Ifra and Aqsa step inside the car. Aqsa is already in a very cranky mood, and without even thinking she sits beside the driving seat where arhan is sitting. realizing her mistake when she was about to open the door and put her hand on the doorknob, she heard..
"don't bother.. we are going to reach the venue in 10 minutes.." aqsa take her hand back in her lap and keep looking at them. throughout the whole ride.. no one said anything.. not Arhan and not Aqsa. Ifra try to lighten the mood, but nothing seem to affect them. Ifra feels bad that just when their sister's wedding function is about to start, aqsa is in bad mood but she also knows that because of her revelation, today either arhan and aqsa are going to reunite with each other or are going to separate.
Aqsa look at arhan from the corner of her eyes . She can sense the tension in his buildup muscles. she can see the way he grips the steering wheel so tight that all his knuckles turn in white color. when he looked at her she instantly looks away.. just when they reached the venue arhan abruptly stop the car. which make Aqsa's whole body jump and just when her head is about to hit the dashboard, aqsa feels her head hitting on something hard and cold, but it doesn't hurt, when she looks up she found arhan's hand between the dashboard and her head. she knows that the hit definitely hurt his hand but his expression are showing no emotions on his face..
when ifra sense that even after stopping the car any of aqsa and arhan are not getting out of the car she pat on aqsa's shoulder.
"huhh aqsa..?" ifra called..
aqsa's eyes doesn't leave arhan's face "yeah ?"
"come on..we are here.." ifra said as she leave the car.
aqsa look around "yeah .."
when they step outside the car. Aqsa and Ifra were in awe as the whole is place is sparkling with lights .. and all the lights were lighten up on their face. when they got inside the banquet the first place they gone to is the bride's room.
"where were you guys? I was waiting for you for so long.." they can hear the annoyance in simra's voice..
"yeah, we just got stuck in the traffic..." ifra replied as she can she that aqsa is not in a mood to talk to anyone, just when she close the door and look at simra ..simra twirl in front of her like a child and asked "tell me how I am looking?"
Ifra look at the bride in the dress she designed herself.. she just stand their and look at her sister who is looking like the most beautiful bride in ifra's whole life ..in ruby red color lehenga accompanied by magenta pink and golden embroidery and a heavy dupatta. Simra is looking exceptionally beautiful. she is adorned by heavy jewelry and a heavy nath is looking beautiful on her face ..
"you are looking beautiful simra.." ifra said as she is stunned by simra's beauty.
"Aqsa look at simra" ifra called.
"huh" aqsa look at simra and smile "you are looking like the most beautiful bride, I bet saad will not be able to take his off from you.." just when she said this they heard the door open.
mehwish entered the room.
ifra look at mehwish with a puzzled expression "you are here already.. is the baraat already here.."
"no no, I just come here before everyone else don't forget I am from the bride side's too..?
mehwish look at aqsa and ifra "plus you two are looking gorgeous"
"when the baraat will arrive..?" ifra asked.
mehwish look at her watch and after few seconds she replied "it will take at least half an hour."
when they all turned silent mehwish frowned "Hey tell me why arhan is looking all grumpy outside..I never see him In more messed up mood.."
"arhan is in bad mood?" aqsa asked suddenly.
"what happen ?" simra look back and forth at aqsa and mehwish .
aqsa didn't say anything. ifra can sense that aqsa don't want to about this yet so, to change the topic she said "ah, nothing you know aqsa and arhan always fight with each other, and aqsa always ends up in bad mood, this time its arhan who ends up in bad mood. they had a fight in the car."
when simra heard this she look at aqsa and said with a sigh "oo aqsa I am really tired of both of you .you guys always fight like kids .why can't you just move on"
aqsa look at her and then at ifra..her eyes turned teary as she turn around and run out of the room.
mehwish and ifra look at simra then at the open gate, everyone is shocked from aqsa's reaction.
" hey, i was just trying to help her. did i said something wrong ?" simra asked.
ifra can see the worriedness in her eyes.
"no, she is just in a bad mood too..don't worry about her..."
ifra run after aqsa, just when she leave the room, she try to find aqsa.. when she saw her, her eyes found arhan running after aqsa. ifra know they both have to talk to each other alone so she didn't follow any of them.
when arhan saw aqsa running out of the bride's room and she look like she is on the verge of crying he runs after her towards the garden.
"Aqsa.." arhan yell her name.
aqsa stops and look behind her after looking at arhan she starts to run faster
"Aqsa listen to me." again arhan yells.
arhan take big steps toward aqsa by grabbing her elbow he turn her towards him.
"Aqsa stop"
Aqsa snap at him in irritation "what ?"
just when she try to get free from his hold arhan suddenly hug her.
at first she is shocked "what are you doing ?" she asked
but he didn't said anything.
aqsa asked again but this time in a calm tone , she can feel the turbulence of emotions in him "arhan ?"
