She was dressed in the beautiful red anarkali, her eyes bright as she looked at herself in the mirror. There were so many accessories. She wore an earring and smiled as she saw the makeup, 'Finally, I can apply makeup on my own.' her mother never allowed her to wear the dark shades, and she picked her favourite shade. Her eyes shone under the light, and a giggle left her mouth as she picked up the golden eye liner.

"Ek aankh mai golden lagati, dusri mai silver", she couldn't help but applaud herself, she applied it like Neha usually did. And it came as a straight line, 'Madhuri eyebrow pe bhi lagati haina', so she dragged the line.

Picking up the purple lipstick, she smeared it on her lips and used it on her cheeks as a blush. Red eyeshadow, grey highlighter on the brows, silver eyeliner on one eyes golden on another extended to the brows, purple blush and lipstick with Red Anarkali. Her accessory matched her clothes, Mahjabeen couldn't help but squeal as she looked in the mirror.

"Madhuri se abhi acchi lag rahi mai toh," her face glowed with happiness as she wore her chappals, the regular ones, and got out of the room drapingdupatta around her body.

Maheer, who just exited the room, stopped looking at Mahjabeen, "Ya Allah Mahjabeen ye kisne makeup kiya?" Her voice was filled with horror.

As Mahjabeen smiled, Maheer realised there was lipstick on her teeth as well, "Astagfirullah... aise nhi jaaskti tum," she said Mahjabeen had smeared some red eyeshadow and now it falling off under her eyes.

"Kyun accha nhi dikhra?" Mahjabeen asked, looking at her sad expression. Maheer shook her head, "Neha kaha hai, Gul aunty kaha hai?"

"Woh toh gaye.."Mahjabeen uttered, and Maheer clenched her jaw, "Dulhan se pehle woh log nikal gaye?" Maheer couldn't believe how could they do this.

"Kyun?" Mahjabeen asked as she saw the lost expression on Maheer's face, Maheer brought a fake smile on her face and patted her cheek, "Mahjabeen ek kaam karo muh dholo".

As Usama came running, Maheer hid Mahjabeen's face, "Kya hua?" He asked, confused, "Kuch nahi, "as Usama tried to take a peek at Mahjabeen, but Maheer blocked him from doing so.

"Arrey peeche hatto," she scolded him, and Usama raised his hand in surrender, "Mai bas chehra dekhna chah raha tha."

"Kyun ji?" Maheer asked now sceptical, Usama bit his lips, "Aisehi..."He said with an awkward smile. He wanted to look at her...

Maheer whispered in Mahjabeen's ear, "Mahjabeen andar jao aur mu dholo haan jaani?" She nodded, understanding that she looked bad.

As she was walking away, Usama said, "Maheer humein abhi nikalna padhega qaazi sahib aa chukey hain." Maheer rubbed her forehead, feeling the headache coming through. "Murtasim kab tak aayega?"

Usama rolled his eyes, "Logon ko dulhe se zyaada dulhaan ki entry dekhni hoti hai, tum abhi chalo Mahjabeen k saath aakhri gaadi mai aajayega", Maheer was unsure, she had a bad feeling," Yaar magar uska-", Usama cut her off.

"Maheer! Tum dulhan ho thoda toh apne baarey mai socho kaisa mu banaya hua hai", his words hit her, every word affecting him, "Mai buri lag rahi?"

She asked gloomily. Why couldn't he find her pretty? Wasn't she beautiful enough? Why couldn't he like her?

It was a rainy night, her eyes were teary, and Usama saw the pearly tears in them, "Nahi.... mera matlab woh nhi tha yaar. Tum bohot haseen ho".

And she was, with her dimpled smile, large hazel eyes, and round face. The sweetest chirpiest girl he had met, no wonder his elder brother fell for her.

"Sacchi? Jhoot toh nhi bol rahey?" She asked, pointing her finger. A laugh escaped his lips, "Agar jhoot bol raha hu toh jaan lelo meri."

The sweet moment was interrupted by his cheesy dialogue, and Maheer laughed, her maang tika moving to the side as her head rolled back. The dimple on her face was visible, Usama placed his thumb on her cheek where it was, and she wondered why she fell for Usama. This was one of the reasons he could make her laugh with just his words.

"Maheer, you are very precious to me, a person I trust the most," he said, and just like that entered the car, her cheeks turned red as she thought about his words. Why was this man so cheesy? She didn't understand... but she couldn't help but fall deeper in love with him every time.

She placed her hand on her chest and could feel her heartbeat reach the roof.

"Cinderella aapki ride tayyar hai," he bowed his head as she entered the car, her eyes not leaving his. This man... how could she ever move on from him. She was hopelessly in love with him, every fibre in her being wanted to confess, to tell him about her feelings, to tell him about her broken heart, to tell him about her love for him. But she couldn't... because it was too late. She was getting married to his brother, all these feelings were wrong, and she knew he didn't love her.

