Khwahish- Pt 8

*****

Faeezah sat in her room, her back against the headboard with a calming silence surrounding her. Her eyes kept darting from the withering curtains to the plain wall and then finally she closed them and breathed in and out a few times.

A knock on the door had her taking in a shaky breath and she opened her eyes to find her mother standing at the doorway with a bright smile.

Faeezah had always found her mother's smile extremely contagious and hence, she found herself offering her mother a smile of her own.

"Ammi, aye na andar."

Faeezah said while sitting up straight and patting the place next to her. Falak quickly nodded her head and that's when Faeezah noticed the hyper excitement that surrounded her form. Falak's eyes were twinkling with happiness and Faeezah didn't know whether to be happy or worried.

Her mother could be a little complicated at times and this was one of those moments.

"Ammi, is everything alright?"

The cautious tone in her voice was not missed by Falak who simply rolled her eyes and patted her head.

"Faeezah, bacha kuch baat karni thi. Dimaag zyada nahi chala na aur soch samajh kar jawab dena. Theek hai?"

Another thing to be worried about.

Faeezah anyhow gave her mother a reluctant nod before pretending to be all ears, trying to ignore the warning alarms in her head.

Falak stared at her daughter for a few moments before dropping the bomb without any mercy.

"Masar ka rishta le kar aye the Mustafa bhai tumhare liye."

Silence.

Faeezah's eyes met her mother's and she continued looking at her for a good 2 minutes. Falak chewed her bottom lip, suddenly worried about her daughter who seemed lost.

"Faeezah?"

Faeezah shook her head before blinking a few times and then cleared her throat.

"Sorry ammi, sahi se suna nahi aapko. Please phir se repeat kar de."

"Tumhare liye rishta aya hai Masar ka. Mustafa bhai aur Sahar le kar aye the aaj subah."

Faeezah stood up in a haste. Her expressions giving away the panic that they held and before Falak could do something, Faeezah was already out of her room.

Faeezah entered the living room and yelled for the car keys at her brother who was busy playing on his phone.

"Ahzan, car ki chabhi kaha hai?"

Ahzan looked up for a nanosecond, before pointing at the side table and Faeezah didn't need to be told twice before she took the keys and dashed towards the car.

Ahzan looked up from the phone once again when he was assured that she was gone and slowly a small mischievous smile appeared on his face because he knew very well what was going to happen.

Aaj kisi ki toh shamat aane wali hai.

*****

Masar paced around his room with an anxious look. He did what he felt right but his heart was busy beating in nervousness and the rising anxiety within him made his mind race with negative thoughts.

What if she rejects the proposal?

He stopped in mid-step and scowled at how uncooperative his mind was. An ache rouse in his chest and he rubbed the region in an attempt to ease the pain.

"Masar?"

He jumped when the sound came out of nowhere and was even more surprised when the tone seemed utterly familiar.

Turning around as swiftly as possible, he gulped down the sudden lump in his throat as his wide eyes took in a furious looking Faeezah's form. Her face was slightly red and her lips were pulled into a thin line. Her nose was scrunched in annoyance and he sighed, his brain gave the verdict that she was too cute for his heart to handle.

"Masar!"

He jumped yet again, getting out of his daydreams. A bright red colour occupied the tip of his nose and ears and Faeezah's scowl was a second away from turning into a smile.

"Ji?"

He quickly replied and dashed to clean the bed to make her a place to sit.

"Masar, kya harkat ki hai tumne?"

Masar bit the insides of his cheek when he heard her annoyance filled question. Chuckling nervously to no one in particular, he scratched the back of his neck, trying to play the 'I don't know what you're talking about' card. So he just raised an eyebrow and Faeezah let out an exasperated huff.

Pushing past him, she slumped down on the bed and made herself comfortable while he quickly fetched a glass of water.

Forwarding the glass to her, he watched as she gulped down the whole thing in one go before placing it aside and glaring back at him.

"Maine kya kiya?"

Faeezah's eyes narrowed in slits as she crossed her arms across her torso, all the while controlling the urge to shake him hard and demand answers to the questions he pretended he didn't know.

"Rishta kyu bheja? Dimaag pe chot lagi hai kya? Aise kaise koi bhi faisla le lete ho? Just because kisi ne kuch ulta fulta keh diya iska yeh matlab nahi hai ki woh sahi hoga. Meri fikr karne ke chakkar mein apni zindagi kharab kar baithoge. Jao abhi aur ja kar Sahar phupho ko bolo ki you have changed your mind."

