.:.Manzil.:. Chapter 13 - Page 5! - Page 4

Originally posted by: xo-Krupa-ox

Suhana, there nothing to critisize on!..you just to good of a writer!..

I can totally connect with Maryam!..hehe..that happens alot to me

Can't wait til the next update!

Thanks Krupa! But I don't think I'm that good. There has to be something I can improve on. Anyway, I'll just keep writing as long as I have people appreciating it. Next update will be soon!

Please be honest in your feedback! Thanks.

Chapter 12

It was Thursday morning. It had been five days since Maryam's basketball game, and life had finally returned to normal. For a couple days she had been depressed and angry, but eventually decided to move on. Staying upset would not change her father's priorities. As she rode to school on the bus, she thought only about the Quadratic Formula.

"X equals negative B plus or minus the square root of B squared minus four A C divided by two A."

She repeated it in her mind over and over again, fearful that she might blank out on her exam that morning. No, she wouldn't let that happen. Nothing would keep her from an A+ this time.

Coming out of the test and walking to her second period science class, she discussed it with Anne. Fortunately, they both had the same answers, which kept Maryam happy for the rest of the day.

She returned home around four and ran immediately to Shamyl's room. As expected, he was resting in his bed and their mother was sitting at his side, reading The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe to him. Shamyl's fever had lasted three days, and was accompanied by a sore throat and rashes. On the second day, they had taken him to family pediatrician, who diagnosed him with strep throat. After a few days of antibiotics, he was feeling much better, but their mother wasn't taking any chances. Maryam was sure he wasn't going to be allowed to leave his bed until at least Saturday.

Maryam: Hi Mummy. Hi Shamyl. Tabiyat kaisi hai? Hi Mummy. Hi Shamyl. How are you feeling?

Shamyl: Main bilkul theek hoon. Apa, Mummy se kahen na, ke mujhe ab uthne den. I'm perfectly fine. Apa, please tell Mummy to let me get up now.

Najma: Phir bemaar hona hai kya? You want to get sick again?

Shamyl: Thodi der khelne se main phir bemaar ho jaaoonga kya? If I play for a few minutes, I'll get sick again?

Najma: Aur kya? Doctor ki baat nahin suni thi? You think? Didn't you hear what the doctor said?

Maryam: Come on, Mummy. Give him a break.

Najma: Lo, tum bhi uski tarafdaari karne lagin. Oh, so you're on his side now.

Maryam laughed.

Maryam: Sorry Shamyl. We don't stand a chance.

Her mother smiled.

Najma: Kisi din tum sab mera shukar maanoge ke maine tumhen itna protect kiya. One day you'll all be thankful that I protected you so much.

A few minutes later, Maryam excused herself and went to the kitchen for a snack. Just as she pulled a bowl of strawberries out of the fridge she heard the front door open. Thinking that it must be Imraan and Samira, she peeked around the corner. She was surprised to see her father walk into the living room in his surgery scrubs. He hadn't been home this early in at least a month. Part of her wanted to go welcome him and ask him how his day had been, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to do it. She stayed in the kitchen and watched silently as he went upstairs.

Just as she entered the living room, the door opened again, and Imraan and Samira came inside. They were whispering and giggling, but as soon as they saw Maryam, they became quiet.

Maryam: Aap dono mujhse kuch chhupa rahe hain, kya? What's so funny? Are you two hiding something from me? What's so funny?

Samira glanced questioningly at Imraan, who hesitated for a second before nodding at her.

Samira: Okay, Bhaiya aur Sabah qareeb teen hafton se… Okay, so since the last three weeks, Bhaiya and Sabah are…

Maryam: Boyfriend and girlfriend hain. Mujhe pata hai. Maine pichhle hafte Bhaiya ko unse phone pe baat karte sun liya tha. A couple. I know. I heard Bhaiya talking to her on the phone last week.

Imraan's mouth dropped open and a pink tint appeared on his cheeks. Samira gave him a stern look.

Samira: Bhaiya, you really need to be careful. Aise hi chalta raha to raaz khul jaayega. Bhaiya, you really need to be careful. If this keeps up, the secret will be out in no time.

