I was being dragged by Haroon's cousins towards the stage. I was nervous to face him. I silently calmed my nerves and looked at the stage. It was beautiful but my eyes stuck on the person sitting there laced with manly beauty. He was wearing autumn green kurta with golden buttons and golden pyjama.

I was busy glancing him. When on of his cousins coughed and brought me in present. I lowered my head. I was embarrassed.

Please Allah(SAW), don't let me repeat this embarrassing activity of mine. Please, please, please.

I controlled my beating heart and sat on the chair beside him.

All the girls were gathered in front of us and were singing and clapping.

I was looking at them and was trying to comprehend the song when I heard his whisper beside me.

"Assalam o Alaikum."I jerked my head towards him, he was looking at me.

I looked down and greeted him back.

" How are you?"He again whispered near my ear giving me goosebumps.

" Fine."I answered him shortly.

" Why I feel like you are not the Nayab I knew?"He said this time louder.

What does he mean?!!!

" What do you mean?"This time I looked at him confusingly.

" No, nothing. It's just you seem to be like a soaked cat while the real Nayab was wild cat."He said it in most casual tone.

Is he for real?!!!!

His stupid remark made my all shyness fly away and instead it filled me with anger.

" What do you mean by soaked cat and wild cat. I'm Homo sapien (human being) for your kind information."I hissed with clenched teeth.

This man always had the nerve to wake my anger in its most intense form.

" I mean you are..... sorry you were ......a while before looking like soaking cat but not now.... now you are........"He looked at me up and down and winked at me and completed his sentence. "........ wild cat."

What?!!

He has the audacity to wink at me after he calls me soaked and wild cat.

I was fuming in anger and was searching for something to throw at that mad man when Ayat came towards me and tapped my shoulder.

" Why are you so red?" She whisper asked me.

I'm suppose to be red when my husband calls me cat.

"Nothing......" I thought to ignore her question.

"Are you blushing?" She asked with a teasing smile playing on her lips.

"No....." I snapped at her.

"I think she needs water."The jerk of a man interfered.

I was about to retort back but Amma and Mumma came alongwith trays filled with sweets.

They fed us sweet and then started to feed each other.

" You are looking different today."Haroon commented on my dressing.

Really, different?!!!

His comment was ambiguous. I couldn't make it out, whether he was praising me or criticizing me.

" You are looking more different today."I commented back.

If I'm busy interpreting your comment then I should give you one too, to keep you busy pondering.

" Bhabhi this is Sana and she will apply henna on your hand and bhai I will apply to yours."Zara chirped putting the mehndi thaal (henna tray) in front of us. It was decorated with rose petals beautifully.

I nodded at her.

After that Sana was busy applying henna on my hand whilst Zara to Haroon's.

" Please make sure to write my name on her palm."Haroon said to Sana and everyone did Awww haww and hooted.

I tried to glare him at his stupid wish but couldn't stand to his intense glare.

I can't understand him. It's very easy for him to make me anger and blush with his words.

" Bhai if you want your name on bhabhi's hand, you also had to have her name on your palm."Zara said to him in which he nodded making everyone laugh.

It was almost an hour when Sana was done with designing my hand.

Zara was done long ago with her circular and simple design on his palm with my name inside it.

Everyone were tired by joking, singing and laughing. So Amma dismissed the function and asked everyone to pray.

Before being dragged by his friends Haroon whispered near my ear.

"See you tomorrow my beautiful bride."

I gasped at his statement.

I looked here and there. Ayat was flashing her teeth. She winked at me when I looked at her and felt my cheeks warming up.

"Let's go beautiful bride."She said and pulled me carefully.

" And stop blushing....... you can't use your all blush today."She pinched my side.

" Will you shut up and help me with my lehenga."I scolded her diverting her evil mind.

She smirked and nodded.

I was brought back to my room.

After waiting some more time Ayat helped me to take out those dried henna from my hand.

It was dark in colour.

"Somebody is going to have a very loving husband." She sang loudly.

"What rubbish?!! Don't be superstitious."I scolded her and she laughed it off.

I was brought to the hall decorated for henna ceremony. We were waiting for the bride to come. I was busy gossiping with my friends when Rashid elbowed me and gestured me to look ahead.

I looked and my breath hitched.

