"Zimraan!" When everyone left, Badia sat beside him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Aap theek hain?"

(Are you okay?)

"Anabia jhoot bol rahi hai."

(Anabia is lying.)

Zimraan didn't want to believe his daughter tried to run away, but he knows her very well, he knew whatever the story Mehrusina told them was not the truth.

"Aap... aap aisa kaise soch sakte hain?" Badia asked, shocked that how can he even think like that.

(You... how can you think like that?)

"Annu bhala kyu jhoot bolengi. Aap bas pareshaan hain issliye..." Badia didn't take his words seriously.

(Why would Annu lie. You are just worried...)

"Agar woh sach keh rahi hoti toh khamosh na rehti. Agar woh galat na hoti, toh aise roti na. Main yakeen nahi karna chahta lekin... lekin Anabia apni marzi se parlour chorhke gayi, itni derr se kaha thi pata nahi, lekin Hospital mein toh nahi thi woh."

(If she was telling the truth, she wouldn't have been so quiet. If she was not lying, she wouldn't have been crying. I don't wanna believe this but... but Anabia left the parlour on her own will. I don't know where she was for hours, but she was not at the hospital.)

Leaning his head on the head rest of the sofa, Zimraan recalled the moment when Anabia entered the house. He did not want to think of something wrong, but his first thought was that something wrong happened to her, but she looked perfectly fine, little shaken up, but there was no sign of harm on her body. This made him relax, but in another moment, he realised she left the parlour on her own will, she didn't come to her own engagement ceremony on her own will.

•••

Zain told his parents to go without him, he will come later.

He thought of checking on Zabail, they all were worried for Anabia, that they didn't get a chance to talk to each other.

He knocked on Zabail's bedroom door. Few seconds later, she opened the door.

Zabail was still wearing her nikkah lehenga, hair opened, she looked breathtaking. Zain couldn't stop himself from staring at her. She was dressed as his bride, but he never got a chance to look at her properly, and now when he did, it was hard for him to take his eyes away from her.

"Zain?" Confusingly, she called.

It startled him. "Huh? Oh! Woh tumse baat karni thi." Sheepishly, he scratched his head.

(I wanted to talk to you.)

Nodding her head, Zabail came out of her room, closing the door after her, Anabia was inside, resting.

"Tum theek ho?" They walked to the balcony together. Zain asked her.

(Are you okay?)

They were not looking at each other, instead, they looked at the full moon.

"Annu ka sochke pareshaan hain, hume lagta hai..." Zabail stopped talking.

(I am worried about Annu. I think she...)

"What?" Zain turned to her and asked.

"Nothing." Zabail shook her head. Anabia is her sister, whatever doubt she had on Anabia, she can not share it with anyone, not even Zain.

"Pareshaan mat ho. Anabia theek hai, that's what matters." Thinking she is worried about Anabia's health, Zain told her.

(Don't worry, Anabia is fine.)

Anabia was crying a lot, resulting in her fainting, her bp was low, after doctor was done checking her, and put her on drip, she regained her conscious, but she was still very weak.

"Yeah, that's what matters." Zabail mumbles.

"Hume darr lag raha hai." She suddenly said, looking away from him. "Ya aap gut feelings keh lijiye, lekin hume aisa lagta hai kuch bura hone wala hai."

(I am scared.)
(You can say it's my gut feelings, but I think something bad is going to happen.)

Holding her shoulders, Zain made her look into his eyes.

"Zyada mat socho, kuch nahi hoga. Sab theek ho jayega. Aur... agar aisa kuch hua bhi toh main hoon na, jab tak main tumhare sath hoon tumhe darrne ki zaroorat nahi. Sab theek kar dunga." He promised.

(Don't think much, nothing will happen. And... even if something happen, I will be there for you. As long as I am with you, you don't have to be scared of anything. I will make everything better.)

Zabail's heart calmed with his soothing words, as she nods her head.

"Thank you." Her eyes brimmed with tears.

"Pagal mat bano." He scoffs, not liking her thanking him.

(Don't be stupid.)

"Ab apko jana chahiye. Jaye thora sa aram kar lein." Pushing his shoulder, she told him, smiling.

(You should go now. You need rest.)