Maryam suppressed a snicker. Even if she hadn't overheard her brother whispering sweet compliments over the phone, she still wouldn't have been surprised that they were together. He was so obviously smitten by her that it was only a matter of time.

Samira: Anyway, Sabah yeh baat kisi ko bataana nahin chaahti hai. Usko yeh bhi nahin maloom hai ke mujhe pata chal gaya hai. Lekin aaj gaadi mein, she almost gave it away herself! Hum Kennedy ke ek couple ke baare mein baat kar rahe the. Jen aur Zach. They can't keep their hands off each other. Humesha saath rehte nahin. It's disgusting. To hua yeh ke Sabah kehne lagi "Haan, main aur Imraan bhi to…" aur phir usko khayaal aaya ke usko yeh nahin kehna tha aur kehte kehte ruk gayi. Aur phir kehne lagi, "Main aur Imraan bhi isi baare mein baat kar rahe the." Mujhe lagta hai ke woh asal mein kehne waali theen ke woh aur bhaiya bhi ek couple hain lekin unke jaisi harkatein nahin karte hain. Anyway, Sabah wants to keep it a complete secret. She doesn't even know that I found out. But in the car today, she almost gave it away herself! We were talking about how this couple at Kennedy, Jen and Zach, can't keep their hands off each other. They're always making out in the hall and holding hands. It's disgusting. So Sabah started to say "Yeah, Imraan and I are…," and she suddenly realized what she was saying and stopped mid sentence. Then she changed it to "Imraan and I were talking about them a few days ago." I believe she was really about to say something like "Imraan and I are a couple, but you don't see us behaving that way."

Imraan: It was a pretty good save, lekin I'm sure Rehan ne notice to kiya hoga. It was a pretty good save, but I'm sure Rehan noticed the hesitation.

Samira: Kiya tha. Kaafi confused lag raha tha. He did. There was a very confused look on his face.

Maryam laughed. Obviously, this wasn't going to be a secret for much longer.

She heard a rustle behind her and turned around to see their father walking down the stairs. He had changed into a kurta pajama and looked a lot more cheerful.

Samira's face lit up when she saw him.

Samira: Papa? Aap itni jaldi ghar aa gaye? Papa? You're home so early?

Javed: Haan, maine socha aaj tum sab ko khush kar doon. Yes. I thought I'd make you guys happy today.

Imraan (sounding irritated) : Ek din se kya hoga? What difference will one day make?

Javed: Kya matlab? What do you mean?

Imraan: Aap kayi hafton ke liye apni family ke saath dinner nahin khaate, weekends ko bhi humaare saath waqt nahin guzarte, aur upar se Maryam ke game mein aane ka vaada karke bhi nahin pahunch paate. Aur ab, ek din ghar jaldi aa gaya to aap ko lagta hai ke hum woh sab bhool jaayenge? You don't eat dinner with your family for weeks, don't even spend weekends with us, and on top of all this, you promise Maryam you'll come to her game and still miss it. And now, you come home early one day and think that we'll forget everything?

Maryam's heart began to race.

Javed: Imraan, zabaan sambhaal ke baat karo! Main yeh sab tumhaare liye hi kar raha hoon. Imraan, watch your toungue! I'm doing all this for you.

Maryam decided to interject.

Maryam: Lekin humein yeh sab nahin chaahiye. Yeh luxury humaare kisi kaam ki nahin agar wohi humein aap se door kar rahi hai. But, that's not what we want. What good is living in luxury if it keeps us away from you?

Javed: Theek hai. Lekin mujhe jaanen bhi to bachaani hain. Tumhen nahin lagta kya, ke main achcha kaam kar raha hoon? Fine, but I do need to save lives. Don't you think I'm doing something good for the world?

Imraan: Woh to hum jaante hain, lekin humein bhi aapki zaroorat hai. We understand that, but your family needs you too.

Their mother appeared at the top of the stairs. She stayed there and listened to the conversation.

Javed: Mujhe yaqin nahin aa raha hai. Main itni mehnat karke, raat raat bhar jaagke, logon ko nayi zindagi de raha hoon, aur tumhen koyi farq nahin parta. I can't believe this. I work so hard, sometimes staying up all night, to give people a new chance at life, and it makes no difference to you.

