~Will Rogers

This is it. The day that I dreamt about for a very long time is finally here. I am finally getting married and honestly, I am really nervous. My stomach is still growling. Yesterday I cooked dinner, but was not able to eat anything else since I ended up throwing up everything that entered my stomach. I just hope that today would be different

If only my mother was here...

The wedding is so simple. My dad told me yesterday that he talked to the guy's family . They agreed thay they wanted to just bring a judge to make the marriage official under the law, and that was it. I guess I could say bye to my dream of getting married to the mosque. I still remembered my dad's reaction to the thought

Flashback

"Father, I was thinking about the wedding. I was wondering if we were going to choose the mosque near here for the nikah, or the mosque would be a little far"I asked nonchalently, using my fork and knife to cut the meat in front of me. I see my dad put down his fork in front of him, before giving me those cold eyes

"What do you mean by mosque? What do you think this is? Does the wedding have to happen in the mosque to be valid?"He asked me without blinking

"No, but I always dreamt of having my wedding there"I said smiling sadly

"Since your answer is no, the wedding is not going to happen there. It will be a simple wedding. You will see a judge around 3pm, he will finalize the wedding, both of you will sign and that is going to be it"

"But dad"

"No but! I don't want to hear anything about this" He said in his final tone.

End of Flashback

So, yeah, that's what happened when I tried to talk to him about what I wanted for once.

I woke up with the smell of breakfast downstairs, hum, that smells yummy. And just few seconds later, came in Fatimah, grinning like always.

"Wake up sleeping beauty, it is finally the day" she said setting down the food plate.

Yesterday, she slept at my house talking about a 'girl's night' I remember. She made me stay up the whole night, saying that I have to put henna on my arms and feet. And the fact that I don't have any friends doesn't mean that we would skip all the customs. I also finished packing my suitcase. I just took the things that really mattered to me, after all, Malik's dad told me to only pack one backpack the last time I saw him.

He looked like a powerful man, who wouldn't take no for an answer, so I just nodded. I looked at the time on the clock and saw that it was already 12pm. wow, time flies so fast. I jumped on the bed staring at my one and only friend

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier? Actually don't answer that. I am pretty sure you felt guilty after making me stay up the whole night."

"Yeah, yeah whatever. Eat your breakfast really quick. You have to start getting ready, I will show you the make up I bought. I will fix it up for you."She said giggling.

"Did you just say that yoy would do my make up? Or am I hearing things now?" I asked in mock horror

"Of course" she said. "I took some lessons from the owner of the library" She told me grinning

"May lord help me. You took lessons from an old lady, and now you think you have enough experience to do my make up for my one special day?"I asked her, trying to be serious

"You know what, since you don't trust me, you will figure out a way to do it by yourself, because I changed my mind"

"No, no, you don't understand Fatimah, what I was trying to say was that you don't need that lady because you were already born with those skills" I said all serious, before we both started giggling like crazy people. That's when Madam Hanifah came in, smiling also, with a big bag.

"I see you are having fun, but we have to start getting you ready once you eat, since your plate is still full. Anyways the food downstairs is almost ready for the guest." She said in her motherly voice

"That's what I was telling her mama, but you know her, slow like a turtle" added Fatimah

"Girls, I wish I could stay, but someone has to check the food. Here is your wedding dress dear. I can't believe it is finally time. My girl is finally all grown up and is getting married" She said, tears threatning to fall.

"Mama, you are going to make us cry. And that is going to make her eyes red, which won't look good even with make up on" whined Fatimah, too preoccupied with the make up

"I know, I know" she said "I am going downstairs, come down once you are ready."

Fatimah pushed her through the door slowly, too excited to doll me up.

"So, eat first, then we are going to pray Zuhr, and finally start on your make up" said fatimah with her voice too excited that contaminated me

After eating and praying, we started finally on the make up and once I was done with it, wore the white dress that was on the bed. The gems on the dress were shining like diamonds. I took the dress in my two hands, it was actually not that heavy and looking at it up close, it was mainly made of silk, and I can't imagine how expensive it was.

