Clutching the stawl for the support I made eye contact with the guests, recognising the boy sitting beside them. It was Adeel, his University was near our home so he came to visit us quite often. As usual, he was studying the ground to find something interesting in it. A woman sat beside him who smiled at me when we made eye contact.
"Hello, my name is Humna. I am Adeel's mother" She said smiling at me politely as if she never witnessed my mother slapping me. I liked her. I smiled and told her my name and then played with her daughters who were my age.
As I was playing with the dolls I felt a shadow casting over me, looking up I saw Adeel standing there with his hands folded behind and nervously shifting from one foot to another.
"Jia come here. I want to talk to you" He said and walked away. I looked towards his sisters who nodded with a smile in their eyes. I shrugged and followed him till he stopped at our gate.
"Do you know why my parents are here for?" He asked. I shook my head and waited for his answer. He took a deep breath and hugged his book.
"They are here to discuss marriage between us," He said not making eye contact with me. I was speechless for a second and then waited for him to laugh at his joke. But he wasn't the type to make jokes. He was serious and I was scared.
"No, I don't want to marry you. You are so rude. I don't like you at all" I whined crying at the unjust decision.
"I was never rude to you. And be happy I don't like you as well. You are so immature always playing around. Never concentrating on studies. I can't even manage to hold a conversation with you, how will I marry an illiterate like you!" He exclaimed.
"I am not illiterate, I passed my ninth standard with flying colours-" He cut me off.
"I don't wanna know about that," He said with irritation in his eyes looking at the tree behind me he continued "Look I already love someone, so just disagree for the marriage?"
"You are an educated and a mature young boy. Why don't you say no to the marriage?" I said emphasizing you. He turned around facing away from me.
"They won't listen to me and if I say no to the wedding they will not allow me to continue college," He said. I pondered about the pros and cons of helping him and realised it will end in my favour.
"I will try," I said to him and he nodded smiling for the first time. I walked past him and throughout the day my mind was stuck on the incident. It will be a tragedy for me. I sulked the entire day as I thought about it.
***
Jia was helping her mom to clean around the house as the guest left. She was thinking about the conversation she had with Adeel. Her mom noticed the change in her mood and walked closer to her.
"I am sorry, I shouldn't have slapped you like that. I was so worried when I didn't found you around, promise me that you would never disappear like that" She asked caressing Jia's face where she hit earlier. Jia nodded and promised her mother.
"Mom I will never leave you and for that, I will never marry. That way I will be always around to help you" Jia said smiling cheerfully at her mother. But her mother shook her head.
"Don't talk nonsense. Today Adeel's parents came to discuss marriage" She said while washing the utensils.
"What did you say?" Jia asked clenching her hands around the plate.
"We agreed and set the date for your farewell" She replied casually. The plate slipped from Jia's hand as she tried to read the face of the person who just gave her away to a stranger without caring about her own will. It was the first heartbreak Jia experienced in her long life.
****
A short chapter.
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Love me one day|Completed √
Short Story"I am leaving", The man said smiling excitedly at his wife who had a sullen expression. She nodded. "I... take care" Those were the only words she managed to utter as he turned around. "I will" He said walking towards the door then stopped midstep...