Imraan: Nahin, mere matlab yeh nahin hai. Main to bas yeh keh raha hoon ke…Samira, tum bataao na. No, that's not what I mean. I was just saying…Samira, please explain it to him.

Samira: Sorry bhaiya. Main Papa ke saath hoon. Sorry bhaiya. I'm with Papa on this one.

Imraan: Kya? What?

Samira: Woh sahi to keh rahe hain. Unhone humaare liye hi to itni mehnat ki hai, aur ab woh insaaniyat ke liye kya kya kar rahe hain. Main aapko apne khudgarz maqsad ki wajah se Papa ko bura bhala kehne nahin doongi. He's right. He worked so hard for us and now he's doing so much for humanity. I won't let you insult him to achieve your own selfish purposes.

Imraan: Samira!

Javed: Bas ho gaya. Ab main kuch aur nahin sunna chahta. Main ek surgeon hoon. Main aur parents ki tarah tumhen waqt nahin de sakta. Agar tumhen yeh baat nahin samajh mein aati, to it's fine. Lekin main is ko badal nahin sakta. That's enough. I don't want to hear any more. I am a surgeon. I can't give you as much time as other parents do. If you can't understand this, then that's fine. But I can't change it.

With that, he turned around and hurried upstairs, pausing once to glance at his wife, who was still standing at the top of the staircase. As he passed her by, she followed him up the second flight of stairs to their bedroom.

Imraan shot Samira an angry look before leaving the room. Samira's eyes filled with tears and she looked at Maryam for support. However, Maryam had taken Samira's statement about selfishness personally. She turned her back on her older sister and returned to her room.

Despite having been a part of most heated dispute her family had ever had, Maryam wasn't upset. She was actually glad that the truth was finally out, and she wasn't the only one angry with their father. Imraan's support had increased Maryam's confidence that her feelings were not unjustified.

She had just begun her science lab report when her cell phone rang. It was Aisha.

Maryam: Hi Apa! Aap kaisi hain? Hi Apa! How are you?

Aisha: Achchi hoon. Yaqin nahin aa raha na, ke main tumhen phone kar rahi hoon? I'm good. I'm sure you're surprised that I'm calling you.

Maryam: Woh to hai. Aisi kya khaas baat hai, ke aap depression se nikal ke mujhe phone kar rahi hain. That I am. What's the big news that has taken you out of depression to call me?

Aisha laughed, and Maryam was pleasantly surprised to hear cheeriness in her voice.

Aisha: Actually Maryam, tum sahi keh rahi ho. I was in depression aur ab main woh sab kuch bhulaane ki koshish kar rahi hoon. I want to move on with life. Lekin us se pehle main tumhen sab kuch bataana chahti hoon. Actually Maryam, you're right. I was in depression and now I want to try and forget it all. I want to move on with life, but before that, I want to tell you what happened.

Maryam: Aapne Bhaiya aur Samira Apa ko bata diya? Did you tell Bhaiya and Samira Apa already?

Aisha: Nahin. Main abhi unko nahin bataaoongi. No, I'm not going to tell them yet.

Maryam: Achcha? Kyoon? Really? Why?

Aisha: I just trust you more.

Maryam felt elated at the compliment. She never imagined that Aisha would choose her over Imraan and Samira.

Maryam: Thanks. To bataiye, kya hua tha? Thanks. So tell me, what happened?

Aisha told Maryam the entire story of Hasan, their plan to get married and his early death. Maryam listened patiently, only interrupting twice to share her amazement at the turn of events. By the time Aisha finished, Maryam felt guilty for being upset with her when she had refused to tell her what was wrong. Anyone would react angrily if someone pressured them to relive their worst memory.

Maryam: I'm really sorry about what happened, Apa. Main yeh dua maangoongi ke Khuda aap ko is baat ko bhulaane ki taaqat de. I'm really sorry about what happened, Apa. I'll pray that God gives you the strength to move on from what happened.

Aisha: Thanks Maryam. Main bhi isi ummeed ke saath khush rehne ki koshish kar rahi hoon. Thanks Maryam. It's with the same hope that I'm trying to be a more happy person.

Maryam: Jaise aap pehle theen. Like you were before.

Aisha: Haan. Yes.

Maryam: Lekin aap yeh baat kisi aur ko abhi kyoon nahin bata raheen? But why aren't you telling anyone else about this?

