Short Story Collections 📚

N-5

Flashback -

When their nikaah has been decided.

It had been a normal evening in the Shah's households-until it wasn't.

The elders had gathered in the living room, drinking chai and discussing family matters, when Noor's mother casually dropped a bombshell.

"Amma ji wo hum soch rahe hai ki Kyun na humara Shahnawaz ki shadi noor se ho jaye mera matlab-

The words had barely left her lips when Noor, who had been casually scrolling on her phone, nearly fell off the sofa.

"KYAA?!" She shrieked, eyes wide in horror. "Mera? Shahnawaz bhai ke saath?"

On the other side of the room, Shahnawaz, who had been sitting quietly, nearly choked on his chai. He coughed, setting the cup down carefully. "Chacha, chachi... aap log serious hain?"

"Dekho beta," Noor's father began in his usual composed tone. "Tum dono ki umar bhi ho gayi hai, ghar ki bachiyan doosron ke ghar jaye isse acha ghar me hi, aur tum dono ek dusre ko bachpan se jaante ho. Toh socha kyun na-"

"Toh socha kyun na, mujhse bina puchay faisla le liya jaye?" Noor cut him off, flailing her hands. "Ammi! Aap mujhse puch toh leti!"

Her mother gave her a stern look. "Noor, koi buri baat toh nahi kar rahe. Shahnawaz jitna acha ladka milega nahi."

Noor gasped dramatically. "Haan? Matlab mujhe ladka dhoondhne ka bhi chance nahi milega? Yeh toh direct final decision ho gaya!"

Shahnawaz, who had been silent, finally spoke, his voice measured. "Chacha, chachi, mujhe thoda waqt chahiye sochne ke liye."

Noor turned to him, arms crossed. "Aapko bhi problem hai na, Bhai?"

He glanced at her, then sighed. "Noor, yeh mazak nahi hai. Nikaah ek bara faisla hota hai. Agar tum tayar nahi ho, toh main bhi-"

"MAIN BILKUL TAYAR NAHI HOON!" Noor announced loudly, throwing her hands in the air. "Mujhe abhi aur padhai karni hai, life enjoy karni hai, aur sabse important-main abhi shadi ke liye mentally prepared nahi hoon!"

Her grandmother chuckled. "Beta, shadi ka faisla dimaag se hota hai, dil se nahi."

Noor scoffed. "Agar dimaag se hota hai, toh mujhe yeh bilkul sahi nahi lag raha!"

Shahnawaz watched her dramatic outburst, his usual patience intact, but his expression unreadable.

"Beta, soch lo," his father finally said, turning to him. "Noor zyada shaitaan hai, lekin dil ki buri nahi."

Shahnawaz's lips twitched slightly. Jaise mujhe pata nahi.

Noor, meanwhile, was still trying to fight her fate. "Mujhe toh samajh hi nahi aa raha, kyun suddenly yeh sab ho raha hai? Ammi, mujhe pehle kyun nahi bataya?"

Her mother sighed. "Noor, itna acha rishta hum kaise mana kar sakte hain?"

Noor groaned loudly and looked at Shahnawaz. "Aap bhi kuch bolen! Aapko toh waise bhi zyada masla hai."

Shahnawaz exhaled deeply, then after a long pause, said, "Agar Noor itni against hai, toh main-"

He stopped, glancing at his mother, who was looking at him expectantly. His father, always calm, simply said, "Beta, faisla tumhara hai."

Shahnawaz looked at Noor, who was still pouting like a child whose favorite toy had been snatched away. She was immature, loud, and a complete troublemaker. But she was also kind-hearted, fiercely loyal, and undeniably full of life.

He sighed again. "Mujhe ek raat sochne ke liye de dein."

Noor gaped. "Aap seriously soch bhi rahe hain?!"

"Main har faisla impulsively nahi leta, Noor," he said simply.

Noor huffed. "Boring Doctor Sahib!"

-------

Shahnawaz had spent the night thinking-thinking about how well he already knew Noor, how she was family, and how their families trusted them together.

So, when morning came, he made his way to the breakfast table where all the elders were seated.

His father looked at him questioningly. "Toh beta?"

Shahnawaz took a deep breath. "Mujhe manzoor hai."

Noor, who had just entered, froze. "KYA?!"

He glanced at her, his expression calm. "Mujhe koi masla nahi hai, Noor."

She blinked, processing. "Bhai? Aapne itni jaldi decide kar liya?"

He gave her a small shrug. "Itna bara masla nahi hai jitna tum samajh rahi ho."

Noor clutched her chest dramatically. "Mujhe toh yakin hi nahi ho raha ke aapko koi problem hi nahi!"

"Jab sab kuch sahi ho, toh unnecessary problems dhoondhne ka koi faida nahi," he said simply.

Noor stared at him in disbelief. Matlab yeh banda ek raat mein decide kar chuka hai ke uski zindagi mujh jaisi ajeeb insan ke saath guzregi?

Her grandmother laughed. "Beta, tum bhi haan kar do, warna bechara ladka confuse ho jayega."

Noor glared at Shahnawaz. He, of course, looked completely unaffected.

She groaned. Yeh toh officially haar gayi thi.

"Fine!" she threw her hands up. "Main bhi haan karti hoon!"

The elders cheered, but Noor just slumped onto the chair, pouting. "Bas, game over. Ab meri life boring hone wali hai."

Shahnawaz, sipping his chai, smirked slightly. "Jis din tum boring ho gayi, bata dena."

Noor turned to glare at him. "Challenge mat de, Doctor Sahib."

And just like that, their nikaah was decided.

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