ASYA STORY: HOLD MY HAND
PROLOUGE
BREAKING DAWN
The whole Siddiqui Mansion glowed like thousand twinkling stars as the small, enhancing fairy lights of different colors delicately caressed every part of the milky-white, magnificent house. Inside the house fragranced orchids, colorful silky and chiffon drapes and some more dazzling chains of small light-bulbs decorated the house from inside, making it look like a castle straight out of fairy-tale, both from inside and outside. Giggles and gossips, fun and food, greeting and gifting graced every nook and corner of the usually strict and dull four walls. The family members ran here and there ordering the servants and checking the arrangements for the last time. The servants scurried through the crowds of elegantly dressed people, following the orders given to them and trying to avoid getting scolded. Everything screamed perfection and why won't it? After all it was Mr. Gaffur Ahmad Siddiqui's beloved eldest daughter's wedding and it was something the whole city was looking up for, an event to remember for years. This was the dream wedding every girl wished for but still to the girl who was actually living this dream', it felt like nothing more than the most horrible nightmare of her life.
In her part of the beautifully decorated stage, Zoya sat decked up, looking like the most beautiful bride anyone had ever seen. But what no one could see was the silent tears that continuously flew down her veiled face. Her beauty, expensive jewelry and designer dress blinded people to her inner pain and anguish. Relentless tears caressed her rosy cheeks like liquid crystals as soft, silent sobs wrecked her body, shaking her shoulders a little. Her gaze was fixed on her lap where her palms laid strongly fisted, digging her nails in her flesh. She wanted to scream at everyone, urging to stop this wedding but her voice seemed lost in her choked throat. Her chest felt numb with the excoriating pain bleeding heart was feeling at that moment. Her insides were contracting again and again with the fear and anticipation of some approaching storm as her breathing quickened. She wanted to run away to somewhere far but the smiling face of her father paralyzed her legs. He looked happy and at peace like never before and that stopped her from taking reckless step. So with crying eyes and a breaking heart, the fallen angle sat there losing her wings, waiting for savior to come and guide her back home.
Humehra looked at her elder sister, sitting lifelessly, across the room and though she couldn't see her face properly but she knew that she was crying. She reminded her of the shooting star who lighted everyone's life, fulfilling all their wishes but itself died from the inside in the process. She wanted to go to her elder sister and console her but she stopped herself as she didn't want to draw unwanted suspicious attention. Her eyes caught Zoya's eyes for a split second and the pain and vulnerability it showed broke her heart. She blinked her eyes to reassure her while her own heart hammered with tension. With each passing moment her whole body was tensing up a little more. Despite the loud chatter in the background, all she could hear was the deafening sound of tick-tock. She had to help her sister to get out of this mess at any cost and the only person who person who could do so was HIM. But where was HE?
" Ayaan, where is he? Hasn't he come yet?" An anxious Humehra asked an equally distressed Ayaan who just came inside after checking from outside for his arrival for the fourth time in the last 45 minutes. Her eyes never stopped flickering between the clock and the entrance door.
" No, he hasn't come yet but don't worry. I have got his call. There was a road blockage and huge traffic jam due to some accident but it is alright. He must be reaching here any moment." Ayaan tried to assure Humehra who still looked dead worried.
"Humehra begum, please don't worry so much. Everything will be alright. Mona won't get married to that Akram. HE will be here at any moment and everything will go as we planned. HE won't let Mona get married to that disgusting and cheap guy. He will save her time. He has to reach here in time. He cares for Mona more than anyone else, you know that right? So just have faith in him, ok?" Ayaan tried to ease at least a little bit of panic Humehra, though his own condition was nothing better. He tried keep her belief intact on the only ray of hope they had at that moment. But before he could say anything more they heard the people happily exclaimed about the nikaah ceremony being started. Their gaze snapped from the stage to each other in pure panic and alarm. Their faced turned pale as the color drained from there. They held each other's hand tightly to assure each other as well as to gather strength from the other. And after giving one hopeful glance in the main door's direction, they made their way towards the stage with heavy but still hopeful hearts.
Humehra sat down beside Zoya and Ayaan sat down in the men's part which was separated from the women's part by a see-through, golden color net-curtain. While Ayaan tried to mask his contempt for the groom, Humehra gave Zoya a side hug, gently squeezing her shoulder and tensed palms, offering her silent support. Qazi sahib began the nikaah ceremony much to the trio's horror.
" Kya appko yeh nikaah qubool hai?" The Qazi shab finally asked the bride for her consent to which she stayed mum. All this while when she fervently prayed for a miracle, a soft yet confident voice from her soul said that someone would come to make everything alright, to save her from this nightmare.
" Kya appko yeh nikaah qubool hai?" The Qazi sahib repeated his question and when this time also she stayed silent, murmurs began to start. Akram and his family were also getting angry now but Zoya remained oblivious to all this.
" Kya appko yeh nikaah qubool hai?" This time when the question was repeated for the last time, the remaining hope left as a sad smile tugged at the corners of her lips. She could feel Shireen squeezing her hand , urging her to accept the marriage. She took a deep breath and a tear tricked down her cheek as she finally decided to accept her fate. But before she could say the dreaded words, a loud and firm voice answered on her be-half.
" Qubool nahi hai." A collective gasp could be heard as everyone's attention turned towards the insanely handsome man standing at the entrance.
" Asad Bhaijaan!!" Ayaan and Humehra whispered simultaneously as tears of extreme relief rolled down their cheeks while they looked at each other. The whole family looked like witnessing a ghost as they took in the confident posture of the man in front of them who vowed never to step foot into that house. Gafoor Siddiqui looked surprisingly calm with a hint of happiness and relief in eyes. But two souls stayed ignorant of everything around them, just lost in each other as their eyes looked with each other across the room.
Zoya gazed at the man whom she was seeing for the first time in her life but still there was something about him which instantly calmed her troubled senses, like a soothing caress of love on some deep wound. There were so many complicated collage emotions in his eyes that it was hard for her to decipher them. The unshed tears in his eyes confused her, the intensity of his eyes made her feel dizzy but still the tenderness in them calmed her, healed her. in that moment her heart knew that it had found its way back home.
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Helloo!!! Ok, don't kill me guys... yet. I know you are waiting for an update but as still many readers haven't read the recent update, so I was waiting for them to catch first before updating. I was think to wait one or two day but I was getting really bored. And while surfing through the saved documents I came across this one which I wrote months ago but forgot to post when I made this account in IF. I was really itching to post it. So it is here now. Please leave your likes and comments behind if you want to read more. It enough people are interested, I will continue both the stories together. Thank you😃
Ghum Hai Kisikey Pyaar Meiin
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