Wedding is such a day that every girl look forward to. From the time they attain maturity they have been told that they belong to some other house. A day which is the most precious and important in everyone's life.
And today was the day. Today was the day Safa and Saif were eager for. Their wedding. Their reception. The day that will always keep them together. The day after they will be known as a couple to everyone. The day they were looking forward for.
Safa looked down at her lehenga. It was a dark blue one. It was almost heavy and had very minor work on it that Safa craved for. She always wanted to have such a lehenga for her wedding. For her the lehenga was just perfect because it was nothing but a dream lehenga. She was wearing a lot of jewellery, gold, that every Indian bride should wear for it is a must according to the society, and she was also wearing bindiya on her forehead ,that just made her look more beautiful and her Hijab did a perfect way of hiding all her hair that was tied up in a beautiful bun by the hairstylist. In all, she was looking just the typical Indian bride, that every girl awaited for, her entire life.
She glanced at her best friend, Rida, to only glare at her clothing. She knew her best friend was obsessed with that colour but that didn't give her the right to wear it anywhere, everywhere right?
"Seriously Rida? Today at least you could have worn something other than black." Safa said looking at her friend who was wearing a black coloured palazzo, with her head secured with a black hijab and no jewellery.
She could never understand her best friend. They had grown together. They had played together. Almost her entire childhood was spent with her but she didn't get the point how could she and her best friend be so opposite.
Where Safa liked heavy dresses, bright colours and beautiful hijabs her best friend was stuck with Kurta jeans, dull colour, black, and simplest of hijab.
She had tried her best to transform her best friend, but she never did. Not in clothing sense neither in her personality, her attitude, her behaviour.
"Leave about me. You look gorgeous!" Rida said swirling around Safa making her smile.
Rida always knew her friend loved compliments and she never missed a chance of making her feel beautiful.
She always has believed that her best friend was the most beautiful girl among the three. She had always had boys moving around her, without she even trying.
Yes, she did had many crushes, the boys whom she would admire from far. She had even fallen for a guy who did not even noticed her, and she all knew this was just how teenage was, but she never did go out of her way to date any of the guy for which they always were happy.
And now as she watched her best friend smile looking down at her lehenga, that was personally designed for her by the top most designer, she couldn't help but feel happy for her.
"JazakAllahu Khairan khair." Safa said grinning widely and that's when their third partner entered the room, their best friend, Aafia.
She was wearing a beautiful butterfly Abaya, with some black pearls on her lower end of the Abaya. She removed her niqaab and Rida couldn't help but mumble a small 'Masha Allah' because her face radiated Noor. Safa looked at Aafia and murmured a Masha Allah looking at the Noor on her face.
Among the three Aafia was the one who belonged to a family that were niqaabi, while Safa's family were Hijabi and Rida was the only one who wore Hijabi in her entire family.
"Assalamualaikum." Aafia said smiling at her best friends while taking a seat on the bed besides Safa.
"Walaikumassalam." They both greeted, and, Rida and Aafia both fell in a conversation, while Safa sat down thinking about her future. With her husband.
A life that she was always waiting for, from her childhood. A life that can bring lots of happiness, love joy, arguments, and so much more and she was ready for it. She was ready to begin her life with her Saif. The one whom she loved. The one who loved her.
She had always seen people around her being in love and she always wanted to be one of them. She had seen her parents being madly in love. She had seen Rida's parents fighting over silly things, smiling at each other. She said seen how Aafia's father took care of her mother whenever she was ill. She had seen Aman bhai looking at Noor Bhabhi with so much love and admiration. And she had seen the love, care, honestly, loyalty in her husbands eyes too.
Though she accept that they didn't get married in the righteous time nor in the righteous way but they didn't knew that it was the perfect time for them to be one another's. It had already been decided by the almighty and they couldn't change it. And they were happy in their life.
"Ahem Ahem." Aafia fake coughed gaining Safa's attention making her embarrassed. Rida smiled looking at her friend who was now living her dreams. Her fantasies.
"Awwh our Safa is blushing." Rida said tickling her and the trio giggled.
"Stop it you both." Safa said and they smiled at her shaking their head.
"Not gonna happen." The both girls said and high fived each other, giggling.
"I'll see when your time comes." She said pointing to both the girls and they just rolled their eyes at her.
"Yeah let's see." Aafia said and before they could talk anything further, Safa's mom entered the room.
"Girls can I talk to my daughter?" She asked, and the girls nodded leaving the mother daughter alone.
Mrs shah looked at her daughter who looked extremely beautiful today. She had always been waiting for this day when she would see her daughter as a bride and the day had finally arrived and she now wished nothing but her happiness.
She sat down in front of her daughter, taking her own time to relish the moment when a single drop of tear escaped her eye which Safa was quick enough to wipe.
