LAIBA
"Kaha jaa rahi ho?" Ammi questioned seeing me leave with a bag.
"Ammi woh kuch cheezein khareed ne the haldi ki function ke liye..
Main Zayd ke saath chali jaungi" I replied.
Zayd who was sitting next to ammi looked at me surprised and confused.
"Itna sab hone ke baad tumhare baba tumhe kahin bahir nahi jaane denge!" She scolded.
"Pehle unse ijazat lo."
"Usse jaane do" Baba said entering the hall.
"Zayd, tum uske saath jao..
Aur tum dono jaldi aa jana."
"Ji..Bade abba" Zayd said taking out his car keys.
[CAR]
"Mujhe toh laga tha tum iss shadi se khush nahi ho? Phir shopping?" Zayd asked Laiba as he started the car.
"Aree main shopping ke liye nahi. Uss Fahad se milne jaa rahi hu."
Zayd looked at her with a mix of confusion and shock. "Us..Usse kyu milna hai tumhe?"
"Main usse saaf saaf batadungi ki mujhe yeh shadi nahi karni, phir Woh khud se inkaar kardenge. Ab jaldi le chalo mujhe..
Aur haa tum car mein hi baithe rehna main jake baat karungi." He agreed
Laiba had asked Fahad to meet her at an outdoor cafe. He arrived there with his PA and spots Laiba sitting at a table.
Fahad enters the cafe with his PA and looks at Laiba.
"Assalam alaikum.." He said with a warm smile.
"Walaikum assalam" Her voice sounded hesitant. "Aap baithe.."
After a moment of silence, Fahad asked her, "Kya lengi aap?"
Laiba took a deep breath, "Dekhiye, main apse ek bahut zaruri baat karne aayi hun.." Fahad slightly shifted in his place as he listened to her intently.
"Kya aap please iss shadi ke liye inkaar kar sakte hai?" Fahad was taken aback. He furrowed his brows in surprise, "Kyu? Aap aise kyu bol rahi hai?"
"Dekhiye, yeh shadi mere gharwalen meri marzi ke khilaf kar rahe hai. Main abhi shadi nahi karna chahti. Aap please apni taraf se inkaar kardein"
'Aur agar mein inkaar na karu toh?' Fahad says looking at Laiba
Laiba widened her eyes with a tinge of annoyance, "aise kaise nahi karenge..main bata rahi hun na apko.."
"Agar apko yeh rishta nahi karna tha..toh aapko kal hi batana chahiye tha."
"Dekhiye meri bohot majburiyaan thi..." Laiba tried to explain.
"Meri bhi majbooriyaan hai," he replied.
Laiba looked at him confused.
"Mere liye yeh shadi bohot important hai, mein inkaar nahi kar sakta. I'm sorry." As Fahad got up to leave Laiba quickly stepped infront of him blocking his way. She grabbed his collar.
"Excuse me? Aap aise nahi karsakte" Laiba said, her eyes filled with intensity.
Fahad got caught off guard and stuttered "Dekhiye yeh..zabardasti hai—"
"Toh yeh shadi bhi zabardasti hai." She replied.
Fahad's PA seated another table including all the other people in the cafe watch this. Zayd appeared out of nowhere and with a firm grip, pulled Laiba away from Fahad.
"Kya kar rahi ho Laiba!" Zayd said as he held her hand taking her out of the restaurant.
Left standing there, Fahad watched them go still puzzled by Laiba's action. He adjusted his collar looking around trying to act like nothing happened.
His PA approached him asking, "Sir, kon thi woh?"
Fahad glared at her. "Let's go"
"Aise gundagardi dikha rahi hai.! Pagal hogayi hai kya?" Zayd scolded Laiba as he opened the car door for her.
"Haa hu main pagal!" Laiba replied, her tone tinged with annoyance and frustration.
"Sabne milke pagal bana diya hai mujhe. Ab Chalo!"
[MALIK HOUSE]
LAIBA
"Bhai..ab aap hi baba ko convince karsakte hai. Maine toh aapko sab sach bataya hai na..please.." I said to Sameer bhai on the call sitting on the bed.
