Assalamualaykum!
Here we go, one of the longest chapters. I have a feeling you all are going to like this one ;)
This chapter was on request of so many people, who wanted to see these two in action. At this point in the novel, it was fitting in, so here we are!
There are some important things I would like to talk to you guys about, but I will put those in the ending note. Please do read it.
ENJOY THE CHAPTER!!! <3
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6 months later...
Ayaan's POV
The evening had begun to meld into the night when I got home.
I loosened my tie while setting the car keys on the side table near the entrance. Fatigue set in after the long day, with university in the morning and work in the evening.
I went upstairs to take a quick shower and change into my pajamas before going to look for Aapi. My stomach rumbled in hunger.
I peeked into the twins' rooms first and found them doing homework together in Sabrina's room.
"How was work today?" Rizwan spotted me first and asked the question with a huge grin. Sabrina looked up with just as much enthusiasm, waving erratically at me from the room. I felt a bubble of self-gratification seeing their pride.
I couldn't help the grin on my face as I answered him. "Fabulous as always."
Walking into the kitchen, I found Aapi standing there with a lost look on her face. A pile of unopened mail rested on the granite in front of her.
Over the past few months, I had noticed a drastic change in Aapi. On the outside, she appeared to be the same. She laughed and smiled in the right places, interacted with everyone with indifference but when she thought no one was looking, the mask drops, and a dead look replaces it. I have often noticed her getting lost in her thoughts, sometimes with a thin sheen of tears covering her eyes. Her voice sounds lifeless at places, despite her effort to inject some semblance of lively emotion into it.
Her behaviour was confusing, because she doesn't confide in anyone, nor does she allow anyone to publicly see her pain. I suspected it has something to do with Shehry, because he had the same gaunt look on his face in university, now preferring solitude instead of socializing. He went through the motions of normality just as Aapi did, but somehow, I felt like his every word was laden with an overwhelming helplessness. My hands were tied on confronting him because I didn't want to push Aapi's patience, nor did I have any evidence to go raging on him.
I looked closer at Aapi to find her holding some sort of invitation, tensely running her finger down the sides of the thick card. She seemed to be deep in thought, a troubled look on her face.
"Aapi?" I spoke softly, but she jumped anyway. My eyebrows furrowed in suspicion as she hid the card behind her back, wide eyes looking back me. "Woh kya hai?"
"K-kuch nahi." She stammered, stepping back into the counter behind her. I locked my jaw and walked to her, towering over her slight form. I frowned at how much her face had slimmed down from how little she ate these days. Her eyes pleaded me not to look at what she was hiding but I reached behind her, keeping my eyes locked on hers.
"You've kept enough secrets, Aapi. Don't add another to them." I said, pulling the card out from between her and the counter. Aapi shook her head frantically.
"Ayaan mat dekho usse, please. Main tumhaare liye keh rahi hoon, please mat dekho. Waapis karo usse." She tried to take it from me, but I had read the five calligraphic words before she managed to rip it from my hands.
Zafar Mirza weds Rukhsaar Siddiqui
I stood there, shocked. My hands dropped down to my sides and suddenly, no air was entering my lungs. My appetite vanished and all the heartbreak I was slowly learning to bury deep in my heart came to the surface all at once.
My jaw slacked as I walked out of the kitchen, placing one heavy step in front of the other. I ignored Aapi's pleading call behind me, desparately needing to be alone right now.
I went and sat on the bench outside, looking up at the sky. The stars seemed to glint off the moonlight, placed in a disarray in the black night.
I remained there for quite a while, remembering how much Rukhsaar loved looking at the stars.
"Kya kar rahi ho?" I came and sat next to her. She merely smiled, not removing her gaze from overhead.
"Taare dekh rahi hoon." Rukhsaar answered. I laughed, looking up with her. The sky was full of stars, enough that a thousand nights would not have been enough to count them all. In the midst of them all, the moon seemed to shine brighter.
"Kya dhoond rahi ho?" Her eyes seemed to dart from one part of the open sky to another, in pursuit of something.
"Ek khwaab." She replied simply, crossing her arms over herself for warmth, a soft smile on her face. My eyebrows pulled together in confusion.
"Kaisa khwaab?"
She finally removed her eyes from the sky in favour of looking at me. The diamond in her nose was twinkling just as merrily as those stars and the moonlight reflected on the hollows of her face and in that moment, I don't think I've ever loved anyone more.
I looked back up, towards the stars, before I professed my love to her and scared her off.
"Sitaaron se aage jahaan aur bhi hain." She quoted Allama Iqbal's famous poem. "Abhi ishq ke imtehaan aur bhi hain."
It was silent between us for a few moments. "Tehi zindagi ke nahi yeh fazaayein, yahaan sainkadon kaaravaan aur bhi hain." I felt Rukhsaar's surprised eyes on me as I continued the poem.
"Qana'at na kar aalam-e-rang-o-bu par, chaman aur bhi, aashiyaan aur bhi hain." Rukhsaar quoted. A challenge hid in her amused voice.
"Agar kho gaya ek nasheeman toh kya gham, maqaamat-e-aah-o-faghaan aur bhi hain." She laughed at my countering couplet before picking up the poem where I left off.
"Tu shaaheen hai, parvaaz hai kaam tera, tere saamne aasmaan aur bhi hain." A wide smile stretched across her face while reciting the couplet. Instantly, I knew that these were her favourite lines of the famous poem.
"Issi roz-o-shab mein ulajh kar na reh jaa, ke tere zamaan-o-makaan aur bhi hain." I let out a soft chuckle, looking down at my hands before turning my head towards her. "Taajub hua?"
"Haan." She confessed. "I didn't think you'd recognize the poem, much less continue it."
"Mohtarma, yeh Allama Iqbal ke mashoor ash'aar mein se ek hai. Kyun nahi pehchaan paonga?" I teased, removing my coat and placing it over her shoulders.
Rukhsaar laughed quietly, turning her attention back to the sky but my gaze stayed on her, eyes roaming over her delicate features. My coat drawfed her and I could see her pulling the lapels of the coat closer to her. I gave no notice to the slightly chilled wind. She spoke the last couplet of the poem quietly. "Gaye din ke tanha tha main anjuman mein, yahaan ab mere raazdaan aur bhi hain."
Finally, she turned to lock eyes with me. Her soft smile gave me courage to lift my hand and place it over hers. I grinned at my larger hand nearly covering hers completely.
"Tumne kabhi bachpan mein toot'te taare dekh kar kuch maanga hai?" My smile twisted into a wry one as I glanced up.
"Nahi." I sighed. "Inn taaron mein Ammi ka saaya dhoondta rehta tha main." I smiled fondly at the memory.
"Inn taaron mein mujhe khwaab nazar aate hai." A half-smile adorned her face as she spoke. "Na jaane iss asmaan mein kitni duayein hongi, kitne adhoore khwaab honge. Mera khwaab bhi iss khule aasmaan mein goonj raha hai."
