**PROLOGUE**
"Today I am going to tell her.. Pakka I will! I promise I will" said Zaroon
"Har roz tu yehi bolta hai yaar! Kab bolega tu usse? Warna aisa na ho ki tu dekhta hi reh jaye aur koi aur.." said Osama
"aisa mat bol yaar main aj sach me usse bata dunga! Pakka" saying this Zaroon left the canteen heading towards the examination hall.
*******
"Zaroon! Kahan the tum subah se ek baar bhi call nahi kiya.. maine call kiya to tumne uthaya nahi.. main to darr hi gayi thi.. laga ki tum exam ke liye aaoge hi nahi, laga jaise tum raat bhar padhke so gaye ho!.."
"woh Kashaf main woh.. woh actually mujhe tumse kuch kehna tha.."
"Haan woh to mujhe bhi batana hai.. Aj exam ke baad baat karte hain.. gayab mat ho jana pichle din ki tarah.. bohot important baat karni hai..ok?"
"Tumhe bhi mujhse.. kya baat??"
"arre abhi nahi yaar exam me bas 10 minute baki hai.. exam ke baad ok?" asked Kashaf again..
"o..ok" nodded Zaroon with a nervous smile
Everyone in the hall was busy writing their Final year's final paper but Zaroon was busy feeling nervous. He kind of knew everything but astonishingly he felt no urge to write. Being the topper from his college he knew what kind of expectation surrounded him but somehow today nothing seemed more important than the girl sitting in front of him. He paused every minute, after writing each line to have a glance at her. He was eager to tell her about his feelings of course but he was absolutely impatient to learn what she wanted to tell him.
********
(Later in the evening)
"Zaroon beta kya hua tujhe?? Darwaza khol.. khana nahi khana kya? Jabse college se aya hai seedhe apne room me jake baith gaya hai. Kuch khaya nahi, kisise baat bhi nahi ki! Kya hua?"
Zaroon's mom had been banging his door for the past 10 minutes but Zaroon had not replied. Zaroon had this habit of locking himself up in his room whenever he was emotionally overwhelmed. Whenever he felt extremely happy, or drastically sad, he would lock himself up. Being a common phenomenon with Zaroon no one in his house bothered to find out what happened to him today except ofcourse his mom who loved her only son dearly.
"Zaroon tu darwaza kholega ki main Papa ko bulayun?"
Zaroon was extremely scared of his father. So even at a time like this when he wanted nothing but to be with himself, he opened the door.
"Mom I am just busy with something. Main baad me khalunga. Please mom main baad me niche aayu?"
Zaroon's mom could make out that Zaroon was hiding something vital from her. But she had never been a nosy mum and had always given her son the space that he wanted.
"Thik hai.. Par bhook lagegi to neeche aake khalena.." saying this Zaroon's mom left.
Zaroon banged his door shut behind.
*******
(Few hours back)
"Zaroon mujhe tumhe kuch batana hai.. main tumhe yeh exam ke pehle hi batane wali thi par phir socha ki aj batayungi aur tumhare samne bolungi to zyada achha rehega!"
"Mujhe bhi kuch kehna hai.. Pata nahi kaise bolun. Par pehle tum bolo"
"arre pehle main kyun? Tum bolona.."
"Kashaf pehle tum bolo.. mera wala thoda.. thoda complicated hai.. matlab thoda time lagega.. bolo na please"
"oh ho.. mere wala bhi to... chalo koi nahi main hi bol deti hun.." said Kashaf, "woh kya hai na.. woh.. woh.."
Zaroon took a step towards Kashaf, "Kya?? Bolo??"
"Zaroon woh.. Rehan.. Rehan yaad hai tumhe?"
"Umar? Woh Karachi wala, jo Sidra di ki shadi me aya tha?" Zaroon asked narrowing his eye brows
Kashaf nodded in a yes and looked away from Zaroon. Zaroon thought he saw Kashaf blush. He didn't understand the reason though.
"Haan to..."
"Zaroon woh Papa ne.. Papa ne hamari sagayi tai kardi hai.. I AM GETTING MARRIED ZAROON!" said an excited Kashaf.
As the words echoed in his ears Zaroon froze. He went into a state of shock. He didn't know how to react. The only thing that revolved in his mind was that Kashaf, his best friend, the love of his life stood in front of him telling him happily that she was getting married to another man.
********
Later that evening he had thus confined himself to his room. Unable to cope with the situation, he dreaded his further meetings with Kashaf. He had left without uttering a word after Kashaf's announcement. Kashaf had called him several times after that but he had not received her call.
Now again Kashaf called. The phone kept ringing while he gathered all his courage to face her even if it was through a telephonic conversation.
"Hello" said Zaroon.
*****************
Chapter 1: The Unexpected Visitor https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3952270?pn=2
Chapter 2: The Realization https://www.indiaforums.com/forum/topic/3952270?pn=4
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