"Maine Meerab ko apne bete Murtasim k liye muntakhib kar Liya hai. Agle jummah inka nikaah hai In sha Allah. "

Ma begum voice boomed through the hallway and all the heads turned to Murtasim and Meerab. Only to find them looking down.

"Ma, you have asked her permission, right?"

"Murtasim, I want to keep my daughter close to me forever. So this marriage is happening. Do you have any problem?" Ma begum asked firmly as he bowed his head so that she could bless him.

Later at that night when she retired her room, she saw two baskets full of Chudiyaan and jhumkas. Chudiyaan of all colors were there and jhumkas of different design filled the basket. A note attached to it.

"Ummed hai aapko tohfa pasand aya hoga."

-murtasim.

Her heart hammered in her chest. Was her best friend back? Maybe he never left. She ran towards his room. As he entered quietly she could hear him saying,

"I don't even like her. It's just Ma begum forced me otherwise I would have thrown her out long ago. She is just a gold digger."

She stumbled. How wrong she was. Only she knew what he meant for her. And here he was calling her a gold digger. Her rational mind went off at that moment.

As she came back, she met Haya. "Why are you coming between us Meerab? Why don't you understand we love each other? Don't be a bitch."

All the energy drained from her body. She just collapsed beside the bed looking nowhere specific.

Was she too hard to love?

----‐-

Meerab! Murtasim really chanted this name like a prayer. He loved her from the moment he knew the concept of loving a girl. To make her your life partner.

She was his everything. She was his solace, his best friend, his peace. She always managed to calm him down just by her mere presence. No matter what the situation is, she could control him like no other. He loved her to that extent that even she asked him to die he would do it smiling.

He remembered the day when he realised his love. It was a rainy and stormy night. And Meerab feared thunder too much. So as he sat beside her that night while she clutched his hand in a death grip he felt a sense of protectiveness towards her. A strong urge to keep her safe from this world.

"Thank you Murtasim. With you, I feel protected. I feel like there is someone I can lean on. Thank you for being always there for me."

Her these talks imprinted in his young heart and he knows he lost his heart to then and there. How? This question has no answer.

He even confessed it to her. Always. Only he knew how he survived 4 years without her out of the country. He even stopped interacting with her. He wanted to be sure that his feelings were not just an infatuation. They were strong. They were that much strong to make her his officially wedded wife.

And he was proven right. He was in love with her. He was in love with his Meerab. That alone made him feel giddy.

And when he saw her after 4 years, he forgot to breath. His Meerab became more more beautiful. Her hairs became more longer, doe eyes hiding a pool of emotions, her sharp nose, her smile. He was bowled out.

She was so beautiful.

The next day on the breakfast table she announced to go for her law school. He just felt short of his breath. He came and she is going. Why doesn't God have mercy on him right now?

For three years, he texted her every month. Just a line.

The moon is beautiful isn't it?

This phrase meant I love you. Which he always conveyed to her. But Alas, she never understood. Wasn't she a sucker of romance book? What changed? He brought her birthday gift every year. Just to treasure them and give when they are married.

He was so in love with his Meerab.

He hated haya. Her disgusting self. Her Lingering like a characterless girl. She made him feel disgusted. He had a plan of sending her away after his marriage. He just couldn't tolerate her.

He was so happy when Meerab came and asked him to go to the market. But that girl had to tag alone. As much as he wanted to show her place he kept quite. Just a few days.

When he saw Meerab's love for Chudiyaan and jhumkas he brought all colors and designs of them. She was Murtasim's love and would be wife. She gets what she loves, wants.

When Ma begum announced their marriage, he was on cloud nine. His Meerab will finally become his. But her expression didn't sit well with him. What happened?

The night was quite tiring for him and he slowly let the sleep consume him.

It was Eid day. Everyone came back from Eid prayer and Maryum attacked him for Eidi. Haya tagged along.

"Bhai, Where's our eidi?" He took out a thick wad of cash and kept on her palm.

"My eidi?" He just left the place to search his solace only to find her in her room sitting alone. Today he will talk to her.

"Meerab may I come in?" She nodded.

"Eid Mubarak. ""Eid Mubarak. "

"Kya baat hai,? Eidi nahi leni?"

"Nahi." "Par mujhe toh deni hai." With that he took out a thick bundle of cash and placed on her palm.

Then he just went on his knees and kept her feet on his thigh on which Meerab gasped .

"Kya kar rahe ho?" He shushed her and made her wear the payal.

"Ma begum asked you to give me this??"

"Why would she? I ordered this for you."

"Murtasim if you don't want to marry me cancel it."

"I do want to marry you. If you have any problem, tell me."