"Mom." She whispered and hugged her mother feeling her own self getting emotional.
"You look beautiful." Her mom said and smiled at her now grinning daughter.
"JazakAllahu Khairan khair mom." She said and her mom kissed her forehead before taking her hands in her own.
"Beta, marriage is no easy. There will be times where things wouldn't be the way you want it to be but you have to accept it and try solving it. Do not let any misunderstanding destroy your marriage." She said and Safa listened to her mother very carefully.
"Saif has changed a lot for you. I have seen the change. We have seen the change in him. But there will be times where he might be frustrated and might end up yelling at you, and in such times you should be calm and not yell back. Because when one is fire for other should be water. You are smart enough to understand things and I hope you will not let your mom down." Her mom said smiling at her which she reciprocated nodding her head.
"JazakAllahu Khairan khair mom." She said hugging her mom for this was all she wanted to hear.
"Wa iyyaki dear. Now I shall leave I have people down there, to attend." She said and got up to leave.
She looked at her mother leave. She was gonna miss her mom. She gonna miss the way her mother would take care of her and wouldn't let her cook. She would miss her father who would always come home and sit with her spending some time asking her about her day. She was gonna miss her superhero. She was gonna miss Farheen, the sister who always was there to destroy her peace of mind. The one who always made her yell. The one who always was there to annoy her. In all she was gonna miss her entire family.
She was busy smiling thinking about her family when she heard her ringing of her phone. She noticed that it was her husband calling her. She wanted to receive the call. She wanted to hear his voice. She looked at the door, and when nobody entered she received the call, walking to lock the door, to only hear silence from the other end.
Both knew each other were on the line, but no one spoke. They could hear the sound of each other's breathing. And that was more than enough to calm the two of them. Their breathings were rhyming.
Safa heard Rehan's voice call out to Saif, telling about their departure, and she knew that he was about to end the call but before he ending up the call, he just said those words that made her relaxed. Those words that she wanted to hear. The ways that made her heart beat faster. Those words that were only for her.
"I love you."
"I love you too." She was quick enough to reply as though she had guessed it coming, and as soon as she kept her phone, with a small smile lingering on her face, Rida entered the room with all the girls following her, a second later.
They looked at her with a raised eyebrow except for Rida who was smirking a little and Safa looked at her puzzled, for the reason behind her smirk.
She had always known that Rida was a silent observer but had she heard her saying I love you and that was the reason she had entered just when they had ended their conversation?
"We are leaving." Farah said coming towards Safa wearing a golden coloured gown with her head secured with her hijab.
"Time to leave dulhan ji." Almas said coming in view wearing a peach coloured palazzo.
They all walked behind Safa who was being helped by Farah. Rida and Farheen were behind Safa, helping her with her heavy lehenga.
As it was the reception ceremony, everyone were told that the Nikaah was performed in a small gathering and that not many people were involved. No member asked any question for which they were relieved. For they didn't wanted to witness the thousands of questions that could be thrown on them.
Safa walked down the staircase and everyone looked at her in Aww at the beauty in front of them. Her parents were in tears looking at their all grown up daughter. Farheen clutched on her sister's shoulder and Safa glanced at her who grinned at her.
They settled in the car and drove to the reception destination. Farheen and Rida were with Safa not leaving her thought-out. Aafia was with Safa's parents helping them out with the gifts. They reached the venue and all the time Safa had her head down. The groom was already present there. Waiting for his bride. Eagerly. Impatiently.
The entire venue was clad in a blue coloured setting giving the open sky to look much more of a beautiful. Since not much people were invited the ceremony was mixed and that was the reason the girls hadn't removed their hijabs and niqaab's.
Safa was led by Farheen and Rida on the stage while everyone stared at the bride in Aww. She was the perfect match for him. Everyone could see the way the groom of eyeing his lady love, whose head was hungry low while walking adjusting her lehenga.
Rida glanced on the stage to see Saif wearing a blue coloured sherwani. She glanced a little away from Saif to see Rehan. She couldn't help the small smile that made her way to her lips. He was wearing a black coloured sherwani that made him look much more handsome.
Farheen looked up at the stage to see her jeej grinning, his eyes not leaving Safa. She couldn't help but admire their love. She looked a little away from Saif to glance at the person who made her heart beat. The person that held the capacity to make her go numb. She removed her eyes from him because she could clearly see him not looking her way. And that pained. Badly.
Saif looked at his beauty making her way towards him with her head hung low. He had accepted that she was beautiful but today, he couldn't help staring at his beautiful wife. And he was glad that she was his. He grinned widely when Safa pulled on the stage and he gladly gave her his hand, which she accepted with a small smile.
