game of love

6

It was already the day of my nikah! I couldn't believe it! Only last week I had gone shopping for an outfit and only  yesterday had I got my mendhi done. 

Now, as I say before this mirror and looked at myself, I couldn't recognise myself. A girl who had chosen to get married to someone she didn't like just to please her parents. 

A people pleaser. That's what I was. A human but with no individual choice. I did whatever my parents wanted me to do, solely because I was scared of what would happen if I opposed them. Of course, they would leave me, like everyone did. 

I looked at my hands, adorned in sophisticated mendhi designs. Then, in my pinkie finger, was Zayn's name. It was a tradition that happened in South Asian culture - the groom, tries to find his name in my mendhi.

Interrupting my thoughts, my best friend Maryam walked in. "Mashallah! You look so beautiful! Kisi ki nazar na lage!" she said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

(kisi ki nazar na lage - may you not get anyone's evil eye)

 "Thank you! My sweet potato! You look amazing too!" I said, side hugging her.

(maryam's outfit)

 "Awhhh! Thank you!!" she said. "Jiju is going to be a goner for you though." she said, winking at me.

(jiju - brother in law)

 "I already know that, besides who can resist me!" I said, as we both laughed.

 My mum walked in. "Hay, meri guria! You look so beautiful! You're making me cry!" she said, wiping the tears from her eyes.

 "Awhh! Mumma! Don't cry!" I said. "You're making me cry too! I don't want to cry now, I have my baraat for that!"

 My mum hugged me and I hugged her back, never wanting to let go. "Come on now. We need to go, your husband will be waiting." my mum said.

We walked out and I say in the car, beside my mum and Maryam. I took out of my phone and looked at the time. It was already 16:00. 

Finally, after lots of driving, we arrived at the venue. The nerves in my stomach ran around, each of them making me feel more and more anxious.

 "My baby! Don't worry! I'm here, na! I'll help you!" Maryam whispered, holding my hand as we stepped into the venue.

 "Thank you." I said, giving her a forced smile.

We entered, but then we were ushered into a small room, and I was forced to sit down.

 "It's not time yet." my mum said.

 "Oh okay. How long do we have to wait?" I asked her.

 "You're dad will come to get you. You have to walk down the aisle with him." my mum said.

 "Okay." I said and began to fiddle with my hands.

Five minutes later, my dad entered. His eyes immediately landed on me and he began running his eyes. 

 "Mashallah. You look so beautiful." he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead.

 "Thank you." I said, putting my arm through his.

We began walking and soon entered the hall. As soon as we entered the hall, everyone looked at me. There we're so many people here, all of them watching me. I inhaled, then exhaled, trying to calm myself. I wasn't going to get nervous watching all of them.

Then, my eyes switched to the stage, where Zayn was sat, his eyes on me. He looked at me and gave me a small smile and I don't know why but this did something to my heart.

We soon reached the stage, and I sat opposite Zayn. A veil covering me from his gaze. Then, the Imam came and began the nikah. 

(the veil thingy)

It had been one minute since the nikah. I had just finished signing the papers. The Imam motioned that we Zayn can now see me.

Zayn, came close to me. He lifted up the scarf covering my face. 

His eyes sparkled looking at me. He then pressed a kiss to my forehead, my body clinging to his warmth and I hated myself for this. Why was he so warm? 

He held out his hand and I took it, then held my dress and got up as we walked to the stage. He helped me sit down, moving my dress so I didn't mess it up, before sitting down himself.

 "Why are you being such a gentleman?" I asked him, a smile tugging on my lips.

 "It's our nikah." he said, emphasising the word our.

 "Okay." I said. 

Without warning, he grabbed my hands. I tried to move them away from him, but he wouldn't let go.

"What are you doing?" I asked him.

"My mum told me I need to do this, okay?" he told me.

"What are you on about?" I asked him.

He looked at me. "I have to find my name in your mendhi." 

"Do that after you put the ring on." I said, as he looked at me.

Then, he let go of my hand. "You can still hold my hand if you want to." I said, smiling at him.

He looked at me, then smirked. "If that's what you want."

 "Oho! Can you stop flirting with me?" I said, mimicking annoyance.

 "I'm not doing anything bad, I'm only flirting with my wife." he said, smirking even more at me, his words erupting butterflies in my stomach.

 "Fine." I said. "Then, you can hold my hand, but only this once." I said.

 He held my hand in his. Then brought my hand to his lips and kissed my hand. "How about always?" he asked me.

I looked at him, speechless. I could feel my cheeks heating up, yet no words were coming from my mouth.

Oh my god. This guy. 

I was trying not to fall in love with him, but he was doing the exact opposite. He didn't know anything about me. 

                                                ࿔‧ ֶָ֢˚˖𐦍˖˚ֶָ֢ ‧࿔