Chapter 8

"Why has this happened with me, Dadu?" Arnav seems freshly peeved with the refusal even after an hour of drive on lonely roads.

"We fail to win." The old man reminds him one of his life lessons. "Be a player, man. I was so embarrassed seeing you lose your patience. That's why I winded abruptly before your childish behavior could destroy everything."

"Dadu?" He is more anguished now. Leave the world on one side, will his grandfather misjudge him, too?

"No 'Dadu'. What have I taught you? To get aggrieved or stay persistent?" He demands answer.

"To stay persistent."

"Then? Are you going to behave the same after marriage?" Rahim Meer is indeed dismal at the way his dear grandson acted.

"I am sorry." Knowing no other way, Arnav sincerely makes and apology. "One tear in her eye and I forgot my behavior line. I am really sorry to embarrass you."

His keen observation on her expressions had seized his heart. She was awfully petrifying when Yousaf Hamdani rejected the proposal. Something broke inside her at the words his father and grandfather spoke to refuse the proposal. Trust maybe.

"Does she feel the same for you?" Rahim Meer goes on with his investigation.

"If not then there would not had been tears in her eyes when Uncle Yousaf refused." Arnav shrugs his shoulders while recalling her state.

"The real agony was for her tears, not for the rejection." The older man reaches the correct point, smirking profoundly.

Arnav nods his head in agreement and gets a warm manly smack. "Since childhood she has been coming to me with her share of complaints. Why did you people send me to Italy? She has got too distant now."

"She has grown into a shy and pious girl. She is not a small girl who will run around you, play with you. She has discovered her limits." Dada Jan makes him realize her point of view. She as a grown lady cannot roam around him with no care. Her appearance, her words, her smiles need to be under control.

His heart swells in proud of his choice. Not only she, her assets have grown, too. He bites his cheeks from inside to not get caught by his Dadu. His animalistic desires are only for her.

"Yeah, yeah, keep on thinking impish about her." Mr. Rahim smacks him on head, asking him to drop him home now. His old bones cannot bear the chilly winds anymore. Moreover; his lovely wife must be waiting for him.

Dropping his grandfather at home, he reverses the brand new vehicle and takes the way of club. He needs some shots. Moreover, he needs a thumping noise where his agony will be bottled up.

"But back after an hour." He sternly warns himself before taking the first step inside the dark, intimidating club, hoping to meet some old friend to catch up. He cannot miss his office tomorrow. It has been over a week he is showing high negligence towards his work. God knows how his managing team has been performing in his absence. His business is like his small baby. He does not bear any kind of indifference towards it. His loyalty is being demanded. He can hear his office calling for him for cuddles.

***

Turning and tossing on the lavish bed, she jolts upright from her sleep. She was sleeping straight and thus got scared.

Her heartbeat is running at marathon pace. It feels going out of her ribcage. To have some support, she grips her heart.

Exhausted sleep had hugged her after the lamenting of hours.

Reading the supplications, she tries to calm herself. It's all her mistake. She always cringed for a separate room. If Maheen had been by her side, she would not have been in this state.

Once her breathing normalizes, she leaves the bed to wash her face and do ablution to offer the Fajar prayer at half past seven of morning. She is extremely late today.

After offering her prayer in thirty minutes, she busies herself to enjoy the serenity of Quran. Only this Holy Book can bless her with peace. Pain gathers in her heart again as she recites the Surah Yaseen with translation in low voice.

The verse number eighty-two stops her and she prays with sheer modesty. "Oh Magnificent Allah, it's all in your hand. Say 'Kun' for our alliance."

The pray remains in her heart as she recites more, filling herself with the positive and hopeful vibes.

Her guts are telling her to stay in the safe territory of room. If her family cared about her, they would have looked for her. But no, eerie family tradition holds up more value than hers.

11 O'clock...

She waits for someone to come while turning and tossing her foot thumb onto the cold floor.

No one enters. She is more petrified of her family now.

Yes, they are rich and would not beat her for being loved by a man. The cold and silent reaction of family is making her embarrassed in her own eyes.

What if her mother really beats her? The last time she was twelve when Yasmeen had slapped her. After Arnav's departure to Italy, she had lost her very good friend and thus irritation seeped into her behavior. She started to misbehave with others and self-talk when left alone.

