AN INDIAN GIRLS SACRIFICE

Chapter 24

I leave everyone in the lounge and go up to my room, I'm thinking of speaking to Fawaaz bhai and Zafar, maybe they will forgive Zayaan if I spoke to them again and told them how much it meant to me.

I sat by my window reading my book, I looked out and I thought I saw Aahil standing in our driveway. I thought it's just an illusion so I ignore what I saw and carry on reading.

"Amu, you won't believe it but guess who is here," Zafar says hysterically.

"It's him isn't it? It's my Aah..."

"Yes Amu, it's him."

I stand in my room for a few seconds and think to myself, why is Aahil here? What does he want? Hoping it's just an ordinary visit, I rush down to see for myself.

When I get to the bottom of the staircase I hear my Abba's voice, I got worried because he sounded upset. I walked in while Aahil was telling my family why he was here.

Aahil wayed tospeak to menin private so he asked my parents for permision.My Abba allowed us to speak in his office.

"Aahil what's up? Why are you here demanding to speak to me and creating a scene?"

"Babes, I left the day of your engagement because I couldn't see you getting engaged to someone else, but there's so much I want to tell you and didn't get a chance. I know I wrote the letter but it didn't say all that I want to say."

"Aahil it's no use saying anything now. Everything is over and I'm already engaged to Zayaan. If you wanted to say or do something you should have before I got engaged. You should have fought with our parents for me then not now when it's all over. I think you should leave."

I walked out of my Abba's office, I stopped in the living room to let my parent's know that Aahil and I are done talking. Zuhair bhai went to get Aahil from my Abba's office but he had already left.

I went up to my room, I dropped myself on the bed and cried my eyes out. I can't believe that Aahil wants to do something about us now, when he should have stood up and fought he didn't. My Abba sent Fawaaz bhai to call me. They wanted to know what Aahil wanted.

"Amu what did Aahil want?" my Abba asks apprehensively.

I wasn't going to lie to my family so I told them exactly why Aahil was here and what I told him. My Abba was upset and called Uncle Umar and told him what Aahil had done, my Abba also requested that Aahil stay away from me.

I am disheartened and disappointed in Aahil but I know that I should have also said something but Aahil knows I never go against my parent's.

I don't know why but I felt that I needed to tell Zayaan the truth. I felt that I was cheating on him in a way. I got upset when he was chatting with a girl but in a way I'm also doing the same to him.

"Assalaam-u-alaikum, how you doing?"

"Walaikum Salaam, I'm okay and you?"

"Alhamdulillah, but you don't sound okay."

"Just tired, work was hectic. What you up to? Wait why you calling me? I told you I will call you doll, you just had to send me a message to call you."

"I have something important to tell you. First I would like to apologise to you, I'm really sorry that I got upset at the fact that you spoke to another girl, I realised that I'm kind of doing the same to you. Aahil is not just a family friend or a childhood friend, he is also the love of my life, the one person I would do anything for. Unfortunately we had to part ways."

"Doll it's okay, it's over and in the past, let it stay there and let us move forward. You don't have to apologise, I would have probably reacted the same as you did. If Aahil is the one you love then why are you marrying me?"

"By the time we told our parents about us, it was too late. My Abba had already made a promise to your Abba that you and I will get married."

"So what? He could of told Abba, I'm sure he wouldn't of felt bad. I think we should speak to them now."

"No please don't do that. My Abba made a promise and never goes against his word, I would never want my Abba to go against his word and promise just for me. My Abba knows about Aahil and I, it made no difference to him, he gave his word to someone already and I'm sure you know that it was part of a business deal."

"I dont know what to say or do, I feel you being forced into this alliance.I'm coming on Monday to your town. I have some work, so I will be staying over few days, maybe we can think of something then."

"Okay will tell my Abba you coming and you will be staying over but I need you to promise that you will not say anything to my Abba. Just leave things as they are."

"No doll, I won't be staying at your place. I don't think it's right to stay without my family. People will talk that I came alone and probably came to see you, it will just create problems."

"You sure? Because Abba won't let you stay at a hotel."

"I'll speak to Abba, don't worry. I'll call you later my Ammi is calling me."

I put the phone down and went down to have dinner, bhabhi made my favourite prawn pasta. At the dinner table my Abba tell Fawaaz and Zafar that they need to apologise to Zayaan.

I don't mention that he will be coming in a few days because I know my Abba will tell him to come stay by us and I know Zayaan doesn't want to stay with us and he has a valid reason.

After dinner I help bhabhi to clean up and then help Zafar with his homework. By the time I was done helping Zafar it was 10pm and I was tired so I decided to go to bed.

I open my room door and get startled by Armaan, he was standing by my room window. This guy has guts, he probably doesn't know that if he is caught he will be in huge trouble.

"What are you doing in my room?" I ask assertively.

"I can't believe that you could do this to me, I told you how I felt and you played along without telling me clearly that you not interested and then you lied to me about Aahil. The worst was when I got back and got the shocking news."

"Firstly I did tell you I am not interested in you, secondly I didn't know I was inlove with Aahil at the time we met you. Zayaan was a shock for me as well and I don't think I owe you any explanations. Please leave my room."

Bhabhi comes to my room and sees Armaan, she asks him what he is doing in my room, I told her everything. Bhabhi left the room and so did Armaan. I was afraid of bhabhi telling Zuhair bhai or my parent's. I know that they won't allow him to stay here and my Ammi's friendship is at stake.

It was too late for me to do anything so I decided I would speak to bhabhi in the morning and sort out things. I changed into my pj's, as I got into bed Zayaan called.

"Assalaam-u-alaikum, how you doll?"

"Walaikum Salaam. Alhamdulillah and yourself?"

"I'm good, what you doing?"

"Just got into bed and you?"

"Me too, you still upset or has your mood changed?"

"I'm okay now. So what time will you be here on Tuesday?"

"My flight lands at 6am, I've hired a car so they will fetch me at the airport, then I got a meeting at 9am."

"You crazy if you think Abba is going to allow you to stay in a hotel and let you hire a car."

"I'll phone Abba tomorrow and see what he says, but I'm sure I can get myself out of it."

"We will see. I can bet that he won't let you out of it."

"You challenging me?"

"Take it as a challenge if you want but if I'm right you have to gift me something."

"No problem doll, even if you wrong I will still gift you something, just name it and I will get it for you."

"I'm just kidding. I don't want anything but I know you going to lose. Anyways I'm really sleepy now, can we continue our chat tomorrow please."

"Yeah sure doll. Anything for you. Sleep well and sweet dreams."