Annihilation

Jet lag! How I hated jet lag. I was supposed to be at the engagement party at 6pm. It was already 5pm and I hadn’t even put on my clothes. I was still curling my hair which took about 1 hour to do since it was waist length and about as thick as a horses mane. Sometimes I felt like a taking a scissor and cutting it all off but I don’t think I could bear parting with it. Jose had called me a dozen times and I hadn’t answered any of them. I was way too busy and besides I was going to see him at the party. How I wished I could just skip this whole event or call up and say that I wasn’t well but I don’t think that would have been appropriate especially when the person getting engaged was my elder brother. My extended family hadn’t seen me for years and honestly I wasn’t looking forward to the forced reunion. It has been six years since they have seen me physically. I suspect they wouldn’t even recognise me as it’s been ages since I posted any pictures of myself on social media and I have to admit I look nothing like the 18 year old me they remember. Honestly I was not the same person they knew six years ago so I might come across as distant or weird but I have always been weird so that really didn’t bother me. I quickly slipped on my dress which was a long sleeved red satin gown with a slightly exaggerated slit which came just above the knee but to be precise mid thigh was more accurate. I slipped on a pair of gold chunk heels and rushed to the mirror to check my make up. I had a smoky eye with a little bit of eyeliner. My eyelashes looked amazing and so did the light brown lipstick. It really worked with my caramelized skin tone and my high cheekbones were emphasized by a little pink blush. My long black hair hung in tight curls down my back and my fringe pinned to the side. I put on a simple rose gold necklace which had a little heart on it with gold stud earrings on the three of my ear piercings , a small heart shaped one on my lower lobe accompanied by a red flower on the piercing above it. I put on a small gold earring with a diamond on the piercing higher up. I even added a new diamond nose ring to match the ensemble. I put on a few plain gold rings on my right hand to bring out the gold stripe on my red stiletto shaped nails. I almost forgot to put on the most important piece of jewellery I owned. It stood out amount the simple gold bands, its diamond glistening as rays of sunlight hit it through the little gaps in the blinds. I stopped admiring the ring fiance gave me and rushed out of the hotel room to the parking lot. I rushed to my car , opened the door and got in. I put my key in the ignition and looked at the time. It was 5:59pm. I was going to be late for my brother’s engagement party! What a way to make a good impression! I was already half an hour late when I pulled up outside Rose Garden. It was 06:30 which meant that I was in for one long lecture. The venue looked exquisite. It was an extraordinary garden for an outdoor engagement party. They must have spent thousands hiring the venue. I stepped outside my car and locked up. It was a warm summer night, stars covered the sky like a canopy and I could get that beautiful rose scent lingering in the air. I pushed open the garden gate and entered. It was like something out of a movie. Fairy lights hung on trees which were lined up on either side of the pathway. The pathway led to an open ground with plants and trees covered in lights. There were so many people here. I walked on, my eyes searching for my mother. “There you are” I whispered to myself. She was staring right at me. She was adorned in heavy jewellery and a traditional Indian outfit standing beside my father and surrounded by my siblings. They fit together like a puzzle. They have never let their cultural differences get in between them and I have always looked up to them because of that. My mother was an Indian and my dad was French but because my mum was light skinned, you can’t really differentiate between the two of them. Thanks to them I speak four languages. Hindi and Urdu because of my mother. French because of my dad and English because that’s universal. My mother’s family was from India but their ancestors were part of the 1820 settlers who emigrated to work on the South African plantations as slave’s. What’s ironic about this is that with time they have become one of the richest families in real estate in the whole of Africa. My dad has a different story. His family is French nobility because they have direct relations to King Louis II. Both families have been opposed to their relationship since they got married at a court in Perugia. Unfortunately for them there is not much they could do because my parents have been married for 37 years running with an offspring of four. Two girls and two boys. The eldest of us was my sister. Yashoda Colette Javier is 34, a qualified accountant and married. She also has a child who is 4 years old and such an angel. Next in line is Tayreeq Rihaan Javier the one getting engaged today. He is 28 and has that bubbly personality you can’t help loving. He is the business tycoon, daddies right hand man. Then it’s me Jannat Jaqualine Javier also known as Jayjay. Quite the name huh? The first one was given to me by my mum and the second my dad. Each of my names a representative of my lineage and ancestry. I was 24 and I had just graduated as a lawyer last summer. I was the introvert in a family of extroverts. The last one is Amar’e Ishaan Javier. He is 18 and the rebel in the family. He is also the most amazing younger brother anyone could ever ask for and we were the children of multi billionaires Mr Arman and Mehek Javier. I walked straight towards my family. I can’t believe how much I missed them. I was now out of the shadows and in the light where everyone could see me. I tried my best to walk as quickly as I could without attracting too much of attention at the same time but I heard a few gasps and mumblings I couldn’t make any sense of so I knew I had been seen. As soon as I was at the stairs of the alter I rushed into my mother’s arms for comfort. “Mummmmyyyyyy” I moaned. “ Oh darling” she said squeezing me. After pulling away from her hug I was immediately caught in daddies bear hug and passed on to my siblings for their turn. “Look at my little girl” said dad getting all sentimental. “She is no longer your little girl. She is a growing young lady and needs to be treated as such” said my mum. “That’s nonsense! Yash and Jayjay will always be my little girls” said dad grabbing us together and hugging us. “Yo Jay wassup? asked Amar’e. “How’s