Chapter 32: Departure and The flight

At the airport DJ was crying uncontrollably. Her parents were trying to console her. Haya tried to calm her down but when she could not help, she moved aside and stood with her hands in her jacket's pockets and kept looking at DJ.
To day she had worn shalwar kameez and on that jacket. She had put her dupatta around her neck like a muffler. Today was the last day. From tomorrow onwards she would wear clithes of her choice and go about wherever she liked..without the fear of Taya Furqan or her dad.
It was eleven thirty at night and her flight was due tge next morning at four.
"Just how much does she cry. You take care of her!"
Sulaiman sahab was irked by DJ's crying. She was crying even when he had started to leave. She stopped crying when an officer from Etihad Airlines came and politely addressed them.
"Madam, please remove your documents from the luggage and keep it with you in handcarry. In case your luggage is lost atleast your documents will be safe."
"Avein our luggage will get lost?" DJ replied while wiping her face. She forgot her crying and said angrily "We don't want to carry so much weight with us."
"Madam, this is better for you. Sometimes the luggage gets lost. It might then be a problem for you."
The officer was a Pakistani girl working for the airlines at the airport. She had noticed that they were travelling for the first time and came to inform them. Haya would have agreed but DJ was adamant.
"Absolutely not! We don't want to carry heavy weight in our handcarry."
"You don't have to carry in the plane."
"We still have to carry till we reach the plane."
"In that case in Turkey may Allah have mercy on you!" She stomped and left. DJ felt satified and with a vicorious smile looked at Haya while pushing her glasses on her nose. "Nothing can defeat a person till he himself does not accept defeat."
Haya laughed heartily. She felt DJ was nice.
In the flight they both got the seat in the same row. The middle seat was empty. Haya got the window seat while DJ got the seat at the other end.
"It would be do much fun Haya! If this seat is occupied by a handsome, charming...." DJ's words were left unsaid. A fat Pakistani sahab who looked stuffed in his two piece came and sat between them. Haya and DJ felt uncomfortable and moved further away from the seat.
"I am called Usman Shabbir, Sheikh Usman Shabbir." He said excitedly.
"Nice!" Haya replied while looing for something in her golden clutch.
"Good!" DJ spread the magazine in front of her face.
"I have come from Turkey, afterall tgat is where I stay. My wife and son also stay there."
Haya pretended she was very busy looking for something in her clutch and DJ brought the magazine closer to her face, it almost touched her face.
"But he is not my son, do tou know who's don he is?"
They couldn't ignore her further. Haya looked at him and DJ put the magazine down.
"You tell, whose son is he?"
It felt like he was looking to speak to someone for decades and finally he could narrate his story. Haya and DJ were very bored. Haya felt nauseous because of sleep amd the flight. She didn't tell DJ that this was her first time travelling, what would she think if her?...that she never sat in a plane? Now how could she tell she never got a chance to.
While he was narrating his story, the menu card was offered. Tgey became energetic again. Some names sounded similiar while other looked like tgey were from Urdu origin.
"Zeera potato and veg cutlet, paneer jalfarezi, plain paratha, birayani, sayadieh samak etc".
Haya questioningly looked at DJ. They couldn't figure out what they should order.
"Turkish food is very delicious and Turkish are very found of eating. Let me siggest what we should eat."
"Very good, please tell." Haya surrendered.
"First let's order Sayadieh Samak. Its the traditional turk rice with white fish, fried onions and cashew. Mushroom and cheese omelette, zeera potato..." he ordered the food.

But when the food arrived Haya felt very nauseatic just by its smell. Even DJ didnt feel like eating. They just had a spoon and left it. Haya had never eaten such bland food in her life before. Usman sahab was enjoying his food. Haya felt if this was Turkish food then she is going to starve in Turkey. Strange aroma was entering her nostrils and she felt nauseatic again. She covered her face with dupatta and slept.

Chapter 31: Shocking Revelation

Sabanci University had sent her a form to know her preference of hostel. She sat on the bed with laptop on her lap and started answering funnily just to improve her mood.
"Would you prefer to live with the person from the same country? "
"Absolutely not!"
"Do you smoke?"
"Ofcourse I do."
"Do you drink?"
"Yes that as well"
"What type of a person are you?"
"Extremely dangerous and fights always"
She suppressed her laughter and pressed next thinking she would fill the form and then discard it...she had never thought of submitting it. But as soon as she pressed next the form got submitted.
"Thank you for submitting your form. Your hostel will be allocated according to your preference."
Her laughter was gone and she cursed
"Go to hell!" She was now worried how bad her impression would be.
Some of her packing was still left. Haya went in the lounge when she was alone. She went upto the phone directory and opened the page with 's' names...she then quickly noted down Sabeen phuphu's number. Just once she will meet Jihan Sikander and settle down scores with him for the past months and years. She came back to her room and saw her laptop which now had a new email notification from 'National response centre for cyber crime.'
She was confused and opened the mail. Why were they contacting her now?
The page opened and as she kept reading and was shocked.
The email she received was in response to the complain that she had written few days ago. The email was from help desk which asked her to lodge an official complain and register her personal details like number, address and id card. This was like an FIR so she had to give all these details.
She was shocked to the core. If they were asking for FIR to be submitted now then who were the ones who helped earlier?.. That private number, Major Ahmed's office...what was all that? Was she fooled? Was he really a Major? But then how did he have the authority to entirely remove the video from the internet? She typed a reply saying she no longer wanted to lodge a complain and that she was taking it back. She quickly wanted to get rid of all these things.
She sent the email and kept staring at the screen.
Major Ahmed was not related to Cyber Crime..she was now sure of this.

Chapter 30: Good character

Haya and Khadija decide to go to Jawahar for shopping. While checking out clothes Haya spots a man who has a burnt mark or....birthmark on his hand..the same kind that the enunch Pinky had.
The man is with his family when Haya confronts him. He is taken aback and the man's sister defends him. The shopkeeper profusely apologises the man addressing him as 'major'. Khadija tries to manage tge situation and takes Haya away from there. She says she believes Haya and maybe that man did so for seeking adventure and she should just let it be..

On the 28th of January she was emailed Etihad Airline's ticket and she had to take a printout. She had to leave on the morning
of 5th February. Haya's internet was not working and even her dad had not returned from the office so she went to borrow Irum's internet at Taya's home. Khadija had called earlier to inform that they had to fill a form sent by Sabanci Unversity for allocation of hostel. Taya Furqan was sitting in the lawn reading the newspaper. He smiled when she saw her coming.
"Finally remembered Taya?" He asked softly while turning the page of the paper. "Ji.." she forcefully smiled and walked towards him. She had not forgotten Saima Tai's conversation yet...and it still hurt her.
"When is your flight?" He asked while still looking at the paper.
"On 5th February".
"Hmm, take care of yourself. However daughters should not be sent so far away alone. Sulaiman is being very courageous! Anyway you take care of your attire and......., make sure you dont remove scarf from your head, like Irum who never removes." While saying the last sentence he sounded proud. Haya felt bitterness throughout.
"Ji..ofcourse! A will meet Irum." She said that and went inside.
How she wish she could tell Taya Furqan that the western attire that she could not wear here because of him she was planning to wear there. She bought a lot of tops and jeans and packed it in her suitcase. And about covering the head...that was considered 'haraam' in Sabanji. Thank God!
Irum wasn't in her room. The bathroom door was closed and the sound of water was coming. She hal heartedly sat on her bed. Irum used to take a lot of time for bathing. So unwillingly she sat on her bed. Just then a phone ring startled Haya. Irum's cellphone was kept alongwith her beside a pillow. She bent her head and saw. The cellphone showed it was a new message from....'Haya Sulaiman'.
She kept staring at the phone in disbelief. Had someone sent Irum message faking it for her name ....or did Irum save someone else's number using her name?
Haya carefully saw towards the bathroom door and then opened the message.
"Can I call you? We haven't spoken since morning, now I cannot wait anymore. This heart is not so strong my darling! Reply"
She quickly deleted the message and kept the phone back to its position. She quickly understood everything.
Irum....Taya Furqan's velied daughter had a boyfriendcwho used Haya's name to hide the identity. So this was the reason she was not happy with thst propasal, Haya remembered.
She could not sit any longer and left from there. She asked for internet's password from Taya but while leaving she gave a sarcastic smile to him. How she wished she could disclose this in front of Taya and see his reaction! To cover your head or to cover your face was not an indication of your character or faith. She thought rigidly....and at that time she felt her thoughts were right.

Chapter 29: Never loose hope (2)

Maybe it was due to her persistence as soon as the office opened, she got her passport. Just then she received a call from an unknown number.
"Hello"
"Hello Haya! This is Khadija. My phone is with my brother outside because phones aren't allowed inside. I had to request the guard to lend his phone do that I could call you." She said all of that in one breath. "Where are you?"
"I just received my passport, I am coming. Did I get the entry?" She asked while sitting in the car.
"Thank God I ran and bypassed that elderly couple. I was at fourteenth number and you are fifteenth."
"Oh! Thank God!"
"But they have stopped this uncle and aunty that in case you don't come they will take their interview and that aunty is continuously praying with tasbeeh., Haya! You please come soon."
"I am coming, its's office time so the traffic is very heavy."
"You just come soon, they are constantly asking me where my partner is."
"Just a little time more." She pressed her accelerator.
She was stuck in traffic and as soon as she left Murree road she took a breath of relief.
After some checking she could reach the upper open lounge at eleven clock. The place was decorated with Turk rugs, the unique Turk blue eye (evil eye) and Turkey map.
Khadija looked worried and was sitting on a sofa. She stood up as soon as she saw Haya.
"Thank God you came Haya, they have stopped everyone's interview. Ours will be first."
"Ok....but why?"
There was no time for 'but why' and then they were called for interview. She walked ahead of Khadija and slipped their file through the window gap. Her heart was beating rapidly. What if her visa is declined...?
That officer took their files, removed the form and kept their files aside. If he had to give the visa he would have interviewd them or would have asked them some questions...but he was briefly looking through their forms...so was he really going to decline their visa?
He took a look at the form and then seriously looked at them, who were looking at them without blinking and without breathing.
"Where were you? I was waiting for you both since so many days." Saying that he lifted a paper.."Sabanci University had sent this list to me. Your nanes are present here so that I can apply this visa for you. Anyway visa will be stamped till tomorrow. Any one of you can come tomorrow and pick your passports. Till evening four, right?"
"Right!" Their vouces could hardly be heard. Heart was beating so fast that it felt like it will jump out of the chest right now. As soon as they left the office, they stopped and looked at each other at the same time.
"I am sorry Haya!"
"I am sorry Khadija!"
They said at the same time and hugged each other.
Finally she could believe she was going to Turkey. That too for whole five months!!!That Turkey where 'he' stayed...'he' who always stayed in her heart.
"Welcome me O' Sabanci!"