She didn't know when it happened, but her heart started beating for him. How could she tell him that he was her first love.. that he was the first man she trusted. He wasn't like her father, he cared about women, he respected them, in her eyes Murtasim was exactly like her father Bashar and that picture didn't sit well.

"Shayari likhni shuru ki?" She asked he smiled, nodded his head, and he was in love, "Jald hi mai usse apne dil ki baat batadunga. "

"Kisse?" She asked, feeling her heartbeat raise, "Mahjabeen. "

And just like that, her heart broke, she didn't say as Usama went on speaking about the girl he loved, not realising his words were breaking her heart.

____

Mahjabeen washed her face and sighed. She felt a little sad. "Sab tayyar hokar aayenge, aur mera makeup bhi theek se nahi hua hai," but the sadness vanished when she thought about the food, "Biryani aagayi hogi".

She picked up her dupatta and combed her hair, quickly exiting Neha's room. She was in a hurry that she didn't notice. Asif and bumped on him.

"Bade sahab maaf karyega," she said and backed away, but his eyes were on her, admiring her appearance.

Her black shone, and he could see the brown roots. A smile took over his face as he blocked her way.

"Mahjabeen..."He started testing her name on his lips, and he liked how it sounded. She looked up, blinking her eyes, trying to understand why he was looking at her like that, "Kya hua bade sahab?"

He stepped closer, invading her space, "You look gorgeous," he whispered his face was too close to her face. She took a step backwards, "Shukriya, woh Neha ka suit hai", she didn't know what to say. Her nerves were high.

She was awkward, as he placed her hair behind her shoulder, she gave him a questioning look and he shrugged, "Aise zyaada haseen lag rahi", he placed his hands in his pocket and gave her a smile.

She smiled back and was about to leave when Asif stopped her, "Mahjabeen mere kamre se phone le aana, mai bhul gaya jaldi mai."

She nodded her head and ran upstairs as Asif leaned on the stairway. His eyes lighting up, he couldn't let Murtasim and Maheer get married. He picked up his phone and dialled a number, "Murtasim mai nikal gaya hu, tum nikalne waqt Mahjabeen ko venue me saath le aana", with that he took his last car out. And on the way, he asked the watchman, "Kaam karne bola tha yaad haina?" He nodded his head.

Murtasim threw the cigarette on the ground and mindlessly exited his room. He looked around, and Mahjabeen wasn't in Neha's room, 'Strange..' he thought as he looked around.

Where was she?

"Mahjabeen!" He called out her name, checking in the rooms. She wasn't in the guest room either. He sighed, but then he saw Asif's room's door wide open, he knitted his eyesbrows, he slowly entered the room and sighed in relief, "Mahjabeen kya kar rahi ho?" He asked as he saw her picking up the clothes from the sofa, "Woh Bade Sahib ka phone dhund rahi thi".

He frowned, "Kyun?"

Before she could answer they heard a thud, the door closed shut. Their eyes went to the door, and Murtasim ran towards it, he tried to kick the door but couldn't open the door.

"Koi hai??" He screamed out but their was no response just disappearing footsteps, "kya hua?" Mahjabeen asked as she walked towards him.

"Pata nhi...", the panic took over as he tried to press his body to break the door, "Darwaza khul nahi raha", he explained as he slammed his body against the door, "Kundi lagayi thi kya?"

She asked he gave her the side eye, "Kundi?"

"Arre taala...", she explained, he glanced at the door and then her, there was no way to lock the door, "Kisne lagaya hoga?" He asked, she shrugged thinking who could it be.

He could hear his phone ringing from the other room, he glanced at the clock and it was time for the ceremony. There was a thunderstorm and the lights flickered, "Ya Khudaya!" He exclaimed, what was wrong with his luck.

"Badey Sahib..", Mahjabeen uttered and Murtasim looked up going to the window to see him leaving, they screamed from the window, "Ayeeee"

"Darwaza kholo koi"

"Mera nikkah hai!"

"Meri Biryani khatam hojayegi!"

"Bakht-", then he realised what she just said, "Biryani?"

She nodded her head, "Haan toh, Biryani khaaney k liye hi toh log jaatey hai shaadiyon mai".

His nerves were high, he started walking around the room in circles thinking about how to get out of this predicament, while Mahjabeen sat on the window looking at the ground.

The time passed as Murtasim moved with the speed of second hand, and Mahjabeen was biting her nails at this point.

"Murt-", he gave her a look.

"Chup!" She shut up and his speed became more high, she closed her eyes he was running faster than horses at the mary go round.

"Murt-", he shusshed her again and she couldn't help but wonder, 'Ye chalne se kya hora hai?'

She had an idea, but Murtasim wasn't even letting her talk, he was thinking about what Bashar would do to him.

"Mera nikkah hai aaj", he couldn't help but state, Mahjabeen nodded her head, ofcourse she knew about this.

"Mera nikkah hai aaj aur mai yaha hu", she knew that too, she rolled her eyes.

