____

apne kidaar par daal ke pardah
har shaks keh raha hai zamana khraab hai
____

The night rode in on a horse of pure midnight velvet, beckoned by the stars under the glow of a full moon. There was a cacophony of resound coming from inside the grandeur hotel building that was decorated with an assortment of hueful lights for the entanglement of two of the most powerful families in the city.

In the courtyard a man stood with a lit cigarette in his mouth, drawing in ample gusts of the pernicious smoke, he closed his eyes in appeasing tranquility before letting out a zephyr of the smoke that was burning his lungs, but provided him with temporary solace.

"Farris Bhai? We have a problem." A young man, sporting in all black, who looked like he was in his early twenties called out walking towards him.

"Tu kabhi khushkhabari lekar aata hai?" The man, Farris Hamdani, puffed out another ring of the virulent vapour into the smog of the city night.

Humza, bit down on his lips nervously as he eyed his boss. He was Farris's, personal assistant, it definitely wasn't his dream job nor did Farris make attempts to make it seems like a piece of cake but his loyalty to the vulpine man mandated him to stay.

"There are rumours flying across the city that some important papers from Chaudary's warehouse have been stolen." He said, coming directly to the point not wanting to shudder to under the hawk's gaze.

"Sarfaraz Chaudhary?" Farris questioned pensively as he balanced the cigarette in between his middle and ring finger.

Humza nodded attentively, as he pulled his phone out from his leather jacket and swiped across quickly before showing a picture to him.
"This is the picture we found from a security camera that was near Chaudary's warehouse."

A derision smile took over Farris's face as he eyed the almost familiar woman in the picture. Farris was in search of her from the past six months and everytime she managed to slip right under his jurisdiction. Farris was almost certain she was being backed up by some mammoth organisation who were trying to obtain susceptible information from criminal proceed syndicates funded by politicians.

"It's her, again, sir."

"Of course, it is. Is baar badaa panja maara hai ladki ne, kaise bachegi ye ab." Farris muttered as he toyed with the toxic stick in her hand.

"You know what this means, sir...." Humza began nervously but, suddenly a man came running from inside the hotel, frantically almost.
"Saab! Aapko Bade Hamdani Saab jaldi bula rahe hai."

Farris shared a look with Humza who was already gulping. Dismissing the man who had come bearing the information, Farris crushed the cigarette under his toe.
"Iss buddhe ko itni jaldi kaise pata chala?"

"Humza, I want you to find me atleast something about this girl before dawn. Jahannam se bhi nikalna ho, to nikaal. Ye ladki bohot khatarnaak hai, isko zyaada din bekaabo nahi chod sakte."

Nodding docilely, Humza disappeared back into the shadows as Farris began walking inside the hotel to face his father's drama.

Farris Hamdani, the name itself was enough to evoke chaos admidst the city. He was popularly known as the beast offspring of Qassim Hamdani amongst the public because of his despotic and inhumane nature. Farris had a pointed nubian nose and obsidian eyes befitting enough to carry millions of celestial bodies in them. Adding to his rugged features, his taut jaw was framed well by a trimmed stubble and his hair was as lustrous as fine weaved silk. Unlike the barbaric title he was bestowed upon, he contradicted in the looks department.

Farris was the kind of guy your Amma warned you about, when you were growing up. He was a feral inferno, burning himself and everything around him. So, it was best advised to not be within his reach.

Walking towards where his father was causing a huge commotion around himself. Farris knew exactly why, but he was proved flawed when, he saw his father clutching his head in his hands while his wife stood beside him bawling her eyes out. Uh-huh.

"Farris!" The elder woman cried, causing his father to look up. His eyes rimmed red, scorching with emotions he had never seen before today. Vulnerability, Grief, Pain and somewhere amidst the layers was Anger----the more familiar emotion. This puzzled Farris, the man he knew as his father had never cried. He had never even bowed his head infront of anyone and yet he was doing exactly both of those things.

"Aabish, bhaag gayi hai, Farris."

___

Mustafa, didn't know what was going inside that brain of his when he bribed the housekeeping lady to bring him two abayas for five thousand bucks.
The lady clearly meant business or she had already done this in the past because she demanded five thousand bucks for per abaya. Even though Mustafa was loaded he knew the lady was ripping him off, but he didn't have the time or energy to bargain, so he gave in.

Now, here both of them stood donning abayas, as Madiha bent down trying to pull at the edges of the flaccid material over his ankles.

"This is single handedly the most half-witted thing I have ever done." Mustafa breathed out heavily as he squirmed around in the new article of clothing covering his body.

"That comes as a shock itself." Madiha muttered, as she got up giving up on trying to bring the abaya over his feet, it reached just above his ankles proudly exhibiting his white air force jordans.

