"Meri bhi zindegi uss kabarstan ki tarah hai,

Jahan log toh bohot hai, par aapna koi nahi"

-Meerab

For Meerab, Murtasim was her hot and handsome best friend. Her playmate. The person who listened to her patiently when she was just blabbering nonsense. He was there when she wanted an extra chocolate. He gave her everything she wanted.

She remembered when she was eight and he was 12, one morning her mama made a braid of her hair and threatened her if it becomes messy she will not give her favourite pancakes. And as usual it got messy.

Tasim, Tasim? Andar ho?" An eight years old Meerab eyes searched for Murtasim with a comb and rubber band in her fist.

"Bolo. Kya hua hai, Tasim ki Meera ko?"

"Will you tie my hair? Mama said if it gets messy, she will not give me pancakes. Chocolate ones." She explained with her doe eyes and a pout.

"But I don't know how to tie hairs." Her eyes welled up. She is not going to have those fluffy pancakes anymore.  Mama will kill her.

"Accha rou toh nhi Meera. Mai try karta hu."

"Okay." She sniffled.

His drama queen.

That day when he braided her hairs, he gave her a hope that he will always be there when she will be in trouble.

That day she just slept in his arms being exhausted by running all around the mansion.

Maybe that day their fate was sealed with each other. From that day his everything was hers maybe.

Now sitting on his bed as his wife she remembered that day. His warm assuring embrace. His tight hold on her to never let her go.

She was always Tasim's Meera. She is and always will be.

He was not bad rather than he was the best for her. Only now she understands it was all a misunderstanding. Her Tasim could never do that.

He was her best friend. But the fact they were young and she was silly and naive enough to believe that Haya destroyed their friendship.

Meerab was happily coming to Murtasim's room to show her painting of them she made. She always had an interest in painting. She couldn't stop herself to make theirs. Just like she imagined them. Only to stop watching the show unrevealed in front of them.

Haya and Murtasim in an awkward position. On his bed. He on top of her. Her rational mind went to a vacation. She couldn't think anything straight. All she felt was betrayal. She felt her Tasim betrayed her and that was worst than nightmare.

She felt her legs shaking. She gathered up all her courage and went to her room. She just sat down the shower and cried till she felt no tears left in her eyes.

She hurriedly packed her bags and literally begged her parents to take her to Karachi.

And never came back before 3 months. When she came back Haya filled her mind with venom. Murtasim did everything to make her talk to him. But her little stupid irritating heart couldn't buy the fact he did that.

He brought her a room full of gajree. Of different colored roses. He brought her the bicycle she wanted for last 2 months. He even went further and got her the kitten she wanted. But she just couldn't bring herself  to forgive him. Ask him why he did that to her.

And that was the biggest stupidity of hers. Because of that, she lost her Tasim.

And when on her birthday, ma begum announced their wedding, she wanted to see his reaction. All he was doing is trying hard not to smile. Oh sir was happy. Let's prank a little.

But the prank brought light to a horrifying truth. The truth of her existence. Her whole world crushed down in some seconds. She couldn't believe that all her life , she lived a lie. She was never Meerab Ahmed. She was Meerab Anwar Khan. She felt everything getting black until he hold her before she lost her consciousness.

She discovered herself in his room. On his bed. He was holding one of her hand. When she asked about her parents, he replied they already left.

Wow!! They just left. Not even waited for her to regain conscious. She looked okay, stared at Murtasim. Her best friend. She didn't know what Murtasim thought of her. But she knew her feelings. She liked him. More than a best friend. And she knew her feelings are getting deeper.

"I am ready to marry you."

"Meerab, you don't have to. I ... I will talk to Ma. You are the daughter of this house. No one is going to say anything to you. You just relax. You don't have to force yourself."

"Do you have any other girl in your mind? Do you love Haya?"

She gathered all her courage to utter this line.

"Astagfirullah! Kya bol rahi ho?"

"Then what's the problem? Am I ugly? Not good enough?"

"I just don't want you to feel caged."

"I am ready to marry you. If you don't want to marry me, then tell me."

"Let's get married."

As soon as he uttered those words, she made a mental note to burn Haya into ashes if she ever tried to look at her husband.

As she sat on his now theirs bed, as his wife, she felt she was on top of everything. She was waiting for him. Her husband of few hours.

But met Haya.

"You think you snatched Murtasim from me? Murtasim will always  be mine. He doesn't even love you. He is just mine." Haya spat for her own satisfaction.

And Meerab laughed. Anyone see her would feel she is a physco.

"And who is Murtasim to you? Let me tell you. Your cousin. Brother actually. And if you ever laid an eye on him, I will make sure that you are blind. Remember I am not 12 years old Meerab anymore. I know what is mine and how to keep it mine."

"You." Haya shouted.

