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The stars were shining in all their glory as the timid girl weeped standing near the window. She was missing her parents alot on the most important day of her life. Today she had officially become someone's wife. A responsibilty was on her shoulders now, and she wasn't sure if she could handle it. There was a long list of "what if's" in her mind even though her sister had assured her many times that she'll do just fine. The most bothersome thought was what if Haider realises now that his mother is right and he can have a much more prettier bride than her ugly self? She was fine with Haider rejecting her before because she didn't feel anything for him at that time. It wasn't the same any more as the sea of emotions for him brimming her heart will cause the shattering of her soul if Haider decided to leave her. She needed her father's support and mother's reassurance that everthing will be fine which is why she was basking in the light of the stars as she wanted to cling onto the unreal idea of dead people becoming stars. She knew it was childish but the idea of her parents looking over her from the sky and shining bright lighting up the night for her was comforting to her.

She quickly dabbed under eyes to wipe the tears as the giggles and laughs of Haider's cousins approached the door. She was standing in Haider's room-decorated with jasmines and lilies-dressed as his bride in a pastel green gharara and kameez with golden embroidery and zari tilla work on the duppata covering her hair which were tied in a low bun decorated with gajra. She was wearing a traditional bridal set containing a heavy necklace and earrings with a maang tika and nose ring which orginally belonged to her mother.

P.s. Fariah is thicker than this girl and has a bit more golden brown skin tone.

The colour complemented her skin tone. She had drapped the duppata in such a way that it covered her body properly. They had done the shopping in a haste so the opted for ready-made garments. She fell in love with the dress because of its simplicity and intricate details but it was tight fitted on her. They couldn't have it altered on such a short notice. She didn't like anything else because her eyes kept going back to the green beauty. She wanted to curse at herself for such a body and kept calling herself "fat, fat" in her mind. The girls must be thinking the same. In the end, Amara told her to suck it up and buy the green dress. It had perfectly fine fitting according to her but Fariah felt self-concious by showing off her curves like that so she drapped the dupatta around her properly to hide her body.

She sat on the middle of the bed like a traditional dulhan just as her sister has instructed. When they were getting ready in the salon today, Amara had given Fariah 'the talk'. Fariah tried her best to escape the awkward situation but Amara knew how to handle her sister. Fariah had to sit through the horror with eyes on her fidgetting hands and cheeks burning crimson. She was not unaware of the natural process but she didn't know other things than that also happened. She was very nervous. Her cramps had subsided but she was still very much on her period making her uncomfortable in the heavy clothes.

Haider finally entered the room after bribing his sister who made all their cousins go away leaving Haider finally alone so he could go to his wife. Oh, his wife. Haider was expecting his wife to wear a traditional heavy red dress but he was quite surprised on her relatively simple but still as beautiful green dress. He couldn't take his eyes off her throughout the ceremony even though she didn't even lift her eyes to look at him. He whispered compliments to her which made her blush darken but she didn't say anything. He yearned to see her pools of molten chocolate and he took full advantage of the photography session where he pulled her as close to him as he could considering the audience around them. Fariah had met his gaze once when the photographer asked to and the love and desire in her husband's eyes flustered her. She couldn't bear the heat in his eyes and looked down to which Haider smirked amusedly.

He went towards the bed and sat near his awaiting bride. He wanted to say so many things to her but he lost his words as soon as he came near her. The ever-so-confident Haider Ali Khan was speechless for the first time in his life. He had said his salam when he entered so what now? He cleared his throat.

"How are you?" He asked his wife.

Wow, Haider. Very smooth. He cringed mentally.

"Good." She whispered as a smile crept up her lips. Was that nervousness she sensed in Haider's voice.

"Good, good. I'm good too." He said awkwardly.

Why the hell are you 'good'ing so much, you idiot?! His conscience scolded.

Fariah gigled at his awkwardness. Haider came out of his metal rambling when he heard the musical sound. His wife was laughing at him and what a beautiful laugh she had. His lips tilted up in a smile.

"You have a beautiful smile." He said still looking at her red painted lips curved in a smile.

She stopped laughing and looked up at him. They both kept looking at each other with a calm silence surrounding her. Haider leaned forward and Fariah's eyes widened.

"Uh-I...I think we should change." She stuttered.

"Oh, yeah right. You must be uncomfortable." He shook his head to clear the thoughts fogging his mind and got up.

"Come. I'll help you." He forwarded his hand for her.

Fariah placed her hand on his and he pulled her up. She walked towards the dresser and was about to take her nose-ring off when her husband stopped her.

