SHIFA'S POV

That was the Sunday morning, I folded my prayer mat and made my way to kitchen, I was dying with hunger. Since that was Sunday so in my home everyone sleeps for late hours, excluding me...

Since I'm a different piece on earth so I can't sleep again after waking up in morning. I open the fridge and try to search something to eat. Grabbing a pear I again made my way to room. I was reading a book holding in my left hand and eating that pear, the book was full of happiness but I wasn't smiling, because my mind was recalling the DPs changed by Faraz.. But after the engagement day he stopped changing his DP. I was eagerly waiting for any message through his DP but he was showing only his pic.

"Its better that he is doing so, now what's the matter of thinking about him.." I closed the book and sighted before finishing my pear. Those days mummy's health wasn't good enough to do household works so I was doing all the work.

I paid a quick glance to Faraz's DP and smiled on new DP. Which was showing

I smiled sadly...

"Indeed Allah can do any miracle, I just want a miracle in the form of Faraz." I mumbled and smiled...

Sometimes I think we humans are fool, or idiots... Even after many problems in our life how can we smile? We smile on such small things...

Faraz's DP were like a small fairy light in my dark world. They weren't giving me brightness but they were giving me a hope of my bright and happy future. From childhood I always found myself alone, mummy's love and support was always with me but she was also helpless in front of Papa. I wanted to be happy in my life without the support of any male, I wanted to proof myself as a strong girl in front of this world but then Faraz came to my life... And my every dream went to rest... And a new dream replaced my old dreams..

That dream was Faraz... The dream which I was watching with open as well as closed eyes. I was fighting with myself everyday and night. My heart was going towards him but my brain was stopping me to do so.

Coming out from my trance I realised that clock was showing ten to seven of morning. I had to make breakfast and prepare for lunch too.

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"Mumma how are you now? See I have made corn soup for you" I said while passing a bowl to her and she smiled with a small nod giving me reply of my question about her health.

"You still have fever" I said and she shook her head slowly.

"Now I'm fine" she lied as usually and I kissed her cheek.

"Get well soon, then cook biryani for us, I know it's all your excuses to take rest and making me work" I said dramatically and she smiled. Then I went to kitchen for making roti for everyone.

Papa, and my both brothers were sitting in dining area, I was making roti and giving that to them, when I heart my mobile was ringing. I thought it would be Afifa's call because no one else use to call me except, Lala, Mama and Afifa. My mobile was ringing constantly but I ignored thinking that I would call back after being free with work. But when I went to dining room with roti in my hand Bilal was coming towards me with my mobile.

"Whose call is this?" Papa asked to him and he passed my mobile to me.

"Its an unknown number papa" I replied and received the call.

"Hello" there was silence on other side. I removed the mobile phone from my ear to check if the call was on going or not...

"Hello" I again said when found the call still connected.

"Hello" that was a masculine voice which lead my heart to skip a beat.

"Ji kon?" I asked with madly beating heart, for a while I thought it was Rohail because the voice was really sounding like him.

(who is this)

"Shifa its me Fara..... " that was Faraz he was saying when...

"Whose call is this Shifa?" papa asked me and I felt my heart stopped it's work, my hands were seems lifeless and breath was hitched

"Papa.." before I could say anything or moved towards kitchen papa snatch the mobile from my hand.

"Hello" Papa said and I was feeling like my heart was coming out from my chest.

"Papa.. Its.." I tried to open my mouth to say something but "Go and bring roti" Papa mouthed and I moved back to the kitchen. I was breathing heavily and praying to Allah that he would save me as well as Faraz from Papa. I tried to make roti but my hands were literally shivering and my eyes were wet.

"Why Faraz call me?" I mumbled and a tear rolled down from my eye. I was feeling a knot in stomach, my forehead was full of sweat, hands and feet were shivering.

"Aapi what are you doing? Bhai and papa both are waiting for roti" Bilal's voice made me realise that a roti was burning on the pan.

"Yeah I.. I'm coming" saying that I started making rotis again, and went to dining area, I placed the roti in front of Papa and Hamdan bhai and he listed his gaze towards me.

"What happened to you?" Papa asked me and I was cluelessly gulped and wiped my sweat from forehead.

"H.. How many more roti you want?" I asked with wildly beating heart.

