Ishq | (complete)

33 | bereham

❝Mera Jo Sanam Hai Zara Beraham Hai

Deke Mujhe Woh Dard Muskrayega❞

"Lily tu mere se kuch chupa rahi hai. Mujhe pata hai. Bata de warna meine yahan containers wala dharna daal dena hai. Honeymoon pe bhi nahi jaoon gi aur teko khala bhi nahi banaoon gi." Inaaya narrowed her eyes at Laila while Laila glanced around making sure no one heard her besharam best friend.

"Kuch nahi chupa rahi. Tumhari nazar kharab ho rahi hai. Pose maar zara." Laila pointed at the photographer, searching for any and every distraction she could find.

"Bata warna-"

"Warna kuch nahi. Yahan logon ke saamne drama band karo. Sab dekh rahe hai." Laila fixed Inaaya's tika on her forehead, making sure her dress was pinned properly. She glanced towards the table and it was a mistake.

Her spine steeled like a rod as the shiver traveled down it. Those eyes followed her across the hall, never straying away from her. Laila clenched her jaw, looking anywhere and everywhere, but the table where the Ali family celebrated their reunion with their eldest son.

"Sab bags ready hai na. Flight raat ko hai tumhari." Laila fixed Inaaya's glittering silver floor-length dress on the stage.

"Your man is here. Mein to kehti hoon qazi ko bulao aur yahi qubool hai karva do." Inaaya nudged her, wiggling her eyebrows. "Milke deewrani aur jaithani honeymoon pe jayenge."

"Inaaya!" Laila warned her. The quiver was merely there on her lips, but it made Inaaya scrunch her forehead. "Don't do this, please." Laila barely voiced her words above a whisper, begging her friend.

"Something happened?" Inaaya whispered through her clenched teeth as she smiled at the guests and photographer. It wasn't something Laila was going to discuss in public.

"Asher called me again last night." Laila found another topic that Inaaya was fond of and that'd surely get her off the other. If Laila spilled the truth to Inaaya, Her best friend was likely to cancel the honeymoon and instead drag her suitcase to Laila's house to stay there for a month. Nanha Farishta and Inaaya both didn't deserve this.

"Haan to?" Forgetting all about the photographer and the swarm of the crowd, Inaaya turned towards her, waiting for her answer.

"Kuch nahi. I told him I'll see him in a couple of days. I know what to do, Niya. Ab bus kar. Sab idher dekh rahe hai." Laila turned Inaaya towards the front before getting up as Zain returned after meeting his friends.

"Laila," Her feet froze at the last step on the corner of the stage, away from the lights and smiles of people.

Woh jo dil ko dukhate hai, wohi kyun phir marham lagane ko laut aate hai. Kitni mushkil se usne apne dil ko samjhaya tha. To kyun woh phir iske toote dil ke tukron ko kuraid raha tha.

"Kaisi ho?"

Woh jo bohat kuch kehna tha, aaj kuch bhi na raha kehne ko. Laila nahi jaanti thi ke woh anjaan hai ya zalim. Woh rula ke pouch raha hai ke ankhon mein numi kyun hai.

Laila responded with a slight nod. If she opened her mouth only the broken pieces lodged in her throat would come out, falling into his feet. She had let herself fall enough times, not anymore. She couldn't allow herself to do it again. His gaze burned the side of her, urging her to turn, to look him in the eye, but she held on to the bare bones of her strength. No matter how much her heart craved to turn and look him the eye, she didn't, without glancing she left him behind.