BismiAllahiArRahmaniArRaheem
I adjusted my thick Pashmina shawl in order to revamp my appearance and straightened my spine as I stood, waiting for my friend to pick me up at the Chowmohalla street, as commanded by her. It was a rural sort of area, so after graduation when my friend opt on serving her village and settled here, leaving me in the city and then called me on her cousin's wedding a few months later, there was no way I was refusing!
I kept my gaze on the ground, doing my best to avoid all the stares. Well, my good looks did get in way sometimes. Cheeky much? Yeah!
There was some kind of event taking place on my right, and I apprehended that a formidable presence was among them, who seemed a fairly eminent figure, here in Khajuala. What was taking our lass so long?!
The sudden disarrangement of the crowd had me thinking that the congregation had winded up, and began to disperse. Okay, heads down! You don't want a sixteen year old villager to make sheep's eyes at you. Try not to gawk at anyone, stay low, Khilwat Johar Hashimi.
Just then, I heard a woman screaming at something in front of her. It was rather, someone. Gosh, was she loud or what? Bhai thoda dheere, logon ke kaan badey nazuk hote hain. Bas Allah hi Reham karey hamare kaan par!
"You have no right to adjudicate about my child, you cold-blooded barbarian. Mere bacche ko khabardaar jo mujh se dur le gaye. Tumhei koi haqq nahin kisi ki aulad cheen ne ka!" She screamed at them, her form filled with indignation. She clutched her child harshly to herself, prying him away from the apparently unsympathetic men. I followed her glaring eyes, landing at a particular figure.
A charismatic, domineering young male, garbed in a white Kurta Salwar, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows and a black leather watch sitting regally on his wrist came in view with his overawing aura, sending chilly chills to my spine. His broad shoulders, clenched stubbled jaw, colossal height and lean yet patently muscular build screamed that he was no joke.
His dark, dominating vibes connoted that he rode roughshod over anyone subjugated to him, in his rule. His RayBan shades didn't allow his eyes to be at the spectacle and as if on cue, his left hand rose to remove them displaying grey thundering eyes, with specks of blue and golden dust in them. All I could see was calm rage, rippling in the grey orbs that held an on-point gaze and boy, was it scary?
The woman seemed intimidated by his gesture and staggered backwards when he took just two firm steps in her direction. He arched a perfect eyebrow and had a smirk playing on his sublime lips. He then let out a smooth velvety chuckle, that had me glance at his pearly set of teeth, and his Adam's apple that bounced up and down majestically.
"Barbaric? We're barbaric? Cold-blooded? Monsters and what else?" He questioned her in his deep masculine voice, that echoed through the silence his men maintained in their leader's awe.
"Agar kisi ki aulad cheenogey to woh Maan tumhein kosey gi hi!" She shouted back at him in answer to his query. He just smiled at her and crouched down in front of the kid she tightly held. His hand stealthily enveloped around the kid's wrist and took him out of his mother's grasp. The little boy looked like he came out of her hold willingly? Did he hypnotize the kid with his looks?
The lady thrashed about and cried and tried to tear down the wall his men erected by themselves, sheilding their chief who ambled along the way holding the kid's hand in his trademark regal bearing.
"Khilwat!" Oh, now she comes? Talk about timing!
・・・・・・・・・
Raheela braided my brownish hair from both the sides and leaving them open from the back, bringing out an elegant up-do as a corollary. My peach colored suit, studded with stones and pearls in every patch, and the light pinkish nude makeup made me look as elegant as I could ever get. The endmost accessory was the sophisticated, peachish heel, with a few diamonds on the strap that was to be tightened around the ankle. I fixed my neatly folded dupatta on the left shoulder and sweeped my hair out of it.
"Woah, girl! The guys are in it for today. You look ravishing! Ma Shaa Allah." She inspected my appearance for anything else to fill and clapped her hands with a satisfied expression. Her remark had me sheepishly smile back at her with a light tint coloring my cheeks.
