Chapter 5✔

Everyone was wearing something "Flowy" with a lot of layers so that it twirled whenever they danced. Zoya was wearing a Mustard/rust lenhnga with the chatta patti dupatta in shades of pink, blue and golden that was laced with the gotta on the edges. And jhumkay, her favorite golden jhumkay! Her hair was pulled in a braid, because she couldn't handle her open hair and lehnga at the same that.

Ajeeb! (strange) Why did Alizey have to make a theme for every function. Wear this, wear that! What if I trip in this lehnga? Who is going to pick me up? Huh? Mera tu koi shauhar bhi nai hai? Kahin giri pari hoon ge, koi uthae ga bhi nai? (I don't have a husband. I fall and no one will be there pick me up.) More importantly who is going to lift up my spirts and my exceeding low self-confidence if I do take a fall?

Zoya thought as she struggled with her mustard skirt. The cancan and the flowy skirt made her feel dreamy, wanting to twirl every now and then but the stairs were nightmare turned into reality. And damnation then there was the going to loo part.... She didn't want to think about it. She had avoided water like Chotay pandit from Bhooll Bhooliya the whole day in hopes that she won't have to go to pee.

(AUTHOR's NOTE: Remember the scene where Rajpal Yadev jumps everytime Akshay Kumar shouts PAANIII")

How was she supposed to get that chore done? Praying that she never has this overwhelming need to pee, Zoya marched back to the farmhouse to get those, dandiya (the sticks, p.s Gujrati frens please don't murder me...) which Kaiant had forgotten. It was unthoughtful of K(Kainat) to ask her to bring dandia considering she had twisted her foot three days back. Zoya could have said no. But could she have?

Zoya didn't know why she had always felt the guilt saying the word, "NO". It was just a N and an O but, no she felt the monstrous guilt blocking her windpipe which forced her to utter a "Yes". And if it wasn't a yes, then it was a lie. Like the one in case of Abdullah. She had lied and told him that she was already engaged to a Mamo ka beta, when she didn't have Mamo to begin with.

Zoya was holding her arms as she walked back to the farmhouse which was glowing from a distance. She was busy talking to herself, when she heard a voice.

"Leave me! I swear, if bhai finds us we are dead meat." Said a shy voice.

Okay! Just my luck to stumble upon the not so private couple. Yes zindagi, throw that to me. Make me feel single and miserable.

Zoya had decided to take the long way, just to avoid the couple hiding behind the bushes. Until she heard more of them and cursed herself for the bad turn.

"He won't kill his family." said a male voice. Even though he himself had said it, Zoya could feel a sense of doubt in his sentence.

"You know Moiez, he would. He still thinks I am his baby sister."

"But you aren't the baby he considers you to be. You are my baby, Minaal."

GROSS!! Is say behtar pickup line hai mere pass! (I have got a better pickup line than this.)

Oh shittt!!

Fuckity fudge chocolate browine. Its Moiez and Minaal.

How did I miss that?

Ufffff

She is right Moiez, maar day ga Irtaza tumahin. (Irtaza will kill you)

Zoya wanted to shout. But at the same time, she didn't want them to know that she had heard them.

Deciding that she would talk to Minaal about it later, Zoya took the long turn hoping that they would get done with their "stuff" when she returned. Her foot was going to hurt like a little beetch due to the extra walk but "sahe lein gay".(will bear it) She told herself.

The dances were just about to start. She knew that because her phone kept buzzing. She had to be quick. She didn't want to miss the performances. On her way out from the farmhouse after grabbing dandiya, Zoya found Minaal standing beside the bushes. This time she was alone and sort of decent.

"Meenu! Come walk with me." She said earning Minaal's attention who blushed.

God, why am I calling her Meenu when I know only jerk lawyer calls her that.

Because , of your smartass , "If only I can call you Meenu" reply to her "Can I call you Zoe" request .

But then I didn't know that she was Irtaza's sister and only he exclusively called her Meenu.

Whatever !!!! Now you know that nickname is exclusive stop using that.

But I.....

Shhh!!

Focus on the matter's at hand right now.

You wanted to talk to Meena....

