Junoon 10

Author's POV

The days passed by with Salaar dropping Zara off everyday to her parent's house so that she could look after Mr. Siddiqui and later picking her up at night. Salaar would often come and stay with them as well, bringing any necessities needed.

Adeel was always making sure that Mr. Siddiqui was doing his physio right and doing it everyday, it was crucial in his treatment. Everyone in the family was doing their best to make sure that Mr. Siddiqui did not feel bad about himself. (A/N: For the people that don't remember, Adeel is a physiotherapist)

Currently, Salaar and Zara are in their mansion, getting ready for bed. Zara was lost in thought, standing in the balcony for some fresh air when she felt strong veiny arms snake around her waist, pulling her backwards.

Salaar rested his chin on her shoulder, looking at her face. Zara turned her face slightly towards him only to be met with his lips on hers. He didn't allow her time to register as he started kissing down her soft neck, making her grasp his arms for support.

They barely got any time together these days so this was sweet and special for both of them.

Salaar unwinded his arms from her waist and turned her around. He pushed her against the railing as he kissed her passionately, occasionally kissing her neck, giving her time to breathe.

After a few minutes, they were both breathing hard but Salaar knew he had to stop. Zara had set some boundaries during that time of the month. They stood there, basking in each other's presence which was oddly comforting.

Salaar suddenly said, "Zara mere khayal se humein Ami aur Abu ki taraf shift ho jana chahiye. Halaat ese hen ke kabhi bhi zaroorat parh sakti he" (Zara I think we should shift to your parent's house. The circumstances are crucial, we can be needed any time)

Zara was flabbergasted, she didn't expect Salaar would say that. "Waqayi? Hum kar sakte hen?" (Really? Can we?)

Salaar smiled, "Hmm, aur nahi to kia. Mere khayal se yehi behtar ho ga. Men uss area men koi ghar dhoondta hoon" (Hmm, yeah why not. I personally think that's better. I'll try finding a house in that area.)

"Han ye theek rahe ga. Men jaa ke Ami ko btati hoon." Zara said as she freed herself from Salaar's grasp and moved in the room. (Yeah that would be good. Let me go tell mom)

Before she could go in, Salaar's hand grasped her wrist, stopping her from going, "Wait. Abhi wo so rahi hon gi. Kal uth ke bata dena." (Wait. She might be sleeping right now. Tell her tomorrow when you wake up.)

Zara could do nothing but nod. She had no idea since when did Salaar care this much about her family, even she didn't think of this. She smiled at the thought that Salaar cared for her family like it was his, maybe even more.

She thought that she should return the favor too. That's the least she could do. She knew that Salaar did not get along with his father very well which also resulted in him visiting his mom less too. The only person in his family he genuinely got along with was Huzaifa.

She knew that if she did something without Salaar knowing, he might not take it very well so she opted to ask him instead. "Salaar, hum apki family ko dinner ke liye invite kar len?" (Salaar, can we invite your family to dinner?)

Salaar's was surprised by the sudden question but he quickly recovered as his features hardened and his eyes seemed to be zoned out. "Kion meri jaan? Sab theek he?" (Why my love? Is everything okay?)

"Han han sab theek he, bas wese hi. Jabse humari shadi howi he, humnein unko kabhi bhi nahi invite kia." Zara said, making it seem casual. (Yeah yeah everything is ok. It's just that since we got married, we haven't invited them at all.)

"Dekho Zara, apko pata hai ki men apne waalid ke sath itna close nahi hoon jis tarah ke aap ho. Mujhe wo insaan bilkul nahi acha lagta." Salaar said, grabbing her shoulders to show the intensity of what he is saying. (Look Zara, you know that I don't get along with my father very well like you do. I don't like that person at all.)

"Salaar, beshak unhon ne apke sath zyati ki he aur men maanti hoon ke unki ghalti he, magar wo apke waalid hen. Jab aap Turkey men the, apne unko support kia aur apne unke liye naya ghar khareeda jo ke hospital ke paas tha jab unko heart attack howa tha." (Salaar, even if he did wrong you and I believe it is his fault, he is still your father. When you were in Turkey, you supported him and even bought a new house for them that was near the hospital after he had a heart attack.)

