"Ammy, please", I plead to mom a hundredth time. "Iqra, please do not force me into this", Mum replied. "Okay, let's take it straight. If Abu allows then can I go?", "I don't think so that he will give you permission, but if yes, then you can, but-", I did not let her finish. "I will make it a YES", and went out of the room to see where my dad is. As usual he was sitting in the drawing room with his 6 o'clock snacks and his favourite time pass news paper. "Asalamualiakum, Abu", I said, entering the room and getting towards the back of his arm chair. "Walaikumasalam", he replied folding the news paper. I started giving a massage to his shoulders. They are the strongest. I would not say that my dad is the best dad, but undoubtedly he did his best to make sure comfort is in every part of our life. I loved him a lot. I just prayed to Allah that I should never hurt him. I prayed a lot for that. The hardships that every parent faces to keep their children safe and sound is a thing that one can never compare with any kind of hardship. Tears began to fill my eyes. Dad took my hands off his shoulder and looked at me. "Iqra, are you crying", he said making me take a turn so that we face each other. "Nothing, dad", I answered making my self calm down. I didn't wanted to ask him now. I know he wouldn't think that this crying and massage thing was for permission, but I didn't feel this time is correct, although I came here to talk to him about that only. "Iqra, you want to tell something", he asked making me sit down on the sofa adjacent to the chair. "Okay,do not cry over such a small thing, it's okay for me. You can go", he said with a small smile on his face. His face had started to get wrinkles, but still he was the most adorable man to me. "Errr.. , but abu I didn't ask you anything", I replied, confused. "Your ammy told me, yesterday itself",dad replied. "Ohh, so Abu are you seriously okay with it?". "I am okay but not serious, rather I am happy", he said laughing. It made me feel light. This quality of my father,we all had inherited.
"Jazak Allah, Abu. I would make it as short as possible", I said giving him a side hug. "Hamza will drop you and he would be coming to pick you", "I know that, Abu". I went to my room, typing on WhatsApp, informing my friends that I am coming.

"Asalamualiakum, I bought the tickets, tomorrow 1:00 PM.", Hamza said entering my room. I was making dua after my Maghrib prayer. "Jazak Allah, Hamza.", getting up and taking the tickets from his hand I said. "Any time", he said and left. We shared the most beautiful brother and sister relation in the world. I shared every thing with him and he too trusted me with his problems. I thanked zillion times to Allah for giving me such good family and friends. "So Aapi, done haan?", Zara said, entering the room. She took the tickets from my hand and landed on the bed, jumping as usual. "Yup, and how many times I should tell you not to jump, you are not a kid anymore, full grown up 16 years old girl", I said, setting the bed sheet in its place. I liked reminding her that she was no more a child and had too take things seriously but I myself didn't like to accept the truth that my small sis had grown up. "So, set haan. I will miss you. Give my regards to your friends and tell Aaeyma Baji that I am sorry, if only my exams were not there", she said, taking her hijab out. Yup. I am ready to go to my friend's wedding. Aaeyma's wedding. Sameera and Sadia were already at Aaeyma's place. It is a two hour journey from plane. She lived in Lucknow. Although she was basically from Hyderabad but her father had moved to Lucknow. We all were best friends since 9th standard. Sameera and Sadia were not from Hyderabad, their families had shifted from Mumbai and Patna respectively. We all studied together till 12th standard, then Sameera and Arzoo went together to Delhi for studing Medicine. Sadia's family had moved back to Patna. And Aaeyma's family had shifted to Lucknow for some reason, and there her father fixed her marriage. She is 21. I am happy for her.
"Abu, it's fine she is not a kid", Hamza replied to my tensed Dad. " I know that Hamza, you do not need to tell me that", he shouted. The plan that Hamza will drop me to Lucknow and will come to pick me up was disturbed as Arzoo told that she would be coming to Hyderabad and we could go together then. Hamza refused to be a part as he told it would be not so comfortable for him and Arzoo, so he canceled his ticket, without even letting my dad know.This probably annoyed him. I did travel alone, I clearly did not understand the reason why my dad is forcing Hamza to acompany me this time. Hamza is again under the sword because of me. I loved the way he always stood by and protected me. "Abu, please. Arzoo and Iqra can handle this alone. They are going by plane not by car", he said sitting on the sofa. "Hamza!, can you just stop that!, you know the reason", He said sitting down. "What's it?", I asked Hamza. " Nothing, we had a proposal for you and dad said no to them as the boy is very very modern. He fears that he may harm you as he is some what powerful",he replied, stretching his body. "What?",I said, laughing. My dad gave me a cold look and my laugh froze. "Dad, I know it's your concern but trust the pepper spray and my karatey. In sha Allah nothing wrong will happen.", I said moving towards my dad and sitting beside me. "In sha Allah", he placed a hand on my head.

