The atmosphere felt the same as her wedding reception night, the night which was also a grand affair exactly like the one before her gaze.
That was the night she first met him, the night she wished had never existed.
Dolled up like Cinderella, just as Amina in the past had described her bridal look to be, she walks down the aisle which feels the same but a lot different at the same time, because tonight, she outshines Cinderella and the bride.
The moment she stepped into the wedding hall, she could feel heavy gazes falling on her, every step she took further into the hall turned heads to her direction, and it was only possible since she stole the bride's spotlight.
Once she got to the wedding podium, everywhere suddenly turned silent like a graveyard, the music playing in the background stopped, side talks coming from every guest faded off, everyone just stared at her in surprise which was all thanks to Emma.
With the help of Emma, she had managed to pull off a replica look of the bride, and just as Amina the bride's jaw dropped shocked at her, so was her friend, Amira's reaction as she walked hastily towards her.
"What the hell?!"Amira whispered, glaring at Hanan with a look that screamed many questions.
"What are you wearing?" She asked.
"A dress of course," Hanan replied with an eye roll, she smiled feeling unbothered by everyone's flaring gaze.
"A dress you say?" Amira scoffed in disbelief pausing to scan her friend from head to toe and everything was a perfect match, but how?
"You come dressed in the same outfit as the bride, what happened to the dress I got?" She scowled.
"It wasn't to my taste so I got this instead, or is this dress only meant for the bride?" Hanan says with a smirk, and before Amira can reply, Amina interrupts harshly.
"Yes!" She yelled.
Amina who had been seated in the company of her groom watching as the drama unbelievably unfolded had watched enough when she rushed out of her seat to face her in disbelief.
"It's you?" She muttered eyeing her from head to toe.
She took her time observing every detail of her look on Hanan, but how is it possible she wondered.
Same dress, same heels, same jewelry even her headgear was the same which is near impossible because it was personally designed by her designers, so how the hell does she appear at her wedding reception looking like her duplicate?
"How did you get in? Who invited you? And Why are you dressed like me?" Amina snapped.
Tension had risen to its peak when the media began to direct their cameras at them capturing every moment.
"Easy on the questions darling, are you disturbed?" Hanan grinned.
"Ops! My bad, I shouldn't have dressed this way then." She smirked staring into Amina's eyes which flared in anger.
"Hanan, what has gotten into you?" Amira whispered pulling Hanan closer in concern. Is her friend losing her mind or what? She wonders.
"Nothing, it's just me honoring your invite." Hanan smiled.
"But I didn't invite you for this, and most especially not to turn out looking exactly like the bride!" Amira retorts she was running out of patience trying to understand her friend's strange behavior.
But Hanan cared less while she enjoyed being in the spotlight, she was the main character tonight and that's just what she wanted.
Aside from the media cameras, most guest around could be seen with their zoomed phone cameras aimed at her.
"Why did you invite her? Do you know her?" Amina turned to Amira angrily.
"Yes, she is my best friend Hanan."
"Hanan?" Amina muttered in a confused tone.
"Are you sure she is Hanan?" Amir chipped in asking.
"Yes, Umi met her at my grad and she invited her herself," Amira replied, she felt guilty as she realized her brother's wedding party had turned into chaos all thanks to her friend, Hanan who was not at all affected by everyone's displeased faces.
"Amir and Amina the latest couple in town, relax, no need to get cranky, it's me, the same girl you knew three years ago, I know you both can never forget me, is it the dress that's making you all angry? Okay, I will fix it, give me a sec." Hanan smiled, taking her time to grab a wine from one of the guests, she poured some into a glass, took little sips of it, and then moved to Amina dropping the glass to the floor which caused a big splash all over Amina's dress.
"Oh my God! What did you do?"Amina snapped. Hanan's action got everyone speechless, yet Hanan didn't give a damn.
"Now that she got some spill of red wine all over her dress, we don't look identical, do we?" She announced asking the crowd whose voices were beginning to rise.
"Everyone! Listen! Can the party be brought back to life since we no longer look the same?" She smiled enjoying the look of frustration Amina plastered on her face.