"Did you say something?" Mustafa frowned, as she motioned for him to sit down on the bed, he obliged willingly. She came and stood between his legs as she began wrapping a black scarf around his head. They were in extreme proximity as her fingers skillfully folded the fabric over his hair, his soft curls, that reminded her of cinnamon twists, brushed ever so lightly against her skin and she felt heat rising upon her cheeks, she just hoped he didn't notice.

"Yes. Shut up."

"You are extremely rude, has anyone ever told you that? Arrogant, even."Mustafa exclaimed, on the other hand completely bewitched by the kind of beauty she was. Her dark hair was now twisted in a loose bun of sorts as a few treacherous strands of hair fell on her diamond shaped face. Mustafa's hands were itching to move them away from her face but all he could do was fist the bedsheet in his palms, gulping. He found himself eyeing her face with utter fascination as she squinched her silver lined eyes in focus causing her to look like a Tarsier, she was protruding her teeth out and caging her lower lip into her mouth. A smile threathened to break out at his lips looking at her, but he controlled himself once again. This girl was a dangerous territory to cross.

"Yo hotstuff, don't go around dropping such truth bombs, man. My poor heart cannot take strong judgements."

"You have a heart?"Mustafa found himself questioning as the smile he was holding back finally broke at his lips, like the brightness of a new dawn.

"You wound me, hotstuff" She giggled moving back to admire her work.
"I am almost jealous as to how good you look in a hijab."

"I don't think so." Mustafa scowled as he gathered up few of his necessities and started stuffing them in his mother's bright scarlet red handbag. It was a brand new Gucci bag she had bought especially for today. Mustafa knew this because she wouldn't stop gushing over how beautiful it was, from the day she had bought it. To him it seemed like a normal bag, a little too vibrant and heavy on the eyes. But, alas, it was serving him as a feasible runaway bag.

"Ohh param sundari! Itna bhi nahi itrao." Madiha exclaimed, as she began wrapping her own hijab.

"Param----what?!"

Suddenly, his eyes drifted towards a manila file wrapped securely with a single red wool strand, peeking from under a pillow as he was closing the handbag. Just as he was about to reach it, Madiha appeared from opposite him and slapped his hand away.

"What the hell?!" Mustafa glowered rubbing his hand as he eyed how she furtively picked it up and slid it somewhere inside the abaya she was wearing.

"Kya nosey aunty type aadmi ho yaar tum? Privacy naam ki cheez hoti hai." Madiha glared as she picked up a niqab and harshly slipped it over his head.

"Ouch...araam se karo, hewan ladki." Mustafa yelped as he abruptly got up causing Madiha to slump behind his back not being able to meet his towering height.

"Sit down, you moron. God made you so tall but forgot to compensate in the brains department. I am hanging to you like a freaking Ape. Sit down!" She screamed as she slammed his abaya covered back with her fists.

"Get off me, you are crushing my spleen!" Mustafa muttered as he finally sat down causing Madiha to sag in relief as well, she quickly tied the knot that binded the niqab  securely around his entire face.

"Do you even know where your spleen is?" Madiha snarkily questioned as she made her way to the front picking up another similar niqab and tying it around her face.

"Do you?" Mustafa questioned, as he eyed how only her sterling gray eyes were in vision now as the black material covered her from head to toe. Mustafa was sure,even he looked the same apart from his striking white jordans that were peeking out.

"I asked you first!" Madiha shot back as soon as she was done.

"Are you done? What's the plan?" Mustafa questioned, avoiding her question and coming to the point.

"Plan's pretty simple. We will leave this room and head straight towards the elevator and then right down to the exit. From there we can hire a taxi and go to our respective destinations."Madiha narrated the plan effortlessly, as she sat down on the bed and tightened the straps on her boots.

"What if we dash into someone from my family. This whole hotel is booked for the wedding today. We can't be outsiders." Mustafa voiced out his concerns as he got up straightening his abaya.

"Then let me do the talking. If you open your mouth in an abaya we are as good as dead meat." Madiha replied as she got up and headed towards the door.
"Are you really sure about this? You can easily be on your crazy expensive honeymoon tomorrow, have babies an----" Madiha began as she put her hands on the door knob but Mustafa cut her off, "I have never been more convinced. I am doing this."

Nodding solemnly, Madiha opened the door walking out, Mustafa right behind her with his mother's scarlet designer bag swung over his shoulder. 

Madiha wanted to laugh out loud because he looked ridiculous as he struggled to walk straight in the long garment, and the striking bag only made him look like a treat. Who would guess there was the groom inside this abaya?