"Laiba, Woh ek Accha ladka hai..maine uske baare mein pata kiya hai. Uski bohot badi company hai. Aur—"
"Isse mujhe kya farq padta hai? Mujhe bas shadi nahi karni. Please kuch kare bhai."
"Okay..tumhare liye main ek baar baba se baat karunga. Aur Waise bhi parso aa raha hun main..ab tum zayada mat socho" he reassured. I cut the call and let out a sigh.
The events occurring from the past few days have made me go so restless. I got out of the room to get myself something to eat.
I overheard voices from Baba and Amma's room. Since my name was being mentioned, I had to know what they were talking about.
"Nahi Zeenat..yeh Acchaa thodi lagta hai ki ladka aur ladki shadi se pehle bahir jaye. Main inn sab mein nahi maanta ke woh ek dusre ko shadi se pehle mile, baat kare..
Ek baar nikkah hojaye..phir hume koi aitraaz nahi hai"
What if baba finds out I met Fahad today?
Oh god. I love baba, there's no doubt, but he's always been this conservative and traditional. Thinking about the society and it's rules, he often forgets about our happiness.
As I was leaving from there, I heard someone at the door. The maid, came inside calling for Baba and Amma.
To my surprise I looked at Fahad and his mom entering.
What are they doing here? Why are they here??!! Wait. Is he here to reject the proposal? I wish..but couldn't they have just called.? Will he tell them about today? These thoughts raced my mind as I stood there trying to figure what Amma was talking with them.
"Main abhi Laiba ko lekar aati hun.." I heard amma say. So I immediately went up to my room trying to act engaged in my phone.
.............
"Laiba!!" Zeenat came inside her room anxious.
"Kya hua amma? Unhone rishte ke liye inkaar kardiya kya??" Laiba said dramatically with a hint of a smile.
"Nahi!" She replied frustrated.
Main tumhe batana hi bhool gayi Woh tum bahir gayi thi na. Tab Insia ka call aya tha. Aaj hi mangni karni hai. Tum jaldi tayyar hojao ,she said taking out a dress which shattered Laiba.
[KHAN HOUSE]
"Itne saare kaam hai aur waqt bhi bohot kam hai. Dekho agle hafte hi shadi hai. Mujhe saare designs do din mein chahiye." Insia said on the phone.
"Itni jaldi kyu kar rahi ho Fahad shadi mein Insia?" Naeema asked.
"Waise chahti toh mein yeh thi ki dono pehle ek durse ko jaane. samjhe phir ramzan ke baad inka nikah kare.
Lekin unko jaldi hai shadi karwane ki..aur iss baar Fahad ko bhi aitraaz nahi hai..toh mein jald se jald yeh shadi karvana chahti hu."
"Waise , Unko itni jaldi kyu hai apni beti ko rukhsat karvane ki? Mujhe toh lagta hai daal mein kuch kaala hai. Apne sahi se pata kiya hai na unn logon ka?"
Fahad and Insia glared at her being irked.
"Meri dost ki beti hai woh. bohot accha khandan hai..Aur mere Fahad ke liye Laiba se acchi ladki kabhi nahi mil sakti." Naeema and Sana's face fell hearing this as they walked away.
FAHAD
"Bhai aap unki photo toh dikhaye.." Jiya asked excitedly.
"Mere paas kaha se hogi." I replied.
"Kya bhai apni biwi ki tasveer nahi hai apke paas?"
"Biwi?" My eyes widened and I could feel my face turn crimson.
"Haan! matlab..hone wali—"
Ammi smiled at her saying 'main dikhati hun ruko'
"Bhabhi toh bohot khoobsurat hai."
'LAIBA AUR FAHAD' apka couple name banta hai..#LaiHad
"Kya bakwas kar rahi hai." We both chuckled and she hugged me.
The words Laiba said came to my mind. Was she really that unhappy from this marriage? Should I just tell Ammi about it? But I like her. A lot. I want her to be a part of my life. But what if she doesn't feel the same?