Since the semester holidays had begun many hostel students left to their homes. Anaisha and the gang haunted the place though, with fewer people there was less nuisance and disturbance for them. Much to shock for her friends, she decided to visit the library. Not to study but to return a book. After she was done at the reception she turned to leave. As Anaisha walked out, Sanam walked in. She called the latter, but she kept her head lowered.

Anaisha hurried to her and held her arm and made her look up. She gasped seeing her red puffy eyes and sunken cheeks.

"What happened?" Anaisha dragged her to a secluded spot in the library. Not that it mattered as almost the entire place was empty.

After some persuasion, Sanam broke down crying and revealed about being forced to get married to someone named Zahir Rauf from Delhi.

"My Abba is very progressive otherwise. Don't know why he is behaving like this. He had said I can marry anyone of my choice but my aunt, his sister, is brainwashing him. We are six sisters, and she is making him feel desperate to get us married off. I don't know what to do." She hugged Anaisha and continued to cry. She clenched her friend tightly and softly patted the back of her head. Also, she firmly assured her that she will do anything for her.

Anaisha was disturbed after knowing Sanam's sorrow. She took the help of her gang members. Though very few were skeptical of helping her, many favored her, and it was a heartwarming feeling. Priyank assured he and his gang of boys will find out everything about Zahir and then, they will think about what to do. Tonight, Sanam and her family will be headed to Delhi via plane. They have just three days to figure out something.

Hasan skipped family lunch as he wasn't interested in sitting with them. Instead, he had his food from the Dabba using the pocket money he had saved. Chandi chowk had many eatery spots, so that wasn't a problem. After he returned home, he found Sehrish walking onto the lawn carrying a bucket full of clothes. It was everyone's clothes. She carried it to a nearby Chapa-kal and placed the bucket under it. He silently watched her, add surf powder into the bucket. She adjusted the stool but before she moved to the tap, Hasan had already come there.

"I will do this, Bhabhijaan." He insisted. She looked stunned to find him here. A weary smile appeared on her face. She pushed back a strand of curl that fanned her face. Her skin was white with little blemishes on her cheeks, but her eyes were sunken, and they held a lot of pain.

"Devarji, you are here. What a surprise?" She confessed in a hoarse voice. It seemed like she spoke after a long time. The red, long-sleeved Kameez complimented her complexion and her waist-length hair tied in a loose braid with a slipping band.

"Devarji?"- Hasan raised his eyebrow, - "I thought we were friends."

And that was enough for the emotions to flow. Sehrish began to sob. As though finding a shade on a hot summer day; she found Hasan. He was hesitant. After looking everywhere, he reluctantly held her arms.

"Please don't cry. We all are your culprits, Bhabhijaan. But I will be there for you, I want to help you." Tears rolled down his cheeks as well. Sehrish rested her head against his chest and kept weeping.

Slowly, she parted and looked into his eyes, - "What can a woman do, Hasan, when even her parents have abandoned her? Whom can she blame? Where can she go? Now, this is my fate." She stuttered in between her sobs.

Hasan shook his head, he wanted to wipe her tears but the restrictions. He stopped himself. What Sehrish said was indeed right. Her parents shouldn't have abandoned her. If they don't take a stand for her, who will? But that doesn't diminish Momina and Zahir's crime. And now, that he was getting married again, Sehrish will be reduced to just an unpaid slave. His heart bled and he felt infuriated on himself. He could just feel angered but can't do anything. He felt like a loser.

After he helped Sehrish with washing and drying clothes he returned to his room. He shared his room with his younger brothers, Khalil and Bilal.

"Bhaijaan, your phone was ringing," Bilal informed. Hasan hurried and grabbed his phone, it was James.

As he listened to him, his lips curved into a small smile.

On the night of the engagement, the Rauf's bungalow was decorated like a bride. Momina was upfront with the other ladies of the locality. She sang zealously, in a monotonous tone, while playing drum.

A mouthwatering aroma filled the entire outdoors as the cooks prepared lavish dinner in the backyard. It felt like Zahir was getting married for the first time. Even better than the first time.

