The priests voice echos through the room and I look down at my only shiny Gucci shoes which I bought from my own salary, cause my kanjoos (Miser) father didn't want to waste his money on something such as shoes which he saw a man selling on the street for 20$.
"I now solemnly declare you as husband and wife. Let no one put asunder those that have been joined together today in the presence of almighty God. You may now kiss the bride"
Sniffs can be heard, silent sobs of happiness can also be heard, and I am blinking my eyes and glaring at one part of the ground so my eyes burn and I shed some tears like others and not look like a stone hearted one here, because my friend beside me is sobbing with her head on my shoulder.
But my eyes are betraying me when they shouldn't. When I should cry I am looking so emotionless and when I should look emotionless, that is when watching a movie with family members, I grin when soft rated moments happen and cry rivers and fountains only because the man said 'I love you'. I hate myself sometimes for this.
I lift my eyelids up but quickly lower them when I see them doing the sweet, soft, very personal and not so public deed in front of everyone by eating each other's faces.
We stand in the far corner and not with the bride who is are best friends sister, because we both look different with are hijaab's securely tied over and around our head with the Abaya's we are wearing, we nowhere look invited in this wedding, since all look posh and rich here, not that we don't look rich! I have wore my new Abaya which was delivered just 2 days ago. And it looks pretty good.
"Stop crying Aly" I pat my over-dramatic friends cheek, who cries for every single thing, someone in the north or south or west or east got into an accident and here she will be shedding tears thinking how much pain they must have been going through.
"Can you stop that? The bride itself is giggling and talking about her honeymoon already and here your crying" my another friend, Ahad, who always looks pissed off glares at Aliya who pout and glares back.
"Say her to shutup Zi" she tells me to tell her, not having the guts to tell by herself.
"Hey!" The brides sister Zoe and our best friend rushes towards us while holding her beautiful White dress up.
"Come with me, you can congratulate my sister" she claps my hand with her's but we stop her "No No Zoe, there are many peoples with them, so you take this gift and give it to your sister please, we are not comfortable going there" I give her an apologetic look and she gives me a disappointed look.
"That's not fair!" She whines and insists but Aly seeing her sad, pats my back "she is asking so sweetly lets go and meet her" she whispers because her golden heart couldn't see a fake whine which our friend is giving us.
"Yeah take this girl" I push Alia and she quickly snaps her head to give me a good 'I hate you' glare "I mean we all should go" Ahad who gets annoyed when stayed in a place for more than two seconds, shifts from one leg to another. I am not even sure how she is our friend because we all are complete crack heads and she is nowhere near crackhead.
After bickering on nothing, we then hesitantly crawl towards the newlywed couple to congratulate them with a boring Ahad and an excited Alia who is on the verge of crying cause she thinks they look so cute together that she is getting emotional.
Then we tell our goodbyes to finally leave not accepting the sweet polite invitation of their Reception since we have other plans that is sleeping. Our extremely extra Rude boss has somehow given us a day off which I am still not able to digest and I don't want to miss this opportunity by tiring my already tired self which has been gone through a complete torture since past two years.
The jerk boss of mine who is also unfortunately, regrettably and woefully my cousin who has made my life a living hell by not giving me a promotion but only tones and loads of work on these petite shoulders, will be for sure dead one day in my hands, I can see his near future in the back of my naked eyes.
But let's not ruin our day by talking about that ruin bratty, jerky, stupidy soul. I am now first taking the right from here and after reaching the respective place I am buying those delicious burgers and smoothies that our lovely street grandma makes. Then after trespassing the difficult task of hiding my food from my sibling till I reach my room, I will fill my empty stomach which only had few pancakes, milk and fruits in the morning.
"Okay, I will leave then" I wave at my friends who are already seated in Ahad's scooter. So I take my helmet and wave my hand at them while Aliya yells 'bye' continuously till she is out of my sight.
Pulling my abaya in between my legs so It does not come in between the wheel and I don't even want to think the after consequences where I will be kissing the road, after assuring myself that my Abaya wont ditch me, I carefully drive in a moderate speed, still not having the heart to cross 60 even after driving for more than 2 years.
Parking my scooter infront of the only old ancient designed building in this modern street, I get down.
"Hello Aunty" I wave at the old women who gives me her gummy grin waving at me cutely while sitting on a chair chopping some vegetables "your order is on the counter" she already gets rid of me by telling me what I came here for.
