"Zaira is getting married to Harris."

Gramps' words made his breath hitch in his throat. His hands working on the fork and knife, suspended all movement. For a few moments, he could only stare at the plate infront of him with blank eyes.

Even without realising it, he had taken a trip down the memory lane; coming to a halt on his first memory of her.

That time, when he was only 8 and she 4.

"What is your name?" She asked eagerly. Her eyes widening with enthusiasm and curiosity. Rayyan watched her solemnly for a moment, before his gaze flickered to the chocolate in his hand, which she had moments ago given to him, in attempts to cheer him up.

"Rayyan." He added softly, without meeting her eyes. By now his tears had all but dried.

"Raa—" She stuttered, causing him to turn his hazel green orbs to meet her chocolate brown ones.

"Rai—yan—" He tried to break it into syllables for her and caught the look of struggle on her face as she silently mouthed the words.

"Rai—" She pronounced out loud for him; peering into his eyes. Never leaving her gaze, he nodded at her attempt slowly.

"—yan—" She completed. Her eyes widening, as if questioning about her progress so far. Smiling ever so softly, Rayyan found himself nodding his head at her. Gaining some confidence at the appraisal, she tried again.

"Rai—yan—Rai-yan—Rai—yaan—" She kept repeating to herself; giggling at her own success. Rayyan watched the intriguing and innocent kid with a small smile, who might just have become his first friend here in Pakistan.

"And yours?" He inquired with a tilt of head.

"Zaira—" She announced happily, shooting him a wide smile.

Rayyan felt unsure of himself, momentarily. The fact that he was different and would never become one of them was something that he had been hearing ever since he came here. He would keep asking Nanna, if Angraiz, was a bad word. Because that's what everyone called him here, when they looked at him with hate filled eyes. He knew he shouldn't cross the line. He was different. There was no place for him here, they said. So, he should stay away; like he's supposed to.

Yet, looking at those kind eyes and innocent smile, made him take a step over the line.

"Zai—ra?" At his voice, a bright smile formed across her features.

"Zai-ra—" He turned his gaze down, repeating her name to himself but stopped to look up when he heard her giggle.

"Rai—Zai—It rhymes!" She squealed happily, as if she had just conceived the most remarkable and fascinating thing in the entire world. Turning away to hide his smile, he repeated her name in his mind.

Zai.

Looking down at the laptop screen; brooding and sighing while scrolling down the webpages, occasionally switching to phone to check for messages. This was my current activity. Mind you, it was late at midnight when everyone was fast asleep, safe for the owls, maybe. The reason as to why I was up this late? Well, it's simple.

I am getting married.

And now, my only light at end of tunnel remained this college application. Only, if by some miracle, I could get admission for post grad with scholarship, then I might be saved from this nuisance called marriage which my loving parents had arranged for me after being productive for years in the cause.

Not to forget mentioning the part, that I had not been out of college for more than 6 months and was only, ONLY 23 years old! But no. The only thing that mattered to my parents was that I got married, be packed safely and on way to my sweet, darling hubby!

Oh Allah! Why did you have to create marriage?

Grunting so, I had shut my eyes and laid my head back onto the pillow.

Why did things never go the way we wanted them to, oh Allah? And why should I have to get married to some unknown dude and waste away my life tending to his needs and then his kids?!

Okay, the kids would be mine.

Snapping out of my thoughts I opened my eyes and gave the screen a long look before shutting it. Putting my laptop aside, I turned off the lamp. However, instead of sleeping all I could think of was tomorrow's meeting with Harris. It's not like I was meeting him for the first time. He was Dad's friend's son and we sorta knew each other since childhood, but marriage? Ugh!

Oh Allah. Just a little, tiny miracle. Please, save me from this marriage.

-----------------

"It's really your luck Zaira, otherwise do you assume that he is short on girls?" I couldn't help but roll my eyes as Dad kept on flaunting his virtues. I came out of my room and Dad started his verbal torture.

Okay, I knew this was not as bad as I was making it out to be. It's not like Harris was a nobody. He was handsome, rich, well settled, had a medical degree and even cleared USMLE. The perfect, ideal bundle! But he was not what I wanted, you know? Me?? We were talking about me, right? My marriage? My life? MY luck?

Ugh! Any other normal girl would’ve been on the seventh heaven, I was sure and rightfully so. But why would nobody consider, what I wanted?

"Oh, they are here." Dad cried out, at the sound of doorbell and my head fell back in frustration, as I stood up and marched back to my room, making clicking sounds in my 5 inches heels. Waiting till summoned for an audience.

But before I could make it to my room, I saw him.

Rayyan.

Our eyes met, only for the briefest second before we both had turned away, rolling our eyes in sheer exasperation.

The fudge is he doing here?? Ugh! Well, it's like they say, misery loves company. Heck, why should I be the only one to suffer?

