"Aaj se tumhara cricket band!!", the stern voice of Illias made Arsalan flinch as he stood before him, his head hung low. Meanwhile urooj who was sitting few distance away snickered as she tried to control her laugh, which made her earn a glare from Arsalan.

She stick out her tongue and ran away from there, leaving her brother to fend for himself.

"Illias...bacha hai, galti hogyi, jane de" Reshma tried to calm down her husband who had almost turned red from anger.

"Apne bete ko smjha do....agli baar mujhe dikh gya bat ke saath toh tange todh dunga" with that he turned and left.

"Ammiii" Arsalan whined infront of her mother.

"Acha ab muh na bnao...tumne bhi koi tareef e qabil kaam nhi kiya hai." Reshma said

"Lekin ammi aap janti hai na cricket meri jaan hai"

"Mere pyaare bete...agr tumne ye cricket ka bhoot nhi utara na apne sar se toh tumahra baap tumhari jaan le lega"

"Ab aao or nashta kro" she moved towards the dining table and Arsalan followed her as his stomach grumbled with hunger.

⋆‧°𓏲ּ𝄢

The wedding prepapration had begun with full swing as the day near closer. Each corner was decorated with ligihts and garlands of flowers. Guest has started to arrive, filling the house with endless chatter.

Mahnoor was still ignoring Zarim with all her life. And lately, Zarim had begun to feel restless, as though something about all of this was terribly wrong.

But he wasn't the kind of man who made decisions based on feelings alone. He needed proper answers, and perhaps that was why he was afraid to look too deeply into the unease gnawing at him because he feared he might discover something he wasn't ready to face

"Mahnoor."

The sound of Shahna's voice pulled Mahnoor from her thoughts.

She looked up from where she was helping Laiba arrange gift boxes.

"Ji Mami?"

"Ye Farha ka jora hai. Usse de aao."

Mahnoor obliged and stood to pick up the heavy garment bag containing Farha's bridal outfit.

Carefully adjusting its weight, she climbed the stairs leading toward the guest rooms.

Mahnoor stopped outside Farha's room and raised her hand to knock

"Aajao" she called.

Mahnoor opened the door to find Farha lying on her bed, her face covered in a face mask and two cucumber slices resting on her eyes.

"Farha api aapka joda" she said as she put it on the nearby chair.

"Thik hai" she answered without paying any attention to her.

She left the room, shutting the door behind her.

As the evening inched closer, people began getting ready for the dinner party held for both the families to get to know each other better.

"Aree Zarim tum abhi bhi tyar nhi hue?" Shahna fussed over her son, who was sitting with this laptop.

These days all he could think about was work. And this behavior of his was starting to worry his mother. Indeed, Zarim had always been hardworking and prioritized his work above everything else. But nowadays it felt different. It felt like he was running away from something, and the best way he knew how was to bury himself in work until there was no room left for anything else.

"Ho jaunga ammi" he said without looking up.

She sat herself beside him and said, "Kuch baat hai...aaj kl bhot pareshan lgte ho"

Her words pulled his attention.

"Aisi toh koi baat nhi" he lied
"Allah pr yaqeen rakho sb bhetar hoga" she pat his head and left.

He sat there like that for a moment thinking what his mother had said. Until he stood up and left to change.

One by one everybody left the house, cramped up in cars. Zarim was climbing down the stairs when he found Fatima and Shahna together. And from the look from Fatima's face, she looked worried.

"Kya hua phupho?" He asked
"Woh Mahnoor ka exam tha aaj pr wo ladki abhi tk nhi aayi" Fatima answered

He glanced at his watch, the time was moving closer to seven now.

"Aapne call kiya usse?"
"Ha kiya tha woh keh rhi thi bss phochne wali hai lekin abhi tk aayi he nhi" she said,
"Bhabhi aap log nikle mai uska intezaar yhi kr lungi" Fatima looked towards Shahna.

"Phupho aap chli jaye mai Mahnoor ko le kr aa jaunga" the offer slipped from his mouth before he could stop it.

"Lekin tumhara toh dinner pe hona zaroori hai.. Farha intezaar kr rhi hogi"
"Mai aa jaunga phupho ab ammi ke saath jaye" he said

"Sahi keh rha hai Zarim....tum chlo mere saath" Shahna directed Fatima towards the door.

What he was thinking?, he thought, before grabbing his car key.

He drove the car slowly on the way of her university. Looking around, if he could find her. And then he did, she walking on the road, her dupatta on her head and books clutched tightly to her chest.

She jumped as he pressed the horn. He rolled down the windows and said, "Andar baitho"

He rolled down the window and said, "Andar baitho."