Aisha: Main unke reaction se darti hoon. Main Mummy aur Papa ko abhi pareshaan nahin karna chaahti. Imraan ko agar bata diya to mujhe yaqeen hai woh mujhe har din phone karke poochhega ke main theek hoon ya nahin. Aur Samira zaroor mujhe yeh salah degi ke main Yusuf se shaadi karloon taake bhoolne main asaani ho. I'm afraid of their reactions. I don't want to alarm Mummy and Papa about this yet. If I tell Imraan, I'm sure he'll call me every day to make sure I'm okay. And Samira will definitely advise me to marry Yusuf to make it easier to forget about what happened.

Maryam smiled to herself. She could picture them reacting exactly that way.

Aisha: Aur waise bhi, agar un mein se ek ko bata diya to woh ek doosre se baat karne lagenge. Those two are inseparable. And anyway, if I tell either Imraan or Samira, I'm sure they'll start discussing it with each other. Those two are inseparable.

"You'd be surprised," thought Maryam, but she decided not to say anything. It was not a good time to tell her sister about the argument that had just occurred.

When Maryam finally hung up the phone, she felt a sense of pride. Her brother took her side against her father and her sister trusted her more than anyone else in the family. Things were not going perfectly in her life, but Maryam still felt more worthy than she had in a long time.

great part finally someone sood up 😛

aww..i completely sympathise with Maryam!..

& Suhana..I WAS being honest!😊

Thanks for the wonderful comments guys! Krupa, I believe you, and I'm glad you like my story. But if you ever find something you don't like, please let me know.

Here it is finally. Sorry it's so short…I'm just trying to set things up for what's about to come. Things will get very interesting soon! And I promise I will try to update faster.

You'll probably notice that Sabah is acting a little strange. All that will be clarified eventually. Looking forward to your comments!

Chapter 13

Rehan had really outdone himself this time. After an hour of learning his intense choreography, Sabah's legs were aching and she had pulled a muscle in her arm. She realized how out of shape she was and vowed to devote more time to working out in the future. She looked around and realized that everyone looked exhausted, but Rehan showed no sign of ending the practice session.

There were six performers in Rehan's group and the song that he had selected was "Dil Vich Lagya Ve" from Chup Chup Ke. Sabah was please that she had been paired to dance with Imraan because she knew she wouldn't feel as comfortable with anyone else. The two of them would be on the left side of the stage, while Samira and Rahul were paired on the right side. And placed in the center were the most talented dancers in the Desi Club, Anjali Mehta and Karan Arora.

Rehan: Okay guys. Let's run though this another three times.

Anjali: Are you kidding me? We've been here for an hour. I don't know about you, Rehan, but I have studying to do.

Rehan (looking at his watch): Oh wow, it has been an hour. Time went by so fast.

Rahul: Maybe for you, since you're not the one performing these ridiculous steps over and over again.

Imraan: Seriously man. If you add even one more move in which have to lift Sabah in the air, I'm quitting.

Sabah gave Imraan a dirty look.

Sabah: What are you trying to say?

Imraan: Oh no…that's not…it's just that–

Sabah: I know how it is.

Imraan: Sabah, I really wasn't implying anything. Even if had to lift your cat ten times within five minutes, I'd be exhausted.

Sabah smiled. She knew what Imraan had meant. It was just fun to mess with him.

Rehan: Alright everyone. How about just once more? I'll teach you the rest of it on Thursday.

Ten minutes later, Sabah, Imraan, Rehan and Samira were walking to Imraan's car. Imraan had initially been walking next to Samira, but seemed to suddenly realize something was wrong and moved to the other side of Sabah. Samira looked at him for a moment, and then returned to her conversation with Rehan. Sabah was taken aback by their strange behavior. The siblings who couldn't go five minutes without conversing now appeared to be avoiding each other.

Just as they reached home, Imraan turned to Sabah with a glint of mischief in his eyes.

Imraan: Hey, aaj ke momentum examples mujhe sahi samajh mein nahin aaye. Hum homework saath mein kar sakte hain? Hey, I'm a little confused about the momentum examples from class today. Can we work on the homework together?

Sabah interpreted this as, "I need some time alone with you."

