Israh's POV
"Oh my god, they're here!" Tamannah squealed, hurrying away from the window and grabbing my wrist.
My heart was in my mouth. I didn't want to see him and yet that was all I wanted to do at the same time.
Noor and Aliya crowded around the window as well, and Noor let out a low whistle of appreciation. "Damn girl, how did you score that?"
I rolled my eyes and wiggled my way between them to look through the curtain. I tried to suppress a smile at his sight, hiding behind a veil of nonchalance but in reality I was in awe. He was so beautiful. Truly, how did I score that? He was way out of my league, honestly.
Clad in a light grey suit, a crisp white shirt and a dark grey tie, with a red rose in his blazer's pocket he was a sight for sore eyes. He was holding a large bouquet of roses, the kind that I melted over when I saw them on Pinterest. I wondered whether he'd bought it himself, or if it was aunty's doing.
"Oooh, y'all are matching! Did you secretly tell him you were wearing silver today?" Noorie spoke again, shoving my shoulder playfully.
I kept my eyes on him. I couldn't tear my gaze away. I'd never had crushes but now I wondered whether this was what it felt like: racing heartbeats and an inability to look away.
"I did not. Maybe aunty did."
Aliya whispered into my ear next, "lower your gaze mahraani. (Queen) In a moment you'll be drooling."
Right. I should definitely look away.
Feeling all three pairs of eyes on me, I stepped away the moment Asad and his parents began walking to the door.
I sat back down on the chair in front of my dresser and fiddled with my bangles and my dress like there was anything to fix. Heat had taken up my face, and I knew my friends would tease me to death.
The bell rang. Noorie, Tammu and Ali hurried over to the stairs and hovered around to watch the family come in. I was still waiting for Jamal bhai and bhabhi to come. They were running late it seemed. They were going to meet Asad for the first time today, and it'd been a while since I'd seen bhabhi and the kids. I missed them, and I wanted them around for all my events.
The three came back and sat around me, Tammu fixing my hijab while Aliya draped the dupatta over my shoulder. "Haaye, you look so pretty. My baby!" Tamannah cooed.
I chuckled at her behaviour, and looked at myself in the mirror. My maxi dress was silver, with the prettiest bead work and pale pink embroidery. It wasn't too heavy for I would be incredibly uncomfortable right now if it was, but it was obviously a little more than casual. I wore short silver heels, my dupatta laying around me with the same shade of pink border, while the main part was silver net. My hijab was grey too.
Noorie was the make up fanatic, so she'd adorned me with a soft glowy look that enhanced my eyes and made me look akin to a porcelain doll. I was the perfect combination of me and not me at the same time.
I still had my apprehensions about how this evening was to unfold. I'd prayed Maghrib earlier and hoped that everything would go smoothly today. I didn't want bhai and abbu to argue over anything. I didn't want to trip on myself or choke on chai again.
And between it all, I hoped he was happy. I couldn't read his mind or judge his character, but I really, really wished that the easy smile he carried with himself, was truly representative of the ease in his heart. I knew he didn't love me. I didn't love him either.
I just hoped he would at least be open to a new chapter in both our lives. If not love, I at least wanted friendship.
"Ab to mein hi reh gayi hu. Mujhe bhi koi aisa hero dhund do yaar!" (Now I'm the only one left. Someone find me such a hero too!) Noorie said, her eyes dreamy as she scrolled through her phone.
Tammu snatched the phone from her hand and looked at the screen mischievously. Aliya laughed at what was displayed there, Tammu clicked her tongue as if disappointed and Noorie threw herself back onto my bed.
"Show me too." I asked.
Tamannah passed the screen to me. I sighed at the picture. Just another celebrity. Almost every desi girl's crush, Shahrukh Khan. But a young SRK, from the 90s with his boyish youth, the charming dimples and the swoon-worthy eyes. "Allah maaf kre, this girl's going nowhere with her delusions." (May Allah forgive us)
"Arey, SRK was just a random guy too. Until he turned into a heartthrob. Maybe I'll find my random, future heartthrob walking around too."
Aliya and me laughed again, as Tamannah threw a pillow with the precise aim of it smacking Noorie's face.
Then I heard footfall. We quietened down, and peeked through the half opened door to see who it was.
The door was pushed open, Mariam and Hamza running over to hug me with a loud khaala Issa!
