4 Meeting Asad Osman Abassi. the ghurayb aka groom to be.

The week flew by very fast, as if the days wanted me married soon too. it is Friday! and I am as we speak struggling in a peach pleated gown with a white hijaab. I applied little to no make up on my face courtesy of mom. I'm never a make up person and we both know I still had doubts about this. I stared at my reflection on the mirror not to compliment myself but see how weak and pathetic I've become. i began feeling nauseous a sign of deep nervousness, I breathed in and out a couple of times to relax myself, there was still a few hours remaining to jumaa prayer.

walking out of my room, I head straight to the garden, I touched the flowers, smell them. I'd miss all of this after I'm gone. Abbui will come down soon to leave for masjid with Muna, if it wasn't for the guests mom and I could've tagged along with them but we have to stay back to prepare for their arrival with the guests.

"I'm coming Ummy" Abbui and Muna must be leaving now, entered the house to the living room. I find dad in his cream throbe and a white turban on his shoulder. paired with a white taqyah. he looked and smelt good.

"Assalam Alaykum Abbui" I pecked his right palm.

"waalaykum salaam habibty, jumaa Kareem" he replied lovingly

"Aleina wa alayka insha'Allah" I replied with a smile. Muna came running in her black abayya with a matching hijaab.

"please let us know when you're on your way back" mom asked in obedience.

"I will.." he lowered his head to place a kiss on mom's forehead. doing the same to me he ushered Muna out of the house.

I prepared white chicken biryani, barbecue sticks and custard as a desert which will be served later after lunch. I put it in the fridge, after sprinkling dry grapes on top of every bowl. my personal favourite!

"they're here! they're already here!" Dad called like thirty minutes ago, they got home faster than expected. Tina rushed to the window to peek on the guests outside the parking spot. the driveway can accommodate more than four cars. "would you stop snooping around" I playfully scold Tina.

I wanna heard the front door open and a lot of welcomes. this was it.. My stomach felt as though a thousand butterflies were breaking were breaking loose. mom came in a few minutes later with Muna besides her. she jumped to me.

"Ohh sis, shaqiq Alzawj is sooo handsome!! super hot!! my gosh!" she fanned her face using her hand.

"Muna!! behave yourself, you can't say such things about your future brother-in-law" mom gave her an earful, I ignored their tantrums and continued to what I was doing.

I gave Tina the dishes to be taken to the majles where the men will be served lunch.

mom and Muna prepared the table for the females. they were still arguing about Asad.

it's okay if it's just us family we dine at the same table. but when we have guests especially like them, we prefer to go by the Sharia for men and women to observe a distance. they went in and out of the kitchen with the same argument and I was afraid they will keep it on for too long. "Ummy, you two are too loud, I hope they can't hear you." I pointed to the direction of the living room."because the topic, is very embarrassing" I whispered the last part. mom's eyes widen a fraction she turned to Muna "it's her fault!, she's always saying something despicable, for your sake pray they didn't hear or your in serious trouble "

"if they heard, then it's just the truth!, you taught us to always say the truth." Muna retorted.

Mom unhooked a spatula from the hanger and began lounging at Muna, I don't know how she moved, but she was right behind me hidding from mom. "can you two cut it out, we have guests in the house mom" that seemed to calm her down "I'll deal with you later"

Everything was set, I entered the dining room, greeting the guests, there were three women and one middle aged lady. I went to give them all a hand as a greet them. the older woman with glasses spoke first after the salaam "You must be Layla, beautiful like the night masha'Allah" I smile and thanked her.

"I am Asad's grandmother" she spoke again in her elderly voice. she pointed to the woman on her left "This is Zanuba, Asad's mother" I raised my eyes to glance at her and pay a respectful greeting.

"And this..." she pointed to the other woman on her right "Is shadya, Asad's Aunt" I greeted again. surprisingly grandmother ended there. she didn't introduce the lady. I turned to look at her curiously, her face showed unpleasantness. I moved to sit next to her, greeting her again as I did with the rest. everybody's eyes were on me. "You must be Asad's sister, if I guessed correctly?" it came out as a question. she smiled politely "Elder sister, you were close!". everybody broke into a low laughter and we began serving lunch.

"Subhanllah!," Asad's mom exclamated, everybody's attention shifted towards her.

"something wrong sister?" mom asked suspiciously, as if there was something in the food.

"Asad's medicines, I still have them, he can't eat without taking them, he gets heartburn eating spicy foods"

she dived her arms, coming out with small box of Alka seltzer putting it on the table, she rised up slowly to wash her hands.

"No! Aunty, please continue eating, I'll take them" she turned to look at me while smiling. she sat back down.

I went to the kitchen filling a glass full of water, I grabbed the medicine on the counter dropping it on the small tray. Inhaling and exhaling I forced my legs to head to the majles with my head extra low.

I was almost there when I saw a pair of legs coming out of majles door. my heart started pounding In random beats. something was whispering in my ears. ASAD! ASAD! ASAD!. lucky for me he stopped in his tracks and also stopped in mine. I mentally cleaned my throat to address whoever it was. I stretched the tray towards him, "your medicine". I didn't b have the guts to look up, I was too shy to do so. the legs started to move, if they got close enough I'd faint with all this anxiety pent up inside. I look at the console table on my left. I'll remind myself to kiss mom later on for keeping it there. I place the tray on it. turning to leave to the direction I came with. I stopped when I heard his voice.

"shukran"

I didn't bother to say anything I just settled with a nod and left.

I just met Asad, and it's not how I pictured it to happen. I've been addressed by a lot of boys from fellow students to colleagues at work. but his voice.... his voiced sent a shiver throughout my body. Did he intimidate me?..., How did I guess right that it was actually HIM..!!

whatever happened there, he really scared me. no wonder I have goosebumps and my stomach feels like there's a race going on in there.

Asad what did you do to me?.

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hello everyone 👋!

I'm sorry I haven't been communicating with you all, it's not because I didn't want to. No! I just wanted to drop atleast a few chapters so I can address you all.

so please tell me, what do you think of the chapters I've posted so far?

Are you enjoying? well I hope you are.

I'm sorry if my updates are too slow, I'm working on it. otherwise, stay blessed, sanitized Corona is still out there.

love you all♥️💯