"Tumhein pata hai, Ayaan? Yeh khula aasmaan, chamakte tare aur roshan chand ke neeche beth kar main khud ko azaad mehsoos karti hoon." I watched her as she spoke, her eyes lighting up with genuine exuberance. "Aisa lagta hai ke duniya ki pareshaaniyaan koi ehmiyat nahi rakhte. Thodi der ke liye sahi, hum khud ko haqeeqat ke zanjeeron se alag kar ke takheel ki duniya mein jazb ho jaate hain."
I had never seen Rukhsaar at such ease. Peace radiated from her as she spoke, a contented expression on her face. I smiled over this before replying to her.
"Intehai khubsoorat khayal." I answered. "Lekin jab hum unn chand lamhon ke baad dobara haqeeqat mein jeene lagte hai, phir bohot takleef hoti hai." My words held weight of a deeper meaning that drew Rukhsaar's attention.
Rukhsaar's forehead creased in confusion as she looked at me. I gave her a knowing half-smile, letting her search my eyes.
She chuckled. "Mujhe nahi pata tha ke tum itni gehri soch rakhte ho."
I looked at the moon, mulling over an answer. "Shayad ab main zyaada gehrayi se sochne laga hoon."
Tonight, the sky had few stars, but the moon was still ever-present, shining with the same brightness.
Light footsteps told me that Aapi was coming. Seconds later, I felt her warmth as she lowered herself onto the bench with me.
"Taare dekh rahe ho?" She asked. I hummed in response. She pointed at one lone star. I followed the line of sight of her outstretched finger. My chest felt unexplainably tight. "Rukhsaar unn mein se sirf ek taara hai. Par poora aasman taaron se bhara hai."
"Agar unn taaron mein se bhi koi na mile toh?"
"Toh shayad Allah ne tumhaari kismat mein chand likh diya hai." She smiled, a faraway look appearing on her face.
"Aur agar mujhe sirf wohi ek taara se mohabbat ho, tab? Agar mujhe chand mein koi dilchaspi na ho, tab? Agar meri nazrein sirf ussi ek taare ko dhoondti rahe, tab?" I whispered. Aapi remained silent. I sensed her helplessness. She didn't know how to make me feel better. I laughed, trying to play it off, but the chuckle sounded empty even to my own ears.
"Waqayi, bohot takleef hoti hai." I shook my head to myself, a humourless smile still painted on my face. Aapi put her head on my shoulder, rubbing my arm in a way of comfort. Nothing managed to thaw the ice brick sitting in my chest.
"Sab theek ho jaayega Ayaan." Her words sounded more like she was convincing herself.
"Yeh tasalli tum mujhe de rahi ho ya khud ko?" I asked quietly. I felt Aapi tense on my side. Seizing the opportunity, I forced Rukhsaar to the back of my mind and pulled back from Aapi to look her in the face.
"What happened with Shehry?" An unmistakable flash of pain crossed her face. She broke eye-contact with me, instead choosing to look at her hands.
"Nothing to worry about." She pointedly continued to fiddle with her fingers. Hanging onto my last thread of patience, I took a deep breath, trying to strangle myself into being rational and reasonable.
"Aapi, Khuda ka vaasta hai tumhein, ab toh jhoot mat bolo." I felt sinking disappointment as she lied to me. "You're lying to my face Aapi, I'm not blind. Main roz tumhein dekhta hoon, woh khushi rahi hi nahi hai tum mein jo che mahine pehle thi. Main roz Shehry ko dekhta hoon college mein. Inn che mahinon mein woh itna badal gaya hai ke ab woh kisi se baat tak karna pasand nahi karta. Something big has clearly happened, and you're telling me that there's nothing to worry about." I ranted, my chest heaving with the effort.
"I broke his heart." The distraught look in her eyes froze me in my spot. "Is that what you want to hear? I broke his heart." Aapi stood up from her spot, her fists clenching by her sides as her jaw locked in place. "Jis tarah Rukhsaar ne tumhaara dil todha tha na, ussi tarah maine Shehry ka dil todh diya. Aur ab mujhe samajh mein nahi aa raha ke kya zyaada khaufnaak hai; apna dil todhwana, ya kisi aur ka dil todh dena."
Her words washed over me in a wave of pain. I felt like I was standing in front of Rukhsaar as she revealed her prior engagement. "Kyun? Kaise?" I whispered, afraid that the mere two words would break me. Or worse, her. She slumped back down, all the fight draining out of her. Her eyes looked more worn out more.
"Meri kismat mohabbat ki ijaazat nahi deti." Those were the final words she spoke on the topic before turning the conversation back to me. "What are you going to do about this wedding?"
"Tum har baar baat palat kyun deti ho?" I asked quietly, searching her eyes for an answer.
"Kyunki main ab iss baat par mazeed behas nahi karna chahti. Ab mera sawaal ka jawaab do." I could only look helplessly at Aapi as I recognized the familiar look in her eyes, the one she had when she was desperately trying to hold on to a thread of control. I knew that if I pushed her any further, she'd break. She'd lose the tight grip of control she was trying to keep for everyone else's sake. It infuriated me to no end, but there wasn't much I could do at present.
Very reluctantly, I answered her question. "Main kya kar sakta hoon? Hum dono jaayenge milne Rukhsaar se. Main khud dekhna chahta hoon ke woh khush hai ke nahi. Agar woh khush nahi hai, toh kasam se utha kar le jaaonga usse."
"Aur agar woh khush hui toh?" Aapi raised the question quietly, almost timidly. I sucked in a breath at the fire that spread through my veins at that possibility.
"Toh phir uski zindagi se Ayaan Khan ka naam mita doonga."
The pair of us sat in silence, pondering over our own thoughts for quite a while before Aapi broke it.
"Tum dekhna, Inn Shaa Allah, tumhaari kismat mein itni khushiyaan hongi ke tum sajde mein se sar nahi utha paoge." She placed a loving hand on my head. I studied her closely, at the weathered look around her eyes. Aapi got up to leave as soon as she noticed me observing her, knowing very well that she wouldn't be able to hide anything from me. Aapi had only relayed a very small percent of the entire story to me and she was well-aware that I knew that.
"Aapi?" I called out behind her as she turned. "Ek baat yaad rakhna. Kismat hamare faislon se likhi jaati hai. Aur filhaal, tumne aisa faisla le liya hai ke tum ab sirf zinda ho, jee nahi rahi." I knew that my words would touch a sensitive nerve but found no other way to help her realize that letting go of Shehry's hand was a mistake. She stood with her back turned to me for a few heartbeats before continuing in.
People like Shehry held on forever, no matter what. Aapi wasn't one to let go either. The reasons behind her decision were beyond me, but all that I knew was that Aapi was holding herself back.
With Aapi's departure, the pain of Rukhsaar's upcoming wedding immediately engulfed me.
The reasons for sending the wedding card to our house, knowing that I was so deeply in love with her, were unclear to me. It seemed like a cruel play of fate, a reminder of the one person I couldn't make mine thrown in my face. Despite everything, I couldn't make myself that she had done it on purpose. I had seen her heart break that night, I didn't believe she'd put herself through it again.
