"Assalamu Alaikum Zuha how are you"
It's been a week since I heared his voice

"Uh...Al...Alhamdhulillah how about you Zaid...?"I stammered

"Alhamdhulillah good Zuha"

"How is Humaira..what she is doing"

"Yeah she is fine..Wait"

"Hey dude..wassup.."Huamira said with a smile...I can feel the happiness in her voice

"Alhamdhulillah dear...How was your journey"

"Alhamdhulillah it was awesome Zuha. I came from ooty yesterday. missing you all... I 'll be there soon..."

"Mmm...okay dear"

'Hey Humai give me the phone I wanna tell her something...' it's Zaid who is yelling at the back

"Zuha...thank you so much for everything. You may think it's just a help but it means a lot to us. Thank you thanks a lot Zuha" he exclaimed

I donno what to say...I can feel the tears rushing from my eyes...I just let it flow....the memories which I'm trying to forget is now rolling in front of my eyes. I couldn't suppress my feelings.

"Hello...hello Zuha are you there..hello..Zuha?"

"Haan...yep...I'm here. What did you say"

"Hey are you okay...what happened to you"

"Yeah Zaid..I'm okay there is a network problem here...noth..nothing else"I stammered
wipping out the tears which was flowing through my cheeks i said"okay Zaid I 'll talk to you later convey my salam to Humaira"

"Hmmm...okay yaar take care...bye. Assalamu Alaikum"

"Va alaikum salam warahmathullahi wabarakathuhu"

"Zuha..Zuha come here beta. Go...help Ayesha to get ready" it's my chachi who's daughter is going to get married today

"Okay chachi" I gave her a smile..and moved to my cousin's room for help her to get ready

"Aafiya didi..wow Masha Allah you are looking beautiful"

"Jazakallahu khair Zuha...how is my makeup...is it okay na?"

"Yeah di..perfect" i placed a kiss in her forehead I said "jiju 'll be fainted when you stand in front of him"
She blushed..her white cheeks turned red

"Zuha..you too looking beautiful in this lehanga..."

"Really?"...I turned to look at myself in the mirror I said with a wide smile

"Wallahi you looking awesome"
This time I too blushed....

"Zuha...your mom is calling you" said jamee in a rush tone

"Ahh...okay I go now"I said
As i stepped outside of the room someone grabbed me and hide my eyes from behind.
My heart skipped its beats...my lips streched with a wide smile..."who s this" I asked even though I know who is behind me hiding my eyes to surprise me

"Umm...Jamee...?...no..no..it's Nisha right?..." I can't stop laughing
"Gotcha...Fazil bhai...I know it's you"

"Zuha it's me Zaid..you can't find your best friend...uh... I thought you got me the second I closed your eyes"
'Yeah Zaid I'm not your friend...and I got you the next second when your hands touched my eyes' by gazing him without blinking my eyes I thought
I donno what happened to me the next few seconds. I know he was talking to me but not even a word get into my mind...I was only watching him...his every move...his smile...

"Zuha....I asked you how is your studies?...Zuha" waving his hand in front of my eyes he yelled

"Aan...yes I'm fine Alhamdhulillah"

"Zuha where the earth are you....I asked you about your college"

"Oh...yeah...it's...it's...um good" I stammered

'Zuha why are you stammering...idiot...Where is your boldness' I slapped myself mentally.
I felt like im the weakest person in the world coz I can't even looking into his eyes.

"Okay Zuha let's go down"

"Mmm.." I smiled looking into his eyes

I haven't told him that I'm in love with him...even no-one knows about it. This is the best chance to tell him that I love him the.

"Umm...so..how is your work" I asked

"Alhamdhulillah Zuha. Make dua for me"

"HasbiAllah..."I gave him a smile

"I thought you don't come...your mom said--"I  mid-sentence when I saw Zaid was staring at his phone

"Zaid what are you doing"

"Uh..nothing. let's go"

"Mmm...okay" I shrugged
Everyone in the mansion was enjoying my cousin's marriage...its the beautiful evening. Spending time with family members is precious. Family is the gift which Allah gave us. And cousin's are the blessings.

After the nikkah I was looking for Zaid. Atlast I found him in the garden.

"Hey Zaid what are you doing here"
He was looking sad...which hurts me more.
"Came to see the moon" he said with a smile
I nodded

We were silent for the next few minutes neither he start a conversation nor I did.
"Um...I wanna--"
"I wanna--" we both said together.

"Hmm...say what is it" said Zaid

"Mmhmm...first you"

"Zuha...I don't know how to start..um...I mean..uh---"

"What Zaid...tell me. I'm your friend you don't need to hesitate. Just be frank dude" I said with a racing heart and a confused mind but my lips remains smiling. I was in the state of both anxiety and anticipation. I can feel the happiness and pain at the same time...the happiness is cause of I'm trusting Zaid 'll confess his feelings for me but the pain warn me inside to control my feelings coz it may be something else...if it's about something else then the disappointment 'll hurt me more.

