CHAPTER 13

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'Ma'am...your tickets to Indore' Mr. Kapoor says placing an envelope at my desk. I smile

'And the address?' I ask

Mr. Kapoor nods smiling, his like a father figure to me and by now he knows me very well. He can very well decode my moods and emotions.

Mr. Kapoor is about to leave when my cabin door flung open. I stand up straight, my eyes widen as I look at Aamir standing there. He is looking deranged. I gulp.

He charges towards me, before anyone could react he held my arm. I wince

'Who the hell are you? And who let you in?' Mr. Kapoor says defensively. Aamir ignores him and keeps glaring at me murderously like he will eat me alive. Mr. Kapoor tried to separate us but Aamir's grip only tightened. My eyes started to well up with tears as his nails dig into my skin.

'I am calling the security' Mr. Kapoor panics, he picks up the landline but Aamir was quick for him. With his free hand Aamir snatched the phone from Mr. Kapoor and slammed it down.

'I am her fiancé; you stay out' he growls at Mr. Kapoor but Mr. Kapoor stands on his ground.

'Mr. K...Kapoor...leave...'I manage to say, Aamir is hurting me too much and I want Mr. Kapoor to leave so that I can free myself. Thank goodness my cabin is sound proof as the entire office would have known what is happening here.

Mr. Kapoor was hesitant but he obliged. He quickly left the cabin shutting the door. Once he left, Aamir push me, I stumble back almost tripping over my chair.

'You slu...'

'Watch your language, Aamir...this is my office' I say equally angry. No one can just come in and start calling me names in my office, or anywhere.

'Oh really' he says and leaps forward grabbing my throat. I almost choked

'I should have known...girls like you...CEO and all...I am sure you reached here with your special talent, right' he says angrily; I saw fury in his eyes. I am scared of his anger and disgusted with his accusation.

'I know...you have been sleeping around...I wonder if it is before we were engaged or after...'he snarls

And that was it for me, I gathered my strength; no one taints my self-respect. I push him hard, he stumbles back.

Without thinking I slapped him, and I slapped him hard. He is shocked at my audacity. This angered him more, he grabs my hand, turns me around twisting my arm. I wince.

'You will slap me? how dare you' he says twisting my arm harder. I didn't care about any of his nonsense and stamped on his feet. He winces

'I am not any bechari girl you can harass; understand...and how dare you? how dare you accuse me like that...you bloody psycho' I yell

'I will not spare you...you' he held my hand and pulled me closer. He looks at me and I stare back, directly into his eyes.

My eyes held no fear and that proved to me my strength. Aamir's hold on my hand loosened. He realized he can't show me his brawn power and scare me. So he manipulated me emotionally

'I will tell your parents...I tell them that their darling princess is sleeping around here in Mumbai' he says

I simply look at him and folded my arms across my chest and look at him calmly.

'I came to India two days back, I thought I will surprise you...but instead you surprised me. I have been calling you, texting you and you are avoiding me saying you are busy...I called your landlord, Mr. Mehta he revealed it to me that you have a boyfriend...you left in the morning and returned late in the night and that too drunk.... I will tell all...I will expose you'

At first I thought he is bluffing but when he gives the details I am worried. I also mentally decide to murder Mr. Mehta. But what if Aamir does tell my parents, what will I do then? But then I realized he will not do anything like that if...

'Go on and tell...in fact call now...I am dialling...'I say taking out my phone and forwarding it to him. I secretly prayed that he doesn't take the phone, I am just shooting arrow blindly hoping that he realizes that I am not scared of his threats.

The plan worked, he comes to me and hugs me tight. I am taken aback but I quickly compose myself. I didn't hug him back.

'I am sorry...I didn't know what got into me...please...forgive me' he says in his fake pleading tone. I roll my eyes.

The door opens and Mr. Kapoor enters along with Arham. Mr. Kapoor thought Arham could save me from Aamir and hence he got him here. But what Mr. Kapoor doesn't know is that I am my own knight in shining armour.

Arham looks at me and then at Aamir, we both are dishevelled. He doesn't say anything just keeps looking at us.

Aamir smiles awkwardly, 'Some misunderstanding happened, but we are sorted now' he says and smiles at me. He leans in and kissed my cheek, I cringe.

He looks at Arham and Mr. Kapoor and walks out of the cabin.

'Ma'am are you alright?' Mr. Kapoor says concerned. I look at Arham, he looks away and leaves. I shouldn't have let Aamir kiss me. What Arham must be thinking?

*

My plane landed in Indore on time. I took a cab to my hotel, it isn't far away from the airport. I quickly checked in. I am excited as well as nervous. I will be meeting Nooren after a long time. I wonder how she will be looking now. When we were teens she was the most beautiful girl I have seen, she had given me a lot of inferiority complex but I am not concerned about that now.