"hmm ?" arhan hummed.
she tried to push arhan away but he didn't even budge "arhan leave me"
on contrary arhan grip on jher tightened "just let me hold you."
aqsa look around with the corner of her eyes "anyone can see." she again try to push him away.
arhan grip remains the same "i said just let me hold you and listen to me"
when aqsa didn't said anything arhan continued " i never wanted to leave you aqsa.. you have to know it.. it was the most hardest thing I've ever done.." arhan's voice is heavy with emotions.
aqsa's eyes welled up with tears but she try to control them "but you did leave."
arhan move his face toward her and look into her eyes , this time aqsa's one tear escaped her eye but he wipe it with her thumb.
"And you have to know why "
" The day you told me you love me too.. it was the happiest day of my life.. but unfortunately, the day after that is the worst day of it. I was coming to you aqsa..the next day to tell you how much happy I am for me for us.. but that I got a call from my hometown "
aqsa stays silent, arhan looked at her and said "my dad called me"
the expression of aqsa's face change in a heartbeat, because that's impossible.
"your dad ?" she asked again to be sure. when arhan nod his head. she said"but he.."
"died ?" arhan continue her sentence. when aqsa nod, arhan said "he was alive aqsa , he was alive, i we never knew about it. my whole life I thought my father died in an accident ."
"my mother was pregnant with me when she got to know that my father died in an accident, but they were mistaken, it was someone else who died , my mother couldn't bear the pain of his death so to start a new life she left that town and we got settle here."
"so when he call us and ask to meet him as he is alive, we all rushed back to our hometown to meet him"
aqsa understand what arhan is saying but she cant help and ask "but why didn't you tell me that you were going ?"
"I didn't knew for how long i was going, i didn't knew what to say to you so me and my family just left the town and went to meet my father. For the first time in my life my father hold my hand and pat my head while calling me his son. i always crave for my father but i only got him to lose him over a disease all over again"
"disease ?" aqsa asked.
"he had cancer and was on his deathbed when he found us, look at my luck i was soo shocked and happy that my father was alive but unfortunately that happiness didn't live long, he called us because he was dying from cancer and he just want to see his family for the first and last time." arhan replied with tears in his eyes.
aqsa gasp but didn't said anything as she know arhan wants to say more.
" my father never see us or never meet us but when he look at us for the first time my father gave me a smile. it was a sad smile aqsa and it still haunts me." arhan said while hiding his face in the crook of aqsa's neck and aqsa just hold him tightly. he is looking like a kid all over again.
"I didn't want him to die but he died again and that time for real that time in front of my own eyes aqsa." this time tears are escaping from arhan's eyes.
" i am so sorry arhan" aqsa hug him more tightly she cant help but cry for arhan.
"I know you want to know why i didn't come back to you ?"
aqsa wanted to know this answer for all these years but now when she is about to have it , she don't care about it , she just want to ease arhan's pain.
she knew that arhan loved his father a lot even when he didn't knew him, he always used to say that even though his father is not here with him physically , he is always going to be with arhan , the pain of knowing his father is alive his whole life then lose him all over again must be unbearable so she shake her head as no while hugging him.
arhan smile at her reaction, and loved the way how she wants to protect him from the pain but he said "before my father died he ask afnan and me to complete his dream project which is to build and orphanage , my father was an orphan too."
"It was the first and last promise i made to my father and i had to complete it, only that promise held me back from coming back yo to you aqsa , i worked hard everyday on that orphanage so that one day i can meet you again ."
"It was hell for me to live 5 years without you, now please don't ask me to leave you because i won't , i can't leave you again." arhan move his face toward aqsa's face and touch his forehead to aqsa's forehead.
now aqsa is crying badly. "i love you so much with all my heart that i think my heart is beating just for you, if i will let you go , i'll die aqsa. i love you "
all these years aqsa always wanted to hate arhan and some part of her did hate arhan for leaving her all alone without any hopes of returning , but now as he is saying all these things aqsa's heart is weeping. but she knows she still can't forgive him completely. call her selfish or anything but in order to love arhan fully, she have to let go of the pain and hurt arhan's absence cause to her heart.
aqsa move away from him "i...i need some time"
arhan nod his head , he knows that aqsa right now is probably overwhelmed with this revelation so she needs some time.
"you can have all the time you want in this world but remember i am not going nowhere and i am not letting you go either " he said with a stubborn tone .
aqsa sigh "i need time to let go of my hurt."
"i need time to..to" aqsa wants to say something but she really don't know what.
"to fall in love with me again?" aqsa look at him for few seconds, so arhan raise his hands to his chest and said "okay okay but just know that i love you. "
with this he hugged her again .