13th March
6:30 P.M.
"What are you all doing here?" I inquired as I pulled up the sleeve of my left arm of my cream kurta and stood by Bade Papa and Baba.
"We're drinking, beta Ji." Bade Papa responded as he sipped from his malt whisky. "Our Begums' have turned their backs on us for the night."
Baba nodded in agreement before adding, "So we are waiting for them."
My brows tugged. "But what did you all do together to make them turn their backs on you?"
Chote Papa sighed before continuing, "Because, beta, according to them, Mehndi is a function reserved for women. Males are not permitted to attend this gathering. However, they allowed us to come because you, the dulha, will have to apply mehndi as well."
"I do?" I wasn't aware of this.
"You must be wearing mehndi. But it could be as small as feasible." Bade Papa said this while handing me a whisky on the rocks.
Baba let out a low laugh before replying, "Or you can have an entire design on your hands. The choice is yours, beta. Completely yours. We will not pass judgment. I assure you."
"Right." I shook my head slightly as I drank my whisky, and Chote Papa snorted at Baba's joke, causing everyone at the bar to laugh.
"Where are Asad and Zaid?" I inquired as I looked around the bar after they had settled down a little to shift the subject.
"Asad is running a meeting in the conference room. And Zaid," Chote Papa paused as he glanced around the huge backyard of Hotel Revina, which was adorned in pink and multi-color. "I don't know where he is." Asad had a meeting today?
"I am sure he is with the girls. He is their favorite brother." Bade Papa offered. "And given the time I haven't seen him after getting here, they must be already sitting on his neck."
I chuckled slightly before finishing my drink, returning the glass to the bar front, and turning away to go.
"Where are you going?" I heard Baba from the bar behind me.
"They won't let you go near Zahra, Qais." Chote Papa's voice came next.
I turned to face them but continued walking backwards, saying a bit loudly with a little smile so they could hear me. "I am the dulha, Chote Papa! Of course, they'll let me."
They shook their heads, smiling, as Bade Papa exclaimed, "Then all the best, Beta Ji! We'll be right here waiting for you when they won't let you near her. Don't worry!"
"Thanks." I smiled at them and made my way to Zahra on the other side of the bar, past the gathering of family and friends dressed in brilliant colors, including some ladies and girls with henna designs on their hands as they laughed and danced to the song 'London Thumakda'. I smiled at some familiar faces as I passed them before finally finding her. She's beautiful.
Zahra sat in the center of a cream-colored cushioned couch with a smile on her lips, her arms bare and outstretched on a pair of multicolored cushions, dressed in a magenta lehenga with some locks of unbound black brown hair pulled away from her face and fastened at the back of her head with some small flowers, while the rest of her hair was on her back. Two henna artists worked on her forearms while another worked on her feet while Zahra sat, her magenta skirt pulled up to her shins, and Sabah sat on the armrest of the couch, clad in a similar hue, whispering gently to each other.
Sabah paused talking for a second when she discovered me standing a few steps away from them, then whispered in Zahra's ear, evidently informing her of my coming. Zahra's eyes met mine, and my heart skipped a beat before quickening.
"Oh, come on, Niazi, she isn't looking that beautiful." I blinked once before focusing on where I was and looking to my right, where the voice originated from. Mallika gave me a bored expression before walking over to Sabah, sitting on the armrest of the couch where Zahra was seated, and handing her a plate full of gol gappe.
"You're right!" I responded with a nod as I looked at Mallika, who slid a large gol gappa into her mouth, and Sabah, who took one with her fingers from the plate before turning to Zahra, who was already waiting with her mouth open wide. I smiled as Sabah gently pushed the gol gappa into Zahra's mouth, and she munched with a little smile before closing her eyes. "She isn't just looking beautiful. She is breathtaking!"
Zahra's eyes opened, and she looked at me while chewing slowly. My pulse raced again, and I slowly smiled at her, holding her lovely dark brown eyes with light glinting in them.
I heard a throat-clearing sound, but I continued to stare at her as she held my gaze before blinking twice and looking away. And then the moment ended.
"Um.. Qais?" When I heard Badi Maa, I looked at her. She flashed me a knowing smile while wearing a pale pink saree with a beautiful bun at the nape of her neck, before quietly stating, "You should also apply some henna. So why don't you sit down?" She indicated with her hand the empty space on Zahra's right, then smiled warmly at her.