"Mera nikkah hai-"

Mahjabeen cut him off, "Kya ratt laga diya hai aagey bolo", annoyed at his tone.

"Maheer ka baap mujhe uda dega goli se", he said sitting on the bed, "Mahjabeen's eyes widened, "Sacchi? Itne darawne hai?"

Mahjabeen didn't know how Bashar had terrorised him his entire childhood, but he nodded his head nevertheless. "Tum khidki se kud kar kyun nahi jata?" She suggested, he thought about it for a second, "Ye second floor hai".

"Hm..." the lights flickered again, and it went off, the thunder roared and the rain started pouring. Murtasim couldn't understand why was all of this happening.

"Fikar mat karo koi toh aayega na dekhne ko ke tum kyun nahi abhi tak", Mahjabeen reassured and he nodded, hopefully his mother would send someone to check.

"Maheer bohot pyaari hai", Mahjabeen said her eyes gleaming, "Tumhe kya baatein acchi lagti hai uski?"

Murtasim stopped in his tracks, what did he like about Maheer? He started wondering...

Her face flashed infront of his eyes, he didn't liked talking to her, he didn't enjoy her company too...

What did he like about her?

"Ya Allah tumhara nikkah hora hai usse, itna kya sochre ho?" Mahjabeen couldn't help but taunt laughing, "Mai na jab tayyari nahi karke jaati thi aur teacher sawal puchti thi, tab kabhi kabhi haath utha leti thi, taakey teacher sochey mujhe jawab pata hai aur khada na karey, magar meri buri qismat hoti thi aur woh har baar mujhse hi puchti thi. Tumhari shaqal dekh kar mujhe yahi yaad aaya", Murtasim's eyes went to her.

"Abhi bhi woh ladkiyan tang karti hai kya tumhe?" Mahjabeen shook her head, "Humari principal badal gayi, nayi waali ne aatey hi Ranya ko suspend kardiya" she said excitedly.

____

At the wedding venue, Asif arrived and saw the chaos, Murtasim was locked in the mansion. Bashar who saw him quickly ran towards him, "Kaha hai woh?"

"Kon?"

"Kon matlab? Tera beta saaley", Asif gave a confused look, "Murtasim? Woh toh bohot pehle nikal gaya tha... mujhe ghar mai nahi dikha".

A distraught Maheer sat on the stage, she was nervous because she could hear everyone whispering, half an hour had passed and her groom wasn't here.

"Dulha kaha hai?" The guest started enquiring and Gul Khan was fidgeting in her seat, when she saw Asif she sighed in relief, "Aagya!" She waited for her son to arrive from the gate, make his entry but minutes passed, and Gul Khan was met with disappointment.

"Asif... Murtasim kaha hai?" Asif used the same line and Gul Khan frowned, "Maine tumhe kaha tha usko saath mai laana, kaha tha na?"

Asif nodded his head, "Jaan maine pura ghar talash kiya nahi tha phir maine call kiya toh usne kaha ki woh toh venue pe hai", he showed her the call records.

"Call karo usse warna Bashar ko toh jaantey ho sabko zinda halaq kardega", Asif dialled the number a couple of times, but nobody picked up. Murtasim could his phone ringing and he felt the panic take over again.

"Tum phone kyun nahi laaskte they apne saath?"

"Tum Neha ke kamre mai kyun nhi thi?" He threw back and Mahjabeen quickly replied, "Kyuki Bade Sahib ne kaha tha ki woh apna phone bhul gaye they"

She explained, "Magar unhoney mujhe khud call ki thi", Mahjabeen shrugged she had no idea.

"Shayad unhoney phone milgya ho. Baba bhi kai baar aisehi phone jeb mai rakh kar bhool jaatey hain".

"Shayad".

____

"Maheer bint Bashar Momin kya aapko ye nikkah qubool hai?"

The qazi asked, she looked over at the man beside her and in a heartbeat said the two words that would seal her fate, as she thought about his words.

Bohot maasum si hai sirf bolte bolte jaati hai aur mera man karta hai usse sunta jau

Pata nahi itne jaldi uski aadat kaise lag gayi, magar jab woh paas hoti haina toh mera dil bhar aata hai

Kya yahi mohabbat hai?

Gul Khan was fidgeting but she placed her hands on the arm chair, "Beta bolo Qubool hai", she was scared that Bashar would attack them at any moment, he was holding his anger. This was about his reputation, "Apni izzat ke liye mai sau Usama qurbaan karsakta. Magar meri beti se shaadi? Samajh kya rakha hai?"

Asif Khan interrupted, "Anwar Khan ki property chaalis crore ki hai".

"Hein? Anwar ke paas paise they?"

And now beside Maheer sat Usama, the look on his face was dazed. Gul Khan, the woman who had taken care of him after his mother's death, had asked him for this. She had pleaded infront of him and he had to say yes.

"Qubool hai"

___

Usama - Beghaney ki shaadi mai Abdullah deewana