Paasban

Chapter 4

It wasn't a dream to be with you, it was a prayer...

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Musa's POV:

"Ho jao na tyar!" Sana screamed on top of her lungs as she saw me lounging comfortably on the couch. Her shrill command echoed in the room, but I barely looked up, keeping my attention on the email I was editing.

(GET READY!)

"I have a meeting, Sana," I replied, rolling my eyes. I was used to her nagging, especially when it came to family or friend functions, and I had mastered the art of ignoring it. Returning to my work, I figured she'd give up soon.

But of course, she didn’t.

"Meeting, meeting, meeting. What kind of life is that?" she groaned dramatically, throwing her hands in the air. "Come on, Musa, Arif will lose his mind if you don’t show up. He’ll blame me for not dragging you there. Pleaseee... Please!" she begged, her big puppy eyes full of fake desperation. "I’ll find you a girl, I swear!" she added, pouting.

I lifted my gaze just enough to meet her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "I don't want a girl," I said firmly, snapping my laptop shut and sitting up straighter.

"That's the problem!" she groaned again, throwing herself onto the couch beside me. "You don’t want a girl, and it’s driving us all crazy. It's time, Musa. You're 31!"

I sighed, leaning back and rubbing my temples. "Sana, not everything revolves around finding a girl. I’m perfectly fine."

She folded her arms and narrowed her eyes at me, like she always did when she didn’t get her way. "You’re not fine. You’re just avoiding living a real life."

I raised a brow at her, slightly amused by her lecture. "What is it this time? Another over-the-top wedding full of people I don’t know?"

"Nope," she shot back, a mischievous smile creeping up her face. "It's Shaheen’s wedding... With Maria... Arif s friend and you know her too."

I paused, slightly caught off guard. "Shaheen? Really? With Maria? Wow."

Sana nodded, leaning forward with excitement. "Yes! You know how much he looks up to you. It’ll mean the world if you’re there."

I stayed silent for a moment, weighing my options. Shaheen was like a younger brother to me, and I knew Sana was right—he’d be disappointed if I didn’t show up. I exhaled deeply, finally relenting.

"Fine, I'll go. But I’m not staying for long," I muttered, running a hand through my hair.

Sana grinned triumphantly. "That’s all I needed to hear! Don’t worry, I’ll make sure you look good too. Who knows, you might even meet someone."

I gave her a pointed look. "Not happening, Sana."

She shrugged, still grinning as she hopped up. "We’ll see," she called over her shoulder, already on her way out of the room.

As I reopened my laptop, I called out lazily, “Pick out a kurta for me!”

From the other room, I heard Sana’s voice ring out, “I already have!”

I rolled my eyes . Of course, she had. She always had everything planned out, whether I asked for it or not. Shutting the laptop once again, I stood up and stretched. There was no way I was getting out of this, and the sooner I accepted it, the better.

I walked over to my wardrobe, and there it was—a neatly pressed, black kurta, draped over the back of a chair.

"Black, huh?" I muttered to myself, pulling it off the chair. I quickly changed, the fabric feeling unfamiliar after months of living in button-downs and suits.

As I straightened up in front of the mirror, adjusting the collar, I couldn’t help but smirk. It wasn’t bad—simple, understated, and exactly the kind of thing I’d wear.

I stepped out of my room and found her waiting near the door, her eyes scanning me from head to toe. "Not bad," she teased, pretending to inspect me.

I shot her a look. "I’m only doing this because it’s Shaheen's and Maria's wedding."

She grinned, satisfied. "Of course, of course. Come on, let’s go. Don’t want to be late."

We pulled up to the hall, and just as I was getting out of the car, I saw Arif’s car pulling in right behind us. He parked haphazardly, jumped out, and made his way over, a wide grin plastered on his face.

“Musa, you actually made it!” he exclaimed, throwing an arm around my shoulder.

I rolled my eyes, shrugging him off. “Yeah, yeah. Don’t make a big deal out of it.”

He chuckled, clearly pleased that I had shown up despite my earlier resistance. "Sana worked her magic, didn’t she?"

Ignoring his comment, I headed toward the marquee, Sana trailing behind with a smug smile. As soon as I stepped in, the buzz of voices and the vibrant colors hit me all at once. It was packed, with family members and friends chatting excitedly. The decorations were simple but elegant, the lights dimmed just enough to give the place a warm, festive glow.

My eyes immediately went to the stage. Shaheen stood tall, dressed in his sherwani, his parents beside him, both looking proud. I nodded in his direction, even though he was too distracted to notice me yet.

Sana nudged me, “See? It’s not so bad.”

I shot her a look but didn’t argue. She wasn’t wrong—it wasn’t bad at all. Not yet.

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After a while, I settled into my seat, half-listening to the chatter around me, scanning the crowd without much interest. The event was in full swing, people laughing and talking, music playing softly in the background. My mind wandered to my unfinished work, but then something – or rather, someone – caught my eye.

For the first time that evening, my gaze locked onto a woman across the room, and everything around me seemed to blur. She was seated in a quiet corner, slightly apart from the crowd, her hands folded neatly in her lap. There was something about her that commanded attention. It was more subtle, almost delicate.

She wasn’t like the others. Her cheeks were rose red, and I couldn’t help but notice her eyes—bloodshot, as if she’d been crying. Yet, despite that, there was a softness to her, a quiet beauty that drew me in. Her doe-like eyes scanned the room, seeming a little lost, but calm, as if she was holding it together for the sake of appearances.

She wasn’t seeking attention, but somehow, she held mine completely.

She lifted her hand and made a small gesture toward the stage. My eyes followed her line of sight and I realized she was silently communicating with Shaheen. They were exchanging glances and signals. Her gaze softened for a moment when he smiled back at her.

Who was she?

I saw her look away, tears visible in her eyes as her gaze met mine. I kept my gaze on her as she stared back at me Innocently.

People passed in between us but my whole attention was on her. She looked away wiping her cheek. I frowned a bit. Why was she crying?

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His pov!!!