Thirteen Days

Chapter 2.

As soon as my father and brothers left for their company, I went to meet Hamid.

I was really anxious because of what happened today. Wedding in just thirteen days! My head was exploding with all of the tension and also the warning that dad gave me that if I love someone else, he would kill him.

I was now standing in front of his door, knocking on it. My face probably looked like I had seen a ghost. My palms were sweaty and creases of fear were prominent on my face.

The door finally opened and Hamid came out. He had a smile on his face but when he looked at my expressions his smile disappeared and a look of worry came on his face.

"Piya? What happened?", he asked, putting his hands on my shoulders.

"Hamid, my father.. He.. ", I stuttered, my voice shaking.

"First of all, come inside", he said, taking me inside with him. Amir was there. He was sitting on the sofa and a remote control in his hands. Looks like they were video games.

"Why do you look so pale?", Amir asked.

"Let her have some air", Hamid said, glaring at Amir.

Hamid brought a glass of water for me which I gulped down in one go. Then, I narrated the whole incident that happened and the warnings that my father has given me.

They both were silent for a while as I waited for their reaction to the news. Hamid was looking down, his elbows on his knees and his lower lip caught between his teeth. He looked deep in thought.

Amir, on the other hand was looking back and forth between me and Hamid, with his mouth gape open in shock.

"Mogambo has really lost it, damn", Amir commented.

Me and Amir call my father Mogambo considering he is no less than a villan.

Hamid sighed and looked at me finally. "So, what have you thought?"

I shook my head because really, my mind had stopped working and I had nothing on my mind.

I felt like crying and as if someone was choking me right now. I could not hold it in and I hid my face in my hands.

"Hey! Don't cry", Hamid said and the next moment, he was by my side.

He took me in his arms, letting me cry on his chest.

"Babe! We still have thirteen days", he whispered in my ear. "I am sure, we can work something out and stop this. I am here with you and I am not going anywhere".

"Promise?", I asked.

"Promise".

_________________

I came back home around 6pm. My father's car was already parked there and I was quite surprised that he was home yearly today.

When I entered, my whole family was sitting in the living room. The atmosphere was so serious as if someone had just died there.

I started to go inside my room without talking to any of them but the greatest father of this world stopped me.

"Where were you?", he asked, getting up and stood in front of me.

"I was out with a friend", I said, looking straight into his eyes.

Then came something which I never expected. A slap landed on my right cheek.

This had never happened. He had disrespected me, called me names but he had never laid a hand on me ever.

The force was so great that I stumbled a little. I held my throbbing cheek with my hand, looking at him again. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes but I kept myself from crying in front of him.

"You are not allowed to go out of this house till you get married", he declared. "Diya, Aditi, I give you both the responsibility of looking up on her. If she steps out of this house, you will face the consequences and believe me you would not want to experience that".

"Dad, please go a little easy on her", Parth bhaiya said. "She is still shocked because of the news of her wedding".

"She is a tough one, isn't a she?", dad commented. He gripped on my right elbow, dragging me to my room. He pushed me inside and himself stood outside.

"I give you 5 minutes", he said. "Message all your friends to not call you or message you in these thirteen days and then give me your phone. You will get this after your marriage".

"This is not fair", I shouted, my voice was cracking because of the lump in my throat. "This is my life. You don't get to take decisions for me. I don't want this".

"Would you like another slap?", he shouted at me. "Or perhaps, I should take your phone and myself message your friends".

Now, that's something I don't want. He would get to know about Hamid and that would put his life in danger.

"Fine! I am doing", I said.

I opened my phone with shaking hands and quickly typed a message for Hamid.

Hey babe!

I would probably be locked in my room when you will be reading this. As I told you about the whole marriage thing, my father has now ordered that I won't go out of my house till thirteen days and nor do I will have my phone with me. He is taking away my phone too.

I just wanted to say I love you Hamid and I don't even know if we will be ever meet again. I am so sorry for this.

Don't try to text or call me, please otherwise my father would probably hurt you and that's the last thing I want.

Sorry

I wiped away the tears that had fallen from my eyes. I switched off my phone and handed it to dad.

"Good and now everything will turn out good", he said with his signature smirk on his face as he went out of the room, locking me inside.