cry was once in her entire life, when his mother had died. And now the usually hard, strong man was weeping like a child. Angel couldn't help the tears rolling down her own face too.

'NO! Come on! It's Preeti's wedding! It's a happy occasion. You guys can't keep crying like this. I thought you'd be happy to see me!' Angel forced herself to say the words brightly, although her voice trembled a bit. Soryu and her parents were the only ones who caught on to that however. 'I'm fine. Look at me- I'm fine. In fact I'm more than fine- I'm happy. This is Soryu, my uh… boyfriend.' Angel blushed furiously, Soryu registered with surprise. He had never seen her blush before.

Her parents looked shocked at her revelation and Soryu found himself suddenly nervous at meeting his girlfriend's parents. The significance of the moment had just hit him and Soryu gulped inwardly. He surreptitiously wiped his clammy hands on his expensive handkerchief, ready to shake hands with her father.

'I-uh-' To his surprise, before he could introduce himself, her father coldly cut him off.

'Later. We'll talk later.' Before Soryu could react, the stern looking man had protectively wrapped his arms around his daughter and was leading her away. Angel shot Soryu an apologetic look, but went with her father anyway.

Soryu watched jealously as her parents celebrated her arrival with as much zeal as if someone had told them that they would live forever.

'To my two beautiful daughters. May you both live long and prosperously and gain all the happiness in the world. You deserve it.' Her father toasted them and a thunderous round of applause and cheers chorused through the air.

After what seemed like forever, they had bid Preeti and her new husband farewell and the last of the wedding guests had trundled out, they were finally alone. Soryu, Angel and her parents. Oh God…

AN: I know it's pretty bad but I've lost the initial inspiration I had for this story so do forgive me. Hopefully, I'll update soon but I still have exams left so be patient with me. Also, please, please, please leave a review.