CHAPTER 19.
Today is the wedding day—the day everyone is waiting for eagerly. Simra, Aqsa, and Ifra have just awoken on Simra's bed, and the first thing that Aqsa thought of was Simra's henna.
"Simra, show me your hands."
Simra's entire hands are henna-designed; the ends of the designs extend over her elbows; the henna is the darkest brown, and the name Saad is beautifully written in Urdu with henna.
"Oh my gosh... did you see it?" As she took Simra's hand in hers, Aqsa expressed surprise.
"saad sure does love you so much, Simra. I have never seen such dark henna before."
Ifra sat beside Aqsa while looking at Simra's hand. She asked, "What does it have to do with Saad...?"
"You don't know how that saying goes... the darker the color of henna on the bride's hands, the more her husband will love her. " After listening to her, aqsa replied, and this simra giggled with delight as her gaze fell on aqsa and Ifra's hands.
"Both of you look at your hands..." Ifra and Aqsa's hands are also darker; their entire room is filled with the aroma of henna.
"By looking at your hand, I am sure you are not going to get rid of Arhan," Simra said as she gave a wink to Aqsa.
Aqsa sighs and rolls her eyes."Simra, that saying only goes for the bride and groom."
"Yeah yeah.. will see your hands on your wedding day.I have no doubt that he is head over heels for you," Simra said, taking her hands back.
Ifra feels that Aqsa is trying to ignore what Simra is saying, so she stood up and said, "Okay, now get up, both of you. Simra, you have an appointment in your salon. Why are you still here?"
"Where is Arhan? I have to go with him. I already tried to call him, but he is not picking up."
When Aqsa heard this, she looked at Simra and said, "Oh, let me guess, maybe he ran away, like he always does... She didn't even try to hide the hate in her voice.
Sheeba entered the room as the door was half open and looked at Aqsa as she said this.
"Aqsaa, what did you just say...?"
"Nothing, mom," aqsa shakes her head.
"Let me tell you..he and Afnan have been helping your father since the morning when you were all sleeping. your father is so relaxed that they both are here. they are managing everything without even asking..so you don't say anything without your knowing.."
Aqsa stays silent as she can't say anything to her mom, but Simra took the opportunity and walked toward Sheeba, saying, "They both are so dumb, mom. One can't forgive someone, and one can't forget someone."
"SIMRAA," both Aqsa and Ifra yell at the same time.
Simra just showed them a smile. "what..? "I am saying the truth."
"You better stop talking your truth... or.." aqsa got out of bed and turned toward Simra. Just as she was about to finish her sentence, Sheeba gave her a look and asked, "Or what?"
Aqsa looked at Simra, then at her mother, and said, "Nothing, mom."
Sheeba smiled, knowing Simra was teasing her sisters: "Don't say anything to her today...it's her wedding." With this Sheeba, drop Ifra and Aqsa's dresses on the bed and leave the room.
"That's not fair," Aqsa said as she crossed her hands over her chest, her face expressionless.
Ifra simply smiled, but Simra smirked and declared, "Everything is fair."
Aqsa cut her in and said, "Yeah, yeah, I know in love and war...
Simra shakes her head and completes her sentence, "Naa, everything is fair for the bride."
"I don't know why you're my sister," Aqsa said, looking at her.
Simra and Ifra just laugh at Aqsa's statement.
....
"Where have Mom and Dad gone?"Today both of them are looking exquisite. .both are wearing the same dresses and. .same jewelry, and looking at each other's perfect reflection. .they both love to dress the same.. especially aqsa as she is always the one who chooses the same dresses for Ifra.. today they are wearing a purple lehenga.. with a golden and pink embroidery on it.. with pink and golden jewelry...plus their mang teeka is mandatory. Ifra is putting on her jewelry while Aqsa is getting ready. There is no one in the house except both of them.
"They left already," ifra replied.
"What about Simra...?" aqsa inquired once more
"She has already left the salon with her brother, so I believe she is on her way to the venue."
With everyone already gone, Asa again asked, "How are we supposed to get there?"
