Caged Crown

◇31

His big, emerald green eyes shone as the light directly fall into his picture. I looked at his devilish smile and compared him to Ayman.

Ayman again? Will you please stop for God's sake? I heard my conscience yell. I sighed and hurled the picture inside my drawer. "This guy isn't right for me." I said to myself.

I heard a knock on the door. I forced a smile and replied "Please come in." It was none other than Junaid. My eyes widened in shock seeing him barge near me.

"I heard you agreed to marry this guy, didn't you?" He said furiously. I gulped, looking down

"Yes, I did." I said, puffing up some courage and looked up straight into his eyes. "Why?" He asked not breaking the eye contact.

"I have my reasons." I replied.

"Explain." He demanded coldly. I looked into his eyes daringly.

"I'm doing this to forget Ayman. So please don't stand against me." I replied and after a minute of glaring, I heard him sigh in frustration. This time, he looked into my eyes in pain. The coldness flew away and the mixture of hurt and pain hovered inside his hazel eyes. "Why didn't you choose that poor Naeef instead of this guy?"

"I didn't feel like choosing him." I replied coldly, while my heart yelled in pain. I wondered why I didn't bother talking to Naeef. I should've asked him before agreeing to marry this guy. "You know he freaking loves you. Yet, why don't you realize that? Don't tell me that the doctors had replaced your heart by a stone." His last sentence hit straight into that same stone which he had mention now. I glared at him. His glare became even more intense than mine.

"Stop your dramas and accept him. Do you know that he's leaving the city this evening. He had come to over hear about this alliance and he almost lost himself when he realize that you agreed to marry that guy." He yelled at me. I was lost in my world. I remembered that evening, meeting with Naeef. He had told me, "If you ever think of changing your mind, please don't hesitate to accept my love."
Yes, I remember that. Then, why did I agree to marry this stranger?

"Earth to Laiha." I heard Junaid yell. I snapped my head at him. "This is never too late to realize that you're a fool and," he pointed his index at my chest and continued "And this thing which beat for you isn't heart, it's a stone." I flinched at his words, how dare he say that to me?

"Why do you want me to marry Naeef?" I yelled back.

He smirked at me and replied shaking his head "No, you aren't supposed to marry Naeef. You can't marry him because he's a gem and you're just a stone. He doesn't deserve a girl like you, Laiha. He doesn't deserve you." Junaid yelled, his nose flared up in red. I, a weak girl could literally cry at someone, whose face goes red in anger. But this time I didn't let that happen. I didn't want to shed my tears again for that so called stupid love. I don't want to cry because it only makes me feeble.

"What if I say, I don't feel the same for Naeef as he does?"

"I won't believe." He shook his head.

"Then, please leave me alone brother. Please." I was on the verge of tearing out. He couldn't understand my pain. He won't.

He left me before giving his death glare to me. I knew my sudden decision to marry that stranger would get on any brother's nerves. Moreover, realizing Naeef's love and ignoring him is also rude. He did told me to accept him when I'm fully ready. What I'm supposed to do now? I feel like betraying him. My parents were literally in the cloud nine hearing my acceptance. I can't hurt them again. I can't disobey my dad and on the other hand I can't hurt Naeef. Plus, I can't forget Ayman by doing this stupidity.