My submission for the contest held by Romance in a book Trials Of Love. Prompt given by AmbassadorsPK.

PROMPT: Write a story about obstacles faced in marriage in Pakistani culture and traditions. Be it arranged, love for semi-arranged.
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Marriage does not scare me, consequences that might come along do.
I am Shella. The newly qualified dentist of the year. I just got my degree a month ago and believe me, I am not happy about it at all. I mean, how would you feel when you walk home from university, counting every step you take because you are anxious to tell your parents that you cleared the final year in first division. But then you walk in a living room full of unknown faces staring right at you. Pair of eight eyes scanning your body from top to toe like an X-ray machine.

"Consider it a yes from us." My soon-to-be mother-in-law exclaims right after I sit on a couch next to a man who has fifty percent chances of becoming my husband. And I don't think it might be a bad idea. He has got looks I must admit.

"But Mrs. Javed, I think we should let the kids get along too." My dad tells the woman and then look at me with a smile. "Shella, dear. Why don't you show Zain your room?"

I nod as I quickly stand up and look at Zain who looks at me with a smile and stands up to come along with me. We walk upstairs quietly and then finally enter my room.

"Here." I say and let him in.

We have engaged ourselves in quiet a brief conversation. I've told him about my dreams of doing a house job and he has told me how much excited he is to start a business in Dubai next year. Which means, if I marry this person, I'd be moving to Dubai as well. It's strange, the fact that I usually never get along with anyone so fast, yet here I am, telling Zain about all my hobbies, dreams and priorities.

"It's a yes from me." Zain tells his mother slowly as we make our positions back on the couch after spending thirty minutes in my room.

My father looks at me, as if he's asking my opinion about the proposal. I nod with a smile and blush. And suddenly, the entire living room is filled with the sounds of clapping and laughter.

*****

Two months before our marriage, my in laws are sitting in our lounge having a cup of tea.

"Well, we know that Shella is your only daughter. Ofcourse you will farewell her with a fine dowry. But here's a list of the things that are considered essentials for wedding in our community. " My father-in-law Mr. Javed passes the list to my father. I look at my father who holds the list with shaking hands. His eyes go wide and he frowns for a moment but then brings his expression back to normal. "We will do what we can."

"You have only one daughter Hassan Saheb. It would be lovely if you give it all to her. She will he happy." Mr. Javed
tells my father.

I take the list from my father's hand and my eyes go wide with shock.

One air conditioner
One fridge
One microwave
Furniture
Car
Crockery
Gold
Silver
Clothes with jewellery
Shoes and bags.
AND OTHER NECESSITIES.

I stand up from the couch, anger rising in my bones, boiling my face and blood.
"AND OTHER NECESSITIES? What the heck is left after all of this?" I scold at Zain's father who looks at me without blinking.

"Shella!" My father calls out to me and I know why. He wants me to apologize to the person who doesn't want a girl for his son but a dowry so that his son can enjoy life to the fullest.

"No, papa! That's not what marriage is. I don't want to get married in a family where they choose dowry over a person." I turn to face Mr.Javed now," I am sorry, sir. But my father is not as rich as you. He has worked really hard to pay fees for my studies, so that I can stand on my feet and live for myself. Now that I can do that, I don't want my father to keep taking loans so that he can fulfill your demands of luxurious dowry. Your son is not the last man on Earth. I can marry someone else. Someone who values people and not money." I say angrily and rush towards my room closing the door behind.

Few aggressive voices can be heard from downstairs. I know how I said all that was a harsh way to talk to somebody but it was a bitter reality of our society. Give a fine dowry! As if you are not marrying a girl but buying her!

A few days pass silently. I haven't heard anything from Zain neither have I called him for once. My parents are not talking to me because they think they could handle it the other way. It's true that I miss talking to Zain on messages and calls for hours at night. And now my nights just don't pass by. The whole house is quiet, so I decide to go for a walk in a park today.

After few minutes of walking, I sit on a bench to relax. My breathing is heavy and sweat flows down my thighs like rivers.

"Hello, angry, young woman." A familiar voice comes from behind and I turn around to look at Zain who is just standing a feet away from the bench.

"Hi." I reply with a weak smile as he sits on the bench.

"Last week was a tough one I guess." Zain says and looks at me, his eyes are calm and his expression polite.

"Yes. And I don't believe that my own parents don't like me for standing against the wrong." I complain.

"Maybe they didn't like your way of standing against the wrong." Zain points out and I roll my eyes at him.

"At least I tried." I defend myself and Zain smiles. I missed his smile so much.

" And now if you let me, can I try something?" He asks, looking at me in the eye with love and politeness.

"Sure, go on.."

He sits on his knee and brings out a red velvet box from his pocket. He opens it, a beautiful diamond ring comes in my view and my heart beat rise up.

"Shella Hassan, I love you and only you. Without any dowry, without any other tradition that might take you away from me, will you marry me?" He asks me and I feel tears falling from my eyes, mixing with the sweat on my cheeks.

"What about the wedding essentials in your community?" I ask as I put finger on my lips to keep myself away from sobbing.

"Nothing is more essential than your love for me." Zain tells me with love. His words match his expression and he blushes. I can't believe it for a while. How strange it is, the fact of waiting for the love of your life for years but when it comes around, we hardly take a minute to say, "Yes, I will."

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