"I'm telling you, Waqar. This will happen!" A man's loud voice was heard from inside. It was kind of familiar. "Whether you accept this or not, she will have to abide by our rules!" He thundered. I watched as my father hung his head low. My mother was nowhere to be seen. It was then I heard it. Low sobs. And they sounded feminine.
"Please!" Baba cried. "For the love of God drop this topic." He muttered weakly. With a heavy heart I decided to stay rooted on my spot. The moment I would enter, they would hide it from me.
"I will not. I have waited enough." The other man shouted at Baba. Not being able to hear him scold my lovely Baba any longer, I entered the study with heavy steps.
"What in the world is happening here?" I asked calmly, but from the inside I was shaking with rage. What does this man think of himself? Only my mother is allowed to shout at Baba.
The study becomes silent. Everyone watches me quietly. The man who shouted before suddenly looked at me tenderly. I was beyond confused. Who is he? "I asked, and I repeat, what in the world is happening here. I demand an answer!"
The man narrows his eyes at my Baba before he turns his attention towards me. "Pack your stuff, you're leaving with us."
Us as in? I look around, and a particular set of eyes catch my unforgiving attention. The owner of the captivating pair of eyes was young. Probably in his late twenties, and there was a special kind of aura around him. The no-nonsense attitude and merciless presence. He was watching me with an unknown emotion, but it was nowhere near pleasant, no, it looked more...sinister? Like he was promising me something I couldn't survive through. As if he was promising me heartbreak.
Call me slow, or whatever, but it was first after the intense eye-contact session with the mysterious man that I pondered over the spoken words. 'Pack your stuff,' repeated in my mind continuously. My mind went blank. 'you're leaving with us.' Us as in the man? And the younger one? The two of them?
"What do you mean?" I asked gently. The man sighed visibly. He looked almost uncomfortable with his approach, yet his words sounded the same.
"I told you to pack your stuff, beta. You are leaving with us tonight. Right now actually." My eyebrows raise in question. I look at my fearing parents, who until now had not spoken a single word in the defense of their daughter. Why are they acting normal? Like anyone could come, demand I pack my stuff and take me away. Where is their respect?
But I was more confused about the situation right now. Never before had I faced anything like this. Had they perhaps threatened my parents? Were they going to sell me? The thought shook me to the core, as my coping mechanism kicked in.
"Leave my house this instant!" I ordered them. The younger man merely cocked an eyebrow at my words, as if amused by the whole exchange. "Kindly leave, or I'll call the police." I spoke softer, hoping for my unsaid words to go through.
"There is no need for that, Meerab." Baba looks up at me. Ashamed. "Pack your stuff, and leave without creating a scene." I look at mama to see if she agrees with whatever shit Baba just said. 'Go' Mama mouthed. I reeled back in shock. What. The. Actual. Fuck!
"What the hell!" I scream at them. "Language, Meerab!" Baba warns, but I couldn't care less right now. "Tell them to leave, or I'll actually call the police. I mean it." Tears began falling down my eyes. I was confused, hurt and betrayed. This is not normal.
The man who shouted earlier looked at Baba angrily. "I can see you failed to teach her manners." He looked disappointed. "Because of you, will we face this every day?"
"Meerab," Mama looked at me brokenly. "Beta, baat suno." But I had no idea what was happening, and by now I need to know that more than breathing.
"Yeh ho kya raha hai. Mujhe koyi bataega, toh hi main aapni jagah se hilungi." Baba sighed, his puffy eyes looked at me with so much fondness. But I was fooled. The way he said the following words, I knew he never loved me. Because his words made my world crumble, and because of him, I lost my identity.
"I'm not your father, bete. This man," He pointed at the one who insulted me for my missing manners. "Anwar. He is your father."
And just like that, the tears fell heavily. My heart broke. The dream of being Meerab came crashing down. Never before had I felt this betrayed.