I attempted to catch Zahra's eye to see whether it was okay for me to sit next to her, but she looked away just as I did and avoided me. I turned to Badi Maa and asked, "Can I do mine later?"
Badi Maa slightly tilted her head to the side and remarked, "Asha will be yelling anytime soon. Applying a medium-sized dot will also work. It will take seconds, beta."
I looked at Zahra again and noticed her glancing between Badi Maa and me. I returned to Badi Maa again and said, "I'll just—"
"Badi Maa is right. It will not take long." Zahra spoke, and I looked at her. I didn't she also addressed Badi Maa as Badi Maa.
She tilted her head to the empty spot next to her, and I peered into her eyes for a second, giving her the opportunity to retract her words, but she did not, so I nodded and sat down next to Zahra, leaving some distance between us, and one of the two henna artists working on her right arm turned to me and asked, "Should I just apply a dot of henna, or do you have something in mind?"
I opened my mouth to explain that she could simply add a dot to my palm, but I stopped when I heard a lovely sound from next to me. Zahra's laugh.
I looked to my left, an unconscious smile growing on my lips as Zahra and Sabah laughed at something Mallika said. My gaze followed the creases at the corners of her eyes as they wrinkled beautifully. Her lips parted as she continued to laugh, and my attention returned to her eyes. Her lovely, dark brown eyes closed and dark lashes softly caressed her cheeks as she laughed louder, tossing her head back.
"Sir?"
I felt the smile on my lips grow as she shook her head and laughed, and a strand of her black brown hair fell loose from her hairdo and fell on the side of her face, her lips still smiling and eyes shining.
"Sir?"
I forced myself to look away from the view I'd be gazing at for the rest of my life after just three days and said, "Zahra." My smile broadened. "Write Zahra."
7:38 P.M.
"Bhai, please tell us na, whose mehndi is more pretty." Kainaat inquired, showing her henna-covered hands alongside Ziya and Ahana.
"All of your mehndi looks lovely," I said, looking up from my phone to their hands before looking at their faces.
"But one must be prettier na, Bhai?" Ziya provided softly.
I pocketed my phone and gazed at their extended palms again before shaking my head and saying, "They're all lovely. With equal percentages."
Ziya and Ahana were satisfied with my response, but Kainaat was not. She frowned down at her palms, then peered at Ziya's and Ahana's palms before suddenly smiling.
"Actually, all three are pretty!" She nodded and gave me a Qais-like grin.
I smiled back. "Now, have you three eaten anything?"
They shook their heads together.
"Come on, then." I motioned for them to sit at a table and ordered a waiter to bring them some food and beverages. After a little while, they had food and drinks in front of them, but everyone was just staring at it.
My brows slightly tugged as I sat in the chair next to Ahana and asked, "What's wrong?"
In response to my question, they all lifted their hands to show me their palms. Their henna was still wet.
I exhaled slowly with my shoulders slumping down a little. "I can only try to feed one at a time." Although I'd prefer not feeding anything or anyone, I can't just leave them hungry. "Other two have to wait, okay?"
They began arguing, saying that I could feed them all together. However, the truth remains unchanged. I cannot. I have never fed an individual.
"I—"
"Open your mouth." I turned my head and spotted Mallika next to Ahana's chair, dressed in a cream sleeveless Salwar Kamez with a pink dupatta over her left shoulder. She picked one of the three plates from the table and gently jammed a scoop of rice into Ahana's mouth before moving on to Ziya's chair and then Kainaat's seat. She then looked at me and gave me a look. Seriously, Mallika?
"Thanks." I replied. "I can try to feed one of them. So you—"
"You can help them with drinks; then they ask." She interrupted as she repeated the loop around the table to feed them, then looked down at them. "You don't have any problems with eating from one plate, right?" All three shook their heads. "Okay. Then why don't you all scoot in together so that I can feed you?"
And within a few minutes of pushed and pull, we were seated in a little circle next to the table, with Mallika feeding them their third plate and me assisting them with their beverages. I don't know what I would've done in this situation without her.
"You want desserts?" Mallika inquired looking at the girls, and they all nodded with wide smiles.
"I'll—" I began to stand up, but Mallika pushed her head back into the backrest and screamed, "Sabah!" Damnit. "Three desserts!"
And from somewhere in the crowd, she said, "Okay!" Fuck.
I returned to my seat as Mallika cleared her throat with a slight smile. And I let out an internal sigh. Of course, she called Sabah on purpose. She knows about us. She—
"Here you go." When I heard Sabah's voice from behind me, I froze and held my breath. She placed the two pastries on the table before approaching Mallika then handing one and standing behind her chair. Our gazes locked. I didn't dare to breathe.