I wonder if she has gained weight after child birth.

I rested for one hour, I didn't want to be too late else it will look awkward. Will she recognize me?

I took a hot shower and dressed myself in Lavender full sleeve top and Denim jeans. I combed my hair and tied it in a neat French braid.

I reached Nooren's bungalow, it is half an hour cab ride from my Hotel. I stand in front of the main gate, there is a black nameplate with MR. IBRAHIM SHAH ALI inscribed in golden letters. An old man comes to me; he is dressed in watch men suit so I assume him to be the watch man.

'Yes?' he asks

'I am Nooren's friend. I want to meet her' I say. The watchman looks at me and nods his head opening the gate. I am relieved he didn't ask my details and go inform this to Nooren, I feared she won't meet me if she knew I am here.

I enter the bungalow, there is a well mowed lawn, there is a swing to my left and a pathway leading towards the house.

The main door is open; I peep in and knock the door. Soon enough I see her. She comes out looking confused. I look at her and my mouth drop opens. She is looking even more gorgeous than she did back in school. She is dressed in Green long Kurtha and black churidar. Her light brown hair reaches till her waist and is curled at the ends. Her eyes adorned with black kohl making her eyes look really attractive. She is wearing small golden earrings and a tiny cute diamond nose pin. She still gives me inferiority complex.

'Who are you?' she asks looking at me. I am happy that she didn't recognize me.

'Hey Nooren' I say smiling, she didn't recognize my voice too

'Yes?' she shrugs

I smile 'It's me, Zahra...the fatso' I say happily

She is stunned, I notice the colour change from her beautiful face. She frowns

'What do you want?' she says folding her arms across her chest.

'Won't you invite me in?' I say smiling. Seeing her face again I am reminded how much I hate her.

She rolls her eyes and turns 'come in' she says walking in and I follow.

The living room is as posh as the outside of the bungalow. I am sitting in a white leather sofa resting my hand on a wooden arm rest. Nooren comes in from the kitchen followed by a maid carrying a tray with a glass filled with water. I look around

'What are you looking for?' she asks eyeing me suspiciously

I look at her and take the glass of water the maid had just forwarded me.

'I was hoping to see Irum' I say

This came as another surprise for Nooren 'Arham has sent you here?' she asks immediately. I take a sip and shake my head sideways.

'No...No...'

I then narrated what Arham had said me, I also added that Arham is miserable without Irum. Nooren looks at me and I could sense her discomfort.

She stands up 'Why are you meddling in our business...why can't you stay away from Arham. You have caused so much trouble for us...You (she points a finger at me) are the reason why me and Arham aren't together, you bloody fatso' she says angrily.

I stand up to, I am shocked with her tone. What is she blabbering? I, how am I the reason. I wasn't even there in the picture.

I couldn't say anything so I managed to mouth 'I'

'Yes, you. I had always loved Arham...always... (she takes a deep breath and calms herself, she then continues softly)

When we were seven I had seen him for the first time and I instantly liked him. In school he always used to hang around with me because I was the only one he knew. I loved his attention, I enjoyed his company. I was deeply and madly in love with him. Everything was going good and then you came along. I was surprised seeing him befriending you and Gunjan. We fought many times on this, I still don't get what he saw in a fatso like you... (she looks at me with disgust) I saw him going away from me. I was the only one who knew about his family and knew how disturbed he was because of it. But then with you I saw a different Arham and I didn't like the closeness you both shared. That day I heard you confess your love for him. Honestly I laughed at your stupidity that you thought he will love you back, but apparently, I was the stupid one.

Arham was disturbed after that and kept his distance from you thinking he gave you some sort of wrong signal. I had decided to take revenge...to show you your true worth and I saw this as a perfect chance to create a misunderstanding between you both. When you had confessed your love for him, I panicked that Arham might have fallen in love with you too subconsciously, because I saw him change. At any cost, I couldn't afford that. I asked Ibrahim's help, he and the boy gang cornered Arham. They dared him to kiss you but he plainly refused because he didn't want to hurt your feelings. So, the boys began teasing him...challenging his ego. I had asked the boys to ask him to just hug you but they wanted to spice it up (Nooren rolls her eyes) Arham was a tough nut to crack, but after all he was a sixteen-year-old naïve young boy he caved in to all the pressure.

He didn't know I had send my friend, Heena, to click photos. I didn't want Arham's name dragged in this so I asked her to click the photo such that Arham isn't seen....and I was the one who put up the posters and published the whole thing.... Till date Arham doesn't know this' She finishes.

By the time she completes my mouth is wide open with shock. It was Nooren's dirty trick to separate me and Arham...

