When it's real, you can't just walk away.
***
Leila Qureshi was anxious. She couldn't sit straight but sat down anyway. The curious and intense glances from her probably to-be in-laws made her nervous and so freaking anxious. She was more and more self-conscious with each passing second. After being rejected by the love of her life just two days before their marriage has made her somewhat insecure and she couldn't even help about it.
"We love your daughter, she's so pretty Masha Allah." Zoya Khaled exclaimed in glee as she sipped the ginger tea. Humera and Faik passed each happy smiles while Leila sat there numbly whilst thinking; I'm really getting married to someone else then.
"We should not waste any time and conduct the nikkah as soon as possible." To everyone's surprise, it was Agha Jaan who said those words. The whole Qureshi family were shocked yet again. Basheer Qureshi never liked Leila before, he made that clear to everyone else and his sudden interest in getting Leila married made them a little suspicious but they couldn't ponder more on it as Usman Khaled started to talk again.
"We were thinking of doing the same, Junaid has to go back to Seattle next month and we want to get him married soon and pass on the responsibility of taking care of him to my daughter in law." Both families shared a good laugh at Usman Khaled's words except for two people.
Any other girl would have probably blushed but Leila felt nothing. She felt nothing.
Shehryaar felt himself going insane with each passing second. He couldn't fathom the thought that all of this was actually happening in real. His Leila; the love of his life was going to get married but not with him. That was driving him nuts and whatnot but what he couldn't understand was; his feelings. Did he really hate her that much to let her go away? His mind was screaming a big yes but don't even ask about what his heart wanted.
"We will discuss the dates in the phone call then. With our elder's consent and all." Zoya chirped happily as she eyed her son, who was smiling at his mother and father and subtly eyed his future wife, God! She was so beautiful.
"Sure, but let it be as soon as possible." Agha Jaan added once again shocking everyone. They wondered what's wrong with him?
But Leila knew exactly why he was doing this. She couldn't be more disgusted anyways. From the corner of her eyes, she also saw Armeena passing a smug smile on her way. She rolled her eyes at that witch.
If the saying; 'every dog has its day' was true then Leila wondered when her day would come. She waited for the krama to hit them hard, so badly.
Soon enough the guests left, Leila heaved a sigh of relief, she wouldn't have lasted anymore second pretending to be happy when she is not. Her mother and father have gone with the Khaled's to send them off and everyone else too retreated to their bedroom. Before she could walk upstairs, a strong pair of hands pulled her wrists and she was dragged into the storeroom along with that person. Her eyes widened in disbelief and shock as she opened her mouth to yell, the same hands shut her mouth close with his palms.
"Shush. It's me." Shehryaar's husky voice hits her hard. It made her feel things she wasn't supposed to be feeling. And to add his soft yet hard palms against her mouth, was something else entirely. She'd go berserk today. Leila was sure of that.
She tried to push him away and run but he was quicker than her, as he pushed her against the wall and placed his hands on either side; making sure she doesn't run away.
He wanted answers from her and he'd get it, at any cost. Even if caging her like this was the only option left, he'd happily do it.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" She yelled at him whilst pushing his hands away. He placed them back again and looked into her hazel brown eyes.
She was now speechless at his actions. She averted her gaze not being able to look at his charcoal grey eyes. It was her most favourite pair of eyes in the whole damn world, but looking at them again after so long was making her go crazy. Beyond crazy if you ask her.
"Exactly I was wondering the same thing. What is wrong with me? You're driving me insane, Leila Qureshi." he yelled at her in frustration.
"What do you mean?" She angrily looks up at him and had to look into his beautiful eyes yet again. Why's it still a distraction to her? Was her genuine question which she was asking herself. Here she wants to stay mad and knock some sense to her stupid ex-fiancé and him being so damn handsome was starting to bother her very much.
His eyes though looked so hurt and broken but so were hers. They were both hurt and broken because of someone else's sick doings.