"From How long you are getting call from this number?" Papa asked me and I was feeling fear, his voice was cruel as usual.

"First time" I replied honestly and he nodded

"If he call you again then tell me" I nodded on his order.

"Who.. Whose call was that?" I asked with stammering voice

"No one Shaffo that was some wrong number" Hamdan bhai said and I felt like a dying person got back the breath. But there was another problem... My mobile was still resting beside papa's hand and I was literally dying due to fear because I wasn't using any type of screen lock and If papa got an idea to check my WhatsApp then I must be died with his rough hands. I slowly out my hand towards the mobile and picked that but papa looked up at me with his overbearing gaze.

"I.. I have to charge it... I forgot to..." I was saying when he took my mobile and checked its battery level.. And my good luck...

Huh! Don't be happy... I am going to say...

My good luck always stay on rest in front of papa. My mobile battery was 95%

"Focus on studies instead of mobile, otherwise you will found this in Nearest second hand mobile shop." Papa threatened me and I gulped.

"O-okay papa" I muttered and turned to Hamdan bhai. "Do you need more roti?" I asked in hushed tone and he shook his head but papa asked for one more.

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"Ya Allah tera shukr aaj bacha liya" I mumbled while closing my eyes and resting my back to the wall.

(Thanks to god that he saved me today)

Holding my mobile in my hands I felt happy. But suddenly I remembered his voice...

'Shifa it's me Faraz'

He called me...

Faraz called me...

I can't believe... He called me...

I was literally jumping happily in my thoughts.

'Idiot girl no need to be happy this much, you even don't know why he called you?' My soul scolded me and I realised the same. I checked the call logs in my mobile and that was an unknown number from which Faraz called...

Thanks to Allah that he didn't use his number, otherwise I would be dead by now, if papa saw his name flashing on my mobile screen.

"Should I call him back?" I asked and gathered my courage to do so.

'Mumma I'll not do anything which lead to your disrespect in society' I remember my own words and placed back my mobile on table and felt that tears were ready to flow down to my eyes.

But I was helpless...

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Faraz's POV

After a long time I gathered all my courage to talk to Shifa. I was determined to face everything...

Everything means everything...

"Shifa it's me Faraz" I state

"I have to talk to you, now its enough of this hid...."

"Hello" I was shocked, my sentence was cutted off between by a rude voice. That wasn't difficult for me to recognise the owner of that voice.

"who is this? What you have to talk about?" I felt fear with his voice I can't imagine how Shifa use to face him and tolerate his anger.

"Who are you? why aren't you saying anything?" That was a angry roar.

"Can I talk to.." I was confused that what should I say?

"I.. Have to talk to Ritu, make me talk to her" I said and I was anxious, not for myself but for Shifa

"There isn't any Ritu here, wrong number" I felt relaxed on that ruthless order.

"Wrong number... Okay.." I said and going to place back the receiver to cut the call when..

"Listen"

"Ji (yes)"

"Who are you?" I smacked my forehead, because I was 100% sure he got to know about me...

But how? You are asking this question. Right?

Because of my accent, due to living in Mumbai since childhood my language had a different hint of accent is as compare to the people who living in Delhi.

"I asked who are you? What is your name? Where do you live?" He was seems angry.

"I.. My name.. I'm.. I'm.."

'who am I?' I asked to myself and didn't got anything to say at the same time my gaze went to a patient's file and

"I'm Dev" I said and listened a hummed.

"No need to call here again, it's a wrong number" After that rude and angry order I listened a beep which indicated that call was ended.

"What are you doing Faraz? If he would recognised me then?" I mumbled while holding my head.

I was doing a big mistake by calling Shifa!! When she stay with her mother in family gatherings then how it is possible that she stay away from her family inside the home. My single mistake can make a big problem for me and Shifa. Major problem would be for Shifa, her father's strictness wasn't hidden from me.

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After completing my duty hours I stepped in the home and I smiled because Musa Mama was sitting in the hall, with his family.

"Assalamualaikum" I greeted happily

"Waalaikumas salam Bhanje (nephew)"

"Sunday ko bhi kaam?" He asked me playfully as usually in his jolly nature

(working on Sunday too)

"Profession hi esa hai mama, jis din bimariyan Sunday ki chhutti karne lagengi us din Hume bhi off mil jayega" I replied and everyone laughed.