"Eh, I don't look that modish now. Besides, you're the one that prettified my look." I shyly appreciated her efforts, she did make me a sight to behold. Ya Allah, safeguard me from men with a wrong gaze.
It was a pre-wedding function called out in the lawn of the Haveli. The decorated courtyard gave me a tingly feeling with all the lights and flowers dangling from various places. The aunties ran here to there, chastising their maids and their children for lazing around and not making proper preparations for their beloved nephew, lionized by every member of the family. His wedding had to be carried out with additional pump and festivities.
The men wore deep royal colored Kurtas and went by laughing and winking at their female folks, merrily enjoying the celebration. I was eternally grateful to Raheela who didn't leave my side for once. The fact that I garrotted her arm in mine was another story, but my baby didn't leave me for the wolves.
"Raheela and Khilwat! Idhar aao tum dono. Zara jaakar saari mithaiyaan batwao, aur Raheela tum raaste mein saare Laddu khud hi na kha jaana. Mehmaan ke liye hai woh." Raheela's mother handed us a chore threatening Raheela all along for gobbling the sweet goodies. I was handed a thaali of Barfi and Raheela was given a tempting tray of Laddus.
"Bhai, yeh zulm horaha hai mujh par. Kya mehmaan hai to apni jaaydaat de dein? Dekho kaise dekh rahi hai Amma mujhe, jaise ek nazar unki chuki, aur maine in laddu'oon ka satyanaas kardena hai!" Frustratingly rambled Raheela giving a scowl to her mother, who in turn raised her hand motioning that if anything went wrong, she'll have her head. I could just let out a giggle at her; who was hopping mad.
"Oho Raheela! Aisey hi rehna tum. Haye, meri khushi to dekho koi, is ke haath mein thaali dekh kar ghar-baar ke kaam karti hui itni acchi lag rahi hai. Kabhi yeh rehm-o-karam kisi ke Shaadi ke ilawah koi aam aam dinon mein bhi kar liya karo. Bhagaa kar le jaoonga, pakka!" A handsome lad whispered the last part in Raheela's ears which had me thinking whether the red on her cheeks was due to anger or something else maybe. He kept grinning at her ear-to-ear, dancing on his feet anxious for her riled up reaction.
She kept the thaali on the table between the couches, and turned to him with red cheeks and a death threatening glare. I guess the tint was due to boiling rage, nothing more than that. She suddenly grabbed his collar and brought him to her eye level with just a few fingers gap in between, a bold move I'd say and muttered in a dead low voice.
"Us se pehle tumhara qatal na hojaye?"
His expression screamed that he was thoroughly amused and fully satisfied at her impart that she oh so graciously bestowed upon him.
"Shayed usi bahane hum Jannati ban jaaye!" His low hypnotized mumble rang through the air and she instantly retracted her hands back from his Kurta and looked well, mortified. His only reaction was a smile and eyes twinkling with a powerfully sweet emotion.
Couple goals!
Couple goals!
COUPLE GOALS!!
I chuckled at their interaction and bent forward to proffer the Barfis to the Mehmaan. Raheela's guy lightly laughed before picking up a Laddu and shoving it in, his mouth peering at her while Raheela burned holes in him as big as the sweet with her glare.
My hair slightly toppled over my shoulder, by gravity of course, as I crouched and forwarded the tray to one of the men. Just when I looked up, my heart thudded in my chest, and I feared that he would hear it. Yes, it was really, abnormally loud.
His stormy grey eyes stared right into my soul, scrutinizing every motion of mine. I think the thaali quivered due to my trembling hands that went downright cold. He lightly leant forward and caught it, making me go haywire even though he wasn't even abstractedly close to me. Raw fear overwhelmed my petite being at his simple, plain gaze. Who was this man?
Before I dropped all the Barfis of the thaali, I left it in his hands and mumbled a meek 'Excuse me' dashing inside at full speed. I did catch the hint of a smirk, though.