"Aap jitna marzi taal lo, magar apko bhi pata he ke wo apke waalid hen aur unki izzat karna zaroori he. Ap unke liye hi nahi magar apne liye unko maaf karein." Zara said in a soft voice, trying to explain it to him. (No matter how much you deny it but you know that he is your father and you need to respect him. Forgive him, not just for him but for you too.)

Salaar could not meet her eyes. He knew what she said was right. He still did care for his dad because at the end of the day, no matter what he did, he is still his father. And now that he looks back at it, he realized there was probably some other reason for why his dad was like this to him.

Zara didn't want to pressurize him into saying something so she just hugged him, letting him be at peace with his own thoughts.

_____________________________

The next day, Zara and Salaar were getting ready. Zara was planning to stay at home today to start packing, she had already told her mom that they were planning to shift near them. The news was joyous for everyone so everyone insisted that Zara stayed home and started packing.

She was in the room, taking her and Salaar's clothes out to arrange them once before she packed them as Salaar walked in. He sat down on the loveseat in their room looking at her packing the clothes.

At first, she ignored it but then once a few minutes had passed, she turned towards him, raising her eyebrows at him. After a brief moment of silence he says while diverting his eyes, "Ami aur Abu ko aaj raat ki dawat de doon?" (Should I invite mom and dad tonight?)

Zara smiled, realizing that he actually considered it and this could be a good step for him. She walks towards him, content and gives him a light peck, proceeding to nod.

Salaar smiles too, seeing that she really is a good influence on him. "Kia banao men? Meethe mein kya pasand he uncle aur aunty ko?" (What should I make? What do uncle and aunty like for dessert?)

"Jo marzi bana lo. Meethe men kheer bana lo, if that's ok." Salaar smiles, getting the feeling of an actual couple. (Whatever you want. You can make sweet rice pudding (kheer) for dessert)

"Ok" Zara gets excited as this was the first official dawat they were hosting after their marriage. She went downstairs to start the preparations, leaving Salaar to his thoughts.

He opened his contacts, finding the contact "Abu". He never called his dad, ever. He always called his mom or Huzaifa and asked about his dad. It felt a bit surreal. He wasn't even sure if his dad had his number saved.

He pressed the call button, making the phone ring in the empty room. He would deny it but his heart was actually beating in anxiousness. After a few rings, the phone was picked up and he brought it to his ear.

"Assalamualaikum....Abu" He said, feeling the strange feeling of calling his Abu after so many years of resentment. (Assalamualaikum....father)

"Walaikum Assalam beta" Mr. Sikander said without wasting another moment. The joy in his voice was significant. (Walaikum Assalam son)

"Kia hal he apka?" Salaar asked. His heart finds a different kind of solace while having a normal conversation with his dad. (How are you?)

"Men theek hoon Alhumdulilah. Aapka kya haal hai beta? Zara beti ka kya haal he?" Mr. Sikander said and asked. He could not describe how happy he felt receiving this call from his son. (I am good, Alhumdulilah. How are you son? How is Zara?)

"Bas sab theek hen, Alhumdulilah. Ami ka kya hal he?" Salaar said. (We're alright, Alhumdulilah. How is mom doing?)

"Tumhari Ami bhi theek hen. Abhi upper gayi hen dawai lene." Mr. Sikander replied. (Your mother is fine too. She just went upstairs to get her medicine.)

"Acha. Abu, aaj aap logon ka raat ka khana hamari taraf ho ga. Jab se humari shadi howi he, humnein aap logon ko nahi bulaya." Salaar, feeling awkward saying this. He has never invited anyone like this before. (Okay. Dad, you guys' dinner will be at our place. Since we got married, we haven't invited you guys.)

"Hmm theek he. Mera beta kitna bara ho gaya he." Mr. Sikander said, feeling proud of his son. (Hmm alright. My son has grown up.)

"Bara to bahut pehle ho gaya tha." Salaar couldn't help but say this. (I grew up a while ago.)

An awkward silence settled between them. Salaar broke it immediately, "Aap phir Ami ko bata dena. Huzaifa apko le aaye ga." (Let mom know too. Huzaifa will give you a ride)

"Theek he." Mr. Sikander said. (Okay)

"Chalein phir, Allah Hafiz." Salaar said. (Okay then, May Allah be with you.)

