Eternity

Chapter 14

As-salamu alaikum wa rahmatullah wa barakatuhu

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The to-be-bride and groom exchanged rings, and the room erupted in celebration. Laughter and applause filled the air, creating an atmosphere of pure joy. Ayzal, however, felt too sick to keep standing. She discreetly made her way to a secluded corner and took a seat, hoping no one would notice her. But, as always, things didn’t go as she wished.

She closed her eyes momentarily, trying to gather her strength, when she sensed someone sitting down beside her. Opening her eyes, she found a man, probably older than her, holding a glass of water towards her.

Ayzal looked at him, puzzled. The man smiled warmly and said, "You looked thirsty, so I thought I would do the honour to offer you some water"

There was a playful vibe about him, but Ayzal remained cautious. "I think you misunderstood," she replied politely. "I wasn't thirsty, just exhausted."

The man chuckled, "I can relieve you of exhaustion too, if you will let me." He winked at her.

It was clear to Ayzal what he was doing, but she decided to let it slide. "I came here with the intention of being alone for a while. If you don't mind, could you please leave?"

The man placed a hand over his heart in a mock offense. "That was very rude of you. What is your name?" he asked.

"Why does that matter?" Ayzal responded, hoping he would take the hint and leave.

"Mine is Arham," he said, extending his hand for a handshake. Ayzal stared at him, wondering if he had lost his mind.

Realizing Arham wasn’t going to leave, she stood up to go.

"Okay, I am sorry," he said, raising his hands in surrender. "Don't get angry, I was only introducing myself. You can sit back down, I swear I won’t disturb you again."

"Thank you for your thoughtful insights, but I shall go now," Ayzal said.

As she began to walk away, someone unintentionally pushed her from behind, causing her to stumble into Arham. He instinctively caught her by the waist to steady her.

Flustered, Ayzal tried to push him away, only to realize her bangle had gotten stuck on his tuxedo. She was about to snatch her hand back when Arham gently took hold of it and carefully freed her bangle.

"Now that was a nice introduction," Arham said playfully.

Ayzal cleared her throat, feeling embarrassed, and quickly made her way back to her family. Throughout the whole ordeal, she had missed someone’s watchful gaze. Zayan, standing across the room, had been observing them the entire time, his grip tightening around his glass.

As Ayzal joined her family, she couldn’t shake off the odd encounter with Arham. His playful demeanor and insistence on getting to know her were puzzling. She glanced back briefly, only to find him looking her way, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

Zayan, on the other hand, couldn't hide his annoyance. His usually calm demeanor was disrupted by the sight of Ayzal in someone else's arms, even if it was just a fleeting moment. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the anger bubbling inside him.

Back with her family, Ayzal tried to focus on the ongoing celebrations. Her mother in-law noticing her slightly disheveled appearance, asked if she was alright. Ayzal nodded, forcing a smile.

"I just needed a bit of fresh air," she said, not wanting to elaborate on her encounter with Arham.

The rest of the evening went by in a blur. Ayzal tried to keep herself busy, helping with the wedding arrangements and chatting with relatives. Yet, every now and then, she felt a pair of eyes on her. Arham, despite his promise, couldn’t seem to resist sneaking glances at her.

As the night drew to a close, Ayzal and her family left for their home. The car ride was filled with Yusra's animated chatter about how beautiful the to-be-bride and groom looked, her excitement lighting up the otherwise dimly lit vehicle. Ayzal, however, remained silent, resting her head against the cool glass of the car window. The rhythmic hum of the engine did little to ease the pounding in her head, a consequence of exhaustion and the evening’s overwhelming events.

Ayzal closed her eyes, wishing she had stayed at home instead of attending the wedding. The noise and excitement had been too much for her, and now she was paying the price. She tried to block out Yusra's incessant talking, but snippets of her sister in-law’s enthusiastic descriptions of the engagement kept intruding on her thoughts.

During the ride, Ayzal couldn’t help but reflect on the strange series of events that had unfolded. She sighed softly, shifting in her seat to find a more comfortable position.

Finally, they reached home. The car came to a stop, and Yusra, still buzzing with excitement, bounded out, eager to continue talking about the engagement. Ayzal followed more slowly, her body heavy with fatigue. She exchanged a few words with her family before retreating to her room, craving the solitude and quiet she had been denied all evening.

Little did she know, this was just the beginning of a series of unexpected encounters and revelations that would challenge her in ways she had never imagined.