𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝟎𝟑

FAIZAN

"Oh, man, I forgot how good I look in my traditional clothes." my best friend- Farhan says while he fusses over himself.

He turns around, showing me his sherwani with a grin, "what do you think?"

"I think you should stop acting like it's your wedding day."

His smile drops and he makes a face at me, "you're just jealous. The sherwani looks better on me than you. I grew up wearing these."

I roll my eyes. He doesn't miss a chance to compliment himself. It's annoying while everyone thinks it's charming.

Since Zahid's in-laws and ours traditions are different, they decided to distribute their traditions into their wedding events, expanding the whole wedding.

It started from the engagement to henna night at the bride's then to the nikkah and then tonight is the rukhsati where the bride comes home with the groom and then the valima held tomorrow which is the last event.

Finally, after tomorrow I can go back to the office and lock myself in doing tons of work.

I promised mama that I won't work till the events are over.

It was harder than I expected because I didn't see the wedding expanding so much.

"Khair," Farhan says before he places an arm around my shoulder, "when will you give me a chance to look this handsome in my traditional wear?"

"Never." I say as I peel his arm off of me.

"Never say never." he grins and winks. I make a face at him before I exit my room to see Zahid. He follows behind.

Farhan and I have known each other since highschool. You know that annoying kid who never shuts up and glues themselves to you? Yeah, that was Farhan to me. I could never shake him off.

His stubbornness led to us becoming very good friends and later on, we started our business together, which is one of the most successful businesses in the country.

Farhan has also been a big part of our family. It started from one dinner to which mama invited him and now he is a permanent part of our family.

Finding out that Zahid's in-laws and Farhan share the same traditions, he was more than happy to do anything we'd ask.

Before I could knock on Zahid's door, the door opens revealing Zahid in his off-white sherwani with golden embroidery on it. A present from his in-laws. Behind him is his best friend, Kamran, dressed in the same beige sherwani as ours, as per the dress code.

"Wah! Zahid, bhai. You look like a diamond!" Farhan says from behind me, making Zahid bhai's smile widen, "Bhabhi might end up gouging out girls' eyes if they stare at you."

I look at Farhan with my poker face. He looks at me.

"What? Desi women are not to be taken lightly."

I shake my head before turning my attention back at my brother.

"We should get going," Kamran says after glancing at his phone.

"Okay. Let me just grab something."

Zahid disappears into the room before he reappears holding his turban. We all make our way downstairs where we find mama checking something inside her purse.

"We're ready to go, mama." Zahid says.

Mama looks up at his voice and her face breaks into a huge grin, "Oh, my God. You all look so amazing. Masha'Allah."

We all thank her with a smile. She steps forward and kisses Zahid's cheeks, "be a good husband."

He grins, "I will, mama." mama pats his cheeks.

"Am I interrupting a mother son moment?"

Baba comes downstairs with a smile on his face. He stands beside me, placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Zahid needed a pep talk," I say.

"I see,"

"Okay, we need to get going now." Mama says, "I told Sadia we'd be there at eight."

"We're right behind you, my love." Baba says making mama blush.

Zahid and I make a face before we step away from them, Kamran and Farhan laugh at the act.

We finally leave for the banquet. Mama and baba drive to the banquet in their car while I drive Zahid, Farhan and Kamran.

Farhan decides to sing in his horrified voice halfway through the drive. Zahid joins him, that doesn't make the song any better.

We reach the destination at the same time along with our cousins, aunts and uncles.

As we enter the banquet, Zahid's in-laws and their family stand in two queues by the wall, holding plates of rose petals. As we make our way to the end of the queue, they shower the petals at us as a sign of celebration.

Sadia Aunty and Saeed Uncle greet us at the end of the queue. Mama and baba hug them then Saeed uncle hugs Zahid and me.

"Masha'Allah, everything and everyone looks beautiful, Sadia." mama says.

"Thank you. You all look beautiful as well."

Mama smiles then looks around a little, "where's Arzo?"

"Oh, she-"

Just then a woman wearing a gray lehnga and silver hijab approaches us with a smile on her face and hugs mama after signing the greeting.

The woman being Arzo Saeed. My brother's sister in law.

I saw her at the nikkah reception for the first time when she was hugging her sister, Hafsah, after they had come back from the masjid.

Our official encounter was at the mall where my brother dragged me. And he, in fact, was stalking his wife.

Arzo is very different from what people think when they hear she's a mute. When our family heard, they all made sounds like "aww, poor her," some of them even discussed the topic with her at the nikkah reception with a pity face. They thought she was fragile and scared.

She's not. Not one bit. She is proud of the fact that she is able to communicate with people in a different way. Unlike what people think, Arzo doesn't let her disability get the best of her. She signs or types as much as she could talk.

Her mindset is what makes her beautiful the most. Not in a way you would lust for her but in a way you'd want to know her.

After she hugs mama, she greets the rest of us in sign language.

We start to make our way towards the stage where Zahid will be waiting for his bride. On the way, mama holds Arzo's hand and talks to her, Farhan and I stay a step behind everyone else.

"You look so beautiful. Masha'Allah." mama tells her.

Arzo's smile widens and she signs, "thank you."

"I think your mom is choosing a match for you."

My head turns towards the source of voice- Farhan.

"She's not." I say,

"I don't know, buddy. Your mom really likes her."

"How do you know mama likes her?"

Farhan puts his arm around my shoulder and says, "I am very good with mothers. They loooove talking to me." he grins.

I roll my eyes and look ahead, "your narcissism is getting ahead."

"You're just jealous."

I hum and remove his arm from my shoulder, "you wish,"

Zahid settles on the sofa placed on the stage.

"Arzo, go check on your sister," Sadia aunty says.

Arzo nods and turns to leave just when I step on the stage, unintentionally blocking her way.

I try to step aside but she does the same act, blocking our way again. It happens thrice and I hear Farhan chuckle.

"Stop." I say and she freezes. I step aside, clearing her path and she hurries off the stage.

I release the breath I didn't know I was holding and catch Farhan smirking. I stand beside him and grit out, "not a word."

"It's okay to have feelings, mere dost." he says, grinning, "I will be waiting for your wedding's invitation."

I cut him a glare but his grin only widens. If I accidentally end up encountering her more than once, even mama will think I like her and might talk to Sadia Aunty.

I need to get through this wedding without any encounter with her because Farhan might be right. Mama does love Arzo a lot, just as much she loves Hafsah.

She'll be better off without someone like me.