Chapter 37

Saad's pov:

I reached him with the hope of him not commenting anything on that matter but who was I hoping that from? As soon as I stood beside him, he grinned at me teasingly. "Did you enjoy?"

My face heated up but I had the privilege of having a beard. So thankfully, no one noticed it. "Shut up bhai!" I muttered quietly. Now coming to think about it, I was even kind of embarrassed for being with them alone. I mean, in the middle of all those ladies. I just realised that I was the only guy there.

Bhabi joined us with a grin. "I didn't know you could be this annoying or this comfortable around a girl. She really is something, haina?" She teased me, her eyes glinting with amazement and curiosity.

I looked away before replying to her. "It's nothing like that bhabi." My gaze landed on Zeeshan's brother. He was sitting alone, lost in his thoughts. So, before any of them could tease me further, excusing myself, I made my way to him. Maybe he wasn't that bad and we could talk and sort whatever his problem was, out?

Sitting beside him, I contemplated on how to start a conversation with him. Deciding to go with the basic, I turned to him. "Assalamualikum, how are you?"

Snapping out of his thoughts, he glanced at me, his posture stiffened immediately. "Walikumussalam, I'm fine alhamdulillah. What about you?"

"I'm fine too alhamdulillah." After my reply, there was an awkward silence for a while, none of us knew what to say. "So what's up? You seem bored." I asked him, hoping it didn't sound too weird.

"Nothing much. Yeah, I'm bored. But you tell me. What's up with you? What are you doing here? You should be enjoying your day." He inquired with furrowed eyebrows.

"Same here. Nothing much. I just wanted to escape from their teasing so I excused myself. Do you mind me sitting here with you?" I answered honestly as I glanced at him, waiting for his reply.

"No, I don't mind at all." He replied while straightening his posture. "You know, you are lucky to be in this place. I have always imagined getting married to her and being with her. She was my childhood crush and I have liked her for as long as I remember. But not anymore. I guess it was not written in my fate. She wasn't written in my fate. I have watched her once or twice after she started wearing her niqab. By mistake of course. And I have always heard about her from Emaan. I guess always listening about her had made me imagine my life ahead with her. I was so sure that we would get married in the future. That she would become my wife that I never even thought otherwise."

"I guess I never imagined her getting married so early and her mom choosing someone else for her. It's just... hard to digest that fact all at once when I have imagined otherwise since for as long as I could remember. It all just came as a big shock to me. All at once. All of my dreams and everything... it just... just crashed down at once. Burned into ashes like they weren't even there in the first place." He paused, his vision had become blurry and he seemed to be composing himself. I stayed silent, not knowing what to tell him or how to comfort him.

Taking a deep breath, he cleared his throat. "I'm sorry, I don't even know why I'm telling you all these things. But I just felt like letting it all out and who better than you, the one who married her." He gave me a pained smile and it just broke my heart to see him like this. Even though I difn't know that guy, not even his name, but I could feel that he really liked her.

Suddenly, I was angry at her mother for doing this to him. For getting me married to her instead of just waiting and getting her married to him. He would have surely kept her happy. "I just wanted to say that she is a gem. She has gone through so much and she doesn't deserve anything other than the best. So I hope you give her the best and cherish her for life." He continued, pulling me out of my thoughts. He wasn't looking at me anymore, instead he had a faraway look on his face as he stared at a distance.

"I'm sorry. I... I didn't know anything and I hurted you unknowingly. Aunty shouldn't have done this. She should have gotten you married to her, not me. Now I... I just feel so angry that this happened and-"

"It's okay, you don't have to apologise. It was my fault, really. I imagined my future with her without knowing what Allah has planned for us. Without even thinking about what if she isn't written in my fate. She was written for you, Allah made her for you. Both of your fates were sealed even before we were born. So you don't have to apologise or feel angry about anything. And I don't blame aunty. I know her enough to know that she must have seen something in you that she chose you for her. Don't be angry at her just because she wants the best for her daughter." Interrupting me, he advised. Strangely enough, he had a small, genuine smile on his face. And I didn't know how he could even smile like that after being in so much pain.

I smiled back at him. Genuinely. That guy was a gem. He might have lost her but I was sure Allah had planned something better for him. Someone better was written in his fate. I silently prayed for him to get the best. "I'm Saad Ibrahim. " I extended my hand towards him, hoping he wouldn't ignore it.

