"I know the male lead is no one else but my replica," Said khizr in Urooj's thoughts a thousand times. She adjusted her specs while trying to write something but the voice of khizr's unsaid words was disturbing her. She was at the peak of overthinking.

"Damn." She shut the laptop with a jolt. "Why did I write this book?" She cursed herself for an achievement.

"I shouldn't write it. He read it." The lower lip nervously tucked in between her teeth, forehead filled with sweat drops and eyes started to fill with tears but she threw the pillow away from her lap and stood up.

"You won't cry for him, Urooj." She glared at the girl visible on the other side of the mirror. "You won't cry my girl. He doesn't deserve you." She gave a fresh lesson to the girl and took a deep breath.

"I won't cry. I don't love him anymore." In between the uneven heartbeat and deep breaths she declared with a calm face that she didn't love him anymore but what about the purple color she was wearing? What about the middle partition of her hair? What about the small earrings she never changed?

It all reminded him of khizr, the girl who never liked purple, never parted her hair from the middle and never liked small earrings, adapted these things deeply just because someone liked them on her.

Love changes people.
sometimes it destroys
Sometimes mend and
sometimes it beautifies
Eventually it makes one a person he/she never were.

Love changed Urooj too. She couldn't be the same as before after loving khizr.

She had laughed for khizr when he was happy, she cried for him when he was in pain, she prayed for him when he was in trouble. She ditched her beauty sleep to talk to him all night, she spent many restless nights when he was ill, she did his assignments when he was busy.

At once, She almost considered him her husband and life partner, there were no secrets in between them, or maybe only from her side. But now she was fighting with herself. One part of her wanted to go back to khizr but the remaining half was denying this pathetic thought.

Going back to the bed she remembered his face one more time. How could she be so strong to resist the urge to bury her face in his chest and cry all her feelings out in front of him?

"Stop it Urooj." She grit her teeth and picked up the mobile. Social media wasn't her pass time but today she wanted to distract her mind however something unexpected happened.

Urooj I want to talk to you.
Try to understand, you're destroying our lives.
Clear all the misunderstandings if any.
I still love you. Mademoiselle.

She ignored the messages and closed her eyes.

<><><><>

"How is your job going?" Yasir asked on the breakfast table and Urooj nodded without looking up. "All good."

"Don't make dinner tonight. I'll bring something from outside." He tried to uplift Urooj's mood and she nodded again without bothering to look at him.

He looked at Hiba, both talked something with eyes only and looked at Urooj again. "Any problem?" Yasir asked

"Of course not." she stood up with a slice of bread in her hand, applied a tiny layer of Jam on it and topped it with another slice of bread which already had a layer of butter on it.

"I'll be late while coming back from the school, don't wait for me." She told Hiba who furrowed.

"Why?"

"Umm... Wo... Amaan se milna hai." And she rushed away.

(Umm... I have to see Amaan.)

"Yasir, why I'm having a feeling that she is going to meet Khizr not Amaan." Hiba shared and Yasir rubbed his forehead.

"Ye ladki apne sath sath hamari zandgi bhi barbaad kar degi." He closed his eyes and flashes of past disturbed him one more time.

(This girl will ruin our lives along with her own.)

The rays of sun were softer than before after the downpour from the sky which was ready to burn anything. Cold wind was blowing with the freshness of petrichor and flowers were blooming more than ever. But someone was unaffected by the beautification of nature, his hands were unstoppably working to arrange some hardcopies of documents after turning them into the soft copies. In all the hustle bustle his mobile started ringing, a call from a friend.

"Hello," without delaying he answered and picked one file. "Your sister is sitting here in lover's garden with a boy." His hands shivered with the fear of insult one more time. He had already faced disgusting behaviour of society for many years and now his sister was good to become a reason for disgrace. Soon his mobile beeped and a photo flashed on the mobile screen.

A young girl was sitting under a tree, a boy was laying on the grass placing his head in her lap.

Yasir couldn't take the next breath.

Only fifteen minutes and the photo was converted into reality just in front of his eyes.

"College ke liye ghar se nikal kar hamari izzat ka janaza nikaal rhi ho..." He almost yelled and Urooj looked at her brother. Her fingers stopped in the curly hair and face lost the color. Khizr sat down straight after witnessing this surprised visitor.

(By leaving home for college, you are ruining our dignity...)

"Bhai..."

