*A week later

"Fariha kothai?" (Where is Fariha?) Boro chachi asks me right when I reach downstairs. 

"Janina to." (I don't know) I reply which makes her worry.

"It's her engagement. And this girl is still sleeping. That statement is definitely true. Jar biye tar khobor nai paraporshir ghum nai. Jeye oke tul taratari." (The whole town is sleepless meanwhile the bride/groom doesn't care about their own wedding. Wake her up quickly.) she ordered.

(A/N: Jar biye tar khobor nai paraporshir ghum nai is a famous bangla dialogue said during weddings if the bride or groom is too nonchalant during their own wedding.)

I go to her room to see she was fast asleep. The statement is definitely true.

"Oi! Uth! Fapu! Taratari! Come on, wake up! It's your engagement!" (Up! Fapu! Quickly!) I start pulling her out.

She moves a bit which gives me hope but then turns around and goes back to her dreamland. Agh!

"Ekhono uthenai?" (She didn't wake up yet?) Kabir bhaia says while coming in.

"No. Chachi is really angry." I say and pull out her pillow. Which didn't come to any different outcome as she was still asleep. That was one of the biggest difference between us. She was the heaviest sleeper you'll find in history. Like won't even wake up because of earthquake typa sleeper. While I'd even wake up if someone was breathing too loudly.

"Of course. Everyone's panicking and look at her, sleeping like nothing even happened. Jar biye tar khobor nai paraporshir ghum nai. Oi Fariha! Uth!" (Wake up!) he pulls her hand. But no response.

I sit on her bed and start moving her by the shoulders and start shouting.

"FAPU! FAPUUUUUUU! FARIHA! FARIHAAAAAA! UPPPP! GET UP!"

"What happened? Where am I?" Fariha jolts up. Finally.

"Finally gosh." Kabir bhaia let out a deep sigh which felt like he was holding his breath all this time. "You're in your room. Now come downstairs. You need to get ready for the engagement!" Kabir bhaia left

"Whose engagement?" she looks at me confused as if she just heard the news of alien invasion.

I facepalm myself. "Yours!"

"Oh! My engagement? Yeah forgot about that. Wait let me freshen up." she said nonchalantly like it was the most normal thing to do. Then she gets up and rushes to the bathroom.

"Fast!" I say annoyed. "We're already running behind!"

Later, we both come down and get greeted by chaos. Boro Chachi rushing to find her earing. Choto Chachi rushing Rehan to get ready. Ma scolding Shazad for still being on his iPad on this day.

"There you are! Get ready you two!" Boro chachi said.

We both rush back to Fariha's room as I start helping Fariha with her dress. She looked so pretty in her white dress, Mashallah.

"I can't believe I'm getting engaged!" she says while looking at herself in the mirror.

"Right? I still remember how we used to make paper rings and do fake engagement parties. Look at you now! Going to wear a real engagement ring!" I say while remembering our childhood memories.

"But not my dream ring." she said while pouting.

Fariha and I both had pinterest boards made on what kind of wedding we want to have. We planned everything since a long time. I was very detailed about my choices. Fariha on the other hand, just saved whatever she thought looked pretty. For rings on the other hand, I never had a specific choice. Fariha had this one specific ring she really wanted. It didn't look very expensive, didn't have a big stone or wasn't shiny or anything. But she still wanted it. As apparently it was something that reminds her of a memory.

But when we went to choose her ring, she could not find that ring anywhere. And it was way too late to customise anything. So Boro Chachi later scolded Fariha and took a ring she thought was suitable.

-

We enter the venue. It was decorated so nicely. Even nicer than Rayan bhaia's engagement. The chandelier glittering above, the stage decorated with roses, all the tables each also have a bouquet of roses to show a touch of love. The Rezas prepared so much for this.

Fariha sat on the stage as everyone started to take photos. I can guarantee that she doesn't know more than half of these people. Even I don't either. There was a small speech after where Chacha and Tanvir uncle almost started crying out of happiness.

The ring exchange starts. Chachi hands out rings to both of them, everyone waiting to see what they do.

For a few seconds, everything just paused. As if we were in a TV and someone clicked the pause button. And I honestly could not understand why. I mean, everyone else were waiting for them to put the rings on each other's finger. But why wasn't Fariha or Ehsan moving? How do I click unpause?

I could tell Fariha was shocked for some reason, and debating if she should put the ring first or if she should wait. Ehsan is probably thinking the same as his hands are floating.

Come on one of you. Just do it.

Then Ehsan quickly took Fariha's hand and slid the ring on her finger. And she did the same right after.

The photographers start taking more photos as the guests start cheering.

I was walking towards Fariha when a random aunty came over to me.

"Saria! How are you doing?" she asked politely. Which was kinda fishy. No one actually asks this. Their go-to question is, 'When are you getting married?'.

"I'm fine." I answer politely trying to shove my suspicions away. Maybe this one is nice overall.

"I've heard you haven't gotten married yet." there it is.

"Uh..." I pause for a second for an excuse and then quickly say, "Yeah, haven't really found anyone yet." before she thinks I don't want to engage in the conversation, which I absolutely don't want to.

"Oh, A girl like you is so hard to find! Oh You know my son is single and he-" right, of course. I should've known.

"Sorry aunty my sister is calling me." I say and quickly walk off.

"Saru! Please can you bring me some food? I'm tired of sitting here all day!" Fariha begged as soon as I got the chance to go near her.

"Okay, but tell me why you were frozen after chachi gave you both the rings." I whispered.

Fariha showed me her ring. 

