The Wrong Wedding

Act-10

"I won't marry." I announced and the room fell silent. No one had asked my opinion in particular. Everyone was sitting in the lounge, including my parents and siblings, as they discussed my marriage prospects with different guys. I watched everyone's gaze turn up towards me, who was sitting at the far-end couch of the room.

At last Dad spoke, as he turned an icy gaze towards me. I felt my heart stop for a moment there, before it started throbbing.

"If you think that you have a say in this regard, then you are highly mistaken." He said, before looking away.

"No one besides her, has ever misbehaved in this manner. Every time she just has to disobey us. Do you enjoy bringing us humiliation that much? Ungrateful brat. Get out of my sight!" He shouted the last part while looking at me.

My vision had turned blurry because of the tears and  my heart thumped so loudly in my ears that it was becoming difficult for me to breathe. In my mind I had decided, that I will retort to threats of running away or outright refuse during nikah, when they asked my approval. But in the end, all my faux courage dissipated in thin air, as I scrambled to my feet and sprinted for the door.

I woke up with a start, at the sound of his phone ringing. By the time I sat up on the bed, he was leaving through the door. Wrapping my arms around my knees, I pulled them upto my chest and hid my face in them, as I took a few sharp breaths to calm myself. But like a broken dam; all the memories of last night came crashing through. A surge of embarrassment soared through me and my face felt heated all the way upto the tips of my earlobes. I looked up at the at sound of the door opening and through the minimal light streaming in through the curtains, saw him walking back in. Carefully; so as to not make any sound but then he saw me staring at him and stopped in his place.

"Sorry, the call woke you up." he said softly and then moved towards the table, on the other side of the room and grabbed some documents. Turning to me, he found me still watching him. Maybe, he thought I was still half asleep, since he came to my bed side and began slowly.

"You should go back to sleep. There is still few hours till we leave. I have some stuff to take care of. Will be back in a while." He turned to leave but I grabbed his hand, ever so softly. This stopped him and he twisted to look at me. His gaze drifted between me and my hand grasping his hand. Ever so slightly he returned my hold and took a seat beside me on the bed.

"What is it?" his voice, a soft brush of air against my ears, as he took his free hand to push some loose strands of hair behind my ear. Even though it was only a slight graze of his touch on my face, I felt goosebumps rising on my skin. I must still be half asleep because I drank in his touch while it lasted and felt wanting at its loss, when he pulled back.

"Don't—" I croaked out in a hoarse voice and his brows rose slightly in concern.

"Take me with you—please." The last word was a plea. His mouth opened and closed for a moment before he finally got able to speak.

"Zaira—I am coming back for—-" before he could complete, I cut him off with a shake of head.

"I'll need 15 minutes only. Can you please get the bags in car by then?" I must've looked like a madman, because he watched me like I was sleep talking.

"Zaira—" he started again, but I cut him off by clutching at the front of his shirt.

"Please..?" I whispered looking down at my hand and then up at him. I realised that my eyes had started to water then. He silently watched me for a moment, with concern filled gaze. Finally, he exhaled a sigh and softly pulled away my hand but didn't let go.

"Alright." He said finally, gazing into my eyes. I nodded him a thanks and then left to get ready. I wanted to leave because I didn't want to see my parents before leaving and they weren't up at this time. By the time they get up, I would've left.