𝐌𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐨 𝐁𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬 ✓

-8-

I lay on my bed, my face scrunched in a sad pout as I replayed the evening’s events. I couldn't understand why my mother had acted so weirdly over a simple dress. The green salwar kameez I chose wasn’t bad at all. In fact, it was beautiful. The green fabric flowed elegantly, and the delicate pink flower work added a touch of charm. It had a deep "U" shaped neckline, full sleeves, and nearly touched the floor. It was modest and lovely.

I always felt good wearing green. Siddique had told me countless times how good I looked in it. His words echoed in my mind, "You look beautiful in green, Naaz." It’s his favorite color, and wearing it always made me feel a bit closer to him, imagining his approving smile. But tonight, that sense of warmth was overshadowed by my mother’s inexplicable anger.

When I stepped out in the green dress, her reaction was immediate and harsh. She demanded I change into a pink dress, one that felt too flashy for my taste. I refused, standing my ground, and that’s when she lost it. She was ready to hit me over a dress. It hurt me deeply to see her like that, so angry and irrational. Why was she acting this way? The green dress was beautiful and appropriate.

I sighed, staring at the ceiling, trying to make sense of it all. My mother’s outburst seemed so unnecessary. It wasn’t like her to behave this way, and it left me feeling hurt and confused. All I wanted was a simple evening, but now I felt tangled in a web of emotions. My thoughts kept drifting back to Siddique’s compliments, his reassurance that green suited me. It was a small comfort in the midst of my confusion.

My mother’s actions tonight had marred what should have been a peaceful evening. I couldn't shake the sadness and bewilderment. The green dress was nice, it made me feel confident and happy. Yet, it had sparked a conflict I hadn't seen coming. I sighed again, trying to push away the hurt and make sense of my mother's strange behavior.

Suddenly, I heard the doorbell ring, followed by an unfamiliar voice drifting from the living room. Who could it be? I strained to catch snippets of conversation and was surprised to hear my parents laughing along with the guests. They rarely had visitors who elicited such a lively response. Curiosity got the better of me, and I wondered who these people could be.

I decided to message Rizwan to see if he knew what was going on. Grabbing my phone, I typed quickly, "Hi! Riz. How are you?"

A moment later, his response came: "Hey! Naz. Good. Won't you come out and meet us?"

I frowned, glancing at my bedroom door. "I want to. But Mom asked me not to come. Why, I don't know. Well, can you tell me who came to our house?"

Rizwan's reply was swift. "I don't know him. But damn! That guy is kinda hot, you know ;)"

My curiosity piqued even more. Who was this 'hot guy' Rizwan mentioned? I wished I could just peek out and see for myself. We chatted for a few more minutes, but the mystery of our visitors lingered in my mind. Finally, I asked the question that had been nagging me.