Faurah

Chapter 1

"The venue is booked!" My Dad cheered from his seat at the dining room table with his laptop open illuminating his bearded face.

I blushed and look up at Haroon sitting across the other side of the room but he's already staring at me, his eyes trained on my lips. I looked away as butterflies fluttered furiously inside me but I'm nudged out of my little world by Layla, my best friend, who starts to crunch loudly on her crisps.

"I always knew we would be sisters but I didn't think it would be through my brother, Iman. I thought we'd marry two brothers and be sister-in-laws that way. The thought of you with Haroon still hurts my brain," she crinkled her nose at the thought for a second but then shruged and continued to munch on her snack.

"You knew I always liked him," I rolled my eyes.

She dusted off her orange stained fingers before licking them to then reply, "yes, buuuuuut I actually thought you were joking. Look at that greasy haired loser gawking at you like you're a chapali kebab. You could do soooo much better than that lump of lard," she snorted.

I let out a laugh which I disguised as a cough. Layla and Haroon are twins who mocked each other lovingly but I couldn't help but wonder how they hadn't bitten each other's heads off yet. I first met Layla at the UK Islamic Academy for Girls when my parents enrolled me and we instantly clicked. She was loud and boisterous whereas I was very much shy and timid but it worked out great for us! She scared off all of my bullies and I tutored her to help her get ready for exams. Now at 23 years old she made it as a primary school teacher and I a technical support manager for her eldest brother's business. Layla loves her two brothers dearly and I was about to love one hence my wedding plans and I worked under the other. All three of them were entangled into my life, however, her older brother, Arfan, was hardly in my life. His successful business meant I only ever interacted with him when I would come over to his dad's house for dinner since I was engaged to their son or every so often due to wedding prep. Unfortunately, their mother past away several years ago but I had the privilege of meeting her when I was young and she was the best! She will forever be missed and Layla had reassured me several times that her mother would have loved me as her daughter-in-law.

I wasn't allowed to meet up with Haroon much since islamically that's all left for us after marriage but sometimes we would sneak a phone call in the middle of the night to discuss future plans. It had always been my dream to start a small business in painting which Haroon fully supports since his aims were to step up the ladder in the medical field which should ultimately support us both financially. I would feel like a love struck teenager giggling over the phone with him at 12am and it seemed so perfect. He's the one for me and I couldn't wait for our life to together start.

The doorbell rang but everyone seemed too distracted to notice except for Layla who looked over at me and raised an eyebrow. "I don't know what you're looking at, it's not my house plus you need a break from constantly staring and Mr Grease-Face over there for at least 2 minutes."

I lightly slapped the back of her head which made her yelp and scowl at me as I innocently smiled back and made my way to open the front door.

"Faurah," Arfan looked down at me and smirked. He had always called me Faurah since we were kids for some unknown reason. I remember begging him over and over again when we were young to stop calling me when I went over for play dates with Layla but even now every time he has seen me since then he makes sure to emphasise every syllable.

He towered over me with his black hair gelled back with every strand perfectly in place. The dark blue suit he wore made his brown eyes stand out and his figure look lean, intimidating. He must have come straight after work.

A mischievous faux smile graced my face, "Ar Fanny fan, how nice of you to show up," I clench my teeth together, annoyed.

"Careful, Faurah. That's not the kind of attitude you should be giving your boss," He straightened his back, stiff as can be but I can't help but notice the smirk that tugged at his lips as he swiftly walks past me with no other words and walked into my house as if it were his own.

I slammed the door shut and shook off the shivers that raced down my back before heading back into the living room where all the wedding planning was happening.