Bakht- Pt 2

*****

"Uth ja meri behen!"

Ayaan barged in Zoya's room at 7 in the morning. The latter was of course snuggling to her comforter without any care of the world and had her face tucked all the way in. The noise did nothing to wake the sleepy head and Ayaan contemplated whether throwing a jug of water over her would be good enough or not.

"Zo, it's morning. See, the birds are chirping, the wind is singing-"

"And you're barking. Nikal yaha se."

Zoya triedly threw a pillow at him and pulled the comforter over herself, not ready to leave the confines of her bed now or later.

"Haw, yeh kaisa tareeka hai apne bade bhai se baat karne ka?"

Ayaan tried pulling the comforter away from her but she had wrapped it around herself like a cocoon. Frowning at how much power the stick held, he tried again but failed once more.

"Acha sun, do you do some secret workout or something? Roz main exercise karta hu aur muscles tu bana rahi hai?"

"Kya bakwas kar raha hai, Yaan. Ja na please."

"Chala jata if it wasn't necessary to wake you up."

Growling like an annoyed kitten, Zoya threw the comforter off herself and sat up straight. Her eyes pinned Ayaan with a glare so vicious that the latter cleared his throat and took a few steps back just in case.

"Kaun si aafat aa gayi hai?"

Ayaan shrugged and threw the apple in his hand at her.

"Abhi tak aayi nahi hai, lekin aa jayegi. Teri baraat."

"Huh?"

Zoya felt her sleep evaporating as she quickly sprang out of the bed and took hold of her phone that read the date set for the nikah.

Her nikah.

Astagfirullah!

"Ahh, pehle nahi utha sakta tha? Mama kaha hai?"

Zoya ran around like a headless chicken with her head in between her hands. A look of panic had marred her features as she kept biting the insides of her cheeks and then groaning and repeating the whole thing.

"Woah, too excited I guess."

Ayaan awkwardly patted her back in an attempt to provide her comfort but his twin just swatted his hand away and with narrowed eyes, threw him out of her room. Respectfully.

"Acha karne ka toh zamana hi nahi hai."

Grumbling to himself in annoyance, Ayaan gave a stink to the closed door and walked away, not really caring that it was his sister's wedding today.

Meanwhile Zoya threw her wardrobe upside down. None of belongings were packed nor did she make an effort to look at the jewelleries and the dress that she had bought. Heck, the girl didn't even realise it was her wedding day until she was informed.'

Talk about excitement at its highest.

"Zoya?"

She heard her mother knock on the door and instantly ran to open it even though it wasn't locked. Her frantic eyes met her mother's calm ones and she started rambling without any particular cause.

"Mama, it's nikah. Nikah! Mera toh samaan bhi pack nahi hai. Samaan kya, main khud pack- I mean tayyar nahi hu. Allah, mama, woh log baraat wapas le gaye toh? Main-"

"Ok, shut up."

And she did.

Zoya made her best puppy eyes at her mother who rolled hers and walked past her into the room. It was then that she realised that her mother was carrying the dress that they had bought for the day in one hand and a huge box in the other.

Zaira placed the items neatly on the bed and walked up to Zoya's dressing table. While doing so, she met her daughter's eyes in the mirror and raised an eyebrow.

"Nahana nahi hai?"

"Oh, haan!"

Zoya quickly dashed into the washroom and cleaned herself thoroughly. She took longer than usual, taking her sweet time to groom herself, not because she cared about what others thought. But because today she genuinely wanted to feel beautiful.

"Zoya, jaldi bahar aao."

"Bas ho gaya."

Wrapping the bathrobe that ended just below her knees, Zoya tied her hair in a towel and walked out only to find her dressing table filled with makeup and jewelleries she didn't know she had.

"Waise, this look isn't bad either."

Hearing the new voice, a wide smile took over Zoya's face. Turning to look at the doorway, she found her Samaira Khala standing there with a teasing expression and a box in her hands.

"Khala!"

