The love that never chose me

Chapter 4: Familiar faces

Salma’s POV

“Wow!”

The ceremony is here already.

I smooth my hands down my dress for what is probably the tenth time. Not because anything is wrong with it. Just because I can’t stop checking.

The satin material falls nicely against my body, and the color looks even better than it did in the store.

For once, I don’t regret my outfit choice.

My hair rests neatly on my shoulders, and after spending almost thirty minutes deciding between two pairs of earrings, I finally settle on the smaller ones.

Good enough.

I take a step back from the mirror. Then another.

Studying my reflection from different angles like I’m about to sit for an inspection.

A smile tugs at my lips.

I look really nice.

Maybe the engagement party hype got to me after all.

My phone vibrates on the dresser.

The family group chat.

I don’t even need to open it to know Jolene is responsible.

Curiosity gets the better of me anyway.

Big mistake.

Jolene: “Guys, be honest.”

Jolene: “Am I overdressed?”

A picture follows immediately.

Then another. And another.

I laugh.

Aunt Kira responds almost instantly.

Aunt Kira: “Jolene, leave people alone.”

Jolene: “So that’s a yes?”

I shake my head.

That girl genuinely thrives in chaos.

Another message comes in.

The engagement party has completely taken over the group chat.

Everyone suddenly has opinions about dresses, shoes, hairstyles, they said they had figured out about a week ago.

I lock my phone and place it back on the dresser.

The excitement is contagious.

Tonight is supposed to be simple.

Just family. Good food. Pictures.

Maybe a little gossip.

I’m going to make every moment count.

“Salma!”

A loud voice from down the hallway interrupts my thoughts.

I dabble my eyes.

Mum.

“Are you ready?”

“Almost!”

I grab my phone and head for the door.

Only to find Tammy standing outside her room looking like she hates every single outfit she owns.

“Tammy, are you ready?”

“No.”

I pull her into her room with me.

Then I stare at the mountain of clothes on her bed. Then back at her.

“You’ve been getting ready for over an hour.”

“And?”

“And we’re leaving soon.”

She shrugs.

Like that’s not our problem.

But it is.

Aunt Kira’s day must go accordingly, if not Mum would be so mad.

Almost immediately, Mum’s voice echoes through the house.

“Girls!”

“We’d be there in a bit Mum.”

I hope so.

“We are running late!”

I remind Tammy, and she rolls her eyes at me.

“We’re not running late.”

I scoff. She says that every single time.

“What about the dress Mum got you?”

“I don’t like it anymore.”

“You have got to be joking.”

I move her out of my way, and search the bed properly.

“It’s gorgeous.”

I really mean that.

She smirks.

Like she has been waiting for a confirmation.

“Put it on and meet us outside.”

“Okay, fashionista.”

“You have five minutes,” I say, closing the door behind me.

The venue is beautiful.

Way more beautiful than I expected.

Warm lights are hanging on the ceiling, flowers are at almost every corner, and people are everywhere.

Oh, I start feeling shy.

The moment we step inside, relatives start greeting us.

One minute I’m standing beside Tammy and Jolene, the next minute I’m hugging someone new.

I barely have time to breathe before the questions begin.

“Where’s your boyfriend?”

I force a smile.

“Not here.”

The relative nods.

Then comes the next question.

“So when are we attending your own wedding?”

My goodness.

I laugh awkwardly and look away.

At this point, I’m convinced family gatherings and unnecessary questions go hand in hand.

And unfortunately for me, the night has only just started.

I finally find Tammy and Jolene near one of the decorated photo booths.

“About time,” Jolene says. “We’ve been waiting.”

“You’ve been taking selfies.”

“Exactly,” Tammy snorts.

The next ten minutes are spent taking pictures.

Or rather, Jolene forcing us to take pictures.

Half of them are weird. The other half are somehow better.

“Uhm, when do we start munching on something?”

I say that so we can leave there, of course.

Fortunately, they click with me, and we head for the food.

Best decision of the night.

Aunt Kira didn’t come to play.

We had endless options.

I started off with the small chops.

We spend the next few minutes eating and gossiping about random relatives.

Mostly Jolene. She’s the one doing the gossiping.

Tammy and I just listen and chuckle.

“Don’t look now,” Jolene whispers dramatically, “but that man has been dancing for twenty minutes straight.”

I try peeking.

“Leave him alone.”

“I’m simply observing.”

“You’re judging.”

“Same thing.”

A familiar voice pulls my attention away.

Aunt Kira.

I turn and smile immediately.

She looks beautiful.

The dress. The makeup. Everything.

For a while, I forget about exams. I forget about Mena. I forget about everything.

For the first time all evening, I’m genuinely enjoying myself.

She gives us a brief hug and heads back to her fiancé.

They’re about to have a dance.

“Amazing!” I cheer for my aunt as their dance ends.