I grinned at them and hugged them back just as tight, placing a kiss on both of their cheeks. Hamza instantly wiped his cheek, making a face at his own reflection in the mirror because of my lipstick stain. "You look prettier without make up, khaala Issa."
I gasped playfully, the others chuckling behind me. "Are you saying I look ugly right now?"
He merely rolled his eyes and I pulled Mariam into my lap. She didn't speak yet despite being four. It was worrying for bhabhi but the speech therapist had assured her that it'd happen soon.
"Accha, Hamza, humein bataao. Wo jo neeche aapke Asad uncle bethe hue hain, unse mile ho?" Aliya asked. (Okay, Hamza, tell us. Did you meet that Asad uncle sitting downstairs?)
Hamza's expression elicited a cackle from all of us. To say that he was disgusted was an understatement. He was downright revolted by the idea of Asad.
"Mama told me Asad uncle is gonna take you away. I'm going to fight him off for you."
I cooed. Mariam messed with the bangles in my wrist and giggled when they clanked against each other. I placed a kiss on the top of her head, and turned back to Hamza. "What if I want to go with him, though?"
His eyes bulged out of their sockets. Tammu pinched his cheek and he glared at her before grabbing my arm tightly. "No. You're my khaala."
"She'll always be your khaala, you cutie pie." Noorie stepped in. "But she needs someone to kiss too."
"Noorie." I reprimanded her. "Don't say stuff like that in front of kids."
"But khaala kisses my cheeks all the time. She doesn't need anyone else to kiss." Hamza spoke innocently.
I took him into my arms too, before glaring at Noorie to stop her from opening her mouth again. Of course she didn't care. "No silly. We're talking about kisses on the li-."
"Okayyyy, time out." Aliya finally saved me, pushing Noorie out the door. "Me and Noor are gonna go downstairs and help aunty in the kitchen now. We'll let you know when Israh needs to be downstairs."
Tammu held up her thumb in an okay, before finally that evil Noorie was out of the bedroom laughing. Hamza tugged on my sleeve with his big doe eyes. "How far are you gonna go with uncle, then?"
I sighed, exchanging a glance with Tamannah who ruffled his hair. "Not too far. You know I'll always be here for you, don't you?" He nodded, then rested his head against my shoulder. "Are your baba and mama okay?"
"They keep fighting all the time. I don't like them."
My heart broke at his weak voice. Some people should never marry, or at least never birth children.
"Don't say that jaanu. They're just having a hard time. You'll see, soon Allah will make everything alright. You have to keep making dua. Do you do that?" He shook his head. "Allah always listens to children. You should always make dua for your loved ones, okay?! Ask Allah to make mama and baba love each other again. Will you do that?"
"Hmm, I will."
"Good. Everything is going to be alright."
And that was more of a reassurance for myself than anyone else. Everything was going to be alright.
Just a few moments later Laila bhabhi came to the room too. She whispered a MaShaAllah under her breath at the sight of Israh, then sat down next to her. "You look very nice, Israh."
"Thank you, bhabhi."
"You're welcome."
Tamannah excused herself from us to go to the toilet and bhabhi sighed next to me. Usually, that was a sign that she wanted to vent, and usually I would ask her what was wrong. She'd tell me, and I'd listen and comfort her, but today I didn't want to do any of that.
My anxiety was already creeping up on me. I could feel it in the tremble of my fingers and the sweat on my palms. I didn't want to make it worse by hearing some other sad story of what bhai had done and she had said.
As Tamannah had told me earlier, I couldn't think of anything negative and ruin my day. This was my day. Today was about me like no other day had ever been. I didn't want to upset myself ahead of the engagement.
Thankfully, Mariam started getting restless and bhabhi took her and Hamza back downstairs to get them something to eat. There was loud laughter from downstairs. It'd been a while since this house had been filled with such a pleasant sound. I wished it remained this way forever.
Tamannah came back in the room just as Noorie and Aliya returned too. Noorie's body was literally shaking from excitement, and I passed her a funny look. "Are you the one getting engaged or me?" I teased her.
"Girl shut up. My bestie's getting engaged and I'm not even allowed to be happy?"
"Not more than me, no."
She stuck out her tongue to me, and then Aliya came by my side and smiled softly. "It's time."