Scrambled Tales

|| 04 ||

Sajde Kiye Hai Lakho
Lakho Duaye Mangi

Loud music blasts through the massive Haweli. Chatters and rush are in full swing. For today is the Henna function. The royal decoration adores the walls the fragrance of happiness engulfs them all.

At the end of a corridor, the familiar room prevailed in silence as Aarzu stands in front of the mirror. Clad in her pastel blue dress, makeup is done, what's missing is the jewellery. She gulps. Another reason she never wants to come back.

Iss haweli ke riwaz uska gala ghot rahe the.

On days like these, she questions her choices. What if she had chosen the other option? Would had it been better? Maybe yes maybe no. No one knows, no one will never get to know.

She looks up again, puts her smile on and lifts the dupatta to her shoulder. Stepping slowly into the hall, she smiles. Rushing towards the stairs she collides with a familiar body, familiar amber orbs clashes against her blue ones. She smiles again.

"Tum zinda ho?" Zaheer asked, amusement filled his voice.

"Afsoos haa" She replied.

"This is what I called discrimination. I am naraz dude." He throws his hands in the air showing his complete displeased expression. She shakes her head and laughs at this.

"Oh please my drama queen."

"Waise I was looking for you?" He said.

"And why?"

"Ek cup coffee bana de yaara. Yaha sab chai ke ashiq hai, coffee koi nahi banata acha. Par usse pehle tujhe Amma bula rahi hai, koi rasam hai shayad."

"Ek, coffee mai nahi banane wali. Dusra Amma ka kaam jyada important. Toh Bye.

"Ek minute wait." She stops and looks at him with furrowed expression.

"What are you going to wear today?" He whispers and her breath halted. What will she wear? A gulp.

"I...I haven't think about it." She whispers.

"Why don't you wear the old ones?" He suggested. She smiles sadly.

"I don't have them. I returned them too" She sighs.

"What?"

"Stop reacting this way. I had my choices for a decade, it's been like that only."

"What will you wear then?"

Silence, because no one knows. Pain morphs her expression as she thinks about the days.

"Bhabi yeh kya ajeeb riwaz hai? Henna mein khandani jewellery?" A seventeen-year Aarzu whined somehow dragging her pista lehenga to the hall.

"Yehi riwaz hai aur hum sab ne nibhayi hai. Baitho yaha, Amma jee ke jhumke pehnau tumhe." She smiled shyly. Life is good.

Life was good, but it didn't last for long.

The family pieces of jewellery lying on the table in front of Abeera. She is supposed to make her wear them and she did. She gulps all her pain again and again.