It has always been you!

Chapter 4

It was eight o'clock when we reached Sami bhai's house. A huge tent was set out of the house adorned with golden lights. The groom's side was already standing at the entrance waiting for us with flowers, kangan and har with them. We all were holding decorated plates in which mehndi was filled and small candles placed in the center.

Arranging ourselves in rows, we entered. Greeting everyone, we set up Sami bhai's bari on stage. After all the adults performed rasam, it was time for chungli pakrai (this is a tradition in which dulhan's sister holds dulha's pinky finger until and unless dulha gave her naik i.e amount of money the bride's sister demands).

As Zoha had no other sister so I performed the tradition.

"Sami bhai, Zoha had given me permission to ask for as much amount I want. But I will not ask much, just gave us thirty thousand and your precious finger would be left alone" I told him. Wrapping haldi around his finger then a pan, and held his finger tightly.

"Thirty thousand! Seriously Aleyha, thats too much. Come on, bring it down. Twenty-thousand is enough" Ahmed, dulha's brother shrieked from behind the sofa.

Turning my head, I glared at him "I am not asking you for the amount. I am talking to Sami bhai only"

The two sides kept bickering.

"Okay fine na tumahari na hamari, twenty-five thousand is done" aapi interrupted.

"That's too much" someone from groom's side shouted.

"Come on Sami bhai, you cannot do this for Zoha, that's not good" I teased.

"Okay! Twenty-five thousand it is" Sami bhai finalized and took out the amount.

I was counting the amount when Ahmed bend down and whispered "Have your cousin done some black magic on my brother? She already has him wrapped around her finger",earning a heartily laugh from me.

"I don't know but I sure will ask her" I whispered back as if it was some big secret, this made him laugh too.

Our laughing session was interrupted by Wali's booming voice "If you all are done, dinner is served. Get up!"

Scorning up at him, I saw him glaring at Ahmed with his jaw clenched.

We all climbed down the stage and had dinner.

What has gotten into him?

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It was almost past midnight when we reached nanna's house. Zoha was sitting in the living room, eating fruits, her henna clad feet were on the chair.

"So how's the bride? Is your foot mehndi dried yet" I asked, sitting beside her?

"Yeah, I think it's totally dried. Its now coming off" she said, looking at her mehndi and scratching some of it off.

"Oh my god! Look how bright the color is, it shows how much Sami bhai loves you" I teased, nudging her shoulder.

Her face turned beetroot.

"Go change Aleyha and then fill me in on today's event. I am coming to the room" she said, glaring at me and pushing me away.

"As you wish bride" saluting her, I moved towards the room to change.

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The next morning when I woke up it was like I was carrying some heavy weight on my shoulders. Yesterdays event had worn me out and then I and Zoha slept late, gossiping all night.

Thank god baraat was tomorrow and there was no event today otherwise this tiredness would have made me ill. It was a miracle, I woke up before Zoha today.

Looking at her, I decided to let her sleep some more after all tomorrow was her big day and she needs all the sleep. Pulling the covers over her, I moved out of the bed.

Before Wali left, I was close to both of them but most to Wali. Wali and I were best friends. When younger, I never called him bhai even though he is almost 5 years older than me. Whenever mama or baba scolded me to call him Wali bhai, I always told them that he was not my brother but my best friend. Wali never cared whether I call him bhai or not. In fact, he always told mama baba not to scold me on this petty little thing and that he was fine with me calling him Wali. Growing up, it then became a habit of mine.

Wali was always there for me, protecting me, caring for me, taking me out and fulfilling my every demand. Nanna always warned him that he would spoil me but he never paid heed to her words.

And then he left. Even though, he promised me he will never leave me alone, that he will always be there for me. I was so broken and hurt.

At that time Zoha and Zaroon were there with me, and I became closer to them in these five years span.

Shaking my head, I tried to push these thoughts away, performed my morning routine and streamed down the stairs. Most of the day was spent preparing for the baraat tomorrow. It was nine o'clock when we all were free and decided to watch a movie, as it was Zoha's last night here as a bachelor.

After a lot of argument and bickering, we decided to watch Divergent. We all settled on the floor in the living room with a lot of junk food, which Pareeshay refused to have because she was on her dieting. I rolled my eyes at this, I am hundred and ten percent sure she would be eating this junk once the movie had started. And so it happened, after almost a quarter of the movie she too was sitting on the floor, munching chips.

Only Wali was the one sitting on the chair, almost beside me, busy on his laptop and mobile. I know it would be something work-related and that secretary of his bugging him. Scowling at the though,t I picked up my cold drink and took a large gulp.

I don't care, right?

Shaking away my thoughts, I focused my attention on the screen, it was one of the best scenes when Tris jumps from the building and Four comes in view.

Oh my god! Why is he so hot? It should be a crime for someone to be that hot.

My all attention was on the screen now.

"Come on Aleyha, stop drooling and close your mouth. He would never be yours, find someone else" Zaroon laughed, he very well know my obsession with Theo James.

"What? Can't a girl dream? And I can never find someone as ho...I mean as good looking as him" I corrected, realizing aapi and baji, though far enough to listen, but were still there.

"Well, I dont know about that but I sure know that someone already has a crush on you" Zoha teased, I threw a chip at her. I know she is talking about Ahmed. I dont know how but she got to know from her so-called sources that Ahmed likes me. I dont believe her sources, at all. Ahmed was a good guy, he never made me feel like that.

She is impossible!

"Stop it all of you! Are you gathered here to talk about these stupid things or watch the movie? I cannot concentrate on my work" Wali's harsh voice boomed.

Shocked at his behavior we three looked at him, "Bhai, we were just..." Zaroon trailed off when Wali gave him a death glare.

We watched the rest of the movie in silence. After Wali's odd behavior, Zoha too started acting weirdly, smiling to herself. When I asked her what was so funny she replied that one day I will get to know. Rolling my eyes at her weirdness, I continued to watch the movie. I had no time for her weirdness, my all concentration was on The...uh...I mean the movie. It was almost midnight when we decided to retire to our rooms, to have a good sleep because next day was a big day.
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Allah hafiz for now.