Bakht- Pt 5

*****

"Bhai!"

The bubble had been broken and the two stood still for a while. Haider still hadn't let go of her. Every inch of his sane mind was screaming at him to back off but how could he, when she was now staring at him like he was the only thing that mattered.

His eyes found themselves etched onto her swollen lips that had been made love to not long ago. His thumb caressed her lower lip, making Zoya almost faint at the way her body was behaving.

"You might want to apply the lip balm again."

She blinked at his suggestion.

Hues of pink seemed to have become friends with her skin as he parted from her albeit reluctantly. Haider fisted his hands in restraint. The color on her skin just made her look like the creatures one talked about in myths.

"Bhai!"

Haider loved his sister every bit but at this moment, all he wanted to do was zone her out and continue what they had started, especially when Zoya stood in front of him, covered in the most enticing shades of red and a shy smile on her lips.

Clearing his throat, he took a deep breath and with every bit of patience, walked up to the door to unlock it in hopes of silencing his sister.

"Sameera, I don't think-"

He had only started when his sister's annoyed face scrunched to that of displeasure. Sameera looked over his shoulders and her lips thinned in a scowl. Haider subtly followed her gaze only to find his wife standing at the same spot but at this moment, she was adjusting her hair.

"Mama, ko walima ke baare mein baat karni hai. Aa jaye neeche."

The curt words were coated with every bit of distaste and Haider frowned, definitely not appreciating her tone and behaviour.

"We'll be there in a bit."

Sameera gave one last tight lipped smile to her brother and walked away from the scene, leaving him bewildered and confused as to what had gotten her so upset.

He stood by the door wondering when he felt a hand touch his shoulder. Looking behind him, he found his wife trying her best to look at him and nowhere else but was failing miserably. Biting back a smirk, he turned around to face her.

Zoya held her breath as he leaned closer. Her fingers clutched the ends of her dupatta as her eyes closed themselves but frowned when the needed touch never came.

Opening her eyes, she found his face inches away and a smirk rested on his lips like he knew what she was waiting for. The pink ignited her skin with fierceness when he whispered next to her ears.

"You're all mine tonight, jaan. No excuses."

*****

Samra had insisted on keeping the walima the very night. The invites had been sent and most of Haider's cousins and relatives were on their way, some had already arrived and the whole Razdani house was bustling with noises- none of which made Zoya feel comfortable.

"Waise, karti kya hai ladki?"

A woman whom she recognized as Haider's far away aunt, asked Samra but the older woman's scrutinizing gaze was fixated on Zoya, as though wanting to drill her or grill her, she didn't know.

"Artist hai, appa. You should see her paintings. They are fantabulous."

Samra gave a wide smile to Zoya, clearly proud of what her daughter-in-law's profession was but the other woman didn't seem to approve of it when Zoya saw her scrunch her nose, as though it was a joke.

"Toh matlab painter hai? Isme kya khas hai bhai? Painting toh humne bhi bahot ki hai."

Zoya bit her tongue from spewing her reply. She knew it was a taunt. A way to degrade what she was and her art skills. Trying not to let the woman get on her nerves, she could only offer her a tight smile.

"Waisi paintings nahi appa. Khair chode, jaane de, aap nahi samjhegi. It's a new era. Purane khayal kaha kisi ko kuch acha samajhne dete hai."

Samra's tone held the slightest bit of nonchalance but the message was clear and everyone seemed to have caught onto that. Zoya hid a smile behind her morsel. She hadn't expected Samra to take her side but the feeling of someone backing her up among strangers made her sigh in relief.

The men were all gathered outside, preferably talking business or maybe, the 'men talks' that no one was interested in.

Zoya sat beside Samra silently after they had their lunch. The clothes and jewelleries for the walima had been picked up by Samra and she showed them to Zoya, subtly including that if she didn't like it, she could always wear what she preferred.

In reply to Samra's touching gesture, Zoya only hugged the woman tightly, feeling as though she had lucked out among the many others.

