Clouds had camouflaged the moon behind it, preventing it from seeing the pale and shocked face of Saba.

Since her father's announcement, she was sitting in her bedroom, father's words echoing in her ears while mind was numb from thinking anything.

The door was slightly knocked and creaked open, revealing Mr. Akram.

"Saba"

She turned toward the door to find him taking slow steps toward her.

Her expressions remained spot on as the mind was still unable to decipher anything.

"I know what you are thinking, my daughter." He said while sitting near her on the bed and put a hand on her head.

"This all is difficult" she whispered while Mr. Akram listened.

"I know, my daughter. But, life is unfair. This world is unfair. Our lives are incomplete because this is not meant to be forever." Mr. Akram said and put her head on his chest.

"Baba, he is my teacher."

"Saba, he is my friend's son. And, we are in an unusual situation. We have to make unusual decisions in it." Mr. Akram said while patting her head.

"Does he know?"

"His parents have asked for your proposal. Of course, they have told him."

With this, Sahir's furious expressions and insults flashed in front of her orbs, and fear gripped her heart.

"It is a suitable proposal. I have full trust in Sikandar and his son. I am so glad they ask for your hand. All my worries have gone away." Mr. Akram was saying, and she was listening to him while chewing her lips.

"If you are happy, I am also happy." She murmured, giving herself to the decisions of fate.

"My daughter! I am so happy today." Mr. Akram gave a perk on her forehead and a smile adorned her face.

But, fears were rippling in her orbs.

.....................

"Sahir, come to our room." He listened to his father's instruction on Whatsapp voice message and went toward the room.

"Yes, Mom and Dad." He said and sat near them on bed.

"Congratulations! Akram has accepted our proposal. You and Saba are officially engaged now."

His orbs widened and heart skipped a beat. Deep down, he was expecting that Saba would reject the proposal.

"On Saturday, we all are going to decide Nikkah's date. Akram want it soon. I told him you need two to three months for your career. So, we have postponed Rukhsati." Mr. Sikandar was casually giving him news, ignoring his shocked and bitter state.

"Thank you for this privilege." He said bitterly, at which Mr. Sikandar nodded his head and kept his gaze on the television screen.

Sahir stood from his place and went out of the room with spot expressions. As soon as the door was shut, anxiety morphed on Sikandar's expressions.

"I am really worried for him now. We are going to have a daring decision, Amna."

"Don't worry, Sikandar. He is mature now, and will never hurt any person without any reason. Soon, he will accept Saba and will be content with her." Amna said at which he hummed, while his mind was a hodgepodge of thoughts.

On the other corner of the house, Sahir was standing on the threshold of his terrace, gazing at the dark clouds in the sky.

Instantly, a female face emerged on clouds which had a soft smile on her pink lips.

"Zahra," he whispered.

Suddenly, the face dissolved and Saba's face emerged on the clouds. His eyes widened and he took a few steps back.

"How? Why?" He whispered and turned away from the sky.

In that dark night, in the late hours of night, Sahir became fearful of his heart's desire. He was unable to decipher his feelings.

Shooking away all the thoughts, he ran toward the bed to escape reality.

......................

Days flew and Saturday came, the day which both of them were dreading.

Saba was standing in front of the mirror, clad in fawn -colored dress. She was applying mascara on her eyes when the bell rang, causing her to pause.

Sahir stepped into the house with a forced smile. Mr. Akram and Mrs. Saima received them with a warm smile.

She could hear parents' content and excited voices and a smile adorned her face. She applied pink lipstick on her lips when Sahir's voice fell upon her ears, and her orbs widened.

"Alhamdulillah, Uncle. How are you now?" He asked, trying to keep happiness in his tone.

"Alhamdulillah! After this engagement, I am the happiest and healthiest person on this Earth."

He replied to which Sahir smiled at him, but his heart was trembling now at gazing at the content faces of the parents. Heavy responsibilities and expectations were going to be a part of his life now, and these were crushing his being.

