AsYa {KaBhi} FS: Inkaar Se Ikraar Tak
AsYa (KaBhi) TS : 1st Shot Inkaar
Rashid Ahmed Khan and his wife Dilshad Rashid Khan's joy knew no bounds. Their one and only son Asad Ahmed Khan had won the Young Architect of the Year Award. In order to celebrate their joy of Asad's achievement Rashid and Dilshad had thrown a grand bash. After graduating from The Bartlett, Asad had joined his father's construction business, Dilshad Constructions. Rashid Ahmed Khan was born into a middle class family but had rose to success working hard and honestly all his life. He was now one of the richest men in Bhopal and his company Dilshad Constructions ranked in the top 5 architectural firms in India. Rashid had recently launched a hospital project for his son Asad which he had successfully completed. Asad had reached the stars in his first project and was nominated for the Young Architect of the Year Award which he won.
Asad truly had a magnetic personality. He was handsome, well-educated, accomplished, talented young man belonging to a prosperous family. Rashid and Dilshad had invited all of those they knew in their personal and professional life. The guests had received with family' invites and most of them had brought along with them their young, beautiful and eligible daughters. Mostly everyone had come with the wish for Asad to become their son in law and there was nothing wrong with it.
The party was in full swing but Asad was cooped up in his study working. Being the most eligible bachelor proposals for Asad came almost every other day. Being parents of an only son Rashid and Dilshad were very enthusiastic for Asad's marriage. Asad was the best in all attributes of his personality but he did have some pride about his looks, education and money. During his college days many girls were dreaming of one day becoming Mrs. Asad Ahmed Khan but Asad forget liking anyone of them, he did not give a single one of them a second look.
"Ammi, I won't be eating dinner tonight at home. I have to attend my friend's wedding."
"When do you want to get married?" Dilshad made the best of the opportunity.
"Ammi, please don't start with me."
"Asad, humaare bhi kuch armaan hain. Beta, just say the word and I will look for the best suitable match for you."
"Ammi, there is no best suitable match for me in our circle."
"Why isn't there?"
"OK ammi, do as you wish."
Asad said yes so that Dilshad would leave him in peace. Asad said yes to marriage and Dilshad got to work. She contacted everyone she knew and also a high profile marriage bureau. Within a week she had collected a huge high pile of photographs and bio-data of girls. Asad was his parents' only child but they had a large extended family. As soon as Dilshad told them about Asad agreeing to marriage they all had only one mission and that was to find a bride for Asad. The women of the family began competing with each other claiming that the match they found was the best.
Asad began seeing and meeting suitable match after the other and the rejection also began. He found faults in each and every one of them. Someone was short, someone was dark, someone was overweight or someone was pencil thin, etc. He found some or the other reason to reject them.
In the beginning the excitement of the process of selecting a bride for Asad was filled in Khan Villa. Dilshad was dreaming to get her only son married dhoom dhaam se as the proposals of the best of the best girls were coming for Asad. But gradually she started to lose hope, and was feeling defeated. Asad was rejecting the best girls one after the other, the gossip mongers of the society began hushed talks about something being fishy as Rashid Ahmed Khan's son Asad was rejecting the girls. The girls were the best of the best so nothing was wrong with them so there was definitely something wrong with Asad.
"Asad, is there something going on? Do you like some girl and so you are rejecting the ones we have chosen for you?" Dilshad could no longer stand Asad's inkaar reasons so she seeking an opportunity and asked him.
"No ammi, where do I have the time to do all that? I am busy with my work all day long. Where will I get the time to fall in love?"
"Toh phir beta, you have to select one girl and have to say yes to her. We can go through the photos and bio-data once again."
"Ammi there is no one among these girls who will suit me. Main kahan aur..."
"Asad beta, the proposals of the girls which have come for you all belong to reputed families of our society. They have a standing, a respect in the society. They are from the background similar to ours. As you had specified the proposals are all of well-educated girls. There are some girls who are less educated than you are, I mean they have only done their graduation. If you say toh unmein se..."
"Ammi, you will not find a girl whom I will like. Aap hi toh kehti hain that your son is one in a million toh the girl we will like a girl should also be one in a million."