・・・・・・・・・
My head touched the Musallah on the ground, as I prayed to the Almighty. He is the refuge of His Servants, He would Alone suffice for me. I made my Du'a and descried a few tear drops on my hands. Sniffing, I rose up and unwrapped my Dupatta.
Grey colour started to traumatize me now. He didn't even do anything, to me I mean, but by the looks of it, he seemed irrevocably intimidating. Raheela filled me in about his position in their family, ranting about how he was the eldest among her cousins, how his position as the uncrowned king of the village earned respect from even the elders.
He held his dignity and prestige high above anything else and no one dared to raise their voices in front of him. His words were the unconstitutional law, his actions - the endgame. Even in his family, he was an enigma. Weird rumors flew in the streets about him, but still he forced himself in people's hearts. Honestly, he seemed like a spoiled brat to me!
Matlab, kisi ke bacche ko utha lena, kisi ko aghwa karwa lena, kisi ko salaakhon ke andar bhijwa dena aur phir kuch kehna bhi mat! Bhai, yeh agli dafa mere saamne aaye, aisi phainti lagaungi, aisa sunana hai maine ke bas! Darna-warna nahi hai maine, kya koi is qadar apni hukoomat chalayega aur hum wah-ji-wah karein. Wah karti hai, meri jooti!
I kept mum uptill here only because I didn't have proper intel on him, not because his grey eyes shut me up. I heard that he goes on patrol at night, surveying all the streets looking for trouble.
Aise kaun karta hai batao mujhe? Ullu ka pattha na ho to! Matlab ullu hi isi tarah raat mein aankh phaadte hue baithte hain, aur yeh janab to baithe nahi rehte, bas bhangra karna hai inko andheri galiyon mein. Jinn ki aulad! Tum dekho ab Zerdad Alam Siddiqui, tumhara band bajne wala hai!
A lip chapping sound broke me out of my reverie, and I inspected a dozed Raheela muttering incoherent phrases in her sleep, throwing her legs over mine and clutching my waist to herself. Seriously, Raheela bae?! Bye world, main chali soney!
I hoisted my greyish Lehenga lightly to descend the stairs, yeah just what my destiny is, Raheela had procured a grey attire for me and ordained it on me to dress in it. She dolled me up for the wedding while I was only thrilled out of my head to spank the guy. Only teeny bit excited for the wedding now. Currently, Zerdad was the flaring flame of my attention. The evil me had awaken itself and laughed sinisterly. Muahahaha!
"Wattaba'oo ma tatlush-shayateenu 'ala mulki sulaymaan, wa ma kafara sulaymaanu walaakinnash-shayaatena kafaroo yu'allimoona-nnaasa-ssihra wa maa unzila 'alalmalakayni bibaabila haroota wa maaroot; wa ma yu'allimaani min ahadin hattaa yaqoolaaa innama nahnu fitnatun-fala takfur..."
What was I doing? Reciting Qur'an as I scurried through the hallway to reach my destination. This was pure pleasure for me, relishing it all in myself, enjoying every bit of the Ayaat flowing through my veins. Also, I needed courage today.
Raheela skipped the stairs at a furious speed and jumped beside me and we let the journey towards function commence!
"Bhai, tum kabhi time par aajao toh kehna. Allah Tauba hai, ke kabhi tum waqt par aayi ho to." I rebuked her lightly while she pulled me with a huge force, almost making me trip at the on the outfit and fleet-footed nonchalantly looking dead straight.
"Agar hum waqt par aagaye, to barkhurdar hamara intezaar kaun karega?" Her silvery voice broke out as we stepped foot into the Range Rover. Well, I couldn't deny her words now. Maine toh intezar nahi karna, jaakar jisko wait karana hai, karwaati rahe. Hum apne ghodey pe sawaar rehte hai, bhaiya!
