Chapter-19 The Chaos Begins
Ayaan's POV
I woke up at the sound of loud banging on my door. And before I could respond Arhan barged into my room...
"Ayaanu wake up!" I looked at him frustrated as he spoilt my beautiful dream about Zuby. After coming back from her college I just fell asleep and was dreaming about her until Arhan interrupted. Without giving me a chance to say something he just pulled me up and made me sit on my bed. Only then I noticed he was tensed as he spoke again...
"I just came back from my shift and got a shocker for a lifetime..." there was silence and Arhan pinched between his brows and continued...
"Just now mom and dad told me that they fixed my marriage and I am getting married on Saturday which is day after tomorrow" I still couldn't understand what was going on...I mean seriously my parents can be a handful at times. First of all they fixed Arhan's marriage without even consulting him and secondly they have just ordered him to marry day after tomorrow. What the heck!!!
"Ayaan I am talking to you and you are lost in your thoughts...I am getting married to Zuby damn it....YOUR Zuby" that was something which made me stand up in shock...
"What are you saying???" I was so shocked that I could not process the piece of information given to me right now...
"How is it possible? I just met her today...I even spoke to Sagar, her friend. He didn't tell me about any changes in her wedding plans." Arhan looked at me while shaking his head and spoke in one breath...
"I don't know about what happened all I know is her uncle called dad and told him that the guy with whom earlier Zuby was getting married to is involved in some illegal activities because of which they have called off that marriage. Plus he also said that since he is a heart patient he does not want any delay in his niece Zuby's wedding. He requested mom and dad to let me and Zuby get married on Saturday, since it was the day when she was going to get married and all the arrangements are already done. And you know that mom and dad really liked Zuby that's why they agreed." Now this was something that rang alarms in my head...
"She was not getting married on Saturday; there is something seriously wrong over here. I just hope Zuby is fine...." running my hand through my hair I asked Arhan...
"I think I should call Sagar and ask him what is all this about. May be he knows. But shall I call Zuby first??" Arhan was quiet for a moment and then asked me to call Sagar saying...
"Zuby is still not aware of your feelings so you just can't straight away ask her everything right now. I guess it will be better you call Sagar." I picked up my mobile to dial Sagar but before that my mobile started ringing and I saw it was Sagar calling me. I received the call...
S: I need to talk to you about something important and I am coming to your house.
A: OK sure, I will be waiting.
With that Sagar hung up before I could say or ask anything else. I told Arhan that Sagar is already on his way to come and talk to me. Both I and Arhan were sure that Sagar also came to know about all this drama and is coming to meet me to talk about what can be done.
"You wait for Sagar till then I will go and change. I will join in a while" Saying this Arhan walked out of my room leaving me with my thoughts. Right now the only thing I want to know is that Zuby is fine. I have an idea that her uncle is not being honest about the reasons he gave for the wedding at such a short notice. But on one hand I am thankful to Almighty that this time Zuby's marriage is fixed with Arhan. We wouldn't have known anything if it was some other guy. The thought of losing Zuby again haunted me, just then I snapped out of my thoughts at my mobile's ringer. It was Sagar and he said that he was already here and waiting outside. Without wasting a second I got out of my room but before going out I went towards Arhan's room and told him that Sagar is here. Arhan had already showered and changed into a set of Kurta pajama (traditional Indian men's wear) he was combing his hair and asked me to go out while he will just come.
As I reached outside I saw Sagar pacing back and forth and the moment he saw me he walked towards me and without saying anything he punched me straight on my nose. I was not expecting this and was not at all prepared so I lost balance and held my nose out of pain. Before I could say anything or ask Sagar why he hit me he just landed another punch on my ribs. I fell to the ground, it was not that I was weak and could not hit back but I was too shocked to even react. As I was trying to process everything Sagar kicked me and spat angrily...
"I told you to Fu**ing keep patience and not create problems for Zuby...but you had to do it your way" He kicked me again only then Arhan came running out and pushed Sagar away from me while screaming...
"How dare you hit my brother?" To say Sagar was furious would be an understatement... by now I was sure something has happened to Zuby which has got Sagar so pissed. Arhan helped me stand up and Sagar tried to hit me once more but this time I held his fist which he was going to land on my face again. I asked him trying to be as calm as I could be...
"Will you tell me what exactly happened?" Sagar looked at me straight in the eyes and said after pulling his hand back...
"Why did you threaten Sahil??" His question made me understand almost everything...before I could reply Sagar continued...
"His parents called off the marriage today. They called Zuby character less and said that her lover threatened Sahil to call off this marriage..." my blood boiled at hearing such disgusting words about my pure angel...Sagar ran a hand through his hair and spoke again...
"Her cousin thrashed her with his belt saying that his parents were insulted because of her." My eyes went wide in shock...I could not believe what I just heard...
"He what???" I was too shocked to speak anything else and Sagar confirmed again...
"Yes Ayaan you heard me right...they have beaten her like anything. I saw her bruises over the video call, she is completely shattered. On top of it they have fixed her marriage to another as*ho*e and she is getting married day after tomorrow." Arhan tensed a bit beside me and cleared his throat and spoke...
"Well I am the as*ho*e you are talking about." Sagar narrowed his eyes and looked at Arhan then spoke...
"You are the neurosurgeon guy...Arhan right?" Arhan just nodded his head in confirmation and Sagar asked again...
