Hello Salaam Namste!
Back with chapter 3.
It's 2: 15 AM. So you're lucky since I don't have time to bore you with my awesome Author's Note.
This chapter is dedicated to the chudailon ki chudail Hermain -ZaYalicious- because she can vote 100 times for ITA but cannot UNRES a comment.
And I'm touched.
Haha, no. Tum logo ne toh seriously le liya. 😆
Dedicated because she might have forgotten me but I still remember her :*
For you, chudail!
Open Your Eyes, Remember Me
Chapter 3
"Begum yeh log...kaise?" A horrified Ghulam asked Shabana who looked like she would pass out any moment.
"Ji mujhse kuch mat poochiye...jo ho raha hai hone dijiye..." Shabana replied, as if in a trance, her gaze fixated on her daughter and the woman beside her.
"Lekin Begum yeh log! Inki himmat kaise hui iss ghar mein qadam bhi rakhne ki?! Abhi inhe sabaq sikhata hoon mein." Ghulam said as he made his way towards Asmita.
"Ghulam Saheb nahin! Khuda ke vaaste ruk jaiye!" Shabana stopped him, her eyes full of unshed tears.
"Lekin--"
"Unhe sab pata chal gaya. Hamarea itna chhupaane ke baawajood, unhe sab pata chal gaya, Ghulam Saheb." Shabanas voice shook. "Aaliya samajhti hai ki woh unki bahu banne waali hai. Aur woh log isi baat ka faayda utha rahe hain." Shabana said, tears now flowing freely down her face.
"Lekin Begum ham yahaan khade khade apni beti ki zindagi barbaad hote hue toh nahin dekh sakte na. Kuch toh karna hoga na?" Ghulam argued.
"Karenge, lekin abhi nahin. Inke jaane ke baad ham thande dimaag se kuch sonchenge. Abhi bas jo ho raha hai use hone dijiye. Aaliya ko koi shak nahin hona chahiye." Shabana said.
"Ammi! Aaiye na. Ammijaan bula rahi hain." Aaliya called out to Shabana and Shabana's legs automatically carried her towards her daughter.
"A-Aaliya beta...tujhe pata tha yeh log aa rahe hain?" Shabana asked trying to look composed.
"Ji Ammi! Message mili thi mujhe Ammijaan ki." Aaliya said, remembering the commotion Zain had caused yesterday, running around the house with her mobile. "Ammi aapko toh pehle hi unhone bata diya tha, na Ammijaan? Isiliye maine aapse kuch nahin kaha." Aaliya asked Asmita.
"Haan woh beta..uh..." Asmita fumbled. "Arey haan! Zeeshan se kaha tha maine ki woh Samdhan Ji ko phone karke bata de, bhool gaya shayad woh. Bhulakkar kahin ka!" She lied.
"Accha...Kal hi Ammijaan me message kiya tha ki kal woh log kuch kaam ki wajah se nahin aa payenge isliye aaj tashreef jayenge. Aur ye bhi likha tha ki woh aapko bata kuchi hain, isliye maine aapko nahin bataya. Sorry Ammi. Mujhe laga tha aapko pata hoga." Aaliya said to Shabana.
"Nahin..koi baat nahin beta, teri ghalti nahin. Baatein chhupana kuch logo ki fitrat hoti hai." Shabana said, eyeing Asmita in disdain.
"Arey aap bhi na Samdhan Ji, dil pe mat lijiye. Chaliye ab ham chalte hain, kal Nikaah hai. Kitni saari tayyariyan karni hain." Asmita smirked. "Meri bahu ka khayaal rakhiyega. Amaanat hai meri aapke paas. Jise mein jald hi aapse waapas le lungi." Asmita said wickedly as she got up to go.
"Aur haan Aaliya beta, Zeeshan aur uske Abbu tumse sham tak milne aayenge, abhi woh dono kisi kaam mein busy hain. Zeeshan toh bahot betaab hai tumse milne ke liye." Asmita said to Aaliya who blushed.
Shabana's hands tightened into fists. How she wished she could face that lady hard across her face. So hard that her palm gets imprinted on her face forever.
But she had a daughter to care about at the moment.
She swallowed back her anger and smiled.