The festive atmosphere hit me in the face upon entering the wedding hall. My eyes searched for the stoic face, I needed answers and if need be, I had to right his answers.
Everywhere he went, in his blue Sherwani, people would follow him like lost puppies. He looked so oblivious to the attention he grabbed from people around him yet had an eagle's eye at every single activity that carried on, vigilantly alert of the smallest detail.
Raheela called me backstage to inform me about the ritual they do for single girls or something, and I affirmed that I'd go along with it, like a wave in the sea. She nodded at me and left while I stayed back to adjust my sandals.
Aah, mere pair! Itne dard kar rahe hain!
Pata nahin ke un janab ka saamna kaise karun? Main mari nahi jari us se baat karne ke liye, us ke gobar bhare dimagh ko thoda saaf karna hai bas. Yahan par to sab us ke dar ke maare munh hi nahi kholte! Humph!
Right then, miraculously, I noticed him standing a few feet away holding his iPhone to his ear, listening to someone speak. I hurriedly wore my heels back and rushed to where he stood.
"Agar woh munh nahi kholra toh, do away with him. Tumhein pata hai ke hum kis tarah kaam karte hain." His deep, but low voice rang in my ears and I felt my initial fear replacing the built up courage and it had me gulping hard. Kis tarah kaam karte hai matlab? Maine koi galat baat to nahi karni, to mujhe is se dar ke kya achaar nikaal na hai? Toughen up, Khilwat.
"Suniye.."
Argh!
Aise lagta hai jaise koi chuchunder awaaz de raha ho!
That's how my meek voice sounded. He hung up his call a minute ago which prompted me to grab his attention. He slowly twirled around and fixed his grey orbs on my cowering form. He was a little too tall.
Uh, what do I do? Why am I here? Why did I call dibs on my own death?
He raised his brows at me and pointed at himself as if asking 'Aapne mujhe bulaya?'. Nahi, aapke side par jo parde hain, unhein awaaz di maine! Obviously, yahan maine jinnaat ko bulane ka plan to nahi karna tha! It's my fear talking, not me. I'm going crazy, that's what his gaze does to me.
"Ji, maine aapko hi awaaz di. Mujhe aapse kuch zaruri baat karni thi, aur Allah ke Karam se aap mujhe yahan par hi nazar aagaye." I restored my confidence which almost flew to the pyramids in Egypt and verbalized it to him.
"Ji, bataiye. Main sunn raha hun aapki har baat." Aur har awaaz aapke darey hue dil ki!
What? It's the fear, nothing else! He kept gawping at me and I swear I never felt such difficulty in talking to anyone before. I mercilessly entangled my fingers with my dress and chewed on my lip.
"Dekhiye, Khilwat sahiba, main sirf ainwayi aapka chehra dekhne aapke saamne khada nahi hoon. Jis bande ke aagey aap hain, usse zara si takheer bardaasht nahi hoti, yeh jaan lein. Ijazat hai, ab mujhe?" He expressed his discomfort smoothly and almost vanished from my sight.
"WAIT!" I all but screamed to stop him from dematerializing and never facing me again. The particular thought inculcated a an anguish in my heart. His obnoxious reply spinned the wheels of my brain anticlockwise and it was time I unleashed my fury.
"Zerdad sahab, sirf aap hi nahin jo mera naam jaantey hain, hum bhi koi aisi waisi shakhsiyat nahin. Aur aap gaaon walon ko kya pata ke takheer kise kehte hain? Aap to un logon mein se lagte hain jo bardaasht ke maane bhi nahin jaantey. Zara sa ghussa aaya, is ka sar uda diya! Kisi ne kuch kaha, usko zinda dafna diya. Koi aurat ne aapke saamne himmat ki, us ki aulad ko us se cheen liya! Ijazat to aap kabhi maangey bhi hain?!"
