MARYAM'S POV :

(Flashback)

That was being ten days when when I was inside the house and I didn't got a single chance to talk to Aatish.

"Anisaa.." abbu entered in the home with a loud call and I got started by his voice, I suddenly sat down on bed and at the same time the door of my room snapped open and Ammi entered in.

"Be happy now!" before I could understand anything coming closer to she slapped my cheek.

"They people rejected you by saying that the girl is very bold and ill-mannered.. You get success in humiliating your father. You don't left any room to insult us" Ammi roared on me and I was just listening everything while placing my palm on my left cheek where Ammi slapped me.

"It would be better for us to be childless instead of having a daughter like you, they people insulted your father just because of you. The person whom everyone admire got humiliated in society that too because of his own dear daughter. What was our fault. We let you did what ever you wanted to do!! You are returning all those things by making us insult in the society" Ammi said and this time she was crying, I never wanted humiliation of my Abbu, I didn't thought that they people would disrespect my father dur to my behaviour. I hadn't any idea about that

"Ammi.." I tried to open my mouth but got a slap again.

"Don't call me Ammi.. I'm not your mother, I'm ashamed that you are my daughter" Ammi said and left the room.

I did dare to made myself stand and moved towards the room of my parents. Abbu was sitting on sofa beside Ammi, he was holding his head, Razi was standing in front of him holding a glass of water and I was peeping in the room standing behind the door, after gathering all my courage I stepped in the room and took the glass of water from Razi.

"Abbu" I passed the water to him and he lifted his head

"Beta give some poison with this!" His voice wasn't harsh but defeated which hurt me more than Ammi's slaps.

"Abbu I never wanted your humiliation" I said while sitting on my knees in front of Abbu and he turned his face to other side

"Anisa say this girl to leave this room, otherwise I'll forget that she is my same daughter who was my pride." Abbu said while curling his hands in fists and my eyes dropped few tears.

I placed the glass on table and looked at my Abbu.

"Abbu" I placed my both hands on his either knees and he looked at me

"I'm sorry, I never thought to humiliate you" I stated truth

"But you did" He said and disappointment was clear in his voice

"I'm sorry Abbu"

"Do your sorry have power to take back the words of those people? Everyone was talking that Sabir's daughter is very bold, and that all because of Sabir. Girls are better inside the house" Abbu said what the people were saying and I felt pang in my heart

"I wanted to prove people wrong who use to say that girls are better inside the house, but you prove me wrong and those people were right. Beta you open my eyes" Abbu was saying everything very politely as he always talk to me, but his voice was indicating that his trust was hurt and I was feeling guilty. I never wanted anything like that but at the same time I didn't want to be married with that guy or any other person except Aatish.

"Go in your room and plan for future how you have to humiliate me when any other proposal will come for you" I cried on his words and placed my head on his knees.

"Abbu don't be offended with me." I requested and patted my head I looked up and he remove my hands from his knees.

"Go in your room, you are not my daughter. I only have two children. I'll try to marry your off as soon as possible, but I'll not marry you with that Aatish. He is not the right person and I don't want to do anything wrong with you" Abbu said and I closed my eyes I was confused on which thing should I cry more? On Abbu's disappointed or on his decision about my marriage?!

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I spent many days and night in my room, Ammi didn't allow me to go in front of Abbu, even she didn't allowed me to step out from my room. She use to give me food in my room and took the empty utensils after sometime. She wasn't talking to me. No one was talking to me. Even Ammi didn't let me talk to Maham, and Razi.

"Ammi I want to talk to Abbu" I said when she came to give me dinner and got a glare in reply and she locked the door from outside before leaving the room.

"Ammi pleaseee..." I banged on the door but didn't got any reply

"Abbu... Abbu pleaseeeee..." I again pleased but didn't got any reply.

When I didn't got any response I sat down on bed and had my dinner. I was helpless with what my parents were doing with me. After some half an hour Ammi come back to my room to picked the utensils, I again tried to talk to her but she glared me

"Day after tomorrow Some people are coming to see you, be ready to humiliate us in front of them. And tell me in advance now what will you demand? Last time you only asked for water but this time you should ask for some more snacks so tel me know in advance" Ammi said and I cried but she left the room. But in all days that was the first time when she forget to lock the door of my room from outside.

That was almost midnight and I felt the need of water, making myself stand I went to the door, and before I could know on the door for asking water I found that open.

Going out from the room I drank a glass full of water, before I moved towards the room my gaze went to the telephone. I looked everywhere and there were no one. My heart was beating with fear but I dialled Aatish's number. First some lady received the call and I suddenly cut that, then I again dialled his number and again that same feminine voice came from other end and I again disconnected the call

"Aatish please...pleasee you received the call" I mumbled before Dialing the number one more time.