Zafar Mirza
The name was very familiar to me. As a business major, Zafar Mirza was an example that all my professors made sure to include in every lecture, under the pretense of motivating us to do better.
At around 25 years old, he was the youngest self-made business magnate in the world, with turnovers worth millions. His parents were quite influential in the business world as well, but Zafar had decided to branch out from the family business, starting on his own. He had even legally changed his surname to prevent anyone from making the connection.
It was no secret that he had struggled to get by without using his family name, and while it was an admirable quality, it hadn't managed to kick the arrogance out of him.
He was just as cocky and arrogant, if not more so. He took great pleasure in tormenting others for crimes they didn't commit, or just for his own entertainment.
Consequently, the only thing the professors didn't talk about was his public image. Zafar was well-known for his temperament, with many threats of harassment cases, as well as a few scandals of women claimed to have been abused by him. The man was a sadist, and no one in their right mind would put their daughter within a 50-feet radius of him.
Rukhsaar ke walidein kya soch ke yeh rishta jodh rahe hai? Zafar Mirza toh mushkil se insaan kehlane ke bhi laiq hai, shohar kaise ban paayega?
I worried my mind over this, trying to figure out plausible solutions.
Zafar Mirza was a powerful man, and one like me had no chance against him. It was quite near impossible to gain the upper hand on him. The only leverage I would have is if Rukhsaar was truly being forced into this relationship.
I startled at the sudden hand on my shoulder. I twisted to find Sabrina behind me, holding a plate of food with steam coming out of it. She smiled timidly, backing away slightly, as if sorry to interrupt my thoughts.
I sighed and forced a merry smile on my lips, gesturing her closer. I nudged her in the shoulder playfully, trying to ease some of her worry before seating her down next to me.
Sabrina observed the look in my eyes before rolling her own in a signature gesture. Despite myself, the action managed to pull genuine amusement from me. She picked up a morsel of food and held it up to my mouth.
I opened my mouth obediently and let her feed me, my mind still reeling. As she continued silently, I felt my eyes fill.
It could've been because of an amalgamation of several things. I don't know if it was because of Sabrina's unconventional behaviour, or her taking over Aapi's job, or just the pain of seeing Rukhsaar send her wedding card to our home.
"Tujhe pata hai ke ek ladki ke dil pe kya guzarti hai jab uski marzi jaane baghair uski shaadi teh ho jaati hai?" I listened raptly to her, slightly unsettled by her words sounding far beyond her age. "Uski duniya wahin ke wahin khatam ho jaati hai."
"Rukhsaar ki duniya khatam ho chuki hai, Ayaan bhai. Uss mein jeene ki koi khwaahish hi nahi rahi."
I froze at her words. "Yeh tu kya keh rahi hai?"
"Maine khud usse dekha hai. Abhi, ek do hafte pehle hi. Main tumhein batana chahti thi, par nahi keh paayi." Sabrina focused her attention on the now clean plate instead of me.
I checked my watch, making a split-second decision that could cost me everything.
I pulled Sabrina into a hug, kissing the top of her head before springing off the bench. A hard tug on wrist brought me face to face with my little sister, who had a very serious expression painted on her face. I faltered, seeing my baby sister, who I had practically brought up, become wiser than me.
"Whatever you do, be careful. Rukhsaar ki doli mein dulhan nahi, zinda laash uthegi. Woh himmat se kaam lene ki koshish toh kar rahi hai, par mujhe nahi pata ke aur kitni himmat baaki hai uss mein. Aur nahi seh paayegi woh." Sabrina said very seriously. Her words scared to me to the core.
"Tu kab se itni badi baatein karne lagi hai?" I forced out of my dry mouth. She scoffed.
"Umr se kuch nahi hota." Sabrina gave me a knowing glance as she thrust a water bottle in my hand, heading inside. I took a quick swig of it before setting it down, the cold liquid quenching my dry throat.
I stayed outside for all of five minutes, turning Sabrina's words over in my mind, before sprinting up to my room to get changed. I switched my pajamas out for a neat dress shirt with regular pants. Despite my hurry to get to her, I didn't want to show up in night clothes.
I swiped the invitation card from the kitchen, ignoring the flare of pain in my chest when I laid eyes on it again. I grabbed my phone and car keys, rushing out of the house. An unhealthy fear had settled in my chest with Sabrina's news, and I simply could not take the "gentleman" route and wait another day. I silently apologized to Aapi as I tore down the driveway.
I drove to her house and parked a few driveways down. Peering up at the large house, I surveyed all the windows, looking for Rukhsaar's room.
There were three windows lining the front side of the house. I creeped to the back of the house, where one more window lay. I could see the shadow of a lone figure standing there, and immediately knew that it was Rukhsaar. She stood for a few seconds more before moving away from the window.
I scanned the back side of the house, seeing the pipe leading to her window. Pocketing my keys and phone securely, I began to climb up the pipe.
Aapi's going to kill me.
I managed to step onto the small balcony, before sliding the door open slowly. My breath caught in my throat as I saw her sitting on the windowsill that was placed on the other wall. Her arms were secured around her knees as her head rested against the wall behind her. Her eyes were closed, not having heard the soft thud of my shoes on the carpet.
Sabrina was right. Rukhsaar looked as if she'd had the life sucked out of her bones. She looked ghastly, yet she was the most beautiful creature I'd ever laid eyes on.
"Rukhsaar." I breathed. I stepped closer to her, unable to hold out any longer. I stopped right in front of her, kneeling and wiping a stray tear that had escaped her eye with my thumb.
At my touch, she opened her eyes, not reacting to me sitting there. The air left my lungs as her eyes locked onto mine. Her lips parted in surprise, silently forming the two syllables of my name.
A heartbeat later, she must've registered that I was really sitting in front of her as she threw her arms around me. Immediately, my arms wrapped around her as she sobbed into the crook of my neck. My heart began to race and for the first time in seven months, I felt like I could breath again. I closed my eyes and rested my head on her shoulder.
Suddenly, her head shot up off my collarbone, dislodging the two of us from each other. I looked at her in surprise as she pushed me away from her, eyes widening in panic.
"Ayaan? Tum yahaan kya kar rahe ho? Paagal ho gaye ho kya?" The nervous glances she was shooting at the bedroom door had me walking over there and flipping the lock. I walked back to where she was standing, studying her closely.
Alarmingly, I could see that she'd lost tremendous amounts of weight since the last time I'd seen her. Her cheeks had sunk into her face and the shadows beneath her eyes mirrored my own. Her clothes had loosened considerably, evident by the looseness of the fabric billowing around her.
"Yeh kya hai, Rukhsaar?" I said softly, holding up the invitation between us. A mere twelve inches separated our bodies. I stared intensely at her, waiting patiently for her answer.
Her gaze shifted to the card in my hand before it returned to me, clouded with shock and surprise. "Yeh tumhaare paas kaise aaya?"