Adjusting her dupatta, Minaal joined Zoya as they walked on the path that led back to the garden where the Mehndi was going in full swing. Zoya hesitated as she looked at Minaal and at the ground and then back to Minaal, debating whether it was her place to say what she was going to or not.

Talk to her, Zoya. She needs to hear that. Don't you consider yourself her elder sister?

Yes but she isn't my younger sister. And what if she minds it? Plus, it's really not my business.

What happened to helping other people? And doing good?

AHHHH!!!!

"Minaal, I want to talk about something. I hope you don't mind. I consider you my sister, and that is only why I am going to say, what I am about to say." Zoya said as she eyed the embarrassed Minaal who had gotten the slight idea, what Zoya was talking about.

"I am sorry. But ughhh how do I say it without sounding like a bitch. I am not even family, but I need to say it. Please, don't get involved with anyone. Be it your cousin or anyone else. There I said it."

"Zoe, I ...." Minaal began but Zoya was a woman with huge ass responsibility which she felt like shouldering. She wasn't going to be interrupted.

" Meenu, if he loves you, he has to ask your brother. Do it the respectable way. What is the worst that could happen? Your brother could refuse? But then your mother is there and so am I. Although I am no-one but still, I'd try to make him see sense in the proposal."

"But this? Do you know how much it would have hurt your brother, if he would have found you with Moiez instead of me? And yes, I saw you both. I initially decided not to say anything, but Meenu I like you. It would crumble both your mother and brother, if anyone bad mouths you. We as a women owe it to ourselves to safeguard our honor and our character."

"What if you don't get married to Moiez. But instead to some other guy who loves you. And who you grow to love. Looking at Moiez is always going to remind you of the liberties which weren't his in the first place."

"I hope you are going to understand what I am trying to say. I know this feels like a lecture but if he loves, you he should ask for your hand in marriage. If he can't grow some balls to talk to your brother, don't mind my language please...... he doesn't deserve you." Zoya told Meena as she patted her back and walked ahead to let the words sink. Zoya hoped and prayed for Minaal to get her sense.

He watched her struggle with the dupatta which got caught in the flowers at the entrance. She frowned as she turned back to detach it. The rust color she was wearing suited her ivory skin. She was actually glowing. Her lips he knew were plum mainly because she had been biting them. MashAllah, he found himself whispering as he took in her appearance. She did look beautiful. But then, she always had looked beautiful. Today she appeared graceful, and he knew she was going to lose all that grace and poise in say 5 minutes.

He was eyeing her when, he saw Minaal enter followed by her. And all the Zoya appreciation thoughts he had in his mind, zapped out as he took in his sister's swollen eyes. Irtaza had seen Minaal's dark eyes welled with tears as she entered the Marquee with Zoya. He saw his Meenu, nod at Zoya and he knew something was up. Zoya was smiling like she had won a lottery while his baby sister had tear stains on her cheeks. It summoned every protective brotherly instinct that he possessed. And he possessed a lot of it.

What the hell had she said to Meenu? Just half an hour ago, she was all smiles. But now his baby sister was crying. And he didn't know why? But he did have an idea who was behind it.

Detaching himself from his group of friends and cousins, he went after Meenu who was sipping water. "Meenu, are you okay?" He asked as he glared at Zoya who was quite obvious to it. It angered him some more. She was laughing and associating with the aunties!

When asking Minnal about her well-being, Irtaza had used the same tone he had used with Sara, Alizey's niece. Because his little sister seemed as vulnerable and fragile as little Sara. His Meenu who hadn't even cried when he had left for London, had swollen eyes.

What had upset her this much, that she was crying a while ago.

What had Zoya said to her?

He wondered as he turned his attention from his sister to the doe eyed troublemaker who was talking to Hashim and his mother while the little Sara tugged on her hand demanding her attention. She never slowed her conversation which was going in, but she did bend down to pull Sara in her arms and continued where she had left. Until her eyes meet his stare.

He was expecting her to run in the opposite direction, but she didn't. She stood there, took a deep breath as she rolled her eyes at him before giving him a forced smile. She was shooing him away. If he was furious before he was enraged now with her audacious eye roll.

