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The room was painted in a soft, dreamy pastel hue, a haven of femininity and comfort. Plush teddies and dolls surrounded her, as if waiting for their own stories to unfold.
The breeze from the open window danced through the room, caressing the delicate frills and ruffles of the pink bedcovers, as well as the loose strands of Her brunette hair.
She laid back against the pile of plushies, the breeze from the open window continuing to play with her hair.
Holding her phone to her ear, she looked out the window and spoke into the phone, her voice soft yet filled with playful optimism.
"You know, I dream that someday my prince will come. Just like in the fairytales, he'll sweep me off my feet."
Alisha's voice on the phone chuckled in response, "Oh please, you're reading too many romance novels again."
"Maybe," She admitted with a laugh, "but a girl can dream, right? Everyone deserves a love story." She shifted on the bed, adjusting a teddy bear on her lap.
"Imagination is all good and well, but you've been dreaming of your prince charming for as long as I can remember. Don't you think it's time to focus on real life?" Alisha's voice grew more serious.
As she was about to counter her friend's point, she heard a soft knock on the open door. Her head turned, and her mother stood there, a gentle smile on her face.
"Mahe, can we talk?" she stepped further into the room and Mahenoor disconnected the call.
"Mahe, humne aapki shadi karne ka faisla kiya hai." (Mahe, we have decided to get you married.)
Her eyes widened as she looked up at her mother, confusion and disbelief mixing in her expression.
The gentle breeze from the open window played with the loose strands of her hair, enhancing the surreal feeling of the moment.
"Kya? But mama, mai..." her voice trailed off, still trying to process what her mother had just said.
(What? But mama, I...)
She sat up straight on the bed, the soft pillows and blankets rustling around her. Her mother sat down beside her, a hand gently resting on Mahe's knee.
"Beta, you're twenty-one now, and you know that in our family, girls get married early," her mama said.
"But Mama I....I'm still studying, I have exams to prepare for, I'm not even thinking about marriage right now."
Her mother watched her with a gentle, but firm, gaze. "I understand that, beta. But there's no harm in starting the search. And besides," she smiled.
