Love Starts After Nikkah Chapter 25

Someone greeted Sahir so she turned around to see a couple standing there. Giving them a formal smile, her gaze slid toward Sahir whose face was expressionless, and his body was slow to turn around.

Gazing at the couple in front of him, nausea clawed in his throat, and flashes of the past rippled in his orbs. 

"Walaikum Assalam, Mr. and Mrs. Haseeb!"

Zahra nervously squirmed at his reply but tried to keep a formal smile on her face.

"Long time! And…. Who is she?"

Haseeb asked while gliding his orbs toward Saba on whom Zahra's gaze was fixed.

"Saba, My wife." He replied while gazing at Zahra where shock whipped across her expression.

"And Saba, they are my class fellows in university, Haseeb and Zahra."

"Nice to meet you." She said with excitement laced in her tone and stepped forward to shake her hand with Zahra who shook the hand with a formal smile.

"It has been a long time, Sahir. I was always looking for you at parties. You also do not show up in our marriage. "

Haseeb said with a smirk.

"I was busy that day."  

 

He replied while swindling his face in all directions, fist clenching and unclenching showing how much in distress he was. He desperately wanted to end the conversation, but Haseeb was not in the mood for it.

  

 "By the way, Sahir, how is your business going on? I have also heard that you are doing a job as a lecturer. "  

"Alhamdulillah! Business is going very well. And if you asked me about my job, then I loved to do lectureships. This is my passion."

There was a glint in Sahir's orbs and happiness rippling in his tone at which a genuine smile etched on Saba's face. 

"But this is a waste of time. The time and energy which you are spending on that stupid job, you can spend on your business. It will increase your business and will make you a big business tycoon just like me." 

Haseeb said with pride while Sahir smirked at his words. 

"Money is not everything Haseeb. Inner satisfaction is the most important thing which you get after following your passion."

Sahir said with a smirk and gazed at Zahra who gulped and gazed at Haseeb's expressions with nervousness etched on her face.

Haseeb was going to say something when a couple interrupted them, causing their conversation to dissipate in the air.

While having the conversation with the couple, Saba noted Zahra was gazing at Sahir, and they had made eye contact at various times. Uneasiness skated through her being and her inner churned in desperation.

She took a deep sigh of relief when they eluded Haseeb and Zahra, and went forward to meet other couples.

Throughout the party, she felt a gaze on her, and whenever she turned around, she found Zahra standing nearby and gazing at her. 

Nervousness clawed her being, and a chill ran down her spine.

..........................

"May I sit here? " 

Saba was sitting on the couch, surrounded by unfamiliar faces, while bored expressions etched on her face. It was that time when Zahra came near her, and asked for permission with a frank smile.

"Yes, sure." She replied while feigning a bright smile but her mind was a plethora of confused notions. Her frequent eye contact with Sahir spread fears in her inner being.

"So, how long have you been married?" Zahra asked while sipping tea.

"It has been almost three months." She replied. "And you?" 

"It has been almost four years! I and Haseeb were class fellows, and..we then decided to marry each other." 

She shuttered a bit while her mind slipped toward the Literary night.

"That's cute," Saba replied with a smile. "Sahir was also your class fellow?" 

"Yeah. Sahir hasn't told you about me?" Curiosity was rippling in Zahra's orbs while Saba became quiet at her question.

"Umm. No.. Actually.." She was unable to come up with an excuse while a frown settled on Zahra's face at her mumbling.

"Let's go, Saba! We have to go home now."

At that moment, Sahir intervened with coldness and anger rippling in his tone. He had just come near them, and was gazing at Zahra with a burning gaze.

"Yeah, Okay Zahra, we will meet next time." 

Relief flooded in Saba's veins and she swiftly said goodbye to Zahra while standing from the couch.

"Yes, sure! I would love to be your friend." Zahra's side hugged her but fury whipped across Sahir's face.

"Saba, go near the car. I am coming!" 

There was coldness and fury in Sahir's tone at which a smile fell from Saba's face, and cheeks got a bit red as she felt insult.

Nevertheless, nodding her head, she took steps toward the exit. While going away from them, she turned around to see Sahir and Zahra talking to each other. Tears stung in her orbs, and pain clawed into her being. 

When Saba left, Sahir gazed at Zahra with fury rippling in his irises.

"Never try to speak with my wife. Never try to make her your friend." He said furiously at which hurt flashed in Zahra's orbs.

"Don't you think it should be her decision, not yours?" 