"Come on meen, please don't ruin the make up with your crocodile tears. It is already 2:45 and I heard almost everyone was downstairs" complained Fatimah once she saw that I was about to cry.

"No, I won't cry today tima. Let me wear the dress real quick so we can fix my hijab" I said smiling. I don't want to be sad, at least not today, I want to remember this day forever.

After wearing the dress and taking the hijab that came with it, She helped me fix it up and told me to look in the mirror now. The only mirror I had was in the bathroom, So I went in, and finally opened my eyes to see a gorgeous person staring right at me. I smiled, and the lady smiled also, I smirked and the same thing happened, I finally pinched my cheeks, and realized this was not a dream, that the person in the mirror is actually me and I am looking fabulous today.

I stood on the side of the bathtub, being careful not to fall in my dress, and took in my whole length. This dress was really beautiful and I look different in it, in a good way. And the make up was not too much, just perfect

"So, how do you like it" she asked me coming in the bathroom to stare at her handwork

"Perfect"I said getting down, before I ruined the dress. No other words could describe it

"MashaAllah, you look really beautiful" She said, now fixing her hijab also, considering she was getting dressed while I was staring at myself on the mirror. She put a really light make up on her face, lighter than mine, and it fitted her perfectly.

"Ready?" She asked giving me her arm

"You want the truth?" I asked and she nodded her head

"No, not really. What if he thinks this is too much?" I asked now getting nervous again

"First of all, stop biting your lower lip, you are going to ruin your lipstick, and second of all, you look perfect. Do you trust me?"

"What kind of silly question is this Fatimah, of course I trust you"

After saying this, she have me her arm once again and asked

"Are you ready to become a queen officially?" She asked again, smirking this time

"Ready." I replied grinning the whole time. It was now 3:00 and let's just say that we were a little late. At least, I will be able to make my grand entrance I thought. We went out of the room and started going downstairs where everything was going to happen.

My heart started beating frantically. I was finally going to see him for the first time. I don't know what exactly to expect. What if I mistake someone for him? I mean I am pretty sure he will stand out from the crowd. Right? The room was now filled with silence, everyone waiting for me to get down the stairs. Oh lord, what if I fall down the stairs in front of everyone? or worse, what is worse than that?

"Breathe" said a voice next to my ears. I turned to see fatimah smiling at me. I didn't realize this whole time I was holding my breathe. I took a deep breathe, inhaled, then exhaled. I repeated the process again and again until I was almost near the guest. I started looking at them all one by one. Madam Hanifah' smile and Omar's grin. Malik's father nodded after catching my eyes, another guy, well dressed that I just have a feeling is not my husband since he was next to madam Hanifah, and is just not my husband judging from his smirk. okay, that was weird, but I continued looking at the others, I saw the judge, with no emotion on his face and finally my dad smiling sadly. Wait what? He was smiling sadly? At least I know there is a part of him that still cares. These were all the people here, which leaves the question, where is Malik, the one who is supposed to be my husband?

Everyone was here except him. Wow, I think this is the first time something like this happens and honestly, I am kind of disappointed, but I don't let it show. I smile brightly and approached everyone and said my salam. I went then on the chair and sat down, now waiting for him. His father came forward and told me to excuse his son for his manners, that he was just running a little late. I smiled and said it is nothing.

After what felt like 3 hours , we were still sitting down, my father and Malik's dad chatting, Madam Hanifah and the smirking guy in a deep conversation, fatimah talking to Omar, and me, I was just playing with my dress, almost bored to death. All the chattering died down when we heard a deep masculine voice

"Sorry for being late"said the voice, not sounding sorry at all, I turned around making eye contact with the most beautiful silver eyes I have ever seen. I always seem to notice any sign of trouble whenever it is around but oh boy, these eyes seem to be the definition of the word itself, and this time, I don't know if I will be able to escape.

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