7 November 2019

Hey, everyone! How are all my lovely readers? What have you guys been up to? Missed me?! ;) here's chapter 18, I hope you'll all love it.

"I love being married. It's so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." - Rita Rudner

Alayna's POV

My mehndi is on Wednesday, two days before my wedding day. Zayan's mehndi is tomorrow evening, and there's a day's gap between his mehndi and the wedding. On Friday, I'll be getting my bridal henna applied. I don't know where the time's going.

I wake up at 8am the morning of my mehndi, but I lay in bed for nearly an hour, lost in my thoughts. After two days, I'll be getting married. Time is flying by, and I almost feel like I'm dreaming. But I'm not. This is all real, and it's happening.

I lay in bed that morning, looking around my room with a sad smile on my face. I can't believe I'm going to be leaving my home, the only home I've ever known and called my own, in two days. In two days, my entire life will change forever.

I feel so many different emotions right now. Happiness, sadness, excitement, nervousness, fear... I'm sad, yet I'm excited. I'm looking forward to starting my life with Zayan and his family. His family have always been my second family, giving me as much love as my own. I love Aunty and Uncle so much, and Laiba, Hanna and of course Adnan. He's the cutest baby I've ever seen. I can't wait to spend my days with him.

I stretch, yawning. I'll stay strong. I will stay strong. I have to, for myself and for my family. They've been very upset lately, and I just want to see them happy before I leave.

I look around my room again, sighing when my eyes fill up with tears. I'm going to miss this room. I've had this room for so many years now, and I have so many memories attached to it. Me, Sara, Aliya, Hanna.. we had so many crazy sleepovers here. All the things we've done here...

In two days' time, I'm going to become someone's daughter-in-law, someone's sister-in-law, and most importantly, someone's wife. Zayan's wife. It's crazy. It still feels unreal. I constantly feel like I'm dreaming, and that I'm going to wake up at any second. I still don't believe that Zayan, Dr. Zayan Khan, wants to marry me and spend the rest of his life with me. He's gone crazy. He's lost his mind. Why would he happily agree to marry me? How does he care for me, so deeply? He cares for me a lot, and I know that. He saved my life, without thinking of himself for a single second.

And I care for him, too. I care for him very much. And what I feel for him... it's unlike anything I've ever felt before. I didn't even know it was possible to feel this way towards someone. But I guess he changed everything. Just his one mere glance at me made me feel things I didn't know were possible to feel.

I just can't get him out of my mind.

********

My family constantly tease me throughout breakfast that morning. I'm glad they're all smiling, even if it's a sad smile. I don't want to see anyone cry again, because it'll break my heart and make me cry again too. I've cried enough. I don't know what will happen to me at the time of my Rukhsati. I don't know how I'll be able to leave my family, say goodbye to them without breaking down fully. It's so difficult, having to leave your family for a completely new family. It changes your life completely.

However, no matter how upset I feel, I start blushing when Zayan's face enters my mind. Thinking about him calms me at the same time that it sends me blushing like crazy. I feel better, happier, when I think about him. He's going to become my husband. My cheeks heat up at the thought, sending me into a blushing frenzy.

********

'Mum, she's blushing! Aww, thinking of Zayan Bhai?!' Sara teases, winking at me while we're having lunch. This makes my cheeks turn an even brighter shade of scarlet as I hit my sister playfully on her arm.

She chuckles, raising an eyebrow at me. 'You're thinking about him, aren't you?' She teases again.

I bite my lip, looking away from her. "Sara, of course she must be thinking about him. He'll be her husband in two days!" Mum joins in with the teasing. She's worse than Sara, Hanna and Aliya in this matter! She, too, loves to tease me.

I roll my eyes. 'I'm not thinking about anyone!' I lie. I was definitely thinking about him. About his brooding eyes, to be exact. And that sexy hair. And that smirk.

My parents and Sara burst out laughing, while Yusuf Bhai has a small smile on his lips.

'Okay, you all can continue laughing. I'm gonna go and take a hot bath,' I say, rushing out of the dining room with the brightest blush colouring my traitorous cheeks.

********

'She looks like an absolute princess. An angel. Wow!' Sara says, tears filling her eyes.

I roll my eyes, laughing slightly at her. "Thanks, Sara."

'My daughter! Alayna! You look beautiful, absolutely beautiful!' Mum says, a tear spilling out of her eye. She hugs me gently, kissing the top of my head while trying not to ruin my makeup.

I chuckle, my body vibrating. "Thank you, Mum! You look lovely too!" I say to her, smiling. She's wearing a lovely light pink kurta which she personally designed, and it has intricate embroidery on the neck, hem and sleeves. She's wearing matching light pink wide trousers underneath, and a dupatta.