"Did you keep your jewellery?", Mum asked. "Yes, ammy. Ticket, clothes, jewellery, etc etc every thing is done mom", I replied hugging her and rushing towards outside as Hamza is waiting outside for me. Zara and Maaz were in school. My Aunt was coming in the evening so only dad and Hamza were coming to drop me. For us it is a six day stay in Lucknow, I wanted to stay more but as Arzoo had to come back so that she could spent some time with her family because she did not get enough leave from her college. We were reaching two days prior to the wedding day and would be leaving after two days of the Reception Party. "Where's, Arzoo?", dad asked. "She will catch up in airport, her brother will be dropping her.", I replied while sending an SMS to Aaeyma about the timings of our flight. "Hmm", he replied.
"I am excited", Arzoo said, as we reached the waiting lounge. "When are you not", I answered, checking the gate no. of our boarding. "No, this time it's different. I mean the marriage thing have started in our group and it has started as we had predicted it ",she said sitting on the chair. "I know na, as we had predicted", I replied. She looked at me, her eyes shining. I knew why. According to our predictions Aaeyma would be the first one to get married and then I will be the second. Arzoo placed herself and Sadia together on third and Sameera will be the last one of us to get married, no proper logic behind this perception but it was only and truly depended on the priority of our lives. Sameera is a more career oriented girl, this did not meant that she is less family oriented or we were only waiting to get married but on her list career came first. We boarded our flight and Arzoo dozed off as she was very tired. I switched on my mp3 player and played my favourite surah (Quranic Chapter) on it.
Sameera, Sadia along with Aaeyma's cousin sister and driver were there to pick us up from the airport. We hugged each other as I am seeing them after one and half year. I wasn't able to make it to Sadia's Engagement as my first year exams were going on. We reached home. The decoration were going on as only two more days were left for Aaeyma's wedding.We went inside the house, I and Arzoo greeted Aaeyma's parents and went to Aaeyma's room. Aaeyma's family is a rather small one when compared to mine.Including her and her sister they were only four. She,the elder one.The house was filled with guest.The thing I liked the most about weddings. The whole house comes to live, with relatives and friends flooding the home. Today is Aaeyma's Haldi Ceremony (Where family and friends apply a paste of turmeric). Aaeyma was getting ready for the ceremony when we entered the room.
I and Arzoo hugged her and chit chatted for a while,but we realised that we too had to freshen up and get ready for the function so we stopped.The function went really well and we all enjoyed. Next day was the day when all the girls were to apply Mehindi(Henna) on their hands. We teased Aaeyma about it. As it was a myth that the darker the colour of the mehindi the more husband will love you. That day too went on really well. All four of us had planned to gift Aaeyma a Ruby necklace for her wedding. We agreed to give the gift on the morning of her wedding day.
"Jazak Allah", Aaeyma said, running her hands on the necklace. "You are welcome", we replied together. We all were glad that she loved what we had gifted her. We went for a group hug. Later the beautician came and we too went for dressing up ourselves. The Nikah ceremony was done and it the time for the Bidaai Ceremony. Usual there is gap between these two ceremonies but in Aaeyma's case there wasn't. The banquet hall was big but wasn't enough to hold the people. We had hidden Areeb bhai's(Aaeyma's husband) Shoe and were bargaining about the amount to be given to us so that he would get back his shoe. That's when a handsome, well built man who was standing beside Areeb bhai spoke, "If you are not okay with what my friend's offering you, you can very well keep the shoes. We had already brought a spare pair. And we already know were the shoes are,inside that vase ", he said with a grin, holding the spare pair in one of his hand and pointing out the vase with another. Who ever he was, I wanted to push him off the stage and punch him for spoiling the fun of the moment.

Hi Guys,
I am soooooo Happy.
Thanks to all of u.

Loads of love.

U r Amateur Writer.