"Mama please I don't want to go there."Asmara repeated this hundereth time,trying to covince her mother that she does not want to attend reception.

"You will definitly go."Her mother announced.

"Mama...can I ask you something?"asked Asmara.

Her mother nodded.

"Mama...Mama why he didn't give me divorce.I mean he came yesterday morning and talked like it's our last meeting.So how he changed his decision?Asmara inquired with perplexed thoughts.

"He never wanted divorce,it was your baba's condition that if he wants to marry Aliya,he should divorce you first."

"So,he is not marrying her now?"Asmara questioned.

"No,he is not marrying her now because he has a beautiful wife,whom he doesn't want to leave."Shiza said cupping her face,kissing her forehead.

"So the problem was Hashim?That's why you didn't want to go?she inquired.

"No,Mama actually my hand...it's paining."Asmara said making puppy face.

"Nothing will happen to your hand and if you argue further then I'll ask Hashim to get you to the reception venue."her mother warned.

"No,no Mama i'll come,don't blackmail me anymore."Asmara replied.

"Good,now get ready.Sara is also getting ready.

"

"Hmm,okay Mama."

After an hour of getting ready,she looked into the mirror admiring herself.

Asmara's look👆

Sara came and hugged her saying"Api you are looking so beautiful and like a young lady not as a teenager."

"Is this a compliment Saru?"Asmara asked lifting her eyebrow.

"Yes my dear sis,so now you don't like my compliments because I guess you only like Hashim bhai's compliments...sorry I can't compliment you as N" Sara said mischievously.

"Sara,shut up or else I'll not talk to you,devil!"Asmara said hiding her blush.

Sara laughed"okay api no more teasings,let's go,we are getting late."

After reaching at venue all of them met Mr and Mrs.Ahmed.All of the ladies were talking when Aliya joined them.Asmara panicked seeing her there.

"Mama...I..I want to use restroom,just a minute, I'll come back."Asmara muttered slowly near her mother's ear and ran towards restroom with breathing deeply,increased heart beat,sweaty face and tear filled eyes,she was scared from Aliya very much scared!

Yesterdaywhen Wali told me about Asmara's condition,I got tensed thinking what happened to her,later on I took her home and bandaged her hand,it was not much burnt,but she cried like a baby.Her dress was spoiled too.I thought she poured soup on her hand.I gave her the dress.After changing she came out,she was looking more beautiful now.Her eyes are more beautiful after crying.

Later on,we headed to venue,it was time for rukhsati,I cried hugging Ayesha because I was sure that I'll miss her very much,my

best sister,my Ashu.

After her rukhsati,I don't feel like talking to anyone so I came home and slept.

Today I wanted to talk to Asmara because she was very confused about my behaviour.I'll make her mind clear.I was eagerly waiting for her to come but I couldn't find her anywhere.Aunty,Sara all were here but she is nowhere to be seen,where she have gone now?

I went towards Sara"Hi Sara!"

"Hi bhai,how are you?"She replied.

"I am good...umm Sara where is your api?"I asked her.

"She was with Mama and Aunty,let me see."she said and went to her mother and asked about Asmara,she told she went to restroom but 20 minutes earlier.

Sara told me afterwards,I got tensed thinking what happened to her today.

"Ok,let me see what she is doing,you go enjoy.."I said to Sara.

She nodded and went away.

I ran towards restroom,knocked the door.

"Y...yes!"her voice came for inside.

"Open the door and come out."I said.

She stayed quiet.

"Asmara,open the door or else I'll get spare keys to unlock it."

After a while the door opened,she was standing infront of me in a white floral dress exactly looking like a butterfly,full of colours!But her eyes,she was crying,her eyes were moist but why was she crying here alone?

"Why you were here and not in the hall?"I asked a bit rudely.

"Umm...mm..my han..hand was pai.."

"Don't lie Asmara,tell me the truth."I said cutting her lies in between."Come...sit here and tell me what is bothering you,why are you crying?"I said politely.

She sat on the couch looking downwards,fidgeting with her fingers,silently.

"We will talk later as you don't want to talk now but come outside in the hall."I said grabbing her hand.

"N..No,please I don't want..."saying this she started crying badly.

"Shh,calm down,calm down.I'll not force you but please don't cry Asmara,meri jan,don't cry.Just tell me what happened,I promise It will be our secret,I won't tell this to anyone else.Tell me please."

She held my hand while sniffing and asked"promise?"

I smiled a little and said"promise."

