"Indeed we belong to Allah, and indeed to Him we will return."
Quran: 2:156
***
With a deep blush and a small smile on her face, Rida walked down the stairs to notice everyone enjoying their time having food. Almost everyone was present here except Farheen and Aafia's family since they had somewhere to be while she had no idea about Farheen. Rida looked around the room to look for her mom who was missing, when felt eyes on. She did not have to even think who it could be because she was very sure about the person gazing at her. She turned to her right, holding her breath to see Rehan admiring her from a far. Rida hurriedly looked away when she saw Kaif nudging Rehan earning a smack from him. Rida left from there searching for her mother to see her heating the food.
"Mom you need any help?" Rida asked and her mom instructed her to keep the food on the dining table and call everyone. She nodded her head and did as per instructed. She kept everything according and smiled ta her work. Suddenly she realised that she needs to call everyone. She hesitated, trying to come up with an idea but dejected she walked back in the kitchen to see her mom washing dishes.
"Mom I will wash the dishes, you serve them food." Rida said trying to escape the one work she hated the most. Gaining confidence she would do the thing only because her mother would force her but today the confidence she felt was nowhere. All she could feel was nervousness and the reason being that one person, who was now her husband. She did not want to make a fool of herself so she was trying escaping.
"I will complete this till then you go and serve them food and I am not accepting any excuse." Her mother said and Rida smiled at her mother inwardly but her mother shook her head continuing her work.
Sighing, Rida walked out to see everyone present in the room. She heard the door bell and walked to check who was on the door. Farheen smiled at Rida, while Rida reciprocated back leading her inside.
"Where had you been?" Rida asked and Farheen explained about how she had forgotten about the assignment that was due and had to be there.
"Come everyone is in the living room till then I will get you a glass of water." Rida said smiling at Farheen patting her shoulder. Farheen gazed over her smiled figure and couldn't help but give her a small smile. Just as Rida turned around to get her a glass of water, she noticed the ring in her left finger and felt her heart pain. She hurriedly looked away and entered the living room to see everyone talking to each other. She looked around the room and her eyes stopped over the one person who now belonged to someone else. She saw how happy he looked, his eyes shining and all this because he was married to Rida. She couldn't help but smile at his happiness. It did not matter to her if he was with her or no; all that matters to her was his happiness.
"Farheen?" Rida called out to her, noticing her standing on the way to the living room. She turned to take the glass of water, and walked inside greeting everyone. Rida smiled at her and walked inside informing everyone that the food was ready. She did not look in that one direction because she did not want to go through those emotions at all that this time but she had seen his gaze on her through the corner of her eyes and that was enough to make her heart beat faster.
The elders sat down on the dining table, while Rida and Safa served them food. Rida insisted Safa to have her food too but she was too adamant to have her food with her husband making Rida to smile at her.
"You both go and enjoy with the rest, I will look after them." Rida's mother said coming out of the kitchen, a plate full of French fries. Rida looked at those and found her mouth-watering.
She was not a food person but she definitely was a French fries lover. She wanted to have them but she did not wanted to embarrass herself, so with a heavy heart she walked with Safa who was giggling at the sulking Rida.
"Poor girl couldn't even get to have her favourite." Safa said and Rida glared at her pinching Safa while making her hiss in pain.
They entered the living room to see Faiza and Faiz arguing over school related stuff while the rest were having their mean of entertainment. Rida walked and sat down next to Sheerin giving her a smile.
"Don't angry me." Faiza said and Rida turned her attention back to her sister. She looked between the two confused not understanding what the reason behind the start of the fight was.
"Please I know you are left with no comebacks." Faiz said smirking at her proudly raising his collar while walking to where Rehan was sitting.
Surprised Rida looked at Faiza who was thinking while biting her nail while Faiz now had occupied the seat next to Rehan. Her eyes flickered over him, who had his eyes darted on her. The moment their eyes met, Rida felt the butterflies in her stomach. She smiled at him her heart taking pace while playing with her fingers. He smiled when he saw her look away from him while a blush on her face.
"Kida come have your food." Mrs Shaikh said walking into the living room while the rest of them following her. Rida stood up followed by the girls. Faiza headed everyone to the dining table. The boys and girls looked at the table that had 6 chairs while they were 9 of them.
"Why not Faiza, Saif and Rehan have their food after we are done?" Faiz said taking a seat on the chair while Faiza glared at him, sitting on the chair opposite him.
"Why don't YOU have your food later?" Faiza said smirking at him but he avoided looking at her while serving himself food.
"I don't know about anybody but I am hungry." Safa said and sat down while Saif hurriedly took a seat next to his wife, grinning at Rehan who was glaring at him.