"You are right! Making friends or not should be her decision but I know you. I know how you can manipulate and inflict pain on friends. So, don't try to hurt my wife!"

He kept his voice lower but words were punctured with enough venom to drive the message to its core. He felt tears welling up in Zahra's orbs but he didn't care, nor wanted to trust those tears.

"Okay." She murmured at which Sahir gave a hard glare to her and went away toward the car.

"I am so happy that you found a perfect match, Sahir. I don't deserve you as my fate was only linked to a coward like Haseeb. It is the reality that self-satisfaction is more important than money. I preferred money over everything and in the end I have just money in my life, no satisfaction, no care, and no love. I have nothing. Haseeb can just give me money but you can give me everything. A lot of regrets are there in my life now. I owe you an apology, Sahir. But alas I can't find power in me."

She murmured to herself while a tear broke down from her eyes which she swiftly wiped away, and plastered a bright smile on her face.

………

The silence was hanging over the heads of Saba and Sahir while they drove back home. The tense silence and facial expressions of Saba told Sahir that she was upset and angry, and he knew the reason.

For the past few days, he was reviewing his decision about their married life, and Zahra's encounter had made it easy for him to come to a conclusion.

Gazing at the girl through his peripheral view, a small smile etched on his face while heartfelt gratitude for the turning of events in his life.

As soon as he parked the car on the porch, she came out of it, slamming the car's door, and stepping toward the house. A smile etched on his face gazing at her furious expression.

When he stepped into the room, she was taking off her hijab. Sahir stepped toward a table where a jug of water and glass was present. Sipping the water, he gazed at her who was taking out pins from her hair bun making her hair matted around her shoulders, enhancing the beauty of their owner.

He again poured the water into the glass and stepped toward her.

"Drink it and calm down the anger growling in you." There was a frankness in his tone at which Saba gazed at him through the mirror.

"I am not angry." She said while making eye contact with him through the mirror.

"I don't remember that my wife's forehead contains a frown." He said with a chuckle at which a smile cracked on Saba's face while she lowered her orbs.

Coming in front of her, he extended the glass of water toward her which she took from his hand. Fingers brushed across each other at which a spark ignited in between them.

Smiles danced on their faces and the moon outside them smiled. Saba buried the burning questions about Zahra in her heart, thinking of asking them when the right time would approach.

…………..

The whole family was gathered at Saba's parents' house where Zain and Zarina were also sitting. Mr. Akram had invited Sahir's parents before their flight to Umrah. At the get-together, they also invited a newlywed couple. 

All were sitting in the lawn breeze of night kissing their skin, surrounding them with the scent of jasmine and roses. 

"So, what is your situation after marriage? Mine is not good." 

Zain said with a mischievous smile to Sahir at which he nervously smiled while Zarina gave Zain a slap on his arm.

"Mine is also the same," Sahir said with a smile while gazing at Saba who was trying to maintain a smile on her face.

"Saba, we should team up against them," Zarina said with a mock furious tone at which Saba gave a fake chuckle to her but gloominess and hollowness encapsulated her being.

Sahir felt sadness etched into the nooks of her face at which pall of guilt hit his being.

"Let's start dinner." 

Mr. Akram called out at which whole attention averted there, eluding this conversation. Saba tried to focus on anything, wanting to avoid succumbing to the pit of gloominess and pain.

"I am staying at my parent's house for two days."

Saba said to Mrs. Amna while Sahir was standing nearby. His smile dropped as he was unaware of this.

"Yes, sure! Enjoy your freedom after mid-exams."

Mrs. Amna said frankly at which a chuckle tumbled out of her lips but Sahir's face remained expressionless.

………………

Night had fallen on Islamabad and the sky was like a dark piece of silk studded with shining diamonds. They were blinking and gazing at the two beautiful souls who were lying in their rooms, in different corners of the city. 

Sahir was lying on his bed, facing the couch which was empty, causing hollowness in his heart. Gazing at the couch, his mind was hodgepodge of thoughts, guilt and fear was mounting in his being.

Flashes of Zahra and Haseeb caused anger to ripple in his blood, but fear grabbed his heart. 

What if Saba leaves me? I will be alone, and a loser."

Zahra's meetup was an eye opener for him through which insecurities and pain came back to him, but these insecurities were related to Saba now.

He was fearful of losing this relationship now. 

On the other side of the city, Saba was lying on her bed, gazing at the twinkling stars while mind was consumed with Sahir's thoughts. 

Flashes of party, Zahra and the changed demeanor of Sahir's attitude was flashing in front of her orbs at which various thoughts flashed in her irises.