After ages, her room's door opens and Maheen pads in, trying her best to manage the tray thrusted in her inexperienced hands.

"Are you hungry?" Khushi holds the tray before it gets slipped form Maheen's hand.

"How is all?" Khushi asks eyeing the delicious lunch; minced meat with peas.

Her Arnav loves this dish, too. He adamantly demands fresh tortillas with it and savors the taste by adding extra green chilies and chopped ginger.

"Really moody. Khushi Aapi, why all are quite and tensed?" Maheen asks putting break to the saliva gathering in Khushi's mouth.

"I don't know. I did not do anything." Khushi frowns at her family's reaction. She has not done anything. Why are they calling her culprit without knowing her side? And Arnav... She will murder him if he does not fight for them. He made her heart agree to mate with only him. Dare he to back off!

She watches the meal and breaks a morsel to eat. The whole settlement will take time. She can at least bless her stomach.

Her hand stops in mid at the invasion of her mother. Yasmeen announces the worst for her. "You have made me ashamed."

Yasmeen sits beside her and notions Maheen to let them talk in private.

"I always thought your chirpiness is within limits." It tugs Khushi's heart and tears accumulate in her already mist and sore eyes.

"I am sorry, Ammi. But I swear I did not..." She discontinuous the clarification recalling the times she has smiled thinking of Arnav. Yes, she did not pass him hints but she did not warn him either.

"Your sorry would not change anything now. You have humiliated me, your Baba, all of us." Yasmeen looks her own daughter with disgust. "I hate you."

"No, please. I..." The loss of mother at the mere attempt of accepting someone's genuine love cuts her heart. She can leave anything for the love of her mother.

Khushi goes on her knees in front of her mother. Her hands are clasped together, begging the forgiveness for the sins she never committed.

"Please, don't hate me, Ammi. I will do anything for you. I love you a lot."

"During Aakifah's Mehendi, your father's friend's wife asked for your hand. They are coming in evening to see you." Her heart shatters into thousands of pieces seeing her mother's face devoid of any expression. She loses the balance on toes and jolts back.

She is being asked to forget the man she weaved her nights with and instead say yes to marry someone she does not want; neither by heart nor by mind.

"Okay." She nods her head like an obedient daughter and her mother takes her leave. On her way, she locks the room from outside.

Looking back to the meal, tears stream down from her eyes.

Not for once, she tried to initiate something from her side. Then why the thought of being someone else's is callously hammering the torn pieces of her heart.

"Arnaaav..." She aggrieves his name.

Her heart, her body, her soul is with him. What would she do now? Why has Allah put her in strict test? What if she fails to smile to some other man when her heart is bleeding for Arnav? "Would you not come to claim me as yours?" She asks from the hollow air. How she wished to be in his hold at the moment. She could care less about every other thing. Alas! She is at her parent's home and she has to sacrifice her wishes and dreams for the sake of the traditions and values. It will help her earn the title of good daughter.

She beholds the locked door and snivels seeing the innumerous lines on her hand. "When he was not written in my lines, why YOU allowed me to air his love?" She cannot bear the pain she is going thorugh.

"When You planned to crave him on my heart then why not here?" She asks yet another question from her Creator. "It hurts, Ya Allah. It hurts when your own mother says she hates you." Her mother's words have put a heavy weight onto her stupid heart which even tears of eternity would not be able to put off.

***

Khushi massages the face cream into her skin and works on her eye makeup. The traditional dress her mother selected for her is a combination of graceful yet decent blue color with the peach along orange and brown blended Pashmina shawl. She had merrily ordered it from her favorite brand. Though she was feeling shortage of oxygen while she slipped into them. This sophisticated piece is not any longer a graceful dress made of linen fabric. It is her punishment.

Finishing the eye makeup to conceal her eye bags, she smoothly pins her hair from front making a soft five strand braid on left side. She does not want to embellish herself but her mother is standing on her head to control her emotions. Can there be any worst punishment than this where you have to doll up yourself for the unwanted alliance?

"Apply this lipstick." Her mother hands her the candlelight lipstick bar after looking for it into lipstick section.

She suppresses her chuckle receiving the lip color of her mother's choice. How ironical is this fact that she is dolling up herself by the makeup kit gifted by Arnav!

Had she not determined last night that now all her embellishments will be for one name only – Arnav???

She rubs the soft color onto her lips, weeping inside that the lips she dreamed to kiss Arnav with now will be claimed by someone else.

