Third Person POV

Tahira picked up the chandbalis, carefully wearing the heavy earrings before wrapping the golden hijab loosely around her head. She looked ethereal in an emerald green saree, with silver zari work all over. It was her cousin's mehendi after all. Most importantly, Ashar would come.

The thought of Ashar immediately brought a smile on her lips, which she quickly wiped away.

What if someone enters her room and sees her smiling like this on her own?

To her the name Ashar was just like the soft cotton candy she yearned for as a child, sweet and sugary,
one that lingers on her tongue even after she finishes eating it.

The halls were decorated with golden fairy lights, dark green and royal blue clothes draped over, forming the ceilings, in between which pitch black velvety sky peaked.

Qawwali music from notable singers played in the background, while guests in vibrant green and blue clothes mingled all around, exchanging handshakes, jilabis or latest gossip.

Ashar's mother approached, looking elegant in bottle green katan, while his sister, pretty in parrot green lehenga smiled and waved from behind. Tahira approached them, saying salaam, pinched his sister's cheeks and nervously looked around. Her eyes couldn't find the pairs they
were searching for. Ashar was nowhere in sight.

Two hours passed. Tahira smiled at everyone she met, exchanged greetings, while drops of sweat gathered around her neck. Her eyeliner became weary, so she finally asked Ashar's mother, "Aunty, won't Ashar come?"

"No maa, I don't think he will. He went to meet a friend."

She wanted to text him. What if he
ghosts her? Even after switching her phone on and off, viewing the message option several time, she resisted the urge to text him.

Who was this friend who was more important to him than her?

Before Tahira could ask any more questions, another aunty came and started talking to her.

The song 'Ghalat Fehmi" melted with Tahira's thoughts and she looked around, while the small beating machine inside her ribcage slowly got torn apart into pieces. She did so much. She did too much.

The bride's side and groom's side were supposed to wear different coloured attires.

She changed it so they could wear matching outfits. She made her cousin send the emerald green punjabi to Ashar's house. She bought chandbalis. She borrowed Nanu's saree.

Everything is crap. Everything.

Ashar clutched the coffee mug tightly in one hand, eyes fixed on the Fettuccine al Pomodoro that rested on the table between them.

The odor of strong, black coffee soothed his nostrils, yet the lights reflected by gigantic chandeliers hung from high ceilings seemed too bright for him.

If there was a different girl on a date with him, she would obviously comment on him drinking coffee with steak, but Sumehra knows him for too long for her to object.

The waiter placed two dishes of steaming, perfectly cooked, rib eye steak.

"Sir, Ma'am do you want some cocktails? We have red wine and..."
The moment Ashar squinted his eyes, just about to give the waiter a look with his bloodshot eyes that he would never forget, Sumehra cut him off.

"We don't drink, thank you."
Before uttering another word, the waiter walked away.

"Ashar, have some food, you didn't even try the pasta, it was mouth watering."

"No, like yeah, I'll just have some steak."

"Is everything alright? You're not talking much today."

"Did you like the flowers and umm...the bracelet?"

"Ashar, the flowers are so pretty. Those are the loveliest roses I've ever seen and oh my god the bracelet... let me wear it and show it to you just now."

Ashar blushed, his cheeks became tomato red as the girl in front of him spoke.

The bouquet of vibrant red roses laid in one corner of the table, while the box containing bracelet adorned with
rubies sat beside it. Sumehra kept talking and laughing. Ashar couldn't decipher all the words.

His head seemed too heavy. The air was impregnated with the soothing soft melody of the Odyssey, few clinking of glasses and giggling of other customers.

Sumehra straightened her red gown, one decorated with delicate silver embroidery, hugging her shoulders and waist. Long, wavy hair was tied into a neat bun, while large diamond earrings hung from her ears. She put on too much makeup lately, but it was her happiness, her birthday
that made her dress up so much.

With painted red lips and eyes lined with mascara, she spoke, "Ashar, I love you."

"Me too"

"You just said me too, you didn't say you love me,"

"It's the same"

"It's not the same"

"Let's cut the cake, shall we? Where's the cake?"

Sumehra didn't reply. She didn't bring a cake.

"Give me two minutes, The bakery on the 1st floor sells the best red velvet in town, let me bring one for you."

"It's alright Ashar."

"No it's not," saying this Ashar stood up and hurriedly walked away.

Sumehra stared at the man in front of her. She had expected him to bake her favourite cheesecake for her birthday, he didn't but Sumehra didn't want to dishearten him.

Maybe he was going through a lot of things Sumehra didn't know about..

Tahira stood in front of the bathroom mirror and washed her face with running cold water. Once. Twice.

Took of her chandbalis. Splashed water over her face. Thrice. Cold, frothy water crawled down her cheeks.

Creak. The door opened.

Tahira's mother walked in and within a second Tahira hugged her mother, her mother's arms wrapped over her asshe rested her forehead on her chest.
"Maa, I know everything. You don't need to lie to me." her mother slowly whispered.

