A Pride & Prejudice and Little Women retelling
Farrah Hussain spent a lifetime hating Salman Bashir. At least that's what she liked to believe. When one fateful summer Salman changes his bad boy ways and comes back a new man, Farrah can't stop the l...
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Dahlia Ahmad sat on one end of a long table. On her right was Layla, her wild and wispy curls were knotted at the top of her head, like they usually were. She was in a deep maroon traditional attire that beautifully contrasted against her dusky skin, and lips of the same color, with face bare of any other makeup. On her other side was Ibrahim, dressed in a brown blazer and sporting a hairstyle that did not belong to this century.
There was an excited hum in the air as the aroma of food wafted around them as it was being served. The Ahmads and the Fayyads were hosting a family dinner together, to celebrate their successful business deal. The venue was known as one of the most popular Chinese food chain in the country, even though the food wasn't actually Chinese but a masala-packed South East Asian version of it.
The parties were starting to wear Dahlia out – like they always did by the end of the year when they were more densely packed. Summers were too hot (that didn't stop people from throwing iftaar parties), and winter was the ideal time to dress up; but with all the events so far this year, her quota for socializing was almost filled up before they even properly entered winter.
Kaveh took the seat just opposite her. Dahlia stiffened slightly, like she always did in his presence; but quickly regained her composure as she diverted her attention to the other end of the table, where the rest of her siblings were at.
Kaveh's eyes lingered on her momentarily, but then he darted his gaze towards Ibrahim and made an effort to keep it there. He was starting to realize she didn't liked to be looked at, and it was disrespectful to keep doing it.
Ibrahim grinned at him. "Are we still on for golf tomorrow?" he asked, catching his attention.
"I'm in, if you are," Kaveh replied.
"Get ready to lose again," he quipped.
Kaveh sighed with amusement. "That win really got to your head, didn't it?"
Both men chuckled, putting an end to their conversation. Once Kaveh's attention was elsewhere, Dahlia stared at her brother curiously. "I don't get it. How are you friends with him?" She leaned towards Ibrahim and asked under her breath so Layla wouldn't hear her. "I mean, you two are so different." she swiftly added.
"I know Kaveh can come across as... blunt, but he's actually a nice guy," he answered, not lifting his gaze from the table. There was an excited gleam in his eyes as he intently watched the bowl of soup being passed. "Once you break through his wall of ice, that is."
Dahlia pursed her lips and momentarily glimpsed at the grey-eyed man sitting across the table. He was now engrossed in a three-way conversation with two of his cousins. That cordial smiled, which was always on his lips, attached in its place.