"You sent your wedding card to my house?" I whispered, not bothering to hide the heartbreak in my tone or expression.
"Nahi Ayaan, kasam se maine tumhein yeh card nahi bheja. Amma ne meri address book mein se sab ko daawatnama bheja hoga, maine tumhein yeh nahi bheja, kasam se." Truth laid heavily in her words and I knew she wasn't lying. I had guessed correctly, she hadn't been the one to send the card.
Taking a deep breath, I dropped that matter and moved onto the most important thing.
"Tum Zafar Mirza ke saath khush ho?" The question froze her in her place. I waited patiently as I watched a mirage of colours flash across her face, too fast for me to latch onto one. Finally, her face went turned white as she reached up for the card.
"Zafar Mirza?" She murmured under her breath as she pulled the card from the envelope. I furrowed my eyebrows at her confusion, cocking my head to the side.
"Tumhein nahi pata ke tumhaari shaadi kis se ho rahi hai?" At my question, Rukhsaar rolled her lips into her mouth, instead choosing to remain silent. She ran her eyes over the card multiple times, as if burning the lettering to memory. That silence spoke volumes, and just like that, I knew that all my questions and doubts had been answered.
I closed my eyes, taking my second split-second decision of the night.
Taking courage from the realization, I stepped up to her, gently taking the card from her. She looked up at me with fear-filled eyes, her eyes darting between me and the door.
"Ayaan, koi aa jaayega, please jao yahaan se." A pleading undertone ran beneath her voice. I ignored it and took yet another step towards her. The distance between us had been cut down to three inches. Her head tilted up further to match my height. Her forehead looked permanently creased. I lifted a hand, smoothing a thumb over them. She grabbed my wrist, her eyes closing in what looked like pain.
I studied Rukhsaar from up close. Her face was much paler than I remembered it being. Sabrina was right, the life did look like it was sucked out of her.
I felt something break inside me, a part of me that I had learned to stop acknowledging.
"Bas ek baar keh do mujhe." I forced out from my tight throat. "Ek baar keh do, maine tumhein yahaan se le jaaonga. Bas ek baar."
Rukhsaar's head shot up, her eyes widening. She opened her mouth to say something, but I beat her to it.
"Tum mujhse mohabbat karti ho?"
Rukhsaar's POV
I felt like someone had taken all the air from my lungs. Ayaan's question was so simple, yet so complicated.
Ayaan searched my eyes as he waited for my answer. I loosened my grip on his wrist, lowering it back down but not completely letting go. I let my gaze roam his familiar features. His face seemed gaunter than before, with a lot more stresslines pinching around his mouth and eyes. A dark shadow lined his jaw and cheekbones, making him seem much more mature than before. After months without a single look at him, here he was, standing in my bedroom, asking me the one question that could change both of our lives forever.
The truth was, I didn't know that the Zafar I was to marry was Zafar Mirza before Ayaan showed me the card. I'd seen many scandalous articles and newspaper clippings about his nature, and how he was notorious for adultery, arrogance and harassment. He knew precisely the words to coerce someone into doing his bidding, and anyone that deterred from that was subject to public scandal.
Ironically, despite all allegations against him, Zafar's public appearances were quite limited, and all accusations against him stemmed from private encounters. This essentially meant that there was no way to tell if Zafar was truly in the wrong, or if his infamous personality was just being propogated by people trying to climb the ladder of fame.
Zafar Mirza scared me. Amma and Abba clearly had only chosen him for the money. Zafar had turned into the same cold-blooded monster that he'd tried to escape from by starting his own business.
I knew that living a life with him would be nothing less than a hell. I had not yet met him. Abba prohibited it, saying that it wasn't proper for a girl to meet her fiancé before the wedding.
Agar itni parwah hoti ke kya munasib hai aur kya nahi, toh mujhe meri shaadi ka faisla khud karne dete. Mujh par yoon zulm na karte.
I looked into the warm eyes of the man I loved. Fatigue stretched his face into an uncomfortable grimace, but his eyes looked at me, waiting for me to answer his question.
"Mujh mein itni taaqat nahi hai ke main dobara tumse jhoot boloon." I whispered. "Lekin main itni khudgarz nahi ho sakti."
"Khudgarzi? Woh aadmi haiwaan hai, Rukhsaar." I could see him struggling to control the volume of his voice. "Uss se shaadi ghoont ghoont zeher peene ke barabar hai. Khud se zyaadti hai. Tumse tumhaari azaadi chheeni jaayegi."
I scoffed, laughing humourlessly. "Main kabhi azaad thi hi nahi Ayaan. Iss ghar mein ladkiyon ke parr kaat diye jaate hai, taake woh khule aasmaan mein na udh sake. Azaadi toh bohot door ki baat hai."
"Mere saath chalo, Rukhsaar." Ayaan said quietly, holding his hand out. I lowered my gaze to stare at the strong hand. His long fingers beckoned for my hand, while the veins in his forearm stretched towards me.
"Ayaan, main..." before I could get another word out, the door opened. Amma stood there, holding a key in her hand and looking furious.
I gasped, stepping in front of Ayaan. "Amma..."
"Yeh tu kya kar rahi hai?" She was livid. She stormed into the room and grabbed me by the elbow, yanking me harshly away from Ayaan. I bit back a scream as her thumb dug into the muscle at my elbow. "Yeh bhi shuru kar diya hai tune?"
"Amma, meri baat toh sunein." I begged her to no avail. Suddenly, my head snapped to the side. For a moment, I couldn't register the pain in my cheek.
"Chup kar badtameez, tujhe sharam nahi aayi? Ghair ladke ko apne kamre mein bulaake?" I was still embarrassed and humiliated by the slap in front of Ayaan to defend myself. The second Amma stopped speaking, Ayaan detached her hand from my arm, gripping my wrist lightly and pulling me towards him, shielding me with his body.
Ayaan lightly positioned my chin, cradling my face so he could see my cheek. Again, he ran his thumb over the sore skin, anger vibrating from him.
This sparked Amma's anger even more. She sent a scorching glare my way before leaving the room, yelling for Abba.
"I'm sorry. I didn't see her lift her hand until it was too late." He whispered sorrowfully.
"Ayaan, jao yahaan se, please. Abba aa jayenge toh hum dono mein se kisi ko nahi chodenge. Jao, please." I begged him, fear settling in my chest for him. I clasped my hands in front of him, tears filling my eyes.
Ayaan calmly held my clasped hands, gently forcing them down. "Main kahin nahi jaa raha." A muscle in his jaw was ticking incessantly with his rage. "Kab se tum pe haath utha rahe hai yeh?"
"Hum jaisa bhi karein, hamari beti hai yeh, tum hote kon ho uss se iss tarah ke sawal karne wale?" Abba's seething voice spoke from behind Ayaan. Ayaan turned away from me, still hiding me from them.
"Aapki beti aap pe rehmat hai. Aulaad par iss tarah haath uthaane ki ijaazat kisi bhi maa-baap ke paas nahi hoti." I stood frozen in my spot, silently crying.
