|| S H A N Z E ||

"Appi, look this one is so cute," I said, showing a cute baby dress to Rania appi for her baby. 

"Please pack this. I'll buy this," I told the shopkeeper, quickly when I saw the smile on her lips. 

"That's a gift for my niece or nephew," I added with a smile. 

Rania appi wanted to do some shopping for her unborn baby so she took me with her. We both bought literally everything and now our hands were full. 

"Shanze, is Zeeshan coming?" Appi asked me as she glanced at her phone. 

Taiama said to me that Zeeshan would pick me after shopping then would take me to dinner. 

"Yes," I told her. 

"Ozan is here," Rania appi said pointing behind me with a smile. 

I turned around and saw her husband who was coming towards us. He greeted us and took bags from appi's hand. Rania appi stood up with his help and looked at him. 

"Zeeshan hasn't come. Let's wait for him," She told him. 

"No, appi. You go home. You need rest now. He must be in traffic," I told her, softly. 

"It's OK, appi," I added because she looked unsure to leave me alone here. 

She nodded her head with a sigh and pulled me in a hug then left after biding me bye. Half an hour passed but he didn't come nor he picked my phone. 

I was sitting on the bench in the mall and waited for him. When fifteen more minutes passed, I was ready to take a taxi because it was clear he wasn't coming. 

"Sister-in-law!" I heard a familiar voice from behind me. 

I turned around and saw Mazhar standing behind me. He greeted me and stood in front of me. 

"What are you doing here all alone? Where is Zeeshan?" He asked me in a friendly voice. 

"I am waiting for him. He must be in traffic," I answered him and added mentally or he must forget to pick me. 

"I can wait with you," He said sitting beside me and pulled his phone out of his pocket. 

"Thank you but I can wait on my own. You don't hav--," I was denying him, politely but he cut me off. 

"There is no problem. I insist," He insisted.

I nodded my head and accepted his offer. He was typing on his phone while I was staring at my phone and messaged Zeeshan again. 

"Sister-in-law, I need your help. There is a girl I like and want to gift her something. Something special. Please suggest me something," Mazhar requested me and put his phone back in his pocket. 

I thought what should I suggest to him because it was a difficult task. Every girl has different tastes and choices and not all of them like the same things. 

"What about a pendant!" I suggested him because according to me most girls like it. 

He thought about it then nodded his head with a smile. He stood up and told me to follow him. I hesitated but followed him quietly. He took me to a jewelry shop and we both walked to the pendant section. 

"Please help me," He said looking at the pendants. 

I looked around at the pendants but couldn't find the one which he should give to that girl. Every pendant was beautiful but none of them was eye catching. It was a sphere shape with a shape in the middle of it. 

"What about this one?" I asked him and pointed towards it. 

He looked at it and gave me a thumbs up. He was talking to the shopkeeper to pack it and I was looking at my phone, opening the Uber app. Someone grabbed my hand from behind me and pulled me out of the shop. 

"Zeeshan," I called him as I balanced myself.

He didn't stop and continued pulling me. His hold on my wrist would surely leave a buries. I pressed my lips together because I didn't want to make any scene in front of so many people. He opened the door of the car and forced me inside which made me angry. 

"What is your problem?" I asked him as he sat and buckled his seatbelt. 

He didn't answer me and started driving at full speed. His behavior was making me so angry that I wanted to kill him. Once we reached home, I stepped out of the car quickly and walked inside the house. I went to our room in anger and threw my bag on the couch in anger. 

I was taking my bangles off and throwing them on the table when he entered the room and locked the door then stomped towards me. He turned me around and held my arms in his hands. 

"Now you have found someone new. Huh? You thought that now Hasan left, why not find another man. You seriously like attention of men so much then tell me I'll hand you to the group of me--," 

Hearing him saying this made me so sick that I pushed him away and raised my hand to slap him but he caught it. 

"Don't try to do that again," He warned me, angrily. 

I pulled my hand away and pushed him away from me and stepped back. 

"Then never talk to me like that and point your disgust finger at me or my character," I told him in anger and felt my breath getting heavy in anger. 

"I will talk to you like that if you continue this," He said, glaring at me. 

"What will you do?" He asked me and took a step towards me. 

There was a challenge in his eyes but I was not going to step back. I couldn't understand what was his real problem and why couldn't I talk to whomever I wanted. The first thing I thought was jealousy but he didn't look like he was jealous. 

"I'll leave you," I challenged him back and I was so ready to leave him. 

A smile stretched on his lips and he stepped back with a chuckle. 

"Then why don't you leave right now," He said and went to the washroom. 

• • •

"I thought mom was joking," Mahira said as she entered my room.

She jumped on the bed and pulled me in a hug. She was looking weak and a little skinny like she was on diet. 

"What happens to you? Are you on diet?" I asked her after pulling away from the hug. 

"No, who said?" She asked me as she glanced down at her body. 

"Look at your weight. Or does that mean you lose your weight in my remembrance," I joked and wiggled my eyebrows at. 

She chuckled and laid on the bed and stared at the ceiling then told me about the story of her university and how much she was starting to hate her university life. I listened to her silently with a smile. 

I came to my parents' house after breakfast when Zeeshan left for work. He was the one who said why don't you leave right now. We had just married and we hadn't had a single day without any argument. 

"Shanze?" Mahira called my name which pulled me back. 

I looked at her and she was staring at me carefully. 

"What happened?" She asked me. 

I shook my head with a sigh and laid back on the back, looking up at the ceiling. I looked back at her who was playing with the pendant, around her neck. I noticed it was the same pendant which Mazhar bought yesterday. 

"You bought this?" I asked her, pointing at the pendant. 

She dropped it from her fingers and looked at me then back at her pendant. 

"No, my friend gifted me this on friendship day," She answered me then looked at me and smiled. 

• • •

I checked my phone and sighed at myself because of what I was expecting. I put my phone back on the table and looked in the mirror. He must be very happy after knowing I left him. 

I walked out of my room and went to the dining room for breakfast. I greeted everyone as I entered and hugged and kissed my parents. 

"For how many days are you here?" Dad asked me as he put my breakfast in front of me. 

"For few days," I answered him with a smile. 

Dad nodded his head and told me how he spent his time now after my wedding. There was a vibration which made us to glance at Mahira. 

"You broke the rule by bringing your phone at the table," Mom scolded her then pointed the phone in her direction and added, "Now you have to wash the dishes and plates for a week and also clean the dining room." 

Mahira groaned and looked at mom with a pout but nodded her head quickly on noticing the stern expression on her face. With an excuse, she picked her phone and looked at it. Mom shook her head and turned back to dad. They both continued their conversation and I also joined them. 

I glanced at Mahira and frowned when I noticed her face turned white like she saw a ghost. After finishing breakfast, she went to kitchen to wash the plates. I went behind her and sat on the counter. 

"Why texted you that made you white like ghost?" I asked her while she was washing. 

She stopped then looked at me with a guilty smile. 

"It was my friend, reminding me that the last date of submitting assignments has passed. Our Professor is an elf and she will deduct my numbers in the test," She said with a guilt in her voice. 

It was midnight and everyone was sleeping while I was reading a book. I heard some sounds which made me frown and I walked to look out of the window of my room quickly. I noticed a shadow near a door which made me panic but when I looked at it carefully, I gasped in disbelief.

. . . . . . . . . .

Assalam-o-Alaikum! Hi!

Short chapter but I hope you enjoyed it.

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Stay safe.
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Till next time.

Allah Hafiz! Bye!