What happens when life gets two rivals- hitched?
Saad Alam and Raabia Kaif were college rivals. They hated each other and were always competing against each other. Bigger than their hatred was their ego, which forced them to always try being on top...
Raabia felt her heartbeat race as she stood in the elevator leading to the floor of her apartment. Her feet felt lighter as she almost hopped to her flat. She fished out a spare key and opened the door.
'Hey! You are home.'
Raabia is startled by a strong baritone, then she saw Saad coming out from the kitchen. She noted he is still dressed in his work attire. He smiled at her. Raabia forced a smile, suddenly she is feeling awkward.
'Get ready.' He pointed at his wristwatch and quickly disappeared into his room. Raabia eyed him suspiciously.
She entered her room and found on her bed a box gift-wrapped neatly with beautiful shimmering gift wrap. She smiled eyeing the box. She peeped out from the door and found no one so she closed her door, dropped her bag and hurried towards the box.
Her fingers shivered and her heart thumped with excitement as she undid the wrapping. She paused before opening the box, she wondered if this is some prank, but then pushing aside all the negative thoughts she opened the box.
Raabia gasped looking inside. Slowly, she moved her hand and took out a beautiful floor length Maroon sequin dress, it had one side sleeveless and another side off shoulder.
Raabia excitedly walked towards the mirror and pressed the dress against her body. She felt her cheek flush on seeing her reflection.
'Gorgeous.' She exclaimed eyeing the dress, her eyes twinkled. Raabia felt the material it was so soft. She admired the beaded work that was in lines from sleeve till waist. The sequin work giving it a very shimmering look.
She quickly fished out her towel and rushed into the bathroom for a quick shower.
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After she had bathed she quickly slipped into the dress and admired herself in the mirror. She wondered how Saad managed to get perfect fit for her. The dress clung perfectly to her body giving an outline of her perfectly toned body. Raabia felt confident as she ran her palms through her curves.
She admired herself for at least five more minutes before combing her hair. Combing her untamed messy curls had always been unpleasant for her but strangely not tonight. As Raabia combed her hair, few teeth of her comb broke; but she didn't care.
After her hair, she did her eyes, black kohl, and some mascara. Then adorned her lips with velvet maroon lipstick, she made sure her lips appeared fuller with the lipstick and lipliner. Small pearl studs in her ears, a delicate pearl necklace around her neck, she left her hands bare. Finally, a tinge of her perfume and she was done.
Raabia looked at her final reflection, twisted her body little and smiled satisfied with everything. She slipped into open toe Stilettos and walked out of the room with her chin held high.
Raabia's eyes widened on finding the living room dimly lit with few colored and scented candles. She looked at the dining table covered with a white cloth and three red candlesticks in the center with two plates turned upside down and a bottle of champagne in a small ice bucket. With her mouth slightly hanging open, Raabia smiled. She pinched her wrist to realize this isn't a dream.
'Surprise!' Saad's booming voice echoed in the living room, Raabia flinched but quickly turned around.
Saad stood at the door in a white shirt with black buttons, dark blue blazer and black trousers. Raabia liked his combed over sleek and jet-black hair. As he came near her, she got a whiff of his musky cologne and felt giddy. He stood by her and gestured towards the room.
'How is it?' He asked.
Raabia looked at him, into his twinkling eyes and smiled little. Saad frowned and pouted.
'You didn't like it then?' He lowered his head feeling dejected.
'No, No,' – Raabia instantly interrupted, - 'it is amazing. It is just that I don't understand why all this.' She gestured with her eyes at the whole room.
Saad smiled and looked at her. Raabia stopped looking around when he held her hand. She froze as she gazed into his eyes.
'You are looking very beautiful. Even more, than I had imagined.' He complimented her. For the first time, Raabia blushed at his compliment. She inhaled sharply as he kissed the back of her palm. All this seemed like a dream for her; a dream she never wants to wake up from.
Saad held her hand and led her towards the table. She raised her eyebrow as he pulled a chair for her. After she sat he rushed to his side.
'Tell me, Saad. What is going on in your head?' Raabia asked seriously.
Saad looked up from his lap. 'You don't trust me?'
Raabia leaned forward and rested her folded arms on the table, she shook her head.
Saad sighed, he leaned forward and held her hand. Raabia froze once again.
'Raabia,' – Saad caressed her knuckles with his thumb, Raabia looked at him holding her breath, - 'After last night I had been thinking something. Why can't you and I be like a normal couple?', - he looked at her, she simply stared back, - 'I know I want to. And this is my first step towards it. What about you?' Saad asked.
He waited patiently for her to answer. Raabia felt like a heavy lift off her chest as she let out the breath she had been holding.
These same thoughts kept her awake many times in the night and here Saad said it himself. She wondered what happened last night that triggered him to think this way.
'Saad. I want us to be a normal couple. I want to forget everything that happened in the past.' Raabia confessed and Saad smiled. Raabia noted something amiss in the smile.
Saad is happy that Raabia confessed this, he knew she will, after all, she had confessed this and many other things in her drunk state last night. But he is also little disappointed as she recollects nothing of last night.
'Saad?' – He looked up at her, - 'Is there something you need to tell me about last night. Honestly, I don't remember anything.' She confessed.
Saad looked at her and momentarily considered telling her the truth.