Mahnoor froze.
For a second she genuinely thought she had heard wrong.
Then she saw him sitting behind the steering wheel, one hand resting on it, his expression unreadable.
Immediately her grip tightened around her books.
"Main aa jaungi," she replied quietly.

"Mahnoor."
His voice carried that familiar warning.
That makes people obey him no matter what.

But things were different now.
"Main aa jaungi," she repeated.
This time she started walking.

A muscle ticked in Zarim's jaw.
He slowly drove alongside her.

"Mahnoor. Andar baitho."
But she kept walking.
People on the road had already begun glancing at them.

Finally she stopped and looked at him.
"Aapko dinner pe nhi jana tha?"
The distance in her voice made something twist inside him.

"Pehle tumhe ghar le jana hai."
"Zaroorat nhi hai."

"Fatima phupho pareshan ho rahi hain."
For a moment guilt flashed across her face.

Without another argument she opened the back door. And sat there.
Zarim's fingers tightened around the steering wheel.

The entire drive passed in silence.
Mahnoor kept her face turned toward the window.

Outside, Lahore's evening lights blurred past. Inside, the silence felt suffocating.

After several minutes Zarim finally spoke.
"Exam kaisa hua?"
"Thik."
"Paper mushkil tha?"
"Nhi."

His jaw clenched at her indifference. Why can't she let go of that night, like he did?

"Abhi mujhse naraz ho?" He ended up addressing the elephant in the room.

Her eyes shifted toward him through the rear-view mirror. For the first time since entering the car.
"Main naraz nhi hoon."
"Achha?"
"Ji."
"Toh phir aise kyun behave kar rahi ho?"
A bitter laugh escaped her. Before she could stop it.
That laugh made him frown. Because there wasn't an ounce of happiness in it.
Only hurt.

"Main kaise bhi behave kru..aapko kya?"

Something flickered across his face at her word.
Pain.
Raw and immediate.
But it disappeared just as quickly.
Zarim felt his grip tighten.
And neither spoke after that.

When they finally reached home, Mahnoor get down quickly without another word.

She was planning to ditch the event all together. But then her mother called and ordered for her to get ready and come quickly with Zarim.

So she got ready like an obedient daughter and came down.

Zarim had already been waiting in the driver's seat when Mahnoor stepped out of the house.

For a brief second, his eyes landed on her.

The soft pink sharara suited her. The Dutch braid fell neatly over one shoulder, she didn't done much with her makeup. Yet somehow she looked difficult to ignore.

Mahnoor pretended not to notice his gaze and opened the back door.

The moment she sat down, Zarim frowned.

Again.

The back seat. As if he were her chauffeur.

He started the engine without saying a word.

The drive remained silent.

Mahnoor stared out of the window while Zarim kept his eyes on the road.

By the time they reached the venue, guests had already begun filling the hall.

Lights glittered from crystal chandeliers, music floated softly through the air.

The moment the car stopped, Mahnoor got out and disappeared inside before Zarim could even lock the vehicle.

Inside, both families were gathered around large tables.

Laughter echoed through the hall, children ran around creating chaos while elders discussed wedding arrangements.

"Mahnoor idhar aao!" Laiba called.

Relieved to escape, Mahnoor immediately joined her cousins.

Meanwhile Zarim found himself pulled toward Farha.

"There you are," Farha smiled.

"Kha the tum? Kbse intezaar kr rhi thi mai" she said.

"Kaam tha."

"Always work." She rolled her eyes dramatically, but there was a edge in her tone.

But before Zarim could think much of it, someone called Farha away.

She excused herself and moved toward a quieter corner of the hall.

It was few minutes later, when Zarim happened to pass by that side while answering a work call.

He wasn't paying attention until he heard Farha laughing.

Farha had her phone pressed to her ear. A smile spread across her face.

"Miss karungi tumhe," she whispered.

Zarim's steps faltered.

Farha's back was facing him, so she didn't notice him standing there.

"Sirf parso ka he intezaar hai."

His brows furrowed.

Before he could hear anything else, Farha turned around.

The smile instantly vanished from her face.

For the briefest moment, something that looked suspiciously like panic flashed across her eyes.

But she recovered herself quickly.

"Zarim?"

"Mai apni cousin Maya se baat kr rhi thi. Woh aa nhi saki isliye phone pr congrautlate kr rhi thi"

Something about the answer felt rehearsed.

For a second, neither spoke.

Then Farha tucked her phone away.

"Chalo, sab humara intezaar kar rahe hain."

As she walked ahead, Zarim remained standing where he was.

A strange unease settled in his chest.

Because for the first time since the engagement, something didn't feel right.

And he couldn't tell whether it was Farha...

Or the fact that every time he looked across the hall, his eyes kept searching for Mahnoor.