"Some days we laughed until we cried and some days, we cried until we laughed.
Either way, it was Perfect..."
Arhaan greeted one of his uncles and quickly proceeded towards the other side of the hall, his eyes searching for something as if his life depended on it.
He haven't seen Anabiya since the Nikah ceremony and he was worried. It was his last night here in Mumbai and all he wanted was to look at the one person who actually mattered, to see her smile, to tease her, to irritate her, to crack lame jokes with her... to be with her.
"Bro, you okay?", Arhaan's friend, Raza asked and Arhaan nodded.
"Come, everyone is asking for you.", Raza informed and Arhaan nodded as he sighed and was about to walk with Raza towards his friends when he heard Ruhina.
"ANABIYA! WHERE WERE YOU?"
Arhaan immediately turned towards the source of the voice and sighed in relief.
There she was... in all her beautiful chaos, wearing a smile on her face.
Arhaan saw Anabiya saying something to Ruhina but he couldn't hear it. Ruhina nodded and soon the girls went towards the other group of girls.
Raza, who was still standing there noticed it all and shook his head.
"Arhaan mahn! Shall I play some Arijit Singh and Atif Aslam songs for you?"
At this Arhaan hit him in the head and walked towards his brother and brother in law.
"Soooo.... finally cuffed!", Arhaan smirked at Humaid and Ali which earned him a light punch on the arm by his brother.
Arhaan then went towards his sister and cleared his throat.
"Nabeeha bro...", Arhaan whispered and Nabeeha smiled at him.
Arhaan smiled back and sat beside Nabeeha on looked at his sister adorably.
"You look....", Arhaan started and Nabeeha already had some tears in her eyes as she was expecting her brother to say something sweet.
"Like a zombie!", Arhaan completed and then laughed while Nabeeha had her jaw dropped to the floor.
"I hate you!", Nabeeha whined.
At that moment Anabiya came in with some girls and Nabeeha grinned.
"Anabiya! Do I look like a zombie?", Nabeeha questioned and Arhaan immediately turned to look at Anabiya who looked confused.
"You look like a queen! Don't listen to jealous people.", Anabiya smirked as she looked at Arhaan and then at Nabeeha.
"Excuse me, miss? Jealous? Me? Didn't you get enough sleep or are you drunk?", Arhaan questioned and Anabiya narrowed her eyes at him.
"It's the truth. I know it's hard to accept the truth especially when you're a delusional person, but it's fine. You'll learn.", Anabiya smiled sweetly, not the sweet kind of sweet but the sassy sweet.
"Well... kids these days!", Arhaan said dramatically as he patted Anabiya's head. This made Anabiya gasp.
"HOW DARE YOU CALL ME A KID?!", Anabiya whisper yelled as she looked Arhaan directly in the eyes, trying to look all tough.
"I didn't specify. It's you who herself assumed. That means even you accept that you're a kid.", Arhaan shrugged.
The small banter was noticed by everyone and Humaid and Afia gave each other that knowing look.
Humaid held Afia's hand as he leaned closer to her.
"They remind me of us."
At this Afia looked at him and smiled as she nodded and again looked at Arhaan and Anabiya who were still arguing like children.
"Ya Allah! They belong together! Help them, ya Khuda! Help them!", Afia prayed silently.
Arhaan and Anabiya's argument was now about to change to a different topic when they were interrupted by Ali's mother.
"Can you kids stop?!", she scolded at which both Arhaan and Anabiya immediately stopped.
"He called me a kid and called Nabeeha zombie!", Anabiya complained like a child.
"I said the truth!", Arhaan defended himself and Ali's mother shook her head as Dadi Amma came on the stage.
"Arhaan, you're a kid too. I've seen you cry like a kid when your favourite team lost in some football match and you were whining when Humaid beat you in some video game.", Dadi Amma spilled the tea and everyone laughed except Arhaan.
"Yeah yeah gang up on me ladies! Lads, help out your brother here?", Arhaan looked at Ali and Humaid.
"Naaah bro, can't go against the missus!", Ali put up his hands in surrender and Nabeeha smirked while Humaid agreed.
"Wow! Wow! Amazing! Marriage makes people go crazy!", Arhaan shook his head.
"Okay enough now! You both either stay quiet and sit here or go down and continue with your stupid argument.", Dadi Amma said and Anabiya gulped.
"I need... water.", Anabiya immediately said and walked down the stage while Arhaan looked at her shocked.
He wanted to go after her so he made an excuse too and walked down.
Arhaan was again looking for Anabiya who was again nowhere to be seen.
He instead met some other friends and guests and all this while his eyes were still searching for Anabiya.
Arhaan was clicking some pictures with his cousins when he spotted Ruhina with Ali's sister.
"Okay y'all, excuse me!", Arhaan excused himself and went to Ruhina.
"Hey Ruhina! How are you?", Arhaan greeted politely which made Ruhina chuckle.
"Anabiya is out in the garden.", Ruhina informed and Arhaan first looked at her shocked but then smiled gratefully.
"Thanks!", he quickly turned to go towards the garden only to be stopped by Ruhina.
"Take a juice or something with you. She talks a lot.", Ruhina said and Arhaan nodded and smiled and almost ran towards the drinks counter.
"Love makes us do stupid stuff, right?"
...................
The golden lights mixed with the blue ones highlighted the beautiful trees while the grand yet subtle decoration served like a treat to Anabiya's eyes.
The light breeze played with Anabiya's hair as she tried to push her strands behind her ears.
Anabiya looked around as she saw some people, mostly couples around the garden but noone invaded anyone's privacy as the garden was enormous and people were few.
Anabiya sighed as she thought about anything and everything. Her train of thought was running in every direction, unknown of the destination, until she heard someone clear their throat.
