"I was on a goddamn vacation in this God-forsaken place. I never meant to get engaged to you. I never meant any of this to happen. You. Me. Us. None of it!"
That was Saira Malik's life in summary. Once a happy-go-lucky girl fantasized about two thin...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
"O jaana na jaana ye dil tera deewane Jaha bhi tu jaye tere peeche aaye ye Tera aashiq purana O jaana najaana. . ."
Maryam sings or rather yells the words in her sureeli awaaz behind me on the bed.
"Yaaro, tum chalegaye to Fahad bhaiya ka kaisa hunga?" She asks in her mockery tone.
(What's gonna happen to Fahad bhaiya after you leave?)
"Shut up, Maryam." I repeat the three words again. But she pays no heed, continuing to ramble.
"Ek dum devdas ban jainge bhaiya toh! Apni Paro ke yaad me, din raat tadap te rehta bichara une." She clucks.
(He'll turn into Devdas. That's for sure.)
"Maryam--" I grit, fisting the clothes I was stuffing in the luggage, around my hand in a tight grip.
"Tum dono ki story 'Love Aaj Kal' ke jaise hai. Tum Sarah ke jaisa apne dreams poore karne jaare. Aur Fahad bhaiya is Karthik jo--"
(Your story is like the movie 'Love Aaj Kal', you know. You, like Sara following her dreams and Fahad bhaiya like Kartik who--)
"TOH?! SO WHAT, AGAR MAIN APNE AAP KO PRIORITY DI?!" I screech spinning around to face her. Throwing her off guard.
(SO WHAT, IF I PUT MYSELF FIRST?!)
"Saira--"
"Kiya ghalat hai isme? Apne baare main sochna, kiya ghalat hai?"
(What is so wrong in that? What is so wrong in prioritizing yourself?)
"Main mazakh kar rahi thi. I was just playing around. I didn't mean--"
"Mazakh ayse nahi hote, Maryam! You meant it, isliyea tum bole. What is wrong in choosing profession over someone?! Main nai boli thi engagement kardo. Main nahi jaanti thi ke main Fahad ko pasand aajaungi aur Fahad mujhe. Meri kiya ghalti hai agar life predictable nahi hai to?! Sab mujhe apni hi Kahani ke villian kyu banadere?! Pehle Fahad aur phir tum! Sab mujhe selfish samajhre! Sab--" I hiccup, letting the hot tears flow from my eyes.
(You meant it! You wouldn't have said it if you didn't. What is wrong in choosing profession over someone?! I didn't tell them to get me engaged. I didn't tell Fahad to like me! I didn't know I would end up falling for him. It's not my fault life is unpredictable. Why is everyone holding me the villain of my story? First, Fahad and then you--)