Chapter 28: Never loose hope

That night she could sleep for hardly 2-3 hours. Then she got ready even before Fajr and left for Diplomatic Enclave as Khadija was contantly calling.
"Thank God you came" , Khadija met her outside. Eyes hidden behind her specs looked worried. Haya was wearing black shalwar khamees and jacket. She came running towards Khadija " Now where do we have to go?"
"Inside....we will take the shuttke that will help us reach the Turkish embassy."
Just then an elderly couple were walking swiftly towards the shuttle.
"My sixth sense is telling me this uncle and aunty are also heading towards the Turkish embassy. Come fast Haya, we have to be from the first fifteen." She caught Haya's hand and moved forward and then she thought of something so she asked " We can enter by showing our ID and passport, you have brought them, right?"
Haya's brain suddenly shot! She was so disturbed last night that she almost forgot...
"Passport....I was going to get the passport today. It was not ready yet."
"Haya!!" Khadija looked at her puzzled.
"No...I am sorry...I...that...Khadija...I am really sorry...I dont have the passport." Her head started to spin. How could she make such a big mistake?
"You, you don't have passport then why did you come, huh? Because of you even my scholarship could be halted, do you realise that?"
Khadija burst out..and Haya who was always so dignified and was an example among her classfellows...started crying.
"I am sorry Khadija....I had some problems...my life..my life is very disturbed...I.." she kept wiping away her tears.
"Its ok Khadija, you go first. I will try again tomorrow."
Khadija was silent for a while then she said
"Give me your ID card."
"What?"
"Give me your ID card and go back and pick your passport from the office. Hopefully we can make an entry by your ID and by the time our turn comes you can return."
"But....but passport office is in Pindi..and it will take an hour to reach there and passport office will open at nine, embassy will open at seven." She worriedly look at the watch on her wrist.
"This is impossible. I can never return so fast that I can be in the first fifteen."
"Haya! I have learnt only one thing in life that nothing can defeat a person until he himself accepts defeat. Do you want to accept defeat so early? Here, give me the ID card, I have to reach before that uncle and aunty. She snatched the ID card from Haya's hands and ran towards the shuttle.
She wiped the tears from her eyes and glanced at her wristwatch. Will she get her visa? Or will Dolly's curse come true and she won't be able to visit Turkey? Will she never get Jihan Sikander?
But Khadija had said, nothing can defeat a person till he himself has accepted defeat and then she thought, she will not accept defeat so easily.

Chapter 27: Dolly to the rescue

It was the loud sound of the whistle that pulled her out of her thoughts. She got startled and raised her head. There were 3 boys wearing jeans and jacket and they were coming towards her from three directions. The place was exceptionally silent, her heart sank. She turned to escaoe from them but there was a fourth boy approaching her. They were teasing her and making suggestive actions and approaching her. She bent her head and tried swifly leaving their circle but one of them quickly held her hand. Haya was about to shout when the boy himself got stunned and moved backwards.
A loud sound came, someone hit the boy on the back of his head.
"Idiots! You dare trouble baji. I am not going to leave you." Long, broad, healthy Dolly was swinging his frying pan and hitting the boys. Haya looked on in astonishment and moved backwards.
The boy who got hit, held his head and tan away. Two other boys also ran away from there. The fourth boy was adamant in fighting Dolly but he hit the boy on the kness with such force that he ran away limping.
"These idiots dare come and provoke Dolly!" He dusted his hands with a sense of victory and turned towards Haya.
His face looked like it was covered with white flour. He was wearing greenish blue lenses and applied eyeliner and glittery eye shadow and lipstick of the colour of red beak. Brownish golden fringes looked through the dupatta he was wearing on the head. He was obviously wearing a wig.
The first time Haya saw Dolly she felt disgust, the second time fear and third time at the traffic..anger. Today she felt nothing. She was quietly looking at Dolly and panting.
"Leave those bastards Baji! This is all they do, I have been observing for a while, but who would have thought they would trouble you...those idiots!"
She did not listen the entire thing and turned away. She bent her head and quickly walked towards the platform. To stand with an enunch in the middle of the road so late atnoght was wrong..
"Arey Baji ji.....listen to me." He ran towards her. Haya stopped, turned back and saw him.
"What?" Her face was shining in the reflection of lights.
"Hai rabba! Baji ji you are so pretty." He kept both his hands on the cheek and exclaimed happily.
She felt no disgust or anger. She quietly kept watching him.
"Atleast say thank you ji"
"Thank you..anything else?" She said flatly.
"You look angry ji.."
"Dolly, why do you always come behind me?"
"Yes, but its not like I give you any tensions. I have always helped you."
"Has anyone asked you to help me? Has amyone asked you to follow me? Say!! Answer me!!" Dolly opened his mouth in shock. First his eyes looked surprised but then tears started forming in his eyes.
"No one ji." He replied sadly after sometime. "I like you, thats why I take care of you, if you feel bad about this I will not come."
Just then Haya's phone rang. She got startled and saw her phone. "Private Number calling".. She stomped her feet and walked towards the raised platform and sat there. The phone was still ringing. She looked at Dolly who was walking sliwly towards her while sobbing.
"Hello."
"Helli Miss Haya....how are you?" It was Major Ahmed...there was a lot of noise behind him. Dolly came and sat on the platform keeping a distance from Haya. He was wiping away his tears.
"For God's sake don't call me. And these men that you have assigned behind me, I will kill all of them and you will be responsible for all of this. I am married and very soon I will be joining my husband. You leave me alone, do you understand?"
Without listening anything else she switched off her phone.
"Are you married ji?"
"Yes. Didnt your major tell you? Isnt he the one who has assigned you behind me?"
"Allah promise ji, no major vajor has sent me, I come to you on my own accord." He said while weeping.
Haya felt he was saying the truth.
"I don't go and speak about you to anyone. I just like you a lot, I swear." She blankly stared at him...there was something about him..strange, frightful but pitiful.
"Ok. Ok. Don't cry."
"I really like you a lot....thats why I come, but you are accusing me." He cried while banging his head.
"Acha....acha. Now stop it!" He silently watched her whike she was blankly looking ahead.
"Are you going somewhere?"
Haya looked at him puzzled.
"You told on the phone." He explained.
"Yes, I am going to Europe."
"Oh, where there is Amrica..the one in English movies?" He forgot he was crying and said enthusiastically. Maybe he was really a normal enunch or a ver cunning actor.
"Yes..that one." She didn't correct him.
"Who stays there ji?"
"My husband." She was now looking at the shops ahead.
"How is your husband ji?"
"I don't know Dolly....If I woukd have known I wouldn't be sitting here."
Her long eyelashes started getting wet. Her eyes filled with tears.
"But ji....."
"You pray Dolly, that I find him." She hid her tears and stood up. Dolly looked at her. She wiped the corner of her eye with her finger and walked towards the door.
Dolly's eyes filled with sadness.

"I pray that you never find him Haya Sulaiman....I pray that you be disheartened by him and come back soon. And I pray may you never be able to even leave for that place."
She was walking quickly when she heard Dolly speak, but this didn't look like Dolly's voice..it was a man's voice. Mature, beautiful and sad voice...she had never heard this voice before. This voice was more attractive than Major Ahmed's voice and it did not even hold Jihan's rude and arrogant tone.
Haya's legs stopped. She quickly turned behind. For the first time in life she felt like meeting Dolly again. She wanted to know who was Dolly, what was he and why!

Chapter 26: Impact of Broken dreams

The light from the shops brightened the darkness of the night. The yellow lights glimmered the long, straight road where on the side was a space for parking the cars. On the other side was a small raised platform on which during the day it was occupied by book fair stalls. Those were closed these days. This was Jinnah Super and now she was walking on the long road under the gleaming lights.
Her hands were in the pockets of her black jacket, and her long hair sliding on her shoulder, with her head bent down she was silently walking...her parent's voices were echoing in her ears.
Who was Jihan Sikander? Her love, cousin, husband....that person whom she had dreamt of for her entire life, how could she easily let him go? Didn't mom and dad know if dreams were broken with our own hands, then it is our fingers that will be injured...then how could she hurt herself? Is she was an unwanted relation for Sabeen phuphu and Jihan then how would she break the relatiin without giving them a chance to clarify. This wasn't smooth like butter from which you had to remove a strand of hair. This was like a cloth stuck in thorns. If it was to be separated forcefully then the cloth woukd be torn. And if you would try to remove the thorns, the fingers would be injured..... but who knows maybe in this thorny plant roses could bloom....red roses....green leaves....of colourful and happy dreams.

