The Moon and Her Stars

Ch. 8: The After Party

Ayaara's P.O.V.

Before we left Khala and Khalu's house, a nikkah date was finalized for early December.

"So?! How does it feel, being engaged and all?" Mehwish Bhabi teased, hopping on to my bed after I got ready the next morning.

Abba and Javed Bhai were staying at our family home with Zahid Bhai and Bhabi. Their flight back to New York was on Monday, so to be able to spend utmost time with them, I slept over too.

"It feels surreal," I smiled.

"I was waiting for this to happen! I've shipped you guys since Zahid told me you liked him."

My eyes widened, and so did hers, realizing she let it slip out.

"Zahid Bhaijaan was the one who told you?!" I shrieked.

"He tells me everything! I'm sure Faris tells you everything too!" she tried defending herself.

He did, except for what caused the rift between him and Khalu.

"When did he ask you out?" she probed eagerly.

"December of my freshman year at Oxford."

"And you hid it from me for so long?!" her eyebrows furrowed.

I gave her a guilty smile, wrapping my arms around her shoulders, "Sorryyy."

She sighed after a minute, unable to stay mad at me, "It's okay."

I gave her a tight squeeze before sitting down next to her.

"I'm really happy you've found the one for you," she held my hand.

"Thank you," then out of curiosity, I queried, "How'd you know Zahid Bhai was the one for you?"

A lazy smile formed on her lips as she went down memory lane, "There was just something in his presence, the way it felt looking into his eyes. It was as if I couldn't look away, like every time I stared into them, I would fall into a trance. I still do. And it just felt like we had a connection. When I saw him for the first time, it didn't feel like it was the first time. It was more like I recognized him and was unknowingly waiting for him all this time."

My thoughts began to consume me upon hearing her words.

She looked at me, "Is that also what it's like for you and Faris?"

Her question rang in my ears.

"Ayaara?"

I felt butterflies with Faris, but everything else she said-

Stop it, Ayaara, stop it.

"Ayaaaaraa?"

"Huh?" I blinked.

"What a-"

My phone buzzed with a text from a work team member.

"It's someone from work. They're asking when I'll be there," I informed her.

The show was tomorrow and there were last minute checks we had to do for the setup.

"I know you'll be busy Sunday, but there's no way you can skip out today? Ayaan Abba and Shehzad are leaving Monday."

I frowned, "I can't. I have to go check in for a bit, not too long. I'll go in the evening though, so I can spend most of the day with them."

"Sounds good... We were just speaking of Zahid and now I'm missing him even though he's in the other room. I'm going to go see him," she giggled before getting up.

"You guys are so cute!" I called after her as she closed my door.

They were very much attached at the hip.