Rainy Promises - kareena

28

Haseena reached home, she opened the door a but and was shocked to see her father sitting on the couch, working. Her breath hitched, and fear gripped her. She quickly held that door to steady herself. "Yeh kaise aa gaye yahan itni jaldi? Abhi toh 2 din baqi the."

"Aur hum kya jawab denge? Hum kahan the is waqt tak?" She muttered to herself.

Just then, her father's eyes fell on her. Haseena gathered her courage and went inside, bracing herself for the usual scolding. But to her surprise, he remained quiet. Haseena looked up at Dai Jaan, who nodded in a way that she also don't know anything.

"Dad?" Finally, Haseena said.

"Aao, Haseena. Main kab se tumhara hi intezaar kar raha hoon." Her father replied.

Haseena looked at him, surprised by his calm demeanor. "G?"

"Aajao, khana khate hain." Her father got up and said.

This surprised her even more, but she followed him to the dining table. They both sat down, and her father spoke, "Haseena, ab tumhe college jaane ki koi zaroorat nahi hai. Main ne baat kar li hai. Woh tumhare bina manage kar lenge."

"But dad, bas 2 din rehte hain." Haseena's heart sank.

"Lekin Haseena, tumhare paas 2 din nahi hain." Her father said firmly.

"Kya matlab?" Haseena asked.

"Tumhari engagement hai parson."

The words hit Haseena like a ton of bricks, leaving her in utter shock and confusion.

Haseena's heart skipped a beat, her world spinned as she stared at her father in shock. His smile, intended to be reassuring, felt like a weight pressing down on her chest.

"Khana kaho ab," he instructed plainly, but Haseena's appetite had evaporated.

"Bhook nae ha humen," she mumbled.

"Hum nay kaha khana khao!" The authority in his tone shattered her fragile composure.

With trembling hands, she picked up her spoon and forced herself to take a bite, but the food felt like sand in her mouth. She could barely swallow.

"Your engagement is in just two days. My entire business circle will be there." He rose from his seat, "Make sure you look happy, happiest." He pressed the last words before leaving.

As he left the room, Haseena placed her spoon down, feeling utterly defeated. Dai Jaan approached, but before she could say anything, Haseena stood up from her seat, unable to bear another moment there. She hurried towards her room with fear, sadness, and confusion.

Haseena stumbled into her room, her chest was tight with despair. She closed the door behind her and slid down to the floor, pressing her back against the bed. The weight of the news crashed over her, and the tears she had been holding back finally burst forth. She cried as if her very soul was unraveling, her sobs echoing in the empty room.

Dai Jaan, having followed her, quietly entered the room and knelt beside her, pulling Haseena into a comforting embrace. "Haseena....." She gently said.

"Dai Jaan... humari engagement..." The words felt foreign on her tongue, like a death sentence she could barely speak.

"Haseena, tum yeh baat tou tum pehle se janti thi ke engagement honi hai aaj nae tou Kal, phir ab tumhein itni takleef kyun ho rahi hai?" Her voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of something Haseena could sense.

Haseena looked up at her through tear filled eyes, her voice trembling. "Pata tha... par Dai Jaan, hum uss se shaadi nahi karna chahty ty na Kal na aaj,  Yeh aap jaanti hain, aap jaanti hain woh kaisa insaan hai." Her words came out in a desperate rush.