She started crying again.

"Al..Aliya Api,she...I am scared of her...she stares at me alot with bad eyes."she said while crying.

"If someone stares at you...you will get scared,may be they are praising and admiring you."I said.

"No,no she was not admiring.She was giving deadly evil stare,I can read eyes."Asmara said wiping her tears off of her cheeks.

"Oh,so my wife can read eyes!What a talent!tell me what's in my eyes?can you read them for me please?"I said looking in her eyes to divert her attention from Aliya.

She quickly lowered her gaze,her cheeks turned red,her heart beat was audible.

I smiled,I love to see her like this,all red from blushing.

I lifted her face holding her chin with my thumb and spoke up"look into my eyes and tell me what my eyes are saying?"

And she closed her eyes tightly...

I laughed inwardly at her childish behavoiur and kissed her cheek.She held my shoulder tightly clutching it.

"Open your eyes my dear wife because I don't trust you on your sleeping skills.I don't want you to sleep now."I said near her ear,lips touching her earlobe.

She instantly opened her eyes and left my shoulder and moved away saying"I..I am going in the hall."After that she ran away.

I stayed there thinking why she is so afraid of Aliya and what Aliya is going to do to her.

I'll talk to her at night,about the divorce matter and all the things.I thought and went to hall.

The whole time I saw Asmara she was either clinging to her mother or Sara and whenever Aliya came near her she ran away.Aliya did something to her and now I am hunderd percent sure about it.

The reception went well,at the the time when Ali Uncle's family was going to leave,I went to them,they bid goodbye to all of us and left.

So I lost the chance of talking to her today.

But I'll definitely talk to her tommorrow.I have to clear all misunderstandings to build trustworthy relation with her,she needs me.I'll be her support.I said to myself on my way home.

After seeing Aliya Api,I got scared and went to restroom and locked it.I was crying silently,after about 20 minutes,there was a knock on the door.

"Y...yes!"I said.

"Open the door and come out."Hashim said.

I stayed quiet.

"Asmara,open the door or else I'll get spare keys to unlock it."He warned.

After a while I opened the door,he was standing infront of me in a black tuxedo looking handsome.Oh Allah why I am thinking like this I mentally slapped myself.

But his eyes,he was tensed,but why was he tensed?

"Why you were here and not in the hall?"he asked rudely.

"Umm...mm..my han..hand was pai.."

"Don't lie Asmara,tell me the truth."he said cutting my lies in between."Come,sit here and tell me what is bothering you,why are you crying?"he asked politely.

I sat on the couch looking downwards,fidgeting with my fingers,silently.

"We will talk later as you don't want to talk now,but come outside in the hall."he said grabbing my hand.

"N..No..please I don't want..."saying this I started crying badly.

"Shh,calm down,calm down.I'll not force you but please don't cry Asmara,meri jan,don't cry.Just tell me what happened?I promise,It will be our secret,I won't tell this to anyone else.Tell me please."

I held his hand while sniffing and asked"promise?"

He smiled a little and said"promise."

I started crying again...

"Al..Aliya Api..I am scared of her.she stares at me alot with bad eyes."I said while crying.

"If someone stares at you,you will get scared,may be they are praising and admiring you."he said.

"No..no she was not admiring,she was giving deadly evil stare,I can read eyes."I said wiping my tears off of my cheeks.

"Oh,so my wife can read eyes!what a talent!tell me what's in my eyes?can you read them for me please?"He said looking into my eyes.

I quickly lowered my gaze,my cheeks turned red,my heart beat increased.Why he always do so,why my cheeks heat up always listening to his words.

He lifted my face holding my chin with his thumb saying"look into my eyes and tell me what my eyes are saying."

And I closed my eyes tightly and I felt his lips on my cheek.Oh Allah why he does so.I feel strange when he kisses me,strange yet good.

"Open your eyes my dear wife because I don't trust you on your sleeping skills.I don't want you to sleep now."he said near my ear,lips touching my earlobe.

I instantly opened my eyes and left his shoulder and moved away saying"I..I am going in the hall."After that I ran away.

In the entire event,I remained with either Sara or Mama.

After the reception when we were leaving,He came, we bid them goodbye but his eyes seems as if he wanted to say something.

We came home afterwards,I got a call from Sana,she was asking whether I am going to college tommorrow or not,she was angry with me.I will talk to her in college.She is my bestie afterall and I don't want to spoil our trustworthy friendship.

Dated 15 feb,2020.