My ragged breath puffed out of my lungs, after exploding on him. Glad that I gave him a piece of my mind and glad that a storm swirled in his grey world. His jaw ticked at my revelation while the blue thunder took over the grey sea. He long legs strode a step ahead, landing him close to me, close enough that I felt the warm heatwaves from his body.
"Shukar karein us Rab Al-'Aalameen ka ke aapse ijazat maangne ki zehmat ki. Warna hum to kisi ke baap ki nahin suntey!" He leant forward and breathed the words out, staring dead right at my eyes. His gaze roamed around my facial features in rage before he stormed out, quite literally.
Ya Allah! What just happened?
・・・・・・・・・
I and Raheela invaded the kitchen to fetch ourselves a cup of tea. After the historic wedding, a wink of sleep was the last thing I imagined to come to me. Raheela undoubtedly thought the same. The reason why we had the same thoughts was completely different, though! She had after-wedding jitters pumping in her blood while I was bemoaning over my pitiful self.
I sat on the counter while Raheela put the ingredients in the pan. Two other tall figures made an appearance in the kitchenette. One of them was the cause of my sulking while the other was a bane to Raheela's existence.
"Kya is nacheez ko bhi chai ki nawazish ho sakti hai?" Osama, yes I know his name now, pronounced carefully standing next to her; partially feeling the buzz of infuriating her and slightly frantic expecting her to throw the pan with boiling contents at him.
While Mr. Zerdad here, never seized to fail glaring at me and well, we were at par. I growled back at him. I wouldn't be surprised if someone thought of us as a pack of wolves. Him being the alpha-male, of course. He leisurely moved towards the refrigerator and grabbed a bottle of water, gulping it down leaning on the counter across me.
"Zerdad Bhai, aap ko bhi ek cup bana dun?" She cheerfully asked Zerdad and he distractedly nodded, busy shooting daggers at me.
"Aur aap! Zindagi mein kabhi Insaan ban jaana! Banda khud hi chai bana kar pee sakta hai, magar auraton ko mulazim samajhte ho tum to! Mauka mila aur kaam karwa liya." She angrily muttered at Osama who only had goggly eyes for her and no single emotion of hurt on his face. She noticed his begharti and mumbled a 'Halka aadmi kahin ka' under her breath.
"Aap kabhi hamare neeche ke ohdey par nahin ho sakti, jaan. Hum hi aap ke kadmon mein padhe hue rehte hain." The flirty lad bowed down for effect and Raheela waited unflappapably for him to touch her feet. He rose back without actually performing the act then glazed his eyes over her face and sang.
"Hum tere bin ab reh nahi sakte, tere bina kya wajud meraa?" The way he lulled, it seemed like he meant it from his heart. Raheela scoffed yet again and answered him back.
"Tumhara wajud waise bhi is dunya par boj hai, gum karo apni shakal yahan se, nalayak!" He suddenly darted out from his leaning position and stopped a few millimeters away from her ears smirking at the way she froze at the sudden motion with bright pink cheeks.
"Agar hum nahin, to tum bhi nahin!" His gaze held hers while I just stood there thinking of reminding her about the tea that almost spilled out.
"Osama, peechey hato." Calmly stated Zerdad looking at the ground. To me it felt more like 'Agar maine tumhein ek aur second us ke qareeb dekha to gala ghont dunga' and indeed, a grinning Osama backed away at his brother's orders.
Haan, is mein hi to yeh acche hai. Lagta hai jaise Jahannum se seedhe ticket katwa kar aaye hain! Dunya mein jo dikha usey maaro, peeto, kaato aur, pata nahin kya milta hai fasaad phaila kar?!
He shifted his eyes back to me again, and gave a final glare before grabbing his cup of tea and walking away, and of course Osama followed him with a charming wink towards Raheela leaving us dumbfounded.
・・・・・・・・・
Salam folks!
How did you like it? Favorite character?
Tell me where do you think this story is based.
Stay tuned for Part-2!
Until next time, عشق من 🌩
Ma'assalamah!