***
"Woh log matlab? Kaun log phoops?" Zain asked yawning.
It was 1 o'clock in the afternoon and he was still in bed.
But you could not blame him. It was not as if he had got an abundant sleep last night.
His mind kept flashing images of the previous night: Aaliya, her scent, her touch, the feel of her so close, her lips, how they had almost kissed and she hadn't resisted, not a bit. That meant he still had a chance with her. Zain grinned. And the happy days arrive, Zain Abdullah. He thought to himself and smiled again.
"Zain! Yeh hansne ka waqt nahin hai!" Shabana said alarmingly.
"Kya hua phoops? Aap itni pareshaan kyu lag rahi hain?" Zain asked, concerned.
"Zain Asmita Baaji aayi thi." Shabana said.
"Okay, toh?" Zain said, confused as to why Phoops was telling all this to him.
"Zain tumhe koi farak nahin padta? Tum theek toh ho?" Shabana said.
"Phoops mujhe kyu farak padega? Asmita Baaji aaye ya Pasmita Baaje." Zain said simply.
"Zain Zeeshan ki Ammi aakar Aaliya ka Zeeshan se Nikaah karane par--"
Zain shot up from the bed. "Zeeshan ki Ammi?" Zain asked. "Aaliya ka Nikaah karane aayi thi? Phoops aap mujhe sab kuch saaf saaf batayengi?"
"Haan wahi toh mein keh rahi hoon itni der se ki Asmita Baaji aayi hain lekin tum ho ki--"
"Mujhe kya pata ki Zeeshan ki Ammi ka naam Asmita hai. Woh aurat aayi thi yahan? Phoops uski himmat bhi kaise hui? Aapne use ghar mein qadam rakhne kaise diya?"
"Zain unhe sab pata chal gaya hai. Tum dono ke accident...Aaliya ki yaaddasht ke bare mein..sab kuch. Aur agar hum waisa nahin karenge jaisa woh log kahenge toh unhone hame dhamki di hai ki woh Aaliya ko sab kuch bata denge. Uski yaaddasht ke bare mein, uske ateet ke bare mein sab kuch. Zain, Aaliya ise bardaasht nahin kar paayegi. Woh--woh toot jayegi Zain. Khuda na khwastaa agar use kuch ho gaya toh mein apne aapko kabhi maaf nahin kar paaungi." Shabana sobbed.
Zain shot up from his bed and ran his fingers through his hair.
"Phoops toh aap chaahti hain ki mein chup chaap baitha rahoon aur aap meri biwi ka haath us...us Zeeshan ke haath mein de den?" Zain said, exasperated.
"Zain! Ye kya anaab shanaab bake jaa rahe ho tum?! Tumhe lagta hai ki mein apni shaadi shuda beti ka nikaah karwana chaahti hoon? Paagal ho gaye ho kya?! Zain un dono ka nikaah nahin hoga. Lekin gusse se kaam nahin chalega. Hosh mein aao Zain! Aur kuch socho." Shabana said. "Zeeshan aa raha hai sham ko use milne." Shabana added quietly, afraid of Zain's outburst.
"Zeeshan..." Zain said slowly, venomously. "Phoops agar us jaanvar ne meri biwi ki taraf aankh utha kar bhi dekha na, toh mein uski aakhe noch kar phenk doonga." He said, meaning each and every word.
"Zain! Zeeshan Aaliya se milne aa raha hai aur hame unhe milna dena hoga. BAS!" Shabana screamed. "Mujhe aur kuch nahin sunna hai tumse! Tumhe kya lagta hai mujhe accha lag raha hai yeh sab dekh kar? Bilkul bhi nahin. Lekin yahaan meri beti ka sawaal hai aur mein uski jaan khatre mein nahin daal sakti hoon, samjhe tum? Ab chaahe uske liye mujhe use Zeeshan se milwana pade ya kuch aur karna pade, mein karungi."
"Par phoops mein yeh nahin hone--"
"Bas Zain! Yeh mera aakhiri faisla hai. Chaahe tumhe accha lage ya nahin!" Shabana concluded and left the room, tears flowing freely down her face.
***
Ting Tong.
"Zain! Woh log aa gaye hain. Gussa qaboo mein rakhna." Shabana whispered to Zain.
