"Faseeh" an inaudible gasp left Mehreen's mouth seeing one of her closest friends infront of her eyes.....same features but with a little maturity in his eyes, he was standing there in a formal suit with his right hand shoved into his pocket.

And their eyes met!!

Before eyes could talk, Zubaida nudged her daughter who seemed to have zoned out.

"Beta....ye Faseeh hain....."

"Assalawalaikum" she somehow greeted him who greeted her back with a smile "Walaikum asalaam"

His tone had turned a little heavy which made him sound a little dominating.

Nafisa made Mehreen sit next to her and engaged her in a sweet conversation.

After a while,

"Beta Mehreen se kuch puchna chahte ho" Asif asked his son.

"Jee nahi"

"Aur Mehreen beta aap..." he then turned to Mehreen who looked at Faseeh for a moment and tore her gaze away..."Jee nahi uncle"

"You can call me Abbu beta" Asif smiled and patted her head.

"Toh rings exchange kar lete hain....." Asif said "don't be disappointed you two...engagement bas hamare beech ho rahi hai...kyunki I want it that way....lekin nikaah bahut hi shandaar tareeke se hoga"

Everyone smiled and then Nafisa gave the ring to Faseeh who next moment held Mehreen's left palm delicately and made her wear the ring.

Mehreen could not make out his state of mind seeing his expressions. But ...wait...just for a second he saw something in his eyes.....but it was instantly replaced by mirth......it was like he was controlling too hard to not let out a chuckle......before she could read more, Zainab passed her the ring and she looked at him first and then made him wear the ring....and all started clapping. After a good hugging session....all of them were now sitting on the dining table enjoying the delicious meal.

"Bhabhi....aaj bhi aapki haath ki biryaani ka jawab nahi......" Asif praised

"Haan Bhabhi...ye baat toh hai" Nafisa supported her husband.

"Aur lein phir......"

"Bilkul bilkul"

"Waise Mehreen beta....nikaah k baad aapka kya plan hai......"

"Mai kam karna chahti hun...uncle "

"Bahut achi baat hai beta.....aur aapke Abbu se aapki sincerity k bare me humne bahut suna hai"

"Mat puchiye Bhaisahab, Ye ladki...exams me toh sona hi bhool jati thi......topper hua karti thi" Zubeida exaggerated a little while praising her daughter who according to her was the best student of the college.

"Ahhnnn" Faseeh spat out the water he was sipping on and started coughing.

"Kya hua beta"

"Kuch nahi aunty....bas kuch yaad aa gaya"

Mehreen could literally see the mirth dancing in his eyes and mocking her.

After a delicious meal, all were talking when Faseeh spoke up "Abbu mai Mehreen se kuch baat karna chahta hun.......uncle agar aap" he was cutoff midway by Bilal "It's ok beta...hum samajhte hain....Mehreen jao garden dikha do Faseeh ko"

And that was the moment, Mehreen was waiting for, she stood in light speed "aaein" ... Faseeh followed her and when they were out of the periphey of everyone's eyes, she caught his hand and dragged him to the corner side of the lawn.

"Toh"

"Toh"

"Faseeh"

"Meher"

"Kya hai ye"

"Kya hai ye"

"Faseeh yaar...tumhe sab pata tha..phir bhi"

"Kya matlab hai ... tumhe nahi pata tha" Faseeh frowned

"Mujhe pata nahi tha....tum ho.... maine shayad kisi aur ki photograph dekh li"

"Toh..."

"Matlab"

"Kya chahti ho"

"Pata nahi....just ... maine sapne me bhi nahi socha tha ki aisa kuch hoga...I mean tum aur mai"

"Tum aur mai??.....tum kisi anjaan aadmi se nikaah kar sakti ho, mujhse nahi" Faseeh spoke humourously but Mehreen somewhere felt a tinge of disappointment in his voice, but she shrugged it off.

"Tum toh bahut comfortable lag rahe ho" Mehreen frowned seeing him not at all bothered "Aur tumhe toh pata tha mai hun..phir bhi tumne haan kiya"

"Have you ever heard of the phrase - A known devil is better than an unknown angel" he quoted with his fingers making her frown more "am I a devil?"

"Is that even a question to ask " he exasperated in a dramatic way but then sobered down seeing her expressions "what do you want?" softness came in his voice " Shaadi ke liye na keh dun mai"

"Nah....you are taking it all wrong...I am just anxious...umm..umm.. ..just envisioning the two of us as a married couple makes me...."

