Author's note:

Today! It had been a year since I tapped a Publish button and started the journey I myself didn't would come this far.

16 August 2020, I still remember the time! It was 10:33 pm. My trembling hands, and increased heartbeat was the proof of my fear, fear of rejection! But you guys made it beautiful. I still remember how much I shared my story...even more than I would write. Thank you sooooo much to all of the readers...who comments, votes and silent readers too...I love ya all...thank you so much for being with me on this roller coaster ride. It wasn't possible without you guys...thank you so much❤

Here is a token of love on this book's anniversary🥺

P

.s: This chapter is unedited as I wanted to publishe it today...and is only the first part of Ali and Ramsha.

××××××××××

Ramsha was Zara & Hoor's Mama's(uncle's) daugter. She just came here and was now making her way to the room which Zara told her was on third floor.

"Yaaar left tha ya right?" She mumbled to herself. "Right hi tha. Left me nahi hoga." She said and stepped towards third room in the corridoor.

Entering the room she fell on the bed dramatically. Sinking in the room in process.

"Hayeee life ho to aisi. Guest room bhi kitna acha hai. Sabko separate. Lekin ye thoda ladko wala color hai. Iske jagah..." She went in thinking mode. She stood up and began to check the room but startled when the bathroom door opened and fresh masculine scent engulfed her. She inhaled deeply feeling pleasant & turned around only to get biggest shock of her life.

Ali stepped out of the washroom in just trousers. His hairs dishelved. Water dripping from his hairs to his toned abs. Before her gaze would make their way downwards she shrieked and turned around abruptly.

"Astagfirullah. Astagfirullah."

Ramsha began to chant.

Ali was shocked at first to find a girl in his room roaming around freely as if she was the owner. And currently was looking at him with her jaws drop open. He got out of his trance when she shouted and turned around. He quickly took his shirt from the cupboard and wore it.

"Ahmm. You can turn around." She turned around with her hands on her face and peeked through her fingers to confirm if he is dressed or not. Clearing her throat she dropped her hands and started fiddling with her fingers.

"Ap?" He asked wanting to know what was she doing here.

"Wo...wo...ma...mai...wo...Fa...Fajar ne ye...room...bataya...tha..." she was badly stuttering and pausing between her words.

"Konsa room kaha tha?" He asked.

"Third floor pr right me fourth room." She said looking down.

"Iska matlab ap meri padosan hai." She looked at him confused. "Mera matlab ye third room hai iske bad wala hai APKA room." He said concentrating on 'apka'.

"I am sorry..." she trailed off looking at him.

He shook his head, smiling. Amused at her behaviour. "Koi baat nahi." Ali stepped towards her a little.

"Waise bhi mera room itna haseen isse pehle kabhi nahi laga." He said tilting his head little to the right looking keenly at her.

Her eyes widened at his statement. She looked at him with opened mouth.

"I...I...I should go." She nearly whispered. Picking her hand purse she went towards the door but stopped at his voice.

"Suniye..." He called her. She stopped but didn't turned around. "Aisehi ronak lagate raha kariye. Is kamre ko ap jaise chand k chehre ki zarurat hai."

Ramsha blushed furiously at his choice of words. How effortlessly he flirted with her using her name's meaning. Without looking back sensing his intense gaze she stepped out of the room.

Ali could only stare at the place where she stood few minutes ago. Smile was adorning his face. He couldn't grasp what happened few minutes ago. He sure was smitten by her. He closed his eyes for a second only to see her image imprinted on his heart.

Chuckling softly he stepped towards dressing table to get ready.

××××××××××

Hamza was standing in Ali's room's gallery. He was just standing idoly waiting for Ali to come out of the washroom so that he can use it. He was sharing room with Ali as his was occupied with guests. He turn around to go inside but stopped when he saw Ramsha standing on adjacent balcony looking curiously at him.

He looked back to see if anyone was standing behind him but no one was there. So he looked at her with narrowed eyes copying her expressions.

"Mohtarmaaa..." he called out to her loudly. "Koi jinn winn dekh liye kya?" He asked controlling his laugh.

She startled at his comment. Recognising his voice. He sure wasn't Ali, she concluded. But seeing Hamza's expression played along with him. "Haa wo tumhare piche khada hai." She said pointing towards him.

His eyes widened, looking horrified he didn't dared to look back. Thinking for the solution he started to recite Ayatal-kursi.