"Chalo chalo, no emotional drama. Ab tayyar ho jao, theek hai?"

Samra lovingly patted Zoya's cheeks who chuckled lightly.

Haider's male cousins had taken him to another guest room, insisting that they'd help the man get ready when the said man clearly looked annoyed.

It took a good half an hour or more before Zoya was ready for the function. Samra had lightly joked around through the time, telling her that simply offering a silent smile to the people passing by would do the job.

Zoya took in a deep breath as she looked at her reflection- all prim and proper. Clad in a golden lehenga and long top with crystal and pearl works of silver, she looked magnificent. Samra had put her hair in a bun, securing all the hair in place. The jewelry was light- just golden jhumkas and a set of kade.

"Masha'Allah, I've done a great job!"

Samra gushed in self-praise and clapped once in glee. Amusement flickered in Zoya's eyes at the woman's gestures. A chuckle was heard from the newly wed and Samra waved her hand in the air, dismissing her.

"Chalo chalo, late lateef isn't a trend anymore."

Samra ushered her quickly to the back lawn where a huge crowd was already waiting- well, waiting a few and many had sneaked to the food section already.

Haider stood on the stage, dressed in an off-white sherwani. His hair gelled back, all in place. The look gave him an aura of maturity unlike when his hair was a mess. He was talking to another man beside him, occasionally offering a chuckle or two.

Zoya inhaled deeply as Samra guided her to the stage. Her eyes looked at the crowd and found the familiar faces of her family. Feeling much better knowing that they were here, she kept her excitement at bay and sneakily poked her tongue at Ayaan who was busy making funny faces at her.

Haider found his gaze stopping at his wife who was walking towards him. His cousin's words fell on deaf ears as Haider zoned out everyone but her.

She had the kind of magic that captivated him, made him look at her and no one else. He should've looked away, knowing they were in a crowd full of people but how could he knowing that she was his as he was hers. Rightfully in every word.

"Lo, sambhalo apni manat ko."

Samra exasperated a breath and placed Zoya's hand in his. A blush rose across one's skin while the other took his sweet time to assess his wife to his heart's desire but the traitor was never satisfied and full.

Once she was at a close distance, he sneaked a glance at the people and leaned in to whisper in her ears,

"Ek hi din hua hai nikah ko, jaan. Abhi se dil churane ka irada hai?"

Zoya held herself from shying back and definitely matched his stare. Her voice was as low as his when she replied to his flirtatious ways.

"Churane ka irada tha, Mr. Haider. I think I've already completed the task. Don't you think so?"

She asked with an innocent curiosity and a laugh bubbled from her husband's throat. The deep sound made her swoon if not for the moment being disturbed by guests and their voices of congratulations.

The two shared a secret smile before their attention fell on the people that kept going and coming. Haider held her palm in his hands throughout the function, giving it a soft caress every now and then to soothe her tense muscles every time someone said something offensive.

"Bhai, chale, khana kha lete hai."

Sameera walked onto the stage, clearly disregarding Zoya's presence and focusing only on her brother. Zoya held herself back from saying or doing something that might create a bigger drama around while Haider tightened his hold on Zoya's palm and gave his sister a nod.

"Here, try this."

Samra filled her son and daughter-in-laws plate to the brim, asking them to try every dish even if it was just a bit. Fawad tried to control his wife when he met his son's panicked gaze at the way his plate was overflowing.

He wasn't a glutton for goodness sake!

Zoya chuckled at the interaction and slowly took a bit of her food. Ayaan was sitting across from her and to say she wanted to hit her brother hard in the head would be understatement.

Ayaan met his twin's glare and frowned at her. His mouth was stuffed by biryani so he tipped his head, silently asking her what he had done.

To his question, Zoya offered him the sweetest smile she could muster and Ayaan choked on the food when he felt his heel stomp on his toe.

"Ayaan, kya hua?"

