Zindagi ek unkahi si dastaan
Faslon aur qurbaton kay darmiyaan
Jo hai usay kya naam doon
Yan dard ko anjaam doon
Jab mausamon ki khabar na ho
Toh laut kay chalay aana
Chalay aana
💕💕💕
"Why are you so tensed Anam?" Asad asked as Anam came and sat next to him on the bed, looking a bit distraught.
She looked at him. "I am tired of it. I am tired of her craziness. It's becoming difficult for me to see her like this. Why doesn't she forget him?"
Asad closed the book he was reading and placed it on the bedside table, placing his glasses next to it after taking them off. "Look Anam, let her be. I told you before, you making decisions for her will not help anyone. She is matured enough to know what is right or wrong."
Anam shook her head. "It hurts to sed her like this. All this could have been avoided if I was there. I am trying to finally be a part of her life to help her. What I couldn't do before I need to do now. I will always have that guilt in me."
Asad took hold of her hand. "You didn't know about it, you did what you could when you found out. It was all due to the circumstances, blaming yourself will not help."
Anam wiped her tears. "I can't see her like this. She is still waiting for him till now, her love is delusional. She thinks he is going to come back so she doesn't move forward. She hasn't come out of that phase. She thinks she loves him but she doesn't. "
"You know even if she tries, it is impossible for her to move ahead with her life. You have tried all you could to make her forget him, we moved from our country, you removed every materialistic memory of him yet you couldn't remove him from her heart and mind."
"That pendant." Anam started, looking at him with red eyes. "That damned pendant doesn't let her forget about him."
"You tried getting rid of it and you saw what happened. It's as if her life is in that locket. She didn't eat or sleep because she couldn't find it. And you saw again last month when she lost it under her bed, how she was."
Anam's shoulder's sagged. "I have no idea what to do. I am tired of this. I will never forgive him for what he did to my sister, ever. She doesn't even tell us properly what happened to her that led her to behave like this. I know he filtered her mind with something due to which she thinks she loves him. How else is it possible that she is so deeply in love with him?"
"I think you are thinking too much, you need to relax. With time she'll be fine."
"How much more time will she need?"
"Anam, please! Just stop thinking about all these things. As I said, she's not a child, she knows what's right and wrong."
Anam sighed and got up and moved out of the room, to check up on her two year baby that had started crying.
🌹🌹🌹
Zaviyaar looked at the person in front of him and he froze. No, Mian Jee can't do this to him. He never thought Mian Salahuddin could stoop down so low.
He got up from the chair and rushed outside, running a head through his hair in anger. He wanted to cry loudly at the situation. Why does life has to be so cruel to him? Why can't he for once be at peace?
"Larkay, yeh kya harkat thi? Abhi andar jao aur yeh kaam pura karo!" Mian Salahuddin's stern voice brought him out of his misery. (Boy, what was this? Go inside now and finish this matter!)
Zaviyaar clenched his teeth and glared at Mian Salahuddin sharply. "Aap aik pathar dil insaan hai yeh toh pata tha lekin aap itnay behis hongay mainay socha nahi tha. Jitna main sochta hoon kay aap shayad itnay bhi buray nahi hain aap utna hi meri umeedon par pani phenktay hain! Ap jaisa ghatiya insaan mainay aaj tak nahi dekha!" (I knew you were a stone hearted person but I didn't know you could be so cruel. The more I think that you might have some humanity in you, the more you prove me wrong. I haven't seen someone so cheep as you before!)
"Zaviyaar!" He yelled, raising his hand in the air as if hitting him but then stopped. "Zubaan ko lagaam do apni. Yeh mat bholo kay tumhari maa ki zindagi ka faisla meray haath main hai. Abhi tumnay mera itna bura roop dekha nahi tha. Ab khamoshi say andar jao aur uss nikah namay par dastakhat karo au woh kaam karo jo mainay kaha hai!" (Control your mouth! Don't forget that your mother is at my mercy right now. You haven't properly seen my bad side yet. Now quietly go inside and sign those nikah papers and do what I told you!"