She was looking mesmerizing, hypnotic, spellbinding and what not. It took me a moment to come out of her spell.

All the time in the mehndi ceremony, I kept my composure with great difficulty.

The henna ceremony was awesome. It was very easy to make her retort, angry and... Blush.

Everybody was tired but no one was getting up to go. It was late so Amma dismissed the function shooing everyone to their respective rooms.

Before going I thought to praise her which I'm sure she has been waiting for.

"See you tomorrow my beautiful bride." I said to her and she went all scarlet.

I wanted to look at her blushing form but my idiots of a friends had to drag me.

I sighed and went to my room hoping for new tomorrow with another chapter and beautiful story....... story of me and my beloved wife.

I was restless the whole day. I tried my best to not think about Zara's nikah,but it was the only thing I was busy thinking the whole time.

I don't know but I wasn't happy with this news. I was feeling helplessness creeping over my soul. I wasn't able to find out the reason for that behavior of mine.

The whole time I was busy looking at Zara and whenever I thought of her marrying someone I felt burning sensation all over my sense.

I wasn't able to hold it anymore.

So, when the function was over I searched for Ammi. I found her with some women gossiping. When she looked at me she came to me and asked.

"What happened Umar?"

"Ammi, I need to talk to you." I said desperately pulling her out.

"What?" She asked me freeing her hand.

"Not here Ammi, come with me please."I said pulling her again.

" Ok, but calm down."She said walking with me.

I took her to my car and open the back side door. She slide inside with confused expression dangling over her features.

I slide beside her and locked the door.

" Ammi I want to talk to you about Zara's nikah."I said holding her palm.

She suddenly was alert and sat straight.

" What?!! What about her nikah?" She said inspecting me from her eyes.

" Ammi, I feel restless. I don't know why but I'm not happy with her nikah."I said in low voice looking down.

She ruffled my hairs.

" Look at me."She said squeezing my hand.

" Umar, I thought you are my genius son but you are more than stupid."She said slapping my head lightly.

"You can't even find out what I've known from your eyes."She continued.

What she is talking about?

" Ammi, I'm completely clueless."I said her confusingly.

" Can you happily Imagine Zara with other man?"She asked me out of sudden.

" Ammi, this is what I'm talking about. That's what make me restless. "I said frustrated and put my head on her lap.

My eyes were burning and I felt hot tears soaking my face washing the helplessness and restlessness with it.

" Umar, son why are you crying?"Ammi was suddenly worried.

" I don't know." I said wiping my tears.

" Umar, wouldn't it be easy to accept the truth?" Ammi said caressing my head.

" Which truth Ammi."I looked at her confusingly.

She was smiling.

" Accept it that you love her."Her word appeared like in jumbled form inside my ears first but after long processing of my brain I understood it.

And I was speechless.

Am I really in love?!!

In love with Zara.

Noooo.

Haroon will probably think that I ditched his friendship.

Beside she is already taken.

"Ammi, it's not like that." I said not meeting her gaze.

"Umar with everyone's consideration you are supposed to get nikahfied on the next day of Haroon's walima with Zara." Ammi smilingly said.

"Ammi, are you kidding me?" I instantly got up.

"I'm not." She said laughing.

"Ammi, you should've not brought this topic about my and Zara's marriage.Haroon is my friend. What he will think of me after this?" I was irritated and bothered about Haroon's reaction.

"Don't over think Umar. He knows it and he is very happy about it."Ammi scolded me.

Really?!!

" So he was playing along with you guys."I asked her with wide eyes.

" Yes, this was our plan to make you realize your love for Zara before it's too late."Ammi said grinning.

" Ammi, what about Zara?Is she ready for this?" I asked Ammi worriedly.

"She loves you as much as you love her. You guys are our children you know. We can make out your unsaid feelings through your eyes."She said looking at me lovingly.

But her disclosure made my heart jump in happiness.

This is why she was behaving unusually with me. Her not meeting my gaze, not talking to me, not asking for ice cream every now and then was because she felt it awkward after realizing her love for me has changed it's path.

We loved each other before as well but the way now has changed now.

"So my dear son, are you happy?" She asked me ruffling my hairs.

"I'm more than happy Ammi."I said and hugged her tightly thanking Allah(SWT) for granting me this happiness.

It was unexpected for me and it was beautiful as well.

____