Whole night, different fears kept coming in her mind while some tears escaped from her orbs.

 

                          .....................

The laughter and warmness of morning has encapsulated the house of Mr. Akram as the whole family was sitting on the breakfast table, chatting and laughing.

"What is your plan today? " Mr. Akram asked Saba at which her face became embossed with lineaments of thoughtfulness. 

 

"Today is Sahir's lecture. Should I have to go? But I have come after many days and again I will come after a long time. I should spend quality time with Mama, Papa, and should give space to Sahir. Maybe this distance will help us in proceeding this relationship."

"I am taking two days off from university and going to take care of both of you." 

Saba said at which a glimmer of happiness shone in her parent's orb which caused happiness to encapsulate her heart.          ..........................

Entering into the classroom, his orbs searched for Saba, but dissatisfaction crawled into his being at not finding her there. 

Whole night, he kept thinking of her and now was desperate to see her. Shooking away her thoughts, he focused on work in hand.

Yellow sky changed into the blue one, and soon dark blotches covered Islamabad. Hushed symphony of night was echoing into the streets of that peaceful community where Sahir resides.

Leaning against the headboard, and gazing at the vacant spot, his heart wished to call her. 

"If we have decided to be together, we should break all the walls now."

He thought and took the mobile from the side table.

On the other side of the city, darkness had encapsulated Saba's room while she was lying on her bed with fully awakened eyes. Ringtone tore the silence of the room at which she got startled and rushed to take her mobile from the side table.

"S calling"

At the fifth bell, a call was received at which Sahir felt a bit nervous. 

Yes! Nervous.

"Hello!" her voice echoed.

"Assalam o Alaikum" He greeted.

"Walaikum Assalam! Is everything alright?"  Worry was rippling in her tone at which nervousness grabbed his being.

"Yeah. Everything is alright." He said and bit his lips in contemplation.

"I just want to ask you why you haven't come today?" 

At last, he found something to ask for.

"Umm. Because I want to spend time with my parents." She replied and bit her lips.

"That's great."

Long pause of silence prevailed in between them in which both parties waited for the other person to speak first.

"What was your routine today?" At last, Sahir asked.

"Nothing special. Went to meet my neighboring friend, and spend some time with my parents. This is it." 

She shrugged her shoulders. "What have you done today?"

"Nothing. Just some routine work." He replied. "When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow night. You have to pick me up." 

Relief flooded in his veins at thinking of her coming back.

"Yeah sure." 

Again, a long pause of silence came between them.

"I think we should sleep now." Saba said at which he hummed with dissatisfaction embossed in his features.

"Sure. Allah Hafiz!" 

"Allah Hafiz!"

He took a deep sigh after cutting the call. 

"I think we should focus on the conversation part now."

He murmured while putting the mobile away.

               .........................

Saba stepped into the house with Sahir and was greeted by his parents. She stopped to chit-chat with them while Sahir went toward the bedroom.

When she entered the room, he was sitting on the bed with a laptop on his legs. She stepped toward the changing room to get fresh up.

Taking off her hijab, she let loose her hair and let them fall on her back. At that instant, he felt something on her foot at which she swiftly gazed there and eyes widened with fear.

Sahir was reviewing social media strategy when a shriek of Saba echoed into the room, causing him to get startled and rush toward the changing room.

"What happened?"

He knocked on the door and lowered its handle to check whether it was locked or not. Stepping into the changing room, he saw Saba who was gazing at something on the floor with wide eyes.

Chuckle escaped from his lips while gazing at the cockroach. 

"Seriously?" he said while stepping near the cockroach, slipping his foot into her shoes and putting it on the cockroach.

"I think cockroaches have a mini heart attack listening to your shriek." 

A nervous smile etched on Saba's face while cheeks got red. He smiled while gazing at her black hair, red and smiling face.

Coming back from the changing room, his gaze fell upon the couch and thoughtful expressions etched on his face.

He kept her thoughtful gaze on Saba when she emerged from the changing room and lay down on the couch. 

A thought was coming in his mind but he didn't want to voice it now.

"Taking a slow route will be a better thing."

He thought, and switched off the light.

……………….

"Take care of yourself, my children!" 

Mrs. Amna said while pecking the foreheads of Sahir and Saba. 

In the background, a flight announcement echoed, indicating that it was the time to depart.

Mr. Sikandar and Mrs. Amna gave smiles to both of them and turned toward the flight, leaving Saba and Sahir alone.

………………