Her beautiful hazel-brown eyes were dark under the nighttime lights, and her grin faltered briefly before she smiled again and looked at my sisters. Away from mine.
"Let me see your mehndi!" Sabah exclaimed excitedly, and my chest tightened at the sound of her voice.
I looked away from her, but Mallika caught my eye before she looked away and began feeding the pastries, saying, "Sabah, show us yours." Goodness, Mallika.
"Mine hasn't got colour yet." I noted her voice and looked down. There is a tinge of disappointment in it. My forehead furrowed slightly as my arms rested on my thighs, rotating Ahana's cold drink glass round and round in my hand.
"Really?" Kainaat's voice sounded apprehensive. "What if it doesn't colour at all?"
"Kai, what are you saying? Of course, it will colour!" Ahana's response came from my right.
"But what if—" Ziya's anxious voice sounded from my left.
"Arre, it will colour." Sabah disrupted. "If you rub neembu on it na, it will darken." Of course. Neembu!
A slight smile split on my lips as I kept my head down at her optimism and belief in these things. She is still the same.
"I will try it after going home." Kainaat's voice, hopefully. "Oh, you know, Maa said to give it some heat. Then the henna will also darken."
"I'll try both." Ziya spoke.
"Me too!" Ahana added.
"Sabah, you didn't show us your mehndi." Mallika muttered, and I kept my head down, despite my desire to see it. But I can't. I—
"Zaid, look." I closed my eyes quickly when I heard Mallika, then looked up to see Sabah's hands. The design on her palms was basic yet gorgeous. She was gorgeous.
"It's beautiful." I blunted out. And before I could control myself, I glanced up at her. Her eyes widened in surprise at my words. Of course, she didn't expect it. But her cheeks quickly turned slightly pink, and—Fuck.
"Tha—" She spoke up, but I immediately rose from my chair and walked away.
I placed the glass in the table and moved away in long strides through the crowd. This was not supposed to happen. I wasn't supposed to make her blush. I was supposed to stay away. Far away.
I unfastened the top two buttons of my cream-coloured kurta and took deep breaths, my pulse racing with Sabah pinned to my head. Her stunning kohl-lined hazel-brown eyes. Her beautiful, wavy, dark brown hair. And how stunning she looked in her magenta anarkali! I clenched my jaws and decided to head to the smoking area, where I was sure to find one of my brothers with a drag.
8:31 P.M.
I took a big drag on my cigarette before passing it on to Zaid, who was standing next to me in the hotel's outer smoking zone. This is my first for today. I have never been without cigarettes. I had to have at least five cigarettes every day to function properly without losing my shit. But shit was real enough today to keep me away from this.
"You should build a room inside the hotel as a smoking zone with a bar." Zaid advised before taking a drag. Not as big as mine, but still a decent one.
I gave a quiet laugh before continuing, "The hotel has already two inside. One with and without a bar. But it is full due to the function."
Zaid exhaled as he passed me the cigarette, and I took another large pull before returning it to him. The flavour of tobacco heavy in my mouth.
"Did you meet her?" I inquired, standing back against the hotel wall and staring ahead at the property wall.
Zaid remained motionless for quite some time before handing me the remaining of the cigarette and inhaling slowly, "Yeah."
I nodded as I took a deep pull to finish the cigarette, then dropped it on the ground and stepped on it before rubbing it with my black shoe to ensure that I didn't burn my own hotel down.
"I'm guessing everything's under control then?" I gazed at him while straightening my white mirror work kurta. I'm not sure why I'm wearing something like this.
He nodded carefully before glancing at me and saying, "Let's go. You haven't been to the function for a long time now. Asha Maa will notice." And will kill me.
I exhaled slowly before unlocking the heavy metal door and entering the hotel. Lights glinted on the bright vacant hallway with marble floors as we moved silently to the main lobby, where my secretary, Sofia, was waiting with a file in hand. She walked towards me as soon as she noticed me, and Zaid and I paused.
"Sir, the file you urgently requested." She handed me the file, and I began scanning through it until I noticed Zaid standing frozen out of the corner of my eye.
I gazed at him before realising he was peering forward at something. I sighed internally as I followed his line of gaze. Sabah and Mallika Mir were laughing and talking to each other while walking on the same route as us. The hotel's backyard. The venue of the Mehndi function. Fuck.