Sabah: Um...okay. You want to come over now?

Imraan: Sure.

As they got out of the car, Samira smiled knowingly at Sabah, which made Sabah wonder if she knew what was going on. Then she looked at Imraan, who avoided her glance. Samira sighed sadly and turned to walk home. Imraan followed Sabah and Rehan to their house and Sabah led him up to her room.

As she was closing the door, she felt his hands on her waist. She turned around and found herself inches away from him. They looked into each other's eyes for a couple seconds, and Sabah began to feel uncomfortable. She backed away slowly until she was against the door. Imraan kept staring into her eyes as he walked towards her. He raised his hand and moved her hair away from her face. Then he leaned in, closer and closer, until his lips were inches away from hers. Abruptly, Sabah shook her head and softly pushed him away.

Sabah: Nahin Imraan. Abhi nahin. No Imraan. Not yet.

She walked around him and sat down on her bed. Imraan followed and sat next to her.

Imraan: Kyoon nahin? Tumhen yeh ghalat lagta hai? Why not? Do you think it's wrong?

Sabah: Pata nahin…bas, apne Mummy Daddy ke peet peechhe…kuch sahi nahin lagta. I don't know…it just doesn't seem right…since my parents don't know about us.

Imraan: Lekin unse chhupaane ki bhi to shart tumhaari hi hai. Kyoon na hum sab ko bataaden? Phir to kisi se darne ki zaroorat hi nahin hogi. But it was your idea to hide it from them. Why don't we just tell everyone? Then we won't have to worry.

Sabah waited for a few seconds before answering, carefully planning what she was going to say.

Sabah: Imraan, we're only 17 years old. Humen seriously kaun lega? Mujhe lagta hai humaare parents khud darr jaayenge ke hum kuch ghalat na kar rahe hon. Aur phir humko ek doosre se milne bhi nahin denge. Give it some time. Hum yeh raaz tabhi kholenge jab hum apne aap ko samajhdar aur responsible sabith kar chuke hon, taake koyi humko ghalat na samjhe. Imraan, we're only 17 years old. Who will take us seriously? I think our parents would just fear that we might be doing something wrong, and they might not let us see each other anymore. Give it some time. We should only reveal the truth once we have proved ourselves mature and responsible to our families. That way no one will misunderstand our relationship.

She waited with bated breath as Imraan thought this over.

Imraan: Tum shaayad theek keh rahi ho. I guess you're right.

Sabah: Don't worry. Jab waqt sahi hoga, to sabse pehle main hi sab ko bataoongi. Don't worry. When the time is right, I'll be the first to tell everyone.

He smiled at her, and for the first time Sabha noticed how genuine and innocent he looked when he smiled. She felt a twang of guilt, but quickly pushed it away.

Sabah: Tum kuch momentum problems ki baat kar rahe the. Koyi confusion hai? So, you were saying something about momentum problems. I believe you're confused about the homework.

Imraan laughed.

Imraan: You mean P equals M V, the easiest equation in the book?

Sabah (shaking her head): I knew it. Mulaqaat ho chuki hai to ab tum apne ghar jaao. Mujhe bahut kaam karne hain. I knew it. Now that you've spent some time with me, you can go back to your house. I have a lot of work to do.

Imraan: Jaise? Like?

Sabah: Homework, college applications, CMA scholarship application–

Imraan: Yeh wohi full-ride scholarship hai nai, jo district mein sirf ek hi student ko milta hai? That's the full-ride scholarship that only goes to one student from the district, right?

Sabah felt like kicking herself for mentioning it.

Sabah: Yeah, that's the one.

Imraan: Shaayad main bhi uske liye apply karoon. Achha, main chalta hoon. Waise bhi mujhe Aisha Apa ke liye birthday present khareedna hai. I might apply for that too. Okay, I'll head out then. Anyway, I have to buy a birthday present for Aisha Apa.

Sabah: Oh, unki birthday aa rahi hai? Oh, her birthday is coming up.

Imraan: Yup, this Saturday, October 20^th.

Imraan stood up to leave.

Imraan: See you tomorrow jaan.

Sabah walked him to the door.

Sabah: Bye. I love you.

Imraan: I love you more.

He grinned at her as he walked out, closing the door behind him.

