Chapter 5
Author's POV:
The Malik house was buzzing with colors, chatter, and the fragrance of henna that hung in the air.
Bright marigold flowers cascaded from the entrance; fairy lights twinkled across the courtyard, casting a golden glow over the gathering.
Laughter and music spilled into every corner - a true shaadi wala ghar.
Aayat, dressed in a soft peach orange gharara with a dupatta lightly pinned to her hair, sat cross-legged on the decorated rug as her friends and cousins surrounded her. She blushed under the teasing glances and constant giggles.
"Aray Aayat, tujhe toh bilkul yaqeen hi nahi hoga na ke tu ab dulhan banne wali hai?" her cousin Sara (maasi ki beti) teased, smearing a little henna on her cheek.
(Oh Aayat, you probably still can't believe that you're about to become a bride now, right?)
Aayat squealed, "Oye! Don't you dare mess my face!" She tried to wipe it off quickly, her laughter bubbling like it always did.
(Oye! Don't you dare ruin my face!)
From across the room, Rayyan stood near a pillar, watching silently.
He was dressed in a simple white kurta, sleeves rolled up, his expression unreadable.
He wasn't the kind to mingle much, but his eyes betrayed his heart - every glance, every stolen look fell only on Aayat.
He didn't even realize how obvious it was to those who truly observed him.
And one pair of eyes surely did.
Ramsha. ( Rayyan ki mammu ki beti)
Standing a few feet away, her hands clutched together, eyes narrowing every time Rayyan's gaze found Aayat.
She wore a heavily embroidered green outfit, her hair styled perfectly, yet her smile never reached her eyes.
From childhood, she had nurtured feelings for Rayyan, believing one day he would be hers.
But tonight, watching him so lost in Aayat. .. it burned her from inside.
~
Aayat's younger sister Hayaat clapped her hands, "aayat appi, ek baar dulhai bhai ka naam bol ke toh dikhao! Dekho hum sab record kare gay."
(Aayat appi, say the groom's name just once! Look, we're all going to record it.)
Everyone laughed. Aayat blushed crimson. "Hayaat, chup hoja warna main-"
(Hayaat, be quiet or else I-)
But before she could finish, her elder brother Saad joined in. "Haan haan, hum sab sunna chahte hain. Rayyan ka naam lene mein itna sharma kyun rahi hai? "
(Yes yes, we all want to hear it. Why are you getting so shy about saying Rayyan's name?)
"Bhai!" Aayat whined, her voice half irritated, half shy. "You're supposed to protect me, not tease me!"
(Brother! You're supposed to protect me, not tease me!)
Huzaif, always the mischievous one, grinned. "Bas ek dafa keh do... Rayyan... fir hum tumhe tang nahi karenge."
(Just say it once... Rayyan... then we won't tease you anymore.)
"Bilkul jhoot," Aayat muttered under her breath.
( Complete lie.)
Her cousins cheered, "Dulha dulhan ki jodi ho mast, subhanAllah!" They clapped in rhythm, someone even started beating the dholki, and the noise grew louder.
(May the bride and groom's pair always stay beautiful, SubhanAllah!)
Aayat hid her face in her hands, laughing and groaning all at once.
Rayyan, watching this scene, couldn't stop the faint smile tugging at his lips. He wasn't one for expressing much, but seeing her so full of life, so surrounded by joy - it was all he ever wanted for her.
Ramsha, however, saw that smile. Her fists tightened.
Shagufta (Aayat's mother)stepped in with mock annoyance. "Bas karo tum log, meri beti ko itna tang mat karo. Dekho kitni sharma rahi hai."
(Stop it, you all. Don't tease my daughter so much. Look how shy she's getting.)
But Rashid Malik (Aayat's father) chuckled warmly. "Arey Shagufta, dulhan ko tang karna hi toh mehndi ki jaan hoti hai. Meri ladli beti toh sabse strong hai, ye sab enjoy karegi."
(Oh Shagufta, teasing the bride is what brings life to the mehndi. My beloved daughter is the strongest; she'll enjoy all this.)
"abu..." Aayat whinned."aap be."
(You too.)
Everyone burst out laughing again.
~
Throughout the evening, Ramsha made little attempts to get close to Rayyan. She walked up with a tray of juice glasses.
"Rayyan bhai, aapne abhi tak kuch khaya peeya nahi... please have this," she said sweetly.
(Rayyan bhai, you still haven't eaten or drunk anything... please have this.)
Rayyan glanced at her briefly, nodded, and accepted the glass - but almost immediately his gaze drifted back to where Aayat was laughing with her cousins.
Ramsha's smile faltered. She tried again later, standing beside him. "Aap hamesha itne chup rehte ho, shaadi ka ghar hai, thoda toh shamil ho jayein."
(You're always so quiet. It's a wedding house, at least join in a little.)
Rayyan replied in his usual deep, calm voice, "Main bas sab dekh raha hoon."
(I'm just watching everything.)
"Sab? Ya... kisi ek ko?" she asked softly, almost bitterly.
(Everything? Or... just one person?)
Rayyan didn't respond. He simply excused himself and walked towards the other side of the courtyard - where Aayat's giggles were ringing out.
Ramsha's heart clenched, jealousy stabbing deeper.
---
As the night stretched, music grew louder, and dances began. Aayat's friends pulled her up to join a quick dance. She hesitated, then gave in, twirling with her dupatta flying. Her laughter echoed in the air.
Rayyan's eyes followed her every move. He didn't join the crowd, didn't say a word, but his heart beat a little faster.
For him, it wasn't just a celebration. It was a prayer answered. Watching her smile, knowing she was about to become his forever - it was everything he had longed for.
And yet, deep inside, a flicker of fear existed too. Would she ever feel the same for him? Would she ever know how much he had loved her, silently, all these years?
Ramsha watched too. Except her heart was filled with venom. No, she doesn't deserve him. She can't. He should have been mine...
---
As the function wound down and the guests began leaving, Aayat finally slipped outside into the garden for some fresh air. The night was calm, the fairy lights still twinkling, her mehndi drying on her hands.
She stretched her arms, gazing at the stars. "Ya Allah, kitna ajeeb lag raha hai... main dulhan banne wali hoon..." she whispered to herself.
(Oh Allah, this feels so strange... I'm about to become a bride...)
Suddenly, a familiar deep voice came from behind.
"Kya soch rahi ho?"
(What are you thinking about?)
She turned sharply. Rayyan stood there, hands in his pockets, his white kurta glowing faintly under the garden lights.
"Rayyan?" she blinked. "Aap phir se yahan?"
(Rayyan? You're here again?)
He shrugged lightly. " socha dekh loon tum theek toh ho na."
(I thought I should check if you're okay.)
Aayat tilted her head, amused. "Aur agar main theek na hoti toh aap kya kar lete?"
(And if I wasn't okay, then what would you have done?)
Rayyan looked into her eyes for a moment - long enough to make her heartbeat skip. Then, quietly, he said, "Phir tumhe sambhal leta."
Her breath hitched, and for a second, she didn't know what to reply.
To cover her shyness, she laughed nervously. "Aap bhi na... hamesha itne serious baatein karte ho."
(You ... you always say such serious things.)
Rayyan gave a faint smile. "Aur tum... jo kabhi serious nahi hoti aur na dusro ko laite ho."
(And you... who are never serious and don't let others be serious either.)
For a fleeting moment, silence enveloped them, filled only by the soft rustle of the trees. Aayat lowered her eyes, her heart oddly restless.
From a distance, a shadow lingered - Ramsha, watching the two, her nails digging into her palms.
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