"Mann nahi kar raha jane ka." Groaning, he leaned on the railing of balcony and said.

(I don't want to go.)

"Ji ji, Papa se keh kar apke liye guest room na taiyyar karwa dein?" Mimicking his act of crossing arms, Zabail asked teasingly.

(Really! Should I ask papa to prepare guest room for you?)

He stood up straight in the mention of Zimraan, looking around as if Zimraan would come here anytime.

"Haan, Bohot achhe se guest room taiyyar kar denge mamu mere liye." Sarcastically, he said.

(Yeah, he will prepare a really good guest room for me.)

This made Zabail laugh.

Hearing her soft laugh, Zain's heart fluttered, as he smiled at her.

"Achha chalein." She felt shy under his gaze, to avoid looking at him, she looked at the door of balcony and said.

(Let's go.)

"Mamu ke paas?"

(To mamu?)

"Nahi! Kitchen mein." Zabail tch. "Subah se apne kuch khaya nahi, chaliye kuch kha lijiye."

(No! To the kitchen.)

(You haven't eaten anything since morning, let's go, eat something.)

"Mamu mami ne bhi kuch nahi khaya." Zain remembered.

(Mamu Mami haven't eaten anything either.)

Everyone were busy searching for Anabia. Zaryab searched for her at her friends' house, while Zain went to police station.

"Haan, hum unke liye khana study mein hi bhejwa denge. Annu toh so rahi hain, uthengi tab khila denge unhe." Zabail and Zain started walking out of the balcony.

(Yes, I will take their food to study room. Annu is sleeping right now, I will feed her when she will wake up.)

"Waise yeh Zaryab kaha gaye?" Zabail suddenly asked, as she was heating the food in microwave. She didn't expect Zaryab to leave Anabia is this situation.

(Where is Zaryab?)

"Pata nahi. Anabia ke aney ke baad woh nahi aya." Sitting on the chair, Zain told her, Confusingly.

(I don't know. He didn't come when Anabia came.)

"Unhe pata hai Annu agayi hain ghar?" Turning to him, she questioned. Afraid Zaryab might be still searching for Anabia.

(Does he knows Anabia has come home?)

"Zahir hai, tumhari call ayi toh mere sath hi tha woh."

(Obviously, when you called to tell about Anabia, he was with me.)

"Fir bhi nahi aye?" Zabail asked to herself.

(He still didn't come?)

"Shocked hoga?" Zain gussed.

(He must be in shock?)

Before they could speak further, the beep of microwave came.

"Hum mamma papa ko khana deke atey hain. Tab tak aap bhi kha lein." Putting the fiod on tray, Zabail was saying.

(I will take food for mamma papa in the study, you eat.)

"Tum aao, sath mein khayenge."

(We will eat together when you will return.)

•••

Placing the tea cup on side table for Hammad, Mehrunisa went to sit on the bed when Hammad asked her. "Woh ladki kon thi?"

(Who was that girl?)

"Kon?" She was confused whom he is talking about.

(Who?)

"Wahi jo 4 ghante se humare ghar ke bahar baithi thi." Putting the book down, Hammad gave her a pointed look.

(That one who was outside of our house for four hours.)

Mehrunisa felt her body turned cold, she didn't want Hammad to know about Anabia and Mehrab.

"Woh... woh Mehrab ki ju... junior hai." Hesitantly, she said. Trying to avoid looking at Hammad.

(She... she is Mehrab's... Mehrab's junior.)

"Mehrunisa! Mujhe jhoot se sakht nafrat hai. Aur ussey zyada iss ki tum mujhse jhoot bolo." Sternly, Hammad said.

(Mehrunisa, I hate lies. And I hate it more when you lie to me.)

"Woh sachi mein Mehrab ki junior hai, Anabia Ahmed." Meekly, she raised her head to look into his eyes and told him.

(She is really his junior, Anabia Ahmed.)

"Toh apni engagement wale din yaha kya kar rahi thi?"

(Then what was she doing here on the day of her engagement?)

This was another shock for Mehrunisa. How much does Hammad knows? If he knows everything why is he asking her. She then realised he only wants to know whatever he has heard is truth or not.

Now, there was no point in any hiding anything from him. Slowly, she told everything that she knows. Praying that when he will know the full truth, he won't be angry at Hammad.