"What's wrong with me? Yeah, there's definitely something wrong. Tabhi I'm still not able to stop loving you even after everything you've done." Shehryaar whispered in a vulnerable voice as he chuckled dryly. She looked shocked at this new revelation. Being so close to her and staring deep into her hazel brown eyes was driving him insane but he tried his best to act sane.
"Stop joking Shehryaar, we both know how much you hate me," Leila muttered bitterly.
"Maybe that's true too. I do hate you, hate you so much for ruining us. Hate you so much for your guts to cheat on me and act so oblivion about it. Hate you so much for still making me feel things." He whispered in his dangerous voice whilst tracing her hair which fell on her face. She was taken aback at that. But her eyes became red in anger. His fingers itched to run his hands through her hair but it wasn't the right time nor was this conversation. But he wanted to do it anyway.
"Just move already. I don't have time for your rubbish." Leila muttered furiously as she tried to push him away but he held her more firmly.
"Let me go, Shehryaar." He smiled bitterly at that.
"I wish it was that easy."
"Why did you do that Leila? I th-tought you lo-oved me." Shehryaar whispered in his broken voice yet again. Any moment now, Leila was going to break down. She's sure of that.
"I thought you loved me too. But I was wrong. If really did love me, then you would know I'm not like that." She replied with a sad smile on her face as fresh tears brimmed in her eyes. She couldn't see his face as her eyes were blurred with tears.
"Stop lying now, Leila. I saw you both with my own eyes." He so badly wanted to believe her but those images of her, unconscious on someone else bed in a dishevelled state refused to leave his mind. It still haunted him to date.
"It's a waste talking with you anyways. Just let me go already." Leila whispered in a sad voice. Shehryaar was hating this conversation with every passing second. He hated seeing her tears. His hands itched to wipe them away but he restrained himself from doing that.
"Just tell me why you did that. Please, Leila." She has had enough now. Pushing him away with force, Leila freed herself.
"I don't have to prove anything to you, Shehryaar Qureshi. Just stay away from me." He looked at her disappearing image with a frown on his face.
He should have done this earlier but it is better late than never. Picking up his phone, he dialled his friend; Arham Khan, who's a private investigator.
"Hello, Arham... I want your help with something."
***
It was the same night that day where everyone was gathered in the dining hall for dinner. Basheer Qureshi cleared his throat to gain everyone's attention. They all looked up at him curiously.
"I was thinking, along with Leila we should also conduct Shehryaar and Armeena's nikkah." Shehryaar froze at those words, he wondered from where did that come from.
"But." Hamad wanted to deny this, he knew his son too well but was stopped by Agha Jaan himself who sternly added," it's decided and I'm not hearing no for an answer."
Bee Jaan looked at her husband in disbelief and so was everyone else. The only happy persons are Armeena and her family.
"I'm not marrying her or anyone else for that matter." Shehryaar too added firmly shocking his Agha Jaan to the core.
"You're getting old, Shehryaar. You should get married soon. I wish to see my Great-grandchildren before I die." Agha Jaan was not letting him back off that easily. He was a stubborn man, but only Shehryaar had the guts to say no to him in this whole family.
"I don't care about that. I'm not marrying her and that's final. You can't force me, Agha Jaan. It's against the Islamic law." Shehryaar muttered with an eye roll as he got up from the dining table and left the place making everyone gasp at the scene.
Armeena has never been so humiliated in her whole life, she was on the verge of breaking down.
Leila was not sure how to react to this. Sure she had expected something like that from her dear Agha Jaan but Shehryaar's reaction has surprised her very much.
Giving Armeena the same smug smile which she gave her in the morning, Leila continued to eat her dinner. She was the only person in there to think about food when the atmosphere around them was so tensed. She couldn't care less. Food was more important anyway.
Agha Jaan and Armeena fumed in frustration and anger, maybe they did succeed in separating Shehryaar and Leila but their plan of getting him married to Armeena was a big-time fail.
Karma was a bitch after all.
The people who are meant to be in your life will always gravitate towards you, no matter how far they wander.