Meenu on the other hand laughed as she observed Zoe and then her brother. Her tears shimmered, on the edge of her lashes. "She doesn't like you very much." she commented with a sigh.

"Of course, she doesn't. I am everything she wants to be and isn't. Plus, the feeling is mutual. " He responded with so much animosity that all the hope Minaal had for Zoya, and her brother was lost. Just like that poof, in the air. Gone.

"You can't keep your eyes off each other. You have been glaring at her since she entered the Marquee. And before that during the dance practices... well never mind. "

Irtaza's pulse quickened. Had he been doing that, staring at Zoya? Maybe he was, but it wasn't what Meenu thought. He observed her because he......... Irtaza ragged his mind for the reason that didn't pop up like he had expected it too.

Because umm I want to know about the trouble she is going to land in next. And how she is going to tackle it, is the entertaining part. Yes, that is it. The very reason I observe her.

But right now he was glaring at her because, she made Meenu cry. Nothing more than that. The real question was, "Did Zoya watch him in the way he watched her? Observing his every move? Did she too discovered his unconscious habits, like he had discovered hers? For instance, she licked her lips every time when she was asked a question, she dreaded answering.

"I was just looking out for the rest of us. Making sure, she and all of us stay out of trouble. God forbid what if she sets this Marquee on fire? Irtaza responded as he shrugged and then folded his hands behind his back.

"You know that is a lame excuse? She didn't even start that fire. It was Kainat who forgot, to unplug her curling iron." Minaal replied as she made a face at her brother's snobbish attitude.

So poor Zoya had to suffer the shame of being the irresponsible one, when it had been Kainat all along? Why didn't she say that when she was being lectured. She had just stared ahead ashamed as if she had done it. He wondered and then shook his head. Meenu is wrong. It was her doing.

"Whatever you say. I left you and her out of my sight and here you are sobbing like a child. Don't deny that. You have been away and with her for what? Half an hour? Don't you see the pattern here?"

Was it possible? That it was what Meena thought it was. That he was weirdly attracted to her. Who is not attracted to chaos and disorder? He asked himself.

People with OCD (obsessive-compulsive disorder) that involves symmetry and order. People like you!

His alter ego mocked him for his hypocrisy. Yes, he shouldn't be attracted to her as she stood for everything he wasn't and he hated with passion. He wasn't about to admit his attraction to Zoya, not even to himself.

Nothing could come out of that attraction, he knew it. They were polar opposite; she needed some guy who had lot of time on his hand. He had none to give. At least not to her.

"I wasn't crying because of her. I just .... I love you, bhai. I am sorry for everything." She sobbed her apology before turning away.

"Don't be hard on Zoya, bhai. She doesn't mean any harm." Minaal told him before disappearing out of his sight.

"Hard on Zoya?"He repeated. Hell, he was going to be as hard as he could be on, Zoya. Damn that sounded so wrong. He needed answers. He wanted to know what had Zoya said to Meenu that made her cry. Zoya was going to apologize.

The dances began. First Kainat and Azeem danced. And then it was the turn of Hashim's cousin and friends. Followed by Alizey's cousin. When Zoya's turn came, she was a nervous wreck. She was supposed to second Alizey and Hashim with Irtaza.

Yes! She really was that unlucky. Alizey had paired her with Irtaza, the man she wanted to avoid! That too not so subtly. Her cheeks turned red as she thought about the incident.

(FLASH BACK start, (because some of you get lost in time hehehhe))

The dance practices were going on and she being the clumsiest person took over the nanny duties for all the kids who would have been running around like crazy. That and the fact that she wanted to avoid someone whose name began with an "I"! She thought that if she hid all day in the nursery, no one was going to bother her. (SHE THOUGHT WRONG)

"Sarah! This chai, uff. Ek aur cup mil sakta hai."(can I get another one) She had asked Sarah sipping the water from her small tea sets, while Sarah blushed and then nodded.

"Musa, get the biscuits for Zoe", Sarah ordered her little cousin who rushed to get biscuits.

"Yum!" She moaned as she licked the cream off the Oreo biscuit when she was pulled out by the knock on the door, which had been open!

Turning her face, towards the disturbance she came face to face with the Corona of her life.