Hasan stood at the second floor of his ancestorial home and looked down from the blue and white painted Jharoka. Shivansh and James stood with him. Hasan restlessly shifted in place and then looked at his friend, James.

"Will this plan work?" He was unconvinced because of whose brainchild this plan was. James assured him that everything will be fine, and he should go with the flow. Hasan turned and glanced into his room. At a sherwani, which was packed in a grey zipped bag.

Soon, they were informed that the girl's family was on the way. Hasan was forced into his room, with James and Shivansh at the door.

For the first time, Anaisha walked into Hasan's home. She looked around the middle-class house but wasn't judging. Priyank was less kind and expressed his feelings, - "What did Sanam's family see in his low middle-class people?" He scrunched his nose. Anaisha elbowed his stomach and then adjusted her pink floral lehenga. Pulling her sequin dupatta closer, she scanned the place, looking for her target.

Zahir was over the moon, ever since he had seen Sanam's photo by the matchmaker. Her thoughts, those fantasies never left his mind. He had imagined everything he possibly could. The most anticipated was seeing her hair, he wanted to touch and feel her lustrous hair, which for now he could just imagine. As he excitedly buttoned his golden sherwani there was a small yelp from just outside his room. He frowned, adjusted his gelled hair into spikes and then, hurriedly left the room. There was a young girl dressed in pink floral lehenga and dusky pink choli crumbled on the floor. He eyed her as she pulled up her lehenga exposing her ankle. Zahir licked his lips and hurried to her.

"Are you alright miss." He asked. The girl looked up and their eyes met. He felt his heart jump to his throat, she was an exotic beauty.

"Please help me, I twisted my ankle." She extended her hand. Zahir's eyes lit with lust as he forwarded his trembling hand to her. She took it and he felt an electric current shoot through him. Who was she?

She smiled, pushing her open hair on the shoulder, and blinked, - "Thank you." But she winced as she took a step.

"Are you—" Zahir stopped speaking as she held his other hand and rested it on her bare waist. He felt giddy upon feeling her velvety skin. He was getting engaged but that didn't bother him whilst flirting with a stranger girl.

"Come, I will give you some ointment." He shamelessly said, guiding her towards the room.

"By the way, what is your name?"

"Anaisha." She revealed

Zahir quickly retracted his hands and looked alarmed. It was then he noticed she had been wearing a tiny pink bindi. She wasn't a Muslim, and he was worried to be seen with her. He didn't want to anger his non-Muslims friends and family friends.

"What happened?" She inquired innocently. Zahir hesitated but Anaisha held his hand placing it around her waist again.

"Please help me, I will be forever indebted." She ran a finger over the outline of his face. Zahir gulped. This was all so tempting. Should he take the bait? Anaisha tugged the button of his sherwani, looking hopefully at him. Zahir clenched her waist tightly, deciding not to let this chance go.

As they approached the room, Priyank and Ankit jumped from behind the door ambushing Zahir. Taking the chance, Anaisha pulled out a handkerchief that had just the right amount of chloroform. She leaped from behind and covered his nose with it. Ankit and Priyank grabbed both his arms to tame him. He was giving a fight, he pushed her off his back, and she stumbled back, her elbow hitting the wooden door. She winced knowing well that she had got a cut. Zahir jerked Priyank and Ankit, throwing them in a different direction. He turned and towered over Anaisha as she was hunched against the door, holding her arm.

"You tricked me." He growled and opened his arms menacingly like an angered gorilla. But before he leaped on her, the chemical began to affect him. He held his forehead and swayed on the spot. Anaisha held her breath, watching him drain out and fall to the ground. Then, she let out a breath, wiping her forehead with the back of her hand. Priyank and Ankit breathed heavily as they hurried to her. They enquired about her, and she nodded, covering her bruised elbow.

The boys lifted him, wincing and whining as they dragged his unconscious body into the room. Anaisha licked her dry lips, still huffing a little, as she texted Hasan.