A little while later, Tammy leaves to talk to someone.

Jolene disappears too.

Probably to cause trouble somewhere.

I get up to get a drink while I wait for them.

The venue is a lot busier now. People are laughing. Talking. Moving from one table to another.

I take a sip from my drink and look around.

That’s when I notice him.

He’s standing a few feet away, talking to a group of people.

I don’t know why, but something about him catches my attention.

Maybe it’s his gestures. I’m not so sure.

As I turn to look away, his pendant catches my eye.

I try to ignore it, but I know I’ve seen it somewhere.

I know just one person that’s obsessed with that pendant.

There’s no way he would be here, though. So impossible.

My eyes keep finding they’re way back to him just for confirmation.

I really need to be sure.

At some point, he looks up.

Right in my direction.

I immediately look away.

Oh, that was a horrible idea.

Now I look weird.

For a few seconds, I focus very hard on my drink. Like it’s the most interesting thing right now.

Then I look again. This time, I take a proper look. And something clicks.

The familiar feeling. The face. The laugh. All of it.

My eyes widen.

I know him.

My bad, I used to.

My heart skips.

Not because I’m nervous.

Because I’m completely shocked.

Seven years is a long time.

But somehow, I know exactly who I’m looking at.

Denari.

The realization hits me so suddenly that I clench my cup so hard, so I wouldn’t drop it.

For a few seconds, I just stand there.

I don’t move.

He doesn’t either.

It should’ve occurred to him too.

I’m still staring. Still trying to convince myself that it isn’t one of my weird imaginations.

Then he starts walking towards me.

Oh. So it is actually him.

“Salma?”

I let out a nervous laugh. Because nothing else comes to my mind.

“Denari?”

He laughs too. The kind of laugh that says he’s just as shocked as I am.

“What are the chances?”

“I was literally about to ask you that.”

He shakes his head.

“I can’t believe this.”

“Neither can I.”

For a moment, neither of us says anything.

We’re just looking at each other.

Trying to make sense of the fact that we’re standing in the same place after seven years.

“You’ve changed.”

The words slip out before I can stop them.

He laughs.

“So have you.”

“Well, I’d hope so.”

He smiles.

And somehow, things start feeling a little less awkward.

“How long has it been?” he asks.

“Seven years.”

“Wow.”

“How have you been?”

He seems curious.

“Good.”

I nod.

“Really good.”

Suddenly we’re standing here like no time has passed at all.

Then Denari glances around.

“Do you want to sit?”

I laugh.

“Sure.”

We find two empty seats away from most of the noise.

The conversation starts slowly. Not weird. Just strange. Seven long years.

Long enough for people to become completely different versions of themselves.

Yet somehow, talking to him doesn’t feel difficult.

“What are you studying now?”

“Accounting.”

I tell him.

“Are you still in college?”

I ask, because if I check really well, we’re not exactly age mates.

“Yes.”

Oh, fair enough. At some point, a thought crosses my mind.

“Wait.”

“What?”

I glance around the venue.

“What are you doing here?”

A smile appears on his face.

“My parents own this place.”

I blink.

“The venue?”

He nods.

For a second, I just stare at him.

Then it hits me. The invitation. The venue name.

The reason it felt so familiar when I kept staring at it a few nights ago. That explains it.

A memory pops up somewhere at the back of my mind.

His family.

Conversations from years ago. Small details I completely forgot about.

“You look confused,” he says.

I laugh.

“A little.”

“Should I be concerned?”

“Probably not.”

That brings out a laugh from him.

A few minutes pass before I ask the next question.

“Where have you been all these years anyway?”

For a second, something changes in his expression.

Not much. Just enough for me to notice.

Then he laughs softly.

“That’s a long story.”

I wait. Expecting more. Nothing comes.

Instead, he shakes his head.

“I’m still trying to get over the fact that you’re sitting here.”

I roll my eyes.

“And I’m still trying to get over the fact that you randomly appeared after seven years.”

“Fair.”

The conversation moves on. So naturally that I don’t think much about the question he never answered.

A voice suddenly interrupts our conversation.

“Denari!”

We both turn. A man is standing a few feet away, waving him over.

“There you are.”

Denari sighs.

“Looks like I’m needed.”

I laugh.

“Go.”

He stands.

For a second, neither of us says anything.

The whole reunion still feels strange. Like something that shouldn’t have happened but somehow did.

“It was nice seeing you again, Salma.”

“You too.”

A small smile appears on his face before he walks away.

I watch him disappear into the crowd.

Seven years.

I turn my attention back to the ceremony. The music is louder now. People are dancing. Aunt Kira isn’t holding back either.

Life continues around me like nothing happened.

Maybe that’s all this was.

An unexpected reunion.

A familiar face from a chapter of my life I thought had closed years ago. Nothing more.