I. Am. Dead.

I 

Am

Dead

I am seriously. DEAD.

Like, someone go inform my poor employees that they won't be seeing their amazing boss anymore. And invite everyone to their favourite Reza's funeral.

Ehaan casually enters the room but no one even glances at him.

A few more minutes of silence. Then the first bomb blasts.

"Ehsan Reza. WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" Dad was the first one.

"Yes. We told you you are not allowed to leave the house!" Ma snapped right after.

"Yes, yes I know. I..." I trailed off to think of an excuse. My eyes darting around trying to find a good excuse. Then a brilliant idea hit me.

"went, to help Ehaan!" I say as everyone suddenly looked at him and then looked back at me.

Ehaan gave me a glare which said, 'If they're not killing you, I will.' But who cares? It's a harmless lie. Besides, he couldn't kill his only brother.

"Yes, you sent him to get files from the Syeds' place right? He also had to take Ifran to the airport. Remember? I went in his place." I say.

Ifran. I need to thank him for existing the next time I see him.

He was Ehaan's assistant and also his and Kabir's best friend since college. 

Ehaan doesn't seem too close with Kabir or Ifran but he's like that with everyone except his mother. That coldie (who's colder than Antarctica's temperature) doesn't even soften for his best friends!

I haven't even seen them talk in the engagement. Sorry, not the, MY engagement. Though Kabir was busy with the preparations as it is his sister's wedding, with me!

I was happy that I escaped. But then of couse, someone had to open their mouth.

"Wasn't Ifran bhaia's flight yesterday?" Ezra asks in fake curiosity while smiling at me. She knew what she was doing. These traitors!!

"No. It was today! You got the dates mixed up. Ask Ehaan if you don't believe me." I say while shrugging and everyone looks at him.

I do too but everyone's look was a questioning look, but I was practically begging him for help.

Please bhai. I'll stop annoying you for life! I say in my thoughts as if he can hear them.

"Yes. I asked him for help." he said and sighed.

"But bhaia. You could've just told us and gone. And just come from the main door." Esma said as both Esma and Ezra chuckled. I swear the next time they ask me to cover up for them, I'm going straight to Ma to expose them.

"Yes, but..." I quickly think of an excuse before they start doubting me again. "I just still wanted to be the model son. You know? Sorry everyone! I should've told you, but it just happened. Won't happen again. I'm glued to this room don't worry." I say with a sweet smile.

"Accha accha, he didn't make a mistake. Let him go na. We have to get up early tomorrow to go to the Syeds' house for Mehendi. To ab sab log so jao." Dadi says so everyone starts leaving. Thank you Dadi! You're my favourite person EVER!

She rules this household so everyone has to listen to her.

(So everyone go to sleep.)

All the elders leave the room while Esma, Ezra, Eliza api and Ehaan stays.

"Bhabi ko milne gaye the na aap?" Esma asks teasingly. (You went to meet bhabi right?)

"Tu chup reh! Tu aur tu!" I point at Ezra. "Seriously, you two really want your lovely bhai to die so soon huh?" I say. (You shut up. You and you.)

"Nice excuse huh. Tu to lucky hain. What if Ehaan didn't cover for you huh?" Eliza api says. (You're lucky.)

"Haan mere bhai! Thank you! Kya chahiye tujhe? Sab de dunga!" I say while going up to Ehaan. (Yeah my brother! Thank you! What do you want? I'll give you everything!)

"Really? Then don't bother coming in front of my face ever," he said and started to leave.

"Everything except that!" I shouted out as he shut the door of his room. 

"Accha leave that. Tell us why you went to bhabi?" Esma said.

"Let me tell you. It's a great story. Once upon a time, there was a saying. None of your business. The end." I say and pinch her cheeks. "Now go and study both of you. Don't use my wedding as your excuse to fail." I tell her and Ezra.

"Bhaia, we're both grown ups now. You don't have to tell us to study!" Esma said.

"So what? You're like 22 only. You still have to study anyway. Go go."

"Accha accha, look how the playboy's getting so serious." Ezra said before leaving.

"Good that they all left. Tujhse kuch baat karni thi." Api said after the room was basically empty. (I wanted to talk to you.)

"Haan bolo api." I say and sit down on my bed. (Yes tell me.)

"Listen Ehsan. You are getting married now. You cannot act so immature anymore. I-"

I cut her off. "Api! I'm not immature!"

