THIRTEEN

My college life was about to start in a few days. I had been shopping a lot of clothes for me these days since our college didn't have a uniform.

I was very happy that all my friends were going to be in the same college as I would be and I was particularly happy since Adah would also be in my college.

One Week later

It had been a week since I applied for admission in the college and my admission had been approved. The college was about to start in a month and I was excited.

I had just woken up from my sleep. I saw the time on my phone and it showed the time as 8:32.

Ok, not so late.

I heard my mother call me and I went down to her.

'What happened mom? You called me?' I asked her.

'Yes. You woke up early today? Otherwise you wake up only after 9 'o' clock.' She said.

'Yeah, whatever. So this is why you called me?' I asked.

'No. I just wanted to tell you that today, your Hashim uncle is arriving here along with Hafsa aunty and Sheza.' She said.

'Oh, that's good.' I said. I was already getting bored at home. Adah had also gone to Delhi with her family for a tour so I was feeling lonely. Now, if some guests would arrive at my house, then it would be a time pass for me.

'Yeah, its been so long since I saw them.' Mom said.

By the way, Hashim uncle is my Mom's younger brother, Hafsa aunty is his wife and Sheza is their daughter who is of my age, a little more than two months younger than me. They actually live in Mumbai.

'Hashim is shifting from Mumbai to here.' Mom said.

'Oh, that's nice.' I said.

'Yeah, they've bought the house which is next to Adah's house.'

'Wow, that's nice they'll be living near to us. That house has been already empty for almost 6 months.'

'Yeah. The work is going on in that house. They are making new furnitures and have decided to paint the house too.' Mom said.

'So that's the work going on there?' I asked.

'Yeah. It will take a couple of months for the completion of the work. Until then, they'll live in our house.' She said.

I smiled.

'And Sheza has joined your college too. You guys can go together along with Adah.' She said.

'That's amazing!' I said. Now, Adah will have one more friend.

I and Sheza were childhood friends. During family functions, Hashim uncle would always come along with Hafsa aunty and Sheza. During those functions, I and Sheza would always get bored and would start a conversation. We would talk about our schools, friends etc. We had even played a lot of games together. But now, it had been two years since I saw her. I saw her last after my sister's death, during the funeral. I had cried a lot that day and she had supported me a lot that time.

'Now, go and freshen up. They'll be here in an hour.' Mom said, breaking my chain of thoughts.

'Yeah. But where's Dad?' I asked.

'He has gone to airport, to pick up Hashim and his family.' Mom replied.

'Dad knows them?' I asked.

'Of course he knows them. Don't forget that your father used to live with us until you were one year old.' Mom said.

'So they are not against Dad?' I asked.

'No, not at all. In fact, your Dad and Hashim are friends.'

'Friends? How?'

'When your Dad left us, he went to Mumbai and he used to work in the same company in which your Hashim uncle was working.' Mom said.

'Wow, I never knew that!' I exclaimed.

She smiled.

'Okay, let me go and get ready.' I said as I ran upstairs to my room.

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Hashim uncle arrived with his family an hour later.

'Assalamualaikum.' Hashim uncle said as I opened the door.

'Walaikumsalam.' I replied.

I also greeted Hafsa aunty.

'Hi!' Sheza greeted me.

'Hi.' I greeted her back.

She was tall. Maybe a couple of inches shorter than me. Tallness ran through our blood. My mother was also taller than my father.

'She has grown more beautiful.' I said to myself.

Sheza was beautiful. She was wearing a white and pink checked shirt with light blue jeans. Her hair was light brown and reached just below her shoulders. She had a pink hairband on her head. Round, silver earrings were dangling from her ears.

Oh, I love them.

She had also put on pink Chuck Taylors. I already loved her dressing sense. Simple, cute and elegant.

Everyone settled down at the living room. My parents and Sheza's parents were already talking and laughing about their old good days. I was feeling bored and awkward. Sheza sat in front of me. I thought of starting a conversation with her but thankfully, she did it.

'So... I heard that you scored 96 percent in your exam. Congrats for that.' Sheza said.

'Yeah...thanks. How much did you score?' I asked.

'I scored 94.' she said and smiled.

'Oh, well congrats to you too. I also heard that you've joined the same college where I've joined?' I said and asked.

'Yeah. I have chosen Computer Engineering.'

'Oh, same here.' I said and she smiled.

Why does she smile so much? Nothing wrong with smiling, but it looks fishy.

Just then my mother called me.

