۰۵

musafir mein bhatka

tu mera basera

•••

"Meezan! I swear to god, I am going to kick you so hard right now!" Anabiya yelled, as she threw a pillow at his back which was facing her.

"If you want to, you can. I completely understand. Forgive me, I kissed you without your permission. I seriously didn't want to---" He was cut off when Anabiya yanked the bedsheet he was seated on and he fell on to the ground to his face.

"Shut the freaking hell up! The one thing you do right and now you are back to acting like a nincompoop." Anabiya screamed as she marched over at where he was sprawled up on the ground and plopped herself down on his waist. Meezan let out a groan as he held onto her thighs.

"Wh-hat are you doi---" Meezan was once again cut off when, Anabiya slammed her lips on his in a hard kiss, driving them apart with force. Their bodies flushed together on the ground as she held onto his shoulders seeking support while Meezan's hands unconsciously slid up to the curve of her waist. There was nothing gentle about the kiss like it had been the last time. This time it was raw and needful. Filled with immense desire. Meezan's lips remained unmoving, frozen almost, frowning Anabiya bit down on his lower lip, this seemed to have snapped something within him as he tightened his arms around her waist pulling her closer, there was no space between them. Anabiya tilted her head back, but a low groan rumbled from the back of his throat, a small pleading noise, that set every part of her body on fire.

Minutes later, what seemed to be like an eternity both of them pulled apart, breathing heavily and disheveled, like they had just run a marathon.

Buring her head under his chin, Anabiya pressed her cheek against his muscular chest.

"I kissed you without permission. We are now even, Meezan Zardari."

"I hardly think we are, Anabiya Ibrahim." Meezan smiled shyly as he leaned down and kissed his wife's hair with utter adoration.

•••

As they make their way towards the elevator, heading for the dinner with Zaarib Yazdani and his wife, Anabiya couldn't help but eye Meezan's arm wrapped around her waist with pride.

Meezan gave her butterflies, or whatever the rumbling feeling that took over her body everytime he touched or smiled at her could be put to sane words. Is this what people called honeymoon stage?

Anabiya grinned wide as she tilted her head sideways and eyed her man.

He was texting something on his phone with one hand as his forehead scrunched in utter concentration, his hair gelled back to immaculate perfection, while his reading glasses sat perched high upon his nose.

Anabiya leaned a little upwards and placed a soft kiss on his cheek, and not even seconds later a blush started creeping down from his neck to his cheeks.

"Anabiya!" Meezan screeched, as he fumbled with his phone removing his hand from her waist, this caused Anabiya to scoff out loud.

"Oh come on, it's not like we haven't done more than this already."

Meezan gasped scandalized as Anabiya pushed him against the wall of the elevator.

"Why are you like this?" Anabiya trailed her perfectly shaped nails across his jaw, that was covered with neatly trimmed seven o' clock shadow.

Meezan's eyes widened as he held his breath eyeing the seductress in front of him who was trailing her fore finger from his jaw down his neck to the collar of his crisp ironed white dress shirt.

Meezan gulped in anticipation as she spoke once again.

"Do pray tell, Mister Zardari. Why are you like this when you clearly like being intimate with your wife?"

Meezan let out an unmanly squeak just in time for the elevator doors to snap open.

"Yo-u h-have an am-mazing set o-f teeth."

A older couple entered the elevator eyeing the younger couple disappointedly as Anabiya let out a tired groan. Meezan on the other hand jerked sideways pushing Anabiya to the other side of the elevator.

"MEEZAN! I AM TELLING YOU, YOU WILL DIE AT MY HANDS ONE DAY. I PROMISE YOU THAT MUCH." Anabiya asserted, whisper-yelling as the older couple chuckled having heard it. She then moved across the elevator as she took out a pack of wet wipes from her purse.

"A-nnabiya" Meezan screeched like he always does as his whole face resembled an over-ripe tomato.

"Gosh, You saying my name everytime I say or do anything "inappropriate" is not going to make me stop, when will you learn this?" She said glaring as she dabbed the lipstick stain from his cheek harshly.

"Oww, Stop." Meezan gurgled, helplessly.

"Newly married couple?" The woman, from the pair of older couple questioned. Her accent strongly oozing that of the south eastern part.

"Two months." Anabiya smiled tightly as she finished dabbing the lipstick away.

"Aah, Congratulations darlings. These men, you know. In the bed room they act all macho man, but when outside they act like we wives are some kind of a plague." The woman, said hitting her husband on the chest who let out a grunt.