"If you weren't, then you wouldn't have cut me off. Now listen without talking. I never liked how you went around behind girls and had so many flings. But I didn't say much as I didn't want to argue with you about it. You yourself know how stubborn you are. But now, you are getting married. You have to be serious. Fariha is such a kind girl and we are honoured to have her as a part of our family. Please do not hurt her. If you can't keep her heart, say no. It's not too late for that. But don't break her heart." 

"Api, you-" I couldn't finish my sentence when Ma came in.

"Eliza, come on! We need to go to sleep. All the girls will have to get Mehendi done tomorrow! Baad mein bhai ke saath baat karlena. Ab jaakar so jao." she says and leaves. (Talk to your brother later. Go to sleep now.)

"You also. And do not sneak out tomorrow." api warns me and leaves.

I think about api's words. I won't hurt her. Atleast, I'll try not to. But would she really be happy? I don't even like her. She might like me, but what if I don't like her back?

What if it all just, goes wrong?

"How was the hook-up?" Saria said as soon as both the Rezas left with a smirk that was too annoying to see.

"Areh chup thak! Kisher hook-up?" (Shut up! What hook-up?) I snap.

"Mm? Then explain him being shirtless in the room. Like it's not everyday I find a guy half-naked in your room." she said a bit too loud.

"Shhhhhh! Keo shunte paile ami shesh!" I try and shush her.

"Hmm hmm yeah yeah. But he was still shirtless." she continued teasing.

"I told you na! He climbed up the window and I hit him with the rod so he got hurt! How many more times do you need to hear it?" I repeat once again. "And it was you who told me to hit whoever comes up with the rod."

"Yeah, that's cause I didn't think my precious dula bhai (Brother-in-law) would try to do that all of a sudden. And I know that's all just an excuse you made up to get him shirtless," she said and pinched my cheeks.

Before I could argue back, another voice comes from the door.

"Ki korchish tora?" Kabir Bhaia said and entered the room as the door was open. (What are you two doing?)

"Just talking!" I said before Saria could open that mouth of hers.

He looked at us suspiciously, probably internally debating if he should believe my word. "Did any of you see Ehaan today?" he finally asked.

"Hmm why?" Saria replied.

"I needed to talk to him about something important." 

"Just call him. He's your bestfriend after all." I say.

"I did, he isn't picking up." he said worried.

"Eto manush thakte tomake oi chelekei best friend banano laglo? Kisher best friend re baba? Kothai to bole na tomar shathe." (Out of so many people, you had to make him your bestfriend? What kinda bestfriend is he? Doesn't even talk to you.) Saria said.

She has a habit of saying the first thing that comes up in her mind. That's why she herself says it's better that she is an introvert. Because of this, sometimes I wonder how she even keeps so many secrets.

"How about talk to Ifran instead." I suggest as bhaia was still glaring at Saria.

"Amar jare iccha korse bestfriend banaisi, tor dekha lagbe na. Anyways, it's not THAT important don't worry. Now you two should quickly go to sleep. Especially you Saria. You need to apply mehendi on so many people's hands tomorrow. So get some rest before." (I can be bestfriends with anyone I want, you don't have to worry about it.) he left.

"Ekhoni to bollo important kotha. Abar bole important na?" Saria says while looking at me confused. (He just said it's important. Then he said it's not important?)

"Don't ask me. You know he's always been like that." I say.

"Okay I'm going to sleep. I might not get any sleep tomorrow." she paused and started calculating something in her mind.

"There's Eliza api, Esma, Ezra, Asma aunty, Rozina aunty and Hiba dadi from their family which is six, and five of our family. Which makes it 11. And each person with 2 hands which means I have to do 22 hands just within the family! And then Boro chachi also decided to invite some close friends from both sides! Which means I have to do atleast 50 hands!" she looked tired just even thinking of it.

"Well, I mean, it's you who chose this." I chuckled.

"Yeah yeah, but doing mehendi on people you know is more pressure. They can judge the hell out of you. Bye I'm going to sleep," she says and leaves.

Judge the hell out of you? Is that even a correct sentence?

I flop down into my bed and stare at the ceiling.

There's 3 days left till I'm married. To my first love. Feels surreal.

But is it really a good idea?

What if he doesn't accept me? What if he doesn't like me?

What if Mahir Anwar comes back?

--

Thank you for reading <3