Time passed by quicker than anyone thought, as the marriage plans were nearing Samina Tariq feared that one thing every parent ever did, disobedience. She had always had control over her boys but she also knew that for Shahzaib, Sara was like a trigger, she could make him explode anytime she wanted and the worst part was that he could leave them for her in a heartbeat. Shahzaib was never like that before but ever since he met her nothing went right, and Ms. Samina who always went ahead to keep her family perfect would do anything to keep it that way even if that meant forcing him to marry the girl of her own will.
"Shahzaib Kahan ja rahay ho Meri baat tou suntay jao." She said while walking into his room.
"Ammi ap subha se mere pechay lagi huwi hain mein apko kitni dafa keh Chuka Hun ke mein koi larki deekne nahi ja raha." He said huffing and throwing himself on the bed.
"Par aik bar mil tou lo, bohaat achi larki hai woh." Mrs.Tariq tried to reason.
"Sara ke ilawa mein kisi se Shaadi nahi karoun ga, aur ye baat final hai." He said for the last time this day.
Mrs.Tariq knew that no matter how many times she tried it wouldn't work, but she wasn't the one to lose her son to someone like Sara.
"Mein baat karta Hun ussay." Tariq shah said in a gruff voice sitting in the TV lounge sipping on his tea the same evening.
"Nahi baat barh jaiy gi, kahin woh kuch ulta seedha na karde, aur Abu ke samne ager usne na farmani ki tou unki bhi tabiyat biger jaiy gi." She said worried remembering how Fahad had done the same thing when Mansoor Shah declared that he wasn't happy with the girl he chose. Chaos broomed in the house and Fahad and Mansoor shah stuck to their ground till their last breath until the latter got sick and gave up as he had no hold over Fahad along with his own parents anyway. She was also scared because of Shahzaib's impulsive behavior and wondered what she would do if he left the house.
"Ap usko 2 mahine Islamabad bheej dein, wahin pe kaam Kare jab tak Shaadi ki tayariyan mukamal na Hun." She suggested an alternative to prevent wreck from happening.
"Tum mujh se keh Rahi ho ke hum usko uski khud ki Shaadi ke baare mein he na batain, ain waqt tak?" Tariq shah asked in disbelief.
"Tou isme itne hairaan hone ki Kya baat hai? Jitna waqt hum usse dein gaiy utne tareekey woh isse jaan churane ke dhoonde ga, ab tou humne zabaan bhi de di Hain, balkay Abu ne bhi zaban de di hai aur iska matlab ap achay se jantay hain. " Samina Tariq said.
"Haan sahi keh Rahi ho, ye sab uski behtari ke he liye hai, Zara se achi larki Hume dhoondne pe bhi nahi mile gi aur baba ki ego ko mei achi tarah se janta hun. Shahzaib ko hume bohaat ahtiyat se is faisley mei rangna hoga. " Tariq shah replied.
"Adil ko bhi saath bheejein, baat bhi sambhal jaiy gi." She said.
"Hmm" he nodded in agreement.
While the parents were stubborn and stuck up on their decision thinking they were doing it for Shahzaib's betterment, and firmly believed that he was blinded by love walking on the wrong path. While they had all the authority to make important decisions of his life, he on the other hand had other plans.
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Shahzaib's POV:
"Yaar wese tujhe kuch ajeeb sa nahi lag raha?" I said to Adil while unpacking my stuff alongside him.
Me and Adil were assigned here for the next 2 months in our office in Islamabad. I just got home here at my brother's appartment where we both would be staying.
"Kya matlab?" He asked tiredly throwing himself on the bed in the middle of piles of clothes.
"Mera Matlab abhi ammi mere pechay pari thi ke Shaadi karlo, woh bhi pata nahi konsi achi larki se, aur ab abbu ne hum dono ko yahan bheej diya." I genuinely wondered.
"Lagta hai tujhe izzat raas nahi hai. Abhi Taiy Ammi ko call Kar ke bolta Hun tumhe wapis bula lein." He said dramatically.