"Ji khala ki jaan. Look at you, abhi tak kuch lagaya bhi nahi hai yet you're looking so beautiful."

Zoya felt her cheeks being painted pink but she played it cool and playfully glared at her khala who only laughed along with her mother.

"Pyar dikhana ho gaya ho toh let's get ready?"

"Oh hush, Zaira. You're just jealous that she loves me more."

Samaira secretly winked at Zoya who was grinning from ear to ear. There was no sign of stress or tension in the air and she was grateful for it. She didn't think she'd be able to take it. Not today.

"Suit yourself."

Zaira shrugged and pulled Zoya onto the chair. The latter puffed in a breath and prepared herself for being dressed up like the bride-to-be.

*****

Over an hour later, Zoya winced when Samaira pinned the dupatta a little too brutally. Her khala made an apologetic look and carefully loosened the pin.

Zaira worked on putting the bangles and the kade. There were too many of them and Zoya controlled herself from scrunching her nose and yelling out a 'that's enough' and sat silently while they dolled her up.

"Kaunsi?"

Zaira asked as she showed the rings they had bought. Zoya was a ring addict since her early teens and no matter how many, her collection of them kept rising as years passed. She had all kinds of rings. The simple ones, the leafy ones, the big ones. Emerald, sapphire, ruby, jade and what not.

All seemed pleasing to the eyes and after a heavy contemplation, Zoya chose the four she loved the most. They fell more on the simple side but balanced her look naturally.

"Masha'Allah."

Samaira whispered in joy as she patted Zoya's head when she was ready. Placing a kiss on the crown of her head, she looked at Zaira who had fallen silent halfway through the session.

Feeling the need to give the two some privacy, Samaira passed a brief smile to Zoya and walked out of the room, gently closing the door behind her.

Zoya looked at her mother who cleared her throat and offered a subtle smile. Taking hold of the kajal, Zaira placed a small dot behind Zoya's ear and the latter only made a funny face at which Zaira finally chuckled.

"Muh nahi banao. Nazar lagna is real. Now hush."

Zaira read a few duas and gently blew them over her daughter's head. Staring at Zoya adorned like a bride, she remembered the time when she sat as one. Surrounded by her mother, tayi ammi, sister and cousins. It had been a big of a haul and one of the sweetest memories of her life.

Unfortunately, Zoya's nani had passed away 2 years back due to a heart attack in her sleep.

"Mama, I expect you to cry instead of giving me a silent treatment."

Zoya sassed playfully and Zaira hit her gently on the forehead. The maang teeka did nothing to save the bride from the hit and Zoya scowled at her mother who only rolled her eyes.

"Don't give me those looks. Now come on, mujhe photos leni hai tumhari."

"Kyu?"

"Vogue ke cover page pe chapne ke liye."

Zoya gave a stink eye to her mother who stared back at her with a neutral expression. Not seeing any reason to decline, Zoya adjusted the huge lehenga and tried not to trip. She still hadn't worn the shoes so the chances of the material being trapped under her feet were higher.

"Dhyan se."

Zoya tried not to curse her clumsiness when her feet slipped but to her luck, the brother that was annoying as hell came to immediate rescue.

"You're not all that useless."

Ayaan loosened his hold on her and Zoya shrieked but before she could fall, he caught her up again with a triumphant grin.

"And you're not all that independent."

"Teri toh-"

"Bas!"

Azlan Mir walked into his daughter's room only to find his kids fighting like enemies on a battlefield with words. His eyes found his wife standing beside the dressing mirror with an exasperated look and he bit in a chuckle.

"Apni beti ko dekhe. Jab dekho tab mera sar khati phirti hai."

"Well, at least you know ki tere paas sirf sar hai, dimaag nahi."

"I meant dimaag!"

"Oh hush you-"

"Zoya language."

The bride frowned at her mother and crossed her arms across her torso. Narrowing her eyes at her, she spoke the obvious.

"Maine toh aisa waisa kuch bola bhi nahi."