Chapter 25: Irritating Company

That girl met her outside. She was holding her files when she stopped Haya.
"Listen Miss Sulaiman." Looked like she was forcefully talking to her. Haya irritatedly turned to face her. Khadija Rana was standing there. Huge glasses on her eyes, a high pony and hugging her files. DJ....only her friends were oermitted to call her DJ...and she was not her friend, nor did she want to become one.
"Yes, Khadija?" She replied haughtily.
"Have you applied for the visa? Actually Madam Furkhanda has said that we have to apply for the visa as soon as possible because we have to join Sabanji in the first week of February and today is thirteenth. We just have fifteen days and you can never get a Turkey's visa within fifteen days."
She looked worried and she was speaking very fast. Hearing this Haya got serious or else she was still disturbed by her dad's conversation.
"Oh....then what are we supposed to do?"
"Tomorrow definitely we have to visit the Turkish embassy to apply for the visa. You know the Turkish embassy has a strange rule that every morning only the first fifteen participants are interviewed. The embassy opens at seven in the morning and there is a long line of people. If we are late even by a minute they will shift us to the next day. Are you listening?"
"Huh....yes." She couldn't understand what Khadija was speaking.
"Give me your number so that we can co-ordinate."
Reluctantly she gave her number. Khadija noted it down in her phone.
"Ok, tomorrow reach Diplomatic Enclave by morning six thirty. I will be there."
She agreed and nodded her head like shexwanted to get rid of her.
"And please don't be late. Let it not be such that I loose my visa because of you Miss Sulaiman!" She raised her nose and showed Haya after all she is Khadija Rana.
"What company have I got! Uffff!" Haya stomped her feet and moved forward.
She was so disturbed by Abba's conversation that visa was the last thing that she coukd think of.

Chapter 20: Nightmare comes true?

[**Chapter 20 got deleted earlier. Sorry for the inconvenience**]

"Haya.......Haya.....!!!!" As soon as she entered the house, Sulaiman sahab who was sitting in the lounge barged towards her. His face was filled with furiosity and anger.
She got scared and took a step back.. From behind she heard phone ringing.
"Is this video yours?...You do dance items?" Rohail who was sitting on the sofa suddenly stood up and threw a lot of cds at her. Everyone was present there. Taya Furqan, Dawar bhai, Rohail.....everyone..and on other side Irum was sitting on the ground and crying. From faraway she could still hear the phone ringing.
"No......no....." anxiously she wanted to explain. Her lips moved but no voice escaped. It looked like everyone wanted to kill her.
Just then Sulaiman sahan moved forward and slapped her harshly across the face.
"Behaya....behaya" (*shameless). Sulaiman sahab said continuously while slapping her. His lips were moving but the voice...it looked like Dolly's. It wasn't Sulaiman sahab but Dolly who was talking.
Dolly......Dolly.....Pinky.....behaya......Pinky's injured fingers.....the phone ringing.
She jerked and woke up.
It was dark in the room. She switched on the table lamp. Orange light spread everywhere. She suddenly touched her face. She was fine. Everything was fine. No one knew about anything. It was all a nightmare!
"Oh God!!" Fatigue took over her and she slumped against the bed crown. She was palpitating and was drenched in cold.
The phone was ringing just like in her dream...exactly! Only this ringing wasn't a dream.
"Private Number Calling"
She took some seconds to arrive at a decision and then she received the call.
"Major Ahmed! I am ready to come to your office and file the report, tomorrow morning at nine send your car to the entrance gate of the ground present at tge backside of my home, nine o clock, sharp."
"Sure!" She sensed victory in his voice. She slowly ended the call.
She had never met any man in private like this before, but if she didn't take this step there were more chances of the video getting leaked and that was more devastating.
She shrugged..that nightmare forced her to do all these things. Now she had no other choice. And that Major Ahmed, she would take care of his matter.

Chapter 24: Determined for Jihan

"Okay, coming." She wore her dupatta and slippers and went out.
"Abba?" She knocked the door.
"Come in Haya."
She opened the door. Sulaiman sahab was sitting on the bed. He was thinking deeply and looked worried. Fatima Begum was sitting on the sofa. Her eyes looked sad and her face looked gloomy.
" Did you call me abba?"
"Yes, come sit."
She silently entered the room and sat by the corner of the bed. Sulaiman sahab kept quiet for a few minutes and looked like he was thinking of a plan but it looked like he will talk plainly without any plan.
"I have taken a decision."
She raised her head. He was looking very serious.
"Now you should take a divorce from Sabeen's son through the court."
She wouldn't have felt so much pain even if someone would have whipped her face, but she fely extremely pained now.
"I have spoken to the lawyer. In one session at the court you both can be separated and looking at how much they despise us, I am sure they will be happy."
She was shocked. She looked at her mom who shrugged helplessly.
"Your dad is right. We have no other option except this. It is very clear from their attitude that they don't want to proceed with this relation."
"Abba, is this the only solution?" She spoke after sometime and her voice had the feeling of shattered dreams.
"Is there any solution apart from this? Haya, no father in this world wants to breal apart his daughter's home and I woukd never have told you to do this..but at what cost? At what cost should we continue this relationship when they are showing us no hope!"
"If you really want to see me setteld then allow me to go to Turkey, I will definitely find him there and will ask him if he wants to be with me. If not he can divorce me. If he does not want to I will go to the court there itself but let me try once, Please!"
"Abba give me five montg's time. Even after this if you feel like I should divorce him I will agree to whatever you say."
She stood up and without saying anything she left the room.

Chapter 23: Haya's dilemma

"Haya, Haya" in the evening Irum came running towards her room. She was beaming with happiness. "That video has been removed from the website!!" She was so emotional that she almost shook Haya who was sitting on the bed with her back resting by the bedcrown. "But how did this all happen?"
"Maybe that website owner had a moment of fearing God, how would I know?"
"Oh maybe, good if that happened, when is your flight for Turkey?"
"I don't know, first I have to receive the passport, only then can I get the visa." She was feeling irritated because of Irum's presence. It was very obvious from her attitude. Irum quickly left her on her own. She was again lost in her thoughts.
Major Ahmed....his half burnt face...his hiding ....him talking behind a screen...and his strange philosophy talks....mention of jannah...and then his proposal....oh God....what a strange man...and...and that question that she couldn't answer becsuse she was so flustered..
"I know your phuphu's family who will never even look in this direction because of shame and insult. Afterall they had done a shameful deed."
Why did he say such a thing? What kind of shame and insult? What shameful deed?
Phuphu's family had actually not returned, so the reason was not because they hated their family or country, like she had assumed but it was something else? Some shameful deed that they had done? And who? Phuphu? Her husband? Or Jihan Sikander? What was this riddle?! But she couldn't confront Major Ahmed...nor dod he call back again....then?
And those letters......and bouquets....he had sent those. How did he come to know that she was going to Sabanji University? Definitely he had tapped her phone when she told Zara about it and he was most probably outside her home, but the bouquet was on the kitchen table. Does that mean he could even enter her home?...and even in her room?
She felt a wave of fear engulf her. She got up and was about to lock her door when Fatima Begum opened the door and entered her room.
"Haya....your abba is calling you."

Chapter 22: Leaves of Jannah (Jannat ke patte)

"Fine! You are right." He took a deep breath and spoke again. "Can I ask something?"
"Ask!" Now his voice felt a bit distant.
"Has anyone ever brought the leaves of paradise for you?"
"When have the worldly people seen the paradise Major Ahmed?" Her face looked strained.
"That's why we worldly people don't know what the leaves of Jannah look like. If someone ever gets them for you, treasure them. They will not let you go astray."
The strain on her face relaxed gradually, she became alert...who was on the other side of this frosted glass?
"Are you listening?"
"Yes,.....yes" startled she tried calming down. "I will leave now." She was removing the receiver from her ear when he spoke again.
"One minute, I have to ask one last question."
She settled down again."Yes ask."
"Will you marry me?"
She felt a huge blow. Startled she kept staring at the frosted glass.
"Tell me Ms. Haya!!"
Her lips turned into a frown. More than being shocked or surprised, she was angry.
"Not Ms. Haya, Mrs. Haya!" She gritted every word through her teeth. She grabbed her purse and stood up. She was still holding the receiver.
"What do you mean?" He looked shocked.
"Too bad you have so much information regarding me but you don't know about the nikah that already took place in my childhood. That nikah which took place with my cousin Jihan Sikander in my childhood. I am married and my husband stays in Turkey."
"Oh those relatives who never visited Pakistan? I know your phuphu's family who will never even look in this direction because of shame and insult. Afterall they had done a shameful deed. You are waiting for them? Oh! and the nikah done in childhood is over in one hearing by the court."
"SHUT UP! Just Shut up Major Ahmed!" She shouted. "How dare you speak like this? To hell with you and that video, i don't care even if you run it on tv. To do one task you are asking for something so big in return. And as far as Jihan Sikander goes, he is my husband and I love him. No one can enter my life except him. Do you understand?"
Before slamming the phone she heard him laughing loudly. She stomped her feet towards the door. Just then the officer who had earlier accompanied her entered inside, as if he was instructed immediately. The meeting was over and it proved very difficult for Haya.
"The car is waiting for you ma'am! Please come." He moved aside to pave a path for Haya. Haya turned and looked towards the frosted glass.
Behind the frosted glass, the half burnt face man was bent and doing something. Maybe he was writing something. She felt like she saw somethjng that was red on the desk. Maybe it was a bouquet of red roses or maybe it was her imagination.
The moment she sat inside the old mercedes car, the officer bent down and gave her the bouquet of roses. Though there was no letter alongwith the bouquet and the roses were not white but she was sure that the nameless letters that she had received were from Major Ahmed and he knew her from much before.
"Take this away and throw it on your Major Ahmed's face." She threw the bouquet in the officer's hands and closed the door. The Mercedes then sped away.