"Alizey is calling you!" He said with a smug and irritation. And she knew why he was irritated. Obviously, the Mr. Esquire didn't like the errand boy duties Alizey and Hashim kept throwing at him.

"But why is she calling me? She knows I strained my muscles.", Zoya said cradling her foot which was in better shape than before. But no-one needed to know that.

"She is calling you. Because you aren't her "Daddy's" naukar(servant)! And you need to join the dance practices ASAP!"

Zoya stared at his face and thought about the secret. She shook her head in denial.

He didn't get it. No, he didn't. I am sure, Alizey wouldn't have blinked because main tu wahan thee he nai.(I wasn't there) Alizey just used that "Mere baap ki naukar nai ho(Not my dad's servant)" phrase casually. Jese hum use kartay hain. Haina? (Like we do it .)

"What?" He asked and she realized that she was staring hard at his face, lost in her thoughts.

"Sorry, wool gathering", she whispered as she shook her head and then followed him.

Long story short, she followed him to the dancing room, only to realize that only unpaired people were her and Irtaza. Of course, honey it had to be him. The things that you really really avoid are thrown at you!

"You both are our mains! The least you could do, is a dance!" Alizey said as she looked at Irtaza and then at Zoya.

Is she thinking what I think she is thinking? Don't Alizey, don't try to set me up with him.

" Irtaza you are freaking her out with your constant scowls. Zoya, he doesn't bite! He looks like it, but he doesn't. " Hashim declared, giving a sheepish smile to Irtaza as he turned to Zoya giving her a cheeky smile.

Bites? Dekh ase raha hai jese kacha chabba jae ga. (If looks could kill, I would have been in pieces right now.)

Doesn't bite, my foot !!!

I don't want to dance with him. Alizey please don't do this. Yaar! I don't want to dance period. You know I am not good at this. PLEASE.

"Yeah, Zoya just a song! " Alizey said as she batted her eyelashes THRICE and Irtaza looked at her with a reverted expression. Zoya could actually now hear herself telling her crush code to Irtaza like an audio record playing in the back of her mind again. She heard her panic stricken nervous voice,

"........And me and Alizey have this sign. When she wants to introduce me to a potential crush material, she blinks three times and then say a sentence which had the word" 'Daddy' in it........."

Please Alizey, don't use that Daddy word in your next sentence. Please, don't. He knows. Don't Alizey. STOP RIGHT THERE. STOPPPPP!!!!

Zoya was mentally begging, but that ship had already sailed. Alizey was so into setting her up with Irtaza that she ignored her silent plea or maybe she was completely oblivious of it. Either way she didn't get the "no" signal Zoya was trying to send by desperately staring at Alizey's face.

Alizey was so proud of her match making mind that she didn't notice Zoya or Irtaza had been looking at her intently, waiting for her to use the daddy word in the sentence.

"Irtaza, please be careful with her. She injured her foot and is a little clumsy. And you lady, DADDY ka valima nai hai. (It's not my father's reception.) Stop shaking your head at me. Meri shadi hai(it's my wedding) and you gotta dance." she told her.

Fuck!!

Zoya's face flooded with color. Her whole body was prickling with embarrassment as she looked at Irtaza whose eyes were dancing with humor.

Where is the manhole in which I am supposed to jump? UFF, he is enjoying himself. Say something. Anything to misguide him. Yeah, go for anything which makes the Daddy comment normal without any ulterior meaning to it.

"Uncle kay pay tu main then he nai... dance kahan say. (I didn't exist at Uncle's... Me Dancing? not possible) You know I don't dance. " Zoya tried but again Alizey ignored her and went " Whatever, you aren't the nanny Daddy hired to look after the kids. You are my best friend! You have to dance. " Alizey replied and winked.

God Alizey, you imbecile. STOP IT. HE KNOWS

I hate my life.

Sub buray log hain.(Everyone is bad) Alizey, you don't deserve me.

Zoya was turning red more embarrassed and mortified than ever. Kainat and Fazeela who knew the code word, seconded Alizey raising their thumbs up.

"Okay, Alizey. I got the memo. Its neither your Daddy's valima nor she is your Daddy's mulazim(servant)." He replied using the word again. And Zoya felt as if she has been stung. Her cheeks were now flaming.

