I stopped. Wiping off the tears in my eyes which were about to fall down through my cheeks to my chin, I made sure my vision is not blurred anymore. I looked around trying to figure out the source of the sound which dragged me out from my imaginary domain, a result of my over thinking, back to this pragmatic sphere.

I was lying on the floor, playing with the darts!! I saw him staring at me as he walked inside my room. I stood up, put my head down and started making my way out of the room. I walked past him and continued moving.

"Hoori! Stop!"

I surrendered to that voice inside my head.

I stopped. Stood there motionless in an attentive position. He turned around and walked upto me. I don't know what he was planning to do but he sat in front of me. I stared at him convinced by now that he is, indeed, a crazy psycho. He gestured me to sit. Strangely, I complied.

"Let me help you, Hoori."

I looked up with the drenched eyes and was perplexed. He was dressed in formals, out of frustration I said
"Go away. Mind your own business."

"You are my business" he replied.

"All of you boys are losers, dogs, shameless. You all got no respect. You don't deserve us." I shouted.

"From the time we have met I am trying to protect you to keep you safe to keep you near. I am spending time for you. I am giving you respect. I am trying to calm you down. What are you doing?!! You are being just stubborn. You are acting like you have no brain. Your crying for something which is the best day of our lives." He tried to explain to me.

"Yeah, right!! Having no clue about that day is a very happy day for me" I replied him back sarcastically.

"I know you are going through a tough phase but what you don't realize is that you can't get through this without me. What's astonishing is that in this phase of yours, you've made even me feel sad! I don't remember when was the last time you had fun with me or you didn't depend on someone else to make you happy. You feel scared of being alone with me and you try to avoid me." He said.

"Aariz, I don't remember a part of my life which is a dream of every girl. I've lost my memory." I somewhat screeched.

"And how many times shall I tell you that you didn't lost your memory." He was irritated.

"Then why can't I remember marrying you?" I stood up.

"Hoori, you'll get to know everything." He also stood up.

"When Aariz? You all didn't even told me that all this time I was married to someone. I have a husband. And what hurts the most is knowing Uncle, Aunty, Tashu they were all in this plan. Seriously man, when were you all even planning to tell me?" Tears whelming in my eyes.

"Hoori, please. You don't know how much it hurts me to see tears in your eyes. Whatever we were doing, it was for your good only. And please you don't have to be angry with Uncle and Aunty. They practically risked their entire life just to keep you safe." He ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're no one to tell me to what to do and what not. Don't you dare try to use husband card on me or I swear I'll take you to the court and will make you arrrest for marrying me before I was even an adult that too legally." I glared at him. He quickly surrendered his hand.

"This is why we weren't telling you about our marriage. You can never understand anything" he walked passed by me.

"Why the hell don't you walk out of my life" I shouted.

And just like that I was left alone...

I found my solace in looking at the serene pond, standing by the large window of my room. Everything was so quiet and calm yet there was a storm rising in my heart. Everything felt so good then why does it feel like someone has thrown dirty mud on me.

I'm stinking...

Thousands of emotions are running through my mind yet my body isn't able to respond anything. It was as if my world has been stopped when he had whispered eight hours back.

"Hoorain, we are married."

These four words had turned me upside down. No, I don't believe him, neither I believe in this marriage. All this is a lie, a big lie but then again the picture of me decked up as a bride and him as a groom says it all. Almost everyone is present in that picture.

I remember everything about my childhood even the most disturbing event of my life, finding my parents dead is still alive in my mind as if my brain has switched on a live telecast mode. Then why can't I remember him marrying me? When he says that I haven't lost my memory.

The kiss. He kissed me. Was that an act? But the way he had kissed me said something else. The way he had grabbed my waist, the way he had leaned down me, something happened to me. I hate to admit but I felt so complete.

My finger automatically touched my lips. His soft, plump lips, his minty breath. Ever so softly he placed his lips on mine. He was scared to kiss me at first but then he slowly started kissing me making me feel every emotion that was unknown to me. (Gosh!! I was blushing so hard 🙈🙈🙈)

I slapped myself for thinking about that. How can I even think about it when there are many more bigger things to ponder upon. There's no use to tell about all this to my friends. It's not that they won't help me but let's just forget about this option.

Anger burst inside me once again when my eyes landed on that picture. I tore down the picture into pieces. I felled down on the floor, crying, feeling so helpless at the moment. No one was there to listen to my cries, to ease my pain, to make me understand.

I don't want to be here. I want to go back home. I kept on repeating until he came back again and sat down in front of me. He placed his hand on me making me flinch back. I felt disgusted by his touch.

I folded my legs and brought them close to my chest as I rocked back and forth, burring my face.

"Hoorain"

I screamed in my mind. My name sounds like a venom.

"Just go away, I don't wanna see you. Leave me, by myself. Just go!!" I trembled.

"If I wanted to leave you, I would have left you way back. But I'm here only for you." He said calmly.