Ali who just came out of the washroom heard the commotion outside and stepped towards his brother. His eyes widened seeing Ramsha controlling her laughter on Hamza's condition and Hamza was shaking with fear.

He kept his hand on Hamza's shoulder to get him back to reality when he shrieked loudly "aaaaaaaaaaa..." causing him stumble a little.

"Hamzaaaa hosh ma aa mai hu tera bhai." He began to shake him profusely while clutching his shoulders tightly.

Hamza at once came to reality seeing his brother. But that stupid was still shaking him uncontrollably.

"Areee haaa bhaaaai agayaaaaa mai hosh me." He shouted making him stop. Ramsha laughed out loudly at their drama. Both of their heads turned to her causing her to control.

"Tumm. Yaha kya kar rahi ho?" Ali enquired.

"Wo...wo mai to bass..." she trailed off not wanting to tell him that she wanted to just catch his glimpse.

"Wo mai to bas kya hah?" He encouraged her dramatically.

Ramsha got furious hearing his teasing voice.

"Mai mere room me hu. Tumhe kya?" She raised her voice.

"Ooohhh. But last time I saw, this was your room." Ali pointed towards his room, Hamza long forgotten in background.

She blushed at his comment.

"That was a misunderstanding." She stated looking away.

"But very beautiful though." Ali completed her sentence.

"Wait...wait...wait a minute. Break lagao zara. Yeh chal kya raha hai." They both startled at Hamza's voice who was looking at them with amused raised eyebrow.

"Kuch nahi. Tujhe washroom use karna tha na. Ja kar." Ali dismissed him.

"Nahi show start ho gaya hai. Ab to pura dekh kar hi jaunga." Hamza casually sat on the chair nearby.

Ali looked at him angrily.

"Waise kab se chal raha hai ye sab? Ammi ko bataya ya nahi k unki 1 bahu mil gayi hai." He said winking at Ramsha whose jaw touched the ground hearing his statement. She turned around & went inside with colors rosed to her cheeks.

Ali smiled at her form & turned around only to witness Hamza's teasing expression.

"To? Kab se chal raha hai ye sab?" He enquired like a detective.

"Kuch nahi chal raha. Tu ja na bhot zor ki lagi thi na. Ab ja." Saying this Ali pulled him off the chair and pushed him inside the room and turned around smiling as Ramsha's blushing face flashed in front of his eyes.

"You are in loooooveeeeeeee." Ali flinched when Hamza shouted in his ear & again ran away to the bathroom. He shook his head at his brother's antics.

×××××××××

Ali dragged Ramsha to one of the corners to hide.

"Mera hath to chode." She said once they were in secluded area.

Ali raised his hands in surrender.

"To?"

"To?..." She asked back making him chuckle.

She looked away blushing.

"Ye kaisi feeling hai Ramsha? Ye dil ka tumhara naam zor zor se chillana. Ye aankho ka tumhe dekhne k liye tarasna. Ye dimag ka tumhare khayal me dube rehna. Ye kya hai Ramsha?" She looked away from his piercing eyes.

"Jaa rahi ho?" He asked again not getting any answer.

She just nodded in return.

"Mujhe miss karogi?" He asked with hope.

"Ap karege?"

"Bhot zada." He stated in a blink.

"Mai intezar karungi apka." She replied instead. "Zada der mat laga dena." With tears pooling her eyes she stated.

"Hey. Tum ro kyu rahi ho? Mai sirf tumhara hu Ramsha. Or tum sirf meri ho." Ali said not knowing what to say seeing a girl he loved crying in front of him.

"Then why it feels like we won't meet again?" She asked while wiping her tears.

"It won't be last time Ramsha. I won't live you ever. You are the first girl that caught my eye. The first girl I fell in love with." He said with determination. "We will meet again. Soon. In sha allah."

Saying he wiped her tears not able to control himself.

"4th Aliiii." They flinched at Haider's voice & moved away.

"Oo. Oooh. Sorry. Sorry. Sorry to disturb." Ali glared at him.

"Waise ho kya raha tha. Hayeee." He exclaimed seeing Ramsha's red eyes.

"Abhi se rula raha hai bhabi ko. Badtameez." Haider smacked Ali's head & again turned to Ramsha.

"Bhabi mujhe bataye kya kiya hai is nikamme ne maine isko hamari nani na yaad dilayi to mera naam bhi Haider nahi." Ramsha blushingly looked away when he called her "bhabi".

"Chup kar." Ali took the revenge by slapping his head. "Bakwas kara lo bas isse. Ja jakar pani le kar aa." Ali dismissed his brother.