I came out a while later when the time was right, or so Mum liked to put it and went around greeting everyone, starting from Uncle Zia to Auntie Ruksana and grunting a Salam to the jerk face Rayyan who didn't even look up from his cell phone.

Why is he even here?! He should be back home, in the UK?!

"We thought it would be better if Harris was to come later after everything was decided." Uncle said, explaining his absence. Not that I cared, but I still extended the corners of my lips slightly, in an expression of the contrary.

"No, actually that's how it's done in our families. This is the right way." Dad added to his comments. That’s when I raised my eyes and accidentally looked at him. He was the most ill-mannered and annoying person I've had the misfortune to come across.

But he does clean up pretty good.

I thought, glancing away.

The rest of the night was spent on nonsense chatter, lots and lots and a bit more of Harris's accomplishments, inquiries about my house job and occasionally directed at Rayyan.

"We told him to pursue medical career like Harris, but he didn't comply." Uncle said and I squirmed uncomfortably in my seat, knowing all to well, how this was going to proceed.

"Well, it's alright as long as that's what our kids want. It's their happiness for which we go through all this trouble." Dad replied and I was like, really Dad? Really?

"He has never cared about anyone but himself. Even after everything we do for him, he has never made any contribution --" Uncle went on and on and I gaped at him stunned. I mean, this is not the first time Uncle had done this, but still!

I stole a glance at Rayyan but he remained unfazed, typing away on his phone.

Okay, I agree Uncle that he is a brat! And I can't even comprehend half of what you guys have been through because of him; but publicly insulting him—?!

I didn't realize I was still staring at him, until he looked up. Before I could turn away, he shot me a glare and then left to take a call.

My face felt flushed as I realized what had just happened. Shoot. He must have thought that I was pitying him! Oh God. Ugh!

-------------------

The night ended peacefully after that little incident with the engagement date decided a week later. The marriage would take place less than a year from now, after I was done with my house job and Harris got a break from his residency program.

I might’ve been going along with this charade for now, but only because nothing was going to happen before the year ended and by that time, I would have already escaped abroad. There won't be much then, that my parents or anyone else for that matter could do and I would finally be free!

----------------

It was just 2 days until the engagement day. All preparations had been done. Mum had even got me a new bridal dress for the event. Everything was going perfectly fine, sadly. But until it wasn't.

Uncle had called dad, just today and told him that Harris had gone back to the US. He didn't want to marry me. Turned out, he had a beau back there and guess what, she was an INDIAN muslim. Oh my God! The blasphemy!

So, long story short. The marriage is *drum rolls* cancelled!! Thank you—Thankyou—Oh Allah!

However, it was only me who was benefitting from this.

Now, while Dad and Mom get busy spending their time looking for their next victim, I could proceed with my plans to leave here. And finally be free!

....Was my wishful thinking, until I had come home to find out the most outrageous thing.

"What?" I asked again, in hopes that I had misheard her.

"There's no other choice and they are pressuring us into this. You know that they have been our friends for so long. Ending things would harm us more than them, both personally and professionally. Plus Rayyan isn't a bad choice at all. He's got a law degree from Cambridge, is well settled in UK and has a big portion of Hamdani shares to his name. Also, he is closer to your age right? I think 4 years gap." I gaped at Mom silently, unblinking through this whole thing.

"Okay?" She asked sweetly, turning to meet my gaze.

Okay, you say? Like you even care about what I want? You know what, Mom? NO. No, its NOT okay!! Okay!??

—Was what I wanted to say. Instead, I could only gape at her stunned before turning on my heel to make a run for it.

I couldn't calm down. My brain felt like someone had set it on fire.

No. This can't happen. No.

My mind screamed as I ran down the stairs and got into the car. Steering away, I dialled his little sister's number.

"Hello? Hania? Yeah, can I get Rayyan's number? Yeah, right now. No, everything's fine. Yeah, ok. Bye."

Driving the car to a halt. I called him.

"Hello?" His husky voice sounded on the other side.

“It’s Zaira. Can we meet?”

"It's Zaira. Can we meet?" I asked without thinking. I didn't care anymore about what I was doing. I just knew I was pissed off. He paused, not saying anything for a while.

"Where?" I told him the address to a cafe nearby and then went ahead to wait for him. It had been 15 minutes, when he came in. I took in his ruffled look and leather jacket but was too pissed off to think about anything else. He spotted me easily and had a serious look on, as he took a seat across from me.

"I am assuming you know the whole story by now." He spoke smoothly, the British accent evident in his voice.

"Call off this marriage." I remarked plainly. His expressions didn't falter. Instead, he had looked away as the waiter came and ordered himself an Espresso. He looked at me, waiting for me to order but I had turned my eyes away.

"One hot cocoa, please." He said instead and when I turned to him he was giving me a cold, hard look.

"So?" I asked. He narrowed his eyes at my inquisition.

"So? Well then let me ask, why?" He returned evenly.