"Aaliya ke liye, rakhunga qaboo mein. Lekin phoops agar Zeeshan ne Aaliya--"
"Tum unki nigraani karte rehna, theek hai? Lekin Aaliya ko shak nahin hona chahiye." Shabana said.
"Aaliya jaake darwaaza kholo beta." Shabana said.
"Jee Ammi!" Aaliya smiled as she went to open the door.
"Salam Walekum." Aaliya greeted them shyly.
"Walekum Salam beti. Kaisi ho tum?" Mohsin Ahmed said.
"Ji, theek. Aaiye, baithiye." Aaliya said showing them the way.
"As-Salam-Walekum Ghulam Saheb!" Mohsin Ahmed as he sat down on the sofa.
"Salam Walekum Ammijaan! Salam Walekum Abbujaan!" Zeeshan Ahmad spoke.
"Ji Walekum." Both answered stiffly.
Zain too greeted them stiffly and shook Zeeshan's hand, infact crushed it with his. He pressed his hand till he saw a satisfying grimace on the monkey's face who was standing across him.
"Aisa lag raha hai bade dino baad mulaqaat hui hai aap dono se." Mohsin smirked at their discomfort and the knowledge that at that moment he had so much power over them. He still had not forgotten the day when these people had insulted them and had rejected their son on the day of his marriage. He had not forgotten the slap Aaliya had given his son. It was not just a slap, it was a stain on their self respect. And now the time had come, the time had come when he would slap them back, when he would shred the little respect they had into pieces. It was payback time.
"Mein toh keh raha tha ki kal Nikaah hai, tab hi mil lenge. Lekin yeh Zeeshan hai na, maan hi nahin raha tha. Apni hone waali biwi se milne ke liye bahot betaab tha bechara." He laughed, a laugh that pierced their ears. "Jao beta, tum dono akele mein jaakar baatein karo. Ham bade yahaan baithte hain." He said to his son.
Zain's balled his hand into fists by his side. Akele mein baatien karega ye chooza, woh bhi meri biwi se? He thought, fixing Zeeshan with such a gaze that was enough to kill, except that zombies don't die, they're dead already.
"Kahin aur jaane ki kya zaroorat hai? Yahin theek hain na--" Ghulam objected.
"Arey Ghulam Saheb, ab Nikaah hone waala hai dono ka, kuch zaati batein karni hongi. Ab hum log kyu kabab mein haddi bane, hai na?" Mohsin said, giving him a look which quitened Ghulam. His hands were itching to throw the duo out of the house, but then there was Aaliya, his daughter, whose life was in danger, he couldn't risk it for the world.
"Jee. Theek kaha aapne." He said curtly.
Shabana placed her hand on his. "Jee fikar mat kariye. Zain un dono ki nigraani karega. Kuch galat nahin hoga." Shabana whispered reassuringly.
Ghulam nodded and exhaled with relief.
***
"Bahot acchi lag rahi hain aap." Zeeshan complimented as they ascended the stairs.
"Ji shukriya." Aaliya looked down and smiled. "Aap apni Ammi ke saath subah kyu nahin aaye?"
"Ab Nikaah hai mera kal, hazaaron kaam the, unhi mein mashghool tha. Lekin pehli fursat mein aapse milne chala aaya. Kyu aap bhi mujhse milne ke liye betaab thi?" Zeeshan asked her.
Aaliya blushed. "Nahin woh bas...aise hi poochha meine."
They had reached the terrace. Aaliya could hear the birds chirping, returning to their homes after another day of toil, could see the vast sky spread above her, it's blue turning pink as the sun dipped further down the horizon. Everything was so serene and peaceful around her, everything but her. She did not know why there was this agitation within her. Why did she feel like there was a weight in her chest? That something was not right?
She jerked out of her thoughts as she felt a clammy hand on hers. She looked up and saw Zeeshan smiling down at her. She looked back at their hands and her thoughts wandered off as she began to think how perfectly her hand fit in Zain's as if they'd been carved together. As if--
"Agar betaab thi toh keh dijiye na, isme sharmaane ki kya baat?" Zeeshan said moving closer to her. "Ab toh waise bhi hamaara Nikaah hone waala hai." He held her face by her chin and lifted it. "Hai na?"