"Teri toh..." Fast footfalls told me he was coming towards us. My heartbeat sped up considerably and I could hear the blood rushing through my ears. I pushed Ayaan out of the way, letting Abba grab my arm. He shook me roughly, bloodshot eyes staring right into my own.
"Kon hai yeh? Apne kamre mein kyun laayi ho isse?" He yelled at me. My voicebox went mute in my fear.
"Uska haath chodein." Ayaan's voice was carefully controlled, but the frost in it could not be mistaken. I'd never heard that tone from him. I looked at him to find his previously warm eyes now as cold and hard as flint.
"Please jao yahaan se." I managed to whisper. Abba's face had turned red from his rage. A deep fear settled in my chest about what was going to happen to me once Ayaan left.
"Main tumhein chodne nahi aaya tha. Tumhein apne saath le jaane aaya hoon." His words were meant for me alone. Despite everything, my heart skipped a beat.
Hearing Ayaan's words, Abba's anger flared exponentially. He roughly twisted me around to face him, spitting as he spoke. "Kitne ladkon se ishq lada rahi ho? Kis qeemat par bech diya hai tune khud ko?"
Abba's words cut me deep. It was one thing to curse your child's existence, but another thing altogether to accuse them of doing something like this.
"That's more than enough." Ayaan said, ripping me as gently as he could from Abba's tight grip, pulling me over to him and shielding me with his body for the second time tonight. "Ainda kabhi bhi Rukhsaar pe iss tarah ke gire hue ilzaamat mat lagana."
"Tumhaara toh iss pe koi haq nahi hai, phir tumhein kyun mirchi lag rahi hai?" Abba asked, crossing his arms over his chest. Amma stood behind, watching the drama unfold with a gratified glint in her eyes. Her uncaring attitude, although unsurprising, brought more tears to my eyes. Hearing Abba's question, I swallowed my tears and straightened up, moving Ayaan aside for a second time.
"Kyunki yeh jaante hai ke aurat ki izzat kaise ki jaati hai. Aap apne hi beti pe ghatiya ilzaam laga rahe hein." For the first time in my life, strength twined itself around my heart as I looked Abba in the eye. In all these years, not once had I managed to muster enough courage to talk back to my father but hearing him threaten my purity and character flipped a switch that I didn't even know I possessed. "Aur yeh ilzaamaat aap apni tarbiyat pe bhi laga rahe hai, mehz mere kirdaar pe nahi."
"Teri itni himmat ke tu mujhse zubaan ladha rahi hai? Beghairat!" Abba raised his hand to hit me. I squared my shoulders, refusing to show him any weakness, but before his palm could connect with my cheek, Ayaan grasped his wrist.
"Maine kaha na, bas." His voice was scarily calm. "Main maanta hoon ke mujhe yahaan raat ko iss tarah Rukhsaar ke kamre mein nahi aana chahiye tha. Yeh ghalti meri hai, uski nahi. Par aap apni beti ki haalat dekhiye. Aisa lagta hai ke kisi ne jaan nikaal di ho, bas azaab ki khidmat karne zinda chod diya."
"Woh meri amaanat hai. Tumhaara kya haq hai uss pe jo tum mujhe yeh sab suna rahe ho?" Abba yelled, repeating the same question. Ayaan simply smiled coldly at him, an expression so different from his personality.
"Yeh aapki beti beshak hai, par aapki amaanat nahi hai. Rehmat hai yeh aapke ghar ki, jis se aap dono zillat se pesh aate hai." I looked at him in shock. No one had ever defended me the way that he did.
This situation was as familiar to Ayaan as it was to me. The trembling of his body proved the depth of his fury. I watched as his jaw clenched and unclenched, visible through the shadow of stubble on his jaw.
"Rukhsaar, chalo." Ayaan held out a hand to me, not removing his gaze from Abba. Abba's glare intensified even further, and the words he spit out after Ayaan spoke chilled me to the bone.
"Rukhsaar kahin nahi jaayegi." Abba accentuated each word, adding an unmistakable bite to each. Ayaan completely ignored the words and looked at me unexpectantly. I stared at his hand.
If I took this step today, there would be no coming back from it. Ayaan's entire life would tie to mine, and every single step we made hereafter would dictate the lives of everyone connected to us.
If I didn't, then I would be forced to endure a lifetime of pain and torture, first at my father's hand, and then at my husband's hand. There would be no salvation for me, I would never know what being content felt like.
Ayaan had endured too much at the hands of society. For me to even think about placing my hand in his was an act too selfish for me.
As if reading my thoughts, Ayaan whispered the next word to me. "Please." I looked in his eyes, slightly red but begging me not to break his heart a second time. Taking courage from him, I let out a soft breath, placing my hand in his.
He tightened his large one over my slimmer one, smiling at the joined hands. The brief happiness softened his face before he hardened his expression once more. "Chalo." Ayaan spoke directly to my parents, daring them to stop him.
I knew they wouldn't stop him out of love or care for me. I was their ticket to joining Zafar's business, and despite not knowing the man, I could not let him be played like that. I refused to be another pawn in a game of business.
With that, he led me out of the room. As we stepped over the threshold of my room, Abba's voice floated back to my ears.
"Tumhaari shaadi Zafar ke saath teh ho chuki hai Rukhsaar. Tu kahin nahi jaayegi." Abba bellowed.
"Aap dono ko sharam nahi aati? Reham nahi aata meri jaan par? Uss masoom aadmi pe reham nahi aata aap dono ko? Main aapke liye ek business deal ke ilaawa kuch bhi nahi hoon. Zafar apni mehnat se pohancha hai, jahaan bhi pohancha hai, aur main khud ko aap dono ke khel ka hissa nahi ban'ne doongi." If possible, my father's face turned an unholy shade of red, bordering on purple. I had never seen that level of anger on his face, but now that the torrents of feelings were opened, there was no way I could lock them back up inside of me.
"Agar aaj tune iss ghar ko chodne ka faisla kiya, toh yaad rakhna. Mere ghar ke darwaaze tere liye hamesha ke liye band ho jaayenge." He threatened. I chuckled humourlessly.
"Yahaan qaid hone se behtar hai ke main khule aasmaan mein azaad ho jaaon."
"Kitni badtameez ho gayi hai tu? Baap ke aankhon mein aankhein daal ke baat karni lagi hai?" Amma advanced on me, but before she could, my words stopped her in her tracks
"Jab baap ke liye dil mein koi izzat hi nahi rahi, toh aankhon mein aankhein daal ke baat karne se koi farq bhi nahi padhta." I drew strength to say the words that had been running through my mind for years from Ayaan's strong hand wrapped around my own. "Aur apne jis chidiya ke parr kaate the na, aaj wohi chidiya udhne lagi hai." With those words, Ayaan and I left.
Stopping at the corner of the street, I looked back at the large house. Ayaan stopped with me. "Tum waapis jaana chahti ho?"