She panics but smiles at her mother, smothering the deepen worry lines of her forehead.

"Okay, now I am going. The guests must be on their way." Her mother kisses her on forehead with immense warmth and she feels awfully messed up.

Mother or Arnav?

She assembles her breaking figure at dressing stool and gazes at her own reflection.

What has people seen in her? Her outer beauty?

No one can come to the level of Arnav's affection. He fell for her inner beauty. She knows her outer enhancements may get adored by him but her freshly washed face will always be his favorite. She trusts him way too much with all her being. She has known him from a very small age. She can get a better, peaceful life with him.

What if this man who will probably be her husband... what if he gets on his animalistic side, and fucks her hard on wedding night? Worst what if it pains her to death and he sleeps after his enjoyment. She shudders and does her best to not catastrophe the natural eye makeup she has done to hide the scars of all the lamenting she has done on his name.

The ringtone startles her and she searches her mobile all around the room. Finally, she finds it on bed under her dupatta she had taken with previous dress.

Her chest rises high seeing the call from Chichora. Last night, she was playing with his contact, editing the name and contact picture too frequently. Currently, his picture of receiving the best businessman of the year is flashing in front of her eyes.

The call goes off in her confused web of memories.

However, he again calls and she slides the ring towards green icon.

"Khushi..." He takes her name with such a dominating intensity that it causes her eyes to close to savor the moment. His loyalty is unmatchable.

"Hmm?" She sterns her tone, remembering the torn face of her mother.

"Am I permitted to fight for us?" She feels shocked for a moment. How much more respect will he pay to her? He loves her and when her family has denied, he is asking her consent. Being a trivial girl, what she can reply to him. She can never give him the solace he as a man must be craving from his lover.

"My only threshold to beg is of my Allah. I know nothing else." She wails and wipes her tears before they can leave a trail on her cheek.

Arnav sighs hearing her answer. Her simple words have empowered his worn out muscles and sore eyes. Her message has clearly reached to his mind.

"Then consider it Allah's wish." He means to aware her about his next step but she looks herself in the mirror and tusks at her luck.

"Maybe." She replies, hoping he would talk more but he disconnects the call. Being crazy in his love, she fervently kisses her mobile, hoping some soothing massage gets served to her strained heart. The thoughts of kissing him ignites her passion some more.

She squeaks taking his name, asking Allah to sort it out for them. She cannot be someone's else when her soul now belongs to him.

***

"MaShaAllah, she is looking like a fairy of heaven." She earns the compliment as she steps in the living room to sit with the guests.

She gulps the lump formed in her throat when her mother notions her to take the place beside the lady who seems to be her future mother in law. Her Dada Jan's gaze is piercing inside her soul, creeping culprit feelings to her mind conscience. She wishes to run away from there.

"See, Kausar, I told you. She is really pretty." She looks up to the lady named Kausar Tanveer, her future mother in law. The mere sight scares her. The woman is pretty and looks presentable, too. But her luck, her future scares her.

"Assalam O Alaikum Beta. I know it might be all in nippy for you. All this has to happen one day after all. My son is really nice and obedient. You will have a healthy and prosperous life with him." Khushi smiles politely and nods looking down.

"He is a doctor." The auntie who complimented her when she came informs her. She seems Taai of the man.

"We want to do this alliance, Sameer Sahab." Kasuar Tanveer speaks, annihilating Khushi's hope to get rejected. "How good their names will look together; Khushi Owais." The auntie seems to ignore the tremor upon Khushi's face in the flow of her own excitement.

Alarmed Khushi glimpse at her parents and grandfather. Their expressions shallow her heart.

What has she done to receive such kind of treatment? Is she a show piece? Will her wish matter nothing? It is not her dolls' marriage. It's about her own marriage. Her desires should be given preference.

"Give us some time to think, too. We would also want to meet the boy." When Yousaf Hamdani asks for some time, Khushi inwardly titters at her state. Why they need to fake drama? They should throw her out of their house at the very instant. After all, when daughters fall in love, they become ten times greater burden on the family.

It hurts.

It fucking bleeds.

Her hand moves to grip her heart under the dupatta covering her chest properly, and she takes Arnav's name to grip the patience. She does not want to turn cry-dippy in front of the people she holds no value.