"Aah ma'am, lucky for you. The most my husband has done is compliment me on my teeth." Anabiya scoffed, as she eyed Meezan's squirming frame.

The woman's eyes widened as her husband barked out a loud laugh.

"Good going, young man." The man exclaimed humourously.

"Oh Shush, atleast he compliments her. The most you have done in these twenty years is give me that old rackety ring your dead mommy left." The woman, yelled as she elbowed him in the ribs.

"You with this again! It's a family heirloom, dammit! And my mommy loved you, you so ungrateful." The man groaned, yelling back.

Anabiya quietly squeezed back into the place in front of Meezan. Meezan loosely wrapped his arms around her waist as he leaned down near her ear.

"Look what you have unleashed. I hope your sadistic soul is happy."

Just then the elevator came to a halt and Anabiya rushed outside Meezan following behind chuckling.

"I am hungry. Are you not hungry? I bet you are. I am really craving fish tacos, do you think they'll have tacos?" Anabiya began ranting as her cheeks blushed red in embarrassment.

Meezan shook his head, in utter pleasure as he leaned down to kiss her hijab covered head, his arms still wrapped around her waist.

"You really do have pretty set of teeth." He murmured softly, as he guided them to the huge transparent door that was leading up to an open roof top patio.

"Meezan." Anabiya groaned as she buried her head in his shoulder, causing his body to rumble with humour.

"Taste of your own medicine, miss." Was simply his answer as he chuckled, going up to the hostess who stood behind the reservation desk.

"I believe the reservation is under the name of Yazdani?" The hostess gave them a kind smile as she eyed the ipad in her hand.

"Right this way, Sir."

As they enter the lavish restaurant, the background echoing with soft music, Meezan's hands on her waist tightened ever so softly, causing Anabiya to give a small smile.

The waitress guided them to an empty table in the patio facing the sea, Meezan pulled a chair and made Anabiya sit. The Yazdani couple hadn't arrived yet as Anabiya and Meezan had decided to come a little earlier.

"Meezan?" Anabiya questioned after the were seated.

"Hmm"

"How long will you wait after I die till you remarry?"

Meezan chocked on the water that he way sipping as he coughed loudly eyeing Anabiya with wide eyes, if he widened them any more he was sure his eyeballs would've popped out.

"Aese fazool sawal kahan se laati ho yaar?" Meezan questioned, frustrated as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.

(From where do you bring such ridiculous questions?!)

"Aarey! Aap hai fazool. Seedha sa sawal hai. Ab itna bhi na itraen" Anabiya replied back shrugging.

(You are ridiculous. It's a simple question. Don't act so shy now)

"Paagal aurat." He whispered under his breath,"Tumhe kya baar-baar duare parte hai? Tumne socha hai agar mein maroonga to tum kitne time baad shaadi karogi?"

(Mad woman) (Do you get seizures frequently? Have you thought about how long after I die you will remarry?)

"Haan na. Maine to soch bhi rakha hai mein kisse karoongi shaadi apke marne ke baad." Anabiya sasses as she flipped her hijab back causing Meezan to drop open his mouth.

(Yes, I have thought about who I'll marry after you die also.)

"Hein?"

"Aaj kal to sab log soch ke rakhte hai agar unki biwi ya shohar tapak gaya to wo kisse shaadi karenge." Anabiya stated as a matter of factly.

(Everyone nowadays thinks of who they'll marry if their spouse passes away.)

"Astagfirullah" Meezan exclaimed clearly horrified at what his wife had just uttered, but then he began thinking himself, he was the guy who didn't know you had to gift your wife something on the wedding night, it was surely possible his clueless ass wasn't aware of this new trend. "Sacchi mein aisa hai kya?"

(Is it really like that?)

Anabiya nodded her head solemnly as if stating the biggest truth of the century. But in reality she was biting the inside of her cheek preventing herself from laughing out loud at her poor husband's face.

Just as Meezan started giving it more thought, his phone began ringing. Looking at the name he frowned,

"Tell me who you've thought of marrying after I die, when I come back. I have to take this phone call."

Saying this he started walking out, this caused Anabiya to break down laughing. Her beloved hubby was so innocent she feared how many people could easily fool him and take advantage.

Just as she finished wiping the tears that had spilled from her eyes from all the laughing, two familiar figures entered her vision causing her to freeze. Kizaar Bukhari and Qiraat Yaqoob. The bitter remainders of her unfortunate past.