it hanging lil bro” I asked laughing. “Atleast someone in this family knows how to be cool” he said fist bumping me. “Can you stop acting like a brat Amar’e” Yashoda said annoyed. “Yeah and someone’s always late” said Tayreeq speaking for the first time. “Ahhh I am so sorry but it’s only half and hour” I said. “Well you missed the most important part” he said clearly annoyed. “Tayreeq” I sighed. “Well let me introduce you to my soon to be wife” he said smirking. “Yes please!” I said excited since it would be the first time. I followed him across the lawn towards a couple and a tall slender looking person with brown hair. She was in a blue velvet Valentino strapless dress. She was conversing with a couple both dressed in black. As we got closer I got a better view of the guy in a tuxedo, his hair long on top combed to the side with a slight fade on the sides. I walked faster to catch up with Tayreeq who was way ahead of me and it was at that moment when I saw his face. The face that my eyes had cried oceans for. The face that had been the reason for all my heartache and the face that had been the reason for my happiness. I felt like a whole bucket of ice water had been thrown on me. I automatically stopped breathing. I had no idea how to react but I quickly braced myself before anyone noticed that I was on the verge of passing the hell out and possibly dying. He hadn’t changed a bit. He still had those dreamy brown eyes with that sharp jawline. I don’t think he even recognised me which I would be eternally grateful for. Tayreeq approached the couple.” Guys I just need to borrow my girl for one second, I promise I’ll bring her right back” he said laughing. “Ofcourse Tay she is going to be your wife after all “ said the female. She was wearing a short tight dress and was short. She had dark brown hair with several piercings and tattoos on her leg and hands. She looked liked she walked out of a emo band with all that bling. He then turned to the girl in the blue dress and took her by the hand. They walked a few short steps towards me. “Babe there’s someone I want you to meet” Tayreeq said to her. “ I hope it’s not another one of your ex girlfriends again” she said rolling her eyes and laughing. “No it’s my sister!” he said looking amused. “Oh!” she exclaimed. She turned to me and pulled me into a hug.”I have heard so much about you. Tayreeq cannot stop talking about you. Jannat right?” she said all cheery. I returned the hug and held her tight before letting go.”Yes and I am guessing you the beautiful Sayaarah. You know he always talks about you. It is such a pleasure to finally meet you. I am so sorry to have missed the exchange of rings and almost the entire engagement party. My flight was delayed” I said apologetically. “Likewise. You look amazing and I love that scent” she said. “Uh huh says the one who looks like she walked out of the cover of a Vogue magazine” I said. “Thank you so much” she said taking my hand in hers. Her skin was a marble white compared to my caramelized skin tone. “ I have to introduce you to some of our friends” she said leading me towards the couple. Nooooooooo. This wasn’t about to happen. I spent years trying to avoid this. I tried as best as I could to hide every emotion that was creeping it’s way to my face. As we got closer I got a better view of the lady. She was so beautiful and I couldn’t help but feel like a moth next to a butterfly. “So people I have someone I want you to meet” she said to the couple. They turned to look at us. “This is Jannat Jaqualine Javier, Tays younger sister and Jannat this is Aziah Mohamed and his girlfriend Savanah Delaney” she said sounding like a television presenter. Savanah put her hand out for a handshake. I shook her hand gently and smiled at her. “Hey it’s a pleasure to meet you” Savanah said politely. “Likewise” I said trying not to sound like someone from Alice in Wonderland. “Jannat. Long time” Aziah said looking me dead in the eye. “Aziah. Yes it has” I said emotionlessly. “You know each other” Savanah asked looking at me and then at him curiously. “Who doesn’t know Aziah in the family. He was at my house almost all the time. Back in the days when we were teenagers when we sneaked out of the house to go to the club Jayjay used to cover for us. You remember bro?” Tayreeq said playfully punching Aziah in the arm. “Yeah and Jayjay used to open her room window so we could climb through at night and go meet up with the girls” he said looking amused. “So you were a rascal from back then” said Sayaarah laughing. “We used to be the king’s of St Mary’s High” said Tayreeq confidently. “We were legendary” Aziah said proudly. “Is that true?” Savanah asked me. “That’s what they tell themselves to boost their ego” I said. I stood there awkwardly. I had no idea what to say or do. My presence clearly had no effect on him but for me it felt like I was being torn apart. I was listening intently to their conversation on the good old times when I felt someone grab me around my waist and lift me gently off the ground, giving me a peck on my cheek and then placing me back down so gently as if I was a fragile porcelain vase. There was only one person that did that. It was Jose my fiance . Jose Fresno was the head of security at the Cordonian Palace. He is in charge of the personal safety of the Cordonian Royal family. Jose and I were two years apart. We are so similar yet so different. We fitted like a puzzle. I still get butterflies when he kisses me. “Hey beautiful” he whispered in my ear. “Babe” I replied turning around to smile at him. He gave me a peck on my lower lip and then he congratulated Tayreeq on his engagement. Tayreeq and Jose knew each other. They used to smoke weed together when they were younger except Jose was younger then him. “Guys this is my boyfriend Jose and Jose this is Savanah and Aziah,Tayreeqs friends and this is Sayaarah soon to be Mrs Javier” I said. “Hey I am Jose, Jannats fiance” he said smirking. “What?!”Tayreeq exclaimed. “Congratulations Jayjay” Sayaarah screeched. “Wait you engaged?” asked Tayreeq still lost. “Congratulations” Aziahsaid looking at me. I thought I saw a flicker of sadness in his eyes but if it was there it I couldn’t confirm it because he turned away. “Thanks guys” I said blushing. “Does mum and dad know?” Tayreeq asked. “Nope”. “You didn’t tell them yet” Jose asked. I looked at him and shook my head. “Okay guys please excuse us. I need to go talk to my in laws” Jose said sarcastically. “Goodluck” Tayreeq said laughing. “We don’t need it “ I snapped back. Who was I kidding? My parents weren’t going to make things easy.