"Woh aik bachi hai! Main yeh gunah nahi kar sakta! You didn't tell me that she was just 13 years old child." Zaviyaar's eyes had turned red due to the hatred he felt for Mian Salahuddin. (She is a child! I can't do this sin.)
"Abhi bachi hai lekin mujhe umeed hai Islamabad janay kay baad woh aik aurat ban kar wapis aayegi. Baad main tumhara aur uska koi lena dena nahi hoga, woh humari haveli main apni baki ki saza katay gi aur tum apnay zindagi main nadamat ki saza kato gay! Waisay bhi jab tum logon ka nikah ho jayega toh yeh sab gunah nahi lagay ga." (She's a child now but I am sure when she'll go to Islamabad, she'll return as a woman. After that you'll have nothing to do with her. She'll be brought to the haveli where she'll spend the spend the rest of life getting her punishment whereas you will spend you life in regret. Besides after you two get married, it won't be a sin.)
Zaviyaar wanted to hit something as he closed his eyes tightly at his words. He wanted to unhear him but he couldn't. He couldn't destroy an innocent child's life.
"I can't do this!" He shook his head, stepping backwords.
"Zaviyaar, apni maa ka socho! Agar tum nahi manay toh uska hashar bohot bura hoga." Mian Salahuddin took out his cell phone. "Meri aik call par tumhari maa ka namonishan bhi nahi milay ga." He threatened, he knew how to use someone's weakness to his own benefit. (Think of your mother! If you don't agree, it will be very bad for her. With my one phone call, your mother will never be found.)
"I will tell Bi Jaan, she will not let you do this."
Mian Salahuddin laughed. "Jab tak woh kuch karain gi wab tak tumhari maa iss duniya main nahi rahay gi. Is liye behtar hoga meri baat mano!" (By the time she'll do anything, your mother would be dead. It's better for you to agree with my decision.)
Zaviyaar's heart sank at the mention of her mother's death. "Us bachi nay aapka kya bigara hai. Kisi aur ki saza usay kyun?" (What did that child do to you? Why you punishing her for someone else's fault?)
"Humaray haan rivaj hai, khoon kay badlay ladki. Unko apna beta zyada azeez hai iss ladki say ismay meri koi galti nahi. Unhay bhi mainay option di thi, apne betay ki zindagi yan apni beti ki judayi. Usnay apnay betay ki zindagi chuni." Mian Salahuddin shrugged nonchalantly. (It's our tradition, a girl for blood. It's not my fault he values his son more than his son. I gave him an option... his son's life or his daughter's separation. He chose his son's life.)
"It was an accident." Zaviyaar tried to convince his grandfather to not do this.
Pain flashed through Mian Salahuddin's eyes. "He was my grandson. After your father, Zafar was most dear to me. He spent all his childhood under my wing, I made sure he never faced any hardships. But that girl's brother snatched him away from me. Just like your mother snatched my son away from me. I couldn't do anything to your mother but I will make sure that girl pays for her brother's mistake. It was that boy's fault for drunk and driving and crashing into my Zafar's car. He will regret killing him, he will die hundred deaths as he thinks what's going on with his precious sister. Suna hai jaan say zyada pyaar karta hai woh apni behan say." (I heard he loves his sister more than his life.)
Zaviyaar wanted to sink on the floor, he wanted to hit something. So many emotion were going through him that he became numb to them.
With numb hands, he signed his doom, sealing his fate with that 13 year old girl. He felt like a beast to do this to her but he had no other option.
🌹🌹🌹
"Twinkle!"
She was walking through the hall to her next class when someone called her from behind. She huffed and turned around to glare at that person.
"Skylar, how many times have I told you not to call me with that name."
Skylar bit her tongue and grinned at her. "You know how much I love to irritate you."
Subha rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Hurry up, we are going to be late for the lecture."
"Hello, Miss goody shoes? We still have fifteen minutes for the lecture, why you want to spend that much time inside that hall where we are already going to spend two hours in. The hall is just two meters away, relax."