"Acha acha, mein tou bas yun he soch raha tha. Mera Kya, faida he hai yahan rehna, Sara se roz mil sakhta Hun." I said smiling.
"Yaar tum log ajeeb couple ho har waqt lartay Jo rehtay ho, Kya faida relationship mein hone ka jahan sukoon na ho." He said annoyed at my constant change in mood that basically revolved around Sara.
"Jahan pyaar hota hai wahan be sukooni bhi hoti hai, tu Kya samjhay ga." I replied dramatically moving my hands like a poet reading out his latest piece.
"Haan bhaiy khuda dur he rakhe aisi mohabbat se." He said getting up to unpack his clothes.
"Tum mere pyaar ki Kam aur apne pyaar ki zyada fikar karo, nahi tou Puri Zindagi third wheel ban ke mere sar par bethay raho gaiy." I said tauntingly.
"Abeyyy girlfriend Kya mili tu tou free he hoga." He said jumping at me and putting me in a headlock with me struggling underneath him.
A couple of weeks later everything was normal, Me and Adil would go to work in the morning and later at evenings I would go see Sara. We would often watch football games on the weekends with big bro although he barely talked much.
I really missed Ammi and abbu and would often wonder how they're doing, I even made plans to visit them for a weekend but they declined and asked me to focus on work. For some reason dad made me handle all the huge client meetings as well which Bhai and Adil used to deal with. I guess he wants me to be mature enough to handle such stuff.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Zara's POV:
It has been almost two months since mine and Shahzaib's marriage had been finalized. Summer vacations just started three days ago and apparently tommorow is my mayoun and the next day my mehndi. Everything was moving way too fast for my liking. I barely knew the guy except for seeing him a few times and exchanging some remarks here and there and the weirdest part was that all my requests to meet him and talk to him had went down the drain.
I felt like I was back in the 90's when people used to get married without even looking and knowing the other person. Samina Aunty said that Shahzaib was really busy with the new office branch set up in Islamabad hence could not come meet us, but she said that he absolutely had his full concentration on this marriage and the fact that he was happy about it. It was really weird though, Baba even trusted Mr. Tariq with it without talking to Shahzaib in person, since he said he had already met him enough times to know that he was a decent and well mannered young man.
As reassuring as Mrs. Tariq was about her son being the most kindest and gentle man, I still had an uneasy feeling about this. It would be a lie to say that I didn't feel attracted to Shahzaib at all. He was an handsome man and had quite the persona to himself apart from the overly arrogant times. And after two months to being tied to him I started to imagine our future together, only a better one I could hope.
He was supposed to come back from Islamabad today, he won't be coming to the mayoun today since they weren't keeping that function. Apparently a simple wedding is what they wanted, so I guess I'll only be seeing him on our mehndi day.
"Zara utho tayaar bhi ho jao ab, mehmaan ane lagay Hain." Amma said.
Jee ammi I said while taking out a set of bangels from the box.
Saira was out getting me all the flower jewelry that I would be wearing today while I was changing into the green ghararah pants and yellow kameez paired with a semi-yellow and green dupatta decorated with classic glass ornaments and beautiful designs. Since it was just the mayoun I did my own make up keeping things light with a natural base and some eyeliner, mascara, blush and lip gloss.
Only most of the elderly women and a couple of cousins including samina Aunty and Nabila aunty would be coming to today's function.
The nikkah would be on the baraat day which was right after the mehndi.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Shahzaib's POV:
"Ammiii finally! Meine apko bohaat miss Kiya." I said while running to her and hugging her.
I had just arrived home alongside Adil and bhai from Islamabad, I missed home and it felt great to be back. Ammi was really happy. I couldn't help but notice that the house looked quite different.
"Humne bhi tum logoun ko bohaat miss Kiya." Ammi said on behalf of herself, Abba and Nabila chachi who was sitting beside Adil.
"Lagta hai Ghar phir se renovate karwa Diya hai." I commented.
"Haan tumhare Jane ke baadh mein bohaat se kamoun mein busy ho gaiy thi." Ammi said while serving me tea.