"Allah Hafiz" Mr. Sikander replied. (May Allah be with you.)

Salaar cut the call off. He wouldn't lie but his heart did feel somewhat peaceful now. It was as if he was letting his heavy heart drop some of its burden. He got up, looking forward to something new.

_____________________

The sun could be seen going down slowly as the last rays of sunshine lit up this part of the Earth. Zara and Salaar were all ready to welcome their guests. Salaar was sitting in the lounge room while Zara was making sure the table was set and the dishes were warm.

Beside Salaar were his two friends Mikael and Rayaan while Raha was trying to make sure she looked good. Rayaan and Mikael were really surprised when Salaar told them that he had taken this step. But nonetheless, they were happy for him.

They realized that Zara was able to do what none of them were able to even explain to him. Zara entered the lounge room to see how Salaar was taking all this. Just then the doorbell rang.

Without wasting another second, Salaar rushed to the door surprising both Zara and his friends who chuckled. He wouldn't admit it but he was genuinely happy that this was another chance for them to get closer. The others followed suit to greet everyone

As he opened the door, he met his mother standing with his dad behind her. He greeted them and hugged his mother, allowing her to come in. Mrs. Sikander moved inside, allowing Mr. Sikander to be greeted.

Salaar stood rooted as he saw his dad, not sure what to do. Thankfully, Mr. Sikander made the first move and opened his arms for an embrace. Salaar, without a hint of doubt embraced Mr. Sikander.

Zara and Mrs. Sikander watched the scene unfold in front of their eyes with relief and pure joy. Salaar and his father basked in each other's missed moments, hoping that the hug could replace all those lost times.

Mrs. Sikander snapped out of her daze and hugged Zara with the most loving smile ever which Zara equally returned. Mr. Sikander was next to give blessings to Zara. She found him less scary now that she is literally part of the family.

Huzaifa walked in next with boxes of sweets and gifts for everyone. Zara asked the househelps to help put away the things brought. "Bari baat hai bhabhi, aaj bohut saal baad humari family akathi howi he. Konsa jaadu kia hai bhai par?" Huzaifa joked around. (It's a huge deal sister-in-law, our whole family has gathered together after soo many years. What magic did you do on my brother?)

"Bhabhi ke bache. Idhar aao." Zara playfully dragged him to the side by his ear. (You idiot. Come here.) (A/N: ok i know bhabhi ke bache does not mean idiot but the literal meaning does not make sense lol.)

"Ouch. Maine kya kiya?" Huzaifa asked. (Ouch. What did I do?)

"Achaaa. Salaar se abhi tak baat kio nahi ki?" Zara asked, putting her hands on her hips. (Okayyy. Why haven't you talked to Salaar?)

"Konsi baat?" Huzaifa said with the most confused face ever. (About what?)

"Apne aur Raha ke baare men." Zara looked at him with the most obvious look. (About you and Raha?)

Huzaifa scratched the nape of his neck awkwardly, "Apko pata tha?" (You knew?)

Zara slapped his arm, "Mein andhi nahi hoon aur haan mujhe pata he." (I'm not blind and yes I knew.)

"Bhabhi aap to Salaar Bhai ko jaanti hai aur Rayyan Bhai ne to mujhe jaan se maar dena he." Huzaifa said with the most disappointed face ever. (Sister-in-law you know about Brother Salaar and Brother Rayyan is gonna put me 6 feet under.)

"Uffo! Kitna darte ho tum wese. Tum baat kar ke dekho aur men bhi poori koshish karoon gi." Zara said, reassuring him a bit. (Oh Goodness! You're such a coward by the way. You try to talk to them and I'll talk to them too.)

Huzaifa was still hesitant so he didn't say anything. Zara added, "Aur agr nahi to phir hum Raha ke liye koi aur larka dhoond lete hen." (And if not then we will find another guy for Raha.)

Huzaifa quickly replied, "Arey nahi nahi bhabhi kesi baat kar rahi hen. Esa to nahi ho sakta." (Oh no no sister-in-law what are you talking about. That's not possible.)

"To phir jaldi karo budhu." Zara smiled and said. (Then hurry up idiot.)

"Jee theek he bhabhi. Aap please meri madad karna." Huzaifa said, almost begging her. (Alright sister-in-law. Please help me too!)