Chapter 21: Solving Problems

 Haya leaned on the tree near the gate of the playground. She wore a long red A-line shirt and chudidaar pajama and on that a red stylish sweater whose sleeves reached her fingers and a brown stole on her shoulders. Her long hair fell on her back. In the mist and cold, her nose turned red and she was rubbing her hands for warmth.
Irum or Zara.....she did not inform anyone about this. She had to face this danger alone. Restlessly she moved her sleeve and took a look at the time in her watch. It was one minute to one. Just then a black, old Mercedes sped and halted right in front of her and like a statue there was a driver sitting in the front.
She quietly moved forward, pulled the backside door and sat down. The driver started the car as soon as she closed her door.
After one and half hours she reached the safehouse. It was surrounded by white walls with a wooden chair and bench in the centre, on which she sat down. There was a telephone on the table. Apart from this, the entire room was empty.
She curiously kept looking at her surroundings. There were walls on the three sides and on one wall was the door through which she came inside. However right in front of her there was a glass wall...more like a glass screen from ceiling to floor. Maybe this empty small room was a part of the big room in which they partitioned by using this glass screen.
She looked closely at the screen. The screen was completely frosted...it looked like someone used a machine to frost it. Behind the frosted glass was a vague image...and she could not picture it. Definitely this room was divided into two and the other side was rest of the room.
She could understand a vague picture.. The other side of the screen was a lavish office. And behind the office table there was someone sitting on the revolving chair. That person was facing Haya. The face was not visible but she could only figure out an outline. Khaki uniform, cap on the head, reclined on the chair, he was spinning something that was placed on the table with his fingers. She could not judge where he was looking. Though he was facing Haya and probably even looking at her but his eyes were not certain. Only one thing was certain.. on the left side of the unclear face of the officer there was a black mark, like half of his face was burnt.
The officer bent down and picked something from the table...could be the receiver of the phone.
"Trrrriiing...triiinnngg"
Suddenly the phone kept in front if Haya started ringing. She got startled. The phone was continuously ringing, that person was calling her? With a racing heart she picked up the receiver and placed it on her ears.
"Hello!"
"Assalam Alaikum Miss Haya Sulaiman! This is Major Ahmed." The same soft yet strong, deep yet beautiful voice.
"Walaikum as salaam!" Holding the phone in her hands she was constantly looking at the screen, behind which there was an officer sitting with a half burnt face...was he Major Ahmed?
"I hope we haven't troubled you."
"Ji.." she felt suffocated.
"In front of me the entire system is present in the laptop. I just have to click once and the entire video will be erased like it never existed."
Behind the screen she could analyse the officer also had a laptop placed in front of him..so was that Major Ahmed? But why wasn't he appearing in the front?
"And I have erased the video from every person that possessed it. Tell me Haya! Should I cick it?"
"But.....the report?"
"Assume it has been filed."
"But....you told that if I had to file....."
"I lied. To make an excuse. Sometimes excuses are made when all patience is lost. Understood?"
She strongly gripped her phone, her hand was drenched in sweat. Why was this person speaking so strangely?
"Please click." She could hardly speak. That person bent..maybe to click a button and then moved back to sit.

"Done!"
"Oh, Thank you Major Ahmed." Her throat was drying up.
"Can I ask you one thing?"
"Yes?"
"Was this video fake?"
"No, it was real"
"So why were you so afraid?"
"Obviously this was a family video and we dont film the dance in our wedding videos."
"Why?" He was constantly questioning her.
"What do you mean by why? Wedding videos are circulated everywhere, does it look good if our dance is seen by strangers?"
"But strangers can watch live? I could see waiters, moviemakers and dj in the video, even they are strangers, right? I could not understand if dancing like that is alright then why were you flustered about the leaked video? Wether it is seen by waiters, movie makers , dj or men on the internet it is the same thing. And if you think this is wrong why did you even do it?"
"I am not answerable to you." She replied angrily so there was silence for a whlle.

Chapter 19 : Pinky and Dolly

Very tiredly she came out of the passport office. She had travelled so long from Islamabad to Pindi in the heavy rush to pick her passport from the office, but when she reached she got to know that she will receive the passport only on Fourteenth January..and it was a week away. There was some technical problem in the Islamabad office because of which they were not issuing passports. Because of this she had to apply in Pindi.
It was the same rush even while returning. After some shopping when she came on Murree road it was almost Maghrib. The road was filled with cars and the movement of the cars was slow. She stopped the car at the signal and opened the windows. She was still worried about the passport.
Even if she receives her passport by fourteenth, it will take long for the visa to be processed. The tickets had not arrived yet but she did have an idea that she had to leave for Turkey in the beginning of February. That means she had just fifteen days on her hands and the visa for Turkey would take longer than that. What was she supposed to do? She was worriedly thinking about this when someone bent down by her open window.
"Beautiful.....what are you thinking?"
She got very startled and looked up.
It was him...Dolly, in glittery clothes with wig hair tied up and heavy makeup.
Disgust spread across her face. She forgot that she was indebted to Dolly.
"Move away from here." She said angrily. He was resting his hands on the window such that she could not close her window.
"Oh Baji! I had just come to exchange greetings and you are scolding me." The stern expression from that day were not present on his face. Instead his makeup filled face looked simple and innocent..... Disgustingly simple and innocent!
"Move away from here, or else I will call the police." She was feeling angry as well as helpless. He could do something inappropriate.
"Hai Baji! This is the way you talk to Dolly? And Dolly praises you so much that I start getting a headache." She turned her head and saw there was one more enunch standing by the window of the front seat. Compared to Dolly this enunch was fairer. However on the face even he had applied a thick layer of makeup. Wearing a shocking orange dress it looked like he forgot to put on something on his hands..he was bent and kept both his hands on the window.
"This......who are you? Move away from my car." She was drenching in cold sweat. She was alone and the traffic was blocked, there was no policeman present either.
"This..is my sister ji, Pinky. She really wished to meet you. There was something important that we wanted to talk with you."
"Get lost!!" She moved forward trying to close the window. Just then Pinky moved her hand forward. Haya noticed that there was a pink coloured, one inch scar....like it was burned.....or was it a birthmark..
"Move...I said get lost!!" Angry and scared she quickly tried closing the window but Pinky kept her hand on it and it wasn't closing.
"Baji, don't do like this with Pinky. Her hand will get injured ji." Saying that Dolly kept his hands on Haya's shoulders trying to stop her, Haya swifly turned and pushed Dolly with all her force. Dolly wasn't ready for this attack so he stumbled and moved back. Haya got a few seconds to pull up the window on her side.
"Now you move away from here or I will gather people around!!" Saying that she started pullinh up the window but Pinky refused to budge.
"Baji ji I came here to tell you about Dolly's feelings for you and you are behaving like this..This Dolly, she likes you a lot but cannot express." Pinky was acting coquettishly and speaking. The accent in which they spoke was a bit punjabi. On the other hand Dolly started banging the door.
"Shut up and Get Lost!!!!!" She screamed and with all her strength started pulling up the window.
"Baji ji.....just listen to me." Dolly joined Pinky on the other side.
Just then the signals opened. Cars started moving forward. Haya's car was the only one at halt. Cars started honking on the sideways. Faraway a policeman was quietly standing and looking at the commotion but didn't come forward to help.
Dolly patted Pinky's shoulder and signalled him to leave. Pinky turned to look at Dolly when his grasp on the window loosened. Haya quickly took this chance to pull up the window. Pinky got startled and tried pulling away his fingers but Haya persistently kept pulling up the window. Pink's fingers got stuck in it.
"Oh!! Leave Baji ji!!!" Pinky painfully shrugged and tried removing his fingers but they were stuck badly.
Dolly angrily started banging the window but Haya kept looking at them with hate and pulled up the window till the end... Behind her the cars kept honking and many cars started leaving from the sides.
Just then blood started dripping on the window from Pinky's fingers and Haya came back to her senses. Quickly she pulled down the window. The window went down an inch. Pinky angrily pulled his fingers out. Before she raced the csr she closely examined Pinky's hand. The wrist which had the mark on that same hand his forefinger was injured and on other fingers a brown line had formed. His hands were definitely injured but she didn't care.
She swiftly sped away her car, then she saw in her backview mirror. The two enunches were constantly turning and glaring at her angrily. Dolly was holding Pinky's injured hand and looking at Haya's car he was saying something. She ignored them and increased the accelator. As of now she hoped that Dolly will not trouble her anymore.
Very soon she was going to be proven wrong.

Chapter 18: Major Ahmed

Hardly ten minutes had passed when Haya's mobile rang. She picked up her phone. 'Private number calling' was flashing on the screen. This was the first time she received a call like this and she was bit taken aback. Whenever she used to receive calls, number and name..both used to be displayed...but this call had no number at all.
"Who could this be?" She suspectingly put the phone by her ear.
"Hello."
There was silence on the other end and then a deep, serious voice was heard.
"Assalam Alaikum, Miss Haya Sulaiman?"
"Ye.....yes....who are you?"
"This is Major Ahmed speaking from cyber crime cell. You have filed a complaint with our agency. We have received your complaint.
Whoever that was, his voice was very attractive. Deep, serious but soft tone which looked like it was dripped with sweetness of honey. A mixture of coldness and warmth.
"But.....Major Ahmed....I had not given my number in the complaint." Her heart was racing when she inquired. Irum was also alarmed and shocked when she heard this. In reply he laughed softly.
"Number is a very small thing Miss Sulaiman! I know a lot of things about you."
"WHAT!!"
"That you are Sulaiman Asgar's daughter. Your dad has a construction company. Your brother Rohail is a student at Georgemason University. And you, you are in the fifth year of L.L.B hons. In Sharia and Law from International University. And according to a student exchange programme you will be visiting Turkey and pursue your studies in Sabanji University. And you have reported about the uploading of the video on internet of Dawar Furqan's mehendi ceremony which took place last week. Is that right Ma'am?"
She was so startled after listening to all of this that she could hardly speak.
"Yes.....yes that video."
"Now what do you want to do?"
"That you should remove it from that website." Her voice filled with hope.
"Ok. Anything else?"
"And..... whoever has their video even from them...." Her throat felt choked, she felt so insulted, she could not speak further.
"I will remove the video from every single person who dowloaded it. Don't worry." And she felt like a huge burden got off her shoulders.
"Thank you Major Ahmed." From her tone it looked like she was going to keep the phone.
"You should thank me when I will complere your work and to start this work I will require your co operation."
"What kind of co operation?"
"Madam! I will have to trouble you for a bit, you will have to come to my office to report about this video."
"What!! No, no, I cannot come." She stammered anxiously. Irum also looked at her worriedly.
"Then this work cannot be done. Such steps cannot be taken on the phone." She felt like he was smiling sarcastically.
"Bb....But I cannot come." How could she go? If anyone came to know about this she would be tainted.
"You have to come, I will send a car."
"No, no, ok Khudahafiz." She quickly ended the call.
"To hell with him and his cyber crime cell. If Abba or Taya Furqan get to know that we have contacted a headquarter's agency,......they will break our legs!"
"I was telling from the beginning to not report."
The call was coming again from 'Private number'. She shrugged and switched off her phone. More than the video, this Major Ahmed was blackmailing her. Thus thought haunted her for the entire day.