"Zuha listen me..my dad asked me to marry you but----"he mid-sentence when he saw Humaira coming towards us.

"Zuha your mom is calling you"yelling Humaira.

I turned back to see her. I nodded and gave her a smile and moved. I don't know what happened to me. There are so many questions rising in my mind. Why his dad asked him to marry me?...why he came to me and told me about this?...and..why he stopped the sentence with 'but'?(the most important question)...and finally....why I didn't even spill a word and moved what happend to me...why my heart feeling weird....these were the questions im recalling over and over from the garden to my mom's room. I have no words...I was speechless..oh my god...what did he said...what is going on.....oh no...I don't know if I have to feel happy or sad...I was in the total confusion.

"Mom did you call me"

"Haan beta...come sit"
She said everything...I was listening every word carefully. "Yes Zuha, Razik bhai and bhabi gave us a proposal so your dad want to know your wish. What do you think" she stated the matter and expect me to answer her question. But I don't know what to say...its like a magic...I'm so happy about this proposal but at the same time I'm feeling odd...I decided to discuss this with Zaid before I said okay.
"Maa...give me some time"

"Take your time beta" she nodded.

I'm in a bizarre situation. I swang my legs off the bed and strode slowly. As i get out of the mansion there I saw them. Its a silhouette of a man in a dimming light and I saw someone else with him. As i got closed to them I heared Zaid's voice.  "No way Humaira I can't...I can't marry her" he exclaimed

"But you have to Zaid. I know it's hard ...but there is no other choice. Marry her Zaid...please..Marry her. Zuha 'll love you more...I swear"
What...? What's going on there ...someone please tell me what is going between them...I'm confused

"I don't need anyone's love Humaira...yours is enough for me. See I love you and I can't live without you. So I can't marry anyone. Please trying to understand me"

....what Zaid loves Humaira. What I'm hearing is true or I'm hallucinating. I don't know anything. My tears began to flow...my heart stopped its beat...my world lost it's light. Everything happened in a second. I don't even know I'm alive or dead.

"I know Zaid I too love you idiot...but...but your dad don't like me. I don't know what to do"

"He is the reason for everythnig...He wants me to marry Zuha for the properties..."
Properties..what the...Razik uncle want Zaid to marry me just for the properties..but why

"You are right Zaid if my dad is alive then he 'll stand for me...he won't let me cry...he 'll talk to your dad" she weeped
Now I can connect every point of the puzzle. When my chacha and chachi died in an accident my dad took care of her and her brother.

She continued "I'm all alone Zaid...I have no one..I'm an orphan..I'm---"

"Shut up Humaira" I raged in an anger when she said she has no one.."what did you say...if you say anything hereafter I 'll slap you. You are not alone...you are my sister..got it"

"Zuha....when...when you came" Zaid stammered

"When you said you can't live without her"

"Zuha...I was--"

I cut him off by saying "I have heared more than enough Zaid...now you both come with me"

"Zuha...please Zuha..don't tell this to anyone. Marry him."

"Marry who...Zaid?...idiot he loves you cant you see that. I can feel how much he loves you through his eyes...come with me" I crawled her towards the home...."Maa...daddy...Razik uncle...come down everyone"

"Hey what are you doing here Zuha...why are you shouting like this" asked Fazil bro

"Wait" I said in a serious tone
Everyone watching me as I'm a ghost...

"What Zuha why are you shouting. It's twelve now" grabbed my hand my mom said

"Maa...you asked me about the proposal right?...now listen everyone I don't like to marry Zaid...he is my friend that all...and nothing else"...Everyone listening me and I continued "and the most important thing is Zaid wants to marry Humaira. They love each other" I stopped

"I know...it's bcoz of you Zaid. Idiot.." he raged and he turned to see Humaira who stand next to Zaid.."and you how dare you" Humaira clung to Zaid, shuddering with emotion

"Uncle please stop it. Just listen to me. You are asking my dad for my hand to your son but why don't you accept Humaira as your daughter in law. I know why you hesitate. Humaira is my sister. She has the rights for eveything. If you want me to hand over my every share of the properties then I'm ready to do it..."

"What Zuha you are a child you don't know anything. Shut up" He said

"No uncle I'm not a child I'm 22 years old now. Please Zaid loves Humaira. He can't love me uncle. He already lost his heart and soul in Humaira. Please don't do this to them...please"

"I'm puzzled Zuha...what is happening here" it's my dad

I stated everything to everyone

"Hmm...I understand. Razik what you say. Humaira is same as Zuha for me. I always treat her like my own daughter. So now...can you take my daughter's hand for Zaid" my dad said

"Uh....Alhamdhulillah I do.." he laughed

Everyone was smiling...even i too..hide my pain behind the smile
I turned around to see Zaid..he was happy...his smile is enough for me.
My mom hugged with a smile and caressed my head.
I felt week....I can't hide my pain anymore. I dont know how to get out of it..then i remembered something....sujood...  So I head to my room and knocked it...I made ablution...place my head in sujood I began to cry....