FROM NEVER TO HAPPILY EVER!

2.

"Suman tum aaj mere liye fruits le kar kyu nai ayi", I hear Gaddi Nasheen standing behind me while I am bent, in an awkward position trying to remove the huge jhumka struck in my dress.

Ugh, these freaking jhumkas, why couldn't they find a better time to stir trouble. I manage to unhook them from the cloth before he steps forward to help because no way in hell would I handle that.

I turn around clumsily trying to bring back my calm aura. I smile teasingly,
"Aaj to khuda kuch zyada meherbaan hai ham par. Gaddi Nasheen ek din me do baar tashreef laye hai mere kamre me."

He looks at me, analysing, assessing, trying to find out the reason for my absence. He knows, the one thing I would never do, is forget any of my duties. His eyes rake over my face, trying to think from a third person's perspective. As to what could be the reason. Before he figures it out, I need to do something fast.

"Kha aap fuzool sawal kar rhe hai, idhar baithiye mujhe aapko kuch dikahana hai. Huda aapi ne mujhe mail kri thi unki pictures, maine dekhte hi socha tha ki sabse pehle aapko dikhaungi", I pull him to the couch grabbing my phone.

I quickly tap the gmail icon and open her mail. The pictures attached to her message,

'Summi, I miss you. I would be returning soon to Khilb and Fayaz. What do you think of these pictures, they are going on my Instagram page.'

There were pictures of her in beautiful spots, some in one pieces, some in her classic trenchcoats, few with her friends. Well her fashion game is definitely a notch higher than mine. As expected, he grabs the phone from my hand smiling in glee just by looking at her face. He begins staring at her face, while I stare at his, satisfied with the content and warmth his aura exudes, albeit I am not the reason.

I didn't go to his resting area with fruits because I want to slowly detach from him now. I don't think I could suddenly stop myself from spending time with him. All those times we spent, talking, laughing and just simply discussing the political matters will now have to end and I would die before letting my feelings show.

So plan A is to detach slowly and by the time api arrives, there would be nothing but the casual talks left between us. She would take her rightful place and I would chase my own dreams.

I am broken out of the reverie with a flick on my forehead, "Suman aaj kal tum zyada hi apne khwabon me nahi kho jati ho? Mai samne baitha hu aur tum kisi ke khayalon me ho. Aur aisa kya soch rhi thi? Itni udaasi chayi thi tumhari aankho mein."

I am startled he could notice, because I am good at hiding my emotions but then again, he is Gaddi Nasheen. This is perhaps what he is best at, reading people.

" Aisa to kuch nhi, aap bataiye kaisa tha aaj ka din. Dawat me sab khush the, jaise hamne socha tha sab intezaam aur khatirdari usi hisab se hui thi. Aur jo khana bach gaya tha usse Madrasa-e-Hafiz me batwa diya tha. Aur aurton ko maine pehli sehri ka bhi bol diya hai", I tell him while grabbing my phone which I just noticed was still with him.

He nods gently, smiling at me,"Ache se kaise nahi hota, tumne itne dino se tayari ki thi aaj ki. Aur wo bhi yha na hote hue. Suman mai chahta hu Ramzan me jo sadke diye jayenge hamare ghar se usko is saal dugna kiya jaye. Aur ek hissa sirf tumhare naam se alag jana chahiye, pichle saal tumne sabke haq me sadka diya tha siwaye apne. Is baar mai khud rahunga jab diya jayega. Samjhi?"

I shake my head, his memory is too sharp. "Ji. Waise ye bataiye Huda api ke ane ki khushi me kya kya mangwa rahe hai. Kuch to surprise hoga."

He sighs, letting out a dissatisfied grunt. "Summi yar yahi to dikkat hai. Mashruf itna hu ki tumse bhi baat nhi ho pati roz. Huda ke liye kuch acha sa gift dena to chahta hu. Magar waqt nahi mila sochne ka. Tum ye batao, har baat ko Huda par hi kyu le jati ho. Mai do din se dekh raha hu. Hamare darmiya pehle ki tarah guftagu kam ho chuki hai"

My heart thuds, knowing I have been caught faster than I would like. I keep my nonchalant, practiced smile.

Ab apko kaise bataun ki meri mohabbat ko chupane ke liye apki mohabbat ka ziqr baar baar karti hu.

"Nahi Gaddi Nasheen, aisi koi baat nahi hai. Aap maslam kuch zyada soch rahe hai. Hamare darmiya jo rishta hai wo atut hai. In do salo ki dosti me aap par itna to bharosa kar liya hai ki ap hamesha sath khade rahenge."

He grins, pulling my cheeks affectionately like he often does, " Ye hui na Summi wali baat. Ab samaj aya Khilb ki awam itni pagal kyu hoti hai tumhe dekh kar. Tum baatein hi itni pyari karti ho"

I flip my hair, like a heroine and he chortles with bouts of laughter. Haaye kitne pyare lagte hai ye haste hue. Kaash mere hote.

His smile is so contagious that it pulls my lips in a grin too and makes me forget our reality for a few moments.

" Mere samne ya sab nakhre na kijiye Mallika-e-Khilb! Awam chahe jitna pasand karti ho apko, Gaddi Nasheen ko pir me shamil karti hai", he speaks haughtily a sight which is rare and just for my eyes if I dare say.

" Meri itni kha majal Gaddi Nasheen ki apse mukabla karlu. Aur mai ye nahi chahti ki awam mujhe Mallika-e-Khilb ke taur se jane. Mai unse jitna pyar karti hu, wo bhi sirf mujhe Suman Malik hone ke liye pasand kare. Kyuki Mallika-e-Khilb to kal koi aur hogi", I speak solemnly and meaning every word. I want people to remember me even when I am gone.

That wipes the mischievous look off his face, he tries to hide the sadness from seeping on his face but I know, even a part of him would be hurt when I step down as Mallika-e-Khilb.

Afterall, he developed deep friendship with me.