Chapter 14
After a whole week dua was returning home back. She had one of the best time of her life on the trip. She would had regretted badly if she wouldn't had gone. Though her baba didn't even called her once called to check on her but to her much amusement arham did called her he asked when she would come and exact time when she would come. He even volunteered to pick her when she comes back but she denied that she can do it by her all.
Currently dua was on her way back she was dropped by the local bus stand and was now in her cab which would take her home. She was going through her pictures that she took on the trip. She smiled slightly at the memories. She was so busy watching the pictures in her phone that the taxi driver had to call her out. The moment she looked out of the window a gaspe left her mouth. Her house or say mansion was beautifully decorated with lights. Never had ever seen her house decorated much, not even for any past parties they had.
"Madam. There are many people standing at the entrance. Shall I drop you here or in" the cab driver asked dua giving out a thick south Indian ascent.
Dau broke her thoughts chain. She signalled the guard on the door. The guard out there cleared a way and a the entered swiftly in. The cab driver parked the car just in front of the fountain.
Dua payed the driver. She turned she was confused. Without making her head much into work she decided to enter in.
The mansion was not only very well decorated from outside but was also beautifully decorated from inside. It gave dua a wedding kind of vibe.
she encountered many familiar faces.
People were running here and there still decorating the house all the maids of there house were busy to. She went into the kitchen and saw so much food which made her stomach grumble. As much she wanted to have it she wanted to know what's going on.
She heard giggles from the corner from the hallway. On her way she saw naima khala (aunt). Ayesha's mother's sister. It was quiet strange to see her here. Dua said Alhamdulillah as naima khala was busy speaking with someone else and didn't saw her.
But was shocked when saw ayesha sitting on a swing she had wore a beautiful golden dress. She looked like an angel. There were girls drawing heena on her hand. When she got more closed she saw bua was looking at her. Bua signalled her to come with her.
Dua followed her to the kitchen. Bua handed her a glass of water.
"Bua what is happening is everything alright. Is ayesha having her hakika." Dua asked and began drinking water.
"Ayesha is getting engaged" bua said making dua throw out all the water. She began coughing up. Bua came and rubbed her back.
When she was okay. She had thousands of emotions turning within her.
"With whom?" She asked to bua.
"The same people that came to see before you left."bua said and continued "they are really good people dua. Ayesha will be in good hands." Dua smiled. Uncontrollable tears were rolling down.
"At least they would have inform me. That my stepsister is getting engaged. I... you know what bua, I'm gonna go to my room and pretend that I am not even at home. Just like they wanted me to. Disappear from there life." Dua said and climbed down from the stool she was sitting on.
Bua wanted to stop her but she knew she already is too much hurt. Seeing her stepsister getting engaged would cause more damage. So she kept quiet.
On her way she saw arham who seems completely normal to her. She more concerned about him then her. A smiled appears on arham's face when he saw dua but dua didn't mirrored his reflection. She wanted to stay and there and console his felling but seeing how much she was hurt herself she didn't had the courage to heal anyone else.
Dua ran towards her room. She went in her room but on her way. She opened the door her whole room was the same that she had left except a beautiful gown along with matching jewelry and hijab.
A slight sparkle of happiness arose with in dua, she taught did her baba gave her and genuinely want her to attend her the ceremony of his family but it all went down when she saw a note it was arham who di it. She felt bad for him. Loud bang was on her door. It was arham she opened the door for him. He sat on his usual place on the couch. He was definitely hurt dua could see it.
"I know. I know. You wanna asked are you okay how did all this happened." Began arham and continued "But see the bright side. You know we gonna face it. I want you to dress up and look beautiful and come down like a strong women you are and show that ayesha can't damage you. Show her that you are strong." At first dua thought he was saying because he was hurt. But the look on his face didn't let dua slide the excuse. She was standing leaning to the closed door.
She took a deep breath and began.
"You don't get me arham. You would never understand me. All this time I didn't want to show anything to ayesha. I am not like her, anywhere close to her. All I ever want is her to know that I don't hate her. I am never in between her and her happiness. I don't wanna show her that I don't care. I wanna show her that I do care about her. I would never ever want anything bad for. Even today, tough she haven't seen me yet I know she don't want me in her life. So it's better if I stay out of her life."
Arham was taken back by dua's answer but that wasn't according to his plan.
"I know. You can stay here and be a coward. But I want you to be there. This might be the chance to let her know that you actually care about her. She would completely want you in her happiness. And also I want you because I'll need you. You can use your excuses but I can't I have to be there. And I want you to have my back. Please." Said arham. To bring more impact to his words he stood in front of her looking deep in her eyes.
Dua kept looking in arham's eyes for a while but quickly averted it.
"I'll think about it." Said dua.
Arham left dua's room. Dua slinked down the door. She pulled her both legs close to her chest and laid her head on it.
Is Allah testing her. She softly cried and asked Allah to show her way. The words of arham made there way again in dua's mind.
She got up and took a close looked to the gown that was laying on her bed.
She got down and so many pair's of eyes was set on her. She didn't even knew that the hall was filled with so many people she was nervous. Her eyes met her baba's. He again nodded at her. She slowly climbed down her way. May be coming here wasn't that bad idea she thought.
She was enjoying there. She although wanted to see who is her future jiju. But she had no idea where she would find him.
She was searching for arham when his voice was heard but through a mic. So he is the host dua thought to herself.
"Ladies and gentlemens. Good evening a very warm welcome to all of us as you know we are here to encounter two people getting engage to each other. May Allah bless these soul with a long and happy life." Dua recited amen on it.
"Okay so without wasting time let's call on the family first" soon mr.shah was on the stage. Later mr.and.mrs.rizvi were on stage too. Arham asked them to hand both the rings to him.
"Now it's time for our couples to come up on stage together." At this point dua turned her attention to ayesha. She was looking for armman to come so that they can walk together.
"Seems like we have to call them again. Armaan Rizvi please come upon stage along with DUA SHAH." All gasped were heard at the moment. Dua froze up on her place. Obviously she wasn't going on the stage. But a hand softly leaned into her. She turned to look out was a stranger whom she had beside her. It was armaan. He pulled her all the way up to the stage were arham was standing. Dua could not understand anything. She was pulled like a rag doll.
Arham handed armaan the ring. Dua didn't raise her hand so armaan himself pulled dua's hand up and he slip it easily into dua's finger. The only people who took it all normal was arham and armaan. Dua didn't wanted to put the ring on armaan's hand. She just stood there completely frozen. Soon the flashes of camera's were heard from everywhere. She was still frozen going completely blank. She left that she had no option but to cooperate with what's going on. Armaan himself took the ring and placed it in dua's hand and spreads his finger in order to dua to put her the ring. Debating she finally slid the silver ring in armaan's finger.0000