"Wait a minute." She looked back at him.

"Jee?" (Yes?)

Haider stood behind Fariah and wrapped his arm left arm around her waist pulling her flush against him. She looked at him through the mirror and he was doing something on his phone.

"Smile." Oh, he was taking a mirror-selfie or whatever it is called. Fariah smiled at his cute action and Haider clicked the picture with his expensive phone. Fariah didn't have much interest in gadgets but she also knew that it was an iPhone and iPhones were expensive.

"For my phone's display." He smiled cheekily at her while scratching his neck hand then left to take a shower after setting up his phone's wallpaper.

Fariah tried to remove the jewelley and makeup hurriedly so she can go and change before Haider comes out. She had taken her earrings, nose-ring, maang tika and rings off and she was untying her hair when Haider came out in a black sleeveless shirt and black trousers. Why did guys shower so fast? She thought bitterly. Her hair got stuck with her necklace and they were not coming out. She had taken the pins out of her dupatta and placed it on the bed as it was causing hinderance in her movements. Now, her fitted kameez had put her assets on display and she had nothing to cover herself as Haider walked towards her.

Haider forgot how to breath when he saw his wife standing there with her clothes clinging to her. She had taken off her dupatta and the kameez was only making her delicious curves more appealing to him. He walked towards her placed his hands on her waist. His hands trailed upwards and shivers ran down her spine. She left her hair when Haider's hands touched hers and clutched her shirt in her hands.

Haider leisurely untangled her hair and took the necklace off. His hands were soon replaced by his burning lips and her eyes shut closed. He trailed his lips from the base of her neck to her ear and bit her earlobe. Fariah grabbed his hand which was clutching her side and he turned her around.

Haider looked in her eyes for permission and Fariah's lips tilted up in a shy smile as she closed her eyes giving him permission.

Their lips met and Fariah could feel electricity running through her veins. She clutched his biceps more tightly as her legs turned jelly. Haider devoured her mouth like a starved man and Fariah didn't know how to respond it. She was losing herself in the moment but the urge to breathe made her push her husband back a little. The room resonated with their heavy breaths as Fariah didn't even dare to open her eyes.

Haider unzipped her kameez from behind and Fariah snapped her eyes open.

"Haider, I-" She said in a trembling voice.

"I know. Just helping you out." He winked at her pinching her exposed skin. Fariah jerked forward because of the pinch coliding with his chest and then moved back holding the front of her kameez.

"I'll bring you some warm milk." He had noticed she took milk before bed, the thought made her heart flutter.

Fariah changed into black leggings and a loose dark blue cotton shirt. She had taken a shower and blow dried her hair. She was braiding her hair standing infront of the mirror when Haider entered the room with two mugs. Their eyes locked through the mirror and he passed her a smile.

"Come, let's enjoy the breeze." He motioned towards the balcony. Fariah nodded and followed him out after draping a dupatta.

"Are you happy?" The peacefull silence was disturbed by Haider's question.

Fariah moved her gaze from the stars to her husband who was looking at her. Was she happy? What a weird question. Was she really happy with life? She didn't know. She lost her parents, went through a roller-coaster of events and ended up marrying someone she could never imagine getting married to. Life is funny but Fariah had been taught to be thankful and happy in all circumstances. And she trying to do just that.

"I guess." She gave him a small smile.

"Okay, close your eyes." Haider took the cup from her hands and placed it on the railing.

"Huh? Why?" She frowned at his sudden request.

"Array baba, karo to." (Oh c'mon, do it.) He said like a whining child and she skeptically closed her eyes.

She heard some shuffling behind her and then felt something cold touching her neck.

She looked down and found a pear-shaped diamond pendant around her neck with a thin golden chain. The golden chain perfectly matched her mother's gold chain and they looked perfect together around her neck.

"I-uh bought it for you. You know umm... mu dikhayi and all." Haider said scratching his neck as he tried to guage her expressions to know whether she liked it or not.

"It's...It's beautiful but umm-I can't take it. It must be so expensive and-" She touched the locket and looked up at Haider rambling but was silenced by his finger on her lips.

"Shhh...What's mine is yours. We are better halves, you know." He smiled at her reassuringly.

"Come now. Let's sleep. It's quiet late." He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and they both walked inside. The stars gushed over the new couple and the wind muttered blessings around them.

Author's Note

Sorry for the late update. I'm trying my best to write but don't have the time or motivation to. Something steamy coming up in the next chapter and I need time to write it.😉 Please don't ask me to update again and again. I feel pressured. :(

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~Author. ❤