𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝑺𝒖𝒃𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒕𝒆 𝑩𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆

➏ ᴅɪꜱᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ

Arham's POV:

Today is my Nikkah, and it feels like the start of a new chapter in my life. It’s strange to think that after years of living on my own, keeping to myself, I’m about to share my life with someone else. I’ve always valued my solitude, and the idea of anyone interfering in my personal matters has always bothered me. I like having my space, my own time to think and be alone. But now, things are about to change.

I agreed to marry Zara because, like me, she understands the need for personal space. We had a conversation a few days ago about how important it is to give each other room to breathe, and we both promised to respect each other’s boundaries. It felt reassuring to know that we would live as friends under the same roof, supporting each other but never suffocating one another. Zara seems to value her freedom just as much as I do, and I appreciate her for that.

Over the last two weeks, we’ve become good friends, and I like her confident and bold nature. I hope that after we get married, we can continue to nurture this friendship. It’s the foundation we’ve built, and I believe it’s what will help us both feel comfortable in this new life together.

After offering my Fajr prayer, I felt the need to visit my parents’ graves. It’s a routine I’ve kept, especially on days when I feel the weight of my emotions. Sitting there between their resting places, I felt a sense of calm wash over me. The cool breeze, the silence of the graveyard, and the thought that, in some way, they were still with me brought a kind of peace I hadn’t felt in a long time.

Returning home from the graveyard, I walked into the house to find everyone gathered around the breakfast table. "Assalamualaikum," I greeted them.

"Waalaikumassalam," they all replied in unison, Haroon, as usual, couldn't resist stirring things up. With a mischievous grin, he leaned in and said, "How was your night, Bhai? Did you sleep well, or were you too busy thinking about your Nikkah?" He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively, trying to get a reaction from me. I kept my composure, though, and responded coolly, "I slept just fine, as I always do."

Before I could take a bite of my breakfast, Saba Bhabi joined in on the teasing. "Come on, Arham, you must have at least dreamed about your Bride," she said, her voice full of humor. Laughter rippled around the table, and I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I knew they were only trying to have fun with me. "Bhabi, you know me better than that. I’m not the type to daydream," I replied, trying to dismiss their teasing.

Anum, of course, had to add her own comments. "We all know, Bhai," she teased, "You're the guy with the stone heart, too serious to have any romantic feelings." Her remark drew more laughter, and even I couldn't help but smile at how relentless they were being.

"I’ll let you all have your fun," I said, amused, "But don’t expect me to react. Tease me as much as you want, it won’t get to me." I turned my attention back to my food. Despite their jokes and banter, I felt grateful. They always knew how to make me feel at ease, even on a day like today, when my life was about to change forever.

•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•°•

Later in the evening, as I finished getting ready for the function, I took a deep breath and stepped out of my room. The living room was buzzing with excitement as everyone had already gathered, chatting and preparing to leave. I adjusted my sherwani.