Ifra turned to look at her and replied, "Oh, Arhan is coming to pick us up.."
"hmm..." Ifra can see that aqsa just nodded and didn't ask any more questions to avoid the topic of Arhan.
When Ifra couldn't shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong with Aqsa, she inquired, "Aqsa, what happened to you?"
Aqsa remained silent because she didn't understand what Ifra was saying.
"Previously, whenever someone said anything about Arhan, you would always argue or fight him back... but now you just ignore it."
"Ifra, I don't want to talk about him," aqsa said, taking a deep breath. She heads toward the bed and sits on it with a sigh.
"But why..?"
aqsa kept looking at ifra, waiting for him to drop the subject, but when he didn't, she said angrily, "You know why because whenever I am with him, I am always so close to forgiving him...and I don't want to do that. I hate him because he left me. I hate him because he left me when I confessed my feelings for him."
Ifra felt startled because she didn't expect this answer from Aqsa. "You confess to him..."
"Yeah. I did..you know whenever he called me his wife when we were kids. I always hated it. I always hated him but I don't know why and when my hatred for him turns into something people call love... I don't know when I start liking him calling me wife..the way he teased me... when I start falling for him... and you know what he did when" ifra. Now Aqsa has tears in her eyes, but she held them back as she didn't want to look weak in front of Ifra.
"He left right after I told him I loved him...and now I hate him...and I don't want to stop hating him because if I do if I let go of my hatred for him, all I'm left with is my stupid love for him."
"Oh my god, Aqsa," ifra rushed toward her and hugged her.
Now that Aqsa can't stop her tears from falling, she hugged her back and said, "I hate him, Ifraa."
"But I love him too..and I didn't even know about this until he came back again," she adds after a few seconds.
"Now I'm at a loss for what to do... I can't let him hurt me again because I know this time I won't be able to handle the pain... I won't be able to handle the hurt... I know everyone expects me to forgive him, but I just can't."
Ifra should keep listening to him without interrupting and remember all those moments when she told Aqsa to forgive Arhan.
"I know I'm sorry that we expect you to forgive him. and I swear no one will force you to forgive him from now on, but you have to know.. that he loves you too, Aqsa. I can see it.. we all can see it.. and I know you can see it too.. that's why you're scared. .you can feel that his love for you is stronger than your hatred for him.. and I am counting on that love."
Aqsa shakes her head. "I can't forgive him."
Ifra tightened her hold on Aqsa and asked, "Can't or won't you?"
Before Aqsa can reply, they hear a knock on the door.
They both look at each other, as there is no one else in the house except them. Ifra checked the clock and mouthed "arhan."
Aqsa closed her eyes in rage as she knew that Arhan had heard everything. She wanted to bang her head on the wall for her carelessness in talking about him so loudly. Now she couldn't even face him.
As ifra knows what is going on inside Aqsa's head, she whispers, "You have to."
Aqsa smiled and whispered back, "Look who is saying."
They heard a second knock on the door, and Aqsa detached herself from Ifra and wiped her tears from the back of her hand.
Ira opened the door after confirming that Aqsa was safe.
She can tell by Arhan's expression and his fist, which is so tight that his knuckles are white with rage, that he has already heard everything.
Ifra asked him in a low voice, "How do you get inside the house?"
Arhan didn't say anything but show her the keys to her house, and she knew by looking at them that her mom must have given him these.
After a few seconds, he said, "I am waiting in a car."
Ifra nodded at him, and he left
As Arhan left, Ifra turned to face Aqsa, and she said, "He is waiting in the car. Let's go."
"ifra.."
Ifra turned to face Aqsa. "yeah.."
Look at her hand, Aqsa."I want to tell you something."
"What...?"
When Aqsa looked at Ifra, she replied, "I am having this strange feeling that...
"That...?"
"that today's day will not only change Simra's life... but also ours."
Ifra looked at her and nodded but didn't say anything, as she knew that Aqsa was having this feeling because Arhan had heard everything about her feelings.
But why is she having this feeling that today will change something in her life too?