Part 39- The Sleepover

A variety of pizzas,pastas, slabs of bubbly,chorias, packets of Lays Carribean Onion and Balsamic vinegar chips,chicken wings, lasagne and lots of coke and we were all set for a night of binging and bonding. Everyone brought along their foot spas and mani and pedi kits and we whipped up delicious face masks and there we were relaxing in my lounge, face masks on and our feet happily soaking in water infused with all sorts of relaxing oils. Zainab “spiked” our footspas with bubble bath so it gave it an even better feeling.
All of us were dressed very casually, not in our pjs yet just shorts, tshirts and headbands.

Laeeka: I’ve been dying to tell you all what happened from yesterday but just didn’t get a chance..managed to tell Zai bits but not the full story

Maariah: we could sense the tension between you and Reez..

Laeeka: anyway Riza proposed, it was the sweetest most romantic scene and it was totally out of a dream! The entire gazebo at the park was lit up with fairy lights and decorated with white roses..and at the centre of it all , a single red rose with a ring tied around it with a ribbon, with a note ” my one in a million” then he goes down on one knee and asks me to marry him!

Aara: (squeezling) wooooowwww that is sooo romantic!

Laeeka: I knoow I was in tears and so was Riza. He did everything the way I had imagined and the way I told him about it when we not even dating! I was so overwhelmed I don’t even have the right words to explain it. So anyway, he took lots of pics and that night he broke the news to his parents. His dad was super happy! But he said his mums face dropped when he told her and she said ” I didn’t think you’d actually go through with marrying her”

Maariah: what!!!??

Laeeka: exactly! I actually think it would have been better had I not known what she said but in a way its better that Riza told me because I would have made myself such a fool otherwise
Zainab: did she call you?

Laeeka: even better, she had come to see me at the boutique. She was really sweet and hugged and kissed me and welcomed me to their family so I thought maybe she had a change of heart, maybe she was angry at Riza for not asking them first…when her eyes caught sight of the photographs on my desk. Her eyes literally popped out! She looked at them and said the meanest thing ever …” Wow I didn’t know that he would do all of this for YOU”

Aara:: ouch man that’s just down right nasty
Maariah: why does she not like you?

Laeeka: I wish I knew. Maybe she has a split personality! ℓ☺ℓ and then this morning I hear from a cousin of mine whose sister is Riza’s sisters friend, that Riza’s mum is so tight lipped about everything and she told her daughter not to say anything to anyone because nothing is confirmed yet…how mean is that?

Zainab: you have a monster in law Laeeks!

Laeeka: maybe something is wrong with me that’s why she doesn’t like me…
Aara: nothing is wrong with you! Never think that-EVER. You’re perfect the way you are. And as for monster in law we will kill her with kindness or just show her our jaat!

Maariah: (laugh) any ideas there Aara?
Aara: plenty
Zainab: you could always put some laxatives in her food ℓ☺ℓ
Laeeka: Zai!
Zainab: if she treats you like shit, let her have some shit too (lmao)
Aara: or we’ll just show her our “tooh” maybe during the mehndi function
Maariah: tooh?
Laeeka: ℓ☺ℓ that song man Mari…”Shake that Tooh” ℓ☺ℓ it means shake your ass man
Zainab: let’s do a rehearsal of it!!!(Jumping)

All of us looked at Zai as if she were crazy at first

Aara: why not? (smiling a wicked smile as I woke up)

———————————————————————————————————–
Zoheb: why did you want us to come in one car?
Nemo: because four cars coming in at once is bound to raise suspicion besides we’re gonna sneak up on them and get them offguard
Arshad: and how do you propose we do that? We’ll have to knock on the door to get in you know
Nemo: ohhh I have my ways don’t you worry Arshooooo
Arshad: that’s what scares me!

