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Assalam-O-Alaikum-Warahmatullah!

Durre:

' So Maarij when are we going to complete our project. Next week is the submission deadline. I haven't finished my previous assignment yet and now this we're stuck in! Astaghfirullah! How will we do it, exams are also coming up after two weeks, I'll go crazy!! '

Slamming my hand on my forehead I looked anxiously towards Maarij who was playing on her phone as if there is no tomorrow.

' Maarij? Main tumse baat kr rhi hun! O hello?? '

" Chill babes. Just take a chill pill. One should enjoy life's icecream before it starts to melt. It's a quote on twitter. See? "

' Shut up, Shut up! Will you? '

" Well okay if you say so! "

Maarij took it in literal sense after hearing 'Shirt up' instead of 'Shut up' and so was almost about to pull off her shirt , when I hit her hard on head!

" Ouch, it hit so hard!! "

' It did right? Good! Now listen to what I'm saying and throw your cell away orelse I'm going to throw you out!! What about the project? '

" What project? "

' Argh. The one Miss Sara gave us. On Chemistry. Now remember? '

" Yeah so what? My brother will help us out. So I'm tension-free ."

' So why didn't you tell me before. You saw me stressing right? How rude of you! '

' Now you'll have to help me out in my assignment. Orelse. '

" Orelse? You're blackmailing  me? Me? The great Maarij? ... What will you do, huh? What can you.. "

Her false shoutings was interrupted thankfully by her phone call. Alhamdulillah to Allah, and JazakAllah for the person calling! The drama was soon off air.

She picked up the call and after exchange of words, I could see her face light up brightly.

" Oh my God, Oh my God! They're coming , They're coming! Just in two hours! Pheww! How will I reach there soon, and how will I get ready? And what will I wear? And what should I do? "

' Are you in your right mind, what happened? '

It seemed that Maarij was not here, she was excited nervous and ready to attack anyone who came her way ... I mean who didn't help her figure out her answers, and that of course was me!

" That guy from America is coming here... I mean coming to see me in two hours! Come with me to home, now! "

She grabbed my hand and took me to the kitchen where mamma was preparing lunch, and she already had blurted out everything in front of her asking permission to take me with her.

' But beta how can she come with you? It doesn't seem good for a girl of fine household to leave her home like that irrespective of the timings and all. You can take her afterwards. They'll be coming to see you na? So why should Durre Shehwar be there? No no, it isn't right. I can't approve of this. '

My mamma was a typical desi mom, so how could she permit me to go for my friend's home without creating a big fudge and without little more of buttering?

" Aunty pls, see it's my first time that's why I'm getting jitters about this. Pls let her come with me? I promise I'll also be there with her, when her rishta bell rings. Pls? Pls aunty? "

I looked between my mamma and my friend both were of exactly two opposite poles , neither my mamma never liked this much friendliness of ours nor did Maarij ever tried to make friendly ties with my mother. It was best that they stayed far. But now, she herself was here persuading my mother to let me go with her.

' Okay just for one hour and thirty minutes. As soon as they leave you'll drop her yourself here. Okay? Then you may leave. No more ifs and buts! Don't waste your time now, I'm sure you would want to look prettier in front of the guy's family. Go now. '

" Oh Aunty, you don't know how much of a big favour you have done upon me! Thank you so much. "

She again did something which otherwise I would never dream of, she kissed my mom on her cheek and sheepishly gave her a smile and took my hands and pulled me outside the kitchen.

' Arre maarij wait let me wear the abaya. '

" Since when you started wearing abaya my dear? "

I made a duh face at her and ignored her comment, and went inside my room wore my abaya adjusted my hijab applied a little lipgloss and then ran outside with her.

Mom appeared at the door along with her instructions, I mean safety precautions.

" How will you be going it's asar time now. And remember Maarij you've to drop Durre by maghrib. No later than that! Recite Ayat ul kursi and blow on yourself. "

' Yes mamma, fine. '

We sat in the rickshaw and asked the driver to take us to her place. We didn't want to waste our time and energy by walking two streets far to her home now. Did we? Nope. Not at all.