"Rayyan Malik." He shook my hand.

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The nikkah was done, the meet and greet done, the gifts received, now just having the food remained. Which was taking place. The food was placed like a buffet system on the dining table and we just had to grab our plates, take the food and join everyone in the drawing-room where the nikkah was held.

The heavenly aroma of Biryani and chicken tikka filled the air as everyone grabbed their plates and enjoyed the food. The cold drinks were kept in the room for whoever wished to have them.

I was sitting in between Amira and Alayna. Bhai sat beside Alayna while bhabi occupied the space beside her. And as expected, Emaan was sitting on her other side. I sat on the couch which was in the middle while she sat on the couch where she was sitting while the nikkah was being held. Aunty seemed to be busy checking up on everyone as we continued to savour the delicious items on our plates.

"Would you like anything else bhaijaan?" Emaan asked me while looking up from her food.

"Jazak Allahu Khairan, but I already have enough on my plate." I showed her my plate while replying. Glancing at it, she smiled. "By the way, since when have you started calling me bhaijaan?" I asked her curiously. As far as I remembered, she used to call me by my name.

She stilled and her gaze flickered to her best friend. Her cheeks heating up a bit. Chuckling nervously, she glanced at me. "Wo... I never thought you would notice that." She stopped midway and when she realised that I was still waiting for her to continue. "Atifa will tell you that." Looking at her best friend she added before quickly starting to eat her food again.

Flabbergasted, she looked up, her gaze flickering between me and Emaan before realisation dawned on her. "No, I'm not telling anyone anything. Emaan will only tell her 'bhaijaan' whatever he wants to know." Shaking her head, she replied while quoting the word bhaijaan with her fingers. She had an annoyed look on her face. 'Was she still annoyed with Emaan because of those cookies? If so, then I must be careful around her. I don't know what might start ticking her bomb,' I reminded myself.

Emaan gaped at her unbelievably before composing herself. "I hate you!" She muttered annoyedly, at which she just shrugged her shoulders. "Okay so since you still weren't married to Atifa and were single, I thought why not just call you by your name. And now since you guys are officially nikkahfied and stuff, might I, as well, start calling you bhaijaan." She explained before laughing nervously and stuffing her mouth with rice.

I didn't really understand what she meant in the start but after a while, I realised what she meant to say. My lips formed an o shape as I looked away and concentrated on my food. I wanted to watch her expression but she seemed to swiftly occupy herself with her food and friends.

"She won't give you any reaction chote." Bhai teased me, a mischievous look in his eyes. I realised my discreet attempt at glancing at her wasn't as discreet as I thought it would be. Embarrassed, I looked away.

"I wasn't waiting for her reaction." I muttered, hoping he would believe me.

But of course, it wouldn't have happened like that. "Yeah and Zara doesn't act bossy at all." He replied sarcastically. I knew the moment the words left his mouth that a tornado was on its way.

Bhabi heard him and was now glaring daggers at him. I suppressed my smile at his horrified look. 'Good luck.' I mouthed to him before turning my attention to my awaiting meal.

"What do you mean by that?" She asked him angrily. Let me tell you, an angry woman isn't a pretty sight. As much as you can, stay away from them.

"Oh no, you are getting it all wrong. I was just telling him that you aren't bossy. Right Saad?" He quickly replied, looking at me pleadingly.

I just raised my hands up in a defensive manner, not wanting to get involved in their argument. He narrowed his eyes at me and muttered something along with the lines of 'traitor' and me 'leaving his side when he needed me'. I just gave him a sweet smile.

"See, even he doesn't want to get involved in your lie. Don't try to fool me, I heard your sarcastic voice." She thundered, making him yelp as their argument continued back and forth.

I glanced around and thankfully, we hadn't attracted any unwanted attention. My gaze landed on her and she seemed to be enjoying the argument, her eyes twinkling in amusement and a beautiful small smile touched her lips. Our gazes met merely for a moment before she averted them and looked back at the arguing couple.

It looked like I was in deep trouble.

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GLOSSARY:

- Bhaijaan - Brother-in-law

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▪ Which is your favorite character from my book till now?

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