Of Broken Hearts

six

Forgiving is easy, but forgetting is not.

•••

Shehryaar has loved Leila for as long as he could remember. Even when they drifted apart from each other, due to that huge misunderstanding, he still loved her. It was impossible for him to stop loving her. Even if he denied it a hundred times, deep down only he knew how painful it was for him to watch her every freaking day and not talk with her, make fun of her or laugh along with her. It hurt him so much and he wouldn't deny he hated her for it. He hated her so much.

But he was ready to forgive her and take her back in a blink of an eye if only she came and apologized for what she did. That day never came. They both gave their egos the first priority and stopped seeing each other's face, how much ever frustrating it was. Their pride didn't let them take the first step.

Neither did Shehryaar thought about it deeply nor did Leila gave him the proper explanation which he deserved to get. Both of them were right and wrong in their own places, but mostly it was the ego that won at the end.

Now when he realized what the actual truth was, things took a drastic turn.

"Marry you?" Giving him a sarcastic laugh Leila pulled away from his grip. He gave her a confused stare. His cheesy statement did not even affect her as much. All she could process was the word, marriage and her mind was blank all over again.

"Yeah, sure. What's the guarantee that you won't leave me once again?" Leila shot him a furious glare. The word marriage does things to her heart, which she hasn't shared with anyone before.

No one would understand her feelings unless their supposed lover rejected them just two days before the actual wedding.

"You said you forgave me?" Shehryaar asked blankly, he was so elated just a moment ago and now hearing her say this made him restless.

"Forgiven. Not forgotten. I've never forgotten the hurt you gave me, Shehryaar. You hurt me so damn much and suddenly you cannot just come back in my life and marry me." She snapped at him in fury.

Of course. What else did he expect?

"You hurt me too, Leila. You hurt me so much. I'm mistaken, I agree... but partly it was your mistake too. You did not even explain me. What did you expect from me after seeing such a scene with my own eyes." Shehryaar replied angrily.

He was so frustrated with her at this point. They were fine just a moment ago and now this.

"I know and I'm not going to justify my actions. I do forgive you, but I'm not ready for the marriage yet. A second chance yes. But not so soon. The humiliation once faced was more than enough." She cried in anger while refusing to look into his eyes, forcibly he held her shoulders and made her look at him.

"Please stop crying, Leila. I'm sorry. I'd do anything to get your forgiveness. To get you back in my life... Just say." Shehryaar asked in a pleading voice as he wiped away her tears, she slowly gazed into his beautiful charcoal eyes and lost her senses for a while.

"I forgave you. But do understand that I'm scared. I cannot just forget everything and come back to you... We both deserve a second chance, I agree. But I'm unsure of this relationship. I'm going crazy thinking that things might end in misery once again."

"It won't." He said whilst cupping her cheeks.

"I need space." Leila pulled back once again. He looked hurt by her actions but it was getting too much for her to handle. All she wanted to do was to say yes and marry him but God should only help her. She's so scared. Scared of all the what-ifs.

Hurt by her actions, Shehryaar maintained some distance from her. She gave him an apologetic stare.

"You said you'd give us a second chance?" He asked her with hopeful eyes.

"I did." She never declined that.

"Then why won't you marry me?" This girl, she's the only one who can make him feel so many things at the same time.

"I wish it was that easy." Leila chuckled nervously.

Their moment gets interrupted with a loud honk, startling both of them. Snapping their head in confusion; they found a car parking in front of them.

"Are they Khaled's?" Shehryaar asked in astonishment. Leila wished it was a dream or something but only it wasn't.

"Why do they look like they're going to burst into flames or something?" Leila whispered to him in a low voice, he couldn't disagree with that. The Mother and father of Junaid did look very angry.

Still confused, Leila passed them a polite smile as she looked at them both. But they didn't return it rather they frowned at her.

Shehryaar was taken aback at that. Just two weeks ago, they were going crazy about Leila and now they were frowning at her. Was it for real!?, He wondered in confusion.

Ignoring them both like they never existed, Zara Khaled and her husband marched into the villa.

Passing curious glances towards each other, Leila and Shehryaar entered their villa, silently.

Long forgotten was her bag, which fell down over there and their heated conversation which they've just shared.

Humera was confused when she saw her daughter's supposed in-laws come to their home unannounced. Panic overtook her heart, as she sat across them. She did not even bother to ask why Leila hasn't gone to college yet, she saw her leave with her own eyes but that was not important now.

They passed each other greetings and the Khaled's looked at each other sceptically.

"We are sorry, Mrs Qureshi... but we're calling off this wedding," Zara muttered those words, not feeling sorry at all.

"What?" Humera exclaimed in horror, Leila snapped her head at that.

The only happy person was Shehryaar.

"Don't give that surprised look, Mrs Qureshi. Why didn't you tell us beforehand about your daughter's doings? Such an ugly character behind that pretty face. What did you all take us for?" Zara muttered angrily.

Tears formed in Leila's eyes, as she heard those words. She understood why are they calling off the wedding.

"We can explain... It's a misunderstanding." Humera tried to pacify them while Leila sat there numbly.

"What misunderstanding? When her own cousin refused to marry her. Then why would my son become the scapegoat?"

"ENOUGH NOW." Shehryaar who could not tolerate tears in Leila's eyes yelled at that lady in anger. She flinched in fear.

"You don't want your son to marry her? Great. You should just leave... Not another word against her and yes ask your son to not send any more roses to her." Huffing angrily, the old couple left the Qureshi villa, for good.

Humera was confused about everything.

"You knew?" She asked her nephew sceptically. He nodded his head in shame, and couldn't even look at her face.

"How?" Humera asked.

"It was Agha Jaan who set her up," Shehryaar muttered those words bitterly. Humera's eyes widened at that. She knew that her father in law hated her daughter, but to this extent, she had no idea.

"Leila..." Calling her name softly, he held her hands.

Humera watched her kids with a sad smile on her face. They were both so broken and hurt for no fault of theirs. They both did not deserve that.

"Leila, say something." Shehryaar was hating how much aloof Leila was looking. She used to be so lively and bubbly once upon a time.

Not having anything to say, Leila yanked her hands and ran away from there.

Shehryaar watched the disappearing figure of her with a gloomy look on his face. He understood that she has forgiven him but to forget everything she needed time. He broke her trust and was paying its cost now.

Maybe it's not always about trying to fix something that is broken. Maybe it's about starting over and create something better.