Be-panah

ELEVEN

Woh aati mere kandhe tak bhi nahi,
Aur chadi sar par rehti hai.

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It was just past midnight. Adab was half-lying on her bed with her iPad in her hand. She was going through different mehendi designs to select one for the mehendi function tomorrow. The past week had flown away too quickly with the preparations of the wedding, and unlike the last time, this time Adab was not nervous or feeling trapped in a new relationship. The thought of marrying Mirhaan was making her excited and giddy. And she couldn’t wait to become his bride.

She was lost in her happy thoughts when she suddenly heard a knock. She looked at her door and frowned. It was not a usual knock, it was like someone was tapping on glass. She thought she might have imagined it and focused back at the designs, but two seconds later, she heard it again.

This time, her eyes snapped towards her balcony glass door. And her heart leapt out of her chest as she saw a figure standing on her balcony. She was about to scream for help, but then the face of the man came into her view and she took a deep breath of relief. She jumped out of the bed and went to slide the glass door open.

"What are you doing here?" She whispered-screamed at her fiance.

Mirhaan gave her a beautiful smile. "I wanted to see you."

And she blushed. "How did you get up here?" She asked, looking down, as her room was on the first floor.

"I climbed the pipe." He shrugged and walked inside her room.

"What?" She gasped. "The security guard could have seen you. Or you could have fallen. What if you broke your leg? I certainly don't want my husband in a wheelchair while saying qubool hai." She followed him, and closed the door behind her as the breeze outside was quite strong.

"Yeah, but none of it happened. So chill." He flicked her nose softly. "By the way, I like your outfit."

She looked down at herself and found herself in tiny grey colored shorts, and light pink tee that had a strawberry printed on it. He winked at her, and she closed her eyes in embarrassment.

"I wasn't expecting company." She muttered under her breath. Sitting on the bed, she used her blanket to cover her legs.

He took a seat beside her, and his eyes fell on her iPad.

"Did you finalize a design yet?" He asked, pointing at the iPad.

She shook her head.

"Do you want to do it together?" He suggested.

She smiled brightly and said yes.

He took off his shoes and got comfortable on the bed with his back supported by the bedrest. She also adjusted herself and leaned her body on his. The iPad was in her hands, while his one hand was resting on her waist, and the other grazed up and down her naked thigh. It did make her nervous, but she didn't mind it. She knew that he knew his limits before marriage.

They went through a lot of different pictures before finally choosing two of them.

"What are you wearing tomorrow?" He curiously asked.

"You'll have to wait and watch." She giggled.

"Come on," He poked his finger on her stomach, "tell me."

She shook her head as a yawn escaped her lips. She rested her head on his chest and cuddled closer to him. "This feels good."

She looked so cute that he couldn't help but smile.

"I love you." He whispered, but she had drifted off already.

He sat there for a long time, hugging his future wife close to his heart, cherishing the moment. At first, he was not ready to accept his feelings for Adab, but Zaroon made him understand that he shouldn't let go of her just because she was Zaroon's ex-fiance.

Mirhaan was also very guilty in the beginning about their relationship, but now he had accepted that whatever happened was supposed to happen this way. It was their fate, which they could never fight with. Sure, he felt bad for his best friend, but all he could do was pray to his Almighty to bless Zaroon with all the happiness he deserves.

Just before sunrise, Mirhaan unwillingly untangled himself from Adab and got off the bed. She whimpered in her sleep and extended her hand to pull back the warmth that he was giving her. He smiled at her cute antics and leaned down to press a kiss on her forehead. Then he adjusted a pillow beside her which she could hold while sleeping. Wearing his shoes, he climbed down the pipe carefully and disappeared into the dark before anyone from her family could see him.

The sun had already risen by the time he reached the Hussain Haveli. He was humming softly while walking towards his bedroom. Only one day was left for his wedding. Tomorrow he was going to marry Adab and take her to London with him forever. The thought of having her all to himself was so heart fluttering. And in his excitement, he didn't notice that Zaroon, who was going to the gym, had seen him come home. And it didn't take a genius to figure out where he was coming from.

Zaroon felt a strong wave of jealousy hit him, and he spent yet another morning in the gym, taking out all his frustration and anger on the poor punching bag.

This had become his routine. He would vent out all his emotions, that he had kept bottled up, in the gym during the mornings, spend an awful lot time in the office torturing himself by overworking, and then come at night and cry on the prayer mat asking Allah to take away all the love he had for Adab, so that it would stop hurting.

🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸🔸

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