'Beta, you guys may be getting bored. So just show our house to Sheza.' Mom said.

'Ok Mom.' I said, happy at the thought that I would not have to sit in the living room hearing the boring old stories.

I showed Sheza our house and arrived at my room in the end.

'And this is my room.' I said to her.

'Its beautiful.' she said looking around the room. I smiled. She went and sat on my bed.

'You wouldn't mind if I sit here, right?' She asked.

'No, not at all. Its fine.' I said.

'Actually, I was feeling bored and awkward down there in the living room.' She said.

'Same here. And that's why I was ready then and there to take you around the house.' I said.

She smiled.

She has a beautiful smile.

I don't think there is any harm in acknowledging other girl's beauty when you are already in love with another girl. Is there? But you shouldn't be gawking at a girl like this, its haraam. I thought. Well, whenever Adah is there around me, all I do is stare at her even though I know its not permitted but I can't help it.

Sheza was beautiful without any doubt but Adah's beauty had overshadowed me so much that no one looked better than her in my eyes.

'Actually, I wanted to talk to you about that thing.' Sheza said.

'Which thing?' I asked.

'That thing.'

'Which thing?'

'Aunty must have told you about it.' Sheza said.

'About what?' I asked. I was becoming frustrated since she was not getting directly to the point.

'About us.' She replied.

'You mean about us going to the same college? Yeah.' I asked.

'Not that.'

'Then what?' I asked.

'Aunty must have told you that we are going to be engaged in two days.' She said.

'Engaged in what?' I asked in bewilderment.

'We are going to be engaged in two days. You are going to be my fiancé.' She said blushing slightly.

'What?!!!' I asked in utter bewilderment. To say that I was shocked would be an understatement.

'She didn't tell you? Maybe she must have left it for me to inform you.' Sheza said blushing.

'What did you say?' I asked. It felt as if the world was spinning around me and images of Adah floated in front of my eyes.

'You heard me right. It feels amazing and crazy, right? Even I was surprised when my mom told me this.' She said.

'But why?' I asked. I felt a surge of anger and sorrow rush through me.

She seemed to be taken aback by my question. It was evident that she wasn't liking my reaction.

'What do you mean why? When we were toddlers our grandmother, that is, my father's and your mother's mother had decided that we would get married. It was her last wish since she died a few years after it.' Sheza said.

Mom had never told me anything about my grandmother's last wish. Shit! I didn't even knew my grandmother. I didn't remember seeing her at all. why the hell did my grandmother had to make such a decision? I was going to be engaged in two days and I, the person who was going to be engaged, was not even aware of it.

These elder ones in the family make such decisions and wishes in their life that, even if we don't like it, we have to follow it.

'I am very happy about it since I have been liking you since childhood.' She said and her cheeks went pink and she lowered her head.

'Wait. You are saying that we are going to be engaged in two days and I don't even know about it. What the hell is this! Atleast they should ask my opinion since I am the one who is going to be engaged.' I said.

'Well, even I don't know why Aunty didn't tell you about this earlier.' She said.

'Is there any way we can stop this engagement?' I asked and she was taken aback.

'Why do you want to stop it? It's cool, right?' Sheza said.

'Cool? This is not a birthday party. It's an engagement and that too I am forced into it. Atleast they should have considered our age. We haven't even started going to college.' I said.

'Well, I don't think this engagement can be stopped because this was our grandmother's last wish and our parents wouldn't ignore her final wish.' Sheza said.

I was feeling frustrated and angry.

'And I am happy about all this. So I am not going to tell my parents to stop this. And please don't tell your parents about it too. It will be alright. Its only a formal engagement ceremony. None of the other people are invited in it.' She said.

'But why? Why do you want this to happen? That too so early.' I asked.

'Because....' She said and looked down.

'Because what?' I asked.

'Because...I love you. ' She said and her cheeks went pink. She still didn't lift her eyes.

I looked at her in shock. I wished those words were told by Adah.

What is happening in this house? Is this all a dream? Somebody pinch me please.

Just then I heard my mom calling me and Sheza. I was the one to leave the room first. I went to the living room followed by Sheza.

'Aman, I want to tell you something very important. Its regarding you and Sheza.' She said. 'And she already know about it.'

'Aunty, I have told him everything.' Sheza said, blushing slightly.

'Oh, that's very good.' Mom said. She seemed excited.

I forced a light smile. I couldn't take that beautiful smile from my mother's face.

