Atifa's pov :

We had just finished washing the dishes and were drying our hands when Ammi entered the kitchen, a grin adorning her face and her eyes shining with excitement. "Girls! Get ready after Asr prayer, we will be going for shopping. And let the kids know about it too. I'm going to pray now."

Before I could process anything about what might be his answer or what might have happened there, I heard a high pitched squeal coming from my best friend. Reflexively, I put my hands on my ears for their safety. If this continues, I'm sure I'm going to be deaf because of her one day. I hope her future husband comes soon and fetch her from here. And since she hates the idea of getting married, I know exactly what to tease her with now. A smirk make its way on my face thinking about it. Quickly hidding my smirk I glared at her. "Can you be quite? Or at least try not to scream." Ammi left the kitchen, laughing at her squeal.

She smiled sheepishly but soon her smile turned into a big grin. "Uhh... Maybe? But not now, when your wedding just got fixed! I'm soo happy for you." She exclaimed before pulling me into a tight hug. And before I could process, she was twirling me around.

"Ya Allah, please stop!" I squeaked trying to stop us. More specifically, trying to stop myself from falling down.

She giggled before finally stopping. Taking a deep breath, I removed her hands from around me. "Never. Again." I stated looking at her grimly.

"Ya Allah, now why are you getting angry? It's your wedding which has been fixed. Cheer up!" She replied frustrated.

It was then that I actually processed what just happened. He said yes. My wedding just got fixed. And now we will be going for shopping. For our wedding. 'Our', that word sounded odd coming from me. Me and him. Us. Our wedding. It sounds weird and for me, I have never said that out aloud. Even thinking about it seems weird right now. And we will get married on Friday. Which is tomorrow. I will become his. And he will become mine. We-

Emaan was shaking me and I could faintly hear her voice asking me if I was still here. If I was okay. I didn't even realise when I started hyperventilating at all these thoughts. It was too much for me. Too overwhelming. I just nodded at her and she left.

My eyes were blurry and my mind too foggy. I blinked my eyes several times to clear them. Pinching myself, I tried to confirm that I wasn't really dreaming. When I felt the sting of the pinch - which was very hard by the way - I realised this isn't a dream. This is reality.

Emaan opened the fridge and retrieved something from it. Happily hurrying towards me, she showed me what was in her hands. "Chocolates?" I asked her confused.

"Yes my girl, yes. Since your wedding just got fixed, let's celebrate. Come, let's go upstairs." She replied holding my hand as she dragged me up to my room. Closing the door and comfortably settling on the bed, she handed me one bar and opened her bar.

"Come one now, take a bite!" Shoving the bar to my face, she forced me to take a bite. She is way more excited for my wedding than me.

"Good girl." Grinned, she started eating her chocolate. Opening my bar, I took a bite. We don't refuse chocolates now, do we? Whatever the occasion may be, chocolates can never be denied.

After that, it was hard for Emaan to stop planning our wedding, but I forced her to take a nap and let me take my nap by threatening her that we won't be able to stay up at night. She finally agreed and went to sleep.

Sighing in relief, my thoughts went back to the upcoming event. How my life is going to change and how I will cope up with it? Thinking about it, I drift off to a dreamless sleep.

._._._.

I woke up as the adhaan went off. Sitting up, I checked the time in my mobile and it turns out, we slept for around an hour. Although I was tempted to just go back to sleep, I knew I couldn't do that. Emaan and ammi, both will kill me. Standing up from the bed, I shook Emaan. "Wake up sleepy head."

Groaning, she covered herself. "Let me sleep for a while more." She muttered slowly.

An idea popped into my mind and I smiled mischievously. "Oh okay, I will just tell ammi that you don't want to go shopping with us."

She sat up like someone electrified her. Like a bolt. Removing her hairs from her face, she said. "Oh yeah, I almost forgot about it. Thank you for reminding me." Standing up from the bed, she rushed to the washroom. "Oh don't forget to wake up the kids! I'm sure aunty wouldn't like us to get late because of them." Saying this, she closed the door after her.

Sighing, I wore my hijab and went to the room beside mine. Opening the door slightly after knocking on it, I entered. They were both comfortably snuggled up in the bed, sleeping peacefully.