"makes you" he prodded

"Pata nahi....." she pouted slumping her shoulders which made him laugh and pull her cheeks "I will someday eat you up...Allah...you are too cute"

Few minutes went by,

"I am ready to marry you...par meri ek shart hai"

Faseeh raised his eyebrows

"Mai tumhe 'aap' bas gharwalon k samne bulaungi....akele me nahin"

"Sabke saamne bhi "tum" bula sakti ho..usme kya hai" he shrugged

"Haan ammi meri haddiyan na tod dein" Mehreen made a face making him chuckle "aur koi shart?"

She shook her head and they walked together towards the house.

"Ho gayi baatcheet......sab theek?" Nafisa asked his son .. who just smiled.

"Humlogon ne decide kiya hai ... aap dono ka nikaah is mahine ki aakhiri hafte me kar diya jaye.......koi problem to nahi hai na" Asif announced getting no objection.

---------

"Aapi ... "

"Meher tab se tumhari gadi aapi par ruki huyi hai...aage bhi bolo" Aliya glared at her sister who wanted to say something to her but hesitating

"Wo Faseeh"

"Haan tumhara hone wala shauhar"

"Use mai bahut pehle se janti hun...he is one of my closest friends."

"Sach me " Mehreen was shocked seeing her so excited

"College ka dost?"

Mehreen nodded

"Allah....Meher it is so exciting...marrying your best friend" Aliya clapped her hands in glee "You are so lucky"

"Yahan mujhe itna awkward lag raha hai aur aap " Mehreen frowned making her sister a little serious "Dekh Meher..... I can't say..I can understand but ....ok look at it this way...don't we all want a friend in our spouse.......we all do but sometimes we find and sometimes we don't.
And here you are getting your close friend as your husband who knows you inside out." Aliya saw the changing expressions on Mehreen's face and then continued "Awkwardness kitni der rahega...1 hafte 2 hafte.. phir chala jayega....aur phir tumlog isi baat par hasoge bhi.....just embrace the happiness kiddo"

Talking to Aliya made Mehreen erase the anxiousness she had been carrying since morning.

----------------

Mehreen was ready to sleep when her phone pinged.....she unlocked it to see a message from an unknown number.

The message opened with a click and the words were enough to guess out
who the messenger was.

"Hey Moto"

"💣"

"Meri Bomb😆"

"Aaj bade logon ne yaad kiya..."

"Karna padta hai"

"Number kyun change kar liya tha?"

"Arre yaar mera phone kho gaya tha aur uske baad business me bahut mushkilen aa gayi thin in mahino me...pura dhyaan us par tha...abhi 1-2 mahine pehle hi sab sort out hua hai"

"Jao maaf kiya....jee le"

"Faseeh....."

"Hmm..kya hua"

"Tum aisa mat samajhna mai khush nahi hun....mai khush hun .... tumse nikaah kar ke"

"Haan toh mujhse nikaah kar k kaun si ladki khush nahi hogi...koi badi baat nahi hai😜"

"Faseeh I am serious"

"I know"

"Nikaah me tumhare kaun kaun se college friends aa rahe hain"

"Arre mai out of touch ho gaya hun sabse yaar"

"Kausar se baat hui thi meri.....wo aa rahi hai....Manal ke cousin ki shaadi hai aur Zaid toh agle mahine Dubai se aayega"

"But mere kuch school friends aa rahe hain"

"Mere bhi"

Few more messages were exchanged and then Mehreen's eyes started drooping.

"Acha ab mai sone ja rahi hun ...Allah Hafiz"

"Shabba khair Moto😊"

"Don't call me that"

"What Moto?"

"😠😠"

With the last message, Mehreen switched off her phone and closed her eyes cursing her fiance.

-------------

During the whole month, messages were exchanged, fun meetups were planned out.

And by the end of the month, they both were sitting on the stage as man and wife accepting the greetings...and blessings from their loved ones.

"Waise Faseeh....aakhirkar apne aap ko sacrifice tumhe karna hi pada" Kausar teased offering a sweet to Faseeh who chuckled " Tch...kya karta .. Moto ka dil bhi nahi tor sakta"

"Mehreen Faseeh se pucho kuch chahiye unhe" Zubaida came to Mehreen who was busy gobbling up the food.

"Faseeh kuch chahiye aapko" Mehreen asked with an ease that made Kausar raise her eyebrows in amazement "Allah bhi kya kya din dikhata hai"

"Nahi...."

After a while

Mehreen was busy in talking to some of her friends....and Faseeh was busy in polishing off the Biryani from her plate.

She turned to take a bite and what she saw made her seethe in anger "Faseeh maine aap se pehle hi pucha tha...us samay toh muh nahi  khula aapka" But her words went on deaf ears.
"Aap hamesha aisa karte hain"

"Kya ho gaya" Zubaida who was standing next to them asked seeing her daughter frown.