Honestly, I'm such a moron.

I shouldn't have accompanied Irtaza in first place.

Fancy thinking even for a moment that Irtaza wouldn't remember what I said. Let alone care about it!

Fancy thinking, he would not act like he knows everything about me every time we meet.

Fancy thinking that he would notice something as tiny and insignificant as Alizey blinking her eyes three times.

Fancy thinking, he would think that Alizey had something in her eyes rather than decoding the crush signal ............(Flashback ends)

"It's your turn," Kainat said giving her a slight push pulling her back to the real world. She gulped as she marched to the stage.

If only Azeem bhai would have be flexible enough, she would have been sitting hooting like the rest of them. But here she was standing in the middle of the stage beside the person, who like her wanted to be anywhere except here, with her heart galloping like a thief on run. She felt like Anjali who had drawn out a 'maa', from Kuch kuch hota hai. GOD DAMN NERVOUS, CLUELESS AND SAD!

"Ready?" He asked in a flat low tone.

No?

She wanted to reply but she didn't because she couldn't stand a lecture right now. Or a condensing look, that translated to "you loser". She was one the state of insolvency(bankruptcy), confidence wise.

"I know you hate me. And it's completely not understandable. But just please don't let me fall in front of all these people. My ankle...." She began and dropped that sentence as he looked at her with irritation.

Ouch, he doesn't even try to mask his emotions.

That's hurtful.

Does he know it?

"We will continue this animosity after the dance. I promise!" She begged as she looked at him. Her eyes were dilated with worry, but her lips curved into a panic-stricken smile.

One look at her, and Irtaza knew that if she asked him like this with those big hopeful eyes, he wouldn't be able to refuse her. As if you were intending to let her fall. Hating her on one side, his mother had raised him better than that. If not a perfect gentleman. He wasn't that low to intentionally drop a girl to settle a score with her.

"I won't let you fall, Zoya. I promise. Take my hand right now. People are looking at us." He muttered and she hurriedly placed her palms into his, not before rubbing them against her dupatta to ensure that they were dry. Of course, they were dry, but she had to made sure that they were.

"You have stage fright and yet you are instructor at a university." He asked as he held her close and twirled her around the stage.

"It's not stage fright. I just hate being a disappointment and well my clumsy self would be one, if you allow me to fall. Please don't let me fall." She whispered as she looked in his black eyes.

" I said I won't. Trust me on that" He whispered.

"Trust you?" She asked.

"Just this once."

"Trust is earned. You know, that right? Ase demand nai karta koi." (No one demands it)

He shook his head. She was hopeless.

"What did you say to Meenu?" he asked as he led her to the side of the stage mastering his steps while she followed his lead.

"What did I say to her?" Zoya asked dumbfounded.

"That is what I am asking? " He asked slightly irritated.

"Why don't you ask her?" She demanded as she performed that rock and roll step, her eyes never leaving him. She was anticipating an answer.

"Because she won't tell me. She wants to protect you from me." He told her. And the moment he said it, he regretted it. It was so unlike him to say what was on his mind. She was rubbing on him. And he needed to distant himself from her.

" Do I need it?" She asked as her eyes grew larger. She licked her lips, and he knew she was nervous. His lawyer self which was preceptive told him that nervousness was a sign of fright. Fright meant that she had done something wrong which she shouldn't have. It all indicated that he just had to continue what he was doing and eventually she would give the answers he was looking for.

" Need what?" He asked. He was so busy staring at the motion of her tongue over her fleshy strawberry pink lips, that he had missed her question.

" Need protection from you?" She whispered.

"Filhal tu mujhe protection ki zaroorat hai.(Looks like I need protection)" He muttered as he performed the hook step.

"Huh ......"

"Of course you do. Considering I am mad at you for making my Meenu cry."

" But you don't look mad." She muttered back.

"I am mad. It's just that I can't do what I want to do in-front of all these witnesses."

That sounds so wrong and dirty. Her cheeks were reddening when he decided to elaborate.

"I want to wring your neck for making my Meenu cry!"

That wasn't true. Currently what he wanted to do to her was far from strangling. But she didn't need to know that.

