Khizaan

Chapter 17

(It's just one proposal, why is everyone making huge deal out of it?)

"Baba aur Shahzaib bhai ko lagta hai yeh rishta achha hai, apke kabil hain." Hyra informed her. Both girls didn't have anything better to to do.

(Baba and Shahzaib bhai thinks that this is perfect proposal for you.)

Hyra was now free from her college, and Kubra also doesn't have to do anything at home. They were sitting idly on the balcony and talking. Hyra didn't tell Kubra or Uswa about her conversation with Hayder. She always dhares everything with Uswa, but this time, her heart didn't want talk about this to anyone.

"Waise uss din call ayi thi mujhe Sarim ki." Kubra didn't realise when she said this, she was deeply thinking about Sarim's call, and these words just slipped from her lips.

(Sarim called me that day.)

"What? Kya kaha unhone?" Hyra's eyes widened, as she almost shouted.

(What did he say?)

Kubra put her finger on her lips, asking her to lower her voice.

"Aisa kuch khas nahi kaha..." She was trying to avoid what Sarim said, but when Hyra looked at her with suspicious eyes, Kubra gave in and told her everything honestly.

(He didn't say anything special...)

"Toh, Kubra api, aap kya chahti hain?" After listening to everything, Hyra asked.

(So, Kubra api, what do you want?)

This was the first time when someone asked her what does she wants. Hayder didn't ask her before rejeceting Sarim. Zara didn't ask her if she likes Sarim or not, she was just telling Kubra to say yes for Sarim. Neither Hanif Mirza or Shahzaib bothered to ask Kubra her opinion. Hyra was the first one who asked what does she wants.

"Pata nahi. I mean, jiss Sarim ko main janti thi school mein, woh... woh koi playboy nahi, woh genuine tha, kisi bhi larki ke sath free nahi tha. Lekin yeh baat school ki hai, ab woh kaisa hai mujhe kya maloom. Woh genuine hai ya nahi mujhe kya maloom."

(I don't know. I mean, the Sarim I knew in school he... he wasn't a playboy, he was genuine, he wasn't free with any girl. But this was in school, how he is now I don't know. I don't know if he is genuine now or not.)

"Genuine na hote toh rishta kyu bhejte?" Hyra asked. "Shayad baba sahi hain, ek baar mil lena chahiye unse."

(If he wasn't genuine then he wouldn't have sent a proposal.)
(Maybe Baba is right, we should meet him.)

"Hayder bhai mana kar chuke hain." Kubra reminds her.

(Hayder bhai already refuses.)

Hyra pouted, "Woh toh kisi ki nahi sunte. Lekin sab unke hisab se toh nahi ho sakta na. Aap bataiye aap kya chahti hain?"

(He never listen to anyone. But not everything could happen according to him. Tell me what do you want?)

"Pata nahi. Mujhe abhi shadi hi nahi karni." Looking away from Hyra's face, Kubra mumbles.

(I don't know. I don't want to marry yet.)

"Shadi toh baad mein bhi ho sakti hai. Lekin iski wajah se achha rishta toh nahi kho sakte na. Uswa aur Rafey bhai bhi toh kabse engaged hain, shadi tabhi hogi jab Uswa ready hogi."

(You can marry later. This is not a reason to reject a good proposal. Uswa and Rafey bhai are engaged since years, but their marriage will only happen when Uswa will be ready.)

"Hyra, Hayder bhai mana kar chuke hain, aur unhone mana kar diya iska matlab duniya ki koi bhi cheez unka faisla nahi badal sakti."

(Hyra, Hayder bhai already rejected him, and if he has said something, then nothing can change his mind.)

"Agar woh mana na karte toh?" Hyra asked, she was adamant on getting the answer from Kubra.

(If he hadn't rejected Sarim then?)

"Toh?... toh..." Kubra struggle to get any answer. So what?

(Then?... then...)

Hyra got her answer in Kubra's hesitation. There won't be a harm meeting Sarim Randhawa.

•••

Hyra was avoiding Hayder, but after her conversation with Kubra, she decided to talk to him. He can not take decisions for everyone. If his marriage was forced doesn't mean he have to force his decision on others too. He should let Kubra take her own decision. This is what she wanted to talk to him. But before she could do so, Hayder informed everyone on the dining table that he is going to Mumbai for a meeting. Dawar was supposed to go, but now that Laraib is pregnant, Hayder suggested him to stay with Laraib and he will attend the meeting.

•••

"Baba," Knocking on Hanif Mirza's room door, Hyra called him.

"Hyra, aao bachhe." He took off his specs and put his tablet away, calling her in.

(Hyra, come in dear.)

"Kya hua? Kuch hua hai?" Hanif Mirza asked her.

(What happened?)

"Baba, woh Sarim Randhawa ka proposal..." Hyra started saying,

(Baba, about Sarim Randhawa's proposal...)

"Haan, Hayder se baat hui tumhari iss silsile mein?" Hanif again asked.

(Yes, did you talk to Hayder about this?)

"Ji, woh keh rahe hain ki aap log mil aye unse." Quickly, Hyra told him.

(Yes, he said you can meet Sarim Randhawa once.)

"Kya wakai?" Hanif Mirza was surprised to know this.

(Really?)

"Ji!" Hyra nods her head. She was not looking at Hanif Mirza, she was feeling guilty of lying to him, but again, Kubra's gloomy face made her do this. Kubra at least deserve to meet Sarim once.

(Yes!)

"Yeh toh bohot achhi baat hai, woh ajaye Mumbai se toh hum jayenge unke yaha." Hanif Mirza become happy with the news. Hyra's eyes widened.

(That's a good news, when Hayder will return from Mumbai, then we will go to Sarim's house.)

"Nahi! I mean... inko toh time lagega, woh keh rahe the aap log kal chale jaye. Waise bhi bhi sirf milne hi jana haina, Sarim ko toh yeh jante hi hain. Aap mil aye bas." Hyra was speaking very fast.

(No! I mean... he will be late, he said you all should go there. And you have to meet Sarim only, he has already met Sarim.)

"Achha? Theek hai, yeh bhi sahi hai. Kal Sunday hai, fir kal chalte hain." Hanif Mirza didn't find anything odd in her behaviour and nods his head.

(Really? Okay, this is fine too. Tomorrow is Sunday, we shall go to their house.)

She took a breath of relief out and excused herself. If Hayder knew she lied to Hanif Mirza about his decision, he would surely now do something which he only gave her threats of before.

Dubara mere samne zuban chalaya toh zubana kaat dunga.

Nikalu tumhari akarh.

Entering her room, she went to lay down on the bed. Now that he wasn't here again, he again went to sleep on the bed, but for some reason, she couldn't sleep, again. Why is it that the lone room scares her so much? Is Hayder's presence a lullaby that she fell asleep so peacefully when he is in the room? She shook her head violently on this thought.

•••

Oh ho, Hyra is being chalak bro😶 did she do the right thing?

Khair, what y'all think of this story so far?

-Ufaq