Your Imperfections

Chapter 3

I didn't want to be present in the guests. I didn't want to see the guy just yet. When I got in my room after Haris told me about some people coming over for my hand in marriage, I felt like I was too young.

There was still so much I wanted to do in my life, and a few of your options get restricted after marriage, if that guy isn't narrow-minded. Which I really hope he isn't. But, I should be optimistic.

"Aaleyah!" Mum called out. My room, surprisingly wasn't on the second floor, instead it was downstairs just at a corner of one side of the house, led by a long corridor. So, if I yelled something back, the guests would hear it too. And that would be so un-lady like.

I wore a simple silk gown, insisted by my mother, and a royal blue to match its light gray colour. My face had no make-up on except for a few swipes of mascara. If I were to look back at myself, the younger me, there was no way I couldn't go out in front of guests or anyone literally, without wearing tons and tons of makeup. Now, I hate doing make-up. Before leaving, I sprayed some Men's perfume, humming in delight.

I took careful measures steps into the living room, counting my breaths to calm down the rapid thrumming of the sledgehammer in my chest. Ugh, why did I wear heals, again? Right. Because Mum said they'd look nice. I was going to throw these away very soon.

All eyes fell on me as I stood in the doorway and awkwardly cleared my throat. These were going to be some really torturous minutes of my life.

"Ah, she is so gorgeous, Masha'Allah!"

My smile turned painful. I didn't like getting compliments. At all. They made me tear up, and just. . .didn't make me feel alright.

The woman who had said that came rushing to me, giving me a tight squeeze. She seemed really nice, so I hugged her back. I was grinning fakely and pulling back—

When I saw him.

Not just any him. But him him.

Adian wasn't surprised to see me, or maybe he just masked it amazingly. I quickly averted my eyes away from him, and replied to what the woman had asked.

"Um, yeah I am fine."

She was most probably his mother, having a glimpse of Adian in her. She seemed nice, caring even, but that would be found out after marriage, because that's when most women and their children show their real faces.

"Come, sit down with us."

So, I sat, like an obedient child. I would have to talk to Mom later, tell her how I could not marry a broody boy, who clearly had issues with me from our very first interaction, and called me a brat. He is definitely not religious, because if he has that accent, he for sure doesn't live in Pakistan.

Mum eyed me suspiciously. I widened my smile, trying my level best to avoid looking over at Adian. Something about him really made me depressed. Maybe it is just the aura around him.

Conversations seemed to be stretched on forever. The urge to just straight away say no the proposal, I found, was always on the edge of my lips, begging to let it free. But, no. I knew what self respect was. I'd talk to Mum later.

It was finally time for them to go.

"I will make sure next time your son-in-law comes too," Mrs Khan says, and confusion almost knocks me to the ground.

They did not come here for Adian?

My Mother laughed. Both the women hugged and giggled. "Yes, yes, please do that. I want Aaleyah to meet Aaryan, just as much as you want him to meet her."

From the corner of my eye, I caught Adian's cold eyes on me. I didn't dare peeking, and would I? it was clear to me it wasn't him I'd be marrying if I said yes. It was obviously his brother, who I have no idea is, and why he himself didn't come.

I hugged Sarah Aunty. "I would love to see a pretty face like yours in my house," she chirps. I laughed. She doesn't know who she is insisting to make her daughter-in-law. A girl who doesn't even know how to make perfect chapattis, and who is messed up in so many twisted ways.

And, as I saw Adian walk away with his Mom towards their Bugatti Veyron, I knew he was no different than me in that department.

Stop it.

You should not assume things on your own, something most people do these days. I could say they are rich, but a car doesn't tell that. Maybe it is just his nature, how we was from the beginning, because Shahdab is also super moody at times. And then the next day, he will be all smiles.

Why do people say all boys are the same?

Because they aren't.