"Then I am glad for all these people." Zoya said as she looked around only to realize that the song had finally ended. She hadn't tripped and fell. She was so lost talking to him, slightly loving the conversation. ONLY SLIGHTLY. Their conversation as they danced, made her lose sense of time and place. It was just him and her, whispering threats. Until the song came to end.

"I didn't trip" She whispered as a huge smile plastered on her face. Before he could comment on the obvious answer, she raised her hand stopping him for uttering a word.

"If you say, 'I told you so' I'd shout. I swear I would." She commented as she tried to move away from him. Suddenly conscious of those numbered inches between them.

"No! You won't", he remarked in that flat mundane tone of his.

"Try me." She challenged as she moved down the stage.

"You won't. You hate attention. You said that on plane." He said as he arched his eyebrow.

"No. I said no such thing." She countered. As far as she could remember she hadn't emptied everything out.

"Maybe you didn't. I figured it out."

" Jao yahan say (Go away) , Irtaza. Go find someone else to bug. I don't know why you bother with me, when you hate me." She hated how he kept slapping that flight in her face. Uff, she felt like Nawaz Sharif when he said "Main bholna chahta hoon. Log bholay nai detay."(I want to forget, but people won't let me.) Irtaza was log(people), she was Nawaz Shariff.

Zoya would have made her graceful exit if she wasn't pushed by the overly excited kid who wanted to dance on the stage. She saw the floor coming. She knew she was going to fall. That too in on the stage. She couldn't even close her eyes for she was too mind froze to function. She instinctively tried to shield her face using her hand. Zoya waited for the impact and the pain.

After few seconds, she removed her hand to find herself pushed against Irtaza's chest. She was blushing like an idiot instead of moving away.

Wasn't I just lecturing his sister about honor and preserving one's self for the one. How very hypocrite of you Zoya. Look at yourself, wanting to stay here, forever. Getting all the butterflies, instead of disgust.

And what is this cologne? INTOXICATING!!

Dont you dare sniff him like a dog, ZOYA!

"For someone who claims to avoid me, you keep running into my arms. Haven't you gotten a little too comfortable here. When are you planning to move out from my embrace?" He mocked her. And she tore herself from him. She would have moved out from his sight and away from his side, if the moment she hadn't been craving all her life, hadn't happened.

Her romantic heart was supposed to play the romantic sound in the background. She was supposed to go "Ahhhh" and then look into his eyes, stare into his soul while he gave her a teasy smile."Ankhoon main teri ajab se ajab se adain hain"( Imagine any song you want...) was supposed to play in the background.

The rapid palpations of heart made it seem like she was having stroke. There were no romantic violins playing in the background. No slow motion. Nothing! It was such a blur that she wasn't sure it happened. But it did, for her dupatta was still stuck in his Rolex. She was too afraid to look at his face, for she knew he'd have a similar "you are ridiculous' expression painted on his face. Or the smug smile. Damn him for having a superiority complex!

Trying her best to keep her wits to herself she pulled the dupatta, not giving a flying fig about the dupatta being her Mom's, who might grill a hole in her for ruining her jaheez ka dupaata.

"Ahan!!" He voiced his disapproval when she tried to yank her dupatta that was still shamelessly stuck in his watch despite her manhandling. That Ahaan, felt like a music to her ears. Distraught, she made the mistake of looking up and in his eyes.

"Looks like I am your dream come true." He smirked as he took the dupatta from her hand and tried to remove it from the metallic Rolex band of his watch.

" Thanks to Kabhi Kushi Kabhi gham and the your-watch-stucks-in-my-dupatta moments I dream about..."

Again, she could hear voice on tape. Puffft, the moment she had anticipated all her life was going to be like this. She didn't wish to be anywhere near him, and here she was with her dupatta stuck to his watch, hindering her escape plan. He wasn't bad on eyes, but the temper and the attitude had to go, to make the moment memorable.

She was mad at herself and her sucker luck. Crazy mad because his proximity had her heart racing, her skin turning rosy pink and her breath going shallow. Telling herself that all of that was due to dancing, Zoya tried to snatch the duppata from his hands.