She knew who it was and a smile automatically made it's way to her lips.
"Found you!", Arhaan said as he stood beside Anabiya.
"Congratulations!", Anabiya said with the same energy which made Arhaan chuckle.
He passed her the glass of drink he bought which Anabiya accepted as they made their way to the nearby bench.
"So.... what are you doing here?", Arhaan questioned as he took a sip from his drink.
"Counting the trees.", Anabiya replied to which Arhaan looked at her as if she is crazy only to find her smirking mischievously and he realized the girl was being sassy.
"HAHA! VERY FUNNY!", Arhaan slow clapped and Anabiya laughed.
"Uff! Okay sorry! I was here because the garden looked beautiful and it was peaceful here! Also I wanted to see the sea.", Anabiya explained and Arhaan then realized the garden showed the direct view of the sea and Anabiya loved the water and the beaches.
"Aww! Kid loves the ocean!", Arhaan teased and Anabiya glared at him only to smile that sickly sweet one again.
"Oh yes... UNCLE!", Anabiya focused on the word uncle which made Arhaan gasp.
"Am I an uncle to you? Do I look like a freaking uncle?", Arhaan questioned, disbelief laced in his voice.
"If I'm a kid, then you're an uncle.", Anabiya shrugged casually and Arhaan shook his head.
"Few months ago I would've never thought I'll sit here while having this conversation with you.", Arhaan said and Anabiya nodded.
"Same. You were so annoying! You still are."
Arhaan smiled at it and then there was a silence that enveloped them but it wasn't uncomfortable at all.
Infact, it was peaceful.
The sound of the waves crashing, winds playing with the leaves and the light breeze touching the souls was calming.
"Anabiya?"
"Hmm?"
"Why is there cheetos falling from your lap?", Arhaan scratched the back of his neck confused as he watched Anabiya immediately fidget with her gown and dupatta.
His eyes widened with shock and he was in fits of laughter when he saw Anabiya pull out a big pack of Cheetos from her dupatta.
"What is this, Anabiya?", Arhaan managed to say between his laughs.
Anabiya smiled guilty as she put the packet of the snack on the bench and dusted her gown.
"I was craving for it, okay? So I bought it from my bag and I had some but then I was done so I hid it under this dupatta. Nevermind. You want some?", Anabiya explained which again made Arhaan laugh.
"Of course! Who can say no to cheetos?, Arhaan said as he munched on the snack and Anabiya shook her head.
"You are actually a kid.", Arhaan said.
"So are you.", Anabiya smiled.
Silence....
The two souls were trying their best to seize this moment....
They didn't want it to end.
Every minute, every second of them being together was something they wanted to hold onto.
Maybe, this was the last time they were like this, together, before she was someone else's.
"Soooo.... tomorrow?", Anabiya suddenly asked referring to Arhaan's London flight.
"Yeah! 7 pm.", as Arhaan replied, both him and Anabiya felt a pain in their hearts, the one choking them and the fear of separation getting more real.
"You won't be able to attend the Walimah. It's in two days. You could've waited, y'know.", Anabiya said and Arhaan scoffed.
Arhaan wanted to tell her.... tell her that it was her engagement and Omar's ring on her finger that he couldn't see.
But can he? Yes.
Will he? No.
"It's important to go there. Work stuff. And you know how hectic the paperwork can get with the new registration and all...", Arhaan shrugged and Anabiya slowly nodded.
"When will you be back?", Anabiya hesitantly asked, already dreading the answer.
"I don't know, probably three years.", Arhaan answered and Anabiya tried her best to control her emotions.
Anabiya wanted to cry, to scream, to punch the person in front of her.
She wanted to stop him, to tell him how much she loved him but Sanaya's words still rang in her head.
And then her anxiety returned....
The feeling that made her feel that Arhaan is just sitting here, talking to her because he feels sorry for her. Because he respects her and feels sorry about not feeling the same way as she did. That feeling returned.
But little did she know, his heart loved her more than she ever could and his soul was already hers.
"This is it then. All the best, Arhaan Sir. You'll do great, InShaAllah.", Anabiya smiled at him as she got up.
Arhaan gave her a small smile as he got up too.
"Thankyou. Congratulations in advance for your engagement, by the way.", Arhaan tried to sound happy and Anabiya balled her fist, knowing well that she can breakdown any moment now.
"Thankyou. I should head inside.", Anabiya quickly said and walked towards the hall as Arhaan sighed and looked at the sea, the waves that were at this moment defining his state of mind.... chaotic.
Arhaan turned around to look at her, one last time as his heart cried to confess his feelings for her.
But his oblivious self thought she loved someone else and belonged to someone else.
How stupid a smart man can get?
Arhaan sighed in defeat as he again turned to look at the sea.
While Anabiya reached towards the door of the hall, she turned around too.
To look that the only person who mattered to her right now.
"You may not love me or reciprocate the same feelings, but you'll always be in my heart, Arhaan. Always.", Anabiya whispered as a tear slipped which she was quick enough to wipe as she ran inside the hall.
"It was the most painful type of loss...
You...
Slowly melting away...
Making sure you burnt every last piece of my heart."
.......
ASSALAMUALAIKUM Y'ALL!
First of all, I'm so sorry for the late update.
I was busy with my exams and then Ramadan and again exams.
Also, I was working on the new book too. So yep.
This is the second last chapter y'all, that means the next one is gonna be the last one and an Epilogue.
So yeah, the end might not be sweet or it might be. You never know.
But yes, Arhaan and Anabiya will always be my babies and hope you all will love the new characters of the new book the same way as you loved Arhaan and Anabiya.
Also, Meant To Be is now in wattys and it would mean alot if y'all could go and vote and comment on all the chapters.
Thankyouuuu and love ya all!
~A .