"I want to sit at the back and you know how many other people also sit at the back. I want to get those seats before them." Subha justified herself.
"I wonder how I became your friend." Skylar joked, slapping her forehead.
"I wonder how I became your friend." Subha mimicked her, earning a shove on her shoulder as they entered the lecture hall.
Just as they sat down, Ahmad came and sat next to Subha. "Yo Girls!" He brought his fist forward, waiting for them to tap it with their own fists.
Both the girls looked at him and his fist weirdly. "Dude! What new chichorapanti is this?" Subha asked.
"Chicho- what now?" Skylar looked confused as she tried to decode the word.
Ahmad and Subha laughed at her causing her to glare at them. "Don't laugh! You guys know I don't know urdu yet you guys do this. You Pakistanis needs to tone down that urdu in front of me."
"And you Austrians need to tone down that english of yours in front of us." Ahmad shot back, settling down on his seat properly.
"Ahmad and Skylar, that's rude both of you!" Subha reprimanded them.
"She started it."
"Well you forced me to start it." Skylar gave it back to him.
Subha held her hands in front of them. "Oh meray bacho, shut up!"
The both shut up but not before glaring at each other. Few minutes, the lecturer entered and started the lecture.
Subha was in second year of Graphic and Interior Designing in Sultan Qaboos University in Muscat, capital of Oman. She had only two friends, Skylar and Ahmad. Skylar had shifted from Austria two years ago on a scholarship to study for Graphic Designing whereas Ahmad was born in Oman though his parent were Pakistani. They had met two years ago in their first year and instantly hit it off.
"Hey doll, where is your pendant?" Skylar whispered, when she noticed Subha's pendant missing from her neck. "You always wear it." She knew how important that pendant was for her best friend.
"It's in my bag." Subha answered back. "You know how paranoid I get that it might fall off and get lost, so I thought of placing it in my bag."
"Ok cool." She went back to scribbling notes.
Ahmad, who was scrolling through his phone knitted his eyebrows in surprise as he read the email sent to him.
"Guys!" He called the two girls, making sure the professor doesn't hear him. They both snapped their heads towards him.
"What?"
"Apparently there's a new professor hired for Graphic Designing for a month or two alongisde Prof Malini, he's a well known name in that field." He informed them.
"Who?"
He shrugged. "I don't know, I just received an email about it. You should check your emails, its been sent to you as well."
Subha nodded, not interested at all. "That's nice."
"It is. We'll get to learn new things. I am excited." Skylar voiced out, tapping her pen on her chin.
"Guys if your discussion is over, you can pay attention now." The professor looked at them in warning. Everyone turned to look at them.
"Sorry prof." Ahmad raised his hand slightly, giving him a peace sign.
Subha and Skylar shook their heads at Ahmad. "Idiot!"
🌹🌹🌹
Noor entered the car, clutching her ipad in one hand and with the other hand she closed the door.
Without sparing her any glance, Zaviyaar started the car and drove off towards Islamabad. His mind was filled with so many emotions but anger was above them all. He clutched the steering wheel tightly in his hand.
Noor pouted as she looked at the man besides her. They had been driving for the past hour without any sound from either of them. It was starting to get dark as sun started to disappear. Noor was getting bored. She looked at the ipod in her hand, it was powered off because the battery was finished and she didn't get time to charge it. She had spent the hour looking outside, admiring the view.
She took off the duppatta from her head and placed it on the floor of the car but making sure that the charger she had tied in it was still there. After she was satisfied, she looked back at the man.
"Suniye." She called out meekly. (Listen!)
He ignored her or maybe he didn't hear her over his thoughts.
"Hello mister!" She said it loudly now.
Zaviyaar snapped out of his thoughts and looked at the girl next to him. "Kya hai?" He said rudely. (What?)
Noor huffed. "I am bored."
Zaviyaar ignored her and looked at his phone for the time. It was eight at night, by ten they would have arrived at the house that he stayed because of his education. Bi Jaan had made sure he never stayed at a hostel. A helper also stayed with him who was assigned to take well care of Zaviyaar.