"Han han zaroor kion nahi. Akhir tumhare bachon ki tayi hoon gi. Acha chalo ab baki saaron ke paas chalte hen." Zara said, reassuring him again. (Yes yes of course, why not. After all, I will be the older aunt of your kids. Anyways let's join the others now.)

Huzaifa and Zara joined everyone else who were all sitting in the living room. They all looked towards them with questioning eyes. "Wo kuch kaam tha mujhe Huzaifa se." Zara said quickly (I had some work with Huzaifa.)

Everyone just continued with their conversations after this. Salaar was talking with his mother, asking her about her health and everyone else. Seeing Mr. Sikander alone, Zara decided to involve him in a conversation.

"Aur sunayein Abu, aap ki tabiyat kesi he? Doctors kya kehte hen?" Zara asked casually. (So tell me more dad, how's your health? What do the doctors say?)

"Abu?" Mr. Sikander said, surprised. This caught everyone's attention and all eyes were now on Mr. Sikander and Zara. (Father?)

Zara thought he might've found it bad that she was calling him dad so she quickly said. "Oh I'm so sorry mujhe aandaza nahi tha men apko kia bulaon. Uncle theek rahe ga?" (Oh I'm so sorry I didn't have an idea on what to call you. Should I call you Uncle?)

"Nahi nahi beti. Abu sunn kar bohut acha laga mujhe. Aap mujhe Abu hi bulana." Mr. Siddiqui said quickly, making sure that his dazeness was not considered rude. (No No daughter, It was nice to hear you call me father. You can call me father.)

"Jaisa apko theek lage." Zara smiled and said. Everyone else also felt a soft bond between the duo. Mr. Siddiqui blessed Zara as they carried on with their conversation. (Whatever you please.)

Mr. and Mrs. Siddiqui never had a daughter so having Zara look after him like his own child made him grow fatherly feelings towards her. Secretly, Salaar's heart was even more joyous than Mr. Siddiqui. Without even realizing it, Zara was willingly giving herself to Salaar.

After that, food was served and everything was according to taste for everyone. The salt was kept a little at bay due to Mr. Siddiqui's heart problems. There were different conversations going around the dinner table.

Suddenly Zara thought she should mention this, "Abu, aap logon ne Huzaifa ki shadi ke baare men kia socha he?" This caught everyone's attention, especially Raha and Huzaifa. (Dad, have you thought about Huzaifa's wedding?)

"Beta humne to filhal kuch bhi nahi socha. Humne to Salaar ke liye bhi nahi socha tha usne khudi shadi kar li. Magar hum bohut khush hen ke aap se howi he." Mr. Siddiqui said. (Child, we haven't thought about anything yet. We didn't even think about marriage for Salaar yet he still got married. But we're so happy that he married you.)

"Wese Zara ab aap ne kaha he to koi ladki dhoondte hen. Huzaifa aap shadi ke liye tayaar ho na?" Mrs. Siddiqui said. (By the way Zara, now that you mention it, we should start looking for someone. Huzaifa, you're ready for marriage right?)

Everyone looked at Huzaifa, curious. He felt awkward and embarrassed but slowly nodded his head. He could see Raha feel a little shy.

"Chalo ye to acha he." Mrs. Siddiqui said. (Okay that's good!)

"Ami apki nazron mein koi he Huzaifa ke liye?" Zara asked, hinting towards Raha subtly. Raha widened her eyes at the straight up shot. (Mom, do you have anyone in sight for Huzaifa?)

"Han wese he to sahi." Mrs. Siddiqui said. Zara, Raha and Huzaifa gripped their hearts, waiting to hear Raha's name. "Wo Sharma sahab ki beti, Muskaan nahi he." Mrs. Siddiqui said. (Yeah I do have someone in mind.) (You know Mr. Sharma's daughter, Muskaan.)

Huzaifa spit out his drink and went into a coughing fit. Raha's heart broke and Zara's face dropped hearing her answer. She could not let this happen. Salaar offered Huzaifa water while Rayyan patted his back asking if he was alright.

Raha could be seen hurt but she tried to hide it. "Wese humne Huzaifa se to poocha hi nahi ke usse koi pasand he" Zara said, trying to recover the topic again. (By the way, we haven't asked Huzaifa if he likes someone.)