"I just wish that that moment comes sooner as I am losing my patience. Even the people are saying ki zaroor daal mein kuch kaala hai."
"Ammi, just because the people are gossiping I should get married? I will get married only when I like a girl."
Months passed by, Asad was busy with his work. He was in no hurry to get married but now Dilshad was completely defeated.
One day Dilshad saw a ray of hope when a proposal came for Asad from Mumbai. Zoya's father Gafur Ahmed Siddique himself too was in the construction business. Gafur belonged to one of the richest families in Mumbai. His daughter Zoya was well-educated. She had graduated top in her class and held a degree in Information Technology. She was working with the top most IT company in India.
Rashid and Dislhad were very happy when Zoya's proposal came for Asad.
"Mujhe pehle yaad kyun nahi aaya, Rashid yaad hai 2 years back we had gone to Mumbai for a wedding. There we had met Gafur bhai, his wife Razia and their girls Zoya and Humaira. Zoya... Hmm She is beautiful, well-educated, intelligent wo saari khoobiyaan hain jo Asad ko apni life partner mein chahiye. Dekh lena he will not be able to say no to her." Dilshad looked at Zoya's picture and smiled.
"Haan, tum keh toh theek rahi ho. 6 months back when I had gone to Mumbai for Architects' Associations meeting, Gafur bhai had invited me to his home. There once again I met Zoya. Humaira had just got engaged, she is the younger one but she was in love with someone toh they got her engaged. Ladka USA ja raha tha toh sagai karke bheja use. Now that Zoya's proposal has come for Asad I think humaare ghar shehnai goonjne ka waqt aa gaya hai. The doors of Asad's good luck and happiness for our family have been opened."
Asad was busy in his own life and work.
One Saturday Asad, along with Rashid and Dilshad arrived at Gafur's beautiful vacation home in Pachmarhi. The car pulled in the drive way. Gafur and Razia were at the door to welcome Rashid, Dilshad and Asad. Both the families met like they had known each other for a long time and met regularly. They made plans for lunch and dinner too. Gafur indirectly invited them to stay for the night. Asad and Zoya were given plenty of alone time. Zoya drove Asad to a posh restaurant. They talked about like their likes and dislikes, their dreams and also the kind of life partner they wanted and many general things two people talk about when they have met for a marriage proposal.
Asad had liked Zoya and now he was impatient to give the good news to his parents. They returned from the restaurant after an hour or so. When they came back the family saw that they had become friendly. Dilshad was sure that this time the ladki dekhna was successful. She was eager to know Asad's decision. Asad did not want to show his eagerness but he was also scared that if he showed too much pride and not say yes soon then Zoya's alliance might get fixed somewhere else. On Sunday both families had buffet lunch at and left to return to their hometowns. Dilshad thanked Allah in the car itself as Asad told her that he liked Zoya.
"Rashid as soon as we reach home aap Gafur bhai ko phone karke inform kar dijiyega that we have liked Zoya as our to be bahu. Asad too has liked Zoya and even fix an engagement date. I guess next to next week should be fine, dono taraf se tayyari ke liye enough time hai." Dilshad gave clear instructions to Rashid.
"Dilshad apne hawai ghode daudana band karo. You are making plans as if Zoya had said yes."
"Abbu, no girl can ever reject me. After all I am Asad Ahmed Khan the most eligible bachelor."
"Phir bhi beta, your mother is going overboard in her joy. How can we know what is in one's mind? Iss tarah se jaldbaazi mein baatein nahi hoti. The girl's side also needs to have the same eagerness as us. Let's wait for a day or two for their response nahi toh main khud baat karoonga."
Asad was whistling while driving the car. It was the first time he had done so. He had finally found his suitable match in Zoya and he had liked her. He was now feeling relaxed. He was eager to reach home and give a call to Zoya to tell her that it was a yes from his side.
That day Asad and Zoya spoke on the phone for almost the whole night. Zoya asked him for some time and Asad gave it to her. After 10 days Asad and Zoya once again met in Mumbai. They had not informed their family about the meeting. Asad thought that it was a yes from Zoya's side too. In 10 days their relation had come from Mr. Khan and Miss. Farookhi to Asad and Zoya. They had dinner and then Zoya dropped a bomb on him.