"I don't doubt that," thought Sabah. She quickly went to get her phone so she could call Yusuf and tell him that Aisha's birthday was coming up. Sabah was willing to do just about anything to expedite the process of Yusuf and Aisha agreeing to the marriage.

ohhhhhhhhhhh!!...Great part & that too after such a long time!

Kinda long this time. I hope you guys like it. Please comment.

About the new names in this story, none of them are important except for Radhika (Aisha's roommate)…Krishna, Carrie and Hina will probably not be mentioned again. And, if they are, I will remind you who they are. Sorry I have so many characters. I hope no one is confused.

Chapter 14

Aisha was delighted to be home for her 21^st birthday. When she arrived on Friday night, she surprised her family with her enthusiasm. They were expecting the reclusive and dull Aisha that they had finally gotten used to, but Aisha was no longer willing to force her depression onto her loved ones.

When she went to bed that night, she once again pushed Hasan away from her mind, and focused on how good it felt to be sleeping in her own room. She watched the alarm clock on her side table for a few minutes. As "12:00" flashed at her in bright red figures, she wondered how her family would celebrate her birthday. She had already told them that she didn't want a party, but she was certain that wouldn't stop them from planning something.

The next morning, Aisha awoke to find a pile of presents on her desk. She got up from bed and looked at the names on them. There was one from her parents, one from each of her siblings and a few from relatives who lived nearby. Determined not to change her usual birthday tradition, Aisha decided to wait until the evening to open them.

Breakfast was pleasant, and Aisha enjoyed the attention from her family. However, she did notice something unusual. There seemed to be some tension between her father and Imraan, who despite sitting next to each other appeared to be avoiding any kind of interaction. Also, Imraan and Samira were sitting as far as possible from each other, something that was unheard of from those two. Thinking that she might be acting paranoid about nothing, Aisha decided not to give it much thought.

As they were cleaning the table, the doorbell rang, and Shamyl left to answer it. Aisha was surprised to see Yusuf, Sabah, Rehan and Amaan all walk into the living room.

Sabah: Happy Birthday!

Her siblings repeated this greeting and Yusuf handed Aisha a present. Aisha welcomed them into the family room where Samira, Imraan and Maryam also joined them. After saying hello to the guests, Aisha's parents took Shamyl and went upstairs.

Aisha: Thanks guys. Maine kabhi nahin socha tha ke aap sab mujhko wish karne aa jaayenge. Thanks guys. I never thought you all would come to wish me.

Rehan: Jab aapse dosti karli hai to humaare itna to farz banta hai ke aap ki khushi mein shamil hone aayen. Well, since we are friends now, I think it's our responsibility to be there for you, especially on such a special day.

Aisha smiled. They really were a wonderful family.

Aisha (looking at the gift in her hands): I hope you don't mind agar main isko abhi nahin kholoon. Main apne saare gifts raat mein kholti hoon, dinner ke baad. I hope you don't mind if I don't unwrap this just yet. I like to open all my gifts at night, after dinner.

Yusuf: Not a problem.

Samira (addressing Aisha): Speaking of dinner, yaad hai aap woh nayi Mexican restaurant try karna chah rahi theen? Aaj wahaan dinner khaana chaahengi? Speaking of dinner, remember how you wanted to try that new Mexican restaurant? You want to have dinner there today?

Aisha: Sure.

Samira: Aur jahaan tak mujhe yaad hai, abhi tak aap ne Lage Raho Munnabhai nahin dekhi. Abhi bhi Naz 8 Cinema mein chal rahi hai. Aap aaj dekhengi? And as far as I remember, you haven't seen Lage Raho Munnabhai yet. It's still playing at Naz 8 Cinema. You want to watch it?

Aisha: Um, okay.

Sabah: Aap ko koyi farq to nahin parta na, ke aap ke saath kaun jaaye? You don't have a preference as to who you go with, do you?

Aisha paused for a second. What was that supposed to mean? Did Sabah want to come along?

Aisha: Of course not.

Yusuf: Perfect. I'll pick you up at six.

Samira and Sabah tried to suppress their giggles.

Aisha: Ah, I see. So you guys set me up.

