CHAPTER..12

When Ifra heard this, she nodded toward him. When she saw that Arhan was still standing there, looking at Ifra as if he had something else to say, she nodded again.

"And yeah... I heard what happened to you when I was gone... "I am sorry that I was not there with you at that point in time. Just as these words left Arhan's throat, Ifra felt like she should never have asked him to continue, and she took her eyes away from Arhan. This is Ifra's problem; she never talked to anyone about what happened to her except her family. Now that Arhan is saying this, she just wants this topic to be dismissed. When Arhan noticed the change in Ira's expression, he knew what she was feeling, so he said:

"Ok, I am not going to make this awkward for you. I want you to know that I am glad you are back."

"When he said this, Ifra looked at him and realized he was still the same as he was in their childhood. She always knew what to say to make someone feel better, but even though she knew this thing about Arhan, she knew that he meant what he said.

"And I'm glad you're back, too," she added with the same sincerity.

"It appears that only you and Simra are..." he said, and Ifra knew he was referring to Aqsa.

"Arhan, give her some time, she will come around eventually."

"Yeah, I hope.." Just when Arhan received a message, when he looked at his phone, a big smile spread across his face, and he said to Ifra, "By the way, I have a surprise for you all.."

"What is it...?" When Ifra asked, Arhan looked at her without saying anything, and then she said.

"OK, I know you're not going to say anything...

"I gotta go," Arhan said with a smile and walked away.

Ifra moves toward where Aqsa is.

"Aqsa!" she exclaimed.

"Yeah.." Aqsa came to a halt and waited for Ifra to join her.

"Tell me what happened between you and Arhan?" She questioned her... She can sense that it's something serious because of the way Arhan talks to her. When Aqsa looks at Ifra, she knows that Ifra will not take no for an answer, but she is not in the mood to talk about something like that.

"Ifra, please… I don't want to tell...

"Ok, but you know I am always here for you, right?" Ifra said this as she placed her hands on Aqsa's shoulder because she didn't want to push Aqsa's boundaries, but at the same time, she wanted her to know that she was always going to be there for her.

"Yeah girl, I know, and I love you for that."

"Come on, let's go to Simra," Asa offered, and they both started walking toward Simra's room.

When they reach her door, they knock and say, "Yeah, come in." When they entered Simra's room, they noticed that she was so bored that she would fall asleep at any moment."Anything new happens outside?" Simra asked both her sisters.

"I've never seen a bride like you before, who is so eager for all the gossip, but nothing new." "Everything is going smoothly outside.. and I guess Saad's family is also going to come in just 5 or 10 minutes," Aqsa replied as she sat beside Simra; Ifra simply stood by, placing her back against a wall, and said, "Everything is going smoothly outside.. and I guess Saad's family is also going to come in just 5 or 10 minutes."

The Saad family name was mentioned by Aqsa. One can see a faint shade of red on Simraa's cheeks. "Someone is way too happy to contain herself," Ifra said to her with a smile.

"Of course I am happy," Simra suddenly replied, with a smile, and continued. "I'm going to be a married woman in just a few days...I'm going to be devastated."Just the thought of it is enough to make me like this. " She completed her sentence with a giggle.

When Aqsa saw her like this, she said, "Well, I am happier than you." Simra and Ifra looked at her, and she continued, "Once you are gone, yr wardrobe is going to be mine.  Simra's expression changed to serious as she said this: "Your jewelry, your sandals, your clothes... as she was saying this, Simra kept looking at her..."And I'm thinking we should take down that wall between your room and our room to make our room more spacious," she says as she finishes... A smile fell on ifra's face because knew that Aqsa was just saying this to Simra , as Simra loved her room and wardrobe more than anything else. That girl is so possessive over all her things.

"You better keep your eyes and hands away from my room and my stuff," Simra said angrily to Aqsa.

"Or what?" Aqsa challenged her.

"Or I will kill you with my bare hands."  Simra said this in a high tone, and then they all heard their room door open, followed by someone yelling "Simra..."

"Mom …"

"What were you saying to Aqsa... "Did you forget that you are the bride?" Sheeba entered the room and started giving daggers from her eyes to Simra. Simra suddenly pointed her finger toward Aqsa and said, "Mom, she started it first."

"You know how she is. She loves to annoy you, but you don't say things like this when you are the bride... "What if someone else had heard it?"Sheeba replied as she sat between Simra and Aqsa, and then she looked at Aqsa,  throwing the same eyes daggers, but Aqsa wanted to annoy Simra more, so she said.  "Yeah, but what if Sad family sees you talking like this? I'm sure they'll run away from a bride like you." Ifra laughed a little as she heard this.

"You better not say anything like this, Simra," she said as she stood and walked toward Aqsa.

"Simra.." As Simra heard her mom, she stopped.

"But she's right, sira.. don't say anything like this anymore.. you're the bride, so act more politely."

Simra heard this and threw her hands in the air and said, "Mom, I can't believe I am the bride and you are still scolding me. At least show some respect to me." simra said as she felt irritated with all the scolding and teasing when aqsa, ifra, and Sheeba heard her. They all smiled, and Sheeba said while patting simra's back, "My girl, you can be the bride, wife of someone, mother of two, or maybe the grandmother of three... "But for me, you are always going to be my little daughter, and I'm always going to have the right to scold you."

"Right," ifra and aqsa agreed, and Simra smiled as she saw them all.

"Okay, don't get mad. "I have some bad news for you. sad family is here.. so get ready whenever I call you outside.. okay?"Sheeba said this before leaving the room. She gave give simra a big hug, then turned toward Aqsa and Ifra and said, "Ifra and Aqsa, go and greet the guest."

"what.. ?" ifra suddenly said no as she didn't want to greet anyone. "Mom, no please." aqsa also said no because she didn't want to come across Arhan. As they both were saying no, Sheeba just looked at them and said, "Go. ", and now they both know that there is no room for negotiations. "Okay, we are going." Ifra and Aqsa look at each other and leave the room.

"Ahh, Ifra, when will the ritual take place?" In a tired voice, Aqsa inquired of Ifra.

"I don't know.." Ifra and Aqsa are conversing, but their gazes are drawn to different people: Ifra's gaze is drawn to Zayn, while Aqsa's gaze is drawn to Arhan.

But they both saw Madiha walking toward them. "Madiha..." Ifra and Aqsa both hugged Madiha.

"Hey guys.. wow, you guys are looking gorgeous.." she exclaimed.

"Thank you... you, too, are stunning..."Does Kaif compliment you?" Aqsa asked Madiha with a wink, and as usual, Ifra avoided talking about Kaif.

"No, he didn't; in fact, he is not even talking to me like he used to," Madiha replied with a sad expression, and as Ifra and Aqsa heard this, they looked at each other. "Don't worry, he will come around," Ifra said to make Madihaa feel better.

Madiha nodded in response to Ifra's statement and smiled at Aqsa, saying, "Well, you say... you are looking so pretty.."I believe Arhan will fall in love with you all over again when he sees you."

"Madiha.." Aqsa suddenly looked around her and said, "Shhh, don't you dare say that devil's name.."

"Why?".

"I don't know. It's like someone just says his name and he appears from behind." aqsa replied

Madiha looked behind Aqsa and giggled as she said, "Really? Well, then look behind you."