Meerab closed the door of her room with a thud. Tears were running down her ckeeks uncontrollably. Her heartbeats were racing like a train. Her mind was numb. She didn't know why she was crying. Was she crying because she was angry, or because she was sad or because she had gone completely mad?
Though she had ran away from Murtasim but actually she wanted to ask him why did he care whom she spend her time with? Why did he always act like he had some rights to tell her what to do and what not to? Why was he always there to protect her whenever she was in any trouble?
She remembered just last year Maryam had told him about a guy who used to tease Meerab outside her college, the next day Murtasim had went to drop her college himself and beaten the pulp out of the guy. Meerab only came to know about it through her friends next day. He never said anything about it.
But such actions made her feel that she was more than just a cousin to him. Like when he would not let her drive alone after she had met with two minor accidents while she was learning to drive a car. He had ordered everyone that she was not allowed to drive alone untill he gives the permission. She always find his overprotectiveness endearing.
But now she knew it was all because in his some twisted logic he was only bearing his responsibility. He had made himself answerable to her dad regarding her safety in his mind. Which made her feel suffocated. She wished he would've just ignored her like he used to ignore all of his other teenage cousins.
But she knew it wasn't just because of his actions. If she was frank with herself she always liked him in someway or other. Then there was Maryam telling her how Phuppo wanted to keep Meerab always with her. But if she look back shedding her teenage romantic glasses, Murtasim had never given her any indication that he may feel anything special for her because he had never said he was doing all this for her. She assumed it was for her. Instead he had reminded her in many he was doing it for her dad whenever she had him she can take care of herself.
She wiped her tears and promised herself she would never accept any help or assistance from him anymore.
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"Meerab utho boht sari shopping karni hai hume." Maryam said patting Meerab's shoulder to wake her up.
"Kya shopping? Subah 7 baje kaun shopping per jata hai? Sone do." She said pulling back her blanket.
"10 baj rahe hain madam. Ghadi dekho. Ma subah se pareshan hain Meerab kyu itni dair se so rahi hai? Tabiyat to theek hai? ... Mujhe to lagta hai tum hi unki asli beti ho main to bas adopted hu." Maryam said pulling the curtains from the windows.
"Arey yaar raat dair tak jagi thi isliye aankh hi nahi khuli. Or tumhe kab se shopping me itni dilchaspi hone lagi?" She asked Maryam sitting up on her bed.
"Bhai ne Maya se shadi ke liye ha keh diya hai. Or kal Mangni hai or next Wednesday nikah hai kyunke chachu ko Thursday Australia ke liye rawana hona hai. To sab kuch boht jaldi jaldi karna hai." Meerab was stunned. She couldn't believe her ears. She felt like someone had torn her heart out of her chest.
"Yaar mene kabse imagine kara hua hai apna dress bhai ki shadi ke liye. Lekin jab tum dono inkaar kar diya tha shadi se to mujhe laga shayad khud ki hi shadi me pehenna padega ab. Kyuke bhai to razi hone se rahe shadi ke liye. Phir achanak raat ko Ma se bole ke tayyar hain. Khair mujhe to khushi hai koi to pasand ai unhe. Or me ye shadi tumhare sath enjoy bhi kar paugi warna agar tum dulhan ban jati to me to bore ho jati or Ma sare kaam mujh per daal deti." Maryam said enthusiastically but she didn't hear a word. She dived for the bathroom to hide away from Maryam.
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"Ma mein Maya se shadi ke liye tayyar hu."
Murtasim remembered last night he went to his mother to tell her about his decision. She was shocked at first but then she became happy and told him that Anwar chachu has already talked to her about it. And she was afraid that he won't agree this time again. But now she was content that she doesn't have to decline Anwar's offer.
He should be happy as it was his decision but he felt guilty because it felt like he's getting married just to clear his mind from his unseemly thoughts about a certain someone. Because he acted like a neanderthal last night. Meerab was afraid of him. She was crying. He never thought he could act so savage. He decided that he will move out after marriage. And promised himself that he will give Maya her rightful position in his heart. He was no teenager who can not control his emotions and hormones.