"Excuse me." She excuses herself at the notion of her mother to go. When she stands up, she settles her slipping shawl from her head. Once outside the living area, she literally innings towards her room. She needs to stay alone otherwise her cruel sentiments will sputter out causing her family some real humiliation.

***

"Why have you not yet changed?" Aakifah asks her husband with trepidation. She is completely ornamented for the dinner arranged by the best friend of Aqeeb.

Since she is back, everyone in her in-laws is worried about how to make her blood father agree for Arnav-Khushi alliance. They seem to forget that a newly wedded bride is sitting amongst them deserving some love and affection. Even her husband is on rancid mood.

He shrugs his head and picks the laid out dress, padding into the washroom to get ready. He needs only five minutes to dress up.

Aakifah slumps on couch with a dejected heart. She spent full hour to magnificently doll up herself for the dinner and her husband did not spare one minute to admire her with sheer love or at least lust.

"Am I looking okay?" She asks out of nervousness from Aqeeb, feeling she might be over and he does not want to compliment her bad.

Sighing Aqeeb clasps her pretty and soft hand. After caressing it slightly, he kisses her fingers with sheer adoration. Her heart swells with elation receiving the longed affection from him.

"I am sorry for not being attentive towards you. I hope you understand." He looks questionably at her.

"Yes, I do." She parrots, feeling hurt that her husband does not understand her at all. Is twenty-seven really a big age that you lose the charm to seduce your man?

"Look at me." Aqeeb raises her chin. Once her doe eyes lift, he steals a soft peck of her lips, seductively looking into her eyes. "You are really looking pretty." She blushes vehemently at the desires now brightly shining in his eyes.

"I hope you have not exhausted yourself in curls." She chuckles, shaking her head in no. The curler was new and different than the ones she has used. It took her some time to understand the functions.

He leans and deliciously bites her earlobe ever so leisurely. His spiky jaws tease her skin to the point of awakening her body for him.

"I wish to return back soon." The lost colors of her face returns at his wish and she hugs him tight to her heart's content.

"My gorgeous wife seems to have fallen for me." Aqeeb Meer looks at her with hope. Who does not want to be loved?

"You might have to wait for the answer." She mumbles, being out of breath. Her shyness has taken the toll that she has hugged her husband, exceptionally hard.

"Don't be coy. I am your legal husband, wifey." He winks at her and joins their fingers to leave for his friend's home.

"I am not." She confidently comebacks while matching steps with him, thanking Allah to upright her husband's mood.

***

"Raza think of something, please." Kiran pleads her husband while moisturizing her arms with the branded lotion. Her silk night gown in royal blue complexes her fair skin and brown dyed hair.

"We should at the least give them the time of a week." Raza Meer humps thinking about the rejection. No, he is not taking it on ego. "I am so upset that they did not value the happiness of their own daughter." It was clear from Khushi's smile that she wants to be the bride of Arnav. Still, Yousaf Hamdani and Sameer Hamdani vetoed at the spur. It is forcing him to think a lot.

"What if they do something? Like finding an alliance for Khushi." Kiran fears the pain her son might go through if he does not get Khushi.

By the Grace of Allah, their most obedient son has vast patience but his love for Khushi might destroy his happiness for eternity.

"They have just married Aakifah. They would not go for Khushi so soon." Raza calls his wife's assumptions junk.

"She is really eye-striking. There is much difference between Khushi and Aqeeb otherwise I would have asked for Khushi at first."

"Watch your words, Kiran." Raza despises the angle his wife has touched. Aakifah is gorgeous with fair complexion and beautiful features.

"No, I am sorry I did not mean that. Khushi is really a glam and you know she was the highlight of marriage. Many would have asked for her. What if they fix her alliance being under pressure?" Kiran elucidates the other angle of her assumption and Raza thoroughly thinks of the possibilities his friend Yousaf might do.

"Your friendship with Yasmeen is stronger than mine with Yousaf. What do you think of her stance in this matter?" Raza inquires to properly plan the next step.

"She is smitten to her husband. She will follow what he says." Kiran rolls her eyes at the submissive nature of her friend. Her son's pain is making her cold towards every other relation.

She wants her son's happiness at any cost.

***

Would Arnav be able to make Khushi his wife? Vote to get know. Why people think 'Love' makes you characterless. If you do it divinely, then you surely get the KUN for Nikah.