Nooren looks away and then back at me 'I didn't know you will be kicked out and Arham will slip into depression. He tried contacting your best friend, running behind her like a puppy. It pained me to see him this way, then when nothing was working he became a psycho. He reached your home to apologize to you but to my luck you all had shifted. Arham had taken u turn, he kept holding himself responsible for everything and drowned himself in guilt... (I noticed Nooren's eyes getting moist, she gulps and continues) he started locking himself in his room...then he...started to hurt himself...cutting his wrist and all...those cuts were deep. He was hospitalized but he kept on attempting to hurt himself. He had told me once that he wanted to die because he has failed as friend, he was terribly guilty. He was numb, it started affecting his studies...all the time he kept asking me to somehow contact you so he could apologize.

I couldn't bear his condition but I couldn't afford you and him patching up either, I feared you will forgive him and you might make him fall in love with you again. I don't understand what you have done to him, the only person he could think of was you.... you and only you. It annoyed me, and when we married I thought things will get better. But it didn't.... At first I thought he will move on from you, from the guilt but he never did and I couldn't see him this way. Always I had to make him feel guilty for not loving me, for not giving me a husband's love, only that way he would get intimate with me. That too looked like a huge task for him (She rolls her eyes again folding her arms across her chest)

Then Irum happened and I thought things will be back on track, but it never did. He even says your name in his sleep. Eventually as a wife I couldn't bear it. Also I had such a carefree life, I could spend as much money as I want but Arham...he was always stingy...

Then I met Ibrahim and he confessed he loves me and want me in his life, he is ready to accept me with Irum. He had everything I wanted, money and also was of my standards and plus point unlike Arham, Ibrahim loves me. I love Arham a lot but apparently he doesn't...I couldn't divorce Arham because that way I would have lost the alimony, I wanted the money as backup for Irum. Unlike you I am a simple housewife... I dedicated my life and career for Arham but....'

I look up at Nooren, should I be happy or should I be sad? I wonder

Nooren looks at me 'He doesn't realize it and won't accept it neither but I know... I have known him more closely than he knows himself...I know he loves you...I wonder what he saw in you' she says giving me another disgusted look.

I keep looking at her speechless 'I always wanted Arham to love me, I wanted to see myself in his eyes but I couldn't...when we were teens I saw that love in his eyes...but for you...That is why I hated you and that is why I hate you even now' Nooren spat.

I see her eyes turn dark. She still hates me? Why? Because Arham loves me. Is it my fault or Arham's, it is neither of ours. It is Nooren's fault to have kept clinging onto Arham even though she knew he didn't love her, then how can she blame him for not keeping her happy?

I stand up 'Nooren, you know why Arham could never love you...it's because you never gave him any reason. Honestly, you don't deserve his love. You ruined his life and yours and also poor Irum's who has nothing to do with all this. Nooren, I am sorry to say but your love for Arham is selfish. If you really loved him you would have let him go, like I had done.' I pause, Nooren is looking furious

'I love Arham...and I don't mind if he doesn't love me back because my love is selfless, I want to see him happy. And for that I can do anything.' I say confidently

Nooren rolls her eyes 'He has wronged you so much yet you love him...he married me...he has a daughter with me...yet you love him? I don't understand' she says shaking her head

I smile 'of course, you won't understand because my love for him is above all this.... jealousy...ego...it's above all. I love him unconditionally and thank you...thank you for doing what you did, this way at least I got to spend some beautiful moments with Arham...and you know what...not even for one minute...one second...I felt that he was pretending...it was all real...subconsciously he had fallen in love with me and all thanks to you, else we would have remained just friends...and I also owe you half the credit in making me who I am now...so a big thank you' I say smiling, I hugged Nooren. She is taken aback and didn't hug me back.

I agree Arham has done a mistake, but who doesn't make mistakes. And for a sixteen-year old with a shattered family I am amazed he stayed strong for one week, when he had been avoiding me.

I recollect his statement he had said when we were at Juhu beach "You will hate me more", but in reality I don't hate him. I remembered him warning me of coming close to him, he still fears he might hurt me. He is still traumatized, the fact is, that incident left a bigger scar in his life than mine.

He has realized his mistake and wants to repent. He has tortured himself enough. I am going to free him from his guilt and bring happiness back in his life. No matter what he did to me, he doesn't deserve this. For ten years he is living in his guilt, in misery and loneliness.

I guess that is enough punishment for him. Now it's time for him to be free.

On the bright side, He loves me...oh my God...oh my God...he loves me. I mentally slap myself for being so insensitive right now.

Nooren married him thinking she has won over me, her ego is satisfied but in reality she lost even though she won...because Arham loves me and not her. With this realization I am no longer feeling bad on the thought of Arham marrying Nooren.

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