"Ana! I am so happy to see you here. Kizaar told me he met you at the Corniche restaurant the other day." The woman, Qiraat Yaqoob, her ex-best friend, the saboteur who carefully executed the personality murder of poor naive Anabiya a good seven years ago.

"I--" Anabiya began, trying to form words as she swallowed the bitter feeling that was making its way up her throat, but Kizaar cut her off.

"How could she not come? We are practically the only people who cared about her throughout school."

Anabiya felt like puking as she heard his voice, he revoked the museum of fear that resided inside her body with just the way he spoke.

Meezan, Come back.

I need you Meezan.

Come back...... Please Come Back.

"Kizaar, Stop it. We aren't 20 anymore." Qiraat glared at him, before shooting Anabiya with a pityful look. After all these years, that's all she has to do?

"Now, Now, Ana. Where is that husband of yours? Did he leave you afterall, just like I did?" Kizaar smirked, taking a seat where Meezan was seated not long ago.

Anabiya wanted scream out loud, my husband isn't to be compared to a scum like you, Kizaar Bukhari. You cannot be half the man he is even if you tried your hardest.

But, nothing left her mouth. Nothing left her mouth like it has done years ago. Nothing left her mouth to defend her husband infront of the people who had left her destroyed; physically and emotionally.

"Kizaar! Stop it!" Qiraat cried out, trying to divert the painfully one-sided conversation. "Why are you sitting here all alone, Ana? The auction event is downstairs."

Anabiya gritted her teeth as she managed to look up at her while answering,"I am not here for the event, I am here for dinner."

"Oh.." Was all that Qiraat managed to breathe out, clearly shell-shocked.

"Quit lying, Ana darling. Are you here all alone for dinner? All the way from Dubai to Abu Dhabi? Just for dinner?"Kizaar decided to interject once again, and this time hot tears started to bubble inside Anabiya's eyeballs.

Meezan, Where are you?

Save me from this humiliation.

Qiraat once again began with her whining as she tried shushing Kizaar up. Anabiya managed to get a good look when she had replied to Qiraat's question the last time and she could conclude that Qiraat Yaqoob hadn't changed much. She was as pretty as Anabiya's blocked out memories could be of comprehensive use of. Her thick mop of brown hair was curled at the ends, her blue streaks long faded. Her heart shaped face with perfect cupid's bow lips and striking green eyes had matured in a more ladylike way and framed her face quite well. She wasn't wearing her glasses so Anabiya believed she had resorted to finally wearing contact lens.

And although, Anabiya hated to have noticed, Kizaar Bukhari still looked as attractive he had done years back in their early adulthood. He had grown out a nice beard and his lanky boyish body had taken a manly shape. Anabiya for sure knew, he still carried the hearts of hundreds of girls at his sleeve like he had done years ago. But this time, Anabiya wasn't one of them because she knew what a terrifying monster lay beneath all the layers of the pretty boy.

Anabiya also realised what was she to do with all these random facts about these people who she once called her friends. What was she to do with the information that Qiraat had spitefully coloured her hair to rebel against her parents and hated wearing glasses yet wore them anyway because contact lenses made her eyes ich. What was she to do with knowing how Kizaar had always wanted to become a programmer but because of family pressure he resorted to become a doctor and that he loved eating but hated working out.

You are only left with these random memories, facts about people who have hurt you, destroyed you without having an ounce of regret. What are you to do with these pieces of information? Where do you bury them, when you yourself feed and cry over them, allowing them to grow?

"Tell us, Ana. Were you ready to love again after I broke your heart? Was your love so weak?" Kizaar smiled bitterly, causing Anabiya to jerk her head up meeting his gaze for the first time during their entire conversation.

"Kizaar, that is more than enough. Shut the f**k up! Let's leave." Qiraat snarled as she pulled at Kizaar's sleeve.

"Anabiya?" Came her husband's familiar voice, it was supposed to soothe her but it did nothing. The water had passed over her head.

"Aah! You weren't lying now were you? Your husband didn't leave you after all." Kizaar gushed as he got up putting his hands inside his pockets.

"Excuse me?" Meezan questioned, as he stood behind Anabiya, putting his arm on her shoulder this caused her to shudder visibly and his suspicions about something being wrong only turned out to be true.

"Well, I assume our dearest Ana hasn't told you about her eventful past, because you still haven't left her."