"Yeh makaan tha, ghar nahi. Mujhe jail ki chaar deewarein manzoor hai, par iss qaidkhaana ki nahi."
Ayaan gently gripped the tip of my chin, tilting my head so he could see the swelling skin again. "Dard hota hai?" He asked with a concerned gaze, trailing a finger around the edge of reddened skin.
"Nahi." I whispered softly. Ayaan and I locked eyes. I saw compassion, love, and all the emotions I had hoped to see from my own family, in the eyes of the man I loved.
We walked in silence for a while before Ayaan broke it. "I'm sorry, mera koi haq nahi banta tha ke main tumhein iss tarah utha laaon tumhaare ghar se."
"Tum kyun aaye the wahaan?" I asked instead.
"I had to see you. Once I saw the invitation card, I needed to know that you were alright. I needed to know if you were happy with this relationship."
"Mujhe nahi pata tha ke mera hone wala shohar Zafar Mirza tha. I only knew that it was a man named Zafar, baaki kuch nahi jaanti thi. Shaadi ka card bhi nahi padha tha maine." There was a hint of embarrassment in my reply. Ayaan caught my drift and nodded simply.
"Jaanta hoon." The silence fell between us again. "Rukhsaar, ek baat poochoon?"
"Farmaaiye." I looked up at him. He seemed to be struggling to find the right words.
"Tumhaare saath yeh sab kuch ho raha tha, tumhaare maa-baap tumhein maarte hai, yeh shaadi..." He trailed off before finding his tongue again. "Tumne kabhi mujhe bataya kyun nahi?"
"Tumhaari zindagi mein bhi yahi sab dekhne ko mila hai na tumhein? Tum aur tumhaare bhai-behen pehle se badi mushkilaat se guzre hai Ayaan. Main kaise tumhein batati?" By this point, we'd reached his home. "Main tumhein inn museebaton mein shaamil nahi karna chahti thi."
"Maslan agar main aaj aaya hi na hota, ya phir tumhaari Amma humein na dekh leti, toh-" I cut him off before he finished.
"Toh phir tumhein jaan'ne ki zaroorat hi nahi hoti. Hum dobara shayad kabhi na milte."
Ayaan was silent, mulling over my sentence before speaking. "Pata hai? Mujhe aisa kabhi nahi laga tha ke zindagi mein hum dobara nahi milenge."
"Woh kyun?"
"Kuch logon ke naseeb mein sirf ek naam likha jaata hai. Woh aap jitni bhi koshish kar lo, uss naam ko aap mita nahi sakte. Zindagi ki har modh pe wohi aapko milega." The thought was simple, yet so complex. I pondered upon his words for a while, until he broke my train of thought by grasping my hand. "Chalo."
Ayaan started inside but stopped as I tugged on his hand, planting my feet firmly into the ground. "Ayaan..."
"Kya hua?" He asked, reading the apprehension painted on my face.
"Mujhe iss tarah tumhaare ghar aane mein sharam aa rahi hai."
"Kyun? Sirf Aapi, Rizwan aur Sabrina toh hai. Unhein pata chalega ke kis tarah se tumhaare maa-baap tumse pesh aate the, toh sab samajh jaayenge. Aapi ne wohi zulm saha hai, uss se behtar tumhein aur koi nahi samajh paayega." Ayaan reassured me.
His words eased a fraction of the nerves bubbling inside me. I quickly used my dupatta to wipe the remnants of my tears, hoping that my face wasn't as splotchy as it usually got after crying.
"Aapi!" Ayaan called out. Sakinah emerged from the kitchen, wiping her hands off on a washcloth. I was taken aback at how different she looked now.
Since the last time I'd seen her, she looked so drawn and gaunt. It was as if these six months had aged her drastically.
"Arre Rukhsaar, aao na." She ushered us into the living room, Ayaan letting go of my hand in the process. I knew that she had taken note of Ayaan's serious expression, our joined hands and my red eyes. "Kya laon tumhaare liye? Chai? Paani?"
"Paani please." I whispered. My throat was hoarse and dry.
"Itni raat ko yahaan kaise?" She returned with a glass of water. I gripped the glass in my cold hands as she sat down next to me.
I found myself speechless. Seeing me at a lack of words, Ayaan sat forward in his seat and recounted the past hour. I fixated my gaze on my hands, only half-listening. I didn't want to see the judgement or pity in Ayaan's sister's eyes.
Sakinah's hand on my shoulder compelled me to lift my gaze and look at her. Surprisingly, it was not judgement or pity that I found, rather it was understanding and empathy. I knew she had been through a similar situation to mine, but while she possessed the strength to break away from it, even if it was purely for her siblings, I didn't. If Ayaan hadn't been there today, then I would have never drawn the courage to look my father in the eye and turn the tables on him.
"Tum yahaan jab tak rehna chahti ho, reh sakti ho. Isse apna hi ghar samjho."
"Aap naraaz nahi hai?" I couldn't help but ask. As soon as the words left my lips, I blushed with embarrassment.
Sakinah laughed. "Nahi, tumse nahi. Iss duffer se zaroor naraaz hoon, kyunki yeh beghairaton ki tarah tumhaare room mein ghusa tha. Par tumse nahi." She winked at her brother, easing the bite in her words.
"Ayaan ki ghalti nahi hai, agar aaj woh aaya na hota toh pata nahi aage chal ke mere saath kya hota." I murmured softly. I heard Ayaan chuckle from the other end of the sofa.
"Rukhsaar main kuch bhi kar loon, yeh mujhse kabhi bhi naraaz nahi reh sakti." Sakinah laughed, an almost hollow sound. It made me wonder how easily she put up this mask of hers, and how much energy it must take to make sure no one peeked at the emotional turmoil rolling through you. I realized that I'd been doing the same thing all my life. Only with Ayaan had I allowed myself any semblance of vulnerability.
"Tumne khaane khaaya?" Sakinah asked me. I didn't remember the last time I ate, so I shook my head no. She got up, holding me by the arm. Leading me into the kitchen, she sat me down before fussing over something on the counters. Ayaan trailed behind us, leaning on the doorframe with his arms crossed.
"Aapi, yeh sab karne ki zaroorat nahi hai aapko." Without meaning to, the term of endearment slipped from my tongue. I was astonished by how right it felt to denote her as my older sister as well. Catching Ayaan's eye, I saw the huge winning grin he had on his face, having caught the same endearment. I smiled back at him.
Aapi set down two plates of piping hot food, motioning Ayaan to join me.
"Sabrina ne khila diya tha mujhe vaise, par jab aap itni insist kar rahi hai toh main kha hi leta hoon." He said gallantly, sauntering over to the chair in front of me.
Aapi gave no more than a scoff, shooting him a narrowed look. Ayaan dug into his food with relish. I watched the dynamic between the two of them, thoroughly amused.
"Khana shuru karo, Rukhsaar." Aapi encouraged gently. I snapped out of whatever I'd been thinking about and picked up the fork. The food was divine.