Noor pursed her lips and called him again. "Listen?"
Zaviyaar clutched the steering wheel even tighter. "Kya takleef hai ab?" (What's your problem?)
"I am hungry." She said meekly, looking at him with her big brown eyes.
"Toh main kya karun?" (So? What am I suppose to do?)
"Nacho!" She mumbled to herself, making a face at him. (Dance.)
After few minutes of not getting any response, she spoke again.
"What is your name?"
"Why do you want to know?" He cross questioned rudely as he got off the highway into a one lane road.
"Bhai toh main aapko bula nahi sakti, aur bina naam kay aap hain nahi iss liye kisi tarhan toh aapko bulana hai." She shrugged in reply. (I can't call you my brother and it's impossible that you don't have a name so I have to call you somehow.)
"It's not important for you to know my name. Now shut up!"
She ignored his last words. "It is important for me to know your name, you are my husband and as a wife it's my duty to know about you." She said and it seemed as if she was reading these words from somewhere, as if she had memorized those words.
Zaviyaar glanced at her, he was surprised how she knew all this. "Who told you all this?"
Noor placed her feet on the dashboard, she often did this when she would go on long drives with her brother. "Aunty Asma from the house next to ours. She said that you are my husband, just like my dad was the husband of my mother."
"Keep your feet off the dashboard!" He scolded her but she didn't listen. "What else she said?"
"She said that husband and wife stay together that's why you are taking me away from my house." At the mention of her house and family, sadness filled Noor's eyes. She didn't want to leave them but her father and Asma aunty forced her.
Zaviyaar understood what she must be going through from her tone and it wasn't easy for him as well. He couldn't understand how parents can do this to their on child. Is the love for one child greater than the other? Are parents this selfish?
"Do you know why we are husband and wife?" He asked after a long silence. He wanted to know if she knew the reason behind this stupid wedding.
Noor nodded her head. "Dad said that to save my brother I must marry you. I love him so I married you. They said I will come back when my brother get saved till then I need to stay with you."
Zaviyaar ran a hand through his hair. They had manipulated Noor so that she says yes to the nikkah but he knew what the truth was. "Your mother didn't stop them?"
Noor got quite at the mention of her mother. After few minutes, she spoke softy. "She doesn't live with us."
"Why?"
"She lives with her new family." She whispered, her eyes got moist at the mention of her mother. She took her feet off the dashboard and hugged her knees to her chest, looking outside the window.
Zaviyaar didn't ask anything else or else he knew she would cry. Honestly, he didn't know how to console people when they cry, especially children.
The word children snapped something in his mind. What was he doing? He wasn't suppose to converse with her or try to delve in her life. He just had to do what he was assigned to do no matter how much disguisted he was with himself. But he could even kill himself for his mother and... he may hate himself for the rest of his life but atleast his mother would be alive
But she was just a child, someone who doesn't even properly know the meaning of marriage. She was just speaking what was drilled into her mind, without knowing the true meaning of it. She was just paying the price of her brother's mistake, she was a scapegoat. She and him for that matter, both of them were victims of old traditions and hate. Both had roles to play, the only difference was he knew what role he had to play but the 13 year old had no idea of it.
In all these thoughts, he stopped at a stall that was selling burgers. He glanced at Noor to find her sleeping. He got out of the car, bought a burger and a cold drink and sat back inside after paying for it.
He didn't know how to wake her up. "Listen!" He yelled but she didn't get up. He only thought of one option, placing his hand on the centre of the steering wheel, he pressed it hard.
Noor jerked awake at the horn sounf, eyes wide. She looked at around her with big, fearful eyes. When her eyes found Zaviyaar, she calmed down a little.
Zaviyaar, without a word, handed her the burger and cold drink. Noor took hold of the food eagerly, and started swallowing the food in a hurry as Zaviyaar started the car again.
He hated to see that calmness in her eyes when she looked at him because he knew soon he would be the one snatching that calmness from her.