And we reached Aara’s gate and Nemo shook the watchmans hand and handed him a hundred bucks. “Thanks boetie we going to surprise the missus”
“Hehe no problem brudda you go in”
And with that the watchman opened the gate to let Nemo’s car in.
Arshad: you bribed the watchman!
Nemo: errr so?
Arshad: you’ve done this before haven’t you
Nemo: but one thing Arshooo you’re a sharp ou man (with a chuckle)
And Nemo parked his car nowhere near Aara’s flat. There were 12 flats in that complex, in 3 rows, Aara’s was the middle row, but right at the end.
Below each unit was a garage and a staircase leading to the flat and he motioned for us to be quiet and follow him as he walked up the stairs until he was in line with her lounge balcony and climbed over the little garden thing outside her lounge windows and he was already in the balcony. I couldn’t help but laugh, this guy had it all figured out.
But, what got our attention was the sounds that were coming from inside Aara’s flat..
There was a loudish indian song playing and was it…ℓ☺ℓ yes all of them were singing along to it!!

Zoheb: ℓ☺ℓ this is gonna be fun

We were all standing in the balcony and the sliding door was closed but the curtain wasn’t drawn properly so we could peek in.

Arshad: guys wait, what if they are like not decent?
Nemo: I highly doubt they would all be..

And I covered Nemo’s mouth and said “bro you know what he means”

Nemo: okay Arshad you peek (whispering)
Arshad: why me? (Whispering back)

Nemo: because you’re the most decent from us all! (And he pushed Arshad towards the sliding door so he could see inside)
Arshad: ℓ☺ℓ! (Turning back to look at us) they are decent okay but they look like…they look like monkeys!!

Zoheb: what do you mean ( coming forward to look inside)? Whaaaat? (And he burst out laughing)

Soon enough all four of us were peeping in, we were like almost on top of each other and we were in splits of laughter!

All of them were dancing, Aara and Zai were standing on the coffee table with a coke can each in their hand, presumably a make believe mike, Laeeka and Maariah were standing on the sofas. They were acting sooo nutty AND they had face masks on!! Aara’s face was green, Maariah’s black, Zainab white and Laeeka yellow!! Arshad was right! They did look like monkeys!! Nemo was enjoying himself coz he kept moving his hands exactly the way the girls were!

Nemo: I’m gonna check if this door is unlocked!

And whoa it was unlocked!

And he burst into the lounge singing the same song they were singing and dancing weirdly as he entered and one by one all of us followed (not dancing though). The look on all of their faces was classic! You know when they say some things in life are priceless..ℓ☺ℓ..this was one of those things!

Aara: what are yourl doing here??? (Quickly turning off the music but still standing on the coffee table with her hands on her hips)
Nemo: we came to shake our tooooohs with you (laughing like a mad man)
Aara: its not bloody funny!!! We didn’t tell you people how did yourl end up here!

Nemo: (pointing at Arshad) he told us
Aara: Arshad! (In a scolding tone)
Arshad: what, don’t look at me like that it wasn’t my idea to come here
Aara: and how did you know we were having a sleepover?

Zainab smiled and put her head down.

Nemo: Arshooooo don’t lie, you were begging us to bring you here

Aara threw a pillow at Nemo ” now I definately don’t believe that for one second…this smells like your kind of thing..guys man how could yourl do this look at us?

Zoheb: (making himself comfy on the couch with Riza and Arshad) you ladies look…very inspiring…infact how about putting some of this for us too?
Aara: (getting of the table) in your dreams.

Zainab and Aara went into the room to change and Laeeka and Mari had just come out. All of them changed from shorts to trackpants.
Nemo: how, why like that now?
Laeeka: (hitting Nemo on the head) you peoples nazr! And what is it that you’re doing????
Riza: putting a mask for Arshad why?
Laeeka: babe not on the eyes as well!
Riza: oh (laughing) I didn’t know that..