Chapter 17: Cyber Crime

"Irum....Irum..." Haya shouted with excitement and opened the door.
Irum was sitting on the bed holding a mobile, when the door opened she abruptly kept her phone on the side.
"What happened?" Saying that she turned the mobile down so the screen coukd be hidden.
"Listen, that...." just then Haya thought of the proposal. "Oh! I am sorry they refused the proposal."
"That was obvious after watching the video, anyway leave it, it was for the best."
She looked calm. Haya was a bit surprised but that was not the time to express it. She quickly came and sat with her.
"Irum! Listen. Have you ever read in the ads of mobile connections that use of unregistered sim is a criminal offence?"
"Yes, so?"
"Then do you know why it is impirtant to register the sim?"
"Why?"
"So that no one misuses the sim, wether it is an act of terrorism or making wrong calls, it all comes under cyber crime."
"Cyber crime?" Irum blinked.
"Yes. And every cyber crime can be reported to Pakistan Telecommunication Authority."
"What are you talking about Haya? I cannot understand anything."
"Irum....Irum...Uploading our personal video on the internet is also a serious crime, a cyber crime. We can report about it."
"Are you crazy?" She slammed immedietly. "What if someone comes to know about it?"
"They will know if we leave the video online, since past four days I am hanging by the nook, now this problem has to end!"
"But....but who will we call?" When Irum agreed slightly Haya immedietly took out her mobile.
"To PTA. You close the door quickly while I will call the helpline of my connection to get their number."
Irum quickly ran to close the door while Haya started dialling the number.
They quickly found the number. They called but the operater very cautiously warned them that this kind of crime should be reported to an intelligence agency of cyber crime branch.
Haya had taken the email id of the cyber crime unit of the nation's highest civilian agency but now she was confused.
"These intelligence agency people are very dangerous Irum."
"But we have to do this!"
And very true....they had to do this!
Irum opened her laptop and after a lot of discussion they finally wrote a complaint and send it on the address that the PTA had given them.

Chapter 16: Karma

She was sitting very restlessly. Holding a remote control in her hand she curled her legs on the sofa and irritatedly was changing channels. She felt confused, worried and helpless.
On the screen of smart tv an ad was running with loud music. She was watching the screen absent mindedly where alongwith the ad the statement " Use of unregistered sim is a crime by law - PTA" was written. She did not even realise that she had pressed the pause button and the ad had paused there. She was so lost that she did not even realise this.
Just then she saw Fatima Begum at the door. She was entering the room tiredly. Haya threw the remote and stood up quickly.
"What was it? Why did Saima tai call?" She restlessly came closer to her mom.
"The people who came that day for Irum's proposal.." she said exhaustedly and sat on the sofa.
"Yes, what about them?" With a feircely beating heart she sat near her mom.
"They refused, infact they were settled on this proposal."
Haya's heart sank deep.
"Why?" Why did they refuse? She started feeling breathless.
"They didn't give any reason. They have suddenly refused. Saima bhabhi was very upset. "
"But they must have said something!"
"Only this that by making a free thinking and unveiled girl their daughter in law, they don't want to spoil their aakhira."
She got stunned. The statement she heard a few days ago from tai echoed in her ears.

"When Furqan strictly said we don't want to spoil our aakirah by getting that unveiled and free thinking girl in our family, thst is when he agreed."

Was this called Karma? People who raise their fingers on other people's daughters, so they meet with the same fate? Is revenge taken immediately? But she wasn't happy. If anyone came to know of that incident she is the one who will get tainted. For Irum her mom would say "Haya has spoiled her" and would escape. And the incident could be leaked even now. That video was still present on the internet.
"Anyway, Irum has no shortage of proposals!" Fatima Begum stood and walked towards the kitchen while she fell on the sofa. On the tv screen that advertisement was still paused. She was just looking at it blankly.
" Use of unregistered sim is a crime by law - PTA"
Now maybe Irum will never get any proposals. And even if anyone comes the same thing will happen and not everyone is like them to cover the matter. If someone discloses the incident in front of the family!!! Oh God!!!!!!! Where will they go? She was absent mindedly looking at tge screen when she suddenly jolted from her thoughts.
" Use of unregistered sim is a crime by law - PTA"
A lightning struck her brain! Oh God!! Why didn't she think of this before? She sprung up and rushed towards the door.

Chapter 15: The world is small

Rohail stayed in America and over there people often spend most of their time online. Then in that case it was possible that he must have seen the video. Oh God! What will she do now?!
She wore her slippers and lifelessly walked towards the lounge. The receiver was kept beside the cradle. With trembling hands she picked the reciever and put it by her ear.
"........Hello?"
"Hello Haya? How are you?" Rohail asked with a warmth in his voice..Haya couldn't make out anything from it.
"Fine....you....are you ok?"
"Absolutely fit, I wanted to congragulate you." Her heart beat loudly..was he saying this sarcastically?
"Ab.....about what?"
"About going to visit Turkey through the exchange programme, what else?"
"Oh ok." She finally let loose her breath and fell on the sofa.
"Yes I am going. Thank you so much." For the past three days she had forgotten about it.
"When are you leaving?" He was asking happily.
"Till January end or February starting."
"So over there so you plan to meet Sabeen phuphu's family?"
"Don't know. Haven't thought about it." At that time she had bigger problems to think about.
"What happened? You look upset?" He sounded worried.
"Oh..nothing..." She talked about random things in an attempt to sound normal and was successful in doing so.

After the phone ended she went to Irum's place. Irum was lying down with a pillow on her face.
"There's no use of hiding your face like this."
"So what do we do?"
"First of all let's block the site on the computer of both the houses. After that let's think of a permanent solution."
"Fine, let's do that." Finding a ray of hope Irum stood up. Not wasting any time they blocked the site from all the computers. Just then Saima tai came to inform that Furqan taya's family friends were coming to seek an alliance for Irum in the evening.
Haya immediately became excited.
"Our groom has also come alongwith them" Haya peeked in the drawing room and came inside when she saw Irum sitting sadly.
"Why are you sitting like this?"
Irum slowly raised her head. Her head was properly covered with dupatta and she was ready. Yes...her eyes looked empty.
"That video.....!"
"Forget it!! Come everyone is calling. The boy's mother Majidah has called her son so that he can see you. Come." She held her hand to make her stand.
"And abba?" Irum's eyes looked worried.
"They have taken permission and he is sitting outside with the men."
She held Irum's hand and brought her towards the drawing room. They stood for a while behind the net curtains.
Inside Saima tai, Fatima Begum and Sonia were sitting on the sofa. In front of the there were a lot if snacks present and Sonia was politely insisting the guests to have more of it.
"Bus bhai! We want a girl just like us. Modest, Ba-parda (observes veil) and observes sawm and salah." That woman was smiling and speaking.
"Arey Mrs. Kareem our Irum has never left the house without covering her head."
"Assalam Alaikum" she came inside with Irum. On her salaam everyone raised their heads.
Looking down while sitting on the sofa, Irum was wearing a pink coloured full sleeves shirt shalwar and the same colour dupatta was properly covering her head.
Haya was also with her. Her silky hair falling till her waist, wearing a A line grey shirt and trousers and her dupatta by her shoulders. She sat with legs crossed and this made her tight trousers to move up a bit and that showed her ankles.
When Madam Kareem saw Irum her eyes filled with liking for the girl. She looked at her son in an agreeing manner but her son wasn't looking at Irum but at Haya. Infact he was watching her with intent.
"And beta, what do you do?" She didn't find her son paying attention so she asked Irum to salvage the situation.
"Ji..I am doing Masters with English Literature." Irum replied while still looking down.
Just then Haya felt the boy was constantly looking at her. Not admiringly, but questioningly..like deductong something.
Just then he took his blackberry phone from his pocket and silently started pressing buttons.
The women were talking among themselves. But Haya was feeling restless and watched him from the corner of her eyes. At that moment "my name is sheila" sound echoed..but he immediately closed it. But she had listened. ..... alongwith sheila, the chaos of function was also clearly audible. And maybe Irum also heard something, that's why she suddenly looked up but then gradually bent her head.
Haya felt like her soul was leaving her body. Was the world so small?
Now the boy was watching something on his phone. Somerimes looking at the screen and sometimes at Haya and Irum. It was clearly visible he was trying to conclude something.
Then he suddenly stood up and quickly left the room. Everyone suddenly got embarassed. Haya bent her head down and felt like her heart was drowning.

Chapter 14: We are NOBLE!!