"Faseeh ne meri biryaani khaali" she said in an angry tone.

"Shauhar se aise baat karte hain...." Zubaida scolded Mehreen who just lowered her eyes and pouted. She looked at Faseeh and knew he was trying hard not to laugh "Aap ko bahut hasi aa rahi hai nahin"

"Mehreen" Zubaida warned asking one of the cousins to bring one more plate of biryaani.

"Aa rahi hai tumhari biryaani...."

The rukhsati happened after a few hours and now they were on their way to Faseeh's house.

Mehreen, out of exhaustion, was sleeping on Faseeh's shoulders, her hair strands were swinging infront of her face veiling her beautiful features.  Siding the strands, Faseeh took in his his wife's beauty. Her long eyelashes, her flawless skin, her luscious lips...his eyes turning a shade darker with each second. He lighlty stroked her cheeks making her moan in sleep.
It was like he was in a trance but it was broken when she started squirming and finally opened her eyes "kya huwa"

Nodding in No, he smiled and turned his head to the opposite direction.

-----------

Laying in the bed, they both were gazing at the ceiling
"Kuch bologe nahi?" Mehreen couldn't take the silence between the two.
"Aaj k din bola thode hi jata hai" Faseeh's words made her frown but then got the meaning and started hitting him with her pillow "Pervert"
Faseeh's loud laughter was instigating him more.
In the fight, she was unknowingly  towering over Faseeh who suddenly turned stiff.

"Meher..neend aa rahi hai" saying he lightly pushed her aside and covered himself with the blanket.

"Ho kya jata hai achanak se ise" she pouted closing her eyes.

The next morning, happy faces were seen on the dining table.

"Beta tum ache se khao....sharmane ki zarurat nahi hai"

"Moto, khana aur sharmana ek line me baith te hain kya" Faseeh muttered a little loud with an intention to throw the words at Mehreen's eardrum.........Mehreen hit his leg under the table

"Aah.."

"Kya hua Faseeh...." Mehreen asked with concern

"Kya hua beta" Nafisa frowned

"Kuch nahi Ammi"

"Ab aap theek hain" Mehreen asked and Faseeh mouthed "Chudail" making her snicker.

A month passed by......they were with each other like before......pranking and teasing each other to death.

Respect for Faseeh grew more in Mehreen's heart as he never made her uncomfortable by any of his advances. She needed time and not once he had brought up that aspect between them. With time, she had started to see him as her husband who was now a more closer friend than before.

------------

"Hey Moto" Faseeh just came inside the room but the scene made him jump out "Sorry sorry" he threw himself out of the room at once.

There Mehreen was clad in a towel and looking for something in the drawer of the dressing table.

After good fifteen minutes, Mehreen herself came out of the room. Her cheeks had turned a little pink.
Both were sitting in the hall with silence between them but then all of a sudden Faseeh turned towards her "tumne darwaza lock kyun nahi kiya tha.....?"
"Hell... meri jagah koi aur hota tha..." his tone hinted at his temper which was rising.

"Wo ghar par koi nahi tha....to...mai shayad bhul gayi" Mehreen mumbled not looking into his eyes. For unknown reasons, she was getting excited seeing his anger.

"Meher...ghar par koi nahin hai, iska matlab ye nahi hai ki us tareeke se ghumo" his words held a warning.

"Acha na baba sorry....ab nahin hoga"
She caught her ears making him smile.

"Acha mai coffee laati hun" she got up to go towards the kitchen when his voice halted her steps "Meher" She turned towards him
"You looked hot" he winked making her eyes go big "Pervert"

"That I am......" he flashed his dimples and then added in an inaudible whisper "only for you!!".

-----------

"Faseeh ... kahin bahar kyun nahi ho aate tumlog" Nafisa was not liking the fact her son had not taken his wife anywhere after the marriage.

"Haan Faseeh...tum dono..kahin ghum aao" Asif supported his wife .

"Abbu .. yahan kitna kaam hai" Faseeh  wiped his mouth with the napkin...
Before Asif could say anything Faseeh's phone rang. He moved to the hall talking on the phone.

"Ammi.. abhi sach me itna kaam hai.....company abhi loss se ubhari hai....." Mehreen could understand her husband's plight and tried to help but was cut off midway by her father in law.

"Kya...kisne kaha aapse company loss me jaa rahi thi"

"Nahi mujhe pata chala ki" Mehreen frowned

"Jo bhi pata chala wo galat tha..infact hamara business bahut hi acha rise kar rahi pichle kuch saalon se" Asif smiled and got up.

Mehreen was shocked "Faseeh ne mujhse jhut kyun bola?"