Chapter 18

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 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 continued, I was sure that I was going to be deaf because of her one day. I hoped her future husband would come soon and fetch her from here. And since she hated the idea of getting married, I knew exactly what to tease her with. A smirk made its way on my face thinking about it. Quickly hiding my smirk, I glared at her. "Can you be quiet? 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 so 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.

Giggling, she finally stopped. Taking a deep breath, I removed her hands from around me. "Never. Again." I warned while 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 we would be going shopping. For our wedding. 'Our', that word sounded odd coming from me. Me and him. Us. Our wedding. It sounded weird, and for me, I had never said that out aloud. Even thinking about it seemed weird. And we would get married on Friday. Which was the next day. I would become his. And he would become mine. We-

Emaan was shaking me and I could faintly hear her voice asking me if I was still there. 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 that it wasn't a dream. It was 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 while holding my hand as she dragged me up to my room. Closing the door and comfortably settling on the bed, she handed me a bar and opened her bar.

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

"Good girl." Grinning, she started having her chocolate. Opening my bar, I took a bite. We don't refuse chocolates now, do we? Whatever the occasion may be, chocolates could 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 reminding her that we wouldn't be able to stay up at night. Finally agreeing, she went to sleep.

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

._._._.

I woke up just as the adhan went off. Sitting up, I checked the time on my mobile and it turned 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 would've killed me. Standing up from the bed, I shook Emaan. "Wake up sleepy head."

"Let me sleep for a while more." Groaning, she covered herself while muttering 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 hair from her face, she spoke. "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 time for Asr." I shook them. No response. In fact, they snuggled up more into the comforter.

And at that moment, I really wished he wasn't like this. I didn't want to be the one to always wake him up. I didn't want to suffer like that. Maybe if he turned out like them, I would just pour water on him. I grinned at the sudden thought. But focusing back on the problem at hand, I spoke sternly. "If you both don't wake up now, then we are not taking you for shopping."

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

"Yes shopping. We are going shopping after Asr prayer. We will 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 was going with us, right? He might have to shop too, right? After all it was... Uhh, yeah, right.

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

._._._.