I looked at Zaid, then back at the two beaut—a beautiful Sabah dressed in fuchsia and a Mallika Mir. The latter abruptly looked over her shoulder at us and came to a complete halt. Her smile faded gradually, giving way to her trademark expressionless gaze. Her black eyes met mine briefly before focusing on Zaid next to me, and her expression darkened. Sabah soon stopped next to her and was ready to look back at us, where her friend was looking. But her friend was quicker. Before Sabah could turn to face us, Mallika turned to her, smiled, and grasped her hand before heading to the rear entrance with Sabah.
"We should kill her!" I blunted out. My eyes remained fixated on one of the two departing figures until they vanished, at which point I turned to face Zaid.
He exhaled.
"What?" My brow wrinkled slightly.
But Zaid turned to my secretary and said, "You can return to the function, Sofia. Thank you." He looked at me and said, "She really affects you, doesn't she?"
"Of course she does. Because of her family, I can't conduct business calmly." My frown intensified.
"I wasn't talking—forget it." Zaid shook his head, as if I were a lost cause. "Let's go."
I nodded once and went following him, black file in hand and brow wrinkled, for seeing her had just made my mood worse. As if tolerating her entire family wasn't enough, she had to be present at all times. Bloody Mirs.
* * *
Chote Papa approached Qais and Zahra on the cushioned double sofa. He grinned broadly and pulled a fat bundle of pounds from his light pink kurta. He rolled it thrice over their heads and said, "Whatever Biwi says, is the rule, okay?"
I grinned as Qais cast a quick glance at Zahra, who smiled softly at Chote Papa then he turned to face him again and nodded with a smile.
"Shabash!" Chote Papa walked up to Zaid and handed him the bundle, instructing him to divide it among the waiters and servers. Zaid instantly left, and I took a few steps back to look at the document that was in my hand.
I had not expected plumbing problems in our Hôtel de Luxe, of all places. That place hasn't even opened for business yet, and one problem after another arises. Especially since the Mirs also announced their hotel's opening on the same day.
I sighed, flipped a page, and saw the list of items that needed to be fixed at the Hôtel de Luxe. Is this another Mir-related fiasco? Will they really go this low for the sake of rivalry?... Again, no one can ever take a chance with them. But what will they receive if Hôt—
Someone crashed on my right shoulder, and I looked up from the file to see Mallika Mir herself. She really doesn't give anyone a break. Especially. Me.
"You should use those eyes you got up there." I closed my file and looked at her. Her glance turned to mine from behind me.
"I apologise. They were working perfectly seconds ago. But I suppose they don't fall on unworthy objects." She replied, then smirked. And the smirk was anything but sorry.
I looked into her eyes before letting out a low chuckle and responding, "You're right." I nodded. "But, did you know, unworthy objects can only be found by unworthy people?"
She continued to maintain my gaze for a moment before her smirk gradually faded. She slightly sucked in her cheeks, making them appear hollow, before releasing them and saying, "You met Dad." A statement.
My brow furrowed as I glowered at her, attempting to interpret her expression because she was correct. I met her father. But I still hate it when she's right.
"What made you say so?" I inquired, perplexed as to why she had suddenly said that.
Her brow furrowed slightly at my question, and she looked down before blinking a few times.
My frown intensified. What's she thinking? Why is her expression so unreadable? Why is—
"You looked scared." She smirked and looked up at me. "What if he creates another mess?" She softly tilted her head to the side, holding my gaze, and crossed her arms across her chest. "Like the inauguration date?" She paused and took a step forward. "Actually, I have a better one. What if he targets the Hôtel de Luxe? Again."
I clinched my teeth and gazed down at her. As I held her eyes, my fingers sank deeply into the black file in my hand.
"Bibi, Mir Sahab asked for you." I looked behind her and saw Raza standing a few steps behind her.
"Jaiye. Your Dad—" I paused, looked down and shook my head before gazing up at her again. Her expression was unreadable, although there was a trace of a scowl on her face. "Oh, apologies, Mir Sahab called." I stepped in closer, both hands holding the file behind me as I held her black eyes. "Mallika Bibi." Then I moved past her and Raza, who stood behind her with a glare at me. Bloody fucking Mirs and their loyals.
Chapter Aesthetics:
Invites
Zahra's Outfit
Zahra's Hair
Zahra's Mehndi
Sabah's Outfit
Mallika's Outfit
Delhi Times