"Woh University parhne jata hai ya yeh sab karne." This was Hammad's reaction.

(Does he go to University to study or to do these kind of things?)

"Par uski galti nahi..." Mehrunisa opened her mouth to defend her son, but one look from Hammad made her quite.

(But this isn't his fault...)

•••

"Zaryab ki call nahi lag rahi." Zayrah told Ali, worriedly.

(Zaryab's cell phone is out of reach.)

Since they have returned, she was trying to reach Zaryab's number, but it was out of reachable.

"Kaha chala gaya yeh?" Ali asked to no one in particular, they both were unaware of Zaryab's well being.

(Where did he go?)

"Mujhe lagta hai aj jo hua ussey shock mein hai woh." Sitting down on the sofa, Zayrah told him.

(I think he is still in shock because of what happened today.)

"Hum sab hain. Lekin itna gair zimmedar nahi hona chahiye. Kam se kam phone on rakhna chahiye." Ali scoffs. He was worried for Zaryab too, and his worry took the form of anger.

(We all are. But one shouldn't be this irresponsible. At least he should have kept his phone on.)

"Ali, Aap please uske kisi dost ke yaha call kare pata kare shayad waha ho." Zayrah requested.

(Ali, please call his friends, maybe he is with them.)

"Kar chuka hoon, kisi ko kuch nahi pata." Pouring water in glass, he passed her. But she didn't drink, she keep thinking about Zaryab, thinking worst of the situation.

(I have already called them, no one knows anything.)

The same time, Zaryab walked in the house.

Zaryab never got time to change into his tuxedo, he was still wearing jeans and denim shirt, which looked worn out, his hair in a mess and bloodshot red eyes.

"Zaryab! Kaha the tum?" Zayrah was the first one who noticed him, putting the glass on the table, she went to him.

(Zaryab! Where were you?)

"Kahi nahi tha."

(I was no where.)

"Zaryab! Yeh kya tareeqa hai baat karne ka apni mummy se? Kaha the tum itni derr se?" Ali stood up behind Zayrah, crossing his hands behind him, he asked.

(Zaryab! How are you talking to your mother? Where were you?)

"Bas... yahi tha..." Zaryab looked away from his father's hard gaze, and mumbles.

(I... was just here...)

"Zaryab..." Zayrah put her hand on his shoulder, to console him. He was deeply effected by Anabia's missing. Now she is fine, but Zaryab still looked disturbed.

"Mummy, main theek hoon." Zaryab pleaded her with his eyes to not to say anything.

(Mummy! I am fine.)

"Zayrah!" Ali called her.

Looking between father and son, Zayrah reluctantly left Zaryab's side and went to stood with Ali.

Zaryad needs to be alone for some time, and Ali wanted her to stop asking anymore questions to him.

Zaryab left the living room for his room.

"Ussey aisi situation mein akele chorhna theek nahi." Zayrah objected.

(It is not right to leave him in this condition.)

"Uska filhal akela rehna hi theek hai. Gusse mein hai woh, tum ya main kuch bhi kahenge uska gussa kam nahi hoga, akele rehne do. He will come around." Ali advices her.

Sulking, Zayrah went to sit down.

It is easy for Zaryab just to distance her away from himself. It was easier for Ali to told her to give Zaryab alone time, but she is a mother, how can she leave her son alone in such a time?

•••

Without turning on the lights, he kicked his shoes off and laid down on his bed.

So much happened in a single day. Anabia's missing made him rethink so many things.

When Zaryab went to the parlour to check cctv footage, he saw she left own her will, there was no lady who was sick, she didn't leave to help anyone, she just simply left. At first, he thought Anabia may have gone to Hoorain's house, she must be nervous, but Hoorain knew nothing. Anabia was at none of her friends' house.

This made one thing clear for him, she left because she wanted to, and why she left, he needs that answer.

If you don't want to marry me then you should tell me that, Bia. He thought in his heart.

I can never force my love on you. I love you enough to let you go.

•••

I promised that I will post a longer chapter but... well, it was @mecoldcoffee birthday, so I had to post a chapter for her 👉🏻👈🏻

Happy Birthday, Love, I hope you enjoyed the day fullest.

-Ufaq

P.S how's the chapter.