Everyone looked at Huzaifa, waiting for him to answer. Huzaifa, who looked like a deer caught in headlights, looked at everyone back. His ears turned red in embarrassment as he awkwardly said "uhm"

Salaar was getting suspicious of his wife's probing questions. He put his hand on her thigh from under the table, grabbing her attention. "Hum uske liye koi behtreen ladki dhoondein ge jo usse pasand aa jaye gi." Salaar said out loud making it clear that it's final (We will find an amazing girl for him that he will like.)

Zara turned towards Salaar giving him a hard look "Aap to chup hi rahen. Huzaifa, aap batao, aapko koi pasand he?" (You keep quiet. Huzaifa, you tell us, do you like anyone?)

Salaar and everyone else looked at Zara in disbelief. Nobody spoke to Salaar like that. Salaar found it adorable how she was the only person that could talk to him like this. Zara was glaring at Huzaifa to muster up his confidence and just say it.

"Jee, mujhe koi pasand he." Huzaifa said softly, wanting to disappear from the embarrassment. (Yes, I like someone.)

Salaar looked at him shocked. He could not believe that his brother liked someone. It felt foreign. Raha took a deep breath in while Zara relaxed that Huzaifa didn't chicken out.

"Acha. Beta apne batana to tha." Mr. Siddiqui said. Everyone apart from Salaar chimed in. (Okay. You should've told us, son.)

"Apne kabhi pocha hi nahi." Huzaifa said, focusing on the food. (You never asked.)

"Office se koi he? Tum ye karne jaate ho office?" Salaar asked with a hard voice. (Is it someone from the office? This is what you are going to do at the office?)

"Nahi bhai. Office se nahi he koi." Huzaifa said, his head lowered as he listened to Salaar scold him. (No brother. It's not someone from the office.)

"Phir?" Salaar asked again with pressure. (Then?)

"Apko kion masla he?" Zara said, siding with Huzaifa. (Why do you care?)

"Wo mera bhai he. Shareef logon ki tarah shadi kare." Salaar said. Zara looked at him flabbergasted. (He is my brother. He should marry like a respectable person.)

"Salaar. Apko shayad yaad nahi hai ki apne mere se kis tarah shadi ki thi. Agr apne apni pasand ki shadi ki he to usse bhi poora haq he. Huzaifa, apne bhai is baat na suno, tumhari bhabhi idhar hai." Zara scolded Salaar, feeling angry at him. (Salaar. Maybe you don't remember how you married me. But if you marry with your choice, he has the same right. Huzaifa, don't listen to your brother, your sister-in-law is still alive, she will help you.)

Salaar realized that he in fact did marry to his choice. However, he didn't say anything. Mr. and Mrs. Siddiqui saw how Zara could discipline Salaar and smiled. The once hot headed guy was under the control of a girl who didn't realize it yet.

"Huzaifa, ladki he kon?" Rayyan asked. "Han han batao" Mikael added. (Huzaifa, who is the girl?) (Yeah yeah tell us)

Huzaifa thought to himself 'your sister' but he couldn't really say it out loud. It was ironic how the brother of the girl was asking who the girl was.

"Bas koi he. Abhi nahi bata sakta." Huzaifa said. (It's someone. I can't tell you now.)

"Acha khana kha len, thanda ho raha he." Zara said, directing everyone back to dinner. (Okay let's eat, it's getting cold.)

After that everyone focused on the food provided and ate to their fill. Once everyone was done, they shifted to the broad living room to chat around while sweets and tea was being made.

(A/N: This is what I was thinking about the living room. Fancy as hell. Plus their house is isolated in the woods, you can see the woods from the window lol.)

As everyone was sitting, Zara tried to shoot her shot as cupid again. "Rayyan bhai, apne Raha ki shadi ke baare men kia socha he?" Huzaifa could be seen giving side eyes to her but she ignored him. (Brother Rayyan, what have you thought about Raha's marriage?)

"Bhabhi socha to hai agar koi acha larka nazar men ho to baat chalayein. Agr Raha ko koi larka pasand hai to wo bhi bata de, wese mujhe lagta nahi ke usse kio pasand he." Rayyan said, his face a little sad thinking about marriage for his sister. (Sister-in-law I did think that if I saw a decent guy, I would marry her off. If Raha likes someone then that works too although I highly doubt she does.)

