Glory of the Midnight Sun √

Twelve

Real love doesn't meet you at your best. It meets you in your mess.

Fariya

"You're what?"

Maida's aghasted voice deepened the smile on her face.

"Love. I'm in love."

Fariya said as she fixed her gaze on the door but even Maida knew that she was not looking at the door.

"Fari, what are you saying? How can you be in love?"

Maida just couldn't register the fact that her sister was in love with someone who had so badly ruined her life.

"That's an absurd question, Maida." Fariya said with narrowed eyes.

"Omer... but you hated him." Maida said with wide eyes.

"Hatred is the first step towards love."

The lady in love tore her gaze from the door and looked directly in Maida's brown eyes.

"You purposely hated him?" Maida questioned quizzically.

"Of course not." Fariya said as she laughed slightly.

"When I hated him, I did it with all my strength. I didn't give him a chance to explain. Hell, I didn't even give myself a chance to understand him. I just hated him.. as simple as that. There were no ifs and buts. There was just hatred."

Fariya said, her voice diving into the ocean of emotions.

"But, that day, when he came to my University, my whole being shook. He seized my mind that day. Never in my life had I felt more protected than when I was in his arms. His embrace did magic. It has always done magic."

Fariya's voice tailed off as a small smile lifted the corner of her lips.

"Then? Where did love come from?" Maida confusingly asked.

"Love was always there, Maida. Love has always been there." Fariya whispered.

"The word Nikah carries in itself an ocean of mysteries. It is a powerful relationship-the Nikah. A relationship which has the power to turn mountains into dust, oceans into a drop of water. Turning hatred into love has never been a big deal for it."

Fariya's voice died as she reflected upon the words she said.

Nikah can do miracles, she had always heard people saying it. Nikah did a miracle, she was seeing it for herself, breathless.

"But when exactly did you fall in love with him?"

Maida seemed to have finally understood as she asked in a low voice.

"I don't know myself. Maybe when Syra told me that he'd never leave me or when he held me in the rain like there would be no tomorrow. I do not know."

She said while a ghost of smile appeared on her face.

"But I do know one thing, last night was a night of revelation. I didn't even know myself that I loved him before last night. When I cried in his arms, when he took my hands in his, when he ran his fingers through my hair; it all felt like eternity. Like it was meant to be. Do you understand?"

Fariya romantically asked Maida as she looked at her sister hopefully. Maida only shook her head, worry written clearly on her face.

"Fariya, you're not making sense. I think you should sleep." Maida said as she forced a smile on her face.

"But I just woke up, Maida. The misunderstandings and hatred have finally gone to rest and you're asking me to sleep?"

Fariya asked as she stood up from the bed and went to stand behind the window.