HUMDUM- Laiba & Fahad

03| Her failed attempts

LAIBA
"Kaha jaa rahi ho?" Ammi questioned seeing me leave with a bag.

"Ammi woh kuch cheezein khareed ne the haldi ki function ke liye..
Main Zayd ke saath chali jaungi" I replied.
Zayd who was sitting next to ammi looked at me surprised and confused.
"Itna sab hone ke baad tumhare baba tumhe kahin bahir nahi jaane denge!" She scolded.
"Pehle unse ijazat lo."

"Usse jaane do" Baba said entering the hall.
"Zayd, tum uske saath jao..
Aur tum dono jaldi aa jana."

"Ji..Bade abba" Zayd said taking out his car keys.

[CAR]
"Mujhe toh laga tha tum iss shadi se khush nahi ho? Phir shopping?" Zayd asked Laiba as he started the car.

"Aree main shopping ke liye nahi. Uss Fahad se milne jaa rahi hu."

Zayd looked at her with a mix of confusion and shock. "Us..Usse kyu milna hai tumhe?"

"Main usse saaf saaf batadungi ki mujhe yeh shadi nahi karni, phir Woh khud se inkaar kardenge. Ab jaldi le chalo mujhe..
Aur haa tum car mein hi baithe rehna main jake baat karungi." He agreed

Laiba had asked Fahad to meet her at an outdoor cafe. He arrived there with his PA and spots Laiba sitting at a table.

Fahad enters the cafe with his PA and looks at Laiba.

"Assalam alaikum.." He said with a warm smile.

"Walaikum assalam" Her voice sounded hesitant. "Aap baithe.."

After a moment of silence, Fahad asked her, "Kya lengi aap?"

Laiba took a deep breath, "Dekhiye, main apse ek bahut zaruri baat karne aayi hun.."  Fahad slightly shifted in his place as he listened to her intently.
"Kya aap please iss shadi ke liye inkaar kar sakte hai?" Fahad was taken aback. He furrowed his brows in surprise, "Kyu? Aap aise kyu bol rahi hai?"

"Dekhiye, yeh shadi mere gharwalen meri marzi ke khilaf kar rahe hai. Main abhi shadi nahi karna chahti. Aap please apni taraf se inkaar kardein"

'Aur agar mein inkaar na karu toh?' Fahad says looking at Laiba

Laiba widened her eyes with a tinge of annoyance, "aise kaise nahi karenge..main bata rahi hun na apko.."

"Agar apko yeh rishta nahi karna tha..toh aapko kal hi batana chahiye tha."

"Dekhiye meri bohot majburiyaan thi..." Laiba tried to explain.

"Meri bhi majbooriyaan hai," he replied.
Laiba looked at him confused.

"Mere liye yeh shadi bohot important hai, mein inkaar nahi kar sakta. I'm sorry." As Fahad got up to leave Laiba quickly stepped infront of him blocking his way. She grabbed his collar.

"Excuse me? Aap aise nahi karsakte" Laiba said, her eyes filled with intensity.

Fahad got caught off guard and stuttered "Dekhiye yeh..zabardasti hai—"

"Toh yeh shadi bhi zabardasti hai." She replied.

Fahad's PA seated another table including all the other people in the cafe watch this. Zayd appeared out of nowhere and with a firm grip, pulled Laiba away from Fahad.

"Kya kar rahi ho Laiba!" Zayd said as he held her hand taking her out of the restaurant.

Left standing there, Fahad watched them go still puzzled by Laiba's action. He adjusted his collar looking around trying to act like nothing happened.