"Hmm. Chalo Allah Miyaan naseeb naik kare." Zara said. She gave Raha a death stare to tell her brother but Raha couldn't muster up the courage. (Hmm. May Allah make their fate good.)

"Ameen." Rayyan said. (Ameen)

"Wese Rayyan. Bhabhi ka bhai, Adeel bura larka nahi he Raha ke liye." Mikael said. Raha was like his own sister, a sister he never had. (By the way, Rayyan. Sister-in-law's brother, Adeel, is not a bad guy for Raha.)

"NAHI" Huzaifa yelled as he stood up from the couch. Everyone stopped their conversation and looked at him perplexed. "Sorry wo match dosri team ne goal kar dia." He said and held his phone like he was watching a match. (NO) (Sorry someone from the other team scored a goal.)

Everyone just nodded and went back to their conversations. Zara quickly said, "Baat ye he ke Adeel bhai ki mangani ho chuki he already." (The thing is, brother Adeel is already engaged.)

"Meri shadi ko le kar bethe hen ye dono bhai, bhala apni shadi ke baare men bhi kuch soch len." Raha added in. (These brothers of mine are worried about my marriage, they should think about their own first.)

"Ye aaj kal ke bachon men barhon ke liye izzat hi nahi reh gayi" Mikael said jokingly. (The kids these days have no respect for their elders.)

"Jee bilkul Mikael bhai, apke baad jitne bhi bache paida howe hen wo sab ese hi hen." Raha added on, rolling her eyes. (Yes exactly brother Mikael, anyone born after you is like this.)

Mikael feigned sadness, shaking his head when Raha stuck her tongue out at him. Rayyan and Zara smiled at the bicker.

"Baat to theek he Raha beti ki. Tum dono ne shadi nahi karni? Kaware marna he?" Mr. Sikander asked when he heard what they were talking about. (Raha has a point you know. Are you guys not going to marry? Do you want to die single?)

"Nahi aisi baat nahi he. Wo bas Raha ki shadi ho jaye pehle phir men apni sochon ga." Rayyan said. (No it's not like that. It's just that I wanted to get Raha married first and then I'll think about myself.)

"Aur aap, Mikael miyaan?" Mr. Sikander directed his question at Mikael. (And you good man, Mikael?)

"Uncle mera ye hai ke abhi tak koi ladki hi nahi mili. Jo milti hen, unki already kahin setting howi hoti he." Mikael replied saddened. (Uncle, the thing is, I haven't found a girl yet. The one's I've met already are committed.)

"Oho. Chalo agr meri nazar mein koi howi to bataon gi." Zara said quickly. She had no clue that this was what happened with Mikael's love life. (Oh. Alright, I will let you know if I see someone.)

After that, Zara got up and left to bring the tea and other sweets. She was in the kitchen when Raha joined her.

"Bhabhiii. Aap mujhe zinda marna chahti hen kia?" Raha spoke in a really edgy tone. (Sister-in-lawww. Do you want to murder me alive?)

"Ab kia ho gaya?" Zara asked with her hands on her hip. (What happened now?)

"Jese apko to pata nahi." Raha said, rolling her eyes. (As if you have no idea.)

"Aaj to men tum dono ki baat pakki karwa ke hi rahoon gi." Zara said winking at Raha and handed her a tray. (Today, I will make sure that you guys are committed to each other.)

They both walked into the living room and started serving tea. Zara went to serve Huzaifa his tea and said, "Chak de phattey.", hinting to him that he should go for it. (Good Luck!) (A/N: ik chak de phattey doesn't actually mean that but I ain't gonna write lift the wooden planks.)

Everyone was almost done with their tea and snacks when suddenly Huzaifa spoke up. "Actually, Rayyan bhai, mujhe kuch kehna tha," Huzaifa started, his voice shaking slightly. (Actually, Brother Rayyan, I wanted to say something.)

The room fell silent as everyone turned their attention to Huzaifa. He took a deep breath and continued, "Mujhe Raha pasand hai. Aur main usse shadi karna chahta hoon." (I like Raha. And I want to marry her.)

Rayyan and Salaar exchanged glances, and then turned to look at Huzaifa, their expressions unreadable. For a moment, the air was thick with tension. Then, without warning, Rayyan stood up, his fists clenched.