Mrs. Saima came into her room and asked her to fetch juice for everyone in the drawing room.

She nodded her head, murmured "Bismillah" and went toward the kitchen.

Sahir was sitting on a single sofa, watching the parents to converse with each other animatedly. He was trying to maintain his composure when his gaze fell upon her.

Coming into the room with a tray in her hand, there was a small smile on her face. Fawn colour dress with similar colour hijab, she looked adorable. Sahir kept gazing at her when she started serving juice to his parents.

After serving them juice, she turned toward Sahir, avoiding eye contact. Her orbs were on his black colour shirt when she stepped toward him, and then lowered when she extended a tray to him. However, Sahir's orbs remained on her face while taking the glass of juice.

Blush crept on her cheeks at his gaze on her face, at which a small smile adorned his lips. He was amused at her blushing and shyness.

Coming out of the room, she took a deep sigh and put hand on her thudding heart.

At last, a genuine shy smile also adorned her face.

Love which was hidden in a part of her heart surfaced and hit her being with full force.

.........................

"We have decided that the Nikkah ceremony will take place after your papers. In your semester break, we have set the ceremony."

Mrs. Saima was telling her, with a smile etched on her face.

"Okay Mom!"

"What about your freelancing?"

"I have collaborated with my friends. We have divided our tasks to make it easy for all of us."

She replied to which her mother nodded her head.

"That's great"

On the other side of the city, Sahir was sitting in his parent's room and listening to them.

"We have fixed the date in your semester's break. And, the marriage will take place in the next semester's break."

"Dad, Saba still has one year left for her studies. I think we should wait till then."

"No my son! It is not an appropriate thing. Delaying marriage can cause distress to her parents.". His mother said at which he nodded his head while frustration took over his body.

.....................

There was a pin drop silence in the classroom as every student was busy writing their papers. Shuffling of pages and scribbling of pen on paper were the only voices echoing in the classroom.

Saba's eyes were lowered and the whole focus was on the paper. She read the last question on her paper and raised her gaze to see the time. Clock was near the dais and Sahir was also standing there.

She looked over there to find him staring at her. His lips were set in a tight line and harshness was in his expressions.

Saba'a gaze stopped at his face and remained there for a while. She kept on staring at his face with blank mind when he pointed toward her paper with his eyebrows.

Her face became red and she lowered her gaze on the paper.

"Last fifteen minutes." He called out to the class which caused whispering and noise of ruffling of paper to echo.

"Don't dare anyone to cheat! Otherwise, you will be repeating this semester." He said in a harsh tone, causing a hushed silence in the classroom.

She completed her paper five minutes before the last timing, and stood from her seat. As she was going toward him, his gaze remained on her.

"Paper," she murmured while extending paper toward him, which he pointed toward the dais through his eyebrows.

Nodding her head, she put the paper on the dais and murmured "Allah Hafiz" to him.

He gave a curt nod to her and averted his gaze toward the class where the remaining students were having panicked expressions.

.....................

"Mr. Sahir, what about the tutorials?" Hisham asked, at which he took a deep sigh.

"I am going to record videos from today. I will keep on sending you the videos and you can schedule them." He sent a voice message to him.

"Okay. I will start posting them after one week. Within this week, record maximum videos so that our schedule never breaks."

"Okay" he replied and saw the clock which was showing 9pm.

"Now Sahir, your whole life's issues are on one side and your career is on the other side. 9-12 will be fully dedicated to these videos as they are essential for my entrepreneurship." He murmured and sat on his table.

Brushing out all thoughts from his mind, he started recording the videos. After fifteen minutes' struggle, he succeeded in focusing on his task. Everything blurred and his goals remained in front of his eyes.

Next three hours flew by with successful results.

Sending the recorded videos to Hisham, he stood from his workplace and went toward his bedroom.

As soon as his back hit the bed, life's issues flooded in front of his eyes.

His Nikkah

Saba

Zahra

Career

All these things started crushing his mind.

