•Riya•
Information Yawar had stuffed into my mind was kind of disturbing. Not lying but I was actually creeped out. He was right, all these years I wasn't just having nightmares but actually restoring some lost memory fragments.
I irked thinking of Kamil. I didn't have a memory of him but the way Yawar described him was enough for me to picture him. A psychic. Of course!
My eyes held Tayi and I was startled to register that she was saying something to me.
"Huh?" I was dumbfounded. Did she say something?
"Riya, Kanwal will be leaving for salon. She was asking if you wanted to join her."
"Oh--uh-- sure! I will go and see her." I was sitting in the stairs and abruptly stood up. I ran up the stairs and entered our room.
"Oh thank God Riya! You are here. Now wear your shawl we'll go to salon. You are coming right?"
"If you want me to, I will." I shrugged. I wanted to see how asian brides got readied.
Zain dropped us and I sat there watching how artists turned her into a living doll. I didn't know about Raheel but here I was head over heels for her. She looked ethereal. "Haye Kanwal. You are dripping in it." I hugged her slowly.
She was trying to lift up her dress and laughed at me. "Stop buttering."
"Raheel gonna faint." I elbowed her.
"Riya!" She blushed but waved it off. "Hasn't Zain arrived yet?"
"I just called him. He is on the way."
***
In the hall everything was gushing how beautiful bride looked. It was right. Kanwal was killing the look. Raheel had worn matching coat with her dress as he stood up for her at the stage after Nikkah.
As I walked Kanwal to the stage, she told me about how cold her hands were. And I replied, "it's alright."
Raheel took her hand in his and helped her climb the stage in her dress that was spread behind her. Meanwhile Zain out of no where mumbled close to me." Is it okay that he is holding her hands."
I gave him a dead look. "Wasn't it there Nikkah a while ago and you were rubbing your pink nose."
"Hain? No!"
"Oh hehe. I saw you stopping yourself from tearing out."
After a while, "it's natural. I guess."
I nodded. "I might not understand it since I don't have any sibling."
He didn't say anything but after a while he spoke, "even if you and Kanwal got to meet for a short time. I know you two made a strong bond. She is your sister as well."
"Practically. Yes."
"Look at her. I am gonna miss her so much." He laughed, another waves of tears launching.
"Please, bro don't cry here. It would be too embarrassing if your cousin sees you."
"Which cousin? There are so many."
"That one--um--your crush, Kanwal told me about."
"What? Don't tell me she told you."
I lined my lips, "she kinda did. But it's ok. Don't freak out. It will only increase your chances of meeting her through me. Like if i get myself her friend."
"Leh! She barely looks at me. Do you even know how heart wrecking is that?"
I shook my head. "Try to get her but if she is not interested or ignoring you, let go of her. Liking or fondness aside but self respect is a thing as well."
"Noted."
"You know what I think." I talked under some mysterious emotions, watching Kanwal and Raheel on stage, "we should embrace those people who love us back, who would go to any limit to have us."
"You are right. Sometimes we just start thinking about a person and then his thoughts slip our head and start residing in our hearts."
His words startled me. A guy as cheering as him could talk this deep. It was more like of expecting a rain in the desert. I nudged, "hey idiot! Don't be sad. You'd definitely gonna find your homey."
He nodded and chuckled. Kashmiri tea was being served and someone handed us two disposable cups. "Enjoy yourself, Riya. I will go and check up on my friends."
I gave him a smile as Zain walked off. I was mesmerised by how good this tea tasted. It was my first time having it. Soon my small bubble of living in the taste popped as I saw a man standing in front of me.
"I was finding you."
"Me?" He was the same guy from yesterday who reprimanded the kid.
"Yah. You actually look good. I thought if we could hang out. It's so boring over here."
"You can find yourself someone else to hang out with. I am not bored here."
"You know what when someone offers you with their hearts, don't say no to the offer instantly."
I would swear that I saw the look in his eyes being changed.
At the moment I turned as I heard my name. It was Yawar. He waved his hand from across the hall to the dude and then gestured me to come. I picked up my lehenga and excused myself.
When I reached him, I was baffled by his hand that he wrapped around my shoulder. I wanted to squirm away for I was scared my father would see me but there were some girls standing in front of us.
"She is my fiancée." He introduced me to them all.
"How cute and short is she! Aw look at her!" They all chided. Even though they were all in their late twenties but I wasn't a baby either. The way they were adoring me was uncomfortable.
I slowly pushed Yawar's hand away and he understood as he removed it. I gave them smile at whatever they said. After a few minutes we moved to an isolated place, a corner.
"It must be cold now." He pointed at my cup.
I nodded, "it's alright. I will just take it. No worries." I smiled slowly. "Who is that person? You saw him right?"
"He is Hambal. No one but a distant cousin. Stay around Zain or me, didn't like the way he looked at you."
I shrugged. We stayed like this for a while. I noticed Zain who was wiggling his eyebrows at us. "Don't look at this idiot!" Yawar spoke and I slightly laughed.
Silence fell again and I finally broke it by saying what I wanted to say. "It wasn't your fault you know." I vaguely talked about the last night conversation. "You shouldn't have blamed yourself for it all these years."
He nodded, looking somewhere else.
"You are a nice person with a clean heart. I like you."
He abruptly looked at me and raised his eyebrows, "you do?"
I shrugged and smilingly looked away. "A little bit."