I, on the other hand, am wearing the second most beautiful dress I've ever seen. The first being my wedding dress. The shirt is light green, and is fully embroidered in silver. It has half sleeves which are nicely fitted and embroidered too. The shirt is paired with a magenta coloured sharara, which is absolutely beautiful. It looks almost like a lehenga, and I'm absolutely in love with it. It's made out of a silk material, and is embroidered too, although not as heavily as the shirt. The dupatta is quite simple and only has embroidery around the edges, and is a lovely orange colour.

My makeup matches beautifully to my dress. The makeup artist has given me a silver and orange glittery eye, with winged liner and thick lashes which show off my large, almond eyes. The base is perfect, as is the contour, highlight and faint pink blush. My lipstick is a matching magenta shade as my sharara, pulling everything together perfectly. My dupatta has been set on the top back section of my head, and it suits me more on my head.

My thick, long black hair has been pulled into a, elegant, intricate braid which falls over my left shoulder to my waist. Tiny small yellow flowers have been set into the braid, and it looks lovely. Small strands of hair frame both sides of my face, and they've been curled to perfection.

For my jewellery, I'm wearing a pink, green and orange beaded necklace, matching earrings, a head piece and two hand pieces. I'm also wearing two bracelets made from real jasmine and roses, and they smell divine.

When I'm ready, Mum and Sara take me downstairs to show Dad and Yusuf Bhai my final look. I'm blushing nervously, playing with my fingers as I wait for their response. My medium-length nails have been painted magenta.

Dad and Bhai stare at me in shock, before Dad rushes over to me and gives me a huge, warm hug. He kisses the top of my head before staring at me with a small smile on his face.

'Dad? How do I look? Do I look okay?' I ask him nervously.

His eyes fill with tears. "Alayna, dear. You're the most beautiful girl in the world, you look perfect. My princess."

I hug him, tearing up too. 'Thanks, Dad!' My voice is hoarse, breaking slightly.

He kisses my forehead before pulling away and giving me a handsome grin. His eyes are filled with many emotions.

My tears are threatening to spill, I quickly blink them away as my brother hugs me next. 'Alayna,' he says, his voice breaking too.

"Yusuf Bhai, please don't cry," I say, hugging him tightly.

He kisses my forehead, staring at my face with the smallest of smiles on his lips.

'Zayan's a lucky man, and he better keep my sister happy. If not, it won't be good for him,' Yusuf Bhai says seriously.

This makes me chuckle. I wipe away the tear that's spilled out of his eye, and I nod. "He'll keep me happy, Yusuf Bhai. He's a good guy."

'You like him?' My brother asks me, teasingly.

I blush deeply, smacking him on the chest. "Bhai! Not you, too!"

His chest rumbles with laughter as he hugs me once more, a sigh escaping his chest. I'm going to miss my brother so much. He's always been my protector. And I know that he always will be.

********

The mehndi ceremony is a hit, and everyone enjoys the evening to the fullest. Including me. The night flies by, and we return home at 1am.

By the time I shower, change and get into bed, it's over 2am. I'm nearly asleep, when I hear a knock on my bedroom door.

I sit up slightly in bed, yawning. "Come in!" I call loudly.

The door opens, and Mum walks in with a small smile on her lips. 'I hope I didn't wake you, Alayna?' She asks gently.

I shake my head. "No, no. Of course not, Mum. Sit down. Is everything okay?" I ask, suddenly feeling worried. The first person my mind travels to is Zayan. I hope he's okay. He's not having second thoughts, is he?

'Yes, my love. Everything's fine. I just wanted to talk to you for a while,' she tells me.

I nod, smiling at her. "Of course, Mum."

'Time's flown by, hasn't it?' She says with a sad smile.

I hold her hand, nodding as I feel my heart ache. "It has," I reply in a quiet whisper.

'I'm so sad, and I miss you already my darling, but I'm extremely happy for you at the same time. I wouldn't trust anyone but Zayan with my daughter. He'll always keep you happy. I see the love he has for you in his eyes, and it's very sweet,' Mum says, smiling.

My cheeks heat up. Love? No, that's not it. Zayan doesn't love me! "I'm not afraid, Mum. You have no idea how much I'll miss you, Dad, Yusuf Bhai and Sara, but at the same time I know that I'll be happy with Zayan. With Aunty and Uncle. With Hanna. They're all lovely, and they care for me a lot. And I for them," I say, clearing my throat slightly. It feels dry.

'They're very lovely, the whole family. I know you have the biggest heart, Alayna, and that you're my perfect daughter, but I just wanted to say to you to always give your all to the relationship. To the marriage.'

I nod, my heart starting to race. "Mum, you don't even need to say this. Of course I'll give it my all," I reply, nodding.

'Trust Zayan always, he will be your husband. Your companion. He cares deeply for you, everyone can see that.'

"I know he does, Mum. And I trust him," I tell her, resting my head on her shoulder.

