Mere Jazbaat

Chapter 7: A Fair Trial

"You're right Mr. Khan," she said, firmly.

Asad was startled by her presence. Right? About what? Did I say those things out loud? His confusion was soon replaced by the same anger he felt earlier. Why do I care? It's the truth. And how does she have the nerve to talk to me after what she's done!?

He looked her in the eye. "Mujhe aapki koi baat nahi sunni hai," he started, his anger resurfacing further.

"Bas!" she cut him off.

Asad was taken aback. But he kept quiet. He'd never heard this tone of hers.

"You are right Mr. Khan. I am childish. I think with my heart. Not with my head. I think about what others feel. I think about what they really want. I don't think about the consequences and I don't think about the risks." She spoke sternly, serious and calmly. Inside however, she was trying her hardest not to break down in front of him, and keeping her tears in check.

Asad opened his mouth to say something, but she cut him off again. "Nahin. Aap chup hi rahi yeh. Meri baat abhi tak khatam nahin hui hai," she barked.

Asad was once again shocked at her audacity. But decided to keep quiet. He'd set her straight once she was done.

"You were also right about me not understanding the meaning of relationships. Especially yours. Your brother was getting engaged and you didn't want to go. If that's the relationship you have with a brother, then you are most certainly correct. I DO NOT understand them. My only intention in going to that house that you so loathe, was for you to be able to see your brother's engagement without having to step foot in it. Kyun ki mein itna to samaj sakhti hoon ki aap apne chote bhai se kitni mohabaat karte hai.

"Shayad aapki pehli baat hi theek thi. Ki yeh country bi nahi chati hai ki mein ya na rahoon. Aap bhi nahi chate hai ki mein rahoon, hai na?" She waited for his answer this time, afraid she already knew it.

Asad took in what she said. She still doesn't get it. "Aapne theek kaha, Ms. Farooqui," he bit out, bitterly.

Zoya felt the lump back in her throat, but swallowed it down, while closing her eyes.

"Lekin ab is joothi sagai ki wajeh se aise nahi hoga. To kya karsak the hai? Ammi ke khathir meine aapki madat ki hai. Varna mera bas chalta, to aap aaj yahan nahi hoti." continued Asad.

On any other day, she would've felt pain upon hearing those words. But because she had made this decision herself earllier, she ignored them. "Aapne theek kaha Mr. Khan. Yeh sagaai hi sab ke liye ek pareshani hai. Mein dua karti hoon ki bohut yaldi mein aapki har pareshani ko aapse door kar sakoon," she promised.

"I'm sorry Mr. Khan. I'm sorry for not having tameez and tehzeeb. I'm sorry for breaking your phone. I'm sorry I came in front of your car that first day we met. I'm sorry for staying in your house against your wishes. I'm sorry I accidentally slept in your room the first night. I'm sorry for taking away your precious time by constantly getting in trouble. I'm sorry I disrupted your perfect and colorless life. I'm sorry you felt I was a bad influence to Najma. I'm sorry I tried to stop you from going to court when your abuu was accused of murder. I'm sorry I bothered you with my problems and forced you to deal with my grief about my abuu. I'm sorry I don't have a family and borrowed yours. I'm sorry my Aapi and Jeeju sent me to this house to bother you. And most of all, I'm sorry that this musibaat, this misfit who has no value of relationships, especially that of a mother's, came waltzing into your life, and tried to bring some color into it. I am truly, deeply and utterly sorry. And I hope there will come a day when I am no longer a burden to you or your family."

And with that, she turned around and went into her room, shutting the door behind her, just as the tears building in her eyes threatened to pour out in front of him.

Asad stood there, stunned. Had she really just apologized? For all those things? For things that she had no business apologizing for. Things that she had no control over. He was confused. He didn't regret meeting her. Is this the effect his words had had on her? Asad gritted his teeth. He downed the water in his glass, set it down in the kitchen sink, and went back to his room, seething in anger.

Zoya threw herself on her bed, and cried her heart out. "Goodbye, Mr. Khan. Mein ab tak nahin jaan thi ki mujhe apke hone ya na hone se itna pharak kyun parta hai. Lekin aaj ke baad, is ehsas ko daba kar rakhun gi. Yehi better hoga. Kyun ki mein aapki karvi baatein aur nahi sehe paungi. Aur nahin mujhe karna bi cheye."

She got up off the bed, wiped away as many tears as she could, and continued packing. Once she was done, she quietly made her way to Dilshad and Najma's rooms to leave their respective letters. She left a copy of the engagement recording on a CD on the living room coffee table with a note attached to it that read: For Mr. Asad Ahmed Khan.

Zoya called a cab from her cell phone, to ensure they wouldn't call the house when the cab was outside. Ten minutes later, the cab arrived. With a heavy heart, she took one last, long look at the house that had briefly become her home, and mentally said goodbye to its residents.

Zoya's words echoed in Asad's ears. "I hope there will come a day when I am no longer a burden to you or your family... Mein dua karti hoon ki bohut yaldi mein aapki har pareshani ko aapse door kar sakoon..." What did she mean? Why were those words like thorns to his heart? Why did they seem like a warning, for something bad, that he wouldn't be able to stop? Asad paced in his room, back and forth. Something's not right.

*click!*

What was that?, wondered Asad. He opened his bedroom door and walked into the hallway. Zoya's room light was off. She must be asleep now. But what-.

The front door was open. Not all the way. Just enough to mistake it for someone not closing it properly. Asad slowly made his way to the door.

* * * * * * *

On the opposite side of that door, Ms. Zoya Farooqui was piling herself into a cab, never to be seen again.