Bending Edges

Fourteen

Mamoona

The banquet was filled with friends and family to gather for Sabrina's celebration. The music was blasted to the beat of everyone's heart, the lights were shining multicolours, and everyone was dancing and was buzzing of joy. Sabrina glowed happily and I stood beside her to intake the happiness with her. She was wearing her long lavender dress and her hijab was decorated with gems that sparkled in the lights.

"Do you see him Moona? He's over there," Sabrina pointed to her-husband, who was greeting the guests. He was wearing a navy blue suit and a matching tie his hair was gelled and he looked like a magazine model. 

"Yep, I see him," I replied back, assuring her while keeping a look out for Dakota.

"Isn't he dreamy?" she sighed heavenly. 

"Hm... I guess. He is all yours."

"So when is your friend coming?" Sabrina asked. 

I quickly turned my heels towards my cousin as she looked at me startled with my swift movement. "She called a while ago saying she's on her way," I replied with a grin plastered on.

"Okay then. If your parents ask, tell her she's from your med school," Sabrina mocked.

"Sabrina..." I rolled. Sabrina promised me not to mention anything medical school related to me. 

"Oh right... You dropped..." 

My older brother came over to us. "Moona, Aban and his family has just arrived. You should go over and greet them," he told me.

My anxiety raised, I wasn't prepare to talk to him or his family at all. My brother walked off to the desert bar and I turned to Sabrina looking like I saw a ghost. "I am not ready to meet him or his family, what am I going to do?" I asked her frantically.

"Take deep breaths, be a lady and be normal," Sabrina said simply.

My parents came along with Aban and his family. My mom came over and took my arm, I gave her a smile. "Mamoona, dear. This is Aban with his mother and father," my mom directed me to a well dressed family.

I tried to hide my nervousness with a smile. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you," I said to them making eye contact looking mostly at Alban's father.

All of them smiled back and greeted. Aban don't look much difference from when he was since high school. He just got a little taller. He has dark raven hair with big eyes, with a slim body and it seemed like he was trying to grow a beard. 

A big man in a tight dressed suit who was Aban's  father asked, "Dear, I heard you are in medical school."

Why is everyone so concerned with me going to med school? My throat felt dry. I just simply nodded as everyone looked impressed like I said something intellectual. 

"Our daughter is really shy, sir," my mom said.

All of the grown ups laughed as I turned cherry red. Aban just kept a steady eye on me as I returned eye contact. He was probably analyzing if I would make a good wife or not. "Why don't you kids go have fun and dance?"

We both nodded as we went over to the side. "It's been so long since we last saw each other, Mamoona," Aban said, I then realized the bigger difference now, his voice got deeper than the last time I saw him.

"Yeah. How have you been?" I asked him avoiding an awkward silence.

"Good. Things are going good. I am now a computer engineer," he told me confidently.

He started to puffed out to make himself look larger; I've seen this move before on TV when a guy is trying to impress a girl. "That sounds like a great career," I told him, ignoring that he changed form.

"Yeah, well, it does pays well," he said proudly, "I just recently bought a new sports car, if that's what you are into."

I didn't know where this conversation was heading to. This what flirting looks like. But I replied, "sports cars are nice. What type of sports car?"

"It's the all new Jaguar XPBH. It's fast, it's efficient and it is easy on the eyes," he said as he showed me photos of an orange brand new sports car with two black stripes going across the roof of the car.

"That is a nice car," I commented after I took a gaze of the photo.

He changed the direction of the conversation, "so you're on your way becoming a doctor, right?"

I then went weak again. Why in the world?  "Uh-huh," I mumbled.

It's like I'm lying to the whole world. I really wanted this whole thing to stop. "Do you want anything to drink?" Aban interrupted my internal screaming.

"Sure, sounds great," I smiled faintly.

"Do you want some fruit punch?" He asked.

I nodded. "That'll be very nice of you," I said.

To be honest, Aban seems he got that charm and confidence. As long as we avoid talking about med school, I feel I am able to talk him again. This is going better than expected.

Just then from the corner of my eyes, I saw Dakota walked into the banquet. And something about her just caught my attention. She was wearing the dress I made her.  Her hair was curled and fell nicely on her shoulders.

I spent endless nights making that dress, so I know how every thread, curve and little detail would look like but today it looked beautiful on Dakota. She looked so beautiful to the point I felt my heart stopped functioning. What's going on?

I approached her she had the sweetest smile on her. "This is a great party," she told me.

"You look amazing, Dakota," I told her.

She laughed. "Yeah, thanks to your dress. It's beautiful."

I blushed. I noticed that she was holding a gift bag. "Is that for the bride and groom?" I asked her.

Dakota nodded. "Yes, you do not think I will come to a wedding empty handed?"

I chuckled along. "Come on, I will show you where they are," I told her.

I guided her the dance floor where Sabrina and her husband were slow dancing sweetly; everyone gushed around them. The song ended as Sabrina and her groom ended their dance. They came over to us with love sick smiles on their face. "Hey Sabrina you remember my friend, Dakota," I told her.

"Yeah, of course," Sabrina said.

Dakota waved and handed them their gift. "Here's a present for both of you. Congratulation guys. You guys look great together," Dakota said.

Sabrina gave Dakota a hug and the groom shook her hands to thank her. At the back of my mind just reminded me that I abandoned Aban somewhere. "Oh gosh, I forgot," I blurted.