It was her dream ring. 

"Wait- where did you find that? Didn't we buy a completely different one?" I ask surprised.

That explains her freezing on stage.

"That's why I was surprised as well. Maybe Ma found it later and bought it. Now, please bring me some food!" she pleaded again.

"Okay okay!" I walked off the stage and to the food section when I heard Ma talking to Boro and Choto Chachi.

"Tomader dujoner ekhon shanti. Amar ekhon Saria r jonno ekjon ke khuja lagbe." (You two are in peace now, I just have to find someone for Saria.)

I stop. Is that what you guys are plotting now? I need to hear the whole thing.

"Kisher shanti? Kabir to Fariha r thekeo boro. Fariha r engagement hoye gelo kintu or ekhono kono meye ke hae bolar khobor nai. Ar koto jonke anbo?" Boro chachi replied frustrated. (What peace? Kabir is older than Fariha. Her engagement is happening but he didn't even say yes to any girl we found for him. How many more will I have to bring before he says yes?)

I chuckle. Honestly, I still am yet to figure out who he likes. As the cupid of the family, I figure out everyone's crushes very quickly. Specially if I know both of them well. But I don't see any sign of Kabir bhaia's love.

"You worry too much about him. Don't worry. O ebhabe shobaike na bolche mane or mone ekjon specific ache. Nahole atleast tomar shantir jonno holeo ekjonke hae bolto. Let him do what he thinks he should do. He is pretty mature." Choto chachi replied. 

(He is saying no to everyone like this. Which means he has someone specific in his heart. Or else he'd say yes to atleast one person for you.)

Of course he does. And he won't tell me when I ask directly!

"Now I need to find someone for Saria soon. I was thinking-" Ma's words cut off when someone speaks behind me.

"What are you doing here?" Thankfully, Ehaan Reza speaks not loud enough for my mother and chachi to hear him. And even more fortunately, I didn't shout because of the mini heart attack he gave me.

"None of your business. What are you doing here?" I glare at him.

"I was told by my brother's precious to-be-wife that she is hungry and she wants you to get her food right now?"

Why the hell did he say that in such a roundabout way? And this girl and her love for food. No wonder she became a chef.

"Yes! I'm bringing it!" I say annoyed and start walking towards the food section completely forgetting what the elders were talking about.

The smell of food reaches me as I notice my dear fiancee enjoying her meal her sister brought her.

"Can you bring some food for your dear little brother?" I ask Eliza api as she came near me. But she looked around and started leaving.

"Sorry, I need to go find Ayaan." she left before I could reply. Is that the love she is giving me as my older sister? Leaving me hungry when I had to sit in this freaking stage for hours now.

"Oi!" I call out to Esma and Ezra when I see them. "Bring me some food. I am so hungry." I plead.

"Get it yourself Bhaia." And they leave as well. Unbelievable! What's with my family today? Everyone's betraying me! Traitors. I'm never covering up for these two anymore.

"Bhai! My favourite bhai! Please bring some food for your brother!" I say as I spot Ehaan. He is my last option now.

"I'm your only brother." That coldie replies.

"Yes! My one and only lovely favourite brother." is that even grammatically correct? Well, who cares?

Ehaan just stares at me.

"It's my engagement yarr! And no one is caring about me." I sigh as I look over to Fariha, who was eating the food Saria brought for her happily.

"That's why you're getting engaged, so you can have a wife who can do these things. So why bother me?"

"Well it's not me who planned all this! You know I don't want this." I say annoyed.

"It's better than your stupid flings." he glared.

He hated the fact that I dated a new girl every month. So what? I never did anything that serious anyway. It's just for fun! And for... nevermind. Forget it Ehsan. It's fine. You can't do anything about her anymore.

"Well, I had freedom in those flings. Now I'm caged. And stuck with a crazy girl!" I sigh again.

He mutters something to himself and speaks out loud. "Whatever. I'm leaving." 

"No! Bring me some food yarr! That's the whole reason I called you!" I plead.

"Will you stop bothering me if I bring you food?" he gave in! Yes! Honestly, wasn't expecting he would.

"Of course! Thanks bhai!" I shout as he leaves.

"Still got my name in your Mehendi love?"I ask Fariha as she finishes her food. The 'love' bit. Don't ask why.

"It's almost gone anyway. And why are you calling me love? My name is not love." she replied nonchalantly.

"I know. It's a nickname." I state the obvious.

"And why are you calling me that?"

"Can't I call my fiancée 'love'?"

Honestly, I couldn't care less about her. If it was upto me, I don't think I would've done this. Because she doesn't deserve someone like me. But my mother sat in front of me and gave me a two-hour lecture of why I should marry her. Thus, I said yes. Cause even if I did say no, this would still be happening. 

And the ring? I was just browsing online when I saw a website ad that had the ring she was crying for. Though it costed twice more for short notice, I still got it. Don't ask why. Even I don't know the answer. Probably guilt, or laziness. Nothing else for sure.

"You can, if you love her." she replied.

Apparently, she liked me a long time ago. Don't know about her feelings now but once I overheard her talking to Saria, when she was 14,  that she liked me. I mean, ofcourse can't argue with that. I am amazing. But not enough to be with her.

"Who said I don't?" Yeah I don't, but that doesn't mean I couldn't play around. I know I shouldn't. But I can't help it anymore. It comes out naturally.

Before she could answer-

"Here." Ehaan broke our conversation by shoving a plate of food in front of me.

"Thank you dear brother." I give him a 'grateful' smile to which he leaves without another response.

Rude.

--

Thank you for reading<3