Ughh! I hate this! I hate this dude! And I hate having this conversation with him!

Gulping down my real thoughts, I exhaled a sigh, clasped my hands in front of me on the table and grabbed as many wits as I could.

"Look. I know that you are about as much interested in having this conversation or this marriage for that matter, as I am." At my this sentence he relaxed and sat back with a slight smile.

"And, how exactly are you so sure, that I am not interested?" He asked challenging. Suddenly I wasn't all that pissed off. My anger was somehow replaced by this annoyance.

Before I could say anything, the waiter had come back with our order. He took his espresso and pushed the other towards me. I looked at him through narrowed eyes but he didn't take any notice of me.

"Okay. Let's cut to the chase. I am not interested in this marriage, okay? I didn't care to marry your brother either." He took a sip of his drink and tilted his head to a side, beckoning me to go on.

"So, call off this marriage." I ended satisfied and waited for his reaction. His hand carrying the drink to his mouth stopped midway and he placed it down. Looked up and gave me a long hard look.

"You know, what your problem is, Zaira?" He asked me, like you asked a kid for his dream. I ignored the fact that he even remembered my name. Truthfully, we had the worst; THE WORST, history. At least, on my part and I wouldn't be lying if I said that I had made serious efforts to erase that distasteful memory from my life. This might actually be the first time, we were having a heart to heart.

"You are daddy's spoilt little princess." He said it with venom and I was taken aback.

"You demand these things of people, like they owe it to you. But, I see no reason as to why I should care about what you want? Why don't you ask daddy to get you out of this mess too? After all, that's the only—" He was saying but stopped all of a sudden. I had to blink to get rid of tears pooling in my eyes. His face showed surprise and guilt but I was done. I was so done today.

Getting up, I gathered my things and turned to leave but stopped midway.

"I understand where you are coming from and you have no obligations towards me or my reasons...but, there really was no need to be a jerk about it."

"Zaira—" He called out urgently, after coming to stand infront of me.

"I guess, after all there was some truth to the rumours." I said with quivering lips. His face hardened when I said this. I didn't want to say it, but I have had enough today.

I didn't wait after that and left. I was so done with today but the night was still long.

——————————

I had only just now left the cafe and was still on the road, driving aimlessly; knowing anything is better then going to what's waiting for me at home. Plus, I needed to let off some steam.

As I was contemplating this, I got a call from Saira. Why was I even surprised? Knowing all too well what she was about to give me a lecture on, I didn't bother attending the call. When I did this, she started bombarding me with text messages, one of them saying this,

"Can you stop overreacting for once?! For God sake, Zaira! You are worrying Mom and Dad!"

Apart from this, the siblings group was overflowing. Everyone had an opinion on how selfish and careless I was acting and should stop being a brat for once.

Nice. Nice.

So, I did what I always do when I was extremely pissed off. Shut people out. Switching off my phone, I drove to my favourite ice cream place. Sat there for a while, eating my chocolate gelato and staring at people.

When it had been an hour, I drove back home. Too bad that everyone was up and ready to bash me.

"Where the hell were you! Is this the time to get home?! And why was your phone switched off?! If this is how you are going to act then from today onwards you are not going anywhere! Just sit at home! Enough with your studies!" Dad chastised full on and my heart beat caught up with me. But as I was so done today, I wasn't too affected by it.

Gulping down my tears, I went ahead and kept the keys on the table, all the while dad was still talking/shouting at me. Mum didn't tone him down, instead stood with him and encouraged him here and there.

"ZAIRA! I am talking to you!" Dad shouted and I froze in my place for a moment, before turning to him slowly and responding in a small voice.

"I know, Dad." I said this with tears stinging the corner of my eyes, to catch him gape at me stupefied. I had never behaved this way with them before in my whole life and I was not proud of it either, but I was so done today.

Following this, I took quick steps and went upstairs to my room. Crashing on my bed face down, I covered my eyes with my hand but tears still managed to seep through the slits between my fingers.

I am so done, oh Allah. Just so done.

------------------

The next morning, I left earlier than usual. Didn't want to piss off Papa bear first thing in the morning.

So, as usual I was going through my shift until I realized that I had forgotten to turn back my phone on.

Oops. Silly me. Got so caught up in wrecking havoc.

When I turned it back on, the only thing that caught me by surprise were his calls. One missed call last night and two—this morning? Wait, what?

What the heck does he want now?! That—! I was mentally abusing him, when my gaze fell on his text message.

"I am waiting, outside your hospital. Call me when you get this."

What...the..?

It was timed three hours ago. I looked at my screen skeptically; recalling his words from last night.

"You are daddy's spoilt little princess. You demand these things of people, like they owe it to you. But, I see no reason as to why I should care about what you want."

A sudden feeling of gloom swept over me and I turned my phone to silent instead of returning his calls.

He must have left by now. I thought in attempts to bail out of feeling guilty.