Rida made Sheerin and Kaif to seat down too saying that it would not be good of them to have their food later.
She made Faiza get up making Farheen to seat in spite her argument of having food later. Faiza sulked but glared at Faiz who was making fun of her. Rida looked around and bite her lip when she realised that there was no place left for Rehan. She looked up at him who was now standing with his eyebrow raised. Everyone waited their eyes on Rida hiding their smile.
"Rehan have a seat here I will have the food later with the girls." Farheen said almost getting up but Rehan shook his head.
"No worries I am not hungry." Rehan said smiling at her his eyes on Rida who tried avoiding the blush because of the look she was getting from everyone.
"Everyone is either having their food or no one is eating." Faiza said glaring at Faiz who was chuckling but now looked shocked.
"How is that even possible?" Aafia asked and Faiza walked out of the dining room while Rida looked at her confused not knowing what she was intending on doing.
Everyone waited for Faiza who walked inside with a transparent mat in her hand. She laid it on the floor and looked at everyone with a proud smirk on her face.
"Whoa she got some brains." Kaif said making everyone to laugh while everyone sat down on the floor.
Safa stood up to sit down but Saif was adamant on not letting her seat down.
"Saif please." Safa said but he shook his head and Rida understood what Saif was trying to say.
"Safa you and Saif sit on the table itself." Rida said and Safa tried arguing but Rida did not listen.
Safa and Saif occupied the seats on the table, while Safa glared at Rida who was serving them food. Everyone sat down on the floor while the girls served the food. Rehan glanced at Rida who was standing beside Safa asking if she needs anything.
"Rehan?" Rehan turned at his left when he heard his name being called. He noticed Faiz smirking at him. He turned around and looked the girls trying to hide their smile while Kaif was smirking too. He coughed embarrassed and started serving himself to get out of the situation. Everyone laughed making Rida to turn her attention to them. She narrowed her eyes curious to know what happened. She walked and looked around a place to seat.
"Rida appi come seat here." Faiz said getting up from besides Rehan making Rida's eyes to go wide.
"No its okay I will seat here." She said and tried making Faiza to move a little but she was adamant on not moving smirking at Rehan who avoided the situation.
"Rehan tell appi to seat her, I will seat here." Faiz said and pushed Faiza making everyone to gasp. Faiza glared at him but did not say anything but moved a little away so Faiz could take a seat. Rida glared at her sister and pinched her making everyone in the room to laugh.
Rida stood there biting her lip while looking at the empty place next to Rehan. She glanced at Rehan but hurriedly looked away, a blush creeping up her face when she saw his eyes on her.
"Rida sit fast I am very hungry." Rida heard Kaif and without thinking anything further, she walked towards Rehan her heart hammering in her chest. She sat down maintaining a good distance between the two. She took a plate and served herself food but she was sure with the person sitting next to her she would hardly be able to eat anything.
"Bismillah." Everyone whispered and started having their food. Rida tried her best to gulp the food down with the glances she would get by her sister and Aafia and not to forget the constant glancing of the person sitting next to her.
"So Kaif anyone in your life?" Safa asked her from where she was sitting and everyone turned to him waiting for his answer.
"Ahh no very much single." He said and Saif gave him a curious look.
"Come on, a guy like you single? I don't believe that." Saif said making everyone to nod their head in affirmative.
"Well it is what it is." He said shrugging his shoulder while Faiz narrowed his eyes at him.
"You never liked any girl too?" Faiz asked and Kaif did not say anything and that made him smirk.
"Spill the bean bro." Faiz said and everyone looked at him curious.
"You never told me about her!" Rehan exclaimed and Kaif smiled awkwardly before moving away from Rehan.
"Maybe because I did not want to get killed." He said almost on the verge of getting up and Rehan did not get him. He looked around to see if anyone understood but when he did see everyone giving him a confuse glance he picked up the glass of water to drink before asking Kaif the name of the girl.
"What's her name?" Faiz asked almost smirking in Rehan's direction clearly getting Kaif's point.
"Rida."
Rehan coughed spatting the water on his shirt. He coughed hard trying his best to calm himself down. Rida gasped when she heard her name, her eyes wide but she looked at Rehan worried who was coughing badly. She did not understand how she should calm him down but after few seconds he calmed down. She sighed in relief but just a moment and she heard laughter echoing in the room. She turned to see everyone laughing at Rehan's expression.
"Sorry bro but it was way back when she was in London." Kaif said grinning at Rehan who tried his best to not strangle him right at the moment. Rehan glared at him who now was sitting with Saif on the table.
"But I never knew about it." Sheerin said and now everyone wanted to know the story.