His sour breath hit Aaliya and she closed her eyes in disgust. Hasn't he heard of breath mints? Aaliya thought trying to keep a straight face. She remembered Zain from last night, how he had smelled of cinnamom and chewing gum and...him. Wait. Was she thinking of Zain? Again?
Focus, Aaliya, focus. She told herself as she opened her eyes.
***
Zain wanted to break that hand off as soon as it touched Aaliya's. He fisted his hands until his nails dug into his palms, hoping the pain would reduce some of his anger, but to no avail.
And wait...What was he doing now? Moving closer haan? Closer to my Aaliya? His hands itched to distort Zeeshan's face. And distort it so much that Zeeshan would be scared to be within 10 miles of a mirror.
He saw Zeeshan hold Aaliya's chin and she closed her eyes. If he hadn't known Aaliya he might have thought she was doing it out of shyness or anticipation or whatever. But he could see the tension in her shoulder and the rigid posture of her body and was glad to know she internally disliked Zeeshan's touch as much as he did. Only she wouldn't accept it to him and he was ready to scream it to the whole wide world.
Zain's jaw clenched as Zeeshan leaned into Aaliya's face and knew he couldn't take it anymore and it was high time he did something. Something which did not involve beating Zeeshan into pulp.
"Aaliya!" He shouted, relieved as they broke apart. And glad that Aaliya look relieved too.
"Aaliya! Phoops kab se tumhe bula rahi hain. Kitchen mein kitna kaam pada hai." Zain made up.
"Mujhe toh aawaz nahin--"
"Arey awaaz aane ka wait karogi toh subah ho jayegi aur Phoops saara kaam khatam kar ke behosh bhi ho jayengi. Ab jao!" Zain shooed her away.
"Haan, haan theek hai..ja rahi hoon na, chillao mat!" Aaliya huffed as she went away.
Zain turned towards Zeeshan.
"You." Zain looked viciously at Zeeshan. "Stay away from her, do you get it?Warna mein--"
"Warna? Warna kya kar loge tum Mr. High and Mighty Abdullah? Tumhari biwi toh mujhe apna shohar maanti hai. Poora haq hai mera uspar." Zeeshan smirked.
Zain took a deep breath. He would not, could not pick up a fight here. He had to control himself. For her sake, Aaliya's sake.
"Tum--"
"Nahin actually, abhi poora haq nahin hai uspar. Poora haq toh nikaah ke baad hoga. Jab mein tumhaari Aaliya ko har tarah se apna bana lunga. Uski rooh ke saath saath uska jism bhi mera."
And that was it.
Zain's self control snapped. He took hold of Zeeshan's neck and pinned him to the wall.
"Himmat kaise hui teri!" Zain said, his voice dangerously low. "Aaliya ke bare mein aisa koi khayaal bhi aaya na tere momphali (peanut) sized dimaag mein," he tightened his grip on Zeeshan's neck. "Toh tujhe sochne laayak bhi nahin chhodunga."
All Zain wanted was to strangle him and throw him off the terrace, he gave Zeeshan's neck one last squeeze and let go off him.
Zeeshan choked and coughed. "Nikaah karke lekar chala jaunga tumhari Aaliya ko, aur tum khade khade dekhte reh jaoge, yeh mera vaada hai tumse. I promise you that, Zain Abdullah." Zeeshan said menacingly and left.
But Zain had a very clear perception about promises in life: that Promises are meant to be broken.
And as for this particular Zeeshan's promise, he would break it himself, smash it infact, into pieces.
***
Aaliya was in the washroom when she heard her phone ringing outside in her room.
She rushed outside to pick it up lest Zain comes and runs with it again.
Thankfully Zain was nowhere to be found.
"Salam Walekum" she said as she picked up the call from an unknown number.
"Walekum As-Salam" said a voice on the other end.
"Zeeshan aap?" Aaliya asked confused, she was sure she had saved Zeeshan's number in her phone, then why was it showing an unknown number?
"Ji haan...Aap kisi aur ko expect kar rahi thi?" Zeeshan said.
"Ji nahin wo bas..."