"Asad I need you as a friend."
"Banda aapki khidmat mein haazir hai." Asad said dramatically.
"Asad it is a serious matter please be serious about it."
"Bolo." Asad said seriously.
"Asad I have accepted you as a good friend but I will not be able to accept you as a husband."
"Wh...y?" Asad stuttered.
"Because I am in love with someone else and I want to marry him."
"Then why did you do all this?" Asad could not stop himself from asking.
"My ammi abbu want me to marry you. In our society there isn't a family like yours and a husband like you. What they are saying is true but the heart wants what the heart wants."
"Zoya, why don't they approve of the person you like?"
"He does not belong to the high society. He comes from a middle class background and is an IAS officer."
"Ok so what do you want me to do?"
"Asad, you have rejected so many girls so what's the big deal in rejecting one more. You can make any excuse and reject me."
"But it is not so in your case. I have like you and..." Asad could no complete his sentence.
"Haan par main aapko apni majboori kahin na."
"Theek hai, I will reject you but on one condition, if things don't work out between you and your boyfriend then you will give me a chance."
"I promise." Zoya smiled.
They parted ways after dinner. Asad was feeling heavy hearted. Zoya too got what she wanted but was not feeling light hearted. She could not forget the look on Asad's face when she asked him to reject her. She went home and Humaira was waiting for her.
"So? What happened?"
"He will reject me."
"Aapi, you got what you wanted toh why aren't you happy?"
"Humaira, I thought it would be easy for him to reject me. He has rejected so many girls waise bhi mujh mein kaunsi baat hai kaunse surkhaab ke par lage hain that he would have liked me so I thought but..."
"But?"
"But he likes me and..."
"Toh jhoot bolne ki kya zaroorat thi? I had told you na that instead of asking him to reject you by telling him lies that you like someone else you should have simply asked him for some time."
"Haw! You gave me the idea to tell him that I love someone else."
"Aapi, when did I say so?"
"Yaad nahi hai when we were discussing ki mujhe abhi shaadi nahi karni you said abhi shaadi nahi karni ya Asad se shaadi nahi karni that time idea aaya mujhe ki I should tell him that I want to marry someone else."
"Aapi, accha let it be what did he say?"
"He said he will reject me and also took a promise from me that if things don't work out between me and my boyfriend I will give him a chance."
"So?"
"Right now I am glad that he will reject me and then mera kaunsa boyfriend hai?"
Zoya smiled. Humaira thought that her sister was bonkers. She rejected Asad by asking him to reject her and that too without any solid reason. She was 22 years of age and wanted to work for another year or two before settling down and so she created this whole lie of being in love with someone else. Humaira doubted if Asad would be available when Zoya was ready because whether Zoya let it be known or not she did like him as a friend and would too as a life partner.
Asad reached Bhopal. Dilshad was waiting for him.
"Asad, you had gone to Mumbai, jhoot mat bolna mujhse I know it you went to meet Zoya. So is everything ok? Shall we get the dates fixed? I will give a call Razia bhabhi first thing in the morning." Dilshad was excitedly waiting for Asad's answer.
"Ammi, I think we should see a few more girls."
"Arre, par you said yes for Zoya."
"Haan, ammi but I want you to see a few more girls."
Asad climbed up the stairs and went to his room. Asad had faced failure for the first time in his life. Asad who had rejected so many had been rejected for the first time. That night he could not sleep. He had experienced the pain of being rejected. The face of every girl he had rejected flashed before his eyes. He realized if the news of him being rejected by Zoya was leaked then all the girls whom he had rejected would rejoice.
But Asad was feeling helpless. This was the first time in his life that he was feeling helpless. From the next day Dilshad began looking for other suitable matches praying that Asad would refuse to all of them and his inkaar for Zoya would change to his ikraar... Asad prayed that things did not work for her and her boyfriend and her inkaar would change to ikraar... Humaira prayed that Asad would still be available for when Zoya was ready to change her inkaar to ikraar...
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