FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

10.

Nazanin Abbas.

Yet another day, yet another battle, yet another failure.

Now I know what it means when people said, "Life goes on"!

It doesn't stop when you want it to. It doesn't change course when you wish to. I sigh in relief as the bell finally rings and the lecturer stops teaching. I grab my stuff walking out of the class, a shoulder bumps into mine. I crane my neck to see Usman grinning at me as he falls in step with me. He has been sticking to me all the time in the past few days. I don't want to talk to anybody, but just for the sake of ethics I reply to him.

"Heyya! What's the plan next?", he asks me sounding all excited.

"Hi. Well, nothing much. Just go home and sleep maybe", I say tired. I have been compromising my sleep for the exams. So a good sleep would be great as of now.

I continue walking, thinking he is following too. But suddenly a hand on my forearm stops my motion and I turn to see Usman holding my hand. I raise my eyebrows in question and he grins, moving his hand that was behind his back to the front with a rose in hand. A red rose might I add.

The first time I was given a red rose was by Dani when we were ten. The day we got married. How innocent we were back then , how I wish we could go back to being kids.

"Hey, what happened? You just zoned out. I wanted to ask you to go out with me today. Maybe we could go to a movie or something", he says nervously. What the hell?

Ab ye kya musibat hai yaar.

I smile at him politely, stepping forward. "Usman, tum bahut achche ho. Thank you for asking but I can't go  out with you", I say as sweetly as I can. Now comes the tough part, the reason.

"I... err... Actually", before I could say something more he raised his hand. Despite the disappointment, he smiles the same smile I have been practicing these day. The one that has heartbreak clearly written over it.

"It's fine. You don't have to give me a reason. I understand. Well, I have to go. See you around Naaz", with that he turns back disappearing into the hallway.

I run a frustrated hand in my hair, trying to block out any other noise as I make my way towards the car where Dani is waiting. He is in the driver's seat with his phone in hand. I quickly sit down, putting my seatbelt.

He starts the car, racing towards home. I place my head on the window  closing my eyes. I didn't want to hurt Usman like that, I know what it is like to be rejected. But I also can't lead him on. He already deserves the truth from me if not my feelings. Once the car is parked in our driveway, I quickly walk up to my room.

My head is spinning with all the events and that friend's daughter might arrive any moment. God, I am not prepared to see her or my husband's excitement to meet her.

I freshen up, changing into my pjs. A shock awaits me as I open the door to my washroom. Dani is sitting on my bed, with a grim expression, which turns furious the moment his eyes land on me.

He strides towards me, in two steps grabbing me by my arms. What's wrong?

"Kya kaha Usman ne tumse? Haan? Kya keh raha tha wo tumhe us laal rose ke saath?", his pitch is low but the disgusting tone just made it a whole lot scary. Why is he so furious?

"Kuch nai Dani, tum fiq...", I begin to explain but he brutally cuts me off.

"Shut up Nazanain! Just shut up. Just answer my question. What. Did. That. Bastard. Tell. You?", he spits like he doesn't even want to take his name.