"Maybe because I never told anyone." Kaif said and looked at Rida but she looked away and Rehan felt a tinge of jealousy. He noticed the distance between them and moved a little closer to Rida. Rida noticed this and glanced at him who had his eyes on Kaif, glaring at him. Rehan felt eyes on him. He turned to Rida but she hurriedly looked away a blush creeping up her face.
"Well it was just infatuation and that's the reason she is married to you Rehan." Kaif said and Rehan did not like it. He did not like the fact that someone else liked his Rida.
His Rida!
"But how?" Faiza asked turning to Kaif in the process arguing with Faiz.
"Maybe when I had seen her for the first time." Kaif said rubbing the back of his neck and everyone glanced at Rehan who was uncomfortably shifting in his seat.
Rehan clenched his fist in anger. He knew Rida was beautiful and a very good hearted person but hearing Kaif speak about her was something he couldn't stand.
"But now there is nothing." Kaif said assuring through his eyes and everyone nodded their while all the while Rida did not look at Kaif her gaze on Rehan's fist that were continuously clenching.
Rehan did not say anything keeping quiet. He was upset maybe the reason that she was now his wife and he did not image her with anyone else rather than him.
Suddenly Faiz started laughing making everyone to look at him in confusion. Kaif joined in too while both the boys share a high five.
"What is wrong with you both?" Faiza asked glaring at them who looked like nothing less than maniacs.
"Oh m Allah look at his face! I thought I was going to have to bear some good punches from this guy." Kaif said continuing laughing while Faiz nodded his head.
"I thought the same bro, but you are safe." Faiz said making Rehan to look at him confusion. He was already pissed with the piece of information and their laughing was not helping him at all.
"Care to elaborate?" Farheen asked looking at the confusion on Rehan's face but before they could speak Faiza started yelling.
"Oh my God. Oh my God. I understood." She said and started laughing looking at the boys and they nodded their head.
Rida looked at Rehan who looked ready to kill someone. She turned to Faiza who was trying to control her laughter while the boys were speaking to one another that was unable to understand.
"C'mon Jeeju don't tell me you did not get their prank yet?" Faiza asked when Rida pointed out to Rehan through her eyes.
Rehan shook his head trying to understand what was happening. Suddenly his eyes were wide and a blush crept up his neck in embarrassment.
"Shit." He mumbled and Rida turned to him to see him avoiding eye contact.
"Exactly shit." Saif said once he himself understood what had just happened.
"Remember the time when YOU had decided that whoever marries next will be pranked, so here it is, your idea was good though." Faiz said pointing to Rehan and he felt that the ground to swallow him up.
He remember the day when the four boys were chilling in his office he did come up with a plan to prank the person who would be getting married but he never knew his plan would backfire on him because at that time he had never imaged to get married but he was now and he was happy.
"Rida will you go for that function?" Safa asked clearing her throat trying to lighten the atmosphere as she could clearly see how embarrassed Rehan was feeling.
"Uh, Yeah. No I don't know actually." Rida said not knowing what to speak. She had decided that she would be going with Rehan since now that they were married but she still had not had asked him.
"What do you mean?" Yes or no?" Safa asked and Rida just shrugged her shoulder.
"I was planning of coming but you know my sickness is getting worse so I don't think I will make it up." Safa said and now Rida felt more tensed.
Rida and Safa had been in the same high school and that was the reason she was ready to go to the function since she would have company but now when Safa declined she was having second though and to add to that misery she had to ask Rehan to come with her too.
"I think you should go there." Safa said and Rida looked up at her and smiled nodding her head. Safa tried reading through her eyes. She could see there was uncertainty.
"Why don't you go with Rehan?" Safa asked hoping she was correct in understanding her but when she saw the spark in her eyes and the smile she sighed in relief realising that she had understood her rightly.
"Where do you want me to go bhabhi?" Rehan asked looking at Rida who had her eyes on the food that was in front of her but her ears were on him. She was biting her lips in anticipation.
"Our high school is organising a function so we are invited to the function and it's a couple thing something. I have no idea about it much." Safa explained and Rehan nodded his head.
Couple thing? He did not understand what that meant because he hardy attended any functions himself but this was not for himself but for his lady and he wouldn't like if she would not go or worse go with someone else.
"Fine with me." He said and he heard Rida sighed. He looked at her who was now smiling at Safa.
'She wanted to go with me' Rehan thought and smiled to himself.
He was eager to spend his day with her while it was the same with Rida. It would be the first time they would go out without anyone else with them as now they were married. It was halaal.
And with this a spark was ignited in the bottom of their heart. They were married. They respected each other. They trusted each other. They understood each other and now there would be one more thing that would fill their life. They would love each other.