Chapter 55: Ishaare Tere.

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"Let the winds pass by, 

Let the sun shine upon her.

Let everyone rejoice, 

I have finally married her"

-2am-

*

The Walima began straight after Zuhr. Soft instrumental music played at the background while people took their seats and chatted with soft drinks in their hands along with some snacks. Zamaairah was late. She had to return to her hotel in Adelaide to get dressed that morning, which happened to be two hours away. If only she had gotten her suitcase with her, it would have been easier.

The barn was lit with excitement as the music picked up a few notches, indicating the beginning of the program. The Master of Ceremony was Yahyah. He stood by the podium, looking regal in a navy blue suit jacket and pants with a white shirt inside. A lighter shade of blue tie along with black dressing shoes completed his look. His hair was tamed and brushed to the side perfectly. A Rolex watch was on his left hand along with a beaded blue dumortierite bracelet while his right remained bare (Not that people would be able to see it anyway).

Yahyah cleared his throat and everyone went silent, save for the few children who were hyped up. He smiled at them before opening the piece of paper in his hands. Keep calm. It's just like talking to your sub-coordinates at work. He chanted in his head. He let out a breath and began.

"Tim Urban said and I quote;" he began, "And when you chose your life partner, You're choosing a lot of things" He looked up to the audience to see them captivated at his start. His confidence boosted up and he continued.

"Including your parenting partner and someone who will deeply influence your children,

Your eating companion, for about 20,000 meals,

Your travelling companion for about a hundred vacations,

Your primary leisure time and your retirement friend,

Your career therapist and someone, whose day, you'll hear about a hundred and eighty thousand times.' Unquote. 

Good afternoon Ladies and Gentlemen. Today we have gathered at this beautiful venue to mark the beginning of an adventure of two people, who have undertaken that oath as theirs. Two people who have fought all odds to become one. Two families who are now one. Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together for the bride and groom of today, Aanabia and Yazdan Zaeef!" Yahyah yelled the last bits into the mic as loud cheers and claps surrounded the area. The said couple emerged from the main entrance of the barn as instrumental music began to play.

Yazdan had a grin on his face as he walked down the path with Aanabia who had a shy smile. She wore a white dress that had laced sleeves which ended at her wrists. The body of the dress was also lace and from the waist below, it flowed in a few layers of chiffon whereby the top layer had lacey floral designs until the end. She wore a single silver bracelet and had on a white hijab, matching her dress along with a bouquet of purple, white and pink flowers with a few leaves here and there. 

Yazdan wore a black Armani suit and tie along with a black waist coat and pants. His suit jacket was buttoned close. On his left hand, he had on his Rolex watch. His hair was styled neatly to one side with some hair product that Safwah knew of (Why is this not surprising?). He really missed his long hair though. All for this one day. He reminded himself.

Aanabia had her hand over his as they walked towards the main stage. Once they were there, they took their seats and Yahyah began the ceremony effectively. The bride and groom were introduced by Nahal and Kayan (even though Kayan had asked Yahyah to do it who had refused stating he had too much work already when in reality, he wanted Kayan to introduce his younger brother) respectively. The two did a marvelous work at it. After them was the showering of gifts from both sides (again and Aanabia was getting tired of getting so many gifts yet Amyrah reassured her that it was okay) That ended on a good note. The imam was next, who spoke about marriage and the important aspects of it. The Imam ended the speech with a dua, after which, people began mingling and talking. The once silent barn was now loud with noises and soft instrumental music in the background.

Yahyah walked down the steps, giving thumbs up to Yazdan on the way. He walked straight towards the back where the Zaeef brothers stood. All of them were wearing the same thing as Yahyah. Navy blue suit jacket and pants, white inner shirt and a navy blue tie.

"So what are we going to do now?" he asked them. Kayan turned to Safwah who was the mastermind of the event today. The said person grinned at them before speaking. They spoke in hushed voices, causing a rise of suspicion to the bridesmaids standing by them.

