Collection of Short Love Stories

Chapter 8

Things escalated rather.....quickly after that. Everyone was over the moon that finally, Salaar Sikander is going to get married. They decided to have both of the sister's nikkah on the same day, on Friday.

Today is Wednesday and her mehndi. She told her parents last week. Since then, she hadn't seen Salaar or even heard something from him. She didn't have the guts to ask him to see her but she wanted to see him desperately. She didn't know why. Maybe because she needed to see him for confirmation or for reassurance that everything going on is fine for him. They were getting married too quickly because of his pending work. He only has few days left for holidays then he'll be busy again.

"Arey Mashallah! Aj se pehle to itni achi kabhi nahi lagi." Aina complimented her like a true sibling and she rolled her eyes. Nervous was understatement, the dulhan was in full panic mode. She couldn't even admire herself in the mirror before thinking that something will go wrong.
(Oh, Mashallah! You never looked this good before.)

"Kiya hogaya hai Amal? Aram se beth jao. Bilkul psycho lag rahi ho idher se udher itne heavy dress main mustakil chalti hui." Aina said to her calmly. Amal stopped and gaped at her.
(What happened, Amal? Sit down. You look like a complete psycho, wandering to and fro.)

"Apko ko to kuch bhi nahi feel hua hoga kyon ke apki to 'love of my life' se shadi horahi hai. Apko kiya pata main kiya feel kar rahi hon."
(You couldn't have felt anything because you're marrying the love of your life. You don't know what I'm feeling right now.)

"Stop it, drama queen. Tum Salaar bhai se shadi kar rahi ho. Iss ghar ki sabse bari bahu hogi or Salaar bhai ki shakal, no offence, handsome hain, magar kaafi daraoni hai lekin tum fikar mat karo. Tum unki biwi ban kar hukum karna unper."
(You're marrying Salaar brother. You will be the eldest bahu and Salaar brother is handsome but he has a scary face. Don't worry. You should become his wife and rule over him.)

"Hukum, my foot. Unki shakal to sahi se dekhi nahi jaati. Hukum karon unper." She muttered the last sentence to herself when the door opened and her mother entered.
(Rule over him, my foot. I can't look at him in the eyes and you're talking about ruling over him.)

"Uff Aina! Neeche le jaane ke liye kaha tha Amal ko. Yahan beth kar gappe lagane ke liye nahi." Her mother huffed and glared at Aina. Grabbing Amal's elbow lovingly, she took her out of her room. Amal tightened her grip on her mother as they descended the stairs. Their huge living room was filled with people to the till. Unlike Aina's mehndi, the decorations included white and red roses with a hint of yellow fairy lights here and there.
(Oh, Aina! I told you to get her downstairs. Not to gossip with her.)

Amal sat down on the designated seat for the bride and the groom. As both of them are from the same family, the event will be conducted with both of them present. Salaar was not present and her nerves spiked through the roof when everyone surrounded her. Her mother had left but thankfully, Eshaal was with her. She hinted for her to come closer.

"S-Salaar kahan hain?" She wanted the customs to be done as soon as possible so that everyone could take their attention off of her.
(Where is Salaar?)

"Uffo, Amal. Thora sa intizar karlo. Bohot bechain horahi ho." Eshaal teased her and she mentally slapped her own forehead. She looked around with a deep blush when she heard someone say.
(Oho, Amal. Be patient. You're getting too restless.)

"The groom is here!" Spotting him wasn't hard after that. He looked dashing in a light brown salwar kurta with a dark brown waist coat. His hair were gelled and like her, he couldn't take his eyes off of his bride. Unlike other brides, she was wearing a golden lehenga which weighed more than her. Her hands adorned with mehndi, her makeup was kept to the minimal and her wrists making a clink sound because of her bangles rattled his heart.

He took a seat beside her, maintaining a respectful distance as they weren't nikkahfied yet but still close enough to speak with her. He finally moved his gaze away and said something to his father then diverted his attention back on her.

"Itna haseen lagna gunah hona chahye." His low whisper made her breath still. She didn't look at him. She could feel the intensity of his gaze without even looking at him. Mera dil hi na ruk jaye agar inhe dekh liya to.
(It should be a sin to look this ravishing.)
(My heart shall stop if I look at him.)

"Dil chah raha hai abhi nikkah karlon." At this, her eyes widened and she finally turned her head to look at him. Why does he want to marry her so desperately? As far she knew, she wasn't extraordinary gorgeous or intelligent or had any talents that could attract a guy. She believed she was pretty but his actions and words made her feel like a queen which made her curious as to why he decided to marry her when he can get beautiful women because he himself mirrored a model.
(I want to marry you right now.)

"Apko kyon itni jaldi shadi karni hai mujhse?" She bit her tongue and mentally slapped herself. She didn't know she would say that out loud until she heard his husky chuckle.
(Why do you want to marry me so fast?)

"I can't tell you that now." Barely managing to control himself, he got distracted as the rasams started. Amal's cheeks hurt from smiling and laughing too much. It was one of her happiest nights with her whole family. The body heat she felt from beside her couldn't be ignored either. Even though he didn't laugh outrightly or smiled too much, him trying to hold her hand under the table and her resisting was enough proof. She glared at him as he attempted again and she melted as he squinted his beautiful gray eyes at her innocently. Apni zindagi main maine kabhi inhein aese nahi dekha hoga. Bilkul man child hain ye.
(I have never seen him behave like this. He's a man child.)

Amal was scared that someone will see their hands under the table while doing the rasams that's why she resisted until the rasams ended and the people slowly dispersed. Suddenly, Salaar stood up and started to walk out.

"Salaar beta, kahan jarahe ho?" Maria asker her son son surprisingly. The elders turned to look at the groom and his face was stone cold, making a shiver run through her. Oh, no.
(Salaar, where are you going?)

"Kuch kaam hai, Ami. Wo karke so jaonga. Ijazat dein." He gazed at his father who hesitantly nodded and he left. The atmosphere took an awkward turn at the abrupt action of the groom. Aria smiled at her daughter to assure her and took her to eat something.
(I have some work to do, mom. After that I'll sleep. Excuse me please.)

She hardly had a few bites because of feeling guilty as she thought herself to be the reason of Salaar's mood going bad. She couldn't meet him the other day because of the tradition that the groom and the bride can't see each other after sitting in mayon.

"Ab kese manaon inhe?"
(How should I make it up to him?)
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