"I am done with my makeup. How do I look?" Habibah asked Ruqayya who was busy looking for her cloth.

Ruqayyah stared at her briefly and nodded. "You look good." You will think she is the bride with so much makeup on her face. Ruqayya doesn't understand her obsession for makeup.

"I know." She bat her eyelashes and went out of the room.

"Why did she ask me then?" Ruqayya mumbled. She continue searching for her cloth. She is sure the cloth is in her wardrobe. She dropped it there herself.

"Don't tell me you are not ready." Her mum said,barging into the room. Ruqayya rolled her eyes and told her she is looking for her cloth.

"Are you sure you collect it from the tailor yesterday?" Hassana asked,searching for the cloth in her wardrobe.

"I am sure I collected it. Your cloth was also inside the bag so I removed my cloth and told Ya Habibah to give you yours." She explained. There is no how she will go to the venue wearing another cloth. She will rather sit at home.

"You should check that bag in my room. I think I saw the cloth in it but I am not sure. Go and check." Her mother went out of the room to continue what she was doing. She shouldn't stress herself like this,but she doesn't have a choice. She can't be lenient when it comes to Ruqayyah.

She sighed and went to her mother's room.

"Assallamu'alaikum" She muttered. Her maternal aunties were in the room gossiping about the bride and groom. They kept quiet immediately she entered the room.

"Good afternoon." She faked a smile and walked to her mum's wardrobe.

"How are you?" Hassana's twin sister asked. She is Afnan's mother. They are identical twins with her mother. You can hardly differentiate between them.

"I am fine." She replied with a fake smile plastered on her face. She hates being around her aunties. She doesn't hate them but loathe seeing them. She brought out the bag and checked if her cloth is inside. She removed the cloth and left the room. Ruqayya felt like punching the cloth. She has been looking for it for almost 30minutes and the cloth is in her mother's room. Waste of time!

"Hamida wants to see you." Batoulah said,startling her a bit. She didn't see her coming. Ruqayyah raised her eyebrows in confusion. Why will Hamida want to see her? Isn't she busy with the wedding?

She nodded and went to the room she shares with Habibah. She knock on the door and entered. Hamida's friends and some of their cousins were in the room. They were all busy doing one thing or the other to notice her. She walked to Hamida's bed and greeted her. She was sitting on the bed,pressing her phone.

"You are here." Hamida smiled.

"You look beautiful." She complimented. Hamida was looking very beautiful in the traditional attire.

"Thank you." She said,blushing.

"You sent for me?" She asked. She is curious to know why Hamida called her.

"Yes. Habibah told me you haven't done your makeup. Why?" Hamida asked with a frown. Ruqayyah rolled her eyes,wondering why they are all treating her like a baby.

"Is that why you called me?" Hamida didn't call her just to ask her a silly question or did she?

"Of course. You are not even participating in anything. Is there something wrong with you?" Hamida asked,careful not to shout. She is extremely worried about her sister. Ruqayyah's behaviors is not strange to them,but she shouldn't be this distant during her wedding.

"I am fine,Ya Hami. Nothing is wrong with me." Ruqayyah doesn't understand what the special treatment is all about? She has always been like this so why are they bothered? Hamida stared at her,thinking of what her mother told her yesterday. Hassana is worried about her. She is not close to any other person apart from her and Hamida. Not even their father. They have been ignoring her thinking it's nothing serious. Her sisters are always questioning her about Ruqayyah's behavior. Hamida promised her she will talk to Ruqayyah. They need to have a serious conversation but that will be after her wedding.

"What about the makeup?" Hamida asked.

"I don't want to apply any makeup but I promise I will do that tomorrow. I will apply makeup for the reception tomorrow." Ruqayya replied. No one was paying attention to what they were saying. They were all busy getting ready for the event.

"Okay" Hamida nodded. She doesn't want to argue with her. It's pointless arguing with her when her mind is made up. "You should go and get ready." She said,dismissively. Ruqayyah nodded and left the room. She wore her cloth and went to aunty Baby's house. Her name is Adama,but they all call her aunty Baby. She lives in the next compound. Afnan forced her to sleep there yesterday.

"Assallamu'alaikum" Ruqayya muttered,walking into the living room. The house was looking very clean unlike their house. There are no guests here.

"Wa'alaikum sallam" Her uncle replied,staring at the television. He thought it was just one of the guests that entered.

"Good afternoon,uncle Mukhtar." She greeted,nervously. She doesn't know why,but she is always nervous around her uncles.

"Ruqayya is that you?" He asked not taking his eyes off the television. He was watching a football match.

"Yes sir." She replied.

