Married To You?

Unplanned Evening Out With The Siblings

When my brother found out my future engagement, well let's just say his reaction wasn't all sunshine and rainbows. In our Pakistani culture it's not a surprise when we hear someone's rumored to be forced into a wedding. The fact that my brother burst into my room thinking I was a victim to this wretched thinking sounds a bit weird because you can't force choices and decisions on me because I'm a feisty, mouthy and arrogant lady. Try me!

"Khadijah, were you forced to agree to this marriage to this prick?" Naveed barged into my room disrupting "my peaceful time".

I just burst out laughing watching him standing there slightly pissed off, "Uhm, heck no! Do I look like I'll let them get away with that? Chill, bro!"

"Yeah, so why did you say yes? You don't HAVE to get married" he argued as if he didn't want me to go.

I was sitting on the floor, leaning against the bed when this happened so any-ways.

He came to sit beside me, not really looking at me. He was gazing up at the wall which was covered in pictures of me and my family, friends, animals; whatever I could take pictures with!

"Naveed, I wanted to get married, the guy's a nice person, you know." I said softly.

I moved my things on the side so I could sit next to Naveed, he put his arm over my shoulder giving me a side hug,"Yeah but, what if I don't want you to go?"

I looked up at him and smiled sadly.

"A girl's gotta go one day, she's only a visitor in her parents' house!" I said.

He kissed my forehead, "If you're sure he's nice but I'm always going to call him a prick. The man is taking my baby sister away from me!"

"Deeds, Naveed's looking for you. Apparently he's pissed of-," looking inside she realized he was here already she shut her mouth effectively "Hey, wait a second. What the hell's going on here, I'm your sister too, why don't you love me too?" Haleena complained.

She came inside and sat on the other side of Naveed, his arm also hugging her automatically.

"Hey, no offence, but this is my room not your bloody sibling sessions room." I complained.

They both laughed. As if it was funny!

My brother was an amazing yet irritating sibling. Amazing because I could count on him whenever I needed him, he was a hero in my eyes due to the countless times he's defended me, helped me when I've needed his support even when I don't ask and his priceless advice has always gotten me through anything. He was irritating for the most generic reasons; teasing me relentlessly, picking a fight with me when that's the last thing I need and generally being a weirdo. He was older than me by 6 years and it showed through his annoying 'the older I am the more chance I have at being right than you' mindset.

"Get ready, both of you, we're going out." Naveed grinned, standing up.

"Oh, come on" I groaned, not really wanting to leave the safety of my room.

"Shut up, Khadijah. You've got half an hour. Use it wisely, Dida!" he teased, calling me Dida bringing out the memories of our childhood, walking out of my room.

I just beamed a smile-showing all my teeth- standing up to shut the door so I could change into something appropriate- trackies and a top that has "#SHO" printed on it would just not cut it.

"Hey, Deeds, what you wearing?" Haleena stood up and went to my wardrobe pulling out clothes to look for something to wear.

"I don't know man, get your hands out my wardrobe."

“Whatever” She muttered ignoring my demand as she continued rummaging through my wardobe, pushing her out of the way I got some clothes out and quickly got changed - a black maxi skirt with a green top and a black hijab- and walked out the room leaving Haleena to sort herself out, she had decided to wear blue jeans with a purple button down with a white top and a white scarf, she was wearing white Jordans and I was wearing green pumps-GO SENSIBLE!!

I went downstairs to see Zohrah standing near the front door wearing a red dress with black paisley print and black jeans with a red scarf with red peep toe flats "Oh my, someone's been busy!" I teased.

She just laughed and then nodded towards the stairs where my brother was walking down wearing a red Ralph Lauren polo paired with black chinos with black Nike Airs. I just laughed at their matching scheme.

"Come on, let's go then!" Haleena rushed down the stairs yelling.

We all just stared at her like she was an i***t but couldn't help ourselves as the happiness of chilling out together got to us making us burst out in laughter. She ended up laughing after mock-glaring at us.

"Ok, let's go." My brother said, sobering up from his outburst.

Umar was staying home with the parents as the little evening was just for us and Naveed said he might want to watch a movie so there would be no point taking the little brat.

Buckling in we started arguing among ourselves as to why we should be in control of the music to which Naveed ignored and played his own playlist which mostly consisted of bhangra songs.

Ten minutes into the drive, I knew exactly where we were heading, Creams-a desert place that I used to ask Naveed to take me to like all the time- our favourite place to chill with the family.

Walking into the shop I went straight to the back in those corner booths and sat at the end, my brother sliding in, Zohrah and Haleena following. We all knew what we wanted so Naveed pulled out the money and told Haleena to order our yummy desserts seeing as she was at the end.

Once she was gone , Naveed and Zohrah turned to face me , "So baby sis, growing up?" Naveed teased, smiling sadly.

"Everyone's gotta grow up one day, now it's my turn!" I replied.

He hugged me, "Don't grow up too much, I need my Dida sometimes too!"

"Dida's not going anywhere, trust me!" I laughed.

"Do you really want this, babe?" Zohrah asked, concerned.

"To be honest, I really actually do, he makes me laugh and he's actually a good, nice Muslim!" I honestly revealed.

"That's true, they were laughing so much when they were in the garden and he looked so hurt when she walked off upstairs..." Zohrah said, "They're so cute together!" She gushed.

Naveed smiled fondly at us, "Fine, as long as you're happy, but I swear the minute I hear his name in something dodgy I'm going to break this wedding, regardless of your opinion" He said seriously.

