Yaar-e-Bereham

Chapter Twenty-Three

تم میرے پاس ہوتے ہو گویا
جب کوئی دوسرا نہیں ہوتا
Tum mere pas hote ho goya
Jab koi dosra nahi hota
~Faiz Ahmad Faiz

"Mimi, yeh apke leye." Ahmad said, excitedly handing me a gift bag.

We all sat in the TV launch our dinner when Ahmad had come home from dinning with his friends and he had rushed over to hand me the bag. I took a place beside Zain on the sofa, taking a peek into the bag.

"Meray leye?" I asked, chuckling a bit at his eagerness as he waited for me to open the gift.

"Kholay toh." He said, impatiently leaning over from the sofa beside me.

"Haan bhai Mariam kholo bhi, or humay bhi dekhao." Ammi smiled, placing her tea cup on the coffee table, before her hands got busy in knitting.

My mouth fell open as I pulled out the red churiya from the bag. I didn't have the heart to tell him that none of my dresses would match with the churiya but the idea of him getting them for me was what warmed my heart.

"Thank you so much Ahmi! Yeh kitni pyari hain!" I gushed, and Ahmad smiled, satisfied that I approved of his gift.

"Inay pehano bhi." Ammi encouraged me, and I nodded, pulling out the plastic wrapping, when Zain spoke, stopping me mid-action.

"Ammi ap keh rahi thi keh Mariam ko mehndi lagwanay le ker jana hai." He said, his tone hard.

"Haan per tumnay toh kaha tha keh tum busy ho ge." Ammi responded, taking a sip from her tea, she looked over at Zain from the rim of her cup, a glint in her eyes I couldn't pin point.

"Ji ab nahi hoon." He told her, before his gaze turned towards me. "Chalo." He said to me before standing up, tucking his hands in his pant pockets, he loomed over me.

"Acha mein yeh pehan loon phir chaltay hain." I told him before turning my attention back towards the bangles.

"Inhay tum baad mein bhi pehan sakti ho." His eyes hard as they looked the bangles in my hand before his eyes scanned my face.

"Mariam bachay, aj chand raat hai. Deir ker di toh rush bhar jaye ga." Ammi said, taking Zain's side and I looked at Ahmad who looked a bit disappointed.

"Yeh mein rastay mein pehan loon gi." I told him and he gave me a forced smile. I felt bad as I took the bangles in my hand and stood up. 

"Ammi phir hum nikaltay hain." Zain informed them, who nodded in return before we walked out of the house

I opened the bangles on my lap once we were on road, picking up a few I tried to wear them but instantly realised that they were a size smaller than my own. My heart sank in disappointment as I looked at the bangles.

"Kiya howa? Puri nahi aa rahi?" Zain mocked, a smirk taking over his face as he continued driving.

"Kiyun nahi aa rahi? Aa rahi hain." I said, refusing to let Zain have the satisfaction, I once again tried to wear them, this time applying more force. If we were home, I would have used a bit of lotion to slide them on but that wasn't an option right now.

"Chor do agar puri nahi aa rahi." Zain said, but I shook my head.

"Kiyun chor doon, at least Ahmi nay mujhay churiya denay ki zehmat toh ki hai." I taunted, looking over at him while my hands struggled to slide the churiya.