"Lekin bolne wali thi."

Ayaan butted with a cheeky grin. He threw a flying kiss at his mother who waved her hand in the air, as though rejecting it without any mercy.

Zoya complained to her father with her eyes who placed a hand around her shoulder and looked at Zaira with a mock disappointment.

"Kyu hamesha meri bachi ke peeche padi rehti ho?"

Zaira rolled her eyes at the dramatic duo. Years had passed but all that changed within the Mir house was the age that caught up to people. The personalities remained the same, the relations remained the same and the love had only increased.

"Aap hi bigaad kar rakhte hai dono ko."

"Dono ko? Woh tumhara bandar hai."

Azlan pointed at Ayaan who scowled at his father and walked up to stand beside his mother. Feeling greatly wronged, he placed his head on Zaira's shoulder who was busy throwing daggers at her husband.

Who even calls their kid bandar?

"Ok, enough guys. We'll nickname the kids later. Zamin just notified that the Baraat isn't far away. They'll arrive in less than half an hour."

Samaira interrupted the family with an apologetic smile.

"Allah, I'm not even ready yet!"

Zaira squealed in horror and quickly walked out of the room, leaving everyone to laugh at her misery.

Azlan kept the emotional show on bay. He didn't want to ruin the precious day with his tears and controlling every ounce of emotion within him, he placed a kiss on his daughter's forehead and walked towards his room where his wife might be wreaking havoc.

"Waise, now that you're all dressed up, itni bhi bekar nahi dikhti hai tu."

"Thanks."

Zoya gave a tight lipped smile to Ayaan who nodded his head in acknowledgement. Controlling herself from throwing the high heels that lay beside her chair at him, she ignored her brother for the rest of the while.

"Ayaan, chalo abhi, neeche tumhare dost bhi aa gaye honge. Go and attend to them."

Samaira ushered him out of the room and he did so without any complaints. Now that the time had arrived closer, all four hearts felt heavy with words unsaid.

Ayaan walked down the stairs with a frown. His throat felt a little itchy while his eyes kept glossing over. Blinking more than a few times, he shook his head and headed over to gulp down a glass of chilled water. The substance cooled his throat but only for sometime before the feeling returned.

"Ho kya raha hai? Bukhar toh nahi hai na?"

He checked his temperature with his palm but nothing. It felt normal.

"Ayaan!"

Hearing a familiar voice yell his name, he turned around to come face to face with Sayeed and Ahzan. The latter had a bottle of coke in one hand and a bowl of something in the other while Sayeed tried waving at him but had his hands were full with a pastry and a donut.

"Khane ke liye hi aaye ho?"

"Muft ka khana kaun chodega? Especially jab woh apne ghar ka ho."

"Yeh mera ghar hai."

Ayaan dumbly pointed out to Ahzan who faked a hurt expression.

"Tu mere sage bhai se kam hai kya?"

"Emotional blackmail kar walo bas."

Ahzan grinned like a chihuahua and strolled away with Sayeed hot on his trail, probably to fetch more free food.

He had invited only Sayeed and Ahzan's family and maybe her. At the reminder from his brain, Ayaan looked around, searching for the face that he had grown accustomed to in the last one week.

"Ayaan, chalo. Baraat aa gayi hai."

Zamin, his cousin, pulled him away and towards the huge gates that were now bustling with anticipation. Trying to cover his sullen expression, Ayaan followed him to where the elders of the family stood to greet the guests and the groom.

It was time for the nikah to officially begin and one could only hope that it would be settled without any unfortunate occurrences.

Or will it be?

**********

Ahuh, it's nikah time! You're all invited, of course. Khali haath mat aana please. Muft ka khana toh milega hi (words mein).

Lmao, I felt energized writing this chapter with all that playful banter and sassy remarks. Meri zaban sirf yaha hi kyu chalti hai bhai?

Anyways, do leave your thoughts about the chapter and Insha'Allah, I'll try updating sooner!!

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