As soon as she entered the house, Zafar came running towards her panting ," Haya bibi.....Haya bibi!!"
"Speak already!!" She replied angrily while locking her car.
"Irum bibi is calling you."
"Everything ok?"
"Does not look alright. She is crying a lot." She got startled when Zafar whispered.
"Ok. I will go. You please keep my bag inside." She straight away went towards Irum's house through the gate built in the partition.
Saima tai and Sonia were sitting in the lounge. They were busy examining a heavy worked dupatta that was spread out in front of them. When Haya arrived both of them looked at her and smiled.
"Haya, how are you?"
"Where is Irum taima? She was looking gor me."
"Must be in her room."
"Okay. I will look for her." She smiled and went towards Irum's room.
The door of Irum's room was closed. She twisted the knob and opened the door. Irum was sitting on the bed. The light from the laptop was shining on her face. Tears were running down in streams.
"Irum, what happened?" Worriedly she sat in front of Irum.
Irum raised her bloodshot eyes and looked at Haya. There was something in her eyes that startled Haya.
"Haya, tell me one thing!" Her crying voice sounded strange.
"Tell!"
"Are we noble girls?"
"I am certain about myself but your case is doubtful." She jokingly said to make the atmosphere lighter, but Irum did not even smile.
"No Haya we both belong to the same case."
"Why are you talking in puzzles? What is the matter?"
"Haya tell me are we dancers?" She suddenly started crying.
"Irum!" She got shocked!
"Tell me, are we prostitutes?" She cried loudly.
"Irum, tell me what is the matter?"
"Haya,tell me, are we like this?"
"No. Absolutely not!!"
"Then....then what is this?" Irum turned the laptop towards Haya.
"What is this?" She complicatedly looks at the screen. One video uploading site was open and a video was playing. The caption was written in Roman Urdu
"Shareefon ka Mujra."
The video was of some marriage function. The place was surrounded by well dressed women and in the centre were present two girls who were dancing.
One was wearing a golden lehenga and the other silver.
She felt like the entire roof smashed on her head.
"No!" She stood up, she felt current run through her entire body. "What is this?"
"This is the dance of the noble Haya, and we have done this, this is Dawar bhai's mehendi video that someone has put it up here on the internet. Read here, the one who has uploaded has given his email address, on which you can email and buy the entire dance video. And look at this since three days hundereds of people have watched it. Haya we are destroyed! "
Irum was crying uncontrollably and she was blankly staring at the screen. This was some kind of nightmare, yes right. This was a nightmare and now she wanted to wake up from it.
Her ears started turning red.
"No this is not me." She was moving back step by step. Her lips were quivering. Irum was uncontrollably crying.
"I am not a prostitue. I am a noble girl." She kept walking backwards and crashed into the wall behind her.
"This is US Haya!!! We are destroyed!!"
Her head started spinning.. how did things end up like this? The video had hundered of views. Has her video spread in the entire city? And if it reached her family....
"Abba will shoot me Irum!!!!!"
"And I will be buried alive."
"But who made this video? We had even stopped the moviemaker from shooting our video."
"Someone must have hid and made it. It was a private affair and Abba had given permission for dance in the ladies, if he comes to know that hundereds of unknown men have enjoyed this video...what will happen? "
"Do something Irum!!!!" She lost her patience and dashed towards Irum.
"I have reported on the website. Even if they take action and remove the video it is available everywhere on Cd. Things like this spread within minutes. How do we remove it from everywhere?"
"O God!!!! What has happened!?" She lost all her strength and slumped to the ground.
"If abba or any of our brothers come to know about it...what are we going to do?"

Irum had locked herself in her room and Haya did the same.
She kept thinking till her head hurt but she couldn't come up with a solution.
In the evening Fatima Begum came to her room. "Haya, wake up! How much will you sleep? Rohail has called from America."
She who was sleeping sideways, jumped up in shock. "Rohail called? What is he saying?" Danger alarms started ringing in her head. "He is saying he wants to talk to you." She said that and went away and she sat there shell shocked.
In a silent river a heavy stone was thrown.

Chspter 13: DJ

A few days had passed since Dawar and Sonia's wedding.
It was very cold since morning. December was coming to an end and the wind made one tremble in cold. She was on campus and looking at the list stuck on the door of scholarship co ordinator's office. According to 'Erusmus Mundus Exchange Programme' only two girls were going to Sabanji University.
Haya Sulaiman and Khadija Rana.
"Whoever is this Khadija Rana?" She was thinking while rubbing her cold hands. Her nose had turned red because of the cold. On a long shirt and trousers she was wearing a stylish long sweater. She was standing in front of the door when suddenly someone called out..
"Excuse me".
She got stunned and turned around. There was a girl standing behind her. Bag slung on her shoulders, a diary and pen in hand and huge glasses on her eyes. She didnt know her by name but she had often seen her in the university. She somehow didnt have a liking for this girl.
"Whoever is this Haya Sulaiman?" Behind her glasses she squinted her eyes and said absent mindedly..
Haya looked at her sarcastically from head to toe and then in a distant tone said "That's me".
"Oh!" She replied almost hiding her aversion.
"I am going to Turkey with you Haya! I am Khadija Rana, my friends call me 'DJ', but since you are not my friend, you should just call me Khadija."
"Only my friends call me Haya, you can call me Ms. Sulaiman." She said that and turned to leave.
She felt this Khadija Rana was stupid and strange. No wonder she didnt like her to begin with but turns out Khadija had the same feelings towards her.

Chapter 12 : "Behaya," ( shameless)

Just then she heard a sound of someone striking and then Waleed's scream. She slowly opened her eyes.
Waleed was falling down and there was someone standing behind him.
Wearing shocking orange shirt shalwar, a face full of make up...that day's enunch, Dolly. He had a frying pan in his hand, with which he probably hit Waleed. She kept looking at him in shock. Dolly kicked the unconscious Waleed and his body tilted aside. He walked and stood just in front of Haya. He was staring angrily at Haya with eyes that were layered with thick silver
eyeshadow..she held her breath and kept staring at him. Just then he grabbed Haya's neck such that her hair from behind came withing his grasp. There were hair between Dolly's hand and Haya's neck..still she could feel the roughness of his hands, but no voice could escape her lips.
Grasping Haya's neck like that, Dolly jerked Haya forward. She suddenly coughed but Dolly did not loosen his grip. He caught her like that and kept pushing her forward. She stumbled while walking. They reached the entrance of the alley, and then turned in the opposite direction. They reached the backside of the marriage hall. He kept pushing Haya from behind while walking till they reached the gates and jerked her away. Haya felt like a rough collar got released from her neck. She turned and watched Dolly with tears in her eyes.
He was still looking at Haya with a piercing gaze. Tears started rolling down from Haya's eyes. She thought she had lost her voice. Just then Dolly removed the shocking orange dupatta from around her neck and threw it at Haya. It landed on her head and slipped through her silky hair and landed on her shoulders. Dolly stared at her with piercing eyes and whispered "Behaya!"
His tone was piercing. He turned away. She kept looking at him with tears in her eyes. She was startled when the orange dupatta slipped from her shoulders and fell on her feet. She bent down to pick it up.
Silky, bright shocking orange dupatta which was decorated woth cheap golden stars..she wouldn't even give her maid this kind of dupatta but today.....
She carefully wraped herself around that dupatta so that she wont be recognised and moved towards the entrance of the gate on backside.
Instead of entering the hall she entered the bathroom and fixed her appearence. Her kajal had smudged because of her crying. Even her hair were messed up. Mobile was in her small clutch which she had tightly held in her left hand, Thankfully!
Inside the function was at its peak.
The groom, bride, cousins, other relatives were all smiling in each other's company.
Sonia bhabhi was looking very pretty and even bhai looked good. Irum was wearing a blue coloured frock and happily moving around here and there. In principle, she should have been present there but now she was not in the state of mind where she could walk further, so she settled down somewhere behind.
"Behaya"
"Behaya"
"Behaya"
Dolly's words kept on banging on her mind like a hammer.....she was not shameless. She had never sat alone with a man before in a car. This was the first time she had committee this mistake..then.....? Her head started aching the moment she thought about it.
Midway through the function she excused herself citing illness and left for home.

Chapter 11: First Mistake

"But I want to talk in relation to this proposal. If you can give me two minutes of your time." Saying this he opened the front door of the passenger seat.
A light bulb shone in her mind. This was a good opportunity. She will inform him about her nikah and finish this matter immidiately. The stick will not break and this six feet snake will also get away from her way.*
"Ok, but there are relatives here...."
"Dont worry, I will take the car on the backside, sit down." Very reluctantly she sat down. This was the first time in her life when she sat with an unrelated man like this. If abba got to know about this, his open mindedness would evaporate immediately. She had the freedom to wear anything, no compulsion on observing the hijab but befriending boys without any restraint...abba had never permitted such a thing. When she sat Waleed immediately sped his car away.
" Whatever you have to talk about, quickly say it, then I also have to talk about something. She had her head down and was clutching her fingers.. She was feeling very uneasy.
" You talk first." Waleed had parked his car in a dark alley behind the marriage hall.
" Ok. I had to say something." She continued to speak with her head down. " I don't know if abba has informed you about it but I think it is important for you to know. I was married to my phuphu's son in childhood. They live in Turkey. Because of some grudges between the families, my abba is a agitated and now he wants me to get a divorce but I dont want that."
She did not lift her head. She assumed that Waleed was silent because he was too shocked.
" I am faithful to my husband, Mr Waleed! I have thought only about him and mentally I feel bound only to him. I cannot think of getting married to anyone else. "
He was silent. Haya kept looking at her fingers and kept talking.
" Please refuse this proposal. I am someone else's wife. There cannot be another nikah, please! I am requesting you."
She raised her head. He was silently deeply staring at her. This wasn't the face of the man who had driven the car earlier...he looked like a different person.
"Then....then what have you though?" She stammered. There was somerhing in Waleed's eyes that told her that she had made a grave mistake. Alarm of danger started ringing loudly in her.
"About what?" His voice was deep which made her move towards the door. She sub conciously grabbed the handle of the door.
"About refusing this proposal."
"There is an entire life to talk about these things Haya! Now lets take advantage of the moments that are present now."
He suddenly bent towards her. Haya screamed. Waleed tried reaching out for her neck with both his hands, but she forcefully pulled the handle and pushed open the door. The door swung open. She pushed away Waleed with her other hand and tried running outside. Her dupatta came in Waleed's hands. She ran outside but Waleed pulled away her dupatta. The dupatta made a friction with her neck and was in Waleed's hands now. She kept running without looking behind. She heard Waleed opening his door and cursing at her in some English slang. She increased the speed of her running.
The alleys were quiet. Who knows where he got her. It was Sunday and the shutters of the shops were closed. Without looking in any direction she turned into an alley. He was running behind her. She kept running in the alley...but what was this? It was dead end!
She suddenly turned. The sound of running was coming nearer.
She turned towards the wall and started searching frantically...maybe there was a magical door...maybe the stories of Harry potter were true..but....
"Why are you running?" He asked cheerfully. She got scared and turned.
Waleed was walking towards her. He had a smile of victory on his face. She tiredly stuck to the wall. Her dupatta was not with her and her hands were completely exposed and now that bruise on her neck...she frantically covered herself with her arms.
"Please let me go." She pleaded wirh a heavy voice. This was her first mistake...and for the first time itself she received such a huge punishment!
"How can I let you go? Its not like I can have you later." He was now a few feet away from her. The street lamp was shining behind him.
" Please, I am not that kind of a girl."
" Then what type are you? You took a lift but you are against marrying me. Is that the reason you were behaving rudely with me back in the car?" He stood dirwctly in front of her.
"Please......" she was slowly shaking..she did not have anymore strength to fight Waleed.
"Ssshhhh!!!" He smiled and moved forward. Haya shut her eyes tightly. Her head started spinning.