××××××××××

A: Hello beautiful😉

R: Hii...

A: Kya hua? Mood off hai?

R: Nahi to? Aisa kyu laga apko?

A: Bas pata chal gayi apke dil ki baat...

R: Ap mere dil ki baat kabhi nahi samajh sakte...

A: aise kyu keh rahi ho?

R: I think we should stop talking like this...It is not right...

A: Umm...Yes! But I can't even sleep without talking to you😾

R: But we should keep our distance before marriage...

A: Okay! I would do anything for you!

R: Allah hafiz.

Ramsha felt her heart shatter at her own actions. Rather than facing the situation, she was running away from it. She should have informed him about the situation she was facing here.

On the other side, Ali was feeling anxious reading their conversation again and again. Something was off! He could detect it, but what? He couldn't point out. Why would she want to stop talking to him, when she was okay till now?

Shaking his thoughts away, taking it as his assumptions, he turned off the lights and layed down to welcome uncomfortable sleep that night.

××××××××××

"Mishu?" Ramsha startled at her father's voice while having breakfast.

"Ji Baba?" She asked faking her smile with perfection.

"Kya socha hai apne rishte ke hawale se?" Ramsha's face paled at his question. She looked at her mother, but she was too smiling at her expecting her answer.

Was this the end of her love? Was this right for her? Was this what was left for her? How will Ali react, once he will recieve this information? But was it all greater than her parent's happiness?

Weighing all the cons and pros she couldn't decide what to say. But why would she reject the proposal? She will need some good reason...and confessing her love to her parents wasn't even an option...

"Baba jaise ap behtar samjhe..." saying she was about to leave the table and run to her room after seeing her parent's beaming faces, but halted at her mother's voice.

"Acha beta baat sunna...Hooriya or Zaydan ki proper shaadi ho rahi hai. Agle saturday, ham niklege directly Ooty ke liye...koi shopping karni ho to usse pehle hi karlena." Barely controlling herself she nodded her head and ran to her room to let the water fall, finally!

She thought she would never confront him ever! She will get married, and will forget about him...but it seems that fate has something else in plan for her.

How will she face him? Knowing she wasn't his anymore!

××××××××××

"Assalamualaikum!" She greeted everyone in the vast living area of the venue where all of them were present.

After formal greetings and all, she was guided to her room by one of the workers. Going through hallways, she remembered the last time when she entered the wrong room...how time changes!

She had ignored Ali in all the ways possible, while he looked at her as if he had seen water after being thirsty for ages!

Only she knew, how much she controlled herself from turning around and taking just a glimpse. But she couldn't! For her own sanity, she couldn't!

For she knew, it won't be too long when he himself will confront her! And that was what happened!

××××××××××

"Ramsha ruko..." her steps halted at his voice.

Ali came running to her but she didn't turned around to look at him.

"Why are you ignoring me?" His husky voice sent chill down her spine but she didn't dared to look at his eyes.

"I am not." She whispered in the dark hallway.

"Yes. You are."

"No. Am not."

"YES. YOU ARE." He gritted pressing each letter making her to fiddle nervously. "Hey. Please tell me what happened. We can solve it together. Hmm?" He asked lovingly.

"Nothing happened." She said controlling the shiver in her voice.

"Ramsha." Ha called warningly.

"I am getting engaged. Thats what happened." She whispered shouted not wanting to create a scene at this time of night.

Ali stumbled at her words. He didn't expected her to say this.

"What are you saying? This is not some kind of joke." He said disbelievingly forcing out a laugh.

"Wallah I am not joking." She said now looking directly at his eyes indicating how serious the situation was. Ali's heart beat quickened with the fire in her eyes. He couldn't believe what she said.

"Ra..ramsha. But I love you. How can you marry someone else." He said desperately on the verge of crying stepping towards her but his steps halted when she took a step back.

"I won't deny my parents at any cost. Even if it means to sacrifice myself. You are late Mr. Ali. It would be better if we forget each other." He flinched at her foreign voice. She didn't looked like a same girl he met at Mirha's wedding. She was far away from that.

"And what about me? Huh? What about me Ramsha? You won't deny your parents because you love them right? Than what about me? Didn't you loved me?" He asked with broken voice. Ramsha looked away.

"It...it...was just an infatuation. We will get over it." She whispered looking away hiding her tears from him leaving Ali astonished at her sentence.