"The girls are upstairs. You can go and meet them." She nodded without saying anything. She went upstairs and bump into Sameer. He is Aunty baby's son.

"Sorry" He quickly apologized and went downstairs. She entered Aliya's room and met Afnan there with few other cousins. Habibah was also there.

"Are you ready?" Habibah asked,looking at her from head to toe.

"Yes" Ruqayya replied,curtly. She doesn't understand why Habibah is looking at her like that.

"What about makeup?" Habibah asked with raised eyebrow. Ruqayyah chose to ignore her and focus on Afnan who was doing her makeup. Even though she isn't a fan of makeup,she can't deny the fact that Habibah looks really beautiful. She is sometimes jealous of how beautiful she is. She is the only one that looks like their mum among the three siblings.

"Will you do my makeup tomorrow?" Ruqayyah asked. She was tired of how everyone was asking her why she didn't do makeup. It won't hurt to apply little makeup tomorrow. Afnan was surprised but nodded anyways.

"The bride will be conveyed tomorrow evening. They are having a small dinner there. Are you going with us?" Afnan asked,applying powder on her face.

"No" Her reply was curt.

"You will stay here alone? Remember some family members will sleep in your room tomorrow." Afnan didn't make an attempt to convince her. She won't force her to do anything.

"I will just stay here. You people will be back the next morning right?" Ruqayya was feeling a little bit excited. She can finally have peace before they come back.

"Yes." Afnan replied. She rubbed lipstick on her lips and checked the mirror. Satisfied with her look,she closed her makeup kit and kept it aside.

"We are having a game night. Please don't fall asleep." Afnan said and chuckled. Ruqayya can be dramatic sometimes. She will close her eyes and pretend she is sleeping.

"I am not interested. I will be right back. I want to bring Farida inside." Ruqayya went downstairs to meet Farida.

"Hey" She greeted and hugged her. The only reason she is still friends with Farida is because of how close their mothers are. Farida's mother and Hassana are good friends.

"How are you?" She asked,excitedly.

"I am fine. Are you sleeping here?" Ruqayya asked. Farida was holding two bags.

"Yes" She replied and entered the house. Ruqayya didn't say anything. She lives in the next estate. Why is she sleeping here? "Do you have a problem with that?" Farida asked with raised eyebrows. Ruqayya didn't reply her. She knows why Farida wants to sleep here. She is obsessed with her male cousins. Those annoying creatures. She thought.

They entered the room that was now full with both male and female cousins. Ruqayya raised her eyebrows,wondering why they are here. She hates the kind of relationship her female and males cousins share. They are way too close to each other. How are they comfortable around each other?

"You are back." Afnan said,making everyone in the room turn to the door. They all stared at Ruqayya and Farida,having weird thoughts. Ruqayya gulped and left the room. She was feeling embarrassed at the way they were all staring at her. Don't they know how to lower their gaze? She knock and entered the next room which is her Aunty's room.

"Hello" She greeted awkwardly. Adama was sitting on the bed,pressing her phone when Ruqayyah entered.

"Ruqayya!" She called staring at her. She was surprised to see her. She rarely comes to her house. "Have your sit." She gestured to the couch and removed her eyeglass. Ruqayya sat on the couch,playing with her fingers.

"You are here. I hope everything is fine?" Adama asked with raised eyebrows.

"Everything is fine. I just came to greet you." She lied,smiling sheepishly. Her aunt narrowed her eyes in slit. She doesn't believe her. She knows Ruqayya very well and she can tell if she is lying.

"Where is Aliya?" She asked,referring to her daughter.

"She is inside her room." Ruqayya replied. She remembered how her cousins were all in the room earlier.

"Alone?" Adama asked.

"Nope. She is with Adnan and the rest." Ruqayya replied,referring to Afnan's senior brother. Her aunt nodded in understanding. Ruqayya came here because she doesn't want to be around her male cousins. The girl is never comfortable around females much less of males.

"Aren't you going for the event?" Ruqayya asked the question that has been on her mind. Her aunt is sitting on the bed in her causal cloth. She isn't dressed or looks like someone who is going out.

"I am not going. I am having headache and you know I don't want to stress myself whenever I am having headache." Adama explained to which she nodded. She knows little things about her aunt simply because she is always in their house. She isn't really close to her but she is the only aunty she can be comfortable with.

"You should rest. I will just leave." She got up from the couch,ready to leave.

"You can wait till they go out of the room." Adama said. Ruqayya understands what she mean. She nodded and sat down,patiently waiting for them to leave. She will hear their loud voices when they leave.

Assallamu'alaikum

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