"You've lost it! Let's go!" Amira snapped snatching Hanan's wrist to leave, but Amina blocked their way.
"She can't leave without apologizing and paying for the mess she caused!" Amina glared fully in a mood to fight.
"Apology?" Hanan scoffed laughing to her heart's content.
"I should be the one demanding an apology from your toxic family!" She snapped.
"Shut up! You've lost your mind!" Hajiya interrupts joining the scene in rage.
"And here comes the mother of the bride, or should I say the villain?" Hanan beamed taking a bow to welcome her.
She recalled how much she used to fear her, especially when she glared this much, but today she stood her ground with no fear nor respect for the middle-aged woman who was once her so-called mother-in-law.
"You crash into my daughter's wedding looking like a cheap copy and you dare to insult us? The nerve you have?!" Hajiya snapped, yelling out with so much rage that she raised her hand to Hanan's face but she was held back.
"Don't you!" Hajiya's hand was held by the only person she couldn't go against.
And at that instant, their gaze locked again.
They met again!
At that moment, Hanan wondered if time had frozen, Or if she died for a second and reincarnated.
A huge silence that speaks volumes encompasses them.
His piercing gaze was still the same as they stood face to face re-opening the floodgates to all their memories, she felt nothing but anger and pain.
His eyes desperately searched hers, he saw a familiar yet changed face, he took a step closer and quickly she instinctively stepped away, her heart never stopped thudding beneath her dress though.
"It's you, Habiba?" He murmured, his eyes glistening with shock and contentment.
Hanan for a moment held her breath fumbling for what to say, presently, all the cumulative anger and depression for three years flooded back, and hearing him uttering her name made her more bitter.
She had tears gathering in her eyes, and she had the urge to yell at him as loud as she could and curse him till she lost her voice but she couldn't, rather, she felt restless and sick all of a sudden.
With a nasty glare, she swiftly turned her gaze from him to the rest of the crowd that surrounded them.
"The main villain is here too, You humbly welcomed." She smirked looking at all the Garba family one after the other, except Grandma, everyone was present to see the new fierce version of her.
"What do you want?" Amina stepped forward to ask.
"Your brother's destruction!" She smirked at him and just then Abdul also joined their circle in shock.
Out of everywhere, Najib's family event was the last place he expected to find her since she left home and unfortunately, here she was.
"Hanan? What are you doing here?" He whispered not believing his eyes as he observed her look from head to toe.
"You're here too?" She asked smiling disappointedly.
"I asked you a question!" He snapped holding her arms.
"Don't speak to me with that tone!" She snapped back jerking off her arms.
"I've heard enough of you and your lies, and I should be the one asking you what you're doing here because the last time I checked you had nothing to do with him and his family, so why the hell are you gracing his sister's wedding?" Hanan glared.
"Let's go home!" He sighed grabbing her hand again, she jerked away.
"Let go of me!" She scowled. I refuse to return to your house!"
"Hanan, don't make me angry!"
"Abdul? Have you sold your conscious? Have you sold it to this murderer!?" She snapped bitterly pointing at Najib who looked lost unable to comprehend a lot that was going on.
"Abdul, What is she saying?" Najib utters.
"It's Nothing Najib, and I'm so sorry for the inconvenience caused tonight, Amina please forgive us, we will leave now." Abdul apologizes to the Garba family, aggressively pulling Hanan out, she sinks her teeth into his skin not letting go till he releases her hand.
"Hanan!" Abdul yelled out in pain.
"Just because I consider you my brother doesn't give you the right to treat me this way, I'm fucking 21 and I'm a grown-ass adult, you won't make decisions for me! I leave when I want to, understood?" She glared pointing at him, she had no mercy for anyone most especially him as he winced in pain.
At this point everyone had fear in their eyes, even Abdul who was confident to take her home had to back off, she wouldn't let anyone intimidate her anymore, she wasn't Habiba who was naive, she was now Hanan who is bold, fierce and revenge drunken.
"Hanan, I never expected this from you, why are you behaving in this manner?" Amira asked softly, she couldn't believe this was the same Hanan she called her bestie.