Rehan looked at his best friend grinning at Safa. He couldn't help but be happy for his friend. He looked behind Safa to see Rida in a black coloured suit, a small smile making it's way to his lips. He couldn't help but smile at his best friend. She was looking extremely beautiful in that dress and he couldn't help but gaze a little longer at her. He shook his head, murmuring and Astagfirullah, for staring a little too much, and looked away from Rida to only see Farheen, besides Rida helping Safa with her lehenga. She was wearing a black and golden coloured dress. He quickly awaited his gaze when they both left from the stage. He shook hands with Saif and walked down the stage to attend the guests.
Saif did not care about the 100 people staring at them but all he cared about in that moment, was his wife. He couldn't help but stare at his wife who looked extremely beautiful in the bridal outfit. He couldn't help the smile that was etched on his face from the time he had entered the venue and now when he could see his entire life in front of his eyes he couldn't help but thank Allah a thousand times.
"Assalamualaikum." He greeted her and she looked up at him through her eyelashes with a small smile on her face.
"Walaikumassalam." She said smiling at him.
"You look beautiful." He said taking her hand in his, and she couldn't help but blush at his remark.
"You don't look that bad too." She said winking at him and he laughed, a heartily laugh at his wife's comeback.
"I'm glad that you at least found me capable of you." He said smiling at her and she raised her eyebrow at him, talking nonstop forgetting about the people who were looking at them with a happy smiles on their face. Because they were finally happy. Happy to be finally together.
Rehan looked at Saif, with a small smile lingering on his face. He had never seen his friend this happy and he knew the reason behind his happiness was the woman Standing just next to him, who despite him giving her nothing but pain, had not left him. She stuck through him. And he wished they remain just the way they are today.
Rehan was so engrossed in the moment that he did not realize that there was a person standing next to him, admiring the same moment.
"I'm so happy for them." Rida whispered and Rehan turned to his left to see Rida standing with a smile on her face.
"I couldn't have asked for anything else." Rehan said and Rida glanced his way, trying to figure him out.
She could see the look in his eyes. And she exactly knew what those eyes felt in that moment. She could see the longing in his eye. Even though Rehan was happy for his best friend, deep down even he wanted someone who could understand him, take care of him and most importantly love him.
His entire life he has shown that he is always content with whatever he has and he needs nothing but only his heart know how he long for people to love him. To have a family.
"Everything is falling in place." He said, keeping aside his own feelings and feeling happy for his best friend who was now laughing at something his wife told him.
Rida turned to Rehan to see him turning to face her. She smiled at him and whispered,
"Alhamdulillah."
He nodded his head whispering the same and they turned back to the couple who were now enjoying each other's presence.
"When are you leaving?" Rida asked him her heart beating not like the normal days.
"Tomorrow night." He whispered and Rida nodded her head not showing her inner turmoil.
She knew she was in pain and she was ready for the upcoming pain to, for she knew people changed with time and attachment was the biggest enemy, that can make anyone any one weak and she was one of them, the one who had witnessed people change and smiles turn to tears.
***
"I'll miss you mom." Safa said hugging her mom, at the time of bidayi, the only time that was the most hated by the bridal family. The time when they had to walk their daughters off their home. From the time where their daughters would be the pride of some other house.
"Don't cry much and ponder on my words." Her mom said kissing her forehead while wiping of her tears with the back of her hand.
Saif stood in a corner with Rehan besides him, looking at the scene unfolding in front of him. He felt bad that his wife was crying for leaving a house that she had spent almost half her life but he couldn't help, because it was the rule of the society that the girl had to leave her parents house and build a new one with her new family.
After everyone were done with the bidayi, Saif caught hold of Safa's hand and made her seat inside the car, careful of her dress.
He then hugged Aman who was near the car, patting him on his back, while he made sure to look out for his sister.
Saif sat down in the car next to Safa who was talking to Farheen, who had her tears running continuously.
He couldn't help but smile looking at their love for each other. He remembered the time when Farheen had actually pleaded him not to hurt her sister, saying that she was just a crazy, immature kid but a good person at heart.
Such a way of looking out for your sibling!
"Shall we?" Rehan asked and after Safa had nodded her head in affirmative, Rehan started the car and drove to their new house, the one that Saif had proposed Safa with. The house that Saif looked forward to come home to his beautiful wife. The house that would now actually make him feel that he did belong to someone.
The drive from the venue was of 10 minutes. They entered the entrance to see the entire house lighting. Since there were no one from Saif's side, except for Rehan and some employees he hasn't actually seen for the decoration of the house but just to give the wedding vibes he had made his men's to lighten up the house to make Safa feel home.
The car stopped and Saif looked at his right to see Safa sleeping on his shoulder. He smiled at the sight. He did not wanted to disturb her because he himself knew how tired they both were after all the meet up session and smiling at every people that came up the stage. He glanced at Rehan who now walked towards the house, leaving the couple alone.
