A Little Tangled Up

14

"Humayrah, aap kuch le kyu nahi rahi?" Yumna asked with concern as everyone sat together at the dining table. Surrounded by so many people, Humayrah felt uneasy. The heavy outfit she was wearing wasn’t helping, and all the attention focused on her made her want to disappear into her chair.

(Humayrah, why aren’t you taking anything?)

"I... I’m done," Humayrah murmured softly.

"Lekin apne toh kuch khaya hi nahi," Yumna asked again, her tone laced with worry.

(But you haven’t eaten anything yourself.)

"Mujhe lagta hai bhabhi sharma rahi hain," Shahzaad said with a mischievous grin. Humayrah couldn’t stop herself from glaring at him. The first time she had met Shahzaad, she’d found him likable, but now he had become utterly annoying.

(I think bhabhi is feeling shy.)

"Aap sab log meri wife ko dekhna band karo, zahir hai sharm ayegi ussey." Mikaal said, making Humayrah’s jaw drop in disbelief.

(All of you stop staring at my wife, it’s obvious she’ll get shy.)

"Here..." Mikaal took a spoonful of rice from his own plate and extended it toward her. Humayrah’s hazel green eyes shot daggers at him, silently promising retribution.

"Ohhh," the rest of the family teased in unison, breaking into laughter. Forced into a corner, Humayrah managed a fake smile and took the bite, her cheeks burning with embarrassment.

But then, under the table, she pressed her foot hard onto Mikaal’s. His unexpected yelp of "Ouch!" escaped before he could stop himself.

"What happened?" Yumna asked, looking at him curiously. Mikaal quickly shook his head with a forced smile. "Nothing," he lied, while silently glaring at Humayrah, who returned the look with a smug satisfaction.

•••

As soon as Mikaal entered the room, Humayrah shot to her feet, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, her eyes sparking with frustration. "What was that behavior?" She demanded, her tone clipped as she glared at him.

Mikaal blinked, taken aback, and took a cautious step back. "What?"

"This... whatever you were doing outside," Humayrah stammered, struggling to find the right words to vent her frustration. Since morning, Mikaal had been acting overly loving in front of everyone, and she was torn between wanting to hit him or leave him stranded somewhere far away.

"Well, we have to act like a married couple, don’t we?" Mikaal shrugged nonchalantly. Of course, he wouldn’t admit that he was thoroughly enjoying teasing her. In their room, she was fierce like a lioness, but in front of everyone, her timid, confused demeanor made her look irresistibly endearing.

Humayrah fell silent at his response. After all, wasn’t this her plan in the first place? How could she complain now?

"Aur yeh necklace? Main kya karu iska?" She huffed, pointing to the diamond necklace around her neck, which glittered as if mocking her.

(And this necklace? What am I supposed to do with it?)

Mikaal gave her a lazy shrug, his eyes drifting to the necklace. "Apki marzi, pehenna hai toh pehne, nahi toh rakh dein." he said nonchalantly, though his gaze lingered a moment longer on her than necessary, watching the way the diamonds highlighted the faint blush on her neck.

(Up to you. If you want to wear it, wear it. If not, put it away.)

Her cheeks reddened under his gaze, and she shifted, crossing her arms even tighter. "Lekin yeh sab kyu ho raha hai? Sabki nazar mein humari shadi pehle ho chuki hai toh ab itna kyu kar rahe hain yeh sab? Can't they just let us live?"