Previously on Borders...
She didn't know she had already made me misinterpret about Zain's character. But yet, I had to forgive her. She was just like my younger sister, Jasleen... and I knew I would've forgiven her too..
"It's alright, Waliyha... It's really okay... I already knew it was you.." I said as she unexpectedly hugged me.
Though I was taken aback by her affection, I hugged her back, "How did you know?' She asked.
"Oh, I just went by my instincts.."
.........
(Khala- aunt ; Bhai- brother)
"I hope everything is alright between you and Zain bhai.. " Waliyha said while wiping her tears, with the back of her hand.
"Don't worry, Waliyha... everything's fine between us..." I lied on her face.
I didn't want her to know everything wasn't right between me and Zain from the first day of marriage.
"You didn't speak about this to Zain bhai, did you?" She smiled, lifting a corner of her lip while doing so, strangely reminding me of Zain.
"Do you really think that I must have conveyed this to Zain?" I giggled.
"Well, I trust you, so.. I think you must have kept it yourself.." She said, cooling the tensed situation.
"Well I must say, you do write love- letters pretty well... anything you want to say to me?" I looked at her, while she coyly looked down, smiling, trying to avoid my gaze.
"Well, the thing is..." She tried to let the words out.
"Why don't I take you on a tour of my room?" She cleverly changed the topic. I nodded, agreeing to her request.
........
"Who's this?" I asked, pointing to a petite boy in a photograph, standing next to another boy in front of a house, as Waliyha showed me pictures of all of Zain's family members.
"That's Zain bhai..." Waliyha smiled, "And that?" I asked, looking at the boy next to Zain.
"That's Javed bhai..the boy you'd mistaken to be Zain.." She reminded me with a mischievous giggle.
"Oh yes, him..." I said, smiling, recollecting the recent memory.
"They were the closest cousins! They weren't cousins even, they were more like brothers..." She said, and I sensed something wrong had happened between them. I didn't want to sound inquisitive and take disadvantage of the freedom that Zain's family gave me, but yet I asked, "What happened between them, then?"
"Promise me that you won't tell anyone..." She held my hands, and I felt my stomach flip.
"I won't..." My voice reduced to a whisper.
"Zain bhai and Javed bhai were really close cousins... all of us really envied their friendship... But ever since Zain bhai'd left Lahore for Karachi, he had totally changed... he didn't speak much to the family.. we all know he cares about us, but there's that essence of joy he has lost after joining the army.. after all it is the British army we're talking about.." She sighed.
So it wasn't just me who had to experience Zain's temperament.
"I reckon they must've had a fight even, you know, but when I tried to ask the both of them, they just kept mum..." She ended her story with a sigh.
I nodded understandingly. "Look Harpreet didi, I believe in the fact that since you're married to my brother, you are a part of the family.. and being a part of our family, means that you need to know the things that we have gone through... but please, don't ever tell anyone that I'd conveyed this to you.." She said, pleading.
"Waliyha, trust me... I won't tell him." I said.
"Waliyha! Call Harpreet! Zareen khala has come to meet us!" I could hear Aminah's voice from outside.
"Mother! I am with Harpreet now, we're coming..." She yelled back.
"Who is Zareen khala?" I asked, wearing my scarf.
"Oh, you shouldn't have asked.." She laughed.
"Why?" I asked innocently.
"Well, since you don't know her, she's Father's second cousin who lives quite far away from Lahore... she's a bit straight- forward while passing comments, so don't take it to your heart, okay?" She said.
"By straight- forward you don't mean rude, do you?" I asked, smiling.
"Well, if that's a better way to put it, yes.. she is .." She said, heading out of the room with me following her.
........
"Masha Allah!" She repeated three times while hugging me, after I served her tea that Waliyha had made.
"Zain must be so lucky to have a wife as beautiful and blushing as she is!" She praised, as I looked down shyly.
There was Aminah, Waliyha in the room. Yaser had just talked to her a while and had gone inside, which I guess, was to avoid her, and Zain had chosen to stay in his room.
Zareen Khala wasn't that bad as Waliyha portrayed her to be... well, if flattery was her way to make me like her, it was certainly working.
"I regret not being able to come on the wedding day, if only my health would permit me too.. I 'd fallen ill right on the day of marriage.." She said, looking at Aminah.
"Well, the marriage went well.. you look quite fine today, much fresher and healthier than the last time I had seen you..." Aminah cheekily said, and I could see khala's face turning pale.
Before she could answer anything, "Preet, why don't you sit?" Aminah asked, and I sat next to Waliyha, facing Zareen khala.
"I should've come on the wedding night! I could've gifted you something then.." She said looking at me, with a smile that raised her cheek bones. She was quite a plump and an aged woman, she'd kept a hand- kerchief in her hand with which she wiped her forehead which always sweated.
"You could've brought something now too, you know, since Harpreet's still here.." Aminah slyly smiled, enjoying the look on khala's face.
"But why a Sikh, Aminah? Zain already had proposals coming in from our own relatives..." Khala said... and now I understood the meaning behind Waliyha's warnings.
I couldn't believe the nerve she had to speak ill about me while I was right there in front of her!
"Zareen! Whatever faith she follows, she is just like my daughter! And that's exactly why we'd chosen her, out of all our relatives, as Zain's bride..."
"But a girl from another community? Was that your last ray of hope? Couldn't you see girls from other families? Did you only see this girl?" She spewed all the poison in her.
"That wasn't my last ray of hope, Zareen! Her family is very close to ours, this marriage was very though- out! " Aminah raised her voice, and I looked at her, shocked. I looked at Waliyha who had her head bowed.
"Well let me let you know that this marriage's been the joke of your neighbourhood, everyone's speaking about it! Waseema, Yasmin, Rahma, everyone!" Zareen Khala spoke back, and I could feel the tears wetting my eyes.
Aminah stood up, leaving the room.
"Mark my words! This marriage is never going to work!" Khala yelled, leaving the house, and I broke- down.
I felt the ground shaking as the words fell from her mouth, my vision grew darker and I felt a pair of arms, who I guess was Waliyha's, holding me as I fainted.
Actions might just prick your heart, but words can stab it...
_____
Well hello everyone!!! Long time no see! I have started my 11th grade IK OMG *it is too much* and I have fallen again in to the stage of light depression... and this i am sharing only with you guys so just stay with me on this...
I have NO friends.... I repeat.. NO friends. I have around 50 girls in my classroom yet, I have no friends... I eat lunch alone in a huge classroom while everyone goes out with their friends.
I might seem to be happy, guys, but certain things kill me inside... :/
Okay, all serious stuff aside! How was this chapter??? I really want to know... only you can make my day better! Plus, I have a cold and slight fever, so understand that while writing this I had a stuffy nose and a sore throat :P
Stuff to come soon !
1. A play-list for Borders (which actually means the songs which I visualise Harpreet and Zain in) which I will be putting on Youtube soon!
2. A book ( a Q & A book) in which I will be answering all your questions... so PLEASEEE ask me ANYTHING unless it's inappropriate ;/
3. Many cool updates!! So you have to wait for that <3
please ask any of the questions you have relating to anything about the books, about me or anything and i will be answering them... you can put them down here in the comment's section and I will be answering it in the new book I will be publishing! So yeah! xx help me! I wanna feel like a famous author where I answer your questions :3
Till then, while I sniff my nose
xoxo
sweetdreams199
(P.s - Long update)