Sanam stood timidly with her family. Momina observed her with starry eyes. She greedily eyed her mirror worked red Long Kurtha and golden lehenga. Even though she had worn a matching Hijab, a beautiful diamond necklace adorned her neck along with a long golden chain attached to a heavy pendant. Even her mehndi-clad hands had diamond rings and bracelets. Momina proudly showed off her soon-to-be daughter-in-law to the ladies from afar. Finally, she was getting a rich bride for his son. With Sehrish she wasn't too happy as she was only a little high in status from them, but she had got nothing in dowry. With Sanam, she was expecting hefty dowry. After all, they were high in status from them.

Soon, the groom brought in. Mr. Rauf had doubts as he had his face covered with threads of jasmine and rose petals. The turban and Sehra completely veiled him from everyone. Momina tried to remove it but he, without speaking, roughly pushed aside her hand. The groom and bride-to-be to the make-shift stage. Sanam visibly trembled and looked like she will burst into tears. She felt a sherwani clad groom stand next to her, and she jumped away as though she had touched a live wire.

Momina handed her son the box and urged him. He nodded and pulled out a ring. Then, he gave his hand. Sanam refused to give her hand, but her aunt forcefully extended her hand, which she tried her best to pull away. Sanam pressed her lips and her eyes blurred with hot tears as the ring was shoved into her finger.

Her hands trembled as she slipped the ring into the groom's finger. Her aunt was surprised to find it was loose. Momina made a face.

As everyone clapped and cheered, Sanam silently sob. Her aunt lied about them being happy tears. Momina excitedly got some ladoos for everyone. Just then, the groom pulled up the Sehra. There was a collective gasp, and, Momina almost dropped the box from her hand.

"Hasan!" Mahmood gasped.

Khalil and Bilal grinned at each other. Sanam's head suddenly shot up, and she abruptly stopped crying. Her lips cracked into a shaky smile upon realizing that she had gotten engaged to Hasan. He was dressed in sherwani stuffed with something making him look bulky, and his Jhooti had heels to make him appear taller. They tried their best to make his demeanor look like Zahir. Since everyone, both bride and groom's side, were over-excited and hurried for the engagement, they didn't give it much thought.

Anaisha and her gang hi-fied each other. She looked at the stage and smiled at Hasan. He didn't look her way, but she hoped he would. Her smile dropped, realizing his harsh words and forced herself to believe that she did all this for Sanam, and that was true.

Sanam covered her face and fell to her knees as she cried out of happiness and relief. Anaisha hurried to the stage and placed protective arms around her. Hasan felt lighter on his feet, and the tightness in his chest eased as though a heavy weight lifted off him.

"This can't be. Hasan is under-aged. He is just eighteen." Momina cried foul.

Anaisha angrily stood up and walked up to her - "Then what is right, Mrs. Rauf? Getting Sanam married to a man who is already married and has a child." She furiously revealed it all. There was outrage from Sanam's side. Usman Beig, her father, was shocked to find out the secret dealing of his sister, even though she denied knowing it.

"Shall we call the cops on you?" Anaisha haughtily placed her hands on her hips. Momina was speechless, but disgust was evident from her face.

Usman Beig decided that he will consider his daughter engaged to Hasan. Even if he were underaged now, they would have them married once he crossed twenty-one. Mahmood Rauf agreed with him, much to Momina's displeasure. The guests gossiped in a hushed tone but were soon distracted by the announcement for dinner. Hasan glanced at Sanam; she couldn't stop her tears but was also smiling. Her sisters group hugged her.

Hasan walked up to Priyank and thanked him - "When you first told me about the idea, it sounded crazy to me. But we did it. Thanks." He nodded. Priyank accepted his gratefulness and was about to add about everything being Anaisha's idea. Just then, she purposefully interrupted him and dragged him for food.

Anaisha didn't know why but she didn't want Hasan to know about this being her plan. Perhaps, she didn't want him to think she was a saint or a big-hearted person. Instead, she wanted him to believe that she was a spoilt rich brat.

Why is Zahir behind Hasan's ladies???? *Hehehehehe* 

How was the Chapter, my lovelies? Drop your thoughts in the comments, please, and Stay Tuned for the next update *lots of love* *hugs and kisses*