"Kya matlab?" I asked
"Mujhe tumse kuch baat karni hai lekin abhi tum Aram karo shaam mein aram se baat kartay Hain." Ammi said hesitantly.
She was acting weird, like something wasn't right, maybe she was hiding something from me.
"Theek hai," I replied anyway.
"Apne dadu se mil lena woh apne kamre mein rest kar rahay hain, lunch kar chuke hain isliye hume join nahi karein gaiy." She said to me.
"Jee acha." I said while getting up to go meet dadu with Adil while the ladies headed to the kitchen.
Soon after a short meeting with dadu since it was his nap time. We all had lunch except baba who wasn't home, apparently busy with some work, Adil and Nabila Chachi left for their house and I went straight to sleep.
It was late that evening when baba and mama broke the news to me.
"What?" I screamed.
"Awaz nechay rakho." Baba ordered me.
"Apne Meri Shaadi mere Marzi ke beghair tey kardi aur Ap mujh se keh rahay Hain ke mein shor bhi na machaoun?" I said frustrated.
"Humne Jo bhi Kiya hai tumhari behtari ke liye Kiya hai, Zara jesi larki Hume dhoondne pe bhi na milti, un logoun ka khandan, chal dhaal sab humse milta hai, rishtay apni barabari mein he karne cahieye." He tried to reason for the one hundredth time.
"Nikkah parson hai, Kal mehndi hai, aur ye sab mujhe ab pata chal raha hai. Isiliye ap sab log itna ajeeb act kar rahay thay." I said angrily.
"Ap unhe phone Kar ke Mana Kar dein, aisa kuch nahi hoga. Meine Koi Zara wara se Shaadi nahi karni." I said trying to end whatever nightmare this had turned into.
"Shahzaib tum pagal tou nahi hogaiy Kya? Card distribute Kar chuke Hain, tayariyan ho chuki Hain, puray khandan ko pata chal Gaya hai, sab ke samne hamare kitni bezati hogi jantay bhi ho tum?" Mama said as if i grew two horns on my head.
" Hum unhe zabaan de chuke Hain aur isse pechay hargiz nahi Hun gaiy, behtar hai ke tum bhi izzat se man jao warna mujhe apni baat manwana bhi ati hai." Abbu said sternly
That's what he always did, I've always been an obedient kid, even if I could whine and complain in front of mom I could never say anything to Abbu, due to that I've always respected every decision of his for me since he was the wisest and strongest man to me but today he had crossed the limit of unjustness.
"Ap log mere saath aisa karein gaiy ye mein soch bhi nahi sakhta tha, hamesha apke baataiy huwe naksh o qadam par calha hun, hamesha ap logoun ki izzat mein sar jhukaya aur ab mujhe apni he Zindagi ka faisla karne ka bhi koi haq nahi?" I said upset and disappointed.
"Tumhe Sara se Shaadi karni haina? Tou jao, sab ke samne hamara mou kala karwa dou, Shahzad sahab aur tamam log Jo tumhare Abbu aur Meri izzat kartay Hain unke samne hamari nak katwa lo, " Amma said emotionally blackmailing me.
"Ammi- "
"Ager tumne ye sab Kiya tou tum sirf is Ghar se he nahi balkay hamare Dil se bhi nikal jao ge, agey tumhari marzi." Baba said adding garnishment to the meal.
They both left my room after they practically ruined my life, most of the time I could get away by a lot of pleading and whining but this was not the case, after sulking for a while I was thinking about going to go see Adil, when he burst through my bedroom door with a shocked look on his face.
"Teri Shaadi tey ho gaiy aur mujhe kisi ne bataya bhi nahi?" He said astonished
I took a deep breath and a really big sigh after that,
"Mujhe khud abhi pata calha hai, tu Kya cheez hai?" I said tiredly pinching the bridge of my nose.
"Zara? Woh Jo Hume barbeque pe mili thi? Kab? Kese? Kyun?" He asked shocked but also disappointed for some reason.