"Bhai na kehna mujhe... Meri behen aesi nhi ho sakti." Grabbing her arm Yasir pulled Urooj roughly, and she got a sharp slap from the hand that had always caressed her head with love. khizr stood up for her but before he could say or do something for Urooj he got a sharp glare from Yasir.

(Don't call me brother...my sister can't be like this.)

"Agar aaj ke baad tumhari parchai bhi dikhi to tumhari tange tood dunga." Yasir yelled and dragged the crying Urooj. "Tum to ghar chalo, tumhare hosh waha theek karta hu."

(If I see even your shadow after today, I will break your legs.)

(You go home, I will put you back to your senses.)

"Kya hua? Kya soch rahe hain aap?" A hand grabbed his arm to pull him out of the train of thoughts and he shook his head while

(What happened? What are you thinking?)

"Nothing. Dhayan rakhna apna. Kuch chahiye ho to call kar dena." Yasir left the breakfast but before he could walk past, Hiba grabbed his wrist.

(Take care, and call me if you need anything.)

"Amaan called me yesterday." For a few moments Hiba was unable to say anything further, she would never reveal this if she wasn't afraid of Yasir's reaction if circumstances turn worse in future. "He asked me if we have already fixed Urooj's alliance?" Yasir furrowed after hearing this, he was unable to understand the reason behind such enquiry but Hiba didn't take much to tell further.

"He saw Urooj with someone in a restaurant." Yasir's face lost its color.

"Who? Khizr?" Asked a concern brother and Hiba shrugged.

"Amaan didn't see his face but he was sure that it wasn't Khizr,"

"How he was sure without seeing his face?"

"With the body language and physique... But I have a gut feeling that Urooj can't go after anyone else, she is only crazy for Khizr-"

"Whatever it is... She is again going to create a blunder. If there is someone whom she likes then introduce us and settle down with him after getting married. And if it is khizr only then why did she call off the wedding years ago?" Yasir left with rage and Hiba sat down again while holding her belly which was getting swelled with each passing week.

<><><><>

"Excuse me, I want to meet Amaan." She sighed and asked the receptionist who passed a professional but fake smile before glancing at the time.

"Sorry ma'am, sir is in a meeting. Can't meet anyone." Urooj rolled her eyes and glanced at the door of Amaan's office.

"Aesa konsa Bill Gates ka damaad ban gya jo itna busy hai?" Muttered Urooj and again looked at the receptionist.

(As if he became Bill Gates' son-in-law to be so busy.)

"Tell him It's Urooj."

"Ma'am he clearly told me he won't meet anyone, I'm sorry."

"Oh. Fine. It means he isn't in a meeting." Urooj smirked and walked towards the door of cabin. The receptionist tried to stop her by calling a few times but she already pushed the door to find an unexpected scene.

Amaan was sleeping on the couch, a half open half closed book was laying on the ground, maybe he passed out while reading only. Urooj jerked her head and walked towards him. Picking up the book she glanced at the cover.

Getting Over You

She smiled after reading the name of the book, "Now you don't have to." Mumbling that she placed the book aside and cleared her throat. Today she was in a good mood, if not good then positive mood. Today she wanted to get married, not because she needed to but because she wanted khizr to see her getting married and settling down in her life. She was here to talk to Amaan clearly about her intentions because she found no one else suitable for this work.

"Elon Musk ki company khareedli ho to uth jao..." She smiled and patted his shoulder.

(If you have bought Elon Musk's company then get up...)

"Tum... Tum yaha kya kar rahi ho?" He was shocked to find this face as soon as he wake up.

(You…what are you doing here?)

"Dar to aese rahe ho jese chudail dekh li."

(You are as scared as if you have seen a witch.)

"Tumhe dekh ke to chudail khud dar jayegi." Urooj rolled.her eyes after getting such a nice compliment. Amaan sat down on the couch and sat his hair first. Urooj set the cushion and took her seat at a little distance from him.

(The witch herself will get scared after seeing you.)

"May I ask you the reason behind this sudden arrival?" Asked Amaan and Urooj shrugged.

"Can't I come without any reason?"

"Yes you can. Of course. But you haven't ever." His reply was straight and dry but valid too. Urooj knew he was correct she was here for a task only. Nothing else. She wanted to get married just like a task that she wanted to roll off before Khizr.

"Hmm... I have some work." She muttered without looking towards him. For the first time she was finding it difficult to talk to Amaan.