We quickly polished off our plates. I dabbed my face with a napkin.
I couldn't find it in me to be torn up about losing my parents to this. Surprisingly, all the negative emotions I'd been feeling before entering Ayaan's home had dissipated. I wasn't fretting over anything, the way I had seven months ago when I'd let go of Ayaan.
That didn't mean that I wasn't scared of what this meant for Ayaan and I. Rather than being worried about what my parents would do, I was more concerned about what Zafar would do.
Zafar was a powerful man. He could snap his fingers and have a guy disappear from off the face of the planet, without a trace of evidence anywhere. He would not take this lightly.
Aakhir, public image ka sawaal hai.
It was with this thought that the reality was beginning to set in. "Ya Allah, yeh kya kar diya humne?" I looked up tensely at Ayaan, whose mouth had settled in a grim line.
Aapi must've been watching my face, and the expressions that flitted across it, because she settled her hand on my own.
Looking very serious, she looked between Ayaan and I. "Look, I am not trying to scare either of you, but the decision you guys have taken is a very harsh, and a very difficult one. It is nearly impossible to escape from this unscathed in one way or another." She let that settle on us before continuing, her next word directed towards Ayaan. "Yes, as an older sister, I do not wholly approve of the way you picked her up from her house, disregarding everything else."
Ayaan looked at her calmly. "Pehli baar dil se kuch kiya hai. Mujhe aane waali saari mushkilaat manzoor hai, bas Rukhsaar ka haath chodna manzoor nahi. Mujhe apne faisle pe koi afsos nahi hai." His words brought a light blush to my face.
Despite Aapi's concern, I could see the proud glint in her eye. "However, as a daughter who has faced this type of negligence from her own father, I couldn't be happier with this decision. I want both of you to realize that it's going to be difficult to pull yourselves free from all the bonds that you'd just broken. The important thing to remember is that you've come together through this, and you must get through this together." I knew what she was trying to emphasize.
In my entire life, I had never seen a man who hadn't gotten "bored" of a woman within a few months or years. Today, seeing Ayaan lead me out of the house, determined to give me another life, had me rethinking that philosophy.
I had seen the men related to this house, and every one of them was just as devoted to his significant other, whether they were separated or not. Shehry to Aapi, Hussain to Fauzia, Rizwan to Mahreen, and Ayaan to me.
It seemed surreal to call a man like Ayaan my very own.
"Humein aage kya karna chahiye?" Ayaan asked. Aapi remained silent, studying him.
"Woh tum dono saath beth kar decide karoge."
"Par koi mashwara toh do."
"Maine tumhein kya kaha tha? Tum bade ho gaye ho, sahi ghalat ka faisla tum le sakte ho." She got up. "Par yeh sab kal karna. Abhi bohot raat ho gayi hai, aur tum dono bohot thak gaye honge. Chalo, Rukhsaar."
As we walked up the stairs, Aapi pointed out where everything was. "Yeh Ayaan ka kamra hai, yeh Rizwaan ka kamra hai, aur woh Sabrina ka hai. My room is at the end of the hall, don't hesitate if you need something."
"Thank you so much, Sakinah Aapi. I know that it's not proper for me to come into your home like this, but I'm very grateful."
She waved her hand dismissively. "Koi nahi. No one should ever have to endure what you had to, and while I don't completely approve of Ayaan's method, I'm proud of him for taking you away from that life, and I'm proud of you for having enough strength to pull away."
Hearing pride in someone's voice directed towards me had tears pooling in my eyes. I had never felt that self-gratification. Nothing I seemed to do pleased Amma and Abba, ever. I discreetly dabbed at the corner of my eye, clearing my throat of emotion.
"Tumhaara kamra Ayaan ke saamne hai. Agar kisi bhi cheez ki zaroorat padhe toh mujhe ya usse bula lena. Yeh tumhaara hi ghar hai, kisi cheez ki fikar mat karna. Rizwan aur Sabrina so gaye hai, nahi toh woh bhi tumse mil lete." Aapi explained, opening the door. "Ayaan tumhein waapis tumhaara saamaan lene le jaayega, jab tumhaare maa-baap wahaan pe nahi honge."
I looked around the room, feeling so thankful. Unexpectedly, I wrapped my arms around Aapi.
"Thank you so much Aapi." I felt like a broken record, but I was incapable of saying much else. She stroked my hair carefully, settling me down on the bed.
"Zindagi mein aise bohot modh aate hai Rukhsaar. Himmat se hi kaam lena padhta hai. Aur jab hum khud himmat haar jaate hai, toh humein unexpectedly woh himmat dobara kahin aur mil hi jaati hai." She advised with the wiseness of centuries. "Abhi aaraam karo. Kal subah hum baat karte hai, theek hai?"
She was so young, yet so motherly. I admired her greatly for her own strength and found it difficult to believe that she was only two years older than me. I nodded at her tearfully, wiping under my eyes once to make sure no tears had fallen.
Aapi rested her hand on my head for a moment before smiling at me and leaving. I felt much much better now that I knew I had her support with me.
A knock at the door pulled me out of my stupor. I released the bedsheet from where I was gripping it at the edges and looked up.
Ayaan, in his signature move, leaned on the doorframe, arms crossed over his chest. Fatigue wracked his features, yet his eyes were studying me carefully.
"Kya dhoondh rahe ho?" I asked quietly. He pushed off the doorframe and came towards me, kneeling in front of where I was sitting. Balancing his hands on his knees, he looked at me.
"Are you willing to go through this with me?" He chose his words carefully. I stared at him for a while before lowering myself down to where he was sitting and reaching for his hands.
"Yeh sawaal toh mujhe tumse poochna chahiye." Our eyes met. It was alarming how tired he looked. "Yeh dekh rahe ho?" I turned his hand over and traced the longest line on his palm with my fingertip, not looking him in the eye. I could feel his gaze burning into the top of my head. "Haath ki lakeer hai yeh. Tum isse badal nahi sakte. Tum chahe iss lakeer ko kaato ya jalao, yeh nahi badalti."
He knew what I was implying. That was the thing I loved most about Ayaan; he understood everything I couldn't make myself articulate in words.
"Marry me, Rukhsaar." He whispered. I froze in my spot, my head shooting up to meet his. He looked so vulnerable right there, as if all the strength had drained out of him. "I can't let you go again." He closed his eyes, releasing a shuddering breath. "It'll kill me."
"Ayaan..." I tried to interrupt him, but he wasn't having it.
"Take all the time you need. But I can't let them take you from me again, especially against your will. I don't have that much strength left in me." His eyes were begging me to agree with him. I looked away, feeling a torrent of emotions.
Every inch of my body was pushing to say yes to him.
I shut my eyes and sent up a quick prayer before looking back at him.
"Yes."
Ya Allah, mere faisle ko ghalat saabit mat karna.
Ayaan's POV
I found Aapi in her room as soon as I left Rukhsaar's room.
"Aapi, ek baat poochoon?"
She hummed as she continued to look through her files. "Kya baat hai?"
