Love's Unforseen Twist

11

As Sarah and her parents, along with her younger brother, gathered in her room, their love for each other was evident in their warm embraces. In the midst of their affectionate moment, Adnaan, the observant younger brother, noticed a figure standing nearby, gazing at their beautiful family with admiration. It was Rehan, who had come to take Sarah and Adnaan with him, as their cousins were eagerly waiting for them.

With a smile of surprise and delight, Rehan and the family exchanged greetings, saying "Assalamualaikum!" The car was filled with anticipation as everyone awaited Sarah and Adnaan's arrival. Rehan had come to take them on a special outing, and Sarah's parents bid them farewell with a mix of excitement and a hint of longing, urging them to enjoy their time and return soon.

And so, with hearts full of excitement, Sarah and Adnaan embarked on their journey with Rehan. As they drove away, the love and warmth of their family's embrace lingered in their hearts, reminding them of the precious bond they shared.

As they made their way to the mall, Sarah's cousins eagerly awaited their arrival. They had been waiting for quite some time, as they were already running late for dinner. However, they decided to make the most of their time and explore the mall together.

As they strolled through the mall, engaging in lively conversation, Sarah's elder cousin sister, Inaya, couldn't help but notice Sarah's new look and hijab. Filled with admiration, she complimented Sarah, saying, "MashaAllah, it's wonderful to see you embracing the hijab, Sarah. You look absolutely stunning in it." Sarah's face lit up with a smile as she graciously thanked her cousin for the kind words.

In the midst of their interaction, Sarah's mischievous younger cousin,Saad, couldn't resist making a playful comment, teasing Sarah about her transformation. "What made you change so much, Aapi? Something fishy going on?" he joked. However, their another eldest cousin Yusuf swiftly intervened, scolding Saad, "Better you focus on your studies Saad than cracking such stupid jokes" Saad, realizing his mistake, quickly apologized, saying, "Sorry, bhaijaan."

Curiosity getting the better of him, Saad leaned towards Inaya and whispered, "Why is he so rude all the time? Did some girl break his heart?" Inaya, with a mischievous twinkle in her eyes, replied, "Hush now, or he might just come after you. Let's not provoke him!" Both of them burst into laughter, enjoying the light-hearted moment shared among cousins.

Yusuf's eyes narrowed in disbelief as he looked at Inaya and Saad. "You two will never change," he said. In unison, they responded with a resounding "Never!" and exchanged a high-five.

Meanwhile, Sarah's gaze fell upon Rehan, who was deeply engrossed in conversation with Rabbia. "Rehan, let's take a picture," Rabbia insisted, and he nodded, making silly faces. He playfully recorded Rabbia's funny clips, and she responded by playfully hitting him. "They are so cute! Always lost in each other's company," Inaya commented. "They've been like this since childhood, always teasing each other. Haha, mashallah," they added. Saad playfully questioned, "Rehan bhaiii, Rabbia Aapi, did you both forget that we too exist?" Rabbia mouthed an apology and invited Saad and Adnaan and others to join for a picture. Saad asked his cousin Yusuf who looked least interested, "Bhaijaan, why don't you also join us?" "No, not interested. You all can continue," Yusuf replied. Saad whispered, "Boring as always," causing Yusuf to narrow his eyes in response.

They all were happily gathered and enjoyed capturing the moment. Meanwhile, Sarah's heart burned with jealousy, and the kind words about Rehan and Rabbia's bond felt like salt on her wounds. She tried to hide her disinterest as her eyes welled up with tears, excusing herself to the restroom.

Since everyone was busy in clicking pictures, Yusuf excused himself to use the men's restroom. On his way, he unexpectedly encountered Sarah, her eyes filled with tears. Concerned, Yusuf approached her and asked, "Sarah? What happened? Why are you crying?" Startled to see Yusuf witness her vulnerable state, Sarah hesitated, not wanting anyone to see her like this. She replied, "No, nothing happened. I just have a headache." Unsatisfied with her answer, Yusuf persisted, "Are you sure?" Sarah nodded.
Yusuf suggested, "Okay, but if it's hurting, we can go back." Sarah replied, "No, I'm fine now. Let's go everyone must be waiting for us."

In that moment, Sarah reminded herself of the reasons she had distanced herself from Rehan. She had made the difficult decision to leave her home to create distance between them, to protect her heart. She couldn't allow herself to become again weak and let her emotions get the best of her. She wiped away her tears, determined to show strength and not let anyone see her vulnerability.

Deep down, Sarah knew that she deserved someone who would choose her and make her a priority. She resolved to focus on the love and laughter shared with her cousins, cherishing the moments they were all together. She knew that by embracing the happiness around her, she could create beautiful memories and find her own path to happiness.

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