Shooking those thoughts away, he closed his orbs, and Saba's smiling face flashed in front of them.

"What the hell!" he murmured while anger took over his nerves.

"What should I do?" He sat on the bed with slouched shoulders.

Taking his head in between his hands, he felt helplessness creeping into his nerves.

"Allah, help me! I don't want to be an unjust or unfaithful husband. Help me in this journey." He prayed and glanced at the roof, while a tear escaped from his eye.

.......................

One week passed like a breeze and the day of their Nikkah came. This week Sahir kept himself busy with videos and grading of papers. But now, the bitter reality was standing in front of him which was making him fearful.

On the other side of the city, Saba was in the same condition. Though her heart felt happiness at the thought of Sahir, today there was only fear in her heart.

She was standing in front of the mirror and gazing at her reflection; hands were filled with mehndi and pink maxi with hijab giving her elegant look. She had called none of her friends, as it was embarrassing to tell them that she was going to marry Sir Sahir. Words of Nimra echoed in her ears and helplessness crept in her heart.

With beauty and innocence on her face, there was fear and hollowness too.

After an hour, she heard the commotion indicating that Sahir's family had arrived. She could hear cheerful voices of her parents with a smile etched on her face.

At least, some people are content with this marriage!

Her hand started getting cold and mind started becoming numb. She remained in that condition for a few minutes when her cousins came and took her downstairs where all the guests were present.

She kept her orbs lowered and tried to stop the shivering of her hands and legs.

She sat in between Mr. Salar and Mrs. Amna. Sahir was sitting on the front sofa in between Mr. Akram and Mrs. Saima.

After some time, Nikkah started. When Maulvi asked Saba, fear took over her body and gaze rose to her father. Every girl at the time of Nikkah became hesitant and afraid to say yes. The new life sent chills to her spine.

Saba was also feeling like that. She also saw Sahir who was looking on another side. His face was so serious that she felt afraid of him and then she again looked toward her father. Her father nodded at her and consoled her with his eyes. With a shivering voice, she said "Yes, I do". She repeated it three times. And then, she signed the papers of marriage.

After that Sahir's turn came. He said yes with confidence and without wasting any time. After it, he also signed papers and then they all did dua after Nikkah.

Firstly, Sahir was getting irritated because Saba was taking time to say yes.

"Silly girl, how should I manage with her!" These thoughts were going on in his mind.

But when she said yes three times, Sahir felt pleasurable feelings, goosebumps erupted on his skin and excitement flooded in his veins.

A genuine smile etched on his face, just for a few seconds. He composed himself immediately and ignored those feelings which were surfacing in his heart.

When dua was done, Mrs. Amna took out a ring, and asked Sahir to sit in her place with Saba. He obeyed with a smile.

She gave him the ring and asked him to put the ring on Saba's finger. His eyes widened and suddenly he felt self conscious.

"Come on Sahir" said his mom, "You are now husband and wife". His mom said with a humorous tone at which chuckles erupted from the mouths.

A shy smile etched on Saba's face, but the thudding of heart became violent.

Sahir put out the ring from the case and moved his hand forward, asking for Saba's hand. She gave her shivering hand to him. Skins touched each other and goosebumps erupted on their skins. Butterflies filled their stomach and smiles broke down on their faces.

Sahir started to move the ring in her finger. She saw his face at that moment, Sahir also looked toward her.

Their eyes met for a second. Shyness and hope were glinting in their orbs, and then Saba lowered her eyes. But Sahir kept his eyes on her face for more seconds. He had seen her innocent beauty today.

Saba could feel his gaze on her face and this thing made her face red and her whole body started to shiver. When Sahir was done, he immediately left her hand, and claps resounded in the hall.

Youngsters were hooting and adults were chuckling.

Shy smiles were on the bride and groom's faces.

Expectations, happiness and fantasies were going in Saba's and Sahir's mind, unaware of a set of evil orbs gazing at them.

......................