KHAARZAAR

۲۹: شادی/ Wedding Day

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It was dark.

It was a deep shade of red.

Almost maroon.

The color of her bridal mehndi. Only a day was left before the big day and Miraal was coped up into her room. She will be sleeping in her maiden room for the last night here. Tomorrow, she will be shifted to Irtaza's room. Then, it will be their room. She would be sharing not only a room but her whole remaining life with him.

The thought already made her giddy. She's been thinking about it since the whole day. She had just finished eating food a little while ago after alot of help by her mother because of the undried mehndi on her hands. When she washed it late at night, the color was deep red.

She wasn't those girls who believed in that myth that the darker the shade, the stronger the love. She was never a hopeless romantic. Life didn't give her such opportunities. She needed to be grown earlier. She had other matters at hands. Like giving her father justice. Getting the truth out in the open daylight.

She had no time to make some fairy tales about her prince charming. But right now, sitting alone in her room she was doing just that. She was making her own story. Her own twisted fairy tale. With a touch of her imagination. She was missing her father extra today. Tomorrow, she's going to be dress as a bride and oh she wished so much for him to be present.

But the fate wasn't written like that. But she wasn't complaining. She knew her father must be watching her from the above. He must be happy. It was after all his wish too to have Miraal married to Irtaza. And she was grateful that her parents chose Irtaza for her.

Truthfully, she doesn't know if she would have ever find a man like Irtaza. He's all what she wanted. He's kind. He's caring. He has immense respect for her mother and elders. He was fearless. She had no doubt that he would be a great father too.

Wait, where did that thought come from?

She shook her head. Imagination. That's her problem. Sometimes, she got so lost into her imaginations that she got off the track. But that's just what she is. She can't and won't ever change herself. This is what make her different.

Knowing that sleep will not be coming anytime soon. She decided to grab her phone from the nightstand. Then an idea clicked into her mind. Why is she alone sacrificing her sleep? He's the groom too. He must be having cold feet too right.

Not second guessing anything, she typed a message and sent him. Nerves high and heart beating wildly into her chest. She waited for his reply. Patiently. Not so patiently, by the way.

A few seconds back, her phone dinged. She hurriedly open the text thread and a smile covered her facial

M: "I see someone's enjoying their night. Tell me Irtaza Sahab, why only brides get the cold feet?

I: "Hmmm. Is my bride having cold feet right now?"

A question to a question. Smart man. She typed back. The only light visible from the phone screen.

M: "Yeah. Why you don't have that luxury too?"

A dinged was heard again.

I: "If you could only see me...."

He left the message hanging. It piqued her curiosity. Is he also having cold feet? No, that's not possible. He's Irtaza Haroon. He can't possible be having cold feet. She had seen that man fighting such high profile cases without a single blink of his eyes. He won't be having nerves right now. Does he?