Khudgarzi

7

Teri Nazron Mein Hai Tere Sapne
Tere Sapno Mein Hai Na Raazi
Mujhe Lagta Hai Ke Baatein Dil Ki
Hoti Lafzon Ki Dhokebaazi
Tum Sath Ho Ya Na Ho
Kya Fark Hai

As soon as Henna got out of the bathroom, I told her that we had to hurry back, I grabbed our bags and ran out of the Starbucks, with Henna following behind.

"Kya hua hai Ayla, why are you panicking?" Henna asked
(What happened Ayla? Why are you panicking?)

"Kuch nahi, bas woh-woh", I tried to think of an excuse
(Nothing, its just-)

"Acha it's okay Ayla, take a deep breath, I'm driving us back, don't worry about anything", Henna calmed me down I just sat in the passenger seat reciting all the Surahs I remembered by heart and asking Allah for help, hoping that aunty wouldn't get angry at me. I don't know how Henna did it but she somehow managed to get us home in 15 minutes and I was utterly grateful to her. Muttering a JazakAllah, I grabbed my bag, when Henna suddenly held my wrist

"Ayla what happened, why is this almost bruise-y", she asked with concern

I had completely forgotten about how aunty had twisted my wrist when I was about to leave with Henna. Tears filled my eyes and I said,

"Oh don't worry, I just hit my arm somewhere whilst cleaning," I said.

"Oh okay, meri jaan take care of yourself and I had an amazing day today", Henna said

"You too and thank you for showing me around today!" I said

"hmmm and listen if anything ever happens to you in this household, remember to reach out to me for help, you are from today my younger sister/best friend", Henna said whilst nodding her head at me

"Yes, I know thank you so so much, I need to go now. Allah Hafiz!" I slammed the door and ran towards the house. I was trembling, whilst I stood outside the door and very reluctantly, used the provided keys to unlock the door. I was greeted by an extremely pissed-off mother-in-law.

"You left at 1pm, do you realize what time is it now?" she screamed at me

"woh aunty, me and Henna actually got stuck in traffic" I tried to pacify the situation

"This isn't your bloody Pakistan, that we have traffic jams" she said and pushed me into the wall behind me

"Aunty please don't it hurts", I said whilst hot tears fell down my cheeks

"You won't get any sympathy from you, you, yourself signed up for this life" she screamed at me and left not before completely squishing my foot.

Crying, I looked around the house and it was a mess, it had only been 6 hours. I knew if I left it to tomorrow, I'm gonna have extra lectures so I started cleaning the place and got started on dinner. I served dinner at 8pm exactly and went to go eat in the kitchen. Right as I made my plate, aunty came and pushed me, making my food go on the floor and get wasted. She left whilst laughing and saying

"You don't deserve food after the stunt you pulled today and if you really want to eat, eat like a bitch from the floor"

What had my life come to, from being abbu and ammi's ladli, I am being tortured around like this. I cleaned up the food from the floor and went upstairs to my room to pray Isha. After I finished praying, I saw it was 9pm which means it would be 6am in Pakistan. I spam called my father's number and they didn't pick up. An idea came to my mind and I used my local number on Skype and called them. To my surprise, it was picked up on the first ring.
(Mom and Dad's pampered child)

"Assalam Alaykum kon?", Abbu said
(Asslam Alaykum. Who is it?)

Hearing my father's voice after so days made me sob out loud on the phone

"Abbu main Ayla", I managed to croak out
(Dad its me Ayla)

"oh" was all he said and it was quiet for a few seconds

"Abbu I'm calling you after so long, aap mera haal chal nahin poochain gay?" I said
(Dad, I'm calling you after so long, are you not going to ask me how I am?)

"Oh, haan! Kaisi hou Ayla", he said
(Oh yes! How are you Ayla?)

"Abbu, I'm not okay" and I started crying, "Abbu Shehrayar kou maine Walima kay baad say nahin dekha aur aunty is physically and verbally abusive towards me, abbu please mujhe wapis bula'a lain" I pleaded to him
(Dad I am not okay)
(Ever since the Walima, I haven't seen Shehrayar and my mother in law is physically and verbally abusive towards me, Dad please call me back home)

"Ayla you know that we can't do that right?" he said

"Why not abbu? They're torturing me here, I'd be better off single than be stuck here", I said

I don't know why, but that suddenly ticked him off and he started screaming at me

"Ayla agar ainda aisi baat munh say nikali tou bhool jao that you have any parents aur waisay bhi agar beti ki aik jagah rukhsati hou jaye, tou uss ghar say uski laash hee uthti hai" he said
(Ayla if you say this ever again, then forget that you had parents and anyway, if a girl is wed off from her parent's house to her husband's, she shouldn't return, until and unless she's dead)

"Kya matlab abbu, the only time you want to see me next is in a coffin?" I asked him
(What do you mean dad? The next time you want you want to see me is in a coffin?)

"Kya bakwaas kar rahi hou, you are staying there and mending your relationship with Shehryar, and I better not hear you are complaining again, warna mujh say bura koi aur nahi hou ga" he said
(What is this nonsensical talk, you are staying there and meding your relationship with Shehryar, and I better not hear you are complaining again, you will have to face my wrath)

I didn't say anything to him because I was too shocked to process what he had just said, this was not the person who was my dad for the past 19 years, this was someone else

"I'm hanging up and stop calling us unnecessarily, we'll call you if we want to talk to you, warna don't call us with this useless nonsense again, if you want to call, it better be with some good news. Khuda Hafiz"

And he just hung up, just like that, leaving me dumbfounded and in tears. That night, I didn't sleep a wink because I was crying all night thinking of what my life had come to, my biological family didn't want me back. Neither did my husband or my family. This is how downhill my life had gone in the past few months.

A/N: I know short chapter but I had an exam today. But hey, lemme know how you like it and don't forget to vote, comment and follow. Ily <3 

ALSO, IMA BE POSTING UPDATES ON THE CONVERSATIONS PART OF MY PROFILE