"Tumhara dimagh kharab ho gaya hai?" Rayyan shouted, his voice echoing through the room. (Have you lost your mind?)

"Rayyan! Calm down!" Mr. Sikander quickly interjected, stepping between Rayyan and Huzaifa.

Salaar, who had been silently observing, finally spoke up. "Rayyan, shant ho jao. Dekho, agar Huzaifa sach mein Raha se pyar karta hai, toh humein unki baat sunni chahiye." (Rayyan, calm down. Look, if Huzaifa really loves Raha, we should listen to him.)

Rayyan turned to Salaar, his face still red with anger. "Aur tum? Tum bhi isse support kar rahe ho?" (And you? Are you supporting him too?)

Salaar nodded firmly. "Haan, agar dono ek dusre se pyar karte hain, toh humein unhein ek mauka dena chahiye." (Yes, if they love each other, we should give them a chance.)

Rayyan looked conflicted, his emotions warring on his face. Finally, he exhaled sharply and turned to Raha. "Tumhe kya kehna hai?" (What do you have to say?)

Raha looked up, tears in her eyes. "Bhai, mujhe bhi Huzaifa pasand hai. Main usse shadi karna chahti hoon." (Brother, I like Huzaifa too. I want to marry him.)

The room was silent for a moment as Rayyan processed this information. Just as he seemed to calm down, he turned back to Huzaifa, his anger reigniting. "Tumne meri behen ko phasaya hena?" (You're the one that trapped her right?)

Huzaifa, feeling cornered, stepped closer. "Rayyan bhai, main sach mein Raha se pyar karta hoon aur uski khushi ke liye kuch bhi kar sakta hoon," he said earnestly. (Brother Rayyan, I truly love Raha and can do anything for her happiness.)

Rayyan's fist tightened. "Aur agar tum usse dukh pohonchao? Main tumhe nahi chhodunga!" (And if you hurt her? I won't spare you!)

Before anyone could react, Rayyan swung and punched Huzaifa hard in the jaw. Huzaifa staggered back, holding his face. The room erupted in chaos.

"Rayyan, bas karo!" Zara screamed. (Rayyan, stop it!)

Huzaifa, regaining his balance, looked ready to retaliate, but Mikael quickly stepped in. He grabbed Rayyan, holding him back with all his strength. "Rayyan, yeh theek nahi hai! Thande dimagh se socho. Huzaifa to phir bhi ghar ka larka he aur acha he." (Rayyan, this isn't right! Calm down! Huzaifa is someone we know and he's a good guy.)

Rayyan struggled against Mikael's grip, his eyes still blazing with fury. "Chhodo mujhe! Tum log samajhte kyun nahi?" (Let go of me! Why don't you all understand?)

"In dono ko itna nahi howa ke baron ko bta den. Meri peet peeche meri behen ke sath na jane kia kar raha tha." Rayyan said, fuming with anger. (These two didn't even bother to inform the elders. Who knows what they were doing behind our backs.)

"Rayyan bhai. Uski fikar naa karen. Dono ki razamandi hai aur niyat saaf he." Zara interjected. (Brother Rayyan. Don't worry about that. They have both consented and they have the right intentions.)

Salaar stepped in between Rayyan and Huzaifa, his voice stern. "Rayyan, yeh ladai kisi ko bhi kahin nahi le jaayegi. Tumhe samjhna hoga," he said, trying to calm the situation. (Rayyan, this fight will get us nowhere. You need to understand.)

Raha, tears streaming down her face, stepped forward. "Bhai, please, meri khushi ke liye. Huzaifa ko ek mauka do," she pleaded. (Brother, please, for my happiness. Give Huzaifa a chance.)

Rayyan, breathing heavily, finally stopped struggling. Mikael cautiously released his grip, ready to intervene again if necessary. Rayyan looked at Raha, her tearful eyes softening his anger.

He took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping. "Theek hai. Tum dono khush ho, toh main maan jaata hoon. Lekin Huzaifa, agar tumne Raha ko dukh pohonchaya, toh mujhse bura koi nahi hoga," he warned, his voice low but firm. (Alright. If you both are happy, I'll agree. But Huzaifa, if you hurt Raha, no one will be worse than me.)