"What are you doing here?" Then he looked from Arhan to me as if trying to see our familiar features, I confirmed his suspicion...
"He is my elder brother." But right now I want to kill the ba*sta*d who has dared to hit my girl. Angrily I asked Sagar to take me to Zuby's house so that I can teach her cousin a lesson for his lifetime. Arhan interrupted Sagar and held my shoulders tightly before saying...
"You are not going anywhere, as it is clear you have already messed up Ayaanu now it's the time to sit and think calmly about our next step" I just jerked his hand and screamed...
"How can you expect me to stay calm bhai(brother)? Zuby was thrashed with a belt...did you even hear that? I can't just stand here and do nothing" this time Arhan was angry and said...
"I did hear everything Ayaan, but for once now you need to think straight and not act on impulse. You are not going anywhere but inside right now..." he looked at Sagar and asked him to come in.
We all went in my room and as we sat I recalled that Sagarika was going to stay with Zuby tonight, did they just hurt Zuby in her presence? Instead of wasting my energy on trying to figure out the answer I asked Sagar...
"Where was Sagarika when they hurt Zuby?" Sagar sighed and answered me...
"She didn't go with Zuby since she sprained her foot in college. I had to get her back home and that's why Zuby went alone. Sagu even didn't get a chance to talk to Zuby about Sahil." I took a deep breath trying to calm myself, I can't even imagine what Zuby would have gone through and thinking of me being the reason for her misery in a way was actually killing me. I looked at Arhan hopeful that he will let me go and see her but he seemed to be in deep thoughts himself. We were all quiet for almost ten minutes then finally Arhan spoke...
"I think I know just what we can do without putting Zuby in any more danger." He took a pause and both I and Sagar were waiting for him to complete....
"Sagar I know Ayaan did I blunder by talking to Sahil but let me assure you that my brother loves that girl more than life. I wan..." He was cut by Sagar mid-sentence...
"I know that very well but he has messed up bad this time." Arhan nodded and continued...
"I think we should let this wedding happen..." I got furious and stood up and screamed...
"Have you lost it Bhai...you are saying that I let you marry MY Zuby in front of my eyes. I will...." I couldn't complete when Arhan screamed back at me...
"Just shut up Ayaanu...have you gone nuts?? Why will I do that of all things? At least let me complete what I want to say." I felt ashamed for accusing my brother but I just couldn't help right now...I was feeling all lost on top of it thinking of my love in so much pain was not doing any good to me. Bhai took a deep breath once again and started...
"I can totally understand what you are going through right now Ayaanu, but please hear me out first. I know my plan is a little complicated but I think this is the only sane thing to be done now." I nodded and let him complete...
"Look both of us know that we can't talk to mom and dad about this right now. So we will let the wedding take place on Saturday itself but I won't be the groom. In my place you will wear the groom's clothes. Both of us are almost of the same height and built so no one will actually understand. On top of it the sehra(strings of flowers worn by Indian grooms) will hide your face. I will not stay around and everyone will think that you are not around. Sagar we will need your help, you need to ask your sister to tell Zuby to say 'Yes' to the Molvi (the priest) no matter which name he takes for the groom. I don't want her to think about which Ayaan she is getting married to. Plus you need to ask your sister to make sure that Zuby's uncle is not able to hear the groom's name when the molvi asks Zuby if she accepts the said groom as her husband. Ask her to do anything possible to divert her uncle from paying attention to the groom's name." Sagar shook his head telling that he will do that then Arhan continued...
"I will ask Adila Appi and Bilal Bhai to help us in this; we can't do it without some more help. Bilal Bhai will see to it that your name is written in the groom's place and in case anyone notices then he will say that it's just by mistake and will assure to get it corrected before Nikah (the main marriage ceremony in Muslim weddings) which of course he won't." Arhan winked at us. I was getting it that this is a complicated plan as Bhai already said but it is not impossible plus we can keep Zuby safe from any other problem. I shook my head gesturing that I agree with the plan till now. Arhan had a lot to speak today so he again continued...
"You just need to make sure that no one sees your face Ayaan, not till the nikah is done at least. And once Zuby is safely here with us as your wife you can go beat the sh*t out of her rasc*l cousin." This will be something I will be looking forward to.
The three of us sat in silence again, each one lost in his own thoughts then Sagar got up to leave only after saying...
"I will see to it that Sagarika gets to meet Zuby tomorrow so that she can talk to her. I will ask her not to give any details to Zuby but just convince her to trust us and agree to the marriage without any kind of disagreement." I nodded and Sagar left. Now it was just me and Bhai left in my room, he made a video call to Adila Appi and asked her to call Bilal Bhai also so that we can talk to both of them together. Adila Appi was really upset to hear everything; she was also disappointed in me because of my immature and desperate act. But still both of them agreed to help me. It was pretty late and we had a lot of arrangements to do. Bhai went back to his room and I was left alone now, my chest ached like anything each time I thought about the pain my love is going through right now. But I promised myself that I will get her out of that sh*t and never again in my life let her suffer. It was late at night and I got up and did ablution (an act of purifying oneself done by Muslims before offering prayer) I prayed to Allah in prostration. I asked for strength and success in making my love as my wife. I lay on my bed and don't know when I drifted into deep sleep with everything on my mind.