His Safe Haven

2.

After Jannat got home last night, she quickly picked out her jewellery and shoes for tomorrow's Nikah ceremony. It would be her first time attending a Nikah ceremony in many years, and she failed to recall the last time she attended one. Due to her tired state, she called it a night and slept early in the quietness of her apartment.

The next day, she woke up to the sun's gentle rays caressing her face through her open window. All the sadness from yesterday was gone now, and her eyes shone with excitement and anticipation for Layla's Nikah ceremony. She washed up and made a simple breakfast for herself. These days, her appetite had reduced a lot, which she considered a good thing as it saved her money on buying groceries for breakfast. Gulping down her cup of tea, she packed her outfit for the night in a bag and left her apartment wearing a plain shalwar kameez.

Layla Ali was a childhood friend she made when she was placed in the orphanage. Layla used to visit the orphanage with her mother, Shima, every Sunday. They would always bring lots of snacks and new clothes for the kids in the orphanage. Layla had been a vital part of Jannat's broken childhood. From becoming friends in the orphanage to graduating together in university, Layla was always by her side. She was there when Jannat needed someone to talk to, and she remained a steadfast presence in her life to this day.

Reality hit Jannat when she realised her best friend, Layla, was now a beautiful grown woman about to marry the love of her life. It was a very bittersweet realisation that Layla was about to start a new chapter of her life, leaving behind all the shared memories of their childhood. Regardless, Jannat was honoured to witness her turn over a new leaf. People come and go but what remains is the impact they leave behind. She knew Layla getting married won't be the end of their friendship but from today onwards, she was going to become secondary in her life. That fact hurt because Jannat was never anyone's priority. Not before, not today and maybe not tomorrow.

A small smile graced her lips as she approached Layla's house, their shared memories still flashing in her mind. The image of Layla with her twin pigtails and a missing front tooth slowly transformed into a beautiful bride, about to take her husband's hand and move to another side of the country. It was hard to believe how quickly time had passed, how quickly they had grown up and were on different paths of life.

With a heart swelled with pride and joy, she neared the Ali household. The exterior of their house was adorned with lights and lots of flowers. It was truly a sight to behold. Strings of colourful small lightbulbs were carefully draped along the walls, balconies, and entrances, it looked plain and modest during daytime. However, it shone and twinkled during the night-time, leaving passers-by mesmerised and in complete awe of the lights and flowers.

South Asian weddings are very well-known for being grand, lavish, and full of colours. As Layla was her parents' only child, they went overboard and decorated the street outside their house too. The whole area around their house looked like a garden made for fairies. As Jannat entered the house, she gasped in surprise at how grandeur the inside of the house was. Layla's parents, who owned a factory in Zainville, may not be extravagantly wealthy, but their pockets were loaded enough to ensure that the apple of their eyes was sent off in the most splendid manner possible.

"Jannat! What took you so long to get here?" A loud voice called out to her from the second floor of the house. She looked up and saw Aditi glaring at her with a tray of sweets in her hands. Jannat rolled her eyes at her and climbed up the stairs to where she was standing.

"I am on time; you are too early. You, out of everyone, have no right to question my punctuality." Jannat answered her, a hint of playful annoyance evident in her voice. They both exchanged a smile as their banter faded away. Apart from Layla, Aditi Malhotra was also Jannat's best friend since childhood. The only difference was that Aditi and Jannat grew up in the same orphanage. It took them some time to become close friends but once they did, it was impossible to separate them.