"What?" He asked but today he wasn't sounding as friendly as always. Urooj looked up, his eyes not showing the same love he conveyed every time.

"Umm... Amaan. I need something from you." She muttered and He nod his head while remembering something.

"Want some coffee?"

"Cold coffee, I can't handle anything hot in this summer." She replied and Amaan grabbed his mobile, he ordered one cold coffee.

"So what were you saying? You need something?" He didn't look at her just asked in an ignorant way. Urooj furrowed but decided to continue.

"Yeah... I need to... Umm... Not need to but I want to get married soon. And... I need your help." She somehow completed the sentence in many parts, Amaan looked up suddenly.

"Hmm... I see." He smiled. A fake one.

"Congratulations." He added while standing up from the couch and moved towards the desk. "By the way, when you told me that you are already going to get married I thought it was just a joke, but the other day when I saw you in the restaurant with that man I understood how fool I am... You were clearly denying my proposal and I was not hearing anything other than what I wanted to. Well..." He stopped while drawing out something from the drawer. Urooj was unable to say anything, as usual Amaan was not in mood to hear what Urooj wanted to say. This time he has made a broken heart story.

"Amaan..." She tried to say something but couldn't, only a whisper died at her lips.

"Here it is..." He muttered while his hand signed two cheques. He passed both of them to Urooj, one was showing an amount and other was blank, but not blank than Urooj's face.

"This is the amount of your profit share, and this one is from me, fill any amount." She blinked blankly again. This time she didn't need Amaan's money, but the whole Amaan, however she changed her mind very soon.

"Help doesn't mean financial help every time." She stood up with a jolt. Tearing the blank cheque into bits she threw it on his face. "Main gareeb hu bhikari nhi, tumhari kheraat nhi chahiye mujhe."

(I am poor, not a beggar. I don't need your charity.)

At the same time a woman walked in the cabin with the cold coffee and Amaan felt embarrassed but very next moment he was in rage.

"Get out of my cabin..." He yelled and Urooj's face lost its color because she didn't know the order was not for her but for the lady standing on the doorway with a glass of cold coffee.

Holding the cheque and corpse of her self-respect in her hands and tears in her eyes Urooj turned to go only then Amaan shifted his eyes from the lady to Urooj, he took a few moments to two understand everything.

"Urooj... Urooj meri baat suno." He ran after her and she sped up but her wrist was caught by a hand. "Please listen to me." He noticed tears in her eyes but didn't get time to clarify what exactly happened within a moment.

"Tum mar jao Amaan... Mar jaao." And she was gone after pushing his hand away. He was unable to forget her crying face and shivering voice.

(Why don't you die Amaan? Just die.)

<><><>

"Urooj, will you tell us what's going on? Why are you silent?" Hiba asked on the dinner table.

"Nothing." She shoved a spoonful of rice in her mouth and Yasir looked at her with rage but Hiba squeezed his hand lightly. A silent gesture to not say anything right now.

"There is something that's bothering you." Said Hiba and Urooj looked up. These two faces gave her assurance that someone was there for her, unlike Amaan who didn't understand her feelings and gave her money, but it's also true that she also never respected his feelings.

"A few days ago khizr came to meet me," said Urooj while glancing at her brother and sister-in-law. They both looked at each other.

"I didn't want to create a scene on the road so we went to a restaurant." Urooj told them everything and Yasir got answers to all his unasked questions. Slowly Urooj's tears rose and his anger fell.

"Bhai, Bhabi... I want to get married. There are two-three months in khizr's wedding... And I want to settle down before him." She announced, there was a competition and rage in her voice. She was remembering khizr with herself then suddenly the scene was flashing in her mind when that girl kissed his cheek and he leaned to kiss her back.

"Don't make a decision in a hurry." Yasir said and stood up. Taking his sister in a side hug he caressed her head. He loved this girl endlessly but some of her decisions were unacceptable for him, back then choosing khizr was one of them still he accepted just because of her happiness.

"Why don't we consider Amaan?" Suggested Hiba and Urooj looked up with a jolt.

"No. Not him. What about that proposal you were talking about? A really nice proposal?" Asked Urooj with rage.

"It was Amaan only." Said Hiba and Urooj looked at Yasir who nodded but she shook her head.

"Never!" She announced and Yasir hummed

"I will again say, don't make decisions in a hurry. We often consider the wrong person in a hurry."

<><><><>

Bye bye...
Next update will be a flashback

Naaz Jamal