BETROTHED ✓

35°

Larai sat on the edge of the bed and dialed Yusuf's number. She had finished packing her things since the previous night. She was apprehensive, yet excited to finally go home to her family.

"Hello, Yusuf? Where are you? I have been waiting for you. What happened? Didn't we agree we would leave early?"

"I'm sorry, I had a flat tyre, but I'm already on my way to the hotel. I will be there in a few minutes."

"Alright." She ended the call and heaved a sigh. Azumi's face suddenly flashed in her mind. Larai's lips stretched into a smile. "I'm coming home, kid sis. I know you miss me a lot. I miss you even more."

Larai couldn't wait to present all the gifts she had brought for her sister. Azumi had always wanted a phone, so Larai brought her an android phone—infinix, with all of the money she had been able to save over the years. She had already visualized the look on her face when she would give the phone to her. She could wait no longer to get back home. 

As promised, Yusuf arrived at the hotel a few minutes after they finished talking on the phone. One knock on the wooden door, had Larai running to get the door.

When she opened the door, she met Yusuf standing outside the entrance, jiggling his car keys.

Her eyes were glued to the blue kaftan he was donned. It suited him a lot. The black cap he had on also contributed. In a nutshell, he looked dashing. And he was soon to be hers.
"Do I look that handsome?"

She smiled. He already knew the answer to his question, so why bother to ask? "The kaftan and cap look great."

"Thank you." He gave a knowing smile and dusted imaginary dust from his shoulders.

"I meant the kaftan and cap, not you." She chuckled.

"What?" He dramatically held his chest.

Larai stuck out a tongue at him in mockery and stood at akimbo. "Why are you surprised? Don't tell me you expected me to compliment you, but not the poor clothes. Okay, you look handsome. Like always." She added the last part in a low-pitched voice. "Are you happy now?"

"Of course I am. My wife-to-be just complimented me. Anyways, you look exquisite."

Heat rushed to Larai's cheeks and she looked away.

•

Yusuf was tensed. He had been driving for hours, but his heart wasn't at rest. Had it been he had a chance to delay the trip, he would—in fact, he would prevent them from going. He knew things were not going to be easy for any of them, yet he wasn't prepared to face it.

He grunted and punched the steering wheel, making the car swerve almost completely off the road.

"Are you alright?" Larai's shrill pierced his eardrum. 

He ran a hand over his face and nodded.

"You don't seem fine. Are you sure you're alright?"

"I said I am!" He snapped, but in a split second, he realized how rudely he sounded. "I'm sorry, Larai. I just have so many things on my mind right now."

"And you can't share? That's the reason I'm asking you—because I'm worried. But it's okay if you don't trust me enough to share your problems with me. It's perfectly fine."

Yusuf knew what she was trying to do—emotionally blackmail him, yet he fell for it. "I have been thinking about your family. I have a hunch they are not going to allow you to get married to me."

Larai adjusted her sitting posture and turned to him. "Don't think too much about it. Even if they don't accept now, I am sure they will eventually do. We will convince them and we won't stop doing that until they agree."