"Nothing." "Then it's happening. Because I want this."
--------
The week flew and it was the time for nikah. He was excited to say the least. He couldn't believe his luck. His patience was answered. As they sat in front of each other a flower curtain dividing them, he could feel himself getting nervous.

As the Qazi asked her and she said those qubool hai. His heart was at peace. They were declared as husband and wife.

--------

As Murtasim entered his room, his heart swelled with joy. There she was. As his wife. He couldn't thank Allah enough for this.

"Meerab, open your eyes." He said softly lifting up her veil. She looked so ethereal for him. He made her wear a ring.

"Pasand aya?" All she did was stare at him.

"I want to change, please." She just whispered.

"Of course. Can I chose the outfit?" She hummed and he took out a powder blue colored dress. Simple yet so beautiful.

"Please wear this one. I really imagined you in this." She gasped.

She took a long shower making him wait till eternity. And when she came out he was out of breath.

She looked so breathtaking. Her dress hugged her figure. Water droplets fell from her hair making himr annoyed. It was her habit not to wipe hairs and have a bad headache.

"Meerab,  you didn't wipe your hair? Again?" He took the towel from her nad made her sit in front of the mirror and slowly wiped her hair. Then he took out the hair dryer to dry them.

Only then he found her crying. Tears streaming down her eyes making her nose and checks red. And he looked horrified

"Meerab,  kya hua hai? Bolo mujhe? Bhook lage hai?" He panicked as she cried more. Finding no other way, he hugged her tight only to get her cries louder.

"Meerab, jaanum roye toh nahi. Dil baitha ja raha hai mera." But nothing could stop her. She fisted his kurta and hugged him tighter while he just rubbed her back.

"Meerab talk to me. What happened? Did anyone say something?" He made her face him. And what she said made him shocked.

"Don't divorce me Murtasim please. I can't lose you. You just kill me but don't leave me please. Mai marjaungi tumahre baghair."

He couldn't make anything out of it. What was she saying? Why would he do  that when he was the one who continuously nagged Ma to get them married.

"Take a deep breath jaanum." He consoled her. When her cries subsides a little, he lifted her in his arms and sat on the bed with her in his lap and covered them with the comforter and said.,

"Tell me everything from the beginning. Whom do I have to kill for this?"

"You love Haya?" She whispered against his neck.

"And who told you? Haya?"

"Hmm. She always sent me your pictures with her. She says you love her. I am just forced on you."

"What pictures? I never clicked any."

"I don't know. She sent them for last three years."

"Ye pata hai. Aur mere text k matlab nhi pata hai aapko."

"Which one?"

"The ones I sent you every month."

"I stopped watching moon." He groaned.

"Why did you feel I loved Haya?"

"I heard you talking to someone yesterday." And Murtasim felt like banging his head somewhere.

"I was talking about Haya you idiot."

He took a deep breath and started

"I always loved you. Since the moment I realise I can love someone like baba used to love Ma. You were always in my heart. Don't think I love this version of Meerab. I love that Meerab who took my t shirt and wore them like her own. That girl who rambled around me. Who is my best friend. Who loves glass bangles more than diamond set. Who takes care of everyone. Who looks at me like I am her world. To whom I can be Murtasim, not Khan Murtasim Khan.

Mai tumse bohot mohabbat karta hu Meerab. Itna ki jaan le bhi sakta du aur de bhi sakta hu.

"You stopped talking to me for 4 years."

"I wanted to be sure that my feelings are not just infatuation. "

"You used to smile at Haya."

"Now I disgust her presence."

"Tum serf mere ho Murtasim.

"Serf tumhara."

"Did you stop reading romance books?"

"Yes." "Why so?"

"Just like that."

"Start reading them again. I will buy you more. Agar na chorti toh ajtak hamre shaadi ko kuch saal hogya hota."

"You are saying I love you today only. Kaise hota?"

He took his phone. Searched something and showed him.

The moon is beautiful isn't it? It means I love you in Japanese.  They use it to express romantic feelings indirectly.

Meerab gasped. She just couldn't feel more stupid of herself. She missed everything.

"You even said these before going to London."

"Ji. Agar aap usdin samajh gayi hoti toh aaj hamare bacche hote. Aur tumko laga ki mai Behaya se pyaar karti hu. Where did your all knowledge on law gone?" He scoffed.

"I just couldn't process anything when it's you."

"Then learn to process, begum." They stayed silent in each other's arms finding solace. After a while, Meerab said

"Murtasim. "

"Bole Murtasim ki jaan.

"Shin  demo ii wa." (I can die happy)

"The moon is indeed beautiful jaanum!"

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