"You are more of the devil. Bura khawab jo sach ho gaya hai.(Nightmare turned into reality) Whenever I want to be away from you. I get stuck with you."

"Likewise!" He replied.

His likewise wasn't supposed to hurt. But it did, not that she was going to admit it to herself.

The dupatta was finally released from his watch, taking a sigh of relaxation she was about to leave when he grabbed hold of her hand. Smiling at the guest who were looking questionably at the pair, he dragged her away from the crowd.

I know I have been imagining all this, but it was ROMANTIC.

This isn't romantic. This is scary. The guy is supposed to whisper his love confession, look at me like I am a god damn Deepika. But here I am getting lectured and stared at, as if I killed a puppy!

Allah miyan ab kya khawab dekhte hoe specific hona paray ga?

(Allah now do I have to be specific when dreaming?)

" What did you say to Meenu?" He asked as they finally reached an abandoned spot.

"Kya masla hai! (What is your problem) Stop manhandling me." She demanded in a whisper.

"And I already answered. I said nothing." She responded with a fire of her own.

"Don't lie to me Zoya! You are testing my patience."

"What did you say to her?" He repeated. His voice was firm like steel. It would seem calm to the rest of world, but it was the calm before the storm kind. A frightening one.

" I said nothing. And even if I did, it is not your business." She replied as she tried to pull her hand out of his firm grasp.

"Zoya, what did you say to Meenu!" His tone slightly hasher this time. Zoya shivered with fear. His eyes were bloodshot, his other hand curled into a fist, as if he was trying to control himself from strangling her.

"It was nothing!" She shouted back. It wasn't her secret that she could openly share just because he demanded it.

"THEN WHY THE HELL WAS MEENU CRYING?" He demanded. His hand was tight around her wrist, she was going to bruise, she was sure. Did he even know he was hurting her?

"Leave my hand Irtaza. This is no courtroom, and I am no convict who is charged for a murder!" She said as she tried to remove his hand using her other hand which was a sorry attempt as he didn't even budge.

"Stop treating me like a god damn murderer! I didn't hurt Meenu. If that's what you are implying. But you are hurting me. Unhand me right now!" She ordered.

"She was crying!" He stated. Zoya wanted to cry then and there. What an oaf! Conceited, vain and a douchebag. He was holding her captive just because his baby sister cried.

It was the last straw for her.

"Just because my brother is not here doesn't mean you can corner me and force me to do your bidding like this. Just because I told you some of my secrets doesn't mean you treat me like shit. YOU are a self-absorbed JERK!!! I am someone's sister too. But who cares? ALL that matters is you, your sister and your family. The solar system of this planet." She shouted as those huge droplets of tears fell down her cheeks.

"Tell you what. Your sister is not a baby anymore. She can handle herself perfectly well, which if I may point, she did when YOU WERE AWAY. She doesn't need a poking, over controlling brother. You destroyed another happy day of mine. Shukriya" She sniffed while Irtaza stood too frozen to do a thing.

Never before a crying female had affected him to this extent. Mainly because he didn't stay around long enough to witness the tears flowing. Seeing Zoya cry tore his heart. Her tears slipped on her cheeks, and he wanted to wipe those. But how could he? He neither had right nor she was going to allow him to do that as he had been the one causing her to burst into tears.

Was it my words? But she was rubbing her wrist. Did I really hurt her bad and made her cry? FUCK! What is wrong with you Irtaza. Why are you losing your calm!

After that not so good conversation with Irtaza, Zoya decided to cling to her friends' side and never leaving them. She avoided looking at Irtaza, avoided his mother who had been calling her for reasons Zoya wasn't aware of, and avoided Meenu too.

To lift up her spirits, miraculously the mehndi turned into a karaoke, with Azeem bhai playing the guitar. Each of them and sang their hearts out. Music, old songs and being surrounded by her friends who were happy, made her happy. Five minutes and she was over the confrontation Irtaza had with her.

Dafa ho! Meri bala say.(He can go to hell for all I care.) I am not wasting this day because of that jerk.

"Shaam Dhalay, kirki talay tum seeti bajana chor do ...."

"Shola jo barkhay... Dill mera dharkay... Dard jawani ka sataye barh barh kay..."