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"Kitne pyare lag rahe hain na dono?" One of Murtasim's paternal aunt said, looking at couple getting engaged, to Meerab who was standing in the farthest corner. She was proud of herself for acting so enthusiastic like it was just a family wedding which she was waiting for to dress up. She had went to shopping with Maryam previous day and was busy in preparations for the engagement ceremony since last night. She had made sure she was not left alone with her thoughts for a second lest she broke down.
"How can someone be so educated yet so idiot?" Said Shahzain, who was brooding since the he came to know of the wedding.
"What? Ab isme kya pareshani hai. Tumhari behn se shadi karna koi bewaqoofi kese ho gayi?" She replied, she was already annoyed with his behavior since previous day.
"Main Maya ke bare me baat kar raha hu. Mujhe pata hai Murtasim usse sirf Dad ki property ke liye shadi kar raha hai. Kyunke dad to apne business ko bachane ke liye kisi zimmedar bhatije ko hi chunege. Unka beta to nalayaq hai na." His words were dripping venom.
"This is nonsense. Murtasim isn't like that. He won't take what's rightfully your even if your dad serve him his money on plate. And anyway your dad isn't an idiot. If he doesn't find you good enough to handle the business he can anytime give this responsibility to Maya." She retorted angrily. She may almost hate Murtasim right now. But she wouldn't hear anyone blaming him for things he can't do in his wildest dream.
"Dont you see this is where this marriage is going to serve him as door to my dad's will." He said still adamant on his believes. Meerab didn't care to correct him anymore. She was already exhausted. She hadn't sleep the whole night. She couldn't care about anything anymore.
But she was wrong because when she saw Murtasim putting his ring on Maya's finger, she felt like something was crushing her heart. If was physically painful. And more painful was to make a happy face for the world. Just when she thought this will all be over in few hours and she will forget him as she had promised herself. His eyes turned to her. And in that one second her whole pretence of happiness fell apart like a house of glass. It was like his eyes were asking her if she was alright. Like he had sensed what no-one else was able to see. She couldn't take it anymore. She had to get out of there. She turned around and left the room as fast as she could without making anyone suspected.
She ran to porshe. The whole house was decorated with flowers and fairy-lights, which she had put on with her own hands. It felt like those shehnai and flowers were choking her. The whole aura of celebration was suffocating her. She had to get away, somewhere far far away from all this. She saw Maryam's car keys on the cabinet. She took them and ran outside to the car.
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"Meerab kaha hai?" Murtasim asked Maryam once the ring ceremony was over. "Wo kuch pareshan lag rahi thi."
"Yahi kahi hogi. Wo pareshan nahi hai bas thodi thaki hui hai. Shayad apne kamre me ho. Me do minute zara guests ko dekhti hu ap ja ke Maya bhabi ke sath bethen. Baqi sab hum pe chhod dein." She replied playfully.
But Murtasim couldn't erase that habit of being extra sensitive where Meerab was concerned. He had acquired this habit to sense her delima because at first he knew she won't tell him any of her problems herself so he started to look for it in her face's changing expressions. But then it became a habit.
She was not in her room. He remembered seeing her with Shahzain before he found her in the crowd of relatives lost in her thoughts. And then after a few minutes when he looked up she was gone. Had Shahzain said something to her, that had made her so sad? Because he remembered she was looking angry talking with Shahzain. He had promised himself to stay away from her life. But he couldn't help the feeling that she was in trouble. His phone rang which brought him out of his thoughts.
"Hello! Mr. Murtasim Khan? Is it your car number ....?"
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Hey guys hope you like
Do let me know in the comments what do think of the chapter.
I will post the next part tonight or tomorrow in sha Allah
ESTÁ A LER
Deewangi
RomanceEXCERPT "Kyu? I had protected you from everything all my life but who will protect you from me." He voice was so low she wouldn't have heard him had he not been this close. But his words froze her. She looked at him in horror. He won't do anything...
