Raanjhana | رانجھانا

CHAPTER-2

"See, how is this theme?", she showed him pictures and stopped on one. "I like this one a lot what do you say Zain?", she looked up towards him.

"Yeah, it will be great", Zain replied looking intently at the pictures she was showing him.

"I knew you are going to like this one", she said. Her face was glowing with happiness now.

The waiter came and placed their coffee and snacks on the table.

"Thanks", Zain said to the waiter and picked up the cup to warm up his hands a bit.

"You can decide the things how you want it, I don't mind at all", He took a sip.

"Zain so where we would live after marriage?", she asked nonchalantly and took a bite from the sandwich. He paused and processed her words. He put aside the cup.

"What kind of question is this?", he raised an eyebrow.

She chewed the food for a few seconds, cleaned her mouth with the tissue paper, and said, "They are not your biological grandpare-".

"Stop it please", Zain's forehead etched into a deep frown. "I understand it is not wrong to ask for a separate house, it is your religious and legal right but I am sorry don't think so I'll be able to give this thing to you", he heaved a sigh.

"I didn-",

"If that's the case I would say you should reconsider your decision of getting married to me Marzia", He stated.

"Zain", She called him by his name to stop him. She looked at him with horror-filled eyes. "I didn't say I won't live with you there", her features got tensed. He remained silent.

"My mum said that-", she stopped and muttered, "forget it". She looked at him, he seemed unconvinced.

"How can you think about calling it off", she asked dejectedly. She gulped and all the doubts she was trying to wipe away surfaced again in her mind. "Are you not happy with all this ", her voice trailed off.

"What does this mean now?", Zain asked in disbelief. "You are dragging the topic somewhere else".

"Oh! so I am dragging the topic", she huffed. "I am, right?". She moved her head to and fro.

He gave her a blank look.

"My husband-to-be has been ignoring me for days. Not a single reply to my message and forget about my countless calls. I had to talk to his mother to get an appointment to meet him. What else I would think. And still, I am dragging the issue. Wow", she gave him an accused look.

"I accept it was my fault I should have informed you that I was stuck with a foreign delegate that's why I didn't even get time to check my phone but it happened so suddenly that I couldn't do anything. I saw your messages last night but I knew a message or call back won't be enough. I was going to meet you too today, even if mom wouldn't have said to me."

Marzia looked at him for a moment her eyes brimmed and pain crept in her heart. "Zain's kind heart is going to be your biggest blessing yet the worst enemy Marzia. Getting married to a man who is already preoccupied with so many responsibilities is like making a death wish. Think again about your decision my child, you deserve a better man", her mother's words reverberated in her mind.

"I'm just so helpless in front of my own heart", she closed her eyes and pressed her forehead with her middle and index finger. She knew there was no going back. She loved him and can't think of a life without him. 

He starred at her. "I'm sorry about that. It won't happen again.", he said. 

"The thing is they are my family whether anyone accepts it or not. Would your mother have said the same thing if I was living with my parents? She would have said that too.....I believe.", Zain said in a calm voice. He shook his head and turned his head to the side. "Your mother is against our marriage from the very beginning and I don't even understand why she is. I've given her nothing but respect.".