"What? You...you think it was an infatuation?" He asked disbelievingly. "Wah. Wah." He clapped his hands sarcastically in front of her face making her flinch. "It surely was infatuation from your side. But at least don't insult my feelings." Stabbing his forefinger at her shoulder harshly he pushed her slightly and taking last glance left her alone not trusting himslef of what he will do if he stood their just for a second more.

While Ramsha held the railing behind her for support. Tears finally made its way down her cheeks. She had to do this. She had to make him hate her, so that he can forget her at least. She can't deny her parents no matter if she had to die everyday.

××××××××××

Ali flinched from his sleep tiredly from the loud knock on his door. After his and Ramsha's conversation he slept quite late. And now early morning they were disturbing him.

Groaning sleepily he opened the door to come face to face with his idiotic brother with his idiotic smile.

"Kya hai yaar Hamza. Kyu subah subah sawar hua hai mere sir par?" He asked irritatedly.

"Headquarter se order aya hai. Meeting k liye bulaya hai tujhe jald se jald." Ali's eyes went wide hearing him.

"Kyu?"

"Pata nahi. Lekin tujhe bulaya hai sirf. Mujhe bhi nahi aane de rahe andar. Haider bhi andar hi hai."

It wasn't even fifteen minutes when Ali was standing before Shahana Begum freshly bathed with his hands behind his back. He looked at his parents and all the elders and than at Ramsha's parents who was sitting with an emotionless faces. Haider was leaned on window casually as if nothing happened. And Ramsha was sitting beside his Dadijan. He quickly averted his gaze as soon as their eyes met.

His thoughts were running wild. He didn't knew what happened. But his abnormal heartbeats indicated that whatever it was, it wasn't good.

"Dadijan apne bulaya?" He asked respectfully.

"Ha barkhurdar. Apki kuch harkate ham tak pahuchi hai jo bilkul nasaz hai." She looked pointedly at her grandson.

"Dadijan baat to bataye hua kya hai?" He asked afraid of what it is.

"Apko Ramsha pasand hai?" He was surprised at her sudden and direct question.

He spared a glance at his dushmane-jaan but she was looking down. He glanced at Haider who nodded at him assuringly and than took a glance towards his parents who just looked at him without any emotion.

"Ap befikar ho kar bole Ali. Kisi ke pressure me aane ki zarurat nahi hai." Zaydan's father said him assuringly sending a glare towards his brother who wasn't supporting his son.

"Ji." His reply was confident.

"Apne yeh baat hamse kyu nahi kahi?"

"Uski zarurat nahi hai Dadijan. Ramsha ko mai pasand nahi hu." He said painfully looking down breaking two hearts in a process. His and hers.

"Kya ye baat sahi hai Ramsha?" Ramsha looked at her parents with glossy eyes. Her mother assured her with her eyes while her father looked away.

"Nahi." Ali looked at her with shock evident on his face.

Shahana begum looked at Ali with raised eyebrow.

"Kya ap khush hai us rishte se?" She again asked referring to supoosed alliance.

"Meri khushi mere parents me hai. Wo jis me khush rahege mai bhi rehlungi." She just shrugged looking down. Her father turned her face to her with a jerk. His eyes containing surprise and pride for his daughter.

"To kya ap log ab bhi nahi chahte apni beti ki khushi?" Shahana begum was smiling at her reply turned to her parents.

"Hame thoda wakt de." Ramsha looked surprised at her father who just smiled reassuringly at her.

"Tum. Tumne kyu nahi bataya k tumhe Ramsha pasand hai?" Dadijan's smile turned to glare at her grandson.

"Mai pehle uske kabil banna chahta tha." He looked at his father yet again who held satisfaction on his face for his own upbringing making his heart to swell with happiness.

"Ap chahe to ham log officially rishta le kar aasakte hai apke ghar." His father turned to her's.

"Formality ki zarurat nahi hai bhai. Hame manzur hai rishta." Her mother couldn't hold her excitement. "Or rahi baat wo rishte ki to ham mazrat kar lenge." Saying she got up and hugged Sumayya(Ali's mother) saying congratulations followed by everyone.

Ali couldn't move from his position. He froze listening to her future mother-in-law's words. He came out of his shock when his father hugged him and numerous congratulations followed.

"Thank you Dadi." At last he came to his Dadi because of whom this was possible. He kneeled down in front of her making Ramsha's breath to hitch as she was sitting right next to her.

"Mujhe nahi Haider ko thank you bol. Usi ke wajah se hua hai." He looked at Haider who at once came to explanation.