With that, Faeezah pointed at the door and took deep breaths as she said it all in one go. Once feeling a little calm, she looked at Masar who was now looking extremely serious.

She raised an eyebrow at him as he got on his knees in front of her and took her hands in his. Faeezah could feel her traitorous heart picking up speed as his grey eyes clashed with hers. Like the tsunami that was sent to drown the whole place, she found herself lost in the colour and the raw ferocity that was swirling through them.

"Ezah, aise hi faisla nahi liya hai maine. Bacha nahi hu main. I am fully aware of what I have done and what I am about to say. I haven't taken the decision just because of someone's worthless opinions, no, I have taken the decision because I know what I want. And it's you who I want."

Masar stared for many seconds at the beauty in front of him who was looking like a lost doll at the moment. Her eyes gave the whirlwind of worries and doubt that her insides were feeling and he subconsciously caressed the back of her palms in an attempt to transmit the serene feeling that he was going through at the moment to her.

"Aaj se nahi, bahot pehle se socha tha ki ek khubsurat zindagi tumhare sath spend karunga. Dil nahi chahta tha tumhe kisi aur ke saath dekhna, lekin kya karta, tum khush lag rahi thi toh dil ko mana liya. But I am not a fool to reject or let go of the second chance that I have been provided. Haan, not in the way I wanted it to be, but it's not like I have the right to complain. If the best of planners had planned it this way then so be it.

I love you Faeezah Bukhari, I love you since the day I gave up on the constant push and pull of my mind and heart. Tumse dur rehta hu toh dil ko sukoon nahi milta. Tumhari ek smile na dekhu toh lagta hai ki mera pura din kharab ho gaya hai. Tumse itni mohabbat karta hu ki tumhare bagair zindagi guzarna gawara nahi lagta. Jaanta hu you are scared, lekin please, please give me a chance. Duniya ka sabse acha husband, companion, friend, supporter aur jo tum chaho ban kar dikhaunga. Will you marry me Ezah?"

Faeezah could only stare.

Her eyes felt a little wet and she knew she was seconds away from crying.

What was with him and his words?

Is it the same thing that her heart wants? The reason why it starts picking up speed when her eyes clash with his? Is it the reason why his touch makes her feel at peace? Why is that his presence provides a sense of warmth to her whole being?

Maybe because he was the missing puzzle of her happily ever after.

"Ezah?"

Masar didn't know what to do. Was her silence a rejection? Did she-

His eyes widened the next moment when without a warning Faeezah threw her in his arms. Masar was quick to catch her as the two fell on the floor with the loud thump and Masar bit back the pained groan but seeing the woman in his arms smiling through her tears, it didn't take long before his pain got converted to a happiness that he had never witnessed before.

"Yes! I will marry you! Jitni jaldi ho sake utni jaldi karo. Mujhe Amsterdam jaana hai!"

Masar let out a loud laugh at the sudden change in demeanour and at her cute demand and soon Faeezah found herself enjoying the essence of bliss in his arms with a content silence surrounding their forms.

*****

"Masar, nakhun khana band kar!"

Ahzan swatted his cousin's hand away from his mouth and Masar had the audacity to give him a sheepish smile. The latter was a bundle of worries as he tried to get a glimpse of the person on the other side of the curtain. Clad in a black sherwani with golden and white zardosi work that spread across his left shoulder and ended with light patterns towards the end of his torso, Masar looked phenomenal.

"Ahzan, itni der kyu lag rahi hai?"

He whined towards his best friend who physically gagged in response. Hitting Masar lightly on the head, Ahzan shook his head in mock disgust.

"Itna utawla nahi ho. Bhul mat she's still my sister."

"Haan toh? Main bhi toh tera hone wala jija hu na."

"As if. Beta ji, you can expect anything but izzat from me towards you. Ab chup chap baitha reh warna abbu ko bol kar ceremony ko aur late karwaunga."

The threat made Masar go silent without any delay and Ahzan found it tough to keep up with the smitten idiot beside him.

Meanwhile Faeezah fixed the end of her golden dupatta for the nth time. Her anxiety was messing with her conscious senses at the moment and she didn't know what to do.

"Faeezah, beta tayyar-"

The tears that Abeer had been holding for so long finally broke through as he took in his daughter's form that was now clad in a nikah outfit. His shehzadi was getting married today and it felt like yesterday when Falak had played an arm wrestling match with him and told him the news of her pregnancy.

"Abbu!."

Faeezah whined and walked up to her father who was now trying to wipe the tears that were not ready to stop. Faeezah caught his hand and wiped his tears, trying to make him feel better but Abeer only hugged his daughter tight.