Another task for me was to wake them up. "Princesses wake up! It's Asr time." I said while shaking them. No response. In fact, they snuggled up more into the comforter.

I really wish he isn't like this. I don't want to be the one to always wake him up. I don't want to suffer like that. Maybe if he turns out like them, I will just pour water on him. I grinned at the sudden thought. But focusing back on the problem at hand, I told them sternly. "If you both don't wake up now, then we are not taking you for shopping."

Hearing my words, they both slowly sat up. Rubbing their eyes, they peered at me. "Shopping?" Amira questioned with a yawn. Poor kids, I wish we could just let them sleep in. But we can't leave them alone.

"Yes shopping. We are going for shopping after Asr prayer. We will all be buying new clothes and shoes." I told them, smiling slightly.

"Bhai is going with us too?" Alayna asked me, her eyes wide with curiosity.

"Yes, even your bhai is going with us." I replied uncertainly. He is going with us, right? Even he might have to do shopping, right? After all it's... Uhh, yeah, right.

"Okay api, we will pray and get ready." Amira replied excitedly.

._._._.

I examined myself in the mirror. "I don't think I should wear this, it's just shopping Emaan." I told her, still looking at the heavy abaya which she chose for me to wear.

"Yeah I know, but we are going there with your future husband. So you should dress well." She replied emphasising of the word 'future husband' while wearing her hijab.

I looked at her incredulously before taking off my abaya. "I don't care, if I want to dress well I will do it at home. I'm not going to wear that heavily embroidered abaya just for shopping." I said while taking out my usual abaya and wearing it. This abaya just has minimum work on the sleeves, was packed from the front and was loose, comfortable for me.

"And if I wear that heavy abaya it is going to attract people to look at me and abaya's are worn to conceal our beauty and make us blend in, not stand out for people to look at. Our beauty is reserved only for our husband. Remember? And moreover, it isn't even someones wedding that I should wear it and go." I told her sternly while wearing my hijab.

"Yes yes, I remember. Now don't give me a lecture, I was only trying to help you. Which was a terrible idea I realised." She muttered the last sentence but I heard it anyway.

Rolling my eyes at her, I wore my niqab. I checked myself in the mirror once, fixing my niqab. "Let's get going. We also have to check up on the kids." I said while taking my handbag from the side and keeping my mobile in it.

"Yeah let's go." She replied in excitement before leaving the room. I shook my head and chuckled at her excitement. Turning off the lights, I left the room too.

As soon as I stepped out, closing the door behind me, I smelled delicious aroma of kheer coming from downstairs. That too ammi's special kheer. I was so tempted to just go down and have it but I decided to check on the kids first.

Opening the door, I entered the room to find them all ready. Except for their hairs which they were trying to comb. Emaan was standing there giving them instructions. I shook my head and slapped her head lightly. "Couldn't you help them?"

She frowned. "I'm helping them, okay?!" She replied.

"I didn't mean it like this. Just make a pony for Amira and I will do it for Alayna." I replied with a sigh, motioning her to go ahead.

Taking a comb, I held Alayna's hand and took her to the bed. Sitting there and making her sit beside me, I did her hairs quickly. She was wearing a pink frock while Amira was wearing a purple one and both of them looked cute. I gave her a matching hairband and she wore it. Amira was also ready by then and together they looked like best friends. I really hope they become best friends.

"Awww you both look so cute." Emaan gushed while taking out her mobile to click pictures.

"Ma Shaa Allah, Barak Allahu Feekum." I murmured with a smile.

"Now both of you come stand together." She told them while sitting on one knee to take a picture. After she was done taking pictures - which took her around ten minutes must I say - we headed downstairs.

Following the aroma, I went to the kitchen to see ammi ready and taking out kheer in bowls. "Oh you guys are here! Let's just have this sweet dish and then go." She said happily.

"Jee ammi, let me help you." I told her while taking out a tray and keeping the bowls in it. "You didn't sleep?" I asked her after a while. (Yes)

"No, I couldn't sleep due to excitement. And so I thought of making something sweet. And anyways we didn't had anything sweet since your nikkah got fixed. And we should definitely have something sweet on such an occasion, right?" She replied while garnishing the sweet dish with dry fruits.

