YASMIN

Chapter Twenty-One

“So how’s married life,mate?” Farooq asked Huzaifa as they settled in front of the TV to watch the South Africa vs Pakistan cricket match.Huzaifa glanced at his best friend as if he had lost his mind,eyebrow lifted and his face twisted in confusion.He had literally spoken in an Australian accent and that sounded weird.

“Mate?What are you Australian?”

“His convinced that Australia will win the cricket world cup so he decided to change his accent,Huzaifa bhai.” Zahraa said with a chuckle from the dining table where the women sat and Huzaifa along with the other men (excluding Farooq of course) laughed at the absurdity of Farooq’s thoughts.

“Changing your accent doesn’t change your nationality,bruh.”

Farooq shrugged,wincing as he looked at the TV screen,“Instead of being humiliated by the South African team,I should change my accent and nationality.I mean have you seen how they’ve been playing.Amla getting out at 4,De Kock at 5 and dropping balls like that’s how cricket should be played?Seeing them lose hurts me.”

“So,who said Australia will win that you changing to their side now?”

Farooq gave Luqmaan a broad smile,that seemed almost along the lines of being sarcastic,“They have won most of their matches.Have you not watched one match since the beginning of the world cup?”

Luqmaan snorted,“The one where South Africa humiliated us by losing?Yeah I did and then I lost interest.”

“That is exactly why I refuse to support them,and I’d rather support Australia who at least have a chance of making it into the quarter finals.”

“I think India will win.” They all turned to look at Yasmin who handed glasses filled with coke to the girls and came towards the men,“India has played really well and they seem to be wining most matches.I think this year India will make it to the finals and take the cup home.”

Huzaifa stood and took the tray from Yasmin,giving the men coke and he nodded,“I agree with Yasmin.It really does seem like India will take the cup this year.I mean Virat Kohli is in amazing form plus his captain of the Indian team and his the best player out there currently.”

Farooq snorted,“And his being fined for troubling the umpires.”

“This world cup players are always in trouble.” Huzaifa countered him as they looked at the screen.

“So how did meeting the in-laws go?” Farzana asked Yasmin who had taken a seat in front of her and Yasmin sighed.

“It was okay.”

The girls exchanged worried looks at her subtle tone and they leaned forward,“What do you mean?”

Yasmin bit her lip at Sameeha’s question and she narrated the entire story of what had taken place at the braai.She watched as her friend’s mouths dropped open and she smiled when Zahraa let out a curse.

“What the hell!That’s just stupid and awkward.Why in the world would you act like that with the entire family present.Good Huzaifa put them in their place.I’m surprised you put that girl in her place.”

Yasmin shrugged at Zahraa’s statement,“I think I finally grew a backbone and I wasn’t going to let her walk all over me.I feel her sorry though.Her mother literally pushed her to believe that Huzaifa would marry her and her dreams fell apart.”

“Well,she shouldn’t have been dreaming with open eyes and her mother shouldn’t have planted those dreams in the first place.I mean it’s just awkward having to be put in your place by being sisterzoned in front of so many people.” Sameeha let out a fake shiver as if disgusted by that thought.