"Mujhe maaf kar dena mera bacha."

"Abbu, jo hua wo aapki wajah se nahi hua tha. Aur waise bhi, it's in the past now, please apne aap ko blame kar ke mujhe dard na de."

Abeer shook his head and was about to say something more but Falak, who had entered the room to escort Faeezah out, beat him to it.

"Wahi na, kal se pata nahi kaunsa 'It's my fault' ki rat laga kar rakhi hai. Aur bolo inhe. Jab dekho tab complaints ka pitara le kar ghumte rehte hai apne sar par."

Abeer scowled at his wife's choice of words while Faeezah laughed at her mother.

"Acha chalo ab, Ahzan is seconds away from throwing the groom out of the wedding. Kabse keh raha hai ki appi ko lao warna kahi Masar ko nervousness ke maare heart attack na aajaye."

Falak teased her daughter and the hues of red that spread on Faeezah's cheeks made her parents pray for nothing but the to-be couple's endless happiness.

*****

'Qubool hai'

'Qubool hai.'

'Qubool hai.'

Masar felt like screaming to the world that she was finally his as he repeated the sacred word for the third time. The crowd rumbled with cheers of 'Mubarakan' and the youngsters hooted in happiness.

The curtain that separated him from his Ezah was finally let down and he was left almost speechless seeing her as his wife.

"Nahi matlab kab se mera dimaag khaye ja raha tha ki 'Ezah kaha hai', ab jab saamne hai toh jaa na uske pass!"

Ahzan screeched in annoyance at him and purposefully gave him a hard push towards Faeezah.

Faeezah gasped in surprise as Masar landed directly a few feets away from her and chuckled when she saw the sheepish look in his eyes that quickly turned around to give a glare to a smirking Ahzan before looking back at her.

"Nikah mubarak."

She whispered to him and was met with a soft smile and eyes filled with adoration that were staring at her like she was the finest specimen on Earth. Faeezah blushed under his love filled gaze and Masar felt his heart falling for her all over again.

"Aapko bhi nikah Mubarak."

He whispered back and took her palm in his before placing a chaste kiss on them. Faeezah could only stare at him as he kissed the back of her palm, before placing another kiss on the insides of her wrist.

His eyes zoomed on her palm and he felt as though the air had left his lungs. His awe filled expression made Faeezah blush even more but she couldn't understand what was so special about the mehendi design?

"Yeh.."

He drawled out in a lazy yet adoration filled whisper. Faeezah gave him a confused look but on seeing the letter on her palm, she was left shell shocked too.

When did that happen?

"I didn't know you were so eager for me to make you mine."

Masar finally teased his now shying wife and Faeezah didn't know who to blame.

Wallah, ek baar yeh insaan haath aa jaye mere.

She bit her lips and looked around while Masar kept tracing the letter 'M' on her palm, as if not ready to believe that it was there. Meanwhile Faeezah's eyes narrowed at her younger sibling and cousin who were looking a little too smug for their own good.

Mayza quickly shook her head when she felt her appi's accusatory gaze and immediately pointed at the man beside her who just smacked her head once again and bowed, as of he had done something great and winked at the newly married couple.

Faeezah tried to give her best glare to him, all the while trying to control her rising blush before focusing her attention to her husband who was already staring at her with a smile. Masar placed one last kiss on her hands and watched how she offered him a shy smile before ducking her head in an attempt to hide her face that was filled with hues of red and pink.

The people around her seemed oblivious since everyone was still busy cheering and mingling but even if they were watching, Masar could proudly flaunt the fact that she was his wife now, not a stranger.

"Toh Amsterdam ke liye aaj raat nikle?"

Masar teased an already embarrassed looking Faeezah who just swatted his chest that rumbled with a full blown laughter not long after. Masar pulled her in for a hug and the two let out a sigh filled with tranquility on finally being complete.

The Queen had finally let her tale rest in the arms of the prince in front of her and the Prince was more than ecstatic as his sole desire, his khwahish of having the Queen was finally fulfilled.

**********

Nahi nahi nahi, not the end! 2 chapters more!...🤧😭

Who's being emotional? Nope, definitely not me...

Ahm, maybe just a little...

Kya hai yaar? Why are these Bukhari and Abidi couples hell bent on making me cry over my single life? Nahi, my hopes are too much. Too much for any real man to compete.

In short, imma going to be single until a man out of my stories comes in my life with a charming smile and a marriage proposal and no one can change my mind on that!...

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