Amidst The Wedding Chaos

Seven

The car ride was silent. At no cost was I ready to look to my right and meet Aayan's eyes, especially because I knew that he kept glancing at me every five seconds. I could feel it.

I didn't even know if I hated it.

Him complimenting me... It had opened past wounds. He had played me, played with my feelings. Many would say that a fifteen-year-old wouldn't know heartbreak, but it sure did hurt like hell when I'd seen Aayan with her.

And it's foolish of me to sit and think of it now.

I also felt horrible thinking of myself when it was my sister's big day.

Just as the car stopped, I pushed the door open and held up my lehenga before stepping out onto the tiled entrance of the hall.

Kanwal, who'd ridden with us, grabbed my arm as soon as she was out too. "What's wrong with you?"

I tried to shake off her hold. "Nothing is."

But her eyes only narrowed in suspicion, and flicked to Aayan once before settling back on me. "What did Aayan do?"

"Nothing."

"I'm not blind, okay? The tension in that car—"

"Can you drop it? Please?"

Her face immediately softened as she held onto both of my arms now, stepping closer. "You look like you're going to cry."

As if to prove her words right, I sniffled and frowned, not ready to cry over him anymore. Yet, I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her, ducking my head into her neck to stop my heart from hurting.

"Just say the word, and I'll make his death look like an accident." Kanwal whispered in my ear, sounding completely serious. I couldn't help but laugh as I dabbed my eyes with my fingers, collecting the tiny unshed tears.

The clearing of a throat had us both turning to see Aayan standing there, looking awkward. "Is everything okay?" He asked no one in particular, even as his eyes stayed stuck to my face. Subtly, I inched closer to Kanwal and stepped behind her as I looked away from him.

Kanwal looked like she was resisting the urge to kick him. It made me smile, but I bit my lip to keep it from breaking onto my face. "Yeah, she's just a little sad about her sister. That's all."

He nodded, though he didn't look all too convinced, but still rounded the car to get the things out from the trunk as Kanwal and I made our way into the hall, instantly flocked my guests and my mother who shook her head disapprovingly at us.

One look at the clock had me confirming that we were slightly late.

"Ab jaldi andar chalo, nikah ka waqt hogaya hai." Ammi grabbed my arm, and I caught Kanwal's hand in mine at the last second, as she all but dragged me to the room in the back. Maimoona Appi sat on the couch with her head lowered and hidden behind a red veil. It looked like she was crying from the tissue she dabbed at her face.

*"Now go inside quickly, it's time for the nikah."

I sat down beside my sister and rubbed her back as I murmured comforting words in her ear. Once Baba came in, followed by a few of my cousins, and the Imam, who rushed through the nikah like he had a train to catch.

It honestly made me frown as I stood off the side, trying not to glare at the back of the Imam's head. Aayan, who stood by my side, nudged me with his elbow. When I turned to him with my friend deepening, he mouthed something along the lines of 'what happened to you?'