Break First, Let's Love Later

Chapter 8.

She hesitated because that was the first time they were seeing each other, as a married couple. She gathered up the courage she knew she didn't have and ambled into the living room. Her body didn't know how to react, it just shut down. She froze to a point where she was hardly breathing. She stared at the gorgeous man standing before her.

He was handsome from the depth of his eyes to the gentle expression of his voice. He had the kind of face that stopped you in your tracks. She hadn't notice she was drooling over him until Aunty Umaymah interrupted her flock of thoughts. "C'mon, move closer. You can continue with the staring contest later, but the photographer wants to take pictures now." Aunty umaymah teased them as she helped Hidayah with her long dress. "Aunty umaymah I'm not..." She flashed Hidayah a dead glare which made her to swallow the rest of her sentence. Nose flaring, she stood beside him before the camera man started doing his job.

Is this guy really smiling, she thought to herself. She couldn't help but take a glimpse at him to clear her doubts. He was actually grinning from ear to ear, after how he has sabotaged her life. The audacity that hypocrite has after what he's putting her through. How can he look so happy when he knew that they both don't want that? Or he's smiling because he had plotted every every evil scheme to torture her life. All because of him, her mother wasn't talking to her. Her only aunt that listens to her now was on his side. Her boyfriend wasn't picking any of her calls, all thanks to him.

He slides one arm around her waist. For so many unanswered reasons, she had felt his touch a thousand times in her dreams and now she couldn't stand its reality. The warmth from his arm creeped into her consciousness and she wanted to pull her body away. "What do you think you're doing?" She looked up at him as he draws her even closer. "Where was your mind when the photographer was giving instructions? Now smile and look at the camera." He whispered back and looked at the photographer.

Her eyes fell on ummah that just came in together with her siblings and few of her relatives from both her mother's side and her father's side. She took in a deep breath and smiled at the camera, at least for the sake of her mother.

Ummah sends a smile to her way which made Hidayah to be relieved. The minute he was done taking pictures of them, she freed herself and rushed to her mother. As ummah's arms spread wide, welcoming her in, Hidayah immediately entered them. Ummah reaches and cup her cheeks. "Have you seen how beautiful you look today? Masha Allah." Her cheeks turned red as they heated up. That was the first time she smiled genuinely since she woke up on that dreadful day.

After the photo session, Hidayah went back to her room. She opened the door and met the last person she expected to attend her wedding. "Yasmeen? You came..." She wraps her friend in a hug. "Of course I'll come even though you didn't invite me." She broke the hug before smacking Hidayah on the shoulder. "Ummah could mommy and told her about the wedding, there was no way I was going to miss your big day. I wish you a hearty congratulations on this pleasant occasion. All this while I really thought you were serious about Adam."

"Oh please, save me the crap." Hidayah walked passed her and collapsed on the bed. "Wha- what do you mean?" Yasmeen asked, baffled. Hidayah gave a single glance before she took her phone from the side drawer, and started dialling Adam's number. She called and texted him several times but he never picked or responded to any of her texts.

She sent more texts, apologizing and continued calling him till he finally picked up her call. She scrambled up and headed into her bathroom when her sisters came into the room. She couldn't hold the heartbreak any longer, she fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as her grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. "What happened? Why are you crying? Did he do anything to hurt you? Do you mind if call the police on him?" His mind was engulfed with negative thoughts.