Ishqiya (Editing)

CHAPTER-2

"Appi," Eshaal said, bursting into Maira's room. "Ayaan bhai is here!"

Maira felt her heart race at the mention of his name. Ever since they were kids, Maira had harbored a secret crush on Ayaan. The thought of seeing him again after all these years made her feel giddy and nervous at the same time.

Eshaal dragged Maira down the stairs, and as they reached the bottom, Maira caught her first glimpse of Ayaan. He matured a lot in the five years since they last saw each other, and Maira couldn't help but blush at the sight of him.

All the ladies in the room were crying and hugging Ayaan, while the men made fun of them. Maira hung back, too shy to approach her cousin, watching as he stood behind a pillar, taking in the scene.

"Bhai, first give me my gift," Eshaal said, blocking Ayaan from going anywhere. "Then you can meet and greet others."

Ayaan chuckled and replied, "I've brought gifts for everyone, but they're in my bag. I'll give them out later." Eshaal nodded her head, moving aside to let Ayaan sit down.

Maira focused her attention on helping badi mami and Haniya bhabi prepare lunch, while her mother and choti mami made dessert. As they worked, badi mami looked over at Maira and said, "Aaj tumhare mamu Ayaan se baat karenge."

Maira's heart skipped a beat at the mention of speaking to Ayaan. She knew exactly what badi mami meant.

As the day wore on and the family chatted and caught up, Maira found her thoughts constantly drifting to Ayaan. She wondered what he had been up to these past few years, what his dreams and aspirations were.

At Night

As Maira sorted her clothes in her closet, a knock at the door startled her. She opened it to find the last person she expected to see. "Ayaan," she breathed in surprise. He met her gaze and spoke in a low tone,

"App free hein? Kuch baat karni thi."

She nodded, silently following him out to the garden; a place she spent most of her time when she needed to escape the world. Everyone knows if she is not found in the house then she is in the garden. Ayaan looked at her with solemn eyes. "You didn't come to see me today," he pointed out. "I've been busy with chores," she replied, her voice quiet and subdued.

"But you forgot about me, your best friend," he accused in a playful tone, before taking on a more serious expression. "I was hurt that you never called me while you were in London." "I'm sorry, Maira, I was caught up with my studies," he apologized, regret etched in his features. She chuckled and said, " It's okay. I was just teasing you."

After a brief moment, Ayaan cleared his throat and spoke again, suddenly more serious than before. "I need to talk to you about something important," he said. Maira felt a wave of apprehension wash over her, but she tried to remain calm. "What is it?" she asked, trying to keep her voice level.

""Mujhe ye shaadi nahi karni." he stated bluntly. Her eyes widened in surprise, and her fists clenched involuntarily. "Why?" she said but not to sound vulnerable. "Meine apko kabhi uss nazariyen se nahi dekha," he explained. "You're my best friend, but I can't see you as anything more. I'm sorry."

A tear fell from Maira's eye as she struggled to keep her composure, not wanting to appear vulnerable in front of him. She rubbed her eyes, taking a ragged breath before responding, "It's okay. I understand."

As Maira stood before Ayaan, her heart was pounding in her chest. She could sense the hesitancy in his eyes, the words unspoken between them. Taking a deep breath, she gathered the courage to ask the one question that had been haunting her, " Kon hain woh?"

Ayaan's expression was one of confusion at first, his brows furrowed in thought. But then realization dawned on him, and the look he gave Maira was one of shock mixed with guilt. "You mean Inaaya?" he whispered, his voice barely audible.

Maira's breath caught in her throat, and she dug her nails into her palms to keep from breaking down. "The one who stole your heart, the one you love?" she asked in a strained voice, controlling her tears.

Ayaan looked at her with a pained expression, his eyes filled with regret. "Yes, Inaaya," he confirmed. "She used to be a classmate of mine, and I fell in love with her. But when Abba proposed to marry you, I refused him. He's not listening to me, though. Maira, I just want you to know that I've always valued your friendship and that I'm grateful for everything you've done for me, and You'll always be an important part of my life but.."

"But?"

"But I can't give you the love you deserve, because my heart belongs to Inaaya. Please say no to this marriage,"

Maira nodded numbly, forcing a fake smile on her lips. "Okay, I'll talk to Bade Mamu about it. You should go and get some rest," she urged him, hiding her pain behind a mask of composure.

"Thank you, thank you so much, Maira," he thanked her gratefully, relief evident in his voice. "Good night." He turned and left, disappearing from her sight.

Maira fell to the ground, tears streaming down her face. She cried quietly, her heart breaking into a million pieces. Ayaan was her first love, her everything. In every prayer, she had asked for him. "Kyu, Allah Miyan, Kyu? Mere saath kyu?" she cried out, her pain echoing through the darkness. She sat there, holding onto her knees, her heart shattered into a million pieces.

"Mujhe bhullna hoga usse." she said whipping her tears. She went to the washroom and cleaned her face. She laid in the bed but her brain was stuck in his conversation. She couldn't sleep for a second. In the morning she freshened up and started getting ready for college.

"Maira you can do this. Kuch nahi hoga. Usse apni mohabbat miljayegi. Uski khushi tere liye saab hain. Aur uski khushi Inaaya mein hein. You have to do this." she said to herself.

Author's Note:
Please please vote amd comment. Your vote and comment will make me motivated to write. Please vote and comment. I'll try to update more. Thank you so much for reading.