Tere sang ishq hua

Tum dena saath mera

Sitara lay peacefully asleep on her bed, her long hair sprawled across the pillow.
Suddenly, her phone buzzed on the wooden nightstand, the screen lighting up with a sharp glow. Sitara stirred, frowning as she reached for the device. The message was from Nimmi's number: "Sitara please come to Qasim's room. It is urgent"
Sitara's heart raced as unease washed over her. She sat up, the remnants of sleep fading quickly, replaced by an urgent restlessness. The silence of her room felt stifling, and she swung her legs over the side of the bed. She could not understand why nimmi had texted her this late.
As she tiptoed down the hallway, the house was eerily quiet.With each step, unease twisted in her stomach, but she brushed it aside.
Reaching Qasim's room, Sitara paused at the door, her heart pounding. The dim light flickered, casting long shadows that seemed to stretch and sway. “Nimmi?” she called softly, but the only response was silence.
Sitara stepped inside,“Nimmi?” she called again, her voice stronger this time. Still nothing.
Then, without warning, the door slammed shut, plunging her into darkness. Panic surged as she turned, but before she could react, a figure got up from the bed.
Sitara’s heart dropped.
" Sitara" Qasim calls her name as he finds in his room this late hour alone. He could not understand what Sitara was doing in his room. Then he remembered Nimmi's word the previous evening about sitara.
" Sitara ko shadi wadi mein interest nahi hai, ussko sirf ladko se dostiyan karne mein interest. Ek ladke se uska dil nahi bare ka" Nimmi says to qasim who was searching for sitara.
" Don't you feel ashamed talking about such cheap things about your cousin" Qasim asks her.
Nimmi smiles, " sach bol rahi hoon, now that salar has gone you're her next target, you can see"
Nimmi walks away leaving Qasim doubtful.
Before sitara and Qasim could exchange words, the door was swung open with all family members entering the room and looking at them in shock.
" Yeh allah, yaha kya ho raha hai" Shahida yells. Shaukat glares at sitara and Qasim. Zohaib gave a murderous look.
" Aap jaisa samajh rahi hai aisa bilkul nahi hai, mujhe aaya nimmi ne message karke bhulya tha" Sitara reveals.
" Sitara yaar, jhoot kyun bol rahi woh. I did not say anything like that. When you get caught why are you taking my name to escape" Nimmi lies inwardly smirking looking at sitara's expression.
" Tumhe message Kiya tha, I have my phone" Sitara searches for her phone and remembers her phone wasn't with her.
" Mera phone room mein hai, I have a message from Nimmi's number in it. You all can see" her voice trembling.
Zohaib got her phone from the room, sitara opened it to show the message only to not find it. She searched for deleted messages, everywhere she could not find the message.
" You can check my phone too, I have not sent any message " Nimmi says acting innocently. Nimmi's phone was checked. Everyone glared at sitara.
" Nimmi please sach bol dho na" Sitara pleads in front of her cousin.
" Apni galtiya chup ne ke liye mere beti mil thi tumhe" Najma shoves sitara away from nimmi.
"Meine kuch nahi kiya " Sitara pleaded to her taya but he refused to look at her face turning away. Her brother was looking at her as if he would murder her there.
" You will turn out to be such a girl I never thought " Qasim said, his expression hardening, the disgust evident in his tone as he turned away.
Sitara's eyes got filled with tears, blurring her vision. No one is believing her innocence.
Nimmi stood in a corner smirking enjoying sitara's pain.
" Pata nahi aisa kitne ladko ke kamare mein raat ko gayi hogi" Tayi says, sharply.
"Please, I’m telling you the truth!” Tears pricked at the corners of her eyes, but Sitara fought them back. “Mein aise nahi hoon . Someone set me up!”
" We will teach you!" Tayi dragged sitara to another room. Zohaib and kiran followed her. Others went to sleep. Salman had a doubt that nimmi did this but did not care much about it.
As sitara was dragged to another room, Shahida raised her hand and slapped Sitara across the cheek, the sound echoing in the small space. Sitara flinched, tears welling in her eyes, but she remained silent, unable to comprehend the sudden violence. Sitara looks at Zohaib only to see her brother looking at her angrily. Kiran was enjoying sitara's punishment. Sitara got hit another two times, she screamed out in pain but no one came to help her out.
Tayi grabbed Sitara by the arm, dragging her toward the room at the end of the hallway. " Aaj se Sab katam, go to college tomorrow and inform your principal your getting married and you are discontinuing your studies" she hissed, pushing Sitara inside and slamming the door shut.
" Tayi please, Zohaib at least you listen to your sister, I did not do anything disgraceful" Sitara pleaded still no one came to aid her.
Sitara sat on the floor, back against the cold door, tears streaming down her cheeks. How had life come to this.