"What has gotten into you?" She adds.
"Honey, you know nothing so chill and I plead with you not to interfere," Hanan replied.
"Not to interfere?"Amira sneered.
"This is my brother's wedding we are speaking of, you came in causing chaos, why? What have they done to you?"
"A long story not for tonight sweetheart, and after all, it's your invite I'm honoring."
"Well, you have honored the invite enough, you may please leave," Amira replied showing her the exit door.
"I will happily leave since you asked." She smirked gazing at Abdul and the whole Garba family in disgust.
"This is not the end, it's just the beginning." She smiled while taking slow steps towards Amina.
"Congrats on your wedding, I wish you a happy married life free from toxicity and lies." She says to Amina while maintaining her smile, she spreads her arms to hug her, but she only gets pushed back.
"Harsh! But it's fine, I had a fab night, good night everyone." She waves majestically walking out of the premises.
***
"Hanan! Wait up!" Abdul rushed behind her.
"What? Stay away from me!" She snapped.
"I'm sorry, I deserve your anger but please listen to me, and let's go home."
"Home?" She bluffed. "That's not a home, a home is a place where people who genuinely love and care for you are, not deceits like you."
"I agree I wronged you but please don't hate me, I'm still your brother Abdul who cares for you."
"Lies! In the past when you betrayed me I had forgiven you and let things go but not anymore, Now you witnessed everything that has happened to me and you promised to be by my side till the end, but suddenly you backstabbed me and went back to being his friend despite all?!" She yelled struggling to keep her tears in, but they forced their way out streaming out of her eyes.
"No, Hanan...
"No? You know what?" She sighed wiping her tears.
"The last thing I want in my life are dishonest and treacherous people around, so if you can't help me seek revenge then please stay the fuck away!" She growled.
"Fine, I can see that you hurting, I will give you some space for now, we will talk later."
"I hate you!" She sighed turning to leave, she felt a strong grip hold her back.
"Abdul... She turned to yell at him but once her gaze landed on the tall figure towering over her, her voice trailed off making her cold shock.
She felt like she was struck by invisible lightning as he was the least of all she was expecting to approach her.
Husky but yet calm he says to Abdul "Please excuse us." While he held her wrist so tight that she couldn't move a muscle. He takes a step closer making her heart skip.
Now that he was standing an inch away from her, she assessed his face observing his features closely.
The sheer size of him felt intimidating but Hanan stood her ground scanning him thoroughly.
Aside from the deep scar cut beside his left eyebrow, his face didn't change much, his long braided hair rested on his shoulder and his broad shoulder coupled with his muscles which threatened to bulge out of his tuxedo made him look like a giant. She had forgotten her anger checking him out until he let out a word.
"Habiba?" He stares at her dark orbs searching for the familiarity in them.
"It's Hanan!"
"Lies." He muttered taking a step closer and reaching for her second hand, she yanked away.
"I don't lie, I rather do revenge!" She glared getting away from his touch that made her feel dirty.
"You can deny your name but you can't deny who you are, you're my Habiba, I'm sure of it." He sighed.
"My Habiba?" Hanan chuckled at his statement.
"You smell the same, I'm sure of it." He whispered.
He was certain that the pretty-looking girl who now has an American accent looked a bit different from the Habiba he was desperate to find but he could bet his life that she was the one, his lost but found love.
Despite three years, Najib still remembers every little detail of her, the way she smells, her voice, her large pretty eyes, her cute smile, her fury, her touch, and every other thing she's made of.
With no words, they continued to stare at each other till a voice cut them away.
"Hi love, I hope I'm not late?" That was Faruk, he turned up wrapping his arms around her waist and he pulled her to face him.
Both Hanan and Najib were stunned at his sudden appearance and gesture for different reasons.
Hanan remained calm in his arms unable to say a word till she decided to play along.
"No, you came at the right time, please drive me home." She smiled tugging her arms around his neck, they shared a brief hug.
"Faruk!?" Najib utters in shock.
'Hi, couz!" Faruk smirked at him.
>>>
A/N
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