Sumehra turned on the music and Ed Sheeran's soothing voice singing Perfect conquered the space between them.

Sumehra rested her head on Ashar's shoulders and like a bolt of lightning, Ashar shifted to his right, making Sumehra sit straight.

"Where are we going, Ashar, to Movenpick, right? We are going to have ice cream, take a walk, listen to our favorite songs and do everything as we have planned, right?"

Ashar didn't reply. The car moved in silence through the quiet narrow streets. Suddenly, it started raining.

The orange lights of the car cast a soft subdue glow on the grey pavement.

Sumehra's eyes glowed with joy, eyes twinkling with happiness. "Ashar, can we get wet in the rain, together? Please?"

Unexpectedly, the car halted in front of Sumehra's house. "Sumehra it's 11pm, you should go home."

With all the colors washed off her face, she dismounted and slammed the door behind her.

Ashar ordered his driver to turn off the music, turn off the AC. He wanted to listen to the rain, until it got concealed beneath the beating of his own heart.

✨

"If life throws arrows at you, will you just stand there and cry? You're scared of arrows because you haven't seen bullets. You have to dodge so that the arrows cannot reach you. I know, shona, there's a war raging within yourself, in which you're fighting with your own soul everyday.
Your maa knows everything, no matter how much you tried to hide it from me. I can't fight your battle, nor can anyone. You have to, it's your life, you have to make your own decisions, you have to discover which person is the best for you." Tahira's mother covered her daughter's cheeks with her palm.

"Look at me, look at my face. Quickly rub those silly tears, put on those earrings...chand or whatever you call it and greet other guests. Everyone is waiting for you. If needed, put on some more makeup to hide that puffy face which you made."

Before walking away, Tahira's mother put extra emphasis on her last words, "Remember, a princess doesn't cry. Your father and I didn't
put so much effort into raising you so that you cry over some stupid boy."

With some effort and a heavy sigh, Tahira did as her mother commanded. Why couldn't she become the strong woman she had always dreamt of becoming?

Ashar stood in the hallway, wearing a black ironed tuxedo, hands under his coat pockets. His eyes fixated on the ground, trying his best to avoid Tahira's gaze. Seeing Ashar, Tahira's mother immediately walked away.

How did she know everything? 'A princess doesn't cry' her mother's
voice echoed inside her head mixed with the scenes of Tuesday's holud, Ashar's confident voice, sweetness of fuchka's chutney melting in her mouth.

She swallowed. Someone has
started to play 'Ghalat Fehmi' once more.

"Ashar, come inside. Guests do not leave our house without eating anything."

Ashar left soon after he finished eating. All this while, he failed to gather his courage to lift his
face and meet Tahira's face.

Tahira changed her clothes and in a pair of comfortable polka dotted sleeveless tops and pants, lay on the bed.

It was raining heavily outside, yet she fixed the AC temperature at 18 degrees.

She wrapped herself in a cozy, fur blanket, the warmth of it tickling her skin.

As she held her phone to switch it off, a message popped up on her screen. It was from Ashar.

Before her mind could process further, she opened it. He sent her a picture of her sitting on the swing, face glowing in moonlight.

The caption read, "It's from today's mehendi. Took this picture of yours,
without your consent, for which I'm extremely sorry. Hope you like it."

A smile appeared on Tahira's lips.

Author's note

This couple is very mysterious yet lovable.

Ashar, the confused guy, seems to be slowly realizing his feelings for our dear Tahira 👀

Message from my friend -

"Dear readers, I wrote the last chapter using scenes that I thought you would love, humour, laughter as well as a bit of information on Tahira's family. It was a gift from me to you all for being so patient and supportive. If I was in your place I would obviously be mad at the writer for taking so long. But I'm thankful and grateful to you all. However I'm extremely sorry for this chapter for creating so much suspense. You may have loved Ashar in the last chapter and hating him now. That's completely understandable. But this is indeed human nature. Even after all this I wanted to show you all how Tahira still loved Ashar. This is the thing about love, there's no formula for love, no specific reason to love, it just occurs... somehow. Let me know your thoughts on Ashar and Tahira. Can you guess what's going to happen next. Lemme know."

I agree with her text, after all the bitter truth is not all soulmates end up together in this life but that doesn't mean the memories and feelings were not worth it! Every experience teaches us valuable lessons and we come across so many people in life with whom we make precious memories, fall in love and then grow apart, still fondly recounting the memories with a nostalgic heart.

Not saying that this couple won't end up together or anything -

I myself have no clue . My friend has a very unpredictable mind which changes every other day 😭

But I'll try to convince her to make this happy 😁

Side question:

As for the next chapter of Maha and Isahaq would y'all prefer one long part of 5-6000 words ?

Or should I split it into two parts of half the lengths. I'll still update a double chapter together if that's the case.

It's just that life can be very busy so shorter chapters of average length might be more easier for some people to go through I guess ?

Let me know your preferences