Sabah: Sorry, lekin yeh kitna achcha mauqa hai. Aap dono ek saath thoda waqt guzaar paayenge. Aap ke mummy papa bhi raazi hain. Sorry, but it's a perfect opportunity for you two to spend some time together. Even your parents thought it was a good idea.

Aisha (smiling): Yeh Samira ka idea tha na? This was Samira's idea, wasn't it?

Samira: Sahi pehchaana, lekin is scene ke dialogues Yusuf bhai ne likhe hain. You guessed right, but it was Yusuf Bhai who wrote the dialogues for this scene.

Yusuf blushed as he glanced hopefully at Aisha. Aisha looked over his shoulder at Maryam with a questioning look. Maryam smiled and nodded.

Aisha: Theek hai. Main chaloongi. Alright, I'll go.

Everyone cheered and Samira gave Aisha a hug.

Aisha: You guys are taking this way too seriously.

Imraan: Are we? I think the first marriage in the family is a big deal.

Aisha: Maine abhi shaadi ke liye "haan" kab kaha? Did you hear me say "I do" yet?

Sabah: Us mein ab kitni der hai? Hai na, Bhai? It's only a matter of time, right Bhai?

Yusuf: Yes, of course. How can anyone possibly resist my charm?

He said this with such an artificial air of arrogance that they all burst out laughing.

The doorbell rang again to announce the arrival of Mrs. Divya Sharma. Yusuf, Sabah and Amaan returned home, while Rehan followed Divya Ji, Samira and Maryam down to the basement for their singing class. Soon Imraan and Aisha were the only ones left in the family room.

Imraan: You're finally back to your old self.

Aisha: You noticed, huh?

Imraan: Apa, agar aap bura na maane to main pooch sakta hoon ke aap itni badal kyoon gayi theen. Apa, if you don't mind, can I ask you why you had changed so much?

Aisha: Imraan, mere saat kuch aisa haadsa hua tha ke kuch din ke liya main zindagi ka matlab hi bhool gayi thi. Lekin ab, sab theek ho gaya hai. Ek din main tumko sab kuch bataaoongi, lekin abhi main us baare mein sochna bhi nahin chaahti. Imraan, something happened that made me forget the meaning of life for a while. But now, everything is okay. I will tell you the whole story one day, but right now, I don't even want to think about it.

Imraan: Alright. I'm glad you're okay now.

Aisha: Thanks.

Imraan: To phir sach sach bataaiye. Kya is summer ki shaadi ka koyi chance hai? Okay, then tell me honestly, is there any chance there will be wedding this summer?

Aisha was saved from answering by the ring of her cell phone. She stood up to go answer it.

Aisha: Hum phir baat karenge. We'll talk about this later.

The caller ID told Aisha that her roommate Radhika was calling.

Aisha: Hi Rads.

Radhika: Happy Birthday!

Aisha: Thanks. How's it going?

Radhika: Not bad. Just procrastinating as usual. How's home?

Aisha: Great! I missed my family so much.

Radhika: You expect me to feel sorry for you? I only see my family during vacations.

Radhika was from New York and was only in California because UC Berkeley was her dream school.

Aisha: Sorry. Thanksgiving is not too far away.

Radhika: Yeah, true. Anyway, do you have any plans for today?

Aisha told Radhika all about how her dinner and movie plans with Yusuf came about.

Radhika: Oh wow. Miss Aisha has got herself a date!

Aisha: It's not a date!

Radhika: Okay then. You're going to dinner and a movie with a hot guy who your family wants you to marry, but it's not a date. So, what are you going to wear?

Aisha: I'm considering torn jeans and a basketball jersey.

Radhika laughed.

Radhika: Well, I'm glad to see you have your sense of humor back, but in all seriousness; don't let him get away. He's perfect for you!

Aisha: I need time, but I'll think about it.

Radhika: What is there to think about? He's good looking and pre-med. I would have said yes ages ago.

Aisha: Then why don't you say yes to Krishna, the other pre-med we know. He's been asking you out since freshman year.

Radhika: Eww, yaar. He's such a geek.

Aisha: Okay then. Let me make sure Yusuf is not a geek in disguise, and then I'll say yes.

Radhika: Sounds like a plan. Oh, I just heard a knock. I think Carrie's here to work on our project. I'll talk to you later. Have fun tonight!

