A few months later.
"Submit your assignments everyone." Natasha hated how low her voice was sounding, in better words her classmates were rather louder than her. She frowned at no one in particular. Why the heck did the professor think that handing her this job would be nice? Class representative and She? Good joke. But the professor thought otherwise and so, here she was. Standing on the dais, yelling her lungs out and no one is even bothering to turn towards her. It wasn't like she can't do it. It's just her classmates, who are so uncooperative towards her.
"Ugh." she let out of a frustrated groan and heard a chuckle from her least favourite person. Everyone in this class is not her favourites, but this guy somehow tops the list for some weird reason.
"Looks like you need to be louder, Rehman." the snobbish boy of their class taunted her with a smirk.
"Not funny. I'm shouting like a crazy person and no one even bothers to turn here. Everyone is minding their own damn business. What am I, a joke?" she vented out angrily and the boy suddenly felt bad for her.
"Let me help you." the guy came forward with a genuine smile making Natasha stare at him wide-eyed. She really hoped that it wasn't any sick joke.
"GUYS!" his one word and everyone stopped their chattering, all of their attention now keen on them both.
"Submit your Commerce assignments." the guy announced and at once there were murmurs and whispers as everyone began to rummage through their bags and began to hand over the assignments to Natasha who had her mouth agape in shock.
Seriously?
"Shut your mouth. You might catch flies." the boy joked making her glare at him.
"That's such an old joke, Arsalaan."
"But it's so fitting, what can I do?" he laughed at her funny face and soon enough everyone has handed over the assignments. Natasha sighed in relief. She picked the huge pile of files in her hand and began to walk out of the classroom.
Arsalaan followed her quickly and stopped her in between.
"What?" she shot him another glare.
"I was trying to be nice." he raised his hands up whilst taking more than half the files from her hands, soon the glare turned into a smile, a genuine one at that.
"For once," she smirked at him as they walked to the staff room together. He laughed at that. Natasha never paid any attention before but he had such a great physique. Damn, what was wrong with her?
"Thank you so much. I didn't know that you can be nice too." she smiled at him as they came out of the staff room after submitting everything. He really did make her job a lot easy today and she would be a brat to not thank him.
"I was feeling sorry for you." Arsalaan honestly replied to her.
"Me too," she mumbled to herself and shook her head.
"Well, that's my cue to leave. Thanks again, Arsalaan Baig." he watched her disappearing figure with an amused smile on his face. Natasha Rehman has always intrigued him and for once Arsalaan was eager to know more about a person. Maybe these two years of MBA won't be so boring after all; he thought with a chuckle.
***
"Ammi... You promised me." Natasha whined at her mother, who glared at her.
"I know what I promised. We are sorry that we took a harsh decision and were ready to spoil your life once. But this guy is from a good family and he is not that old." Fathima Rehman explained to her daughter.
"You do remember that I was just seventeen and a half or something years old. And you guys were ready to marry me off to some thirty-five years old man. What parents does that?" Natasha yelled in frustration. She still remembers the day she eloped, it was the biggest decision she ever made on her own but it was worth it. The struggle after that was horrible, living alone with her aunt and with neighbours gossiping about her, it was not easy... but everything was worth it in the end, she's now a graduate and is also studying her master's degree; everything on a scholarship basis.
"We are trying to rectify our mistake, beta." her mother's voice was suddenly very vulnerable.
They've always considered her as a burden since she was a girl and there was no son to look after their family business in future. She was always the less-loved child. And as the years passed, it stopped hurting Natasha for she didn't care.
And that's why they didn't care much about who she's getting married to and arranged it with the first guy who sent the proposal, making Natasha to finally elope.
"Three years of your absence has taught us a lot, Natasha. We realized our mistakes and now we want only the best for you. Your father is counting his last few days and before he dies he wishes to see you in some good hands." Fathima eventually bursts out crying and she immediately engulfs her mother into a hug.
Her father was the only reason why Natasha came back to her home... He was suffering from lung cancer and it has neared its last stage by the time they found out. After hearing that news, she couldn't sit at her flat anymore and took the next cab here. It was like her whole family was waiting for her to come, they all welcomed her warmly. She couldn't believe her eyes but it felt good to be loved by all of her family so openly like that.
"But marriage?" She trailed off sceptically once they broke the hug. Marriage. That's such a big step in her life. She's not even sure if she was over Farhan, yet. She should be over him by now. That was for the best. Even if Haya was married to someone else, he still loved her. She could see that in his eyes.
Natasha could never live with a guy who'd love another woman so crazily like that, even if that person happens to be the love of her life. She'd rather marry someone else than marry him and see him loving someone else. She was crazy and possessive like that.
"Alright, I'll marry this guy." she felt herself whispering those words and immediately loud cheers was erupted from outside and all her cousins came in to congratulate her.
"Get ready soon. You've your engagement tonight." Fathima kissed her daughter's forehead and rushed to her bedroom to inform the good news to her husband, Rehman.
They have been trying to persuade for the last few days and only now did she agree.
The next two hours Natasha was being dolled up by her cousins. She looked pretty no doubts. Maybe just maybe it was her cue to move on in her life too.
Screw you, Farhan. She mumbled under her breath.
It's been a while since she talked to him anyway. She couldn't believe this but she, Haya and him was not the same anymore. Maybe Haya was still in touch with him because they were business partners now but the three have drifted apart, slowly.
Life happened.
Natasha did not complain either. She hated being the clingy type, they wanted distance. She was like, okay. Haya rarely calls and she understood that everyone has their own life and she was simply minding hers.
"They are calling you down." Minal, her younger cousin announced excitedly bringing her out of her thoughts and suddenly Natasha was all nervous and jittery.
Calm down, Nats. She motivated herself as they walked downstairs. The Rehman Villa was a classy and cozy house, it was filled with lots of different people today, who were gathered for her so-called engagement.
Natasha was not even one bit happy. But she was ready to do this. Her eyes didn't raise up to see who that guy was or how he looked like. She couldn't care less for that moment. But the chills she felt when he held her left hand has left her gasping.
She knew this touch. She'd recognize it from anywhere. How the hell would that be possible? She thought with a slight frown.
It can't be true. She frantically looked up, only to find out Farhan Sheikh slipping the beautiful diamond ring on her finger. The youngsters hooted in joy. But Natasha was still not over the shock. She felt numb as they kept the ring on her palm.
Still in shock, she slips the ring on his finger. They all hooted yet again.
What the hell was happening here? Her green eyes screamed in confusion. Farhan looked anywhere but at her.
Just when she thought that she'd finally move on from her stupid first love, the same guy comes to her home as her to-be husband. That has got to be some sick joke, but only it wasn't.