'So are you ready for the day after tomorrow?' Mom asked me.

'Yes mom.' I replied coldly. Sheza seemed a little surprised with my reply. I couldn't tell that I didn't want this engagement to happen, atleast not in front of Sheza's parents. I couldn't even tell my mother that I loved Adah.

And just then my parents and Sheza's parents started hugging and congratulating us.

During night, I was arguing with my mother about the engagement and why she hadn't told me about it earlier.

Well, I think children can never win an argument against their mother. Mothers always gets away with an argument with their children by acting sentimentally.

Mom told me that they couldn't go against my grandmother's last wish and that, this engagement was a small formal ceremony for a precaution and a guarantee for my marriage and my grandmother's last wish.

Well mom, I can't give you the guarantee for my marriage with Sheza because I already love Adah. I said in my mind.

That night, before I slept I called Mike and told him everything.

'You should be happy, bro. You are getting a beautiful girl without even asking for it. Also, she is going to be in the same college and she loves you. It just can't get better than this.' Mike said.

'Are you mad? You know that I love Adah.' I said in anger.

'Yeah, but you didn't even propose her and you don't have any plans of doing so in the near future. So this is good. You will get over Adah.' Mike said.

I cut the call in anger and threw my phone across my bed. Thankfully, it didn't break.

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Engagement ceremony

Finally, the day of my engagement with Sheza was here. I had tried every way to stop this engagement drama in any way I could, but all in vain. Whereas, at the same time Sheza seemed to be extremely excited for it. Both of us had different views about this engagement. The engagement rings had been bought by our parents and I was supposed to wear a black tuxedo bought by my father.

It had been decided earlier that no other person would be invited but my mother had other plans. She persuaded me to invite Mike,Sam,Tina and Adah. I didn't want to invite Adah since I couldn't bear the sight of her seeing me getting engaged with Sheza even though she didn't know about my feelings for her. It was more painful to see that she too was excited about my engagement. She had really created a good bonding with Sheza over the past two days and congratulated me for the engagement.

Everyone had come to my home for the engagement ceremony. First, I was supposed to put the ring on Sheza's finger. It was a diamond ring and it was beautiful. After that, she put my ring on my finger. It was a silver ring and was also beautiful. Everyone applauded. At that moment, I felt my heart shatter into a million pieces. It was a big heartbreak to see someone else being my fiance when I always dreamt it to be Adah.

Adah had also noticed that I wasn't happy. So after ceremony got over, she came up go me and confronted to me about it.

'Are you alright? You don't seem very happy. Its your engagement.' She said.

'Its because I love you, Adah.' I mentally said.

'Its just that everything happened so fast and without my will.' I said.

'It will be alright. Sheza is a nice girl and she likes you. As time goes on, you will start liking her too.' She said.

I forced a smile and nodded.

But I would never love anyone other than you, Adah.

Later that day, during night, I was at the terrace of my home, sitting and looking up at the beautiful night sky adorned with millions of stars. I was thinking of everything that had happened in the past two days. Everything had happened so fast that I didn't have any time register everything in my mind. My life had taken a completely different turn in just two days. This helped me realise that just one moment can change your whole life.

I sensed Sheza coming to the terrace. I sensed her due to the pleasant perfume she always wore. I turned back and saw her wearing the same gown she wore in the morning. Just like me, she too hadn't changed her dress.

'So, everything went fine today, right?' Sheza asked.

'Yeah, everything went alright.' I said.

She came closer to me.

'Aman, I know that everything happened so fast that you didn't even have time to think about it. It all happened against your will too. So if you don't feel alright about all this, you can tell me. I will talk to our parents.' Sheza said.

'There's no need for that. I know that everything happened against my wishes but this was someone's last wish and we cannot rule it out. I just need some more time to accept all this. I need time to make myself realise and understand what role you play in my life. Then after that, maybe we can really live like fiancé and fiancèe.

She smiled. She came closer to me and hugged me. I didn't react since I wanted a shoulder lean on. Maybe Adah was right. Eventually, I may get used to Sheza. My life ahead with Adah didn't seem possible, atleast not after I got engaged to Sheza. Maybe, as Mike said, I should move on and accept the reality.

But I will never give up on Adah. She will always be there in the bottom of my heart.

'I love you Aman. I really do.' She said.

But I don't. Because I have already fallen for someone else but left unconfessed. I thought as I hugged her back.

How could I tell her that I couldn't live my life with her? How could I tell her that I love someone else?