Next morning, I woke up with a smile thinking about haadi, he is coming back today.. And finally, I am happy..yesterday daniyal promised me to step back from this marriage... So now I am all happy this morning, I was still in bed, when I heard some noises coming from ground floor.

Now, what's that for?

That's when hania came out of the bathroom..

"Yeh itni aawaze kis cheez ki hai? " I asked

"Umm.... Tayaabbu aur baba ne get together plan kia hai .. "

"Oh yeah.." I sighed "anyways, kuch idea hai kaun kaun aa raha hai... " I asked casually after a while.

"Don't worry, maliks ko bhi invite kiya hi hoga baba ne" She teased.

"Oh really.. Tumko yaad hai maliks, warna jaise behave kar rahi thi tum, mujhe toh laga tumhari memory wagerah chali gai hai" I said sarcastically.. Doing my hairs into a messy bun

" Kya matlab? " She asked.

"Matlab, ye daniyal wala matter maine akele hi solve kiya hai..Tum toh apne bhoole bichhre cousin ke sath ice-cream aur coffee ke maze le rahi thi bas"

"Yaar, itne sweet hai daniyal bhai,tum bhi na....aur itna kya tension le rahi thi tum..Sab sahi ho gaya na...Maine kaha tha sab sahi ho jaega.. "

"Whatever.. I just need a cold shower..mere liye kuch khaane ka le aana " I said and walked to the bathroom..

After half an hour,

I was blow drying my hairs when hania walked into the room, with a scared face..

"Aru.. " She said.. I looked her face and immediately walked to her..

"Hania.. Nahi mila tumko kuch khaane ke liye..aur aese kyun muh bana hai tumhara " I asked

"Daniyal bhai aur......tum.hari engage.ment ki......preparations chal rahi hai neeche" She said stuttering.

"What? " I nearly screamed... How can this be possible.. "Daniyal ne toh mujhe promise kiya tha ki wo khud mana kar dega shadi se.. " I said sitting on the chair in disbelief.

"Look.. Don't worry.. Mai kuch karti hu.. Tum pareshan na ho " She rubbed my back...

"Ab kya kar logi tum haan... Jab mai baar baar tumse help mang rahi thi tab tum kaha thi... " I screamed on her..

"Arey yaar, mujhe idea hi nahi tha ki mamla waqai itna serious ho jaega... Please, relax.. We will fix this.. " She said

"I am gonna kill this daniyal.. Where is he.. " I said and walked downstairs stomping my feet..

I reached downstairs, badi mama was standing there with zubia bhabhi.. They looked at me.. My eyes were red, I had tears in my eyes...

"Arisha.. Bete kya baat hai.? " Badi mama asked..

"I can't do this badi mama.. " I told her, nearly in crying voice.

She hugged me.. "Baat kya hai? What are you talking about beta? " She asked.

"Badi mama,..i can't..i can't..Daniyal..usne kaha tha...Wo ..Mai... Daniyal se... " I said crying.

"Naraz hai.. " I was cut by someone..

I turned to look none other than daniyal..

"Huh? " Badi mama asked confused.

"Ye Mujhse naraz hai mom.. " Daniyal said.. "Koi baat nahi arisha, if you can't wear that dress, it's absolutely okay... Now don't get mad at me please..and stop crying" He said taking my hand in his..

And, I was like what is happening, what is he talking about..

"What? " I asked.. I jerked off his hands

"Listen you,why is my daughter crying? What have you done now? Tell me" Badi mama asked daniyal

"Ah..mom,it's nothing..... Bhabhi..remember I brought that dress for her from Canada.. She didn't like that, and when I insisted, she thought I am forcing her to wear that.. It's.. It's just a misunderstanding.. " He said..

Why is he doing that..

I was unable to figure out what's happening there and I felt like I will faint.. Where am I stuck.. I have already tried to talk to my parents, I have already tried to talk to daniyal, I have already tried every possible way to get rid of this mess..

I should have told haadi about this..he would have handled it his way.. I can't even run away from here.. Please, Allah..show me a way to go..

"Aru " I came back to senses with hania's voice.. "Come with me.. "

"Ya Allah... I got so scared when I saw arisha crying.. " I heard zubia bhabhi say

••••••

It's almost evening, I tried to talk to baba, but he isn't listening anything.. Why is daniyal even doing this...I am not able to understand..What does he want from this marriage.. It's not like he like me that way or something, and it's not even like he is so obedient to his parents that he is doing it for them.. I have a gut feeling, he is hiding something.. I have to find out..

I called arsam in the morning after all that happened, and he is on his way.. He will be here any minute..

I told hania, to call daniyal to me ....but he excused and didn't came..

"Aru.... You know, I saw him shirtless.. " Hania said

"What? Kisko? " Arsam said before me.. "Ye kitni besharam ho gayi hai yaar aru" Arsam added looking at me.

"Shut up.." She rolled her eyes on him..

"Arsam... " I hugged him.. "Accha hua tum aa gae... Bhai I really need your help..we have to deal with it before haadi comes back...and he told me that he will be here by 8:30" I told.

"Don't worry.. Mai hu na yaar.." He said..

"Koi meri baat sunega.. " Hania said to get our attention.

"Yaar ye tum apni behayai wali baat na batao mujhe, mai abhi aaya hu.." Arsam said to her.

"Whatever... Aru..jab Mai abhi daniyal bhai ko bulana gai wapas, I saw him without shirt...and " Hania said looking at me..

"La-haul... Tauba Tauba.... Arisha, ye isko hua kya hai...kaisi wahiyat kism ki baat kar rahi hai " Arsam said..

"Arsam let her complete... What is it hania" I asked.