As they were making their way towards the elevator, walking along the narrow lined corridors, Mustafa heard loud voices coming from the abandoned ballroom.
"How could she do this?! How are we going face everyone?"

Curiosity bubbled inside Mustafa to go and have a peek as to who it was and why were they afraid to face everyone? But, he refrained his desires as he followed the woman walking ahead of him.

Mustafa wanted to see his Liya Aapi for the last time before going. Who knew when their fates would cross again? He was thankful for her, more than he could even comprehend because she was exactly the reason that he had gathered his wits to take such a valiant step. Well, this tornado named Madiha had also helped him for the most part, but he would hate to admit to her face.

Both of them stepped into the elevator and just as the doors were about to close shut, a familiar couple entered it, causing both Mustafa and Madiha to gasp out loud. Khurshid Mamu and Ramsha Mami.

"Ramsha, meri baat suno. Maine nahi ki hai doosri shaadi" The older, pot-bellied man begged as he tried holding his wife's hand who had patchy make up streaming down her face. Her kajal smudged and mixed with her awfully pale foundation caused a greyish shade to drown down her cheeks.

"To wo batameez ladki jhoot keh rahi thi?! Tumne mujhe pagal samjha hua hai?!" The woman cried, swatting his hand away as she pressed the parking lot button.

"Khuda ki kasam. I don't know who you are talking about. It's my nephew's wedding, Ramsha darling. Don't do this today." The man pleaded, looking at the lady with fake-puppy eyes.

Mustafa wanted to gag as Madiha struggled to keep her giggles in. They had both blended into the background of the elevator.

"Ooh bus karo, Khurshid. Humari shaadi jo idhar bikharne waali hai uska kya? For a matter of fact, I know you don't care about your nephew. All you want to do is enjoy the open buffet." The woman screamed showing the man her palm.

Unfortunately for Madiha she couldn't hold her laughter in any longer and a giggle left her mouth. All the other three heads turned to her in horror.

"Who are you both? Kya behudgi hai ye?" The woman questioned tempestuously.

"Baaji, asi ithe hotel wich kaam karande hai." Madiha quickly replied, in a thick punjabi accent, a huge smile across her face safely hidden under the niqab.

"Toh yahan kya kar rahe ho?" This time the man questioned, eyeing Mustafa's towering six-feet-two height squirming nervously in the abaya.

"Sade manager ne aaj sanu barakhasta kara dita." Madiha began as she pulled at Mustafa's abaya sleeve trying to stop him from moving so nervously, "Meri behen wo sade bade chef de nala pregnant ho gayi si."

"Ohh.." The man exclaimed as she quickly removed his gaze away from Mustafa and Mustafa's head snapped so quickly in her direction as soon as he heard what left her mouth. Madiha could swear he would've dislocated his entire neck.

"Why were you laughing then?!" The woman savagely questioned, pointing a perfectly manicured finger in her direction. Madiha could feel Mustafa's thundering gaze on her causing her to giggle out again as she answered.
"Maafi chandi mein, baaji. Par bade chef da naam Khurshid si."

As soon as this left her mouth the elevator snapped open, and the woman's face turned red as the man started coughing oppressively.
Mustafa grabbed hold of a chuckling Madiha and stormed out of the elevator, while the door's closed behind them.

"Are you crazy?! That's all you could come up with? Why the hell did you make me pregnant?!"

"Stop being a baby, hotstuff. I saved both of our asses. Did you see how your uncle was eyeing you?" Madiha chortled as they headed towards the exit.

"They wouldn't have even noticed us, if you didn't start laughing out loud like you were having a panic attack. Pagal aurat." Mustafa exclaimed, embittered. He could understand punjabi enough, with bits and pieces but he couldn't speak the language.

"I love how you state the obvious with such a sense of discovery." Madiha sniggered out loud as her whole body shook with humour.

Mustafa could only shake his head as he comprehended how difficult this ticking time bomb was going to make survival for him.

______

(Le Mustafa ready to smack Madiha's crazy ass)
___

How are my aloo ke parathey doing?

Did you like my baby Farris? I LOVE HIM!

CHAOS HAS ENSUED BOTH THE BRIDE AND GROOM ARE FARRAR!

Lol, excuse my dramatic ass.

I have so much planned up, if it were up to me I would just give you all the spoilers. But, I'll politely shut my mouth.

Alsoo this chapter is dedicated to itsafia12 for her AMAZING comment and her AMAZING self.

I couldn't stop laughing for a whole minute, for the love of God.*chef's kiss* so brilliant.

Anyways stick around, next chapter is going go to be dabomb! *wink wink*

Alright then, please do leave your precious feedback!
Bring your foreheads to your screens.
*smooches*

Love you
Byee!

~flawfully