"Mein kuch nahi janta, ye sab ammi aur Abbu ne secret mein Kiya, takey Meri Sara se Shaadi na ho, aik tou us Zara ko bhi mein he pasaand Ana tha, aur calho aa bhi Gaya tou at least pehlay mujhse tou baat karti." I replied annoyed
"Tujhe kese pata ke usse tu pasaand aya?" He asked
"Bhai itna attitude Jo show Kar Rahi thi, plus Ammi aur Abbu ko Jo apni side pe kar liya." I replied
"Acha chalo ab ye sab choro ye batao ke ab Kya karo gaiy? Shaadi karle ga Kya tu usse?" He asked genuinely worried.
"Mujhe ab usse he deal karna parhe ga, kuch aisa karoun ke woh khud he Mana karde, mujhe abhi usse Milne Jana hai." I said while getting up and ready.
"Pagal ho Gaya hai Kya? Wahan is waqt mayoun chal raha hai, janta hai kitne log Hun gaiy wahan?" He said
"Ammi aur taaiy ammi bhi wahan ke liye saath nikli Hain abhi" he added
"Yaaaar ye kis musibat mein daal Diya hai in logoun ne, Sara tou mujhe kacha chaba jaiy gi ager usko pata chalha tou." I said while holding my head with a killer migraine.
"Iss bar tou waqaiy ziyati huwi hai Tere saath, tujhe usse subha milna cahieye, mein number dilwata Hun
uska kahin se" he said while getting up to make a call.
We both somehow found her number and I called her to make plans to meet her first thing in the morning, I needed to tell her everything and make sure she herself would back off from the wedding, like it or not this wedding had to be called off.
After a lot of pacing around and me and Adil discussing how to get out of this I finally slept anxiously waiting for morning to come so I could end this as soon as possible.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Zara's POV:
Last night's event went pretty well, things were going quite smoothly, and the best part of it was that Shahzaib finally called and asked me to meet him, I was beginning to think that he wasn't happy with this marriage. Although today was the mehndi day and there was so much to do I didn't know how I'd be able to meet him this afternoon. Initially we agreed to meet at 10 am but later I pushed it to 1 pm because I knew I wouldn't be able to wake up that soon seeing as how late we slept.
"Zara 1 bajay se pehlay pehlay tum ready rehna, parlor ki appointment hai 3 bajay ki, aur bhi bohaat kaam hai Hume." Mamma said running around my room fixing my stuff that I'd be needing for tonight.
"Uh woh mama woh mujhe kisi se Milne Jana hai, ap fikar na karein mein appointment thori agey bara deti Hun." I said grabbing my phone immediately.
"Dimagh tou theek hai tumhara? Tum is waqt kisi se milne jao gi? Kisey? Pata bhi hai kitne kaam Hain aj?" Mamma said bombarding me with questions.
"Uhh..woh mein Shahzaib se Milne ja Rahi Hun, par jaldi aa jaoun gi, ap tou janti Hain ke Kal nikkah hai hamara, baat tou karni cahieye usse." I reasoned.
"Arey arey bilkul nahi, tum janti nahi ke nikkah se pehlay larkiyan apne hone wallay shohar se nahi milti." Mamma said seriously
"Mamma Kya ho Gaya hai apko, ye konse zamane ki baat Kar Rahi hain"
I said freaked out.
"Bhaiy ye Meri soch nahi Samina begum ki hai, aur ye baat unho ne khud mujhe sakhti se kahi thi." Amma stated.
"Ammi ye Kya soch hai bhaiy," I said frowning on these old irrelevant superstitions.
"Kheir Jo bhi hai ab Milne ka Kya faida, ab raat ko mehndi pe he mil Lena." Amma reasoned while pushing me to get ready.
Later I got busy with the preparations and forgot to call him, when I reached the parlor at around 3 I realized how he must've been waiting for me and checked my phone to see 6 missed calls from him, I called him and when he didn't pick up I left a message for him saying how I couldn't make it and would hopefully see him tonight at the event.
Things went by busy, I was nervous and upset that sooner or later I'd have to leave home once I get married to him but hoped that my life would change for better.