Laeeka put a mask on for me, while Zoheb and Nemo looked on.
Nemo: Aaraaaaaaa
Aara: (coming out of her room) what?
Nemo: please will you put a face mask on for me?
Aara: (sitting down with her legs up on the sofa) why ofcourse NOT Nemo ( and she played with her phone)
Nemo: don’t be mean c’mon

ℓ☺ℓ Aara showed him her tongue and carried on with her phone.
Nemo: Mari?
Maariah: you have hands Nemo!
Nemo: pleeeeeassseee Mari
Maariah: ok come with me

And that left Zoheb.

Zainab: what about you? ( Putting mehndi on her nails) don’t you want a mask while everyone’s at it?
Zoheb: I’ve never tried these things…
Zainab: there’s always a first time for everything (laughing) and since yourl gatecrashed our lil party you might as well make the most of it
Aara: encouraging him are we Zai?
Zoheb: you know what Zai you’re right, I should try it! But I don’t know how soooo Aara will you please put this mask on for me?
Aara: stick your finger in put some on your face how hard is that??
Laeeka: ℓ☺ℓ he just wants some attention Aara *winking*
Aara: you did not just do that woman (waking up and going over to the table and picking up a bowl of avocado mask)
Aara: when was the last time you washed your face?
Zoheb: huh? When I had a shower this evening…should I wash it again?
Aara: (soaking a face towel in the dish of water and dabbing Zoheb’s face) stop looking at me close your eyes
Zoheb: (whispering) why?
Aara: just
Zoheb: (coming closer and grinning)
Aara: I promise you I will shove this mask up your nose!
Zoheb: (ℓ☺ℓ ) and I’m just kidding man(moving a little backwards)you look cute when you’re pissed off…by the way I was stunned seeing you dancing on the table like that(whispering)
Aara: shocked much?
Zoheb: (ℓ☺ℓ ) very much
Aara: (tracing Zoheb’s face with her fingers and gently applying the face mask)you look weird
Zoheb: so did you *wink* aah well I’m gonna look all fresh for my trip thanks to you
Aara: and whoever’s great idea it was for yourl to come here
Zoheb: all of us are guilty as charged but the strange thing is, I don’t even feel bad about it now coz this is so cool!
Riza: Zo soak your feet in that! (Pointing to the footspa)
Zoheb: (looking at Aara) a pedi would be nice…
Aara: that would require me to touch your toes which is something I will not do (waking up)
Zoheb: (I just love irritating her)

Nemo: taraaaaa!
Riza: what the…

Aara burst out laughing and took a pic of Nemo before he could say anything else

Nemo: just by the way, we have a video clip of you girls lil number
Aara: oh you wouldn’t dare!
Nemo: (sitting down) actually I would haha so be nice!

Nemo was a sight to behold. Over his clothes he had Maariahs white towelling gown, a lime and pink headband and he squeezed his giant feet into Aara’s sandals!

Aara: you owe me a pair of sandals
Nemo: this ugly thing! I found it in the bathroom it doesn’t even fit properly
Aara: gee you don’t say , I wonder why!
Nemo: now, I’ll have some alfredo and chicken wings and some coke please
Aara: (looking behind her)
Nemo: youuuu I’m talking to you sweetheart
Aara: ofcourse sir, it will be my pleasure and while I’m at it would anyone else like anything (very sarcastically)
Riza: yeah I’ll have 3 slices of chicken and mushroom pizza, some wings and coke please
Arshad: I want lasagne and some wings as well and I’ll have the orange juice
Zoheb: (with his eyes closed and head against the sofa relaxing) I’ll have the chilli steak pizza, 2 slices and some coke and you can warm some alfredo for me as well I’ll have it after the pizza….please
Maariah: how do you guys know if we have all these things here???
Nemo: well, we kinda went to the kitchen to check while you ladies were in the room *grinning*
Aara: unbelievable!

Nemo: make it fast Aara, did you go to warm the food or to make the food

And the guys laughed amongst themselves…

Aara: (to herself, alone in the kitchen) I’ll teach you boys a lesson you won’t forget (eyeing the ground green chillies and the cayenne pepper bottle) and she smiled a wicked, wicked smile…