"Hello"

"Hello, who is this? If you are not interested in talking then why are you calling in mid night?" I listened the angry voice of that lady.

"What happened bhabhi? Who is calling?" that was Aatish and he was talking to that lady.

"I don't know Aatish who is this but no one is talking" That lady complaint and I was hoping that Aatish came to line.

"Let me check bhabhi" I listened Aatish's voice and soon

"Hello" That was Aatish

"Aatish..." my heart felt a new beat and a tear rolled down from my eye after a whispered left my mouth

"Bhabi its a wrong number, you go and sleep"

"Aatish" I said in hushed tone

"Rose Stop crying yaar"

"Aatish... Abbu is not talking to me, he is finding out match to marry me off as soon as possible" I said while crying but my voice was almost hushed so that no one listened

"Whattt? But Rose why he is not understanding? Even my parents are not ready to understand!" Aatish said in tension but he was also talking in the same hushed tone.

"Aatish please do something" I pleaded

"Maryam first of all stop crying" He said and nodded while wiping my tears with the back of my palm

"Maryam run away with me, my parents will accept you when I'll come home with you after marriage" I felt a pang in my heart with that words.

"No Aatish, I can't. Abbu... How will he face this issue in society?" I putted my point in front of him

"Then what do you want to do Maryam? Neither your parents nor mine will be agreed for this marriage!" Aatish said and I was just crying silently I couldn't disrespect my father in the society and at the same time I couldn't sacrifice with my love.

"Aatish I don't know?"

"Maryam I want to meet you"

"I also want to Aatish but how? Ammi is not letting me step out even from the room." I shared my problem

"I'm coming to your home, come out from your house just for few minutes. I just want to see you"

"But Aatish how will I...?" He didn't let me complete

"Just for five minutes rose'' he requested and I sighed

" fine"

"I'm coming in fifteen minutes" He said and I hanged up the call.

I was waiting for Aatish, standing in the kitchen, I was peeping out from the kitchen window and I saw his bike coming in the street. I closed the kitchen window and stepped towards the door with cat steps, I opened the door slowly and went down the stairs. I went to the main door and He was standing in front of my main gate, I looked here there and luckily no one was in the street, I gestured him to come near the main door and he did so.

"Aatish"

"Don't cry rose, I'll do something, I'll talk to my parents" He said while wiping my tears with his fingers and I nodded.

"Rose run away with me, I'll do any work to give you everything" He said while holding my hand

"Aatish I don't need anything but you only you. But I can't run away leaving my family in this situation" I said and he nodded with a defeated sigh

"I'm going" I said while freeing my hand from his grip and he nodded.

"Take care and call me again" he said and I nodded.

I climbed the stairs and peeped In after opening the door, there were no one. I slowly entered in but the corner of my dupatta was stucked with key holder and it fall down on the floor by mistake. I leaned down to picked that up but...

"Maryam" I listened Abbu's roar and I turned to look at him.

"Where are you going?" He asked angrily and he was glaring me with bloodshot eyes.

"No abbu I'm not going anywhere" I said and Ammi also come out the room.

"If you.." Abbu scoot towards window and glared me

"Anisa.. That boy is standing in front of home on his bike" Abbu said and Ammi was shocked

"You are running away? Ya Allah..."

''No Ammi... Abbu believe me.. Ammi Abbu... " I was trying to say but I got a slap from Abbu.

"Abbu I..wasn't running away... Abbu please believe me" I said and This time I got a slap from Ammi. Abbu scoot towards the window

"You, come here" Abbu said and I looked at him, he summoned Aatish and my heart was beating like hell. They were taking to me wrong I was closing the door but they thought I was going out of the home. In no time Aatish was standing in front of Abbu and I was crying badly.

"Abbu Ammi trust me we were not running away" I joined my palms in front of them.

"Not a single word" Abbu said while grinding his teeth.

"He is standing in front of our home, you were going out from the home. Why were you going out?" Abbu added you and I cried on his words.

"I'm.." No one let me say anything

"You.. Who ever you are... I don't care.. Bring your parents in two days and take this girl with you. I'll do her nikkah with you" Abbu said and I looked at him then Aatish

"What are you saying?" Ammi asked and I looked at her.

"Yeh hamari izzat le kar jaye isse achha hai ki ise izzat ke Saath jane do" Abbu said without looking at me

(It's better to marry her off instead of she run away from here spoiling our reputation)

"Abbu we were not running away.. I went to meet him, really I'm not lying" I said and Ammi looked at me with wide eyes

"At mid night!!" sHe said with anger and I was just crying.

"Maryam you are not leaving a single room to humiliate us." Abbu said and Glared Aatish then me

"Get out of my home and bring your parents, do nikkah and take away this girl from here." Abbu said and Aatish left the home after a nod.

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Your Author

_Naaz Jamal