"Whatsup malady?" I sit infront of her "Nothing much ma baby" she giggles shyly after completing her sentence "woah, okay malady" I laugh but look around the clean the place.
"I went to Zoe's sister's wedding today" I tell her with a smile and she nods "you said that to me already" I blink my eyes "I did? When?"
She shakes her head with a smile "when you called me in the morning to give me your order" aah that rings the bell in my mind "yeah I remember" but she throws a pea right on my face "I should be the one forgetting things but nowadays generation is too fast in adapting old peoples habits" I ignore her but grab the carrot to eat.
"I have snapped few pics, let me show you" I quickly slid my phone from the Pocket before opening my gallery and shoving my phone infront of her face, I show her the lovely artistry picture I took.
She blinks her eyes and adjusts her glass "they look beautiful" she smiles adoringly and I grin agreeing to her.
"Me and joseph looked the same when we were young" she zooms the photo admiring the couple with a soft smile. "Even now you both look the same" she laughs quietly and nods.
"Anyways were is grandpa?" I look around as if he is hiding under the table and I am here playing hide and seek.
"He went to run some errands, and now first go grab your food and eat, it's getting cold" she gives me a serious look and I nod but rest back enjoying this place which only radiates peace.
"Ziah" she calls me in a warning tone "you can sit here and eat sweetheart, I have added cheese in it and its not good to eat cold cheese, let me heat it up for you then" I quickly stop her when I see her getting up "No No I am taking this home, I'll heat it up there" I tell her while standing up and grabbing my phone before sliding it back in my pocket.
"Okay I'll take my leave, tell uncle I came here or else he is gonna accuse me for becoming a rich independent women and forgetting my old grandpa" she laughs at my mimicking but nods her head and with a bright grin I walk out feeling happy, so far Alhamdulillah my day is going good. Well, how can it not go good, I did not have the didaar (sight) of my Boss.
After reaching home safely, I quietly tiptoe in only to hear mamma chirping with someone in the call, I professionally ignore her and rush upstairs towards my room, thanks to my medium small cozy house that I don't have to walk miles just to reach a room.
Flopping on my bed, I open my laptop ignoring all the emails since it's a day off, My eyes straight away search for Netflix, clicking on a nice short series, I settle myself under the cozy blanket before grabbing the burger to fill my hungry mouth which is watering since the smell reached my nose and my hungry sense woke up.
Spending half of the day inside the sheets and only sliding out for natures call and for Allah's call, I finally stretch my muscle to go see the world and have a home tour.
I bun up my hair, after dusting my oversized t-shirt which has crumbs of chips I ate before, I walk out.
"See who thought they should bless our eyes by showing us their beautiful face" my annoying brother sarcastically comments and I roll my eyes ignoring him like always.
"Assalamu alaikum Abbu when did you come?" I flop beside my brother on the couch who is doing is home work, yeah he is only 14–small kid. Hahaha.
I am 21 but still this brat disobeys me! What is the use of being older if we cannot smack our siblings neck on them doing a mistake...oh I forgot all the Mother Teresa's will jump like a super man and land here if we even lay our finger on their little baby.
"Walaikum asalam" he loudly and enthusiastically greets and sits down with his two bodies, judging from the pregnant stomach he has I am commenting.
Don't get over me now, I am not body shaming anyone here.
"Do something on your own, always google wont help you" I smack my brother head and he groans before glaring at me "don't touch my hair" boys and their obsession over their hair.
"Shutup, or I'll tell them about your relationship with your boss" my eyes widen and I slap my hand on his mouth to shut him up "what the hell are you saying? I can tell you want to go to mosque for my funeral prayer and not for my nikkah first, don't you?" I glare at the this little skin who has not yet grown up from the sand.
He shrugs and clicks his tongue "Don't touch my hair or I'll say them about your hm hm mhm" he blackmails me when there is nothing going on and I do not stop myself from slapping the back of his head for disrespecting his sister.
"Mamma!!" He yells like a girl, well, girls do better, I am not gonna insult my species. "Ziah! Don't bother your brother he is studying" here comes my stepmother, that is what I think.
"Your lovely son is still alive, I am not doing anything to him. Say him to shutup or else he will earn good healthy punches from me" I yell back "Go help your mother, you have grown up so big, and you don't even know to cut a vegetable" the brat taunts me again to test my patience.
