Muntazir | ✓

Chapter-3

Her smile turned upside down hearing the tone of voice he talked her to which led to her leaving to her room with an angry expression, she was just joking, he didn't have to be rude.

Aidah followed her to her room, not noticing that Zaviyar was also following behind.

"Hume bhaijaan bilkul nahi pasand, har waqt aise akdu bankar ghumte rehte hain, humara nikah hoga na jab, tab apne shohar se unki pitayi karwayenge hum. Dekha aap." Ariha complained to Aidah while caressing her pet.

(I don't like bhaijaan at all, he walks around with arrogance all the tim, watch when I get married, I'll ask my husband to give gim a lesson!)

"Acha?"

"Haan lekin zyada zor se nahi, hain to wo humare Zavi bhaijaan na, aur na hum Mau ko bhi sikhayenge ki bhaijaan ke paas na jaaye...ek din nahi hua, apni ammi ko betray karta hai!" And her list of complaints went on and on until Aidah decided to leave the room with an excuse.

(Yes but not too badly, he's my Zavi Bhaijaan at the end of the day and I'll teach Mau to not go to him, not even a day and he's already betraying his mother!)

Ariha didn't talk to Zaviyar for two days and it was easier since he wasn't home, he was quitting his job, his job as an assassin, and it was too risky. Too risky for the life he wanted.

It started a decade back when he accidentally encountered a man who worked in the CBI, the work that started with the investigation soon turned into the assassination of the said investigations.

The criminals who couldn't be punished under the law were erased subtly and he got paid for getting rid of the people who did the worst of crimes.

It wasn't until a few years ago that he decided to stop what he was doing, to think about his future, his Ariha, he couldn't put her in danger by any chance, not till he was alive and breathing.

"Ariha, we need to talk." Hearing her mother's voice, she turned the cartoon off, sitting straight.

Aiza wasn't alone, Anabia and Ayat followed her, closing the door behind them.

"Tayi-ammi? Aap log yahan aaye, hume hi bula lete." She said, her eyes going to the plate of salad Ayat had in her hands.
(Tayi-ammi? You all here? Should've just called me)

Feeling her gaze, she gave the plate to Ariha as they settled down on her bed.

"Dara kyun rahe hain aap? Koi tapak gaya hai kya?" She whispered which earned her a smack from her mother. "Ammi!" She whined.
(Why are you scaring me? Did someone die?)

"This is serious, we want to ask you something...and you need to be serious right now, we're not joking to entertain you." Aiza started, "we're just asking you to think about it, okay?"

"Arey par kya?" She asked.
(But what?)

"We were considering your wedding..." She started.

"Ab kon mil gaya aapko? Dekho saare ladko ki pehle se hi koi item hoti hai, aapki choice hume pasand nahi." She declared, stuffing her mouth with a piece of orange.
(Who did you find now? See all these guys you choose already have someone in their lives, I don't like your choice!)

"I assure you he'll only love you," Ayat said before Aiza could reply.

"And Mau?" She asked, looking at the sleeping cat in the corner of her room on his cat bed.

"And Mau too," Ayat confirmed.

"Hume qubool hai."
(I accept)

"Naam to sunle badtameez!" Her mother huffed in annoyance. (Hear his name first, shameless)

"Arey haan! Wo handsome to hain na? Waise humne toh pehle hi choose kar lia tha." She pouted sadly, "Par aapke aage humari kahan hi chalni hai."
(Oh yes! He's handsome right? Although I've already chosen someone) (but then again, who'll listen to me in front of y'all)

"Tum batao to sahi." Her mother asked sweetly but her expression said something else. (Just tell us)

Ariha hid behind her tayi ammi to get out of her mother's reach, "Hum nahi batayenge, aap log sabko bata doge."
(I won't tell you, you people will tell everyone)

"Tum batao toh sahi." Ayat insisted, dreading her answer. She didn't know if she wanted to be happy that she chose someone or if she should be scared that she chose someone already.
(Just tell us)

"Humne unko propose bhi kia tha...unhone hume daant dia." Ariha shook her head, "aap batayein, mana lenge aap log unko?" She asked.
(I proposed to him to...he scolded me) (tell me, will you convince him?)

"What's his name?" Her mother asked, getting annoyed.

"Unse haan karwayenge ya nahi?" She forwarded her hand, waiting for them to keep theirs too. (You'll get him to say yes or no?)

"Okay."

She watched the three of them join their hands with hers, taking a deep breath, she blurted Zaviyar's name.

"My Zaviyar?" Ayat asked in shock, a slow smile spreading on her lips.

"Jii." She nodded shyly, "Hume sharam aa rahi hai."
(Yes) (I feel shy)

"Uski haan hai." Ayat replied quickly.
(It's a yes from his side)1

"Aapko kaise pata?" Ariha asked in confusion, "kahin bhaijaan ne aapko humare proposal ke baare toh nahi bataya? Kitni chugli-"
(How do you know? Did he tell you about my proposal? He's such a gossip-)

"He won't be your bhaijaan anymore." Anabia frowned in the middle of her rant.

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