"Khan hai na yaha k Murtasim? Toh uski biwi Khanum hoti hai.  And you know very well what a Khanum can do. Now get lost. This room is mine and my husband's. Not some idiots."

That made Haya frustrated and she left.

As Murtasim came there, she felt butterflies in her stomach. Just his presence could make her feel like this. He had gifted her two boxes of her favourite chocolates and she was the happiest. But what surprised her that he wanted her to study law. He wanted a lawyer wife.

He accepted her as his wife.

"Let me get changed okay?" He just nodded.

She found one of his t shirt too good to be on her. So without thinking she wore that with her trousers.

"Why did you wear this one?"

"Because I liked it. So comfy."

"It's my favourite,  Meerab.  Dusra lelo please."

"No. This one only." She pouted.

............

Next morning when she woke up, their position shocked her. They were cuddling and his face was in her neck. They were holding each other tightly.

She started to run fingers in his hairs and next time she woke up listening Haya's scream. She looked down to see Murtasim waking up.

"Konsa pahad tut gaya hai Haya Jo subah subah apnar shakal dikha rahi ho?" Murtasim roared.

He was pissed off on her disturbance.

"Why are you sleeping on her? And.. And why is she wearing your clothes?" Haya questioned.

"And why the hell will I answer you? She is my wife. She can wear and do whatever she want. She isn't answerable to you. And how the hell you entered our room." Meerab just looked at him.

"I came to call you for breakfast. I made your favourites. "

"Just get the hell out of here.

When they sat down for breakfast the first thing her husband did was to remove all Haya made breakfast away from the table.

But Meerab was burning in jealousy.  She wasn't insecure. She knew she was his wife. She knew her position. One day, she saw her touching his arm. Although he removed it immediately and told her off, she felt she needed more punishment.

When she went to kitchen, Haya was making coffee. She must've heard from their conversation.

"See, I am making his coffee. And I will give it. One day I will take him away from you. And you will not be able to do anything. No one will listen to you. "

Meerab didn't say anything. She just took the pot of hot coffee from the stove, hold Haya's hand above of the flame and poured boiling hot coffee on her hand and didn't even let her take thr hand back.

"Now you will think me as a psycho. But remember Murtasim is my husband. Mine. I love him. He loves me. He always says that. Remember, he got me admitted in law school. Where I wanted. Even shifting there with me and Maryam. And you? You are gonna live in a hostel. No one is listening to you. So next time when you take Murtasim's name on your lips remember this hand. Otherwise I will burn your face."

Meerab was sitting in the lawn. She knew she overreacted. That was physical harassment. But the fact they stayed away from each other because of a misunderstanding created by her made Meerab vole against her. She made a mental note to send her away from this house as soon as possible. Suddenly Meerab remembered something.

He left his photography. And this was needed to be fixed.

He was fullfilling all her dreams. And she couldn't stand with the fact that his dreams were unfulfilled.

She immediately called Sameeha, who was associated to wild life photography.  She published photos of them. Of different photographers.

She discussed with her and she was ready publish his photos.

His dream was going to get fulfilled.  Finally. Now all she had to do is confess. Because this idiot is not going to do it.

When he got back home, she asked him to talk to her.

"Murtasim." She played with his shirt's button sitting on his lap. This was the most comfortable place for her.

"Hmm. Wanna say something?"

"I wanna ask something "

"What?"

"Where are the cameras and the photos? That was your passion."

"Meerab please."

"We are going to talk about this. Why?"

"Because I was forced in this feudal system. And it snatched away everything that made me happy. I... I never wanted this throne. Never."

"Tasim. "

"Meera, don't leave me again."

"Even if you want, I won't. And yes, all of your old photographs, i gave them to my friend. They will judge and going to publish them. You are going to be recognisedas not only Murtasim Khan but also as an International wildlife photographer jaan."

"No."

"Yes sweetheart yes." Meerab hold her face in her hand.

"And one more thing." She shyly gazed him. Blushing.

"Yes. Bolo na."

"I .... I love you Tasim."

"No." He was astonished.

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes. Idiot. I love you." They both were crying.

"I love you too Meera."

"I love you."

"All your t shirts are mine okay. Even trousers too. What's yours is mine."

"The whole murtasim is yours jaan."

"I did something today. I ... I know that was the worst but I couldn't stop myself. She was telling me that you are hers and you love her. So my anger boiled and......"

"Who? And what did you do?"

"Haya. I burned her hand. I am sorry. But if she again says the same thing I will tell you okay?" She said in a small voice.

"Meera, although I shouldn't encourage you but I am satisfied.  I would gave kill the boy if he uttered the same thing.

Seems like they are on the same page!!!

Life was going to be interesting for them.

For Meerab k Tasim.

For Tasim ki Meera

suhana_says

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