Ittefaq Say (MeeraSim FF)

9 - Zabardasti

Murtasim sat on the opposite bench now so he could read her face. It would be more difficult for her to look away from this front view. Then he told her, 'Mera jhoot tou kab ka khul gaya. Aapka jhoot ka khulnay ka waqt ab aagaya hai.' The need to unravel her was unbearable- eating away at him. (My lie has been caught earlier but now it's the turn for your truth to come out.)

Meerab's eyebrows furrow at him questioning her alibi, trying to act innocent- but that veil was only hanging by a thread. 'Kaunsa jhoot Murtasim Saab ? Mera ticket gumm ho gaya tha.' She restated with a little more vigour, and her voice reverberated through the four walls of their cabin. As if repeating her words would turn them into fact. (Which lie Murtasim Saab? I've lost my ticket.)

It was just past day break and he had pushed the curtain back, flooding the room with an airiness that made it seem marginally more spacious. But it didn't deter from the elephant in the room- her desperateness to stay on the train and her feeble attempt to bribe the conductor with her necklace.

Meerab was purposefully avoiding eye contact- pretending to be engrossed out the window. Sky was a light bluish grey and the lands outside the window were merging organic greens and wheat-ish creams, capturing the serenene essence of Monet. In a way- mocking her.

But Murtasim wasn't convinced. He wanted to untie her lies, one by one. 'Ticket ghum honey say koi itna ghabra hai kya?' He asked, his tone a mix of concern and inquisitiveness. He wished that she haden't panicked, that she had been secure enough to whip out a ticket and shove it in Farukh's face- but that wasn't the case. (Does anyone panic like that when their ticket is lost?)

He had no right to question her backstory. Meerab huffed at his line of questioning, clearly implying that he doubted her words. So then she decided act on the defensive, 'Tameez ke lehje mei baat karein mujsay.' She blurted, trying to even her breathing and gain control of the conversation 'Gabra nahi rahi the - itni der sat soyee nahi hou issi liye aapko aisa laga.' Before finally admitting, 'Merey paas khullay paisay nahi hai.' (Talk with me properly. I wasn't panicking, it's just that I hadn't slept in a while that's why you thought so. I don't have change.)

Suddenly his features softened at the idea she indeed didn't have money. She seemed well to do, pretty clothes and the collection jewellery which adorned her. She seemed well read from her recollection of English classic novels, Emily Bronte, Charles Dickens and Shakespeare. So her lack of money didn't really marry up... unless she was fleeing.

His eyes met hers, desperatley trying to coax the truth out of her. 'Ghar say bhaag rahee hou?' He asked without thinking about how forward of a question it was. (Are you running away from home?)

The idea that she was alone, without a home, tugged at his heart but it made sense- the lack of cash, the dirt accumulating on the edge of her dress, the lack of a suitcase- she seemed constantly on edge.

Meerab pursed her lips in frustration of having to repeat herself. He was impertinent, overstepping his boundary and she needed to make him halt, before she cracked. 'Mainay kaha kay mera ghar aur university Karachi mei hai.' She said with a fraction of less decorum than her earlier statements.(I've told you my house and University are in Karachi.)

She said those words regardless of the fact that she couldn't even produce the name of a single university in Karachi. She had no supporting evidence- and she indebted to him for the ticket. It felt like a defeat.

Murtasim took the opportunity to review his information and his hypothesis was only strengthened. His gaze locked onto her outfit again- dress was far too pretty for a long night journey- the colours were slightly too vibrant and didn't sit well in the dull browns of the carriage. But rather than calling her out, he made a general statement, 'Safar kay pehle, insaan munasib kapre pehnta hai.' (Before going on a trip, a person puts on a comfortable attire.)