In between looking at the sky,I slowly turned my gaze towards the person who was sitting next to me.

Aabir and I didn't speak for a while now but it wasn't an uncomfortable silence.Both of us enjoying the beautiful view of the starry sky, forgetting about the Walima reception  inside.

It was a different thing that Aabir forgot my presence too:)

Since Aabir's entire focus was on the starry sky,I grabbed this opportunity to admire him closely.Under the gentle glow of the full moon ,his face was shinning,making him handsome twice.

The more I looked at him ,the more I felt a warmth surrounding my heart and my stomach squirming .And for the first time,neither was I confused nor being ignorant of those feelings .Because I knew the reason of it from the realization that dawned on me earlier.

The realization that I like him.

Honestly I didn't know what made me like him.Maybe it was his handsome face or his expressive eyes or his soft fluffy hair or his melodious voice or his mysterious personality or it could have been his rare smiles .I really didn't know what it was. I just knew my heart wanted to be near him,wanted to know him,wanted to be with him.

This has never happened to me before.I never had a crush on anyone .I'd never admired anyone.
Aabir was the first person I was attracted to in my 21 years of life.

Ever since we encountered at the parking lot in the campus,I found him intriguing.That day my heart beat in a different way and a strange feeling occured.Since then I always felt a magnetic force that pulled me towards him.He was someone who would constantly stay in my mind.He was someone whose every act;good or bad, left a deep impact on me.He was someone that made my heart beat very loud when he was around.He was someone who's one smile gave me stomachaches that I'd refused to admit as butterflies.

Perhaps that's what people called 'Liking someone'

And I really had a hard time accepting this feeling.As much as I tried to deny or ignore it,now I realized that I already was in too deep.

"Is something wrong with my face?"the voice of the person who was messing with my heart and mind pulled me out of my riverie.

"Huh?"I blinked to refocus and found Aabir staring at me intently.His eyes filled with confusion and curiosity.

Did I get caught oogling at him?

Ya Allah,I am so embarrassed.

"Is there a dirt or something on my face?"Aabir asked,looking at my face with probing eyes.

I shook my head"No."

He raised his eyebrow"Then why are you staring at my face like that?"

"I wasn't looking at you."

"But you've been staring at me."

My face flushed and I scrambled for an excuse"Yeah,I was looking at your direction but I wasn't exactly looking at your face.I was just...uh..spacing out."

Aabir's gaze lingered on my face as if pondering my words before nodding his head slightly ,letting the subject go.

I breathed in relief but it didn't last long .

"So....what made you space out?"Aabir questioned after a short pause with a hint of curiosity in his voice."What were you thinking so deep?"

I thought for a moment before answering.

"Uhm...I was just thinking about last few days."I said,smiling nervously.I had no intention to let him know about my true thoughts.

"I've had a really great time.I don't remember the last time I enjoyed myself this much."I added and this was an honest statement.

"Me too."He whispered ,a soft smile pasted on his lips."This is the first marriage ceremony that took place in my family if I exclude distant relatives."

"So this wedding marks the beginning of a new generation of married couples within your family lineage."I said,earning a nod from him ."And you are next in line."I added with a teasing smile but deep down the thought of him marrying someone and knowing that girl definitely wouldn't be me made my heart feel ache. But I tried to act strong.

I couldn't be that much infatuated.

It shouldn't be...for my sanity and peace.

In response to my teasing,Aabir chuckled lowly,yet there was a mix of something unpleasant in that sound.

Just at that moment ,we were distracted by the sound of a phone ringing.Aabir pulled his mobile from a pocket inside his jacket, looking briefly at the caller ID before answering.

"Yes,dad."He said in a calm voice.

He was silent for a brief moment before he spoke again"I'm just around.Why?"

I noticed a look of annoyance slowly appeared on his face as he listened to what his father was saying.

"No,Dad.I've done pleasentries enough and want to take a break now."He grumbled.

He was silent for a minute ,listening to his father and then a grin slowly spread across his face.

"Thanks,dad."He said with evident pleasure and then cut the call.

"It was my father.He was asking me to go back in."He said,glancing at me briefly.

"You don't need to tell me.I didn't ask."I said, flustered.

"But you were curious."He said, probably he'd noticed my curious gaze.

Am I so easy to read?

"Why didn't you go back?Uncle could've needed you inside for something important."I asked instead,shifting the topic from me to him.

"He just wants me to meet one of his business associates but I don't want to.I'm done with smiling and shaking hand with people I don't even know."Aabir said with evident distaste.

I nodded slowly in understanding and with that the atmosphere became quiet again.

Since none of us talking and Aabir didn't seem to be interested to stir a conversation,I took out my phone and started scrolling through wedding photos on my phone .

While scrolling through photos,I came across a few photos of the newly wed couple that I'd captured in my phone during the reception where they appeared deeply connected and genuinely happy together.

In some of those photos, the couple looking at each other with genuine smiles ,in some of them they were holding hands or embracing but in every photos their expression conveying a sense of love, contentment, and shared joy.

"Look at these photos.How well they complement each other and how happy they seem together!"I said, showing it to Aabir.

He nodded in agreement,admiring the photos with genuine happiness .

"It's so wonderful to see how their love has blossomed into a beautiful marriage.They are such a perfect match.It's clear they are soulmates , meant to be together."I said, smiling.

"Do you believe that?"Aabir's question caught me off guarded.

I shot a confused glance at him."Believe what?"

"That soulmates always destined to be together?"He said,his voice tinged with a hint of bitterness.

"I do.Don't you?"

Aabir didn't answer right away,rather he shifted his gaze back to the sky.

"I think it's a complex and personal matter."Aabir began shortly after,his voice quiet but steady."Whether soulmates ends up together or not ,that depends on various factors including life circumstances, individual growths and the choices they made in life.So,I don't think everyone is meant to be with their soulmate in this lifetime."

"That's a pretty harsh way to put it."I commented.

He shrugged"That's the fact."

I shook my head briefly."I don't agree.I believe destiny has a way of bringing people together if they're truly meant for each other.If they're truly soulmates ,even if they get separated due to some circumstances ,they will definitely meet again."

"What if there are some people who doesn't deserve a soulmate?"Aabir asked as he turned to look at me intently.There was a foreign expression on his face that I couldn't read.

He continued in his deep voice"What if there are some people who doesn't deserve love?What if they aren't good enough for anyone?What if they are meant to live life all by themselves?What if they are meant to die alone?"

"No one deserve to die alone."I objected immediately."No one deserve such a life.Everyone deserve love.Everyone deserve to have a soulmate."I stated firmly ,looking him in the eyes with equal intensity.

I was getting the feeling that he'd this way of thinking because he faced this.Maybe I was wrong.I hoped I was.

Aabir didn't argue or respond to that but his eyes were full of something and I didn't know what.

They say 'Eyes are the window to the soul'.But no matter how hard I tried to read those eyes,it was impossible to guess what was going on in his mind.

Why is that I can't see through your soul,Aabir?

Why is your soul so guarded?