Zaira asked her son while rubbing his back. Ayaan could only hide his pained expression and shake his head at Zaira.

"Kuch nahi, bas, the food entered the wrong pipe."

Zoya took another bite and gulping it down, she smirked at her twin's narrowed glare.

"Keep your leg to yourself."

She mouthed and Ayaan scowled at the violent nature of his sister.

Ayaan had been unintentionally stomping Zoya's lehenga every now and then, smearing the golden colour with the tiniest bit of mud and she was ought to teach him some etiquettes.

The function was over not long after and Haider was taken away by his male cousins while Zoya made her way to their room. She was extremely tired with all the smiling and the stiffness in her shoulders was starting to hurt.

Zoya was about to walk up the stairs when her eyes fell on Sameera and another girl who sat beside her on the couch but that wasn't what bothered her. The two were snickering in her direction and by the look on Sameera's face, it was clear that whatever was being said, it wasn't good.

Having had enough of the lady's tantrums, Zoya made her way to the two. Her stance was clear that she wasn't going to go along with her polite ways and Sameera stood up along with the girl beside her.

"Main chalti hu phir. You handle her."

The said girl spoke as though Zoya wasn't present and Sameera offered a chuckle in reply. Once she was gone, it was just her and Sameera left in the room. The latter looked bored as she stared down her nail art, ignoring Zoya's cold gaze.

"Problem kya hai tumhari? What have I done to you that you're being so nasty to me? If you can't respect me, then you have no right to degrade me like that either."

Sameera flared at the words. Her glare was filled with disbelief and frustration.

"Kiya kya hai tumne? Well, for starters, you have spoiled my brother's dreams, his wishes!"

Zoya flinched at the deep distaste in her tone. Sameera looked far more furious and her voice had raised by octaves.

"Did he tell you? Did Haider bhai tell you that he loves someone else? Someone whom he was trying to search for so long? Did he tell you ki mama forced him into this nikah? Emotionally blackmailed him into saying yes?"

Zoya felt her blood freezing cold. The colour from cheeks had paled to nonexistent. The once tiredness was lost and a heavy weight settled on her heart at Sameera's words.

'He loves someone else.'

'Forced him into this nikah.'

The words hit her like tons of bricks, burying her under their weight and the pain that came along seemed to have numbed her in place. Sameera took a step forward. A cold smile appeared on her lips upon seeing Zoya's posture.

"Bhai saw a girl a year back during one of his flights. He said he didn't believe in love but for her, he'd definitely believe in every stupid assumption out there. Even if it was something as stupid as love at first sight. He searched for her like crazy, trying to know something, anything about her. Mama didn't stop him during the start but when even after a year there was no futile result, she asked him to marry you."

The disgust with which she addressed Zoya didn't bother her anymore. She was far too deep into realizing anything apart from that he was already in love- with someone else.

"Aur pata hai, I wouldn't have treated you like this if not for bhai who came running to me on the day of your nikah, claiming that he had finally found her but couldn't stop the wedding at the last moment. You know when I went to mama, to plead with her to stop the nikah, she straight up said no. Said that bhai would adjust. Have you never wondered why he didn't contact you when your nikah was fixed? Why didn't he bother reaching out to you, to make conversation and to get to know you?"

But Zoya did.

She did wonder why he hadn't contacted her.

A single message or a call, but there was nothing.

"The reason why he didn't was because he was busy spending day and night in search of that woman. He hadn't slept properly, restless that he would be thrown into a loveless marriage when his heart clearly yearned for another. He doesn't love you. He'll never love-"

"Enough Sameera!"

It wasn't Zoya who spoke.

It was him.

Haider.

*********

So, do we hate Sameera? Or no? Well, I personally don't. The girl was just worried about her brother's happiness and according to her, Zoya stopped him from reaching out to his love.

That was too much drama at such a short notice but koi nahi, I'm sure you guys will handle it *wink wink*

**********