Mine To Be Called ✓

~~•Twelve•~~

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She stared at her reflection in the mirror when the makeup artist was giving last touches to her makeup. It was the day of her nikkah to Mohid. In a tea-pink long floor-reaching maxi, she looked stunning. The dress was inundated by the silver embroidery. The bodice had a round neckline and it was also designed by intricate silver mirror and thread work.

The sleeves last at her wrists, arms hugging and giving a stunning feel to her arms. Her hair was slightly curled and left free over her shoulder and back. The dupatta was relatively lighter and was only dusk by a few mirrors or threads which the beautician had neatly tugged over her shoulder. The white gazes on her wrists gave her a fresh look.

Andaleeb breathed in the fragrance of the mehendi and perfume that was sprinkled on her. She was dolled up to become Mohid's bride. But only she knew what was the reality. She had contemplated her decision every time in these four months and the answer was always Aurang.

"How beautiful you are looking, Masha Allah. Every bad eye off," Daneen praised her, holding her hand.

She was stunned when Daneen gave her a beautiful small box-shaped gift wrapped in a gift paper. "This is your gift which a friend of yours has sent for you through courier. The parcel is from Karachi. Do you have any friends from Karachi?"

Andaleeb's mouth fell open at this. It had been a while since she was getting anonymous messages and gifts from someone. At first, she gave it to Aurang because these texts and presents seemed to coming from someone who loved her. Those words seemed like they were said by Aurang because he also loved her. But Aurang had denied it. She didn't even know who it was but she still hadn't disclosed it to anyone. "Yes, I have a college friend who shifted to Karachi two years ago." She lied.

Daneen nodded with a smile and went away when the beautician asked her to come over as she had to style her hair.

Daneen too had accompanied her to the beauty salon. In a shimmering black velvet dress, she herself looked beautiful.

Her stare went back to the gift. It was a small box encircled by a red packet having a cute black ribbon. She opened it and found a beautiful golden chain having a lock-shaped pattern. 

"I always denied that it was me, Andi. But today I want to tell you that it's really me. I love you."

She grinned sharply at this as she hugged the chain closer to her heart. She knew it was him. There was no way someone else would write such heartfelt and romantic messages for her. But why did he give her a chain having a lock-shaped pattern? Where was the key? Perhaps he would give her tonight on their wedding night. She tried calling him but he didn't pick him, attenuating the fact that he really wanted to surprise her this night. 

Andaleeb's eyes became wistful seeing her sister. She was deceiving all of them and she would soon bring a disgrace over them. But there was no save option than to flee from a wedding. If she had brought her wish to marry Aurang again in front of her parents, they would have narrowed the path of her freedom.

The driver drove them towards their bungalow in the afternoon. Here, in the vast garden of the Sultan's Mansion, her nikkah would take place. Barat would come any time soon. Daneen and her mother took her to her bedroom and here all her nerves were occupied.

There was so much hustle and bustle in the mansion. Many of her girl cousins, relatives, and friends were here. Even in her room, none had left her alone. Sometimes her cousins came and sometimes her friends did the service to praise her for her beauty and tease her regarding Mohid. But Andaleeb was least interested in it. She just wanted to be alone here.

And in a while, she got this chance when the barat came. The sound of drums and noises of people were almost sky level and the music tune reverberated which gave her a headache. Her heart started beating fast. As she was left alone, she again looked at herself in the mirror.

Was she really going to do this? Leaving her family for a man? Humiliating them for a stranger? Tarnishing their respect for her love for someone? However, what could she have done? Her father had put ropes of indifference in her feet where becoming selfish was the only option. He loved her dearly and always honored her every wish. She had this self-esteem and pride in herself that he would never disregard and decline her love for the man she loved.

He would listen to her and accept Aurang for her. But she was proved to be completely wrong. Perhaps if Sultan had shown some streaks in the past that her every longing wouldn't have been brought to reality, she would have stopped her heart and made it understand. But after falling head over heels for Aurang, it was out of the question that she wouldn't retaliate and accept the loveless and arranged fate for her.

Without giving herself any margin to overthink and realizing that she didn't have that much time, she hastily locked her door. Changing her bridal dress, she put her dress in a suitcase. Suddenly her eyes caught the sight of that pendant and necklace given by Shah in one of the drawers of her cupboard. It made her recall the moments she spent with him. The thrill and happiness of Aurang's companionship died down as soon as she remembered that stranger.

She didn't know what came into her heart but she kept both the necklace and pendant in her suitcase as well. Sitting on the edge of the bed, Andaleeb's fingers were running rapidly over a blank page where she was jotting down her last message for her family.

A last message. A last meeting for a while. A backstabbing. A deception.  Cheating. But love would win against all of this surely.

Andaleeb stared at her black suitcase before walking over to it. She covered her face with her dupatta as the increasing noise of drums and people was whacking against her heart rather than her ears. Now only her eyes were visible. No one would be downstairs in the house. Everyone would be in the garden to welcome the groom's family. It would be easier for her to sneak from the back gate.

She took a deep breath before nudging the door of her room, a bright light impinging on her eyes which made her whole body flutter in fear.

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AssalamoAlaikum/ Hi guys!

How are you?

Here's a new chapter.

I hope you like it. 😍❤

Andaleeb is about to flee from her wedding. Do you think she will be successful?

Why Aurang send her romantic messages and gifts?

Plz, vote and comment. ❤