"Uhh, yeah... I guess." I replied uncertainly while taking off my niqab and keeping it in my handbag. I will wear it after having kheer.

We took the trays to the drawing room where everyone was waiting for us. "Come on everyone, I made kheer. And since Atifa's nikkah got fixed and we didn't had anything sweet, we will leave only after having this." Ammi chirped happily while passing the bowls to everyone.

I could see Amira and Alayna getting confused and I knew questions were coming our way. Quickly taking a glance at him, I saw him looking down, his ears pink. Wait, did I really saw his ears turning pink?

Looking away, I went to sit beside Emaan, who was now undoubtfuly grinning while looking at me. Ammi gave me a bowl too and I took it murmuring a quite Jazak Allah. "What?" I asked her quietly.

"Oh nothing, just that your future husband looks cute while blushing." She whispered back, her eyes shining with mischief.

I glared at her. "Just finish up this kheer or we won't be able to go for shopping." I told her sweetly while fluttering my lashes.

"Yeah yeah, excited are we?" She smirked before having a spoonful of kheer. Without waiting for my reply she moaned quietly and exclaimed. "Aunty, this is the best kheer I have ever had."

"Awwh, Jazak Allahu Khairan beta. I'm glad you like it." Ammi replied back, I just saw that she was sitting in the middle. In front of us he was sitting with the kids.

I turned back to eat my kheer, and it was definitely delicious. I missed having this kheer so much, it was our favourite. We would always ask ammi to make it, and at times we would skip our meals to eat this kheer. I smiled remembering our old memories.

"Ammi I'm confused. Atifa api is getting married? When?" Amira suddenly asked with her eyebrows knitted together in a cute frown.

I shouldn't be surprise but I was. And I had to look at ammi for her reaction. She was just happily sitting there with a big smile on her face, having kheer. I knew Amira's gaze was flickering between me and ammi for an answer. And even Alayna was sitting there with a frown, confused.

"Yes beta, Atifa is getting married to Saad tomorrow. Then he will officially be your bhaijaan." I could feel the excitement in ammi's voice.

I glanced at them to see their reaction and they were just watching us with wide eyes trying to take in the news. My gaze flickered to him and my breathing momentarily stopped when I realised he was already watching me for my reaction. My cheeks burned and I quickly looked away. I regretted my choice of taking off my niqab while eating. If I would have been wearing that, at least he wouldn't have seen my reaction. Although I doubt if he could even see me properly. At least I wish he didn't saw that.

Quickly looking at Emaan, I realised that she already knew what happened because of that silly smirk on her face. Trying to show her that I wasn't affected by it, I continued eating my kheer.

"My brother Saad?" Alayna questioned incredulously, her mouth agape and her eyes unblinking. She looked at ammi and then at her brother.

"Yes, your brother Saad." Ammi replied while glancing at her lovingly.

"Bhai you didn't tell me!" Alayna whined, now getting upset.

"Yeah even api didn't tell me." Amira added sadly. I blinked, almost choked. How could I even tell her that. I didn't even uttered the words to myself yet and here she is thinking that I should have told her?

She is just a kid, she doesn't know how I couldn't tell her or anything. She doesn't understand how it feels. I tried to calm myself down and instead replied to her awkwardly. "I'm sorry princesses. I didn't know how to tell you both."

I glanced at him to see him looking tongue-tied, not knowing how to answer his sister. I know it must be super awkward for him too, so without thinking anything I added. "Umm, maybe we can make it up to you both by buying you whatever you want. What do you say?" I asked while looking at both of them expectantly.

Their eyes lit up and once again their lips adorned pretty smiles as they looked at each other. Maybe my idea worked. "Okay api, as you say." They giggled. A sigh of relief left my lips and my gaze once again flickered to him, only to find him looking at me gratefully. He didn't seem tense anymore as he smiled. I caught myself smiling back at him.

Was this our first genuine smile at each other? It looks like that.

._._._.

Glossary :

- Barak Allahu Feekum - May Allah bless you both.

._._._.