Khawabeeda

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Shehryar had been waiting in the car for almost twenty minutes now. What the hell was taking his brother so long? He should've gone himself, he thought, but his little spitfire would have created a scene just to annoy him and he didn't want their lovely fight sessions to become a public show. He was already quite tired as he had drived all the way to her city just to take her stubborn-self for the Qawali Night held the day after tomorrow on his and Wali's birthday.

He personally didn't like to make a big deal out of his birthday but he knew these events were more of a way to treat their old political and business allies and make new ones. This was not the same case for Wali as he loved celebrating their birthday to the fullest and had made these weird traditions like wearing matching T-shirts to sleep which had their respective ages at the back along with the previous one with a red cross on it. And wearing a badge during the breakfast, Oh Lord, that was embarrassing. Imagine a six feet three (almost four) inches tall man with a perfectly groomed beard and a mane of dark hair who wears suits and scares the hell out of his employees wearing a light blue big ass badge with 'Birthday Baby' written on it. He had pleaded to atleast change Baby to Guy but they wouldn't budge.

Well, there was a part of him who enjoyed these childish things. They made his family happy so he tried to be a good sport. Wali had included Badiya in these childish things as well and she was more than happy to be a part of it. They had been bestfriends since childhood as their fathers belong to same village. Badiya always arranged matching outfits for the both of them according to the event every year since it was a different thing every year. Wali also had these stupid movie marathons with Badiya. They both always slept half-way through it and he had to take them both to their respective bedrooms in the middle of the night as he couldn't bear his wife sleeping with someone else even if it was in a completely palatonic way that too with his own brother.

Yes, his wife. She was not officially his wife yet but she was his the moment his five-year old self laid eyes on the pink baby wrapped in a white blanket and squealed 'baby' after poking her cute chubby cheek. The first time he held her in his arms was the time he had decided that he is not letting her go ever. There had been girls throwing themselves at him when he was doing his studies and now at work they have just increased. But he was never tempted by any of their stunts because his heart belonged to his wife. Well, fiancè for now but soon his official wife.

His parents were aware of the infatuation their son had with Badiya. Since childhood he had staked a claim on her. In every family event, he acted like his body guard. He punched his cousin once when he made fun of her frilly frock. He personally thought she looked like a princess and made her believe so as well. He helped her with her studies and was very strict. Well, he was strict with everything related to Badiya but that was his way of showing care. They had a strong bond as kids but then puberty hit. He was not comfortable with Badiya being too friendly with guys even if they were her friends or cousins. He was protective of her since ever but it only increased with time. Their relationship got strained alot when Badiya started defying him in every way possible. He was just looking out for her but she just didn't want to accept that fact. And it was the last straw for Badiya when their parents announced their engagement. And she knew for a fact that Shehryar was behind this.

She had given her parents the liberty of marrying her off to any guy they thought was suitable because she trusted her parents with that decision and she didn't have anyone in her life. It was one hell of a shock for her when they told her about how the Shah's had sent a marriage proposal for her with Shehryar and they agreed. Well, only Shehryar knew how he had made them agree. It was the most difficult task he had ever done. He was very nervous. He knew his own parents will be more than happy with his proposition but it was Badiya's parents he was worried about. More specifically her father since her mother loved him like her own son.