"Okay!" I agreed.

He hugged me and that was when our sweet baby sister came back, "Hey, I'm keeping the change yeah!" she winked.

"Keep it, tramp!" Naveed teased.

"Ha-ha, hilarious, I can see why Zohrah wanted to marry you!"

"Yeah, the humour, the good looks, the money, whatever else did she want and.. a man who loves her from the bottom of his heart!" He boasted, smiling, giving Zohrah a hug.

Zohrah just blushed, hugging him back.

Our scrumptious desserts came, we started devouring it but after taking pictures of the food so we could put it up on i********:- *high-five*- well me and Haleena did that, the two elders didn't...

Once we had eaten, we sat for a very long time doing nothing but talking about nothing and everything, then taking selfies with each other- WEIRD BUNCH SWAG!

After a while, Humaira (my closest cousin) and Abdullah (these two are both siblings from one of my mother's sisters) and Yusuf and Shanise (these two are related to my aunties husband, not that close to us)- our cousins- came, they had their desserts while we had our milkshakes-I was fully stuffed but saying no to a milkshake would be stupid!- once we did that, we took selfies with them screaming, "SHO!" and "C BLOCK!"

Everyone in the shop was just staring at us like -what the fudge, man? What kinda weirdos live here?- while we were smiling at them like we were all best friends.

In the end we all walked out sensibly, in fear of being banned from Creams-that would be pure blasphemy- to the car park.

Haleena, Zohrah, Shanise, Yusuf and Abdullah walked ahead of me and Humaira so I decided to tell her about the rishta and upcoming engagement- In Sha Allah!

"Hey, you know my mum's friend Halima Abdul, the aunty with the three kids, her eldest three years older than me?" I hinted.

"Hmm, what about the three year older kid?" She asked in a weary tone.

"He, uh, wants to marry me and I said yes, wait don't, don't start screaming, he's actually nice, he's very good looking and he's a good Muslim, he said to me that he wanted me to marry him because he thinks I'm amazing and pretty and so many other compliments, the man sounds so good, names; Mohammed Qasim. Oh my Allah, Humaira, he sounded so good to be real and I just had this feeling Allah wanted me to marry him as if he's the one for me!" I gushed out quickly before she started lecturing me.

"You sure you wanna marry, man?" She asked.

"Yes, I really do." I squealed.

She nodded then hugged me, " I'm going to get you ready for all the days!" she squealed.

"Obviously babes!" I said in a deep voice, teasing her.

"Don't tell anyone though!" I warned.

"Duh!"she said.

Getting to our family group, we found that they all wanted to go to the cinemas to watch The Internship-hilarious movie!

We all agreed to meet up at the cinema so now we were on our way to the cinemas.

Once we got there, Naveed paid for us all and for them four, he said he didn't want to "be lame".

We got our seats in the dark, commercials were running, popcorn and chocolates and drinks in our hands- TEAM PREPARED!!- in this order; Zohrah, Naveed, Abdullah (24 years old- married to Shanise), Shanise (23 years old), Yusuf, Humaira, me and then Haleena at the end of the row.

Watching the movie with this lot was pretty funny as our reactions were so weird and the couples kept flirting throughout the movie which was slightly infuriating.

During the breaks, Humaira kept teasing me sending me winks and grins from where she sat whilst her cousin -Yusuf- kept looking at her like she was acting like a stupid seal which was funny to watch.

The movie was finished, the popcorn was thrown at strangers, the chocolate was devoured, the drinks were guzzled down meaning the Asian family is outta here.

We all said our farewells at the car park, Humaira gripping me tight in a hug whispering in my ear, "Ring me when it's finalised, In Sha Allah"

I grinned at her, "In Sha Allah"

Getting in our car, I breathed a sigh of relief and gratefulness that we had a lovely day, "Alhamdulillah." I muttered under my breath.

When we got home, I just flopped on the sofa in the living room, ready to call it a day.

That's not what I got though, because seconds after lying down, a cute monster was put onto my back, "Say goodbye, Umar, phopho's (aunty from father's side- father's sister) going!" Naveed teased.

Laughing, I, turned around putting Umar on my knees, "Phopho ain't going anywhere babe!"

"Ahh, Shukar-Alhamdulillah for a lovely day- siblings day out!" I high-fived Naveed, grinning.

Shaking his head, Naveed returned my high-five!

Not a minute later, Haleena walked in with at least five movies in her hand, wearing a hoodie and jeggings, clearly getting comfortable, "Oh kayy, get changed so we can watch some movies, Zohrah's getting the popcorn, come on , come on its MOVIIIEEE TIMEE!" she gushed out.

Quickly getting up, I went off upstairs changing in my "#SHO outfit" running downstairs to claim my seat!

Jumping into my seat, I groaned as I realised Haleena had picked the movies so she picked either really gushy, romantic movies or really disturbing, wet-your-bed movies. Naveed turned looking at me, "Its scary movies sis, not your shitty "THE VOW"!!" He cackled evilly.

"The Vow is freaking awesome so shut up otherwise imma grass you up to Zohrah" I provoked.

He groaned, "Siblings day out my foot, go away already, I'll call the prick now to come and get you!"

I cackled, not minding what he said because well he was joking!!

Ahh, what a great day out, I hugged my pillow to myself, my only considerable support to "MAMA" as the rest three preferred scary movies even my parents like them like, UUUGGGHHH!!!