She hugs me close, kissing the top of my head. 'I wanted to talk to you about something else, too,' she says nervously.

I lift my head to look at her gentle face, confused. "What is it, Mum?"

'Erm.. about your wedding night,' she mumbles, embarrassedly.

My cheeks heat up and I shake my head furiously. "Mum, I know everything. I'm a doctor, remember? I don't want to have this talk with you." I cover my face in embarrassment, feeling very awkward.

She chuckles, ruffling my hair. 'You don't need to feel embarrassed, it's... natural.'

"Mum!" I say, laughing with hot red cheeks.

She kisses my forehead, standing up. 'Okay, okay. I won't say anything. Get some sleep, my darling. I know you'll be too nervous to sleep tomorrow and Friday, and well.. after that, I don't know if Zayan will let you sleep.'

Oh, my god. "Mum! You're crazy! You're worse than Aliya and Hanna!" I say, getting into bed and covering my burning face with the duvet.

She laughs loudly. 'You're too cute, Alayna. Goodnight, sweetie.'

"Goodnight, Mum!" That was embarrassing!

********

The next two days fly by, and before I know it, it's the night before my wedding. It's Friday night, and I'm pacing around my bedroom nervously. I can't believe how quickly the time has come. This time tomorrow... I don't even want to think about it right now. I'm a bundle of nerves, and I can't stay still.

My bridal henna has been applied to my hands, arms and feet, and it's absolutely stunning. A professional henna artist who's a friend of Aliya's did it, and everyone absolutely loves it. It's now dried, but I haven't washed it off. I'm going to wash it off in the morning. I can, however, see that the colour is very dark and gorgeous.

'Alayna, stop stressing! And get to sleep. You better not have dark circles underneath your eyes tomorrow!' Mum scolds me, patting my head gently.

"Mum, I can't believe how quickly the time has come. Can you believe it? Can you believe it, Sara? Aliya?" I ask them all, nervous as hell.

They shake their heads, giving me sad smiles.

"No more crying. No one's allowed to cry now. Do you all hear that? I've cried enough, and so have you all. Just.. go to sleep. Everyone needs to be awake early tomorrow," I say to them.

'Do you want me to stay with you?' Aliya asks me with a gentle smile.

I shake my head. "Kabir Bhai must be waiting for you, Aliya. I'm gonna try and sleep tonight, on time. If you and Sara stay with me, we'll all end up staying awake," I tell her.

She nods. 'I'll be here bright and early tomorrow morning, though. I promise.' She kisses my cheek gently.

I hug her, sighing sadly. "I know you will, Aliya," I say, my voice breaking slightly. She's in her first trimester, she's been feeling nauseous and dizzy today and not too good, but she's stuck with me throughout these last few days. She's spent every moment with me. Her and Sara both. They've both been so amazing, cheering me up when I feel sad, making sure all the preparations are done on time, making sure everything's perfect. I don't know what I'd do without them.

'Hey, you told us not to cry and you're getting emotional yourself now? Shh. Get some sleep, Alayna. Zayan's waiting impatiently for you,' she says, winking at me.

My face heats up and I chuckle. "I'm not getting emotional."

'I'll see you tomorrow then, okay? I'll be here at 8am,' she says, picking up her purse from my bedside table.

I nod. "Okay, I love you," I say, hugging her once more.

She hugs me back, close. 'I love you more than you know, Alayna. Bye,' she whispers, before quickly walking out the room, wiping her eyes. She's crying.

I swallow, blinking back my own tears which are threatening to spill. Sara and Mum envelop me in a hug as Aliya leaves, and I hug them back, trying my best to stay strong. Trying my best not to cry in front of them.

"Sleep, my princess. It's nearly midnight," Mum says, tucking me into bed.

I nod. 'You guys get some sleep too. Tomorrow's going to be a busy day,' I say to them gently.

They both nod. "If you need anything, call me," Sara tells me.

'Of course,' I whisper, yawning slightly.

'Goodnight, Alayna,' they both say, before walking out of my room and closing the door on their way out. I know exactly what they're going to do now, as I see their footsteps travel downstairs. They're going to sit in the living room and cry, with Dad and Yusuf Bhai.

And right now, I can't see that. My heart's already in a million pieces, I feel like I've already left them and this home. I can't see them cry now. I won't be able to control my tears, and I'll break down completely.

I wipe away a tear that's fallen out of my eye, sniffling. I pull my duvet tighter around myself, closing my eyes. I can't believe I'm going to be leaving my family tomorrow. My home. My room. To start a new life.

I'm on the verge of tears once again, but thankfully, my phone intercepts. It starts to ring from on my bedside table. I frown. It's so late, who's calling me at this time?

I pick up my phone and unlock it, and my heart starts hammering like crazy when I see Zayan's name flashing on the screen. Why is Zayan calling me at this hour? He's awake, too?