Amyrah raised an eyebrow at them before turning to Kulthum who shrugged. Zamaairah let out a small smile and Urwa narrowed her eyes at them. Nahal was at the front with her mother. Amyrah's phone buzzed indicating a message. It was from Qaidah asking all of them to gather at the front for photos.

While people took pictures with the bride, the siblings waited for their turn. The bride and groom took solo pictures, followed by with parents, then grandparents (only grandparents) then the entire family. The Zaeef family had a hard time fitting into one picture frame but they made it work nonetheless. After them were Hifzah and Nahal, followed by Kayan's family only then the siblings and so forth. Once the family photography were done, they moved to the bride and groom photography in the barn. Once this was done, the venue was shifted outside to the large trees which had hanging lights and what not, decorated as a mini photo booth (courtesy of Amyrah) The bridesmaids (Amyrah, Kulthum, Nahal, Zamaairah and Urwa) took their candid pictures with Aanabia before the groomsmen (Zaeef brothers, Yahyah and Zul) had their pictures taken.

After a good hour or so of candid pictures, everyone became hungry. Kashaf and Kavyaan grew restless in the heat and had to be taken back to Yahyah's place for them to change out of their fancy suits. Kayan had taken them back with Amyrah while the other boys huddled together, doing something.

The temperature dropped down a few notches as the winds blew past the barn and compound. The front of the barn was cleared out for photography (before) and people set at the back (some outside), talking and laughing. Music played from the large speakers around the barn and little children either ran around or danced to the songs played.

Suddenly the songs halted and someone cleared their throat at the mic. The crowd looked up in question. Yazdan and Aanabia, who had taken their seats at the front again, turned to their right to see Safwah standing there with one of his tucked in the pocket of his navy blue pants while the other rested on the podium. He turned to Yazdan and Aanabia and winked. Yahyah and Karmaan guided the couple to take the seat at the front row while Safwah plugged his phone onto the speakers and he nodded at the boys standing at the back. He tapped something on the screen and loud music began.

Ishare Tere by Guru Randhawa began as the boys marched down the aisle and formed a pattern on stage with Kayan in the middle. They had taken off their suit jacket, leaving them in a white shirt, tie and pants. The song began and so did their dance. After the first chorus of Ishare Tere (One which had a very synced choreography), the song changed to Suit by Guru Randhawa ft. Arjun.

Amyrah raised an eyebrow when she saw her husband leading the entire dance crew of his brothers and Yahyah (Zul opted out) into this. She grabbed Kulthum's hands and rushed to the front row of chairs, taking her seat beside Aanabia. She grinned at Kayan as he pointed at her when the line Tennu suit suit kardah came along. Zamaairah set beside Kulthum, Nahal beside her and Urwa beside Nahal. The girls were a laughing mess as the boys danced their hearts out.

After two chorus' of Suit, the song changed to London Thumukta and the boys pointed to Aanabia with large smiles while Kayan blushed bright red. Amyrah could not believe his brothers had convinced him to do such a thing. 

Aanabia on the other hand caught the reference and began laughing. It was Safwah's idea since Aanabia is from UK and the song is about London (even if Aanabia is from Manchester but anyway). When the chorus came up, they placed their hands on the waist of the person beside them and moved their hips in sync with them. The crowd erupted in loud cheers causing Sahl and Kayan to look down, blushing bright red.

The song again changed to Desi Girl and when the lyrics came to Aint nobody like my desi girl, they all pointed to the girls in front with bright smiles. Nahal was a laughing mess as Yahyah pointed to her for this one. The skin of theirs was flushed red and beads of sweat formed on their foreheads. Sahl was having the time of his life, Aanabia noted. She found him quite of a shy nature.

There was a beat drop and soon another set of beats took over, one that Amyrah was suspicious of being KPop but she said nothing. She clapped along with everyone else until a loud bang ended their performance. It was marvelous, so good that the audience (including the bride and groom) gave them a standing ovation. The boys were seated on the floor, except Karmaan who stood in the middle like a boss he is (because he happens to be the youngest Zaeef).