"Aru.. He has a tattoo on his chest, of a girl's name" Hania completed

"Whose name? " Arsam asked

"Emma.. " She told..

"Emma.. " I whispered.. "Who is she? "

"Ab agar uske chest pe tattoo hai.. Toh uski girlfriend ke naam ka hi hoga" Arsam said..

Hania gave him a look..

"Agar unki girlfriend hoti toh wo tumse kyun shadi karne ko kehte" Hania said

"How can you be so sure ki uski girlfriend nhi hai? " Arsam asked

"Kyunki it's obvious.. Wo phir aru se shadi kyun karne to kahenge"

"Stop it yaar tum dono... " I said.. " Arsam thik keh raha hai... Chest pe tattoo kia hai agar toh zaroor koi bohot important bandi hogi... " I said.

"Aapi, badi mama ne aapke liye dress bhijwai hai.. " Minal knocked on the door.

I opened the door a little.. And took the dress from her hand.. "Mama ne kaha hai aap jaldi se ready ho jaiye.. Sab guest aane lage hai.." She told and disappeared.

"Arisha.. You get ready.. We will handle it.. Don't worry, haadi bhai ke aane se pehle, daniyal ka saara khel bahar aa jaega" Arsam said.

"Arsam..Hania...first..just go and check daniyal's Facebook,Instagram, twitter.. Go in detail of every picture he posted, the pictures he is tagged in.. And all the comments... And most importantly, his relationship status.. koi na koi clue zaroor milega"

After that they both were gone.. And I was here, getting ready for this forced engagement ceremony..

I was in my room, I had no idea what was happening outside.. It was 7 in the evening and I was just thinking about why daniyal has broken his promise, why was he making stories in the morning..

Someone knocked my door,

I turned to open the door, but he entered..

I looked at him, tears filled in my eyes..

I was acting all strong and tough but as soon as I saw him.. I couldn't handle it..

I hugged him... "Thank God you are here" I whispered.

He pulled himself back from hug... "What's happening here? And why are you dressed up like this" He asked looking at me.

"Haadi... I wanted to tell you.. But I was scared.. I didn't knew how you will react... And I tried... I tried my best... " I cried

"What is it arisha? Can you please tell me what's happening over here? " He shouted.. "Why are dressed like an effing bride? " He shouted so loud that I started crying again..

"I was just out of country, I wasn't dead that you were going to marry some stupid cousin of yours.. Didnt you think of me once " He was screaming at me.

I was just crying... I knew he will react this way.. I knew he will not understand.. I knew it... I knew it from the very start.

After few seconds...He rubbed his forehead.. And sighed.. "Accha.. Relax... Stop crying" He pulled me into a hug and kept his hands on my head.. "Stop crying arisha... "

"I... I.. Was.. Fighting.. For us.... I told him.. But... He.. He tricked me" I was crying..

"Sshhh okay.. I understand... Come.. Sit here.. " He made me sit on my bed and he sat down on his knees.. "You know I love you right...and I am always here with you... " He whispered taking my hands into his

.

And then I told him everything, from maliks coming to our house for his proposal, to dadi's last wish.. And then daniyal's fake promise..

"Tumne mujhe bataya kyun nahi ye sab pehle..Tumhe batana chaiye tha na..i was just a few hours away...mai aa jata na tumhare paas.." He asked.

"Mujhe laga, I can fix everything.. Maine baba se bohot mana karne ki koshish ki... But he wasn't listening.. His mothers last wish is more important to him than his daughter's happiness"

"Fine, then I will handle this my way.. " He got up in anger and was walking outside..

"Haadi.. Please... Koi scene create na karna yaha.. No one knows about us.. Saare guests bhi hai neeche.." I stop him by his arm...

"Arisha, let me talk to your father.. I know I can handle this.. "

"Aru, we were right about him..." Arsam said entering with hania.. "Oh bhai.. Aap aa gae" He said looking haadi..

"Emma is his girlfriend.. " Hania told.

"Emma is or Emma was? " I asked "are they still in a relationship"

"Yes.." Arsam said..

"Then why is he playing dirty politics to marry arisha.." Haadi asked

"Well, abhi hamein ye nahi pata... All we know right now is, Emma is his girlfriend, and they are in a relationship for more than three years.. " Arsam said.

"They both looked quite serious about each other.. Look at this picture,it clearly shows how close they both are to each other" Hania showed us a picture in which daniyal and Emma were in pool.

"Arisha.. Chalo neeche tumhe bula...." Zubia bhabhi opened the door. She stopped, looking at us..

"Um, tumhare friends aa gae.. " She said with a smile.. Hania quickly closed the laptop and kept that aside.

"You must be arsam.. Right" She said to arsam and he nodded in yes awkwardly.

"Arisha ne bataya tha mujhe tumhare baare mein.. " She added.

"Aur aap.. " She then looked at haadi.. "You must be haadi.. " She said.

"Mere baare mein bhi arisha ne hi bataya hoga.." Haadi said..

"Haan.. " Zubia bhabhi replied

"I know...she just loves me so much.." Haadi said looking at me smirking and I looked at him scared.. "I mean, she just loves talking about me... " He added.

"Accha.. Tum log baad me baatein karna,.. arisha.. Abhi chalo Sab wait kar rahe hai tumhara" Zubia bhabhi said. And I looked at hania.

"Ah.. Bhabhi.. Mai le ke arhi hu ise.." Hania said.. "Dupatta.. Dupatta ek baar thik kar du.. Iska"

"Arey sab sahi toh hai.. Mai thik kar dungi.." Zubia bhabhi said and pulled me with her.. And I kept looking at haadi..

Haadi gave me a -don't-worry-mai-hoon-na- look from his eyes..