Walking inside her room, Suhana unwrapped her dupatta from her head and put it on the bed after making sure all the curtains were drawn. She opened her waist-length hair and started to comb through them with her weak hands, standing in front of the...
-"No! No! Suhana, try to understand. I beg you. Just go from here. Don't give in to Mehmood. Your baba and I won't be able to live knowing that our daughter is in hell," She said while pulling my one hand to stop me from going out of the room.
But I was determined to stop this drama today. My family has endured it enough for 3 years. Not anymore. With a deep breath, I wiped the tears from my cheek and opened the door. As soon as I opened the door, I saw my cousin Raiyan standing there, blocking the way.
-"Raiyan, what is happening? Where is baba? Is he okay? I need to go to baba. Move," I said.
Before I could step out, Raiyan forced a piece of cloth on my face, covering my nose and mouth. My eyes became wide because of shock and I tried to gasp as much as air to breathe.
-"Sorry Api (sister), but I have to do this to save you," is all I heard before plunging into darkness.
I woke up hearing a loud voice that seemed like was coming from speakers. I tried to open my eyes but a sharp pain ran through my head as soon as I opened my eyelids. It took me a few seconds to understand my surroundings.
I am at the airport.
-"Api, you are awake. Raiyan, come here, api is awake," I looked and saw my cousin Asma, Raiyan's sister, sitting beside me on the bench.
-"How did I get here? Why am I at the airport?" I said while holding my head with my hands. It felt like my head was about to burst due to the intolerable pain.
Suddenly, everything flashed in my mind and I remembered what happened right before Raiyan drugged me. I looked at my clothes and saw I was still in my orange long dress that maa had bought for my engagement.
Today was my engagement.
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As I bought my gaze up from the dress, I saw Raiyan talking over the phone and glancing at us. Hanging up, he paced towards where I and Asma were seated. Realization hit me. He was about to send me to the US, just like maa baba wanted. That's why we were at the airport.
-"Api, how are you feeling? Do you want some water?" Raiyan asked.
-"How could you do this Raiyan? Why did you bring me here? How could you think that I'll leave you all behind? He was there for ME! Mehmood was there for ME! I was ready to give in to him. I may have hidden from him all these years but now? Now I left my parents to fight my battle. What's the use of hiding all this time if my fiance and in-laws are abducted right after my engagement? If I go back now, at least I'll be able to save their lives. I hope. Allah! I can't leave Raiyan. I have to go back. I have to go back," I shouted while thinking about what might have happened back home.
Raiyan and Asma were quiet but couldn't stop the tears to pool in their eyes. It was like they had nothing to say. They didn't know what to say. They just kept staring at me while I was sobbing uncontrollably and shouting at them.
I stood up from my seat with the intention of going back to my home, to my parents. As soon as I started walking, Raiyan held my arm and turned me around.
-"I can't let you go back there api. I made a promise to khala and khalu (Aunt and Uncle) that I'll return home only after you board that plane and it takes off. We all are together in this. We all want you to get away from here asap. I know you are scared. I know api. But your brother is here na? I'll take care of everyone. I'll make sure khala and khalu are safe. And I promise. I promise once everything is settled, I will go to the US and bring you back myself," Raiyan said while cupping my face in his palms.
I couldn't look at him. His eyes were already damp from teardrops and his voice was filled with concern.
-"Raiyan is right api. If you go back, it will only make things worse. Mehmood managed to crash your engagement despite the fact that he is about to be executed in 3 days. Do you think khala and khalu have any other options? They also want their daughter to stay with them. And they kept you away from Mehmood for 3 years. They even made getting you engaged possible right under Mehmood's radar. If you go back now, then all their efforts will go in vain. No matter how dangerous Mehmood is, he will not harm anyone again. Not until he finds you. Cause if he does anything to our family then he knows that he'll never get to know your whereabouts. Things will stay heated for some days but trust me, everything will go back to normal. Just give us and yourself some time," said Asma, trying to sound brave.
No matter how much I hated to agree with Asma, somewhere in my heart I knew that she was right. If I go back then everything my parents did for me will be for nothing and Mehmood will get what he always wanted. But I didn't know what to say anymore. My emotions and Asma's words were at war inside my head.
-"Hey api, look at me. You don't need to think too much, okay? I know what you are going through but Trust Allah. Trust your parents. Trust us. We will find a way and bring you back. It's only a matter of time till he gets arrested again. And this time he can't escape his death sentence. Look, khala has given you your documents and mobile phone, Asma brought your clothes and other essentials, now it's your turn to fulfill khala and khalu's wish of getting you out of here. Please listen to us. Please api," Raiyan said in between his sobs.
I stood still, not knowing what to do or say. The tears were flowing on their own and it felt like the air became heavy.
What should I do? WHAT SHOULD I DO!?
-"It's time to go api. Your flight is about to take off," Raiyan's voice broke me out of my daze and I looked at him and then at Asma. They both tried to give me a weak smile in between their sobs but I knew. I knew they were also heartbroken.
-"O... Okay, I'll go," hearing this, both Raiyan and Asma hugged me tightly and started crying their heart out.
I was still in a haze. I tried to hug them back but it felt like every muscle in my body had given up. After a few moments, they let go of me and Asma said,
-"Contact uncle Feroze if you need to before reaching there. His number is saved on your phone. Raiyan talked with him a while ago and told him your arrival time. He'll take care of you there," I only gave them a nod and started walking through the gate with both my bags in my hands.
Every step I took was killing me from the inside. My head felt dizzy and my legs felt heavy. I felt that I may never see them again. I looked back to see Asma and Raiyan still standing there, waiting for me to pass the gate. The fear of never seeing them again made me put the bags down all of a sudden and run toward them. I hugged them both and we 3 started crying our hearts out. I never wanted to leave them. After some time they let go of me and Raiyan said with a sad smile,
-"In'Sha'Allah Api, we'll meet again. Very soon."
-"In'Sha'Allah," was all that I replied to and kissed their foreheads before walking towards the gate.
This time, I didn't dare look back. Cause I know, if I look back, I wouldn't be able to board that plane.