With quivering fingers, I answer it.

'Hello, Alayna,' he greets me, his voice deep and husky. It sends a strong current through my entire body, and I bite my lip, the blush breaking out on my cheeks.

"Hi, Zayan," I mumble quietly, not sure if he hears me or not. I'm so nervous right now, that I don't even feel like myself.

'How are you?' He asks me slowly, his voice sounding.. relieved?

"I'm fine, how are you?" I ask him, my voice extremely soft and shaky.

'I'm great, thank you,' he whispers, his voice deep. Have I ever mentioned how much I love his voice? The sound of his voice comforts me and relaxes me, at the same time that it sends me blushing like a tomato.

'Hanna showed me pictures of you on your mehndi. You looked very beautiful,' he speaks again.

My heart starts thumping loudly in my chest, and I try to calm it by placing a hand on my chest. Nothing can help my crazy heart, though. "Thank you," I whisper, politely. He has no idea of the effect his words have on me, does he?

'Are you okay? You're happy, right?' He asks me gently, sounding worried.

I smile slightly, nodding, even though I know he can't see me. "Yeah."

'I understand how you must be feeling, Alayna. It's difficult for every girl to leave their home and their family. But I don't want you to be scared or worried. I promise that I'll try to be the best husband and friend. I'll always protect you, and do whatever it takes to make you happy,' he says to me, his voice full of worry.

I can't help but blush at his lovely words. "I know, Zayan."

'I still can't believe that you agreed to marry me, Alayna. I feel like the luckiest man in the world. You're absolutely perfect, while I'm anything but,' he says, sounding slightly sad.

My mouth falls open in surprise. "Zayan, I'm anything but perfect. No one's perfect. I have many flaws, just like everyone else," I say to him softly. I can't believe he thinks I'm perfect. I'm in no way perfect!

'So you're really happy, right? You're not just saying it? And in my eyes, you're perfect,' he says nervously.

I chuckle, my face heating up. "I'm happy, Zayan. I promise."

'Good. You should get some sleep now, tomorrow will be a long day. It's already late. I just wanted to make sure that you're okay,' he says to me, his voice husky and calm.

My blush intensifies. "Goodnight, Zayan."

'Goodnight, Alayna. Sweet dreams,' he says, slowly.

I turn off the call, placing my phone back onto my bedside table and sighing, the blush still colouring my cheeks. This blush of mine has driven me absolutely crazy lately!

I pull the covers tighter around myself, loving the warmth and comfort my bed gives me. I look around my room, tears rising to my eyes. I'll be leaving tomorrow, I'll be leaving this room and this home. It was my last night in this room, while I'm single. Yes, I'll come back whenever I want, but it just won't be the same.

The tears spill, sliding down my cheeks. My thoughts and emotions go crazy, and I start crying my heart out. I muffle my sobs into my pillow, soaking it. I don't want anyone to hear me and get upset. I've caught my family crying several times these last few weeks, and it's broken my heart. The emotions get too much, I can't control my tears any longer.

Everything is happening so quickly. It was just over a month ago that my marriage was fixed. And tomorrow, tomorrow I'll be leaving to go to another home. To start my new life with my husband. With Zayan. What if I'm the worst ever wife? What if I can't make Zayan and his family happy? What if he gets fed up of me?

These thoughts make me feel even more nervous, even more scared.

Zayan's not that type of guy. He's happy to marry me. He won't get fed up of me, he can't.

I don't know what kind of wife I'll be, but I know that I'll give my all to the relationship. I'll try to be the best wife possible for Zayan, I'll try to make him happy. I know that he cares deeply for me, as do I for him.

I remember when he saved my life. When he jumped in front of the bullet, risking his own life for mine. He didn't think for a single second about what could have happened to him. But he saved me. If it wasn't for him, perhaps I wouldn't be here today.

And the feelings. How can I forget the feelings that I have for him? A small smile appears on my lips as I imagine Zayan, dressed as a groom. He's going to look so handsome tomorrow, I know it. He'll make the most handsome groom in the world. I'm a lucky girl. Tomorrow, he will become my husband.

I start giggling through the tears. I really have gone crazy.

I fall asleep soon later, with tear-stained cheeks and a small smile on my lips.

********

Can you guys believe it? It's the night before their wedding! I hope it's not all too rushed?

How was the chapter, guys? I hope it was okay?

Alayna and Zayan's wedding is coming up! What will happen?

What was your favourite part of this chapter?

Don't forget to vote and leave comments if you liked the chapter, it honestly always makes my day when I read all of your sweet, hilarious comments.

Thank you all so, so much for your love and support, for your crazy and hilarious comments which have me laughing like a mental person! I really love you all.

Question: What are your plans for the weekend?

Bye guys! x