(According to a proverb in Urdu 'Sanp bhi marjaye aur lathi bhi na toote' is used to get rid of a problem without causing much attention)

Chapter 10: Unwanted Inlaws

"Has Abba left?"
She closed the perfume bottle and kept it on the dressing table. On hearing the car horn and opening of the gate she took her mobile and purse and ran outside. For quite sometime her door was closed and she was getting ready for the baraat. Fatima begum (her mom) knocked at her door atleast ten times and reminded her to hurry up. They were already getting late. Sulaiman sahab had to reach their early to look into the arrangements. They were aware that Haya would run late.
The porch was empty. However there were noises coming from Taya Furqan's house. Looked like there were some people still left. Should she call Abba or wait at Taya Furqan's place and ask for a lift?
She was immersed in these thoughts and turned back to go inside the house when she heard the honking of a car at the gate. She stopped and turned to look at the car. A black shining Accord stood at the gate. The headlights were quite bright. Haya's eyes got blinded by them. Refelexively she put her hand on her forehead and shaded her eyes..she tried looking through them when suddenly the bright lights went dim and the face of the person sitting in the driver seat got revealed.
That was Waleed Lagari. His dad was sitting in front with him and behind in the passenger's seat was is mom..
"Assalam Alaikum Haya!" He opened the door and came out and gently smiled at Haya.
She was standing in front of the car with dim headlights shining on her, wearing a deep red coloured sequened, sleevless frock that touched her feet and with that fitted chudidaar pajaama of the same colour. But they were hardly visible because of the length of the frock. Golden dupatta was by her neck and hanging from her ears were long danglings that touched her shoulders. Her eyes smeared with kohl and straight hair falling behind her back.
"We are not sure about the direction of the marriage hall..is uncle still here?" He was looking at her with interest and asking.
She hesitatingly moved forwards, ignoring Waleed and stopped at Lagari sahab's door.
"Uncle! I have to go to Paradise Hall and Abba has left. I did not even realise it." She was genuinely worried.
"Oh!.....So your chacha and all?"
"They had left even before Abba. Wait! Abba must not have gone far, i will call him back...."
"Arey why should he come back? Its a must that he reaches early, you come with us beta! Even we are going there anyway."
"Yes beta, come!" Mrs Lagari opened her side of the door and moved inside.
She stood there in uncertainity.If she waited for Abba to come back and take her she would have missed half of the function and if she left with them......Abba wouldn't mind..she was sure of this.
" Oh ok. " Hesitating she moved towards the back seat.
"So what does our daughter do?" Mr Lagari asked her.
'When did I become their daughter?!' -_-
"I am doing L.L.B honors with Sharia and Law"
"That means you are an Islamic lawyer?"
"Yes" she faintly smiled. 'Why were these people talking with her so affectionately?
"So how is this subject Sharia and Law?" Umair Lagari continuing the conversation said " because I am an engineer by qualification and I felt wngineering was difficult in the beginning but late it became easy."
"Sharia looked difficult in the beginning but later I got used to it." All the three started laughing so she realised she shouldn't be unnecessarily be frank with them..
"Haya beta, do you plan to practise after marriage? Because me and your uncle dont believe in forcing in these matters. From choosing the field of study to deciding a career we have always given our children the priority to decide. Even Waleed has no problems with his wife working after marriage."
Mehnaz was saying, she was perplexed and was staring at her. Had situation gone this far or were they sure that Abba won't reject them.
Dejectedly replying in yes and no she finally relaxed when she saw the lights of the function hall.
" Thanks for the lift uncle." She came out of the car with uncle and aunty. At that moment Lagari sahab received a call and he excused himself. Mehnaz followed behind.
"Haya, listen." She was about to leave when Waleed called her, he was still holding the steering wheel and sitting in the car.
"I have to talk to you." He had rolled down his side of the window and was talking to her.
"But this is not possible."

Chapter 9: Let's Dance

There was sn empty plot beside their house on which a tent was placed for the mehendi function.
Every corner was decorated with steings of marigold and jasmine flowers. The place was brightly lit up. The gathering was segregated. Separate section for men and women. Well on the side of women, men from the family could come and go. There was a Dj alongwith the music system and moviemaker was roaming with his camera. Wearing a silver sequend lehenga, Irum was also busy . The Dj, movie maker and people serving refreshments were men but this was a function, so what was the point of covering the head? "Haya! Shall we start the dance?" Irum adjusted her lehenga while walking towards her. After carrying out every kind of custom Dawar was sent.
"Yes! You get the song ready and.....who is this?" She was busily talking with Irum when suddenly she got shocked. There was a girl meeting with a woman seated on the seat of the first row. The girl was wearing a black abaya wuhh a stole on her head. That was a all women's gathering but the strange thing was she was covering her face with her stole. Only her forehead and eyes were visible....she had besutiful eyes. It looked like she was smiling and talking to the elder woman.
"Who?" Irum turned and saw behind. Sge took a deep breath and turned back again "That is alien."
"Who???" Haya was perplexed.
"Alien, arey it's Shehla bhabhi. Completely aloof from the world she has built a separate wall around herself. Just to garner attention she attends the function in abaya and naqaab. In a women's gatherin who is she observing purdah from?"
"Yes, True. She is very strange." Shaila bhabhi was the wife of one of their second cousin. She was married just a year ago.

The Dj had set the song. Everyone was enjoying themselves. They forbade the moviemaker from shooting their dance and after that they started dancing. One looked like a golden fairy while the other like a silver one. When their legs started aching and everyone clapped enthusiastically they joyously came down from the stage towards the seats.
"Assalam Alaikum Shehla bhabhi!" That girl was also present on the table. Mehwish, Sehrish and Sana were also present with their mother. Irum immediately greeted and Haya followed pursuit.
"Walaikum as salaam, how are you both?" She warmingly asked them, her two fingers were still holding onto her niqaab. "Absolutely fine. Shehla bhabhi remove the niqaab, who is present here!" Shehla bhabhi smiled and nodded her head but did not remove her niqaab. "MashaAllah you both look very pretty." She was talking and suddenly turned sideways. Haya surprisingly looked at her. Maybe that action was because of the moviemaker.
"What a strange woman, why is she so distrustful of us, its a family movie. Its not like we will show it to any outsiders." Haya murmered angrily.

Then she excused herself from there. Abida chachi was slso present there. After listening to Saima tai and chachi's conversation she wasn't hypocrite enough to talk pleasently with them. Where was amma? Who can she ask if Sabeen phuphu has arrived or not.....or is she even coming? She was restless and confused, then she walked towards her home. She picked the diary that was placed alongside the phone. After dancing her feet were aching so she removed her sandal and rested them on the marble floor. She landed on the sofa with a thump and began searching Sabeen phuphu's number in the diary. She had never called her before like that...but today she had lost all her patience. She finally found the number and dialled the number from her landline. The bell was ringing on the other end. Her heart started beating frantically. After the fifth ring the call got through..

"Hello", a man's voice could be heard on the other end.
"Assalam Alaikum", she wet her dried lips. He replied in a foreign language.
"I am calling from Pakistan." She replied hurriedly in English.
"Who from Pakistan?" He asked in English.
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I am Sabeen Sikander's niece. Please pass on the phone to her."
"She has gone till Jowahar, let me know if there is any message to pass on to her." He replied busily. Now what is this Jowahar she had no idea!
"That.....isn't Sabeen phuphu visiting Pakistan for Dawar bhai's marriage?
"No she is busy." Maybe he was ending the call she suddenly asked "you....who are you?"
"Her son.. Jihan!" And he ended the call.

With wet eyes she stared at the receiver and smashed the receiver on the handle. She wiped away her tears and started wearing her sandals. She fixed her makeup which got spoiled because of her tears and walked outside towards the gate. Zafar was coming towards her carrying a white bouquet of roses. She got startled and walked towards him "What is this Zafar?"
"Oh! You are here? A courier man has given this for you". Zafar passed on the bouquet and a closed envelope towards her. Zafar was a servant at Taya Furqan's for the past seven years. Taya had got him from the village. When he arrived he used to speak punjabi and for the past seven years he has been teying to speak Urdu, but fsiled..now he used to speak a mix of urdu and punjabi.
"Okay you may leave." She held the bouquet under her hand and started opening the envelope. It was a plain white paper and a sentence was written in Urdi exactly in the centre

' For the girl....who sometimes cries in fear of making of an unwilling bond and sometimes cries in fear of breaking of an unwilling bond'
She went numb when she read this and started looking here and there. The mehendi function was going on and all the guests, servants were roaming here and there....amidst this was there someone who was noticing her? She turned the envelope..the date mentioned was yesterday's. Just ten minutes ago she spoke to Jihan and cried...
'The present, unwilling bond'
And an hour ago she met Walid and his parents
'Fear of making of an unwilling bond.....'
Who was this so well informed about her whereabouts and how did that person know she was going to cry twice?! She was terrified and constantly kept reading the matter.

Chapter 8: Potential Groom

"Haya.... Haya! Where are you?"