I looked to my side still rocking, "You're a Monster, I hate you. You made me life a living hell. Husband's never do that to their wife. You can never be my husband. I don't accept you." I cried.

"I'm not asking you to accept me or this marriage, all I want is just calm down for a second. I will never force myself or this relation on you. You're still free like you were before." He assured me. Still, my mind was not able to take any message from him.

"How can I stay calm when there are thousands of question running in my mind? Heck, I don't even know how to react to all of this!! It's as if my brain has stopped working. I-I just don't how to put my thoughts together." I looked up at him, my vision was blurred. I quickly wiped eyes and looked at him again, straight in to his eyes. He was just staring at me, but did I saw hurt in his eyes?

As if he red my mind and was back to his normal self, staring at me with cold eyes. I just nodded my head, he can never be the one which I have in my mind.

"Hoorain, I'm here to answer all your thousands of question, you just have to ask. But before that just take a look around you, the mess that you've created. I know all this isn't easy for you and if I would have been in your place, I would have done the same. Get a grip on yourself first." He said.

I sat down on my bed, drank a glass of water and took a deep breath. I can do this. I kept on repeating. I looked at him and he was picking up the torn pieces that picture. He kept all the pieces in his pocket making my heart go thump...

Does he.....?????

This isn't the time for that...

"Hoorain?" I looked at him raising my eyebrows. "Wear your hijab" he said and turned towards the large window.  As it is I'm confused and his actions were not at all helping me. After wearing the hijab, I told him to sit down and he did.

"So where do you wanna start from?" He asked.

"Are we really married? I mean do you have any legal proof apart from that picture?" I asked

"I know how much you want to listen just the opposite of what I'm going to say again. Yes, we are married and yes, I have all the proofs." He said, I closed my eyes.

"Can you show me the proofs?"

"I can but not now. They are not with me at this moment." He said.

"Did my parents arranged all this?"

"Yes and I hate to say this but you were happy. You even shouted and told your new name to almost everyone in the house." He chuckled.

"Full name?" I was confused.

"Let's just skip to another question, I'm sure they are more important one's!!"

"Who were you to us? I mean-"

"My dad was your dad's best friend. Family friends."

"You mean you are Uncle Parwez son?" Ofcourse, I knew Uncle.

"Yes" he said.

"Zee?" To which he just simply nodded. I really don'tkNow how should I feel or react. "Why didn't you tell me that you are Zee??"

"Does it matter, Hoorain? In any way you weren't a fan of me."

"Why did we got married? What's the reason behind it? I'm sure marrying a thirteen year old, isn't an every day thing!!"

"I can't tell you anything further on this topic." He stood up.

"But you assured me that you're gonna answer all my thousands of questions" I said equally standing up.

"Yes I did said and I'm not backing away. But somethings are to be disclosed at the right time otherwise this is what happen." He said hinting towards me. Invisible smoke started coming out of my ears.

"What do you mean by that? I've every right to know about everything related to me." I seethed in anger.

"Yes you have but just look at yourself for once, Hoorain. You're a mess right now. You would have come to know about this but this wasn't the best timing, you weren't ready to hear it." He half yelled.

"How come I would have come to know about all this because you people weren't even bothered to at least tell me that you are Zee, Uncle Parwez's son." I also half yelled.

"If you remember little bit also then you would remember that you stayed away from me. You never use to even talk to me"

"Then how come all this happened?"

"You will come to know. Trust me Hoorain, you haven't lost your memory. You do remember everything, you just have to push yourself a little but at the right time. There's no use of rummaging your brain right now because you won't get answer of any single thing. Just give time to everything. Take everything step by step."

"But I don't trust you Aariz."

"Then you don't have to. Just do whatever your heart says." He replied back.

"And what if I say that I've already given my heart to someone else or at least that's what I think?"

"My answer would still be the same. If you're happy with your choice then who am I to come in between?" He was dead serious. "Now it's my turn. From where did you found that picture and gun?"

"It was there in one of those drawers. Before you came, I was just going through everything and I found it. I easily recognized myself but I couldn't recognized you unless I saw the blue eyes and your smile. It haven't changed."

"What would have happened if you would have pulled the trigger?"

"You would have been dead"

"You too, Hoorain. The fact that you found the pic and gun over here, in your room doesn't make sense at all. If I would have wanted to tell you then I would have told you directly" he shrugged.

"Aariz, I'm confused." He didn't answered me just took out his cell, dialled some number.

"We are going to Paris, pack your bags. Now" he said turning around.

"Aariz, wait"

"Not now Hoorain, we need to get out right now"

"One last question, please?"

"Ask"

"Can you just leave me? I mean I don't wanna be with you. I mean just end this relation. You go your way and I'll go my way. Separation is the best thing. I don't love you, Aariz." I said

He didn't said anything for a while, just closed his eyes.

"Fine, Hoorain, if that's what you want. But not until I complete my promise to myself." He muttered opening his eyes.

"What promise?"

"To attach your heart with mine, for, forever"