Along The Lines of Love

Chapter 3. The Mehendi Night.

Jeene laga hun pehel se zyaada.

Pehle se zyaada tum pe marne laga hun.

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3 weeks later:

It's finally the Mehendi night and both Aleena and I have been looking forward to this the most. I get my dress out from the closet and put it on the bed. I decide what jewellery I have to put along with it and matching heels as well. Aleena is already in the parlor by the time I wake up. I wrap a hijab around my head and go to the kitchen. There's a hotpack filled with 3 aloo paratha. Everybody already had their breakfast, I guessed, putting the paratha on a plate. I strain the tea kept for me in a mug and head back to my room. After having my breakfast I go to the garden for a little bit of decor that was left.

"One wall left." I mutter to myself. I look at the box kept beside me full of flowers. There are 3 cartons full of flowers, they were to be put in a combination, is what I understood looking at the rest of the walls. I picked a pink flower garland and matched it between the yellow one and the purple and hold them in a combination.

"Looks perfect." I mutter to myself again.

"Bilkul apki tarah." A voice from behind makes flinches. It's him. Aliyan. In his flirting personality of course. I turn around and smile. A small chuckle escapes his lips.

"Help kardu?" he asks, taking a look at the flowers in my hand. He stands on a chair and asks me for the flowers so that he can put them on the wall. I take a thread and sew them together. I try cutting the thread between my teeth but fail. He slowly brings the thread near his mouth and tears the thread between his teeth. I smile and he smiles back. I blush deeply and I can feel that so I bow my head down. He takes the flowers and puts them on the wall, while I take a new set of flowers and tie them together with the thread, I take it near his mouth and laughs at my act. I let a chuckle escape my lips too. He cuts the thread between his teeth again and then puts the flowers on the wall again. This continues till the whole garden wall is covered.

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At around 6 Aleena is back from the parlor. I get ready quickly, putting on some makeup and jewellery along with my favourite perfume and a matching hijab. I put on my heels and head downstairs with Aleena. A few of her cousins and I hold a dupatta on top of her head to make it seem more filmy. Aleena has always been a bollywood girl so this was the least we could do to fulfill her dreams of a bollywood like wedding. We seat ourselves on the ground where the mehendi artists are waiting for us. Aleena gives both her hands and legs for mehendi. We all give our hands for the mehendi too.

After about 3 hours I am done with my mehendi and I head to the kitchen to snack on something. I find a few fruits kept on the kitchen slab. I try taking one and grab a knife from the counter. I struggle cutting the piece of fruit and let out a squeal in frustration.

"Mai kaat doon?" It's Aliyan again. Of course. I pass the apple and orange to him, he takes it from me along with the knife and plate.

We both sit down on the dining table. He cuts the fruit into small pieces silently as I blow onto my henna to let it dry.

I look at him expressionlessly when he takes a piece on the fork and brings it forward near my mouth. I stare at the piece for a few seconds and then take a bite. He smiles at me and then goes to the next peice.

"Aik baat kahoon?" he asks. I nod.

"Apke hathon par mehndi bohot achhi lag rahi hai." he says. And I feel heat crawling up my cheeks once again. I hide my face with my hands and put my head on the table. He laughs at my antics.