She was standing in front of an ornamental mirror in the lobby and was trying to fix her teeka when her mom was calling her.
There was chaos everywhere. The mehendi function had started outside. Everyone was busy moving towards the function and she was still standing there.
" What happened Amma?" She was struggling with the teeka which refused to sit on her forehead. A golden teeka of the shape of a coin below which dangled a red ruby. Her hands which were full of bangles constantly made sound when she was setting the teeka.
"Come soon your dad is calling you, we have to introduce you to someone." Sensing the happiness in her mom's voice she got startled and stared at her mom. Wearing a sobre silk saree and diamonds she looked poised and happy. She left her teeka..Her heart started palpitating....Did phuphu arrive...and her arrogant son?
"Where is Abba?" With her heart beating loudly she followed behind her mother. They saw Sulaiman sahab standing near the gate and with him was a young man on whose shoulders he was resting his hand and saying something. In front of them stood an elegantly dressed man and a decent woman.

She slightly lifted her lehenga from both ends and walked towards them. "This is Haya....my daughter." Sulaiman sahab smiled and held her by the shoulders.
"Assalam Alaikum" She slightly bent her head and greeted them.
"Wa alaikum salaam beta" They were curiously looking at her.
She was wearing a dull golden lehenga and heavily sequined blouse. The sleeves of the blouse were shorter than half. Small golden pearls were dangling from the sleeves. She wore her heavy sequined dupatta near her neck. Her hair were as usual straight and falling behind her back. Alongwith the teeka she was wearing golden jhumkas and after applying minimal makeup, her already soft and fair skin glowed further. She lifted her eyes which were filled with kajal. They were curiously looking at her.
"And Haya! This is my friend , Umair Lagari. This is Mehnaz bhabhi and this is their son Waleed." Her heart felt burdened. Tears started welling up in her eyes but she controlled herself.
"Nice to meet you...umm..that guests are arriving and I had placed the rose petals here, everyone is probably looking for me..so I..."
" Yes , yes you should leave, go and enjoy" Sulaiman sahab let her go. She apologisingly smiled at them and walked towards the gate. After coming outside she wiped the corners of her eyes and turned back and saw them before leaving.

Chapter 7 : Jihan Sikander (2)

She had never seen Jihan Sikander. She had just heard about their relation. She was just a year old when Sabeen phuphu came to Pakistan and under emotional circumstances she had asked for Haya's hand for her eight year old son. Her brother agreed and the kids entered the contract of marriage-Nikah. Jihan was present with his mother at that time. And then they left for Turkey.
Twenty one years passed by, and they continued staying in Turkey. He never returned to Pakistan and after that visit even Sabeen phuphu never visited Pakistan. Nor did she ever send a picture or write a letter.
If anyone ever visited Turkey, they used to visit her or else it was as good as not being in contact. She never used the internet. Even if Jihan was on social media no one had his email, facebook or twitter id. Irum and the rest got tired after constantly searching him on facebook but they could never find Jihan Sikander from Turkey.

At the beginning Phuphu used to frequently call them but then gradually everyone got busy with their lives. Once in three months phuphu used to call and once in three months they used to make a call to Turkey. Just the normal conversation...exchange of greetings, and talk on condition of weather, exchange of political views and then Allah Hafiz.

Despite all of these things she had mentally and emotionally linked herself with Jihan. The picture at the time of nikah was still with her. An eight year old, fair and good looking boy...whom she had never met in person and maybe the entire happiness of visiting Turkey was because of him...and now Abba was spoiling her plans. At that time she was very angry with phuphu and Jihan because of whom this relation had become a big question in itself.

Anyway, after Dawar bhai's wedding and at the end of semester, she will visit Turkey and will definitely search them.

Chapter 6: Jihan Sikander (1)

"What happened Sulaiman??!"
"Thank you beta!" She understood that this actually signalled "Now you can leave." She was wondering why her father reacted that way. She took her plate but she wasn't hungry anymore. She quietly stood behind the pillars were her taya and dad were standing and tried listening to their conversation.
"Umair Lagari has sent his son's proposal for Haya" Sulaiman sahab was talking about his friend and a share holder of his company. When Haya heard this she started trembling and her heart sank.
"What are you saying?!!" Taya was surprised.
" Bhai! Why are you surprised? Waleed is a good boy. He will be attending mehendi tomorrow. You can meet and see for yourself. Infact I am thinking I will ask Haya and say yes for this proposal."
" But....but Sulaiman! How is this possible?"
" Why is it not possible bhai?"
" How can you get Haya married like this?"
" I am her father, I can, Fatima has agreed and I am sure Haya will also not object."
" And Jihan....what about Jihan?"

" Your sister's son Jihan, Sabeen's son Jihan, the one whom you had married Haya to, how can you forget! "
In answer to that Sulaiman sahab sighed regretfully.
" That was twenty one years ago and now Haya is twenty two years old. It was my stupidity that I had trusted Sabeen and gave my daughter in nikah to his son. Has Sabeen she ever mentioned about this nikah or discussed about it? At the most she calls every six months and talks for three minutes. You really think she is interested in this nikah? "
" But Sabeen because of Sikander.... you know how that person is...."
" How should I believe that because of her stubborn and senseless husband she has forgotten this nikah? So much time has passed since then but she has never mentioned anything about nikah, how can i hope anything from her? "
" But Jihan is a good boy, haven't you met him when you went to Istanbul last year? "
" Yes!! Jihan Sikander!..... Good boy my foot!! "
" He is very different. He was born and brought up in Turkey, he has never even visited Pakistan. He does not speak Urdu or Punjabi. Has he ever asked about any of us? Has he ever called? I would have forgotten everything but when I went to Istanbul last year I stayed there for eighteen days. I visited Sabeen everyday, Sikander never met me and Jihan....Jihan met me on the last day and that too for only fifteen minutes. And that too when his mom told him my name...he recollected after a long time that I am done relative of his. And you know what he asked me....? Is there a bomb blast everday in Pakistan? And is there any internet facility present? And then he got a call and he went. I wouldn't want to go to court to appeal for divorce if I wouldn't have seen him with a Turkish girl who came to drop him off at his home. The way they were free with other....!!!! He is the son of Sikandar Shah and is exactly like him. I thought like his father is just opposite of Ahmed Shah, his grandfather, then maybe he too will be opposite of his father. But no he is a snob just like his dad. Who is Haya, and what relation does she have with them..neither Jihan remembers nor Sabeen. Sabeen does not even mention about this..now should I forcefully send my daughter to their home? Anyway! I will introduce Waleed to you tomorrow, now whatever proposal will look good I will get Haya married there and...."
Now Haya did not have any strength to listen any further. With a pale face and slow steps she moved away from them.

Chapter 5 : Two faced relatives

"Amma, I am going to help Saima tai in the kitchen ."  Haya informed her mom and her mom acknowledged in return.
She was about to enter the kitchen when she heard Saima Tayi speaking " As if I don't know who she is trying to impress. And she had only my boys to make crazy." Haya suddenly stopped.. who were they talking about? "That is what I am saying bhabhi, why does Raza always keep saying Haya Haya." Haya heard her name and got stunned. "The last time we went to Sulaiman bhai's house she was so stylishly dressed..Since then Raza has been pestering me to ask for her hand. " Abida chachi was saying angrily..
"This girl knows how to attract young men Abida! It was so difficult to convince Dawar that she is not the right girl. He was very adamant that he wants to marry only Haya. But when Furqan said we don't want to spoil our aakirah by getting that be-pardah (who don't observe veil/covering head) and free thinking girl in our family, that is when he got convinced. And now this Faruq!! What do I do about this boy!! And now she will come to trap my boy and he will again start arguing for her. Now look at my daughter Irum, she never dares to leave her house without covering her head." (🙄)
Saima tayi was saying all this and she was standing by the wall dazed... She thought if she heard any further she will loose control , so she turned away to return to the function. Faruq was laughing with his cousins when suddenly he saw Haya and stopped. He smiled warmly at her. Faruq was a decent guy...but the question was not about his decency or Haya not taking her veil....the real thing....everyone knew about it.  Then how could Faruq even think about something like this?
She swept a glance over Faruq and went and sat beside her mom on the sofa. "What happened?"Fatima (Haya's mom) asked. "Nothing amma" Haya became normal very quickly. She was very shocked at what she had heard. Saima tai always addressed her as 'Haya meri jaan' and Taya always considered her as his elder daughter...and behind her back this is what they thought about her, this she could never imagine!
So those roses and cards....?? Did these guys send them? But no one knew about Sabanci University.. No matter how much she thought about it, it looked very unlikely that any of these guys would send her..since they were so busy with their jobs.
She truly felt it wasn't either Faruq aur Raza...whoever it was let him go to hell. First she had to fix their brains. She got up and went towards Irum. " Irum!" She asked while standing. "What?"
"Have you sent the wedding invitation to Sabin phuphu?"  She secretly glanced towards Faruq and Raza.. They were surprised at her question and looked displeased.
" Phuphu's card was given to Sulaiman chacha and he must have sent it. Dad even called her personally..but will she come?"
"She has to come. After all she is closely related. If not to you all, atleast we have a very close relation." She deliberately stressed the details and looked at Faruq and Raza. They looked like they were lost in some thoughts.

"Haya, meri jaan! This Irum is of no use. You are understanding. You have to take care of the table. As soon as you see that a dish is emptying you have to signal Zafar (cook). "
" Sure Tayi, I will take care" She smiled sarcastically and began serving.
They organised a buffet..so everyone could take whatever they liked and eat while standing.
" Taya jaan, you haven't taken the salad" Haya came towards Taya and her dad who were deep in conversation and were startled when they heard her. "Thank you, beta!"
Taya smiled and started taking salad with his spoon. He was wearing kurta pajama and had a shawl over his shoulders. His stern face had a moustache. Opposite to his looks Sulaiman sahab was clean shave and dressed in a suit. He looked quite handsome and smart "Abba, you too have some."
"Have you sent the invite to Sabin?"  Maybe he was reminded of phuphu when he saw Haya.
Sulaiman sahab was taking the salad when taya asked..suddenly his hands froze and he gave a displeased look. "Abba, will Sabin phuphu attend the wedding?" Haya could not stop herself from asking.
" Tomorrow is mehendi. If she had to come, she would have arrived by now. In 30 years, if a woman has visited us only a few times, its for the better that she does not come now."
Taya and Haya are shocked.