"Main Rukhsaar se shaadi karna chahta hoon. Issi jummah ko." The file from her hand dropped as she looked at me in shock.
The expressions crossing her face did nothing to ease me of the ball of tension in my chest.
"Shaadi? Ayaan, tum paagal ho gaye ho?" Her horrified look almost deterred me from my intention. I shut her bedroom door and sat down with her on the bed.
"Haan Aapi. Main paagal ho gaya hoon. Inn saat mahinon mein main jis jahannum se guzar raha tha, woh tum dekh chuki ho. Main usse dobara kho nahi sakta Aapi. Please, mujhe yeh shaadi karne do."
"Ayaan you're only 20 years old. You've only just gotten a job. You haven't even completed your degree. How do you expect to take care of a wife?"
"I don't dispute that, but Rukhsaar bhi kaam karti hai. Woh bhi abhi padhai kar rahi hai. Woh yahaan hum mein se ek ban ke rahegi."
"Ayaan, I love Rukhsaar, and I love you. Mujhe Rukhsaar se koi masla nahi hai, aur na hi mujhe koi masla hai ke woh yahaan rahe. Main tumhaare liye aisi hi ladki pasand karti." She paused. "I have never doubted your capability, nor have I ever doubted your will to do good for the people you love. But I don't want you to take any hasty decisions. A marriage means a lot of responsibility, which I don't want you to have to take on unwillingly. I'm just worried about that, nothing else." Her words rang a bell inside of me.
"Mohabbat zimmedari nahi hoti. Aur yeh baat tumse behtar koi nahi jaanta." I told her. She read my expression before sighing, knowing full well that I wasn't going to back down anymore.
"Ayaan, I was 17 when I took on the responsibility of 3 kids. I didn't even go to college. I have never felt it to be a responsibility, rather I work as much as I do out of love for you three. But there have definitely been days where I felt that nothing would be better than just running away from everyone." She avoided looking into my eyes by speaking down into the files in front of her. I knew that there were days where it had gotten too much for her. She never let it show to us, but those things were a given. I also happened to know that she was ashamed of feeling that way, hence why she was adamantly refusing to meet my gaze. "However, you three are my siblings. Rukhsaar would be your wife. Miyan biwi ke beech zimmedaariyon ke bojh ki wajah se dooriyan aa jaaya karti hai. I don't want that to happen to you two."
"It won't." I promised her. "I can't lose her again Aapi. Aur woh iss shaadi se raazi hai."
"You do know that she's been promised to Zafar Mirza? A very powerful man. He can ruin everything we've worked for 5 years after, in less than 5 seconds."
"Aapi, I promise you, hum par koi aanch nahi aane doonga main. Zafar Khuda nahi hai. Woh hamari mehnat ko humse nahi chheen sakta."
"Tumhaare do aur bhai behan hai Ayaan, yeh faisla bohot soch samajh kar karna." Aapi's expression was grave. I reassured her again.
"Zafar kuch nahi karega. Islam mein zabardasti ka nikaah jaiz nahi hota. He can't legally do anything, except file a case against Rukhsaar's parents. This marriage gives leverage to us." Aapi's expression changed in an instant.
"Are you marrying her to gain that leverage?" She asked lowly, asking with a firmness that I had not heard from her.
"Absolutely not. Mujhe abhi khayal aaya. Main Rukhsaar se mohabbat karta hoon, iss liye shaadi karna chahta hoon." I clarified. "I don't need to marry Rukhsaar to put Zafar in jail if he slams a case on us. All the points are in our favour anyway."
Seemingly satisfied with the answer, she threw another question at me. "You know that Nikaah padhwane ke liye, tumhein wali ki zaroorat hai. Rukhsaar ke wali ko kahaan se laoge?"
"Rukhsaar ke chacha bhi Houston mein rehte hai. Unse baat karoonga main." I countered. "Aapi, tum hazaar sawal kar lo, par sab ka jawab hai mere paas. Yeh shaadi hoke hi rahegi, aur issi jummah ko hogi."
"Toh phir bismillah. I trust your decisions. Tum dono ki jodi Allah salamat rakhe." I mouthed Ameen with her. She grinned widely, tears of joy wetting her eyes. "Ab jao, mujhe shaadi ki taiyaariyan karni hai. Friday is only a mere four days away."
"Not at all. Shut up. Kal subah hum yeh sab discuss karenge. Sabrina would kill you if you did any wedding planning without her. Abhi tum so jao." I picked her files up and placed them on the side table. She yawned, probably too tired to fight me on this.
I bid her good night before going into my own room. While I had been dead on my feet only a few hours before, now I was vibrating with energy. A satisfied and content feeling spread through me, relaxing my muscles.
I offered 2 extra raka'at of prayer in gratitude for the ease that Allah had just provided us.
Ya Allah, humein Tu apne hifz-o-man mein rakhna, aur hamari har nadaani maaf kar dena. Mere aur Rukhsaar ke liye aage ka raasta asaan kar dena mere Rabb aur Aapi ko jo kuch bhi pareshaan kar raha hai, uska hal jald az jald nikaal de mere Rabb. Main Aapi ko iss tarah nahi dekh sakta.
I crawled into bed, trying to imagine a life with Rukhsaar. After Friday, the entire purpose of my life would change drastically, yet I couldn't be happier.
I surveyed my room from where I was laying, imagining it as a couple's bedroom. Instead of sleeping alone on the wide bed, I would have Rukhsaar on one side, her things kept on a side-table. Half of the closet would go to her, and the room would be gorgeously decorated by Sabrina and Rizwan for our first night.
Imagining all of these, my eyelids begin to droop, and my body welcoming the first peaceful sleep I'd had in months.
With thoughts of perfect weddings coursing through my mind, I fell asleep, restless for morning to come.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Well? How was it?
Favourite scenes?
Favourite character of the chapter?
What do you think about Ayaan's decision?
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PLEASE READ BELOW:
Guys, I really think that this is something that goes unsaid, but unfortunately, I'm having to say it. I have been getting multiple abusive messages in my inbox cursing me out for not updating fast enough. I realize that you guys are excited to read the next chapters, and we writers do have a commitment towards you guys to put up a chapter. But this is a hobby for most of us. We have lives outside of Wattpad too, just as you have.
I've just left my family for my education halfway across the world, and I'm still learning how to balance my life on my own. It's not easy on anyone, and then you have people calling you names like "bitch" "slut" or "whore" just because you simply don't have time to update!
I work until nearly 3 am to give you guys 10,000 word chapters and balance my medical studies at the same time. This chapter itself is almost 10,100 words. I work to give you guys something with the quality that I feel my book deserves, quality you guys deserve. Don't throw it in my face like that. I was honestly contemplating just deleting the book altogether.
I am committed to you guys 100% of the way, but you have to stay committed to the realization that Wattpad writers usually do have many things going on around them, which they can't always share with the readers.
Just for once, put yourselves in our shoes, and then think next time you message a writer with an abusive word.
Thank you.