(What can I do it's my profession! The day when disease stated taking off on Sunday, on the same day we doctored also got off on sunday)

"I'm coming back in ten minutes" saying that I scoot upstairs, towards my room. And after freshen up I again came downstairs, but the environment was not joyful as like few minutes before.

Ammi and Abbu ji were talking to each other in slow voice. Musa mama and Rani Mami were sitting silently, instead of going in the hall I stepped in the kitchen.

"Rani tell me one thing" I listened Ammi's voice when I was drinking water.

"Yes, Baji (sister) ask" Rani mami replied and I open the cupboard to drew out the packet of chips.

"Why Maryam and Anwar rejected Faraz's proposal for Shifa?" Ammi asked and I was frooz on my spot

"Shifa is their daughter what can I do?" Rani mami said and I sighed sadly.

'I wish Shifa would gave me a change' my heart said and I felt pain in my heart.

"But what was the reason of their answer? They are your brother and sister-in law, they have told you the reason" Ammi asked again, and I entered in the hall with a packet of chips.

"Baji I already told you, Maryam bhabhi was saying that you will make her daughter work harder in home. And she is don't want this.." Mami informed Ammi and aabu ji but I was shocked on that. According to Rani Mami, Maryam Aunty refused for this proposal but Musa Mama told me that Shifa refused for this marriage because of her studies, that was confusing for me.

"I know I shouldn't tell you but Maryam bhabhi said that she don't like Faraz, Shifa will get much better than him." Mami said looking at me and my eyes grew wide.

"Maryam aunty said that!!?" I couldn't help but asked, Ammi and Abbu ji looked at me suddenly.

"Come for dinner, we will talk later" Ammi said to drop the matter but I was confused and I had to clear all the matter

"No Ammi, wait for few minutes"

"Musa Mama if I'm not wrong, Maryam Aunty hadn't refused for this proposal but Shifa did. Am I right?" I tried to Confirmed

"Shifa!! Shifa refused? When... But who said this to you Faraz?" Abbu ji said and I open my mouth to say something in reply but "Leave this topic and come for dinner." I listened to Ammi and Rani Mami nodded.

"Abbu ji Rani Mami informed that Shifa refuse for this marriage" I expressed and Abbu ji and Ammi exchanged their looks.

"Nida Baji, Aazam bhai both the reasons are true, Maryam bhabhi said this and Shifa aslo refused for this proposal" Rani Mami's reply was clearly showing that she was hiding the truth.

"Okay... Come for dinner, leave this topic" Ammi said in hushed tone and everyone nodded.

Everyone left the room but I was still sitting on my place holding my head. I was regretting that why I haven't talked to Ammi and Abbu ji at that time? Why I got agree for my engagement? Why I didn't believe on Shifa?

But... What have to be done was done... Then that was the time to do something... I couldn't left Shifa like that.

I couldn't argue with Rani mami, she is elder than me but she did wrong...

Shifa is her neice, How could she even think so? Holding my head with both hands I was sitting silently. my head was bowed down.

"What happened with us?" I mumbled when I felt a hand in my shoulder and I looked up, he was Musa Mama

"You're liar, you lied, you played a game... But why mama?" I asked to him, I wanted to scream louder but I control myself, I never talk to any elder person in high pitch and I never wanna do so

"Bhanje, jesa tumhe lag raha hai wesa nhi hai" He tried to assure me.

(You are taking me wrong)

'' There are some misunderstandings" He said And I nodded with a inverted smile.

"Yes Musa Mama there are many misunderstandings and unfortunately these misunderstandings are not naturally born but intentionally created" I said while grinding my teeth

"Faraz believe me... Not from now but the time when Shifa was only thirteen.. From that time I like her for you, even I said to Anwar bhai sahab to think about this proposal..." I didn't let him complete his sentence

"Thank you Mama, thank you so much to you and Rani Mami.... I'll never forget your favour ever..." saying that I scoot to my room.

"Ya Allah..."

"Now what?"

"Shifa is my happiness.... But Aamna.."

"I don't like Aamna... That was a forced match... I won't do Marriage with Aamna, I will talk to Abbu ji... I want to break this engagement... No one can force me to do this marriage, I won't let anyone play with life and happiness!! This is my life.. So the decision should also be mine" I decided and nodded while picking my mobile and changed my DP.

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So..

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_Naaz Jamal