The Beast

17

"Gul bacha, Are you okay?"
Azar caressed her hair lightly.
He had always tried to be open with her, their relationship had the flexibility where she could share anything she wanted with him, no matter how big the problem is.

"I'm fine Akhii. Just a little headache"
Gulaab gave him a convincing smile.
He was her brother. He could see right through her facade.

"If anything or anyone is bothering you, you will come to me okay?"
Her heart felt heavy, she wanted to blurt out everything.

"I will Akhii"

"Go to your room and rest"
Azar patted her head.
Gulaab nodded and walked upstairs to her room.

~

This morning was damp with melancholy and a lover's cry. The sun, The sun-rays, The familiar faces around her; all were the same as they were yesterday.
But
Gulaab knew that after today,
Things will change.
Things won't be the same.
For Gulaab Mukhtar will bury her first love in the sacred depth of her heart's cemetery.
For Gulaab Mukhtar will no longer think about Ebek Awarkzai.

"Gulaab Jan. You haven't seen the dress that your in-laws sent. Look how gorgeous it is-"
Gulaab gave Ammara a tight smile. Her pure cousin was oblivious to the fact that she was hurt inside, she was gushing with excitement.

"Ohhh look at you blushing"
Ammara clapped her hands when she saw her trying to hide her face behind the curtain of her hair.

"Ammara I need to take a shower"
Gulaab was trying her best to stay calm and composed, she felt she would break down at any moment.

"Ooh yeah. You take a shower, then we can go to the beauty parlor. We're already getting late"
Gulaab nodded and walked towards the bathroom.
As the cold water was cascading down her body, her thoughts embraced her lover.
Ebek Awarkzai was danger in disguise, she had known from the start but still, her naive little heart had tumbled in the spell of his dark cruel eyes. He could hurt her in more ways than she could imagine but she had let him in.
The thought of leaving him...
It was painful.
But it was the cruel reality that she had to let go of him.
She was a coward!
She didn't have the resilience to face her family and state her love for him.
Their love hadn't even bloomed yet and the bellicose autumn arrived.
Her eyes burned with tears and her heartfelt heavy.
What did the future behold for them? The thought itself was terrifying, would she be able to let go of these imprudent emotions and move on?

~

"Is everything planned?"
Upon the affirmative response from the phone line, Ebek concealed his eyes with his dark ray bans.
The plethora of qualms about his intentions was haunting him. Was he doing the right thing? Were there any rights and wrongs in love? He was acquiring love by means that weren't normal. He was acquiring love with force...but then again, he can't just sit back and watch her with that bastard.
Jealousy is a tide that binds, binds, and binds..
Ebek was letting the poisonous jealousy consume him.
He was going to be something he wasn't or maybe he was a devil indeed.
A monster that certainly didn't deserve a luminous angel like her. She didn't deserve to be with a mentally sick person with a troubled past.

"Am I doing the right thing?"
The doubts were eating him away, what if she hates him after that...he won't be able to endure her hate.

"Lala this is the only thing we can do. You tried to persuade her parents not once but twice-"
Zameer exclaimed.
He only wanted to see his brother happy again and Gulaab was the only one who can make him happy.
It's crazy how love compels all your emotions to one person.

"When are we reaching there? Who else is with her"
Ebek wanted this to proceed perfectly, it was a cushy job unless her brother tries to but in.