Maarij's mom saw me and welcomed with her open arms and a warm smile. She took me inside to the guest room and asked me to sit while she could prepare some drink for me.
I politely refused and told why was I here.

" Oh so Maarij couldn't resist at this moment as well without you. Maarij what will you do at the time of your marriage? I hope you won't ask her to sit along with you and your groom beside you. "

Aunty Ameera was friendly and of joyous nature. We both laughed at her teasing and then shook our head and went upstairs to get Maarij ready.

" This is not fitting. Give me the pink gown. "

Maarij shouted from the bathroom.

I shuffled between her clothes in her wardrobe and picked a lacy pink and green gown.

' This one? '

" No. No. No. Not this one. The one which has pink flowers around the bodice and yeah it has full sleeves. "

I went to search in her wardrobe again and finally I found it.

' Here you go. Just pull it down and come out fast! I want to do your hair as now I'm here. And your makeup too! '

And that was when aunty began calling for her.

" Maa'rij? Ma'arij??? Why are you taking so long come down fast! They're already here. "

She was standing just outside her door, and I could feel the creases appearing on my face instead of appearing on Ma'arij's face.

' Yes aunty, just five more minutes. '

' Aunty should she wear abaya ? Or just a hijab around her head would suffice? '

" Oh no no. I don't want to wear any abaya. I would just wrap up hijab and that's it right mother? "

Ma'arij called out to her mom adjusting her eyeliner by wiping one rough line that went just a little stray.

" Whatever, but pls make it soon. "

Aunty responded to her with annoyance and then I could hear the faded footsteps.

I helped Ma'arij with her headscarf and then asked her to look at herself in the mirror. She looked dazzlingly aesthetic but if abaya ...

" No abaya! "

As if she read my thought, she answered it likewise.

Meanwhile I was waiting for this fiasco to get over soon, my head forced me to go back to the past just in case I was not able to kill the time. Actually to kill me in the process.

Boy:How well do you know me?

Durre:Huh?

Boy:I asked how well do you know me?

Durre:I know about you is you are a handsome hunk , you live in  America and that your birthday comes on same date as mine, you love color blue and...

Boy:No, I'm not asking this. Do you think I love you?

Durre:Think? I don't need to think this, I already know you love me.

Boy:What if I say you don't know me at all?

Durre:Why would you say that?

Boy:Because you don't know me!

Durre:I know you yaar.

Boy:No, you don't.

Durre:I do.

Boy:Okay can you come to meet me to America??

Durre:ARE YOU GONE MAD???

Boy:See , I told you.

Durre:HOW CAN I COME TO AMERICA, WHEN MY PARENTS WON'T ALLOW ME STEPPING OUT OF MY HOUSE . ARE YOU EVEN IN YOUR SENSES???

Boy:Let it be, I knew.

Durre:OKAY FINE. If I agree to come how will you show me that you do love me right?

Boy:I told you , you don't know me. So you don't have to figure that out.

I was yanked out from my thoughts, the clouds of which was intruding my mind all of a sudden.

" Durreshehwaaaar! "

' Huh?  When did you come? '

" When you were busy in your thoughts. Anyways its going to be maghrib, I've to drop you at your home. Bhai is waiting outside, jaldi chalo! "

' Uh. Oh. Okay. What did they say? Did he like you? Did he say anything? '

" Why are you getting worried miss tension, everything will be fine. No he wasn't here. "

' Then why were you so dolled up? Who came to meet you? '

" Someone from his friends family. He has no one alive from his own family ... so  "

' Oh. Tw saas bhi gyi susar bhi gaye! Wowww. '

" astaghfirullah. Since when you turned like this. This was supposed to be my dialogue in opposite case. "

I smirked to her disregard of my sense of humour.

' I was kidding. Tmhari shakal pe bara jo bjay hain usko 5 bjane ke liye. Got it? Now lets go! '

Mehmood:

All I was thinking was about her.

Yes she was beautiful no doubt but...

Ya Allah, please forgive me.

Ya Allah... please let me have my peace of mind...

Since the day my parents left me , I feel so alone... and...

The sound of my sobs and broken hiccups were resonating through the prayer room, where I was standing before my Rabb... to seek his answer about this relationship I was going to get committed in.