The Aspect's Of Being Arranged

Call it forced or blackmailed ! (chapter1)

More about the characters:

Aanisha Riham:

Aanisha is a 22 year old girl pursuing her MBA at ST.FALLS CHRISTIAN COLLEGE, Bangalore. Her family members - mother (Mariam navaid) , father- (Zakir ahmed) and sister-(Yuhana qirrath).

Ammar Sufiyan:

Ammar is a 25 year old guy, who works at his fathers own company (Razifar- a textile based industry). Family members - mother (yasmin ) , father(Ismail khan) Ammar has a small brother (Mohammed Zaid) and a small sister (Ayni qudsiya).

This is just a small description of the important characters to avoid confusion.

                                                        chapter 1 

Here I am in this situation of dressing myself up like a cow. OK I know that's too much. But I feel there should be some kind of guidelines , given to you  , on how to talk to your mother out of your marriage. I know I've agreed to do this for my parents ,but that in no way changes the fact that doing these things suck. SUCK TO THE CORE! and I meant each and every word. Now the groom's people are coming to look for the cow in the yard. OK they're coming to check me out, literally.

Recently, I've done this thingy for about 6 times or so. BUT my mom never seems to give up. I tried stating the fact that I was still studying, but they just overlook that. But they promised me that I will leave my parent's house only after I have completed my MBA masters. Now that sounds like a compensation for the torture I go through almost every sunday. Because the other days I have college and I look dead tired to impress anybody. Most of the ones who had come earlier rejected me for every peculiar reason, and some of it ,my parent's rejected. Not that I was upset , Infact I was very very HAPPY ! But today I get this nasty feeling, that my happiness is going to take a U turn. The one's who are coming to look for me today are my Dad's friend's family. Now you get the situation? I wish there is some way out of this. I've met these people like twice in my life. But that doesn't change the fact, they have not forgotten me. Oh crap ! this situation

"Aanu" mom shouts,
"yes mom"
"Could you please act like a soon to-be bride?"
"But mom that happens only if they don't reject me" i tell
"We will see about that. Now get ready fast and wear the dress I bought you yesterday " she leaves the room without listening to what I have to say
"But mom that's so heavy" There is no point in yelling now. I have to do this. Amidst all of the nuisance going on around. The thing that got me settled is the word PATIENCE. I just have to be a little patient after all they are my parents, they would not want anything wrong to happen.

After an hour or so i get ready with the heaviest of dresses and the brightest of makeup. I already feel like a bride. And I don't like this feeling one bit. But there is this one moment when I look at the mirror, a tinge of blush crosses my face. I think its because of the fact that I kinda look good. Whatever it is I know this is really weird. I just hope they don't like me.

The ladkewale (groom's side) are curently in my house and mom seems to have a good long chat with them. I could hear all they said sitting in my room. Suddenly there is no noise, my nervousness rises to a halt when mom approaches my room. And takes me to our living room. Oh crap I've never felt so nervous before, why now? Maybe because I have seen them long time ago. I try to mentally prepare myself.

As mom leads me, I'm seated in the sofa. I notice two ladies around my mom's age and a young girl around my sister's age.
I say "Assalamualaikum".
The lady who was trying to look at me replies Walekumsalam. As soon as I look into her face, I realise the familiarity. Long ago I met her somwhere, sometime of my life. Both of them seem to grin so hard looking at me. At first I felt a bit conscious about myself. But then I slowly realised that these wide bright smiles are those positive looking smiles which might have a negative effect in my life. You got my point?
Slowly they start conversing with me asking me about my college, my interests and all sorts of things. Surprisingly I did'nt get irritated. Probably because the people who had come earlier made me do all kinds of walk and talk. They were pathetically disgusting.
After a while mom leaves me back to my room. I mentally laugh, at all this pretence. I mean its not like I cannot walk myself. But these so called etiquettes are so damn stupid.
Mom leaves me in my room and goes back to the guest. They were there for about 5 more minutes before they leave.
Immediately, after removing all the fancy item I had put on. I went back to mom. My sister yuhana seems to be really enjoying the situation so she exclaims "di ki shaadi" she chirps around singing until I break the ice and ask mom what had happened.
"They seem to quiet like you, they say you would be perfect for their son. Before getting involved with us they want to bring their elders to see you once again" she smiles
I say "oh okay". A pang of shock strikes through every vein of my body. I did not want this to happen. Oh god what should I do now?.
My sister chimes in more.
This is not good. Not good at all.
"di di ki shaadi".
"yuhaana, dont you have your boards in a week. We would'nt want you to get low grades now, would we? Otherwise that Ipad you were thinking about... ?
she immediately leaves the room without having much to say. And i mentally hifi myself, for the blow I just gave her. Not that I hate my sister or anything. It's just that she tends to get a bit annoying and me being the elder has to take advantage of certain situation. Authority has some good advantages buddy.

After a while, dad comes into my room with a bag of doughnuts from d'house. Mahn those lovely doughnuts. He hands me the bag. And plops down on the bed asking
"Are you okay, with what's happening? "
I lie "Yes i m good". As much as I want to shout out saying I don't like the current situation I am in, I cant. I don't want to hurt his feelings, moreover his rep with his friend might change with my stupidity. And i know now why he bought these doughnuts. So that he could get things out of my mouth which I don't reallys say. But the fact that he know's this, I wont let him get it out of my mouth.
He says "are you sure" ?
I say " yes I am sure".
He gets up to leave the room
"but papa can I ask you for something?"
"sure, what is it? " he says.
"I just don't know how to say this. I.. I the thing is that I want to leave this house only after i complete my MBA. ? Is that possible?"
My dad seems to think a bit for a while before he says.
"you know the next time they will come, this is the first thing I m going to ask them. I m sure they will understand. After all its just 8 more months isn't it? .
"yes papa, thankyou so much for this and these". I show him the doughnut in my hand.
"you better share it with your sister" He tells smilingly and leaves the room.
I quickly eat my share of the donughts and then sneak into yuhana's room. She seems to be so intensly studying. Miserable. I hated studying, and I hated every bit of having to learn so much which, made no sense nor did it have any use. So i try to shrugg off my current situation with yuhana
"you need not stress so much" i tell her
She seems surprised "all for that I Pad".
Quickly she leaves her book and takes the donught i got for her.
We talk randomly. And end up drifting into a good night's sleep