Love Means Sacrifice

Ch. 32: The Engagement

Zahid's P.O.V.

It was mid-afternoon. The guests would start arriving late in the evening.

I zig-zagged through the house and spoke with several different people, making sure the décor was almost complete, the caterers had arrived and set up their cooking station, and the waiters and valet were here.

After checking in with everyone, I decided to go to the rooftop for a breather before I got ready for the party. I stood near the edge with my hands on the cold railing and watched the view. I could see my breath as I exhaled. It was winter here in New York after all.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around to find Abba standing next to me.

"I miss her too."

I didn't realize a few tears were trailing down my face, but I wiped them away and said, "It would've been so much better if she was here."

"I know. I never imagined I would experience this day without her, but she's always with us, beta, in here." He pointed towards my heart.

He wiped his own tears, "Let's go and get ready. The guests will be here soon."

Mehwish's P.O.V.

I eyed the ring on my vanity as the makeup artist made final touches on my hair and face. At the ring shop, Ma was the one who chose it. I kept blankly staring at the large selection in front of me and settled on the one Ma suggested. I didn't know what was wrong with me. I was just out of it. Everything was feeling beyond me.

"MaShaAllah! May Allah protect you from the evil eye, my dear." Ma exclaimed after she walked into my room.

I smiled at her.

"Let me take a picture." She readied her phone.

She paid the makeup artist the rest of her fees and bid her adieu before coming back to my room.

"Ready to go, Mehwish?"

I stared at my reflection in the mirror.

"Mehwish?"

"Huh?" I turned my head to look at her.

"Ready?" She smiled.

I nodded and followed her outside. There was a car sitting on the driveway.

"Where's the driver?" I asked, confused.

"Tada!" She dangled car keys from her fingers.

"Ma!"

"I've been secretly getting lessons and wanted to surprise you. This is our new car, but after you get married, then it's all mine hahaha! How do you like it, Mehwish?!"

I was speechless. I walked over towards her and gave her a tight hug. It must've costed her a fortune.

"Thank you, Ma. Y-"

"Arrey, crazy girl, are you going to cry and make me cry? Your makeup is going to get ruined. Get into the car quietly."

We both laughed and drove to Javed's house. I got lost in my thoughts again after expressing my appreciation to my mother and listening to her excitement about the car and party.

Zahid's P.O.V.

I greeted the guests and stole glances at Mehwish and Javed, who sat on a sofa on the stage and took pictures with the guests.

She looked absolutely breathtaking.

Her eyes eventually focused on me, and my words got stuck in my mouth. My ears blocked out the speech of whoever was talking to me. She held a blank look. I gave her a closed-mouth smile and she returned it before turning her attention back to the guests taking pictures with her.

Mehwish's P.O.V.

"You look gorgeous, baby." Javed complimented.

"Thank you."

He leaned in and kissed my cheek, and I looked back at him with a brief smile.

This was my engagement, a day that I was waiting for since I was a kid, but here I was internally sulking. Why?

I took a deep breath and scanned the crowd for familiar faces.

Ayaara was taking selfies with Sahir and their friends, while Zia Bhai and Mahira Apa were enjoying appetizers. Sarah and Qais were also here, mingling with Javed's college mates. The rest of the guests were more of Javed's relatives and family-friends along with Ma's colleagues and friends. I finally saw Zahid again, who was speaking to a waiter and looking in my direction. The waiter walked up to the stage and offered Javed and I glasses of soda.

Typical Zahid, always looking after others.

When I searched for him again, he was busy talking to someone else.

Ayaan Uncle stepped onto the stage and announced that we would be exchanging our rings now. He went on to the thank the guests for coming and expressed how fortunate we were to have our family, especially Javed's grandparents, with us at the party.

Ayaan Uncle got off the stage and stood next to Saira Dadi. He looked emotional. Ma stood near Sarooha Aunty and gave me a reassuring look.

Javed and I stood up, and Ayaara arrived on stage with a tray that held our engagement rings then left after we took them.

Zahid's P.O.V.

I made my way closer to the stage. I stood near it for a few seconds, but I couldn't bear to watch.

I didn't think anyone would notice if I was missing, so I slipped away to my room upstairs quietly.

When I saw her for the first time, little did I know she would be all I thought about.

I sighed, "Mehwish. Mehwish Inayat."

Just taking her name still does something to my heart.

I remembered how she made fun of me for it, too, "I've got Mr. Handsome Arrogant whipped, haven't I? The Zahid Saeed, the quiet, serious, mysterious, and most handsome guy in our university, who never gives any girl a second look, has fallen for me! Who would've thought, huh? You've got to admit, there must be something special about me that you're gifting me a bouquet of roses..."

I absentmindedly sat in my sherwani staring at the dry rose lying on my desk, which I kept from the bouquet that I gave her the night I told her I loved her. It seemed that it would crumble under my fingers the second I touched it. I exhaled loudly and threw my head back, closing my eyes as I recalled her fingers trailing down my arm,

"If tattoos weren't haram, would you get one of my name? I know I would get yours right here," her voice echoed through my mind.

"Why would I get a tattoo of your name?" I remember asking her.

"Oh.. I.. I don't kn-"

"Why would I get a tattoo of your name when it's already written on my heart."

Her hand felt so soft against my chest and her eyes were twinkling as I said, "It belongs to you."

It was as if I could smell her vanilla scent when I remembered her wrapping her arms around me, burying her face in my neck.

I immediately sat up in my seat and held my head in my hands then began reminiscing how our university life was together.

Zahid has finished recalling, through these last 31 chapters, how he fell in love with Mehwish and how their relationship has reached this stage, which is what he began doing in the first chapter where the setting/occasion is Mehwish and Javed's engagement; the story has circled back to the first chapter and is now continuing in the present.

They must have finished exchanging their rings by now.

I couldn't help but lean forward and open my desk drawer to reach for the ring that I had bought for Mehwish months back. Before I could pick it up, my door shot open.

It was Mehwish.