"Nahin mujhe laga shayad aap Zain ki call expect kar rahi hongi. Kaafi qareeb hai aapke woh. Aaj dekha meine kaise aapka hath pakad kar aapko bhaga diya mere paas se." Zeeshan said from the other end of the call.
"Nahin Zeeshan, aisi baat nahin hai. Woh kitchen mein sach mein kuch kaam tha, Ammi ne bulaya tha mujhe." Aaliya tried to cover up. "Woh kaun hota hai hamare beech mein aane waala?" Aaliya cringed as she said that, somehow it didn't feel right.
"Aapki soch uske bare mein aisi hi rahe toh accha hai. Rakhta hoon ab. Allah Hafiz." Zeeshan cancelled the call.
"Allah Hafiz." Aaliya murmured back, though the line was already dead.
***
Knock Knock.
"Zain? Kya hua beta? Itni raat ko yahaan kya kar rahe ho?" Shabana asked opening the door of her room.
"Phoops, meine soch liya." Zain said.
"Soch liya?"
"Arey plan phoops. Nikaah rokne ka plan." Zain said.
"Kya? Andar aao, jaldi!" An excited Shabana said. "Ghulam Saheb! Zain aaya hai, uthiye!" Shabana woke up Ghulam.
"Kya hua Begum? Itni raat ko Zain kya kar raha hai yahaan?" Ghulam yawned.
"Arey phoopha meine ek bilkul foolproof plan banaya hai kal ka nikaah na hone dene ke liye." Zain told him.
"Kya? Arey hame bhi batao." Ghulam sat up.
"Haan! Jaldi kar Zain!" Shabana said.
"Okay...toh plan yeh hai...ki ham Aaliya ko kidnap kar lenge!" Zain said. "Aur jab dulhan hi nahin rahegi toh nikaah kaise hoga? Na rahega bas, na bajegi baansuri." Zain finished triumphly.
"Aaliya ko agwaah kar le? Yeh hai tumhaara foolproof plan?" Shabana asked horrified.
"Jee phoops! Kyu accha nahin laga?" Zain asked.
"Zain!" She shook him by his shoulders. "Hum koi film ki shooting nahin kar rahe hain! Yeh real life hai! Samjhe?"
"Phoops aapke paas koi aur plan hai?" Zain asked.
"Nahin lekin--"
"Lekin vekin kuch nahin phoops. Aapke paas koi aur plan nahin hai aur ham sab te paas time nahin hai. Kal dopehar nikaah karne aa jayenge woh log, ham baith ke dande bajaenge kya?" Zain asked.
"Haan bhai, ladke ki baat mein dam toh hai Begum." Ghulam said.
"Aap bhi?" Shabana asked.
"Dekhiye Begum hame jo karna hai jaldi karna hai, Zain theek keh raha hai, waqt bahot kam hai. Hame kuch na kuch toh karna hi padega isse pehle di bahot der ho jaye..." Ghulam trailed.
"Lekin Aaliya ko agwaah karke ham jayenge kahan? Aur use zyada zaroori Aaliya ko agwaah karenge kaise?" Shabana asked.
"Phoops saari planning ho gayi hai. Mumbai ke tickets book kar liye hain meine--"
"Lekin Mumbai--" Shabana interrupted.
"Ghar nahin jayenge Phoops, hamara farmhouse hai wahaan jayenge hum. Kisi ko kuch pata nahin chalega. Aap tension mat lijiye. Accha mujhe ye bataiye ki yahaan aas paas koi cyber cafe hai? Mujhe tickets print karne hain." Zain asked.
"Haan beta, agli gali mein hi hai Kareem Book Shop, wahaan se kara lena. Lekin dekh lo, pata nahin itni raat gaye khuli hogi ya nahin." Ghulam said.
"No worries Phoopa, mein check kar leta hoon. Accha ab nikalta hoon, tension free hokar soiye ga. Allah Hafiz Phoops Phoopa!" Zain wished them and sneaked out of their room.
***
"Kahan jaa rahe ho?" Aaliya blocked Zain's path.
"Biwiyon ki tarah meri har chaal ki khabar kabse rakhne lag gayi, Mamu Ki Bhanji?" Zain asked smirking.
"Kitchen mein koi kaam nahin tha, kyu bheja mujhe wahaan se?" Aaliya asked, coming straight to the point.