"Mr. Chef who is the master of fifteen catering, I did not ask for your interruption" he open his mouth to say something but nothing comes out and the little proud feeling of victory I felt dies sooner than I thought when he opens his mouth "Mamma I have a very important thing to say to you about Ziah and her—" I cover his mouth before he could utter rubbish.
"Shutup you smelly nugget, I'll bring M&M while returning from work tomorrow, now shutup" he gives me his evil grin while nodding in agreement. Abbu who is in front of us is totally ignoring us, because his attention is grabbed by that big black box which is hung on the wall.
"You" I point at my brother "I hate you" I tell him the universal truth "yeah yeah, because you have given all of your love to someone else"
"Astaghfirullah" I stand up not able to hear him "Mamma!" I walk towards the kitchen to see her stirring something "yes?"
"What are you cooking?" I ask her while grabbing some fresh dates which Abbu bought this morning "You will know when you eat" she rudely shuts me up.
I am sure I am adopted, I get those vibe from this house.
I roll my eyes but check the messages which I have received, replying to everyone who I have left unseen I walk back to the living room to take a seat.
"Here" Saif drops a two gums on my lap and I press my lips to not grin at the sight of the sweet which is laying on my lap. He turns his attention to what he is doing not so attentively.
Chewing the gum which I just popped in my mouth, I smile while reading the unofficial office group messages. A rush of happiness fills through my lungs when I see them back bitching our Boss who deserves some curses.
"Your soon to be husband's brother messaged" I shut my eyes close when I here my brother opening his filthy mouth "Can you please shutup Saif! He is not my soon to be—soon to be dash" I mumble under my breath but glare the hell out of him.
"That's what you think, not others" he grins and tells me this annoying line again since the day he heard the elderly old people planning my future since they had nothing else to do.
"Anyways he asked if your coming to see him and your soon to be mother in law and your soon to be hus—"
"Shutup filth" I lay back not liking any of his words "tell me he is asking, or do you want to surprise your soon to be in-laws—"
"Sunday" I breathe out "Sunday I will be going" he hums with an evil chuckle "No M&M for you" I spat angrily and that smirk of his fades "That's not fair! You promised me" he whines and I raise my eyebrow "Oh It is fair darling"
Before be could protest more Mamma calls us to have our dinner.
After having a healthy lunch and annoying my brother a little and after getting annoyed myself, I slide again inside those cozy sheet which is having my heart.
Oh Ziah, your gonna deal with a very long day tomorrow, take a nice nap.
Next Morning
I was forced to curse early in the morning because of this stupid alarm who is drumming my innocent earbuds.
In the verge of throwing my phone on the floor. I sit up knowing I am not that rich to brake a phone, or else mamma will brake me.
I ruffle my messed up hair, after giving myself a good two minutes to assure that I am healthy and alive, I drag myself towards the washroom to get ready.
Exactly after half and hour I walk out of the washroom after having a peaceful bath. I lift my chin up to look at the clock only to feel my eyes falling out of the socket when I see it's 8:45 and I have only 15 minutes to get ready and reach the office when the problem is it is a 20-25 minutes ride from here.
I hold the towel tightly to hide my dignity from the walls, before rushing towards the desk to through the files inside my bag and after packing up my bag like a superwoman, I rush to go put on some decent clothes.
Not even bothering to dry my wet hair, I wrap my head with the hijaab before rushing out.
"Ya Allah" a gasp leaves my lips and I hold the stair railing, when I was about to break my head by taking long big steps. Calm down Ziah, you don't want the reason of your death to be 'tripping over stairs because of her own clumsiness' just for a job, right?
Taking deep breath's and calming down myself, I again rush towards the exit door, ignoring mamma's yell "eat your breakfast!!"
"Your favourite boy will insult me If I don't reach on time!" I yell back before shutting the door close, then I rush to my love, my last minute help, my scooter.
Ditching all the traffic rules, I drive in a good speed were the hand reaches 50 and when it goes up, my heart beat raises it's speed too so I quickly slow down the speed to be on a safer side.
When I reached the tall glass building which radiates only richness it was already past 9:15 and I knew I was going to be a dead meat.
O my Allah, help thy slave from being slaughtered.
*******
A/n: Hello people, how are you all doing? I hope your healthy and happy. I am so excited to share this new book with you all, I hope you all enjoy reading and I hope I do not disappoint you.
Do tell me your views so I know what you feel and what I should do next.