"Yeh Shammm mastani, madhosh kiye jae... mujhe door koi khechay, teri orr liye jae...."

"Kya hoa tera wada... who qasam woh irada..."

"Dil dhunta hai..."

( This is a song and I am not translating....Just imagine any sort of mashup)

They all were having a karaoke session when Irtaza re-entered the marquee. Most of the guests had left. It was just close family and friends of both side, that too only young people.

And in the center with Alizey and Hashim sitting on the chairs, sat Zoya clapping and singing as she tugged at the grass in between the songs.

She was so excited; her eyes were sparkling. Her smile wide, as she sang one after another oldie like a pro. Funny how even their taste of music was different. She loved the oldies, while he was more of a ghazals and Qawali person.

"Zoya, I can't remember that song. The song which is about two strangers meeting. It's from Rajesh Khanna and umm Zeenat Aman movie. The lyrics are like a guy meets the stranger girl and falls for her. Love at first sight thing. " Azeem bhai who had been jamming asked.

"Irtaza," Hashim called out to him as he saw him enter.

"Irtaza, it's the song! Remember when I picked you from the airport! This song played when you were ...."

Irtaza didn't let him complete. He knew what Hashim was going to say. Hashim didn't know that it was Zoya, who had messed up with his brain and he wanted to keep it that way.

"Ek ajnabee haseena say youn Mulaqat ho gae..."(I met a beautiful stranger like this....) he replied as he looked at Zoya who had gotten all red, at the mention of that day. He couldn't help but be amused by her cheeks which were scarlet now as she looked down, instead of glaring at him. She pulled on the grass nervously as she kept singing the song, never raising her head. It was like she knew he was looking. She knew that the moment she was going to raise her eyes and she was going to meet his dark obs. And that darkness was going to engulf her.

Curiosity got best of her, and hesitantly she raised her head and meet his gaze, which for the first time wasn't reflecting his irritation. It wasn't blazing hot, instead it held softness and warmth.

Teri aankhon ki namkeen mastiyan

Teri hansi ki beparwaah gustakhiyaan (NOT MINE, it's from Jab tak hai Jaan)

Hain, hainn???? (what what)

Stop, stop shop! Baji!

Itni jaldi apni bezati bhool gaen (you forgot all that humiliation quite soon)

Ghorna band karo. (Stop staring)

Look left, look right! Yes, now stare at the floor as if it's Keanu Reeves.

He watched her as she turned her face first to the right and then to her left. (Okay so I didn't typoe-ed. It means in her nervousness she forgot her directions.) He wanted to apologize to her even if it meant mouthing, "I am sorry from afar." But she wouldn't look up no matter what.

He really was ashamed of his behavior. He didn't mean to hurt her. It was just his overprotective brother kicking in.

Throughout the night whenever he tried to approach her, she would disappear into nothingness. He knew she was avoiding him and that she had a very good reason to do that, but still if she could just...be little mature?

If not today, he was going to apologize to her tomorrow! For he wasn't someone who ignored their mistakes or shrugged them off with a "You want it. Cause you are asking for it! You are dying for it!"

Zoya avoided him for the rest of the night like a plague. She even called it an early night just to avoid him. That and the fact that sitting beside all those couples made her miserable.

Note to herself

1st Always give details when making wishes. Because sometimes wishes do come true but with the wrong person involved.

2nd Learn how to say "NO". If only she had said no to Kaiant, she wouldn't have witnessed Moiez and Minnal.

3rd Never ever put your nose in the matters of others, even for the cause of goodwill. Especially if the "other" is related to the person you hate the most.

4th Never ever make eye contact with the jerk face! Because ....

Tose naina jab say mile ....

Ban gae silslay

(Since my eyes met yours,

new tales began)

Assalam Alikum

I love Jhumkay, khusay and gajrayyy so Zoya had to love them tooo (lmao) When I am rich af, imma buy all the khusayy and Jhumkay. (inshALLAH)

The karaoke above is from some paki wedding. I don't own it. I hope they let it stay because that is what I meant when I said they were singing oldies. :)

I hope you enjoyed.

Lots of love

فی امان اللہ

Noor-e-Jehan ✨