"Tum khud wahaan nahin rehna chaahti thi. Mein toh tumhaari help kar raha tha." Zain replied.
"Mein kya chaahti hoon kya nahin yeh tum kabse decide karne lage?" Aaliya said.
"Mein nahin decide kar raha hoon. Tum uncomfortable lag rahin thi, get it? Ab mera raasta chodo." Zain said as he started to walk again.
"Tum meri aur Zeeshan ki jasoosi kar rahe the?" Aaliya inquired.
At that, Zain stopped walking. He had his back to her. Aaliya came up to it from behind and held him by his elbow, making him face her.
"Zain Abdullah." Aaliya said stepping toward him.
Zain took a step back.
"Kal mera nikaah hai. Aur Zeeshan mere hone waale shauhar." She said taking another step towards him.
Zain took another step back.
"Hum dono ke beech mein aane ki koshish mat karna." Aaliya said.
"Mein tum dono beech mein aane ki koshish kar raha hoon...?" Zain asked stepping behind.
"Yes, you heard that right." Aaliya said advancing towards him. Zain's back hit the wall.
"Door raho mujhse. And don't act like that...as if you have all the rights over me...as if..as if you own me. Let me tell you for a fact Mr. Zain Abdullah that you don't. You freaking don't own me!" Aaliya said, her eyes blazing.
Zain took a deep breath, trying to control himself. Trying to stop himself from blurting out everything to her, that that fact was that he did own her, that she was his and nobody else's. That she belonged to him and to no one elese, and definitely not to that pathetic excuse for a human being, Zeeshan Ahmed.
"Uss raat tumne mujhe kiss karne ki koshish ki thi aur aaj...tumne mujhe wahaan Zeeshan ke saath bhi time spend nahin karne diya. Kya chaahte kya ho tum?"
And that was it. Zain grabbed Aaliya's arms and pinned her to the wall, reversing their positions.
"Sawaal yeh nahin hai Aaliya ki mein kya chaahta hoon." Zain said, his eyes bloodshot. "Sawaal ye hai ki tum kya chaahti ho Aaliya! Haan, I accept that us raat mein shayad tumhe kiss karne waala tha lekin the question is ki us waqt tum kya kar rahi thi? Mujhse door bhaag rahi thi? Ya mujhe door bhaga rahi thi?" Aaliya's eyes widedned with each word Zain uttered. "And agar tumhe nahin pata toh mein batata hoon ki tum in dono mein se kuch bhi nahin kar rahin thi! You did not resist. Not a bit. Not an inch.
"Stop it Zain!" Aaliya tried to cut him off.
"Nahin Aaliya abhi meri baat poori nahin hui hai. The truth is that you wanted it. Wanted the kiss as much as--"
"Enough!" Aaliya said, unable to hear anymore. "Bakwaas band karo!"
"Bakwaas? Sach bakwaas lag raha hai? Ya phir ye sach itna kadwa hai ki niglaa nahin jaa raha tumse? Aaliya--"
"Bas Zain! Tum ek galat fehmi ko sach maan ke baithe ho! Meri zindagi ka sach sirf ek hi hai aur woh yeh hai ki mera nikaah Zeeshan ke saath hone waala hai."
Zeeshan, the hatred which Zain felt for him at that moment was almost unbearable. He squeezed Aaliya's arms tighter and pressed her harder against the wall.
"Zain, chodo mujhe!" Aaliya winced. "Zain chodo! Let go off me! Mujhe dard ho raha hai!"
At that Zain looked up.
"Dard toh mujhe ho raha hai Aaliya." Zain said, his voice almost in a whisper, their foreheads almost touching. "Itna dard, ki agar uska one-tenth bhi tumhe hota na...toh tum jal kar raak ho jaati." With that he let go of her, rather roughly and proceeded towards his room, slamming his door shut.
Aaliya just stood there, eyes brimming with unshed tears.
Questions floated in her mind.
Questions whose answers her heart was already giving.
Answers her mind repeatedly refused to accept.
***
I'm really frustrated right now because one of my ears has popped since morning and I can't hear anything much from that ear and you know how irritating it is, right?
So if the last part is crap, not my mistake, it's my ears, okay?
Please Like&&Comment.
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