Huzaifa nodded, rubbing his sore jaw. "Thank you, Rayyan bhai. Main kabhi aapko shikayat ka mauka nahi doonga," he promised. (Thank you, Brother Rayyan. I will never give you a reason to complain.)

The tension in the room slowly dissipated, replaced by a cautious relief. Zara, still shaken, took a deep breath and smiled. "Mubarak ho," she said softly, looking at Huzaifa and Raha. (Congratulations.)

As the family began to calm down, Salaar put a reassuring hand on Rayyan's shoulder. "Dekha? Sab theek ho gaya," he said quietly. (See? Everything turned out alright.)

Rayyan sighed, a hint of a smile tugging at his lips. "Haan, sab theek ho gaya," he replied, finally relaxing. (Yes, everything turned out alright.)

"Abhi to bara keh rahe the ke Raha ki pasand se raazi ho phir kia ho gaya?" Mrs. Sikander teased Rayyan. (You were just saying that you will respect Raha's liking towards a guy so then what happened now?)

Rayyan awkwardly scratched his neck, "Akhir bhai hoon Aunty. Behen ke mamle men control nahi hota." He replied in earnest. (Afterall I am a brother, Aunty. I lose control in matters involving my sister.)

Mrs. Sikander laughed. "Jeete raho beta. Allah tumhe hamesha khush rakhe." (May you live long son. May Allah always keep you happy.)

After the death of Rayyan and Raha's parents, Salaar's mom treated them like her own kids. When Salaar and Mikael went to Turkey, Rayyan and Raha started living with the Sikanders until Rayyan was able to earn and afford a place for him and Raha.

Mrs. Sikander was more than happy to have Raha as her second daughter-in-law. Now that she thought of it, the girl she thought of would've never been as good as Raha.

Zara sat beside Raha and said, "Mujhe to seedha bhabhi se jethani ka promotion mila he, kion devrani sahiba." (I got a straight promotion from sister-in-law to co-sister-in-law [jethani], madame co-sister-in-law [devrani]) (Ok so basically jethani is one's husband's elder brother's wife, so the relationship of Zara to Raha. And devrani is one's husband's younger brother's wife, so the relationship of Raha to Zara. But I didn't know what they're called in english so I just put co-sister-in-law LOL)

Raha just blushed and Huzaifa came towards Zara to thank her personally. "Thank you so much bhabhi for everything."

"Nahi to ese kaam nahi chale ga. Treat deni hogi." Zara said, folding her arms. (No this will not work. You have to give me a treat.)

"Ap mere se ab so treats len. Men khushi khushi doonga." Huzaifa said with the widest smile ever. (You can take 100 treats from me now. I will give them happily.)

The family slowly settled back into a calmer atmosphere, knowing that they had faced a significant challenge and came through it together. Despite the tumult, the bond between them felt stronger than ever.

The dawat ended and Huzaifa took Mr. and Mrs. Sikander home. It was now nighttime and everyone had retired to their rooms. Zara quickly got into bed and tucked herself in so that she didn't hear Salaar's remarks on the little stunt she pulled tonight.

Soon enough, she was asleep due to extreme exhaustion. Salaar wandered in to see Zara sleeping peacefully. He wanted to give her an earful tonight but all his anger dissipated seeing her angelic sleeping face.

He laid beside her and drifted into sleep as well. The upcoming week was busy as they had to move so he needed to get his energy.

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Assalamualaikum Everyone!!!!

I really outdid myself this time didn't I? Updating after like 5 months lol. But thank you for being patient and as I promised its a longer chapter than normal. I will however, try to update once more in the next two weeks.

I really want to get Junoon over with already lol. The amount of excitement I felt while starting to write this has just turned draining but I hope that didn't affect the content I provide you guys with <3

ALSOOOO I'M OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS FOR THE NEXT STORYYY!! To submit requests, you can either put it on the storyboard or go to my Instagram that has the same exact username!

Once again, keep praying for the people of Palestine. I really pray that their sufferings can end soon and I hope all of you feel the same as well. From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free 🍉

If you see any mistakes, feel free to point it out in the comments or contact me privately. If you have any concerns, leave a comment or contact me privately.

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See you in the next chapter, till then Allah Hafiz/Byee lovely people!!!! <3