"I would request you to keep your assumptions to yourself. What her past was doesn't concern me and neither should it concern you." Meezan slammed, he didn't like the way this man was speaking with his wife and why wasn't the ever self sufficient Anabiya defending herself?

"Oohh, you've got yourself a pious one, Ana. Good catch, dude. Considering your previous scandalious escapades." As soon as these malicious words left his mouth a gasp left Anabiya's as she controlled a sob and barely managed to mutter.

"Kizaar, s-stop."

"So she finally speaks. Let me enlighten your dearest husband, we mustn't keep him in the dark, poor guy doesn't know your true colours." He smugly began, his eyes trained on her.

Meezan's eyes turned ice hard as he grabbed Anabiya's sling and lifted her arm, as if asking her to get up and leave, to which she willfully complied, her head still bowed.

Just as they turned around the terrible words left Kizaar's mouth.

"Your wife's a wh*re, Zardari. She slept with every man in our college while she was engaged to me and I doubt she isn't doing the same now."

Meezan turned around at an alarming speed his eyes blazing balls of hot coal. And before anyone could comprehend his fist was meeting with Kizaar Bukhari's jaw.

"Aapni is gandi zabaan se meri biwi ka naam bhi nahi lena, samjhe? Kaat ke haath mein de doon ga." Meezan snarled as he grabbed his collar nad threw him to the ground earning a gasp from everyone around them.

(Don't you dare take my wife's name from this dirty mouth of your, understood? I will cut your tongue and give it to you)

Kizaar chuckled like a maniac as blood spilled from his mouth.

"Itna gussa, Zardari Saab? I didn't think you had it in you. Mein to bus aapke fayde ke liye hi bata raha tha, baad mein pata chala ki aapki ye biwi----"

(So much anger? I didn't think you had it in you. I was saying only for your profit, later you mustn't know your wife is---)

Meezan kneeled down and started hitting even more fiercely, blood was spurting from Kizaar's face like a river.

"Tumhare jaise do takke ke aadmi ka mere fayde se kya hoga? Tum to wo wehshi ho jo auraton ki izzat ko bhi uchalne mein maze leta hai. Kuttay. Maafi maango, Anabiya se."

(What benefits does a two rupee man like you have from telling me? You are are that beast who likes to flounders a woman's respect and enjoys it. Dog. Apologise to Anabiya.)

The security guards were pulling at Meezan but Anabiya stood witnessing this, tears flowing down her face freely making no attempts to stop him.

"Na mard kahi ke. Himmat hai to phirse bolke dikhao uske kirdaar ke baare mein, tumhe mein tabah kar doonga." Meezan breathed out heavily punching a good few more times before he fell unconscious.

(A no-man. I dare you to say something about her character again. I'll destroy you.)

His face burning red, he got up pushing away the guards with force. Walking towards Anabiya he grabbed her arm gently as he dragged her sobbing figure towards the elevator amidst a crowd of people swarming to see what was happening.

As soon as they had reached inside the elevator, he tried wiping the tears away from her swollen face that were still flowing down continuously.

"Shh, bus ho gaya, meri jaan. Wo tumare aas paas bhi nahi aayegaa ab."

(It's over now, love. He will not come near you now.)

This caused Anabiya to break down wailing now, as her sobbing escalated, Meezan pulled her to his chest, rubbing her back in attempts of comfort. But the more she cried and the more Meezan felt helpless to his circumstances. His heart ached seeing her cry and Meezan could only wonder what the cure could be.

"F-Fix it, please." She managed to mumble out, in between her grief.

"Fix what, meri jaan?"

"M-e. Fi-x m-e." She barely whispered out and he heard it.

___

a/n

Me, updating after ages...

Hellooo my pea cutlets (matar cutlets) ;))))

I hope all of you are doing well!

It's been long but life was pretty busy.

Did you like the chapter?

Meezan turning all violent is what I lived for till date :)))

Alsooo, Meezan saying 'meri jaan' has me going mush-like. Can someone call me "meri jaan" ? Comments mein hi boldein, asal zindagi mein hi na sahi. *Tough life*

Anyways poor Biya, in the next chapter you'll get to know about her past. ༎ຶ‿༎ຶ

Andd, I would like to announce that I have published a new book called Fanaa, it's a retelling of the song Lut Gaye so please check it out if you are even a tad bit intrigued (and those of you who already have, I already give you forehead smooches everytime I update <3<3)

Anyways, please do leave your precious feedback!

Take care

~flawfully