Saif adjusted her head and got down the car and walked to the other side of the car, opening the door and taking Safa in his embrace. He walked with Safa in his arms, in a bridal style while she lazily wrapped her arms around her husband's neck, nuzzling his chest.
Saif entered the house to see Rida and Aafia along with all of Safa's cousin standing on the entrance. He was surprised on finding them here and was more embarrassed looking at their smirk.
He slowly started calling out for Safa who was almost in a deep slumber. He called out to her again and she opened her one eye and looked at him and turned around to see her cousins and friends standing in front of her, with a huge smirk plastered on their faces making her sleep to vanish.
She quickly got down from his arms feeling a blush making it's way to her face.
"What are you'll doing here?" Saif asked, clearing his throat and everyone grinned at him.
"We were at the reception from the bride's side and now we are here from the groom's side." Saqib said grinning winking at Saif while he looked at him, astonished.
"Is he the same person who used to always have a scowl on his face after looking at me?" Saif thought to himself and searched for Rehan who was in a corner grinning at him.
"Now come on, get in or do you'll want to stand here the entire night?" Almas asked making them blush and they slowly made their way inside, with their hands interlocked with each other.
They walked to the couch, making themselves comfortable but at that moment all they wanted to do was, sleep.
"Can we sleep? I'm tired." Safa said suppressing a yawn while Aafia giggled earning a glare from her.
"Yeah I think we should let them sleep." Rida said looking at them with worried eyes for they actually looked tired.
She could feel that they were tired, because they had almost stood the entire night. Rida herself could feel drained because she was besides Safa for like one hour, throughout standing.
"There is no fun in that." Faiz opened his mouth for the first time the night and Saif was surprised to see him silent and no witty comments the entire night.
"But..." Rida was about to tell something when she was silenced by, probably, everyone.
"How about we play that game?" Farah said and everyone nodded their head smiling, getting about which game she was talking about.
"Which game?" Rehan asked confused sitting down near Saif's leg on the carpeted floor.
"The one where you put a ring in the milk, that one." Ride said giving a hint of the game and he nodded his head making an oh face.
There was a game that was usually played by the groom's family after the wedding. The game was like, there would a huge bowl in which there will be a huge amount of milk and some rose petals and someone would put a ring in it and the bride and groom have to search it. It was fine three times to not let any one to be tied and it was said that the first one to find it would rule the other.
"Oh is it necessary to play the game?" Saif asked looking at his tired wife while all the girls made an aww face.
"Yes it is necessary." Rehan said irritated heating that stupid aww.
"Then do it fast." Safa said, almost on the verge of sleep, least interested in any game for right now all she wanted to do was sleep peacefully.
Everyone sat down in a circle around the bride and groom. Farah kept a bowl on the floor, between the couple and Rehan stood up and took a ring that was handed to him by almas, that belonged to Safa. He dropped the ring in the milk, a little drop splashing on top of Saif but he cared least.
The game started and Safa and said started finding it with determination. The first one Safa was quick to find, giving Saif a smirk while said smiled at her.
"Yaayy." Faiza yelled, making Rida to close her ear while she closed her sister's mouth giving her the best glare.
"Saif you have to win this one." Rehan said and again dropped the ring in the milk and they both started their hunt for the ring and this time it was Saif who pulled out the ring showing it proudly to everyone making Safa to glare at him.
"Okay now last round." Farah said and Rehan dropped the ring and everyone held their breaths waiting to know who would win this round. The game continued for almost like just second because said had the ring in his hand with a big grin while Safa huffed not able to win the game.
"Whatever but I still rule." Safa said smirking at him, sticking her tongue out and everyone coughed except Saif who nodded his head.
"Always." He said and took Safa's hand making her wear the ring, while Safa smiled at him, softly.
"Okay time to head to the bed." Rida said getting up and everyone looked at her.
"Are you sure you are just thinking of them and not about yourself?" Rehan asked with a small smirk on his face that was not hidden.
"What do you mean mister?" Rida asked keeping her hands on her waist, while eyeing him making everyone in the room giggle.
"You can just tell us that you are feeling asleep." Rehan said struggling his shoulder getting up while walking away while everyone started getting up.
"Oh please, I was just saying so that they can sleep I know they are tired." She said pointing a finger at him and he nodded his head completely showing that he did not trust her words.
"Sure." He said grinning and walked away while Rida looked around and found a cushion and ran after him aiming at him while he ran faster laughing.
Everyone laughed looking at them, except for one person who felt her heart pained.
She knew that they had something between them and she did not have any chance at all but a person can hope, right? And that was the reason she prayed to the almighty to give him her, her perfect match.
This life is nothing but a test for us. Not everyone gets what they want. Not everyone wants what they get. The people are twisted but what they don't know is that while maybe they hate a thing that is good for them and maybe they love a thing that is bad for them. And they don't know while Allah knows the best.