The Addiction of Love

VI

Seher was rummaging through her closet when her mother, Shaheen, came into her room.

"What are you doing?" Shaheen asked.

"I've a graduation party in the evening. I'm selecting an outfit for that." Seher replied.

"Didn't your college already throw a graduation party for you all before the final exams?" Shaheen questioned.

"Yeah," Seher said, "That was the official ceremony by the college. This is an unofficial party that our juniors had organised for us. Kind of a farewell."

"Where is it?"

"Kitty Su."

Shaheen raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that a nightclub?"

"Umm, yeah." Seher nodded and turned to look at her mother. Shaheen had a hard face.

"What?" Seher asked. "It's not like I haven't been to a nightclub before."

"You have?" Shaheen gasped.

"Yeah, in the first year of college, for the freshers.." Seher bit her tongue while speaking because she suddenly remembered that she hadn't told anyone about the freshers party at home. She had lied at home and said that she'd spend the night at her best friend, Zeenat's home. Only the twins knew about it.

A nervous chuckle left Seher's mouth. "At least I'm telling you this time."

Shaheen sighed at her daughter's pathetic convincing skills. "Fine. But be careful. No alcohol, no smoking and no boys. And be back before midnight."

Seher nodded enthusiastically and started going through her clothes again.

"Seher, I needed to speak to you about something." Shaheen said after a few seconds.

"Yeah?" Seher casually replied while holding a pink dress against herself and checking it out in the mirror.

"It is about your marriage." As soon as those words left Shaheen's mouth, she saw Seher's expression change.

"Marriage?" Seher looked at her mother. "My marriage?"

Shaheen nodded.

"Where did that come from?" Seher was baffled to say the least. "I'm just 20. I'm the youngest among all."

"Just listen to me first." Shaheen tried to talk.

"No," Seher snapped, "All the cousins are unmarried. How can you even think about me now? Get Ahad bhai married first, for God's sake."

"We are thinking about Ahad's marriage too."

Seher was confused. "First you said my marriage, and now you're talking about Ahad bhai. Make up your mind about whose marriage you're talking about."

"I'm talking about your and Ahad's marriage." Shaheen calmly said.

"My and Ahad bhai's marr- what.. I'm sorry- what?" Seher fumbled with her words.

Shaheen just kept quiet and gave Seher time to process.

"He's my brother." Seher said.

"He's your cousin." Shaheen retorted.

"Whatever! It is a no from me." Seher made it clear.

"Why?"

"Because he is rude, arrogant, strict and he scolds me."

"When has he ever scolded you?" Shaheen asked.

Seher couldn't form any words. It was true. He had never scolded her. "Fine, maybe he doesn't scold me. But his voice is enough to make me scared."