Aisha: I will. Bye.

Radhika: Bye.

Aisha smiled to herself as she put her phone back on her charger. Radhika's loud and blunt nature was intimidating for some people, but Aisha loved knowing that she could always get an honest opinion out of her.

Yusuf arrived to pick Aisha up at 6 PM sharp, wearing a dark blue collared shirt and black dress pants. He had taken the time to gel his hair and looked very handsome. Aisha was relieved that she had chosen to wear her favorite emerald green dress and had straightened her hair.

During the car ride, they talked about how different the natures of each of their siblings were from each other. Aisha laughed as Yusuf imitated Sabah's irritated reaction when anyone discouraged her from doing something because she was a girl. Aisha was amazed how quickly she was understanding and becoming attached to his family.

At dinner, everything was going perfectly and Aisha was enjoying herself. She should have known that it was too good to last. As they were eating dessert, Aisha noticed Hasan's younger sister Hina arriving at the restaurant with a couple of her friends. Hina was a second year student at Berkeley, and was the only one who had known about Hasan and Aisha's relationship while Hasan was still alive. A few seconds later, Hina noticed Aisha too, and walked up to their table.

Hina: Hi Aisha.

Aisha: Hi Hina. How are you?

Hina: I'm fine. You're very dressed up today.

Aisha: It's my birthday.

Hina: Oh, happy birthday.

Aisha: Thanks.

Hina (sarcastically): I'm glad that at least you have been able to move on.

After giving Yusuf a disapproving glance, she turned around and joined her friends.

Aisha looked into Yusuf eyes for a few seconds and then down at her dress. Even though she knew Hina was being unreasonable, a feeling of guilt washed over her.

Yusuf: Yeh Hasan ki behen thi na? She was Hasan's sister right?

Aisha nodded.

Yusuf: Aisha, pareshaan hone ki koyi zaroorat nahin hai. Woh apne bhai ki maut ko le ke abhi bhi emotional hai. Aisha, don't worry. She's just emotional about her brother's death.

Aisha: Lekin Yusuf, abhi Hasan ki maut ko sirf paanch mahine huwe hain. Main itni jaldi usko kaise bhool sakti hoon? But Yusuf, Hasan only died five months ago. Isn't it too soon for me to forget him?

Yusuf: Koyi yeh nahin chaahta ke tum usko bhool jaao. Lekin kya tumhen lagta hai, ke Hasan yeh chaahega ke tum uski yaadon mein itni kho jaao, ke jeena bhool jaao? Aur sab ko chhodo. It doesn't matter ke tumhaari family kya sochti hai, main kya sochta hoon, ya Hina kya sochti hai. Tum wohi karo jo tumhen sahi lagta hai. Nobody wants you to forget him, but do you really think Hasan would want you to become so absorbed in his memories that you stop living? Don't worry about anyone else. It doesn't matter what your family thinks, what I think, or what Hina thinks. You should do what you feel is right.

Aisha thought this over for a moment. She was sure that Hasan would want her to move on, and when she thought about it rationally, it was also the right thing to do. Hasan's memory would always be in her heart, but it shouldn't stop her from pursuing her own ambitions and desires. Confident that she was making the right decision, Aisha turned to Yusuf with a smile.

Aisha: Yahaan se chalen? Main Munnabhai ko miss nahin karna chaahti. Shall we go? I don't want to miss Munnabhai.

Yusuf's adorable dimples reappeared, and he called the waiter over to ask for the bill.

Lage Raho Munnabhai was hilarious and entertaining. Aisha and Yusuf were still laughing and repeating the dialogues on the way home. As they drove into Yusuf's driveway, Aisha couldn't help noticing how comfortable she felt around him. They got out of the car and Yusuf walked her to her door. Aisha thanked him for a wonderful evening, and gave him a hug, which seemed to pleasantly surprise him.

Once she was in the house, Samira and Maryam surrounded her at once and demanded to know every little detail. Aisha made the excuse that she was exhausted and promised to disclose everything the next day.

Back in her room, she immediately began to open her presents. She loved each one of them, but her favorite was a teddy bear that had "I will always be there" printed on its stomach. Aisha knew that Samira must have informed Yusuf that she collected teddy bears, but it didn't matter. The sentiment was from him.