The song changed to that of a romantic, slow one and Safwah walked up to the couple. Yazdan raised his eyebrows at him. Safwah simply grinned holding both his hands out. Aanabia let out a laugh and placed a hand on his, getting up. Yazdan eyed his wife and his brother wearily before getting up too. The two were pulled in the middle of the dance floor to dance while Yahyah announced that the dance floor was open to everyone. Guests slowly filled the dance floor, including grandparents Zaeef, Qaidah and Aahil, Amyrah and Kayan and many more. Aanabia was initially surprised for she had pegged The Zaeef's to be the religious type and that was when she realized how closed her opinions on his family were. Sure they tried to follow Islam to the best but that did not mean they were perfect and she felt that she was okay with it. To each their own.

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Zamaairah stood up and walked out of the loud barn with a large smile. Her slight tanned skin was flushed red from the laughter and cheers she had indulged into during the performance. She walked over to the mini photo booth, taking a seat under the shade of the large tree. She touched the bark, hoping to remember its name but nothing came up. She heaved a sigh and set there, playing with the silver ring on the ring finger of her right hand.

"Why are you here all alone?" she tilted her head to see Sahl standing in front of her with his hands stuffed in his pocket. His cheeks were flushed red from the heat while the white shirt stuck to his body, outlining the white vest he wore inside. Zamaairah let out a smile when she realized the uncanny similarities between the twins.

"Nothing" she told him and he nodded, before moving to take a seat beside her on the wooden bench. She turned to him as he did so. "How have you been?"

"Is something bothering you?" he asked her instead with a raised left eyebrow that had a scar across. Zamaairah stilled completely before forcing a smile at him.

"No. Why did you ask?" she asked him and he stayed silent, watching her with those intense gray eyes of his. Zamaairah shifted slightly under his heated gaze, a blush dusting her cheeks. When Sahl saw this, he snapped out of whatever trance he was in with a cough and blush (which reddened his already flushed cheeks). He turned away, rubbing his neck with a small smile.

"Well?" Zamaairah questioned after a while and he turned to her. He observed the way her eyes flickered to lower right then left before centrally focusing. He smiled slightly at her, looking away.

"Observation" he told her and she let out a small laugh, one that seemed so real but Sahl knew. He knew something was so wrong about it. He wanted to ask her but he stopped himself.

"Right. I forgot about your little inkling thing" she told him and he grinned, looking down on the ground. He leaned forward, resting his elbows onto his thighs as he did so.

"You also might have forgotten that they are right 90% of the time" he told her, turning his head to look at her. Zamaairah stilled at his words. He was right. Sahl had that instinct about things around him which was almost always right. However, she would not let him have his satisfaction. She grinned at him, leaning forward and supporting her chin onto the hand while the elbows rested onto her crossed legs. She blinked rapidly (cutely might we add) at him through the grin.

"Well, you are wrong for this one" she told him with a laugh before she got up. Sahl watched her get up and turn to him.

"You don't want to eat?" she asked him and he shook his head, leaning back onto the bench.

"I'll pass" he told her and watched her shrug and walk away after muttering Suit Yourself. He smiled to himself as he watched her walk towards the large table set out with a variety of food. Zamaairah was different.

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[ A/N: Please do not judge the Religion based on what the people who follow it do. Music, dancing and alot of other things that my dearest characters do is out of religion but the (sad) reality is, it happens (They are not perfect) So...... To Each, Their Own. Don't throw words at me for disrespecting my religion, please. I have no intention of it. :) ]

UPDATE! Thank you so much guys. For all the comments in the previous chapters. I am trying to reply as much as I can. :) 

Sadly, this book is reaching it's end. Just not now exactly but it is. :) 

I Love You My Little Panda's! 

xx, 

-Aalihha.