🌹🌹🌹
Subha looked at the people around her in boredom. Ahmad and Skylar hadn't arrived yet although there were only few minutes left for the class to start. It was expected of them, they can never be on time for anything. Students around her chattered loudly as she placed her chin in her hand.
"I am here!" Ahmad announced as he slid on the seat next to her, puffing loudly.
"Yehi agar jaldi uth jao toh itna bhag kar nahi aana parta." Subha rolled her eyes. (If you had gotten up early, you wouldn't have came running.)
"Miss Twinkle, not everyone likes to get up so early like you." He shot back using the name Twinkle to purposely irritate her.
Subha simply ignored it, she knew it was no use correcting them anymore. They never stopped calling her Twinkle. The reason almost everyone in her course called her Twinkle was because she loved wearing bangles and anklets that always made a tinkling sound and had that shiny effect hence the name Twinkle came into being. She personally hated the name but her friends always used it to irritate her.
Soon Professor Malini arrived and after few minutes of her arrival, Skylar also came and sat next to her friends.
Subha raised an eyebrow at her. "You guys should be added in the book of Guinness World Record for being late everyday in every lecture." She taunted making Ahmad chuckle.
Skylar gave her a flat look. "Don't exaggerate Twinkle, so many times I have been early because you made me."
Before Subha could reply, Professor Malini started speaking.
"So as you guys already know through the emails you received that a new lecturer will be joining us from today who will be teaching alongside me. Actually he is not a lecturer or someone that taught in an institute before, he is an expert in Graphic Designing. He owns a company for which he is going to select some of you guys for internship. He will be here with us, enhancing your guy's knowledge through real life examples and experiences and he will then choose top ten students out of you sixty students. After you guys finish your degrees, only then he will allow you guys to work with him. And trust me guys, you wouldn't want to miss this chance." Professor Malini seemed more excited than the students themselves.
Chatter filled the room as people started discussing this opportunity and how big it was for them, to get internship before even finishing their degrees. Excitement could be easily detected in the air along with stress of being in those top 10 students. Subha on the other hand was nonchalant about it. She was least concerned about it, although it was a great opportunity, if she was meant to get this, she will. What's the use of being stressed or hyper over it?
Prof. Malini looked at her watch. "He should be arriving shortly since he had some documents to fill in. Till he arrives, let's talk about the assignment and sed if there's any questions of confusions regarding it."
The lecture continued for the next half an hour before the opening of the door drew everyone's attention towards it, halting Prof. Malini's words.
A man in a crisp black suit paired with a high neck black shirt and black pants entered the room with a small smile on his face. His black hair were styled to perfection with gel on top of his head. His black eyes were covered with pair of glasses that added to the hotness of the man. He wasn't skinny or too buff, rather he was a mixture of tall, dark and handsome.
The girls in the classroom swooned at his looks and that killer smile. "Hot damn!" Skylar whispered biting her lip.
"I am extremely sorry for being late everyone." His thick baritone voice resonated in the room as he scanned the classroom with his eyes.
Everyone was in awe of him, except one person.
Subha.
She was frozen on her seat as her eyes got stuck to the person. Her heart beat accelerated as her palms became sticky with sweat. Her eyes were huge with the shock she was experiencing. She forgot to breath as she looked at him. Her hand automatically went to the pendant on her neck as their eyes met.
She knew this man.
How couldn't she? How could she not know who he was?
He was engraved in every heart beat of hers. She breathed his name like a prayer everyday. He was her obsession who's name was etched in her brain and heart for eternity. He was the same person that she cried for every night. He was someone who hurt her so much yet she loved him with all her heart. He was the man that no matter how much she tried, she could never forget of hate. He was the man who's name she worn on her neck as if it was her last breath.
He was the man she yearned for every second of her life.
How could Subha forget her Mr Angry Bird?
Saans Tham Gayi Thi Unhe Dekhte Hi
Shikayatain Toh Bohot Thi Lekin Muhabbat Zyada Thi
💕💕💕
To be contined...