MANGO MILKSHAKE

Chapter 11

"Is my beauty making you stoned?" I whispered playfully.

"Maybe it's making me awestruck. I must have saved a dynasty in my past life" Yaseen mumbled leaning himself next to my ears.

"Can you believe it? We're married now." I elbowed him lightly.

"It seems like we're married.... As friends." Yaseen snorted while holding himself from bursting with laughter.

"This is the consequence of our own consecutive bad descisions. Family dinner will be very interesting for next few days." I giggled a little with an unappealing thought of Yasmeen Jahan sharing side dishes with me.

"Stop it, Ayat. We can joke about these later." Yaseen lowered his voice.

I've been married for solid half an hour now.The entire female population of the event surrounded me as if I was their cult leader. I was taking the vows, sitting on a prayer mat, next to an overwhelming population of middle aged aunties waiting for me to do the typical sentimental melodrama while performing the marriage rituals. I, instead of sobbing, started hiccuping in an attempt to resist the urge of laughing maniacally.

I never knew that december could be this sweaty too. On the top of all this rubbish, I was also forgetting what I was supposed to pray for.
If not out of emotions, I might have ended up crying out of embarrassment.
After finishing the vows and other rituals I could hear the slight murmurs of old and widowed women about how this generation doesn't have any shame left and how manner less of me for chuckling and not starting an ugly crying show infront of a hundred women. I swear these wrinkly, old women with cracky bones will find anything to look down upon younger women. They've suffered so much to satisfy the construction of society that it takes them only a few drops of incompetence to start war against their own kind. I couldn't care less, they should thank me for not having a fit of ghostly laughter in between the hollow vows I was taking. I already know I won't be doing half of the promises mentioned.

When I came forward to see Yaseen for the first time in a traditional groom outfit with all those garlands, goldens, maroons and an obviously bewildered face, the only thought I had about him is he's too good for me.
For a brief instant my emotions felt very unfamiliar to me. A sudden tug in heart muscles along with a acute urge of letting him know that I he can choose not choose me if he still wants to was making indescribably irritated. Despite my unfazed commitment of not caring at all, I wondered what's going inside his head. What does he feel about me? Is it only a silly playdate to him too? Is the any hidden meaning to it ? Are we just an agreement? Am I an sacrifice being made by him for the sake of his younger brother? For a split second I needed to know it all. It would've only gotten worse if he didn't startle me with an exaggerated gasp while keeping his eyes fixed on me. "What's wrong?" I asked in confusion.
"I thought I'm in heaven since the most beautiful angel herself was walking towards me." Sometimes I wonder if he really means it or we're just playing it along just lessen the gravity of awkwardness. "I'm glad I met your expectations" I laughed off the silly stirring growing inside my stomach.
"Met? You exceed all my expectations. You're.. somewhat... Beyond my imagination." He took a step forward to take a better look at my face. I felt something crawling on my spine which I felt was a shiver of the 'feels' but late I realised it was in fact an ant roaming around my back that bit next to my upper eyelids.

The next thing I did wrong is saying 'fizool' (unworthy) instead of saying 'qubool' (I accept) when maulvi asked about my consent to the marriage. I immediately correct myself by rapidly saying qubool three times. I wasn't nervous. Instead, I zoned out in such a important moment. Yaseen didn't seem to be mad, he just smiled fondly, making me feel the same discomfort in my stomach. His three qubool were calm and composed unlike my haste rumblings. Every time he said qubool, I blinked in amazement. To add more enchantment to my already awestruck mind, he winked to tease me and when I was signing the marriage certificate, my hands become a little shaky that made Yaseen give me an extra support by holding my hand. Is he doing it all to show-off? I side eyed him and he grinned like an idiot. "From now on I shall always hold your hand whenever it trembles" he whispered as he slowly signed his name next to mine. The outwardly hooting and clapping seemed wandering far away, all I could hear is his voice and the breathes he's taking. I'm not supposed to be this indulged. I need to clarify if he's being real or not.