It was Friday. As usual, Zavian was home a calm day, the kind that had its own silence, the kind where you expected nothing unusual.
In the soft light of the evening, with tea in hand & his mind wandering, he texted her.
"Mahi?"
A few minutes passed. His screen lit up.
"Ji?" she replied gently.
He smiled a little & typed,
"I'm missing you"
But on the other side, there was no smile.
Mahi was quiet maybe battling with something deeper.
She typed slowly,
"Zavian, hamein baat nai krni chahiye. Mai attach hoti ja rhi hun"
(Zavian, we shouldn't keep talking. I'm getting too attached)
Zavian's smile faded as he read her words. His chest grew heavy. He stared at the screen for a while, then typed slowly:
"Mahi, let's be clear. Mujhy ek bar clear jawab do, us k baad mai apko tung nai kru ga"
(Mahi, let's be clear. Just give me one honest answer, and after that I won't bother you anymore)
Mahi took a breath. Her fingers shivered slightly as she typed:
"Zavian, hamein baat nai krni chahiye. Mai bht zyada attach hoti ja rhi hun tum sy or mujhy baad mei bht hurt hoga"
(Zavian, we shouldn't keep talking. I'm getting way too attached to you & later it will hurt me badly)
He let out a sigh. His thumb hovered over the keyboard for a moment before he typed:
"Okay toh mtlab mai na samjhun?" (So, does that mean I should stop hoping?)
Her reply came soon. A long message.
"Zavian, there's no you & me. We won't be together. I'm not good for you. I'm not beautiful, my parents are strict & we're not from the same class. I just, I can't do this to myself"
Zavian read her words slowly, carefully every line hitting him badly.
This wasn't rejection. It was fear, insecurity.
Zavian sighed softly, taking a deep breath as he leaned back against his pillow. His voice was calm, almost whispering through the message.
"Mahi, tum ny Wanna Be Yours song suna hai?"
(Mahi, have you heard the song Wanna Be Yours?)
She replied, a little confused but curious.
"Huh? Han suna hai"
(Huh? Yeah, I've heard it)
Zavian smiled faintly at her reply & typed again,
"Uska ek or version b hai, woh suna hai?"
(There's another version of it... have you heard that one?)
She replied quickly,
"Nai, kon sa?"
(No, which one?)
And Zavian, still calm but gentle, replied:
"Mai sunata hun"
(I'll let you hear it)
He took a breath, heart heavy but honest. Then he began typing, letting every word carry the weight of his love not to impress her but to remind her that her fears could never scare him away.
You say I'm ugly
Wanna be yours
You say you're not worth of love
Wanna be yours
You say I'm not perfect
Wanna be yours
You say I'm toxic
Wanna be yours
You say other girls are beautiful around me
Wanna be yours
You say we are in different countries
Wanna be yours
You say your parents won't agree
Wanna be yours
You say it'll hurt us
Wanna be yours
You say I have scars
Wanna be yours
You say I have marks
Wanna be yours
You say I'm not girly like other girls
Wanna be yours
You say you don't trust men
Wanna be yours
You say the world is against us
Wanna be yours
You say everyone left you
Wanna be yours
You say you lose your loveable things
Wanna be yours
You say we have class issues
Wanna be yours
You say maybe we can't meet
Wanna be yours
You say maybe we will not be together
Wanna be yours
You say I'll find someone beautiful
Wanna be yours
You say maybe I'll change
Wanna be yours
You say maybe I'll get tired of this distance
Wanna be yours
You say maybe my love will fade
Wanna be yours
You say maybe I won't like you
Wanna be yours
As deep as the Pacific Ocean
Wanna be yours
Wanna be yours
Wanna be yours
Even if the world is against us
Even if our beloved ones are against us
Even if our own minds are against us
Even if the culture is against us
Wanna be yours
Every inch of me is yours
Every breath of me belongs to you
Every single beat of my heart belongs to you
Every second of peace in my life belongs to you
There's no ME & YOU
There's always US
Mahi stared at her screen, the words sitting heavy in her chest like they had found a home there. Maybe it was the silence of her room or the way his words wrapped around her every fear but a tear slipped down her cheek, uninvited.
She wiped it quickly & typed,
"Is that your version?"
Zavian, sitting quietly in his room, smiled softly as he read her message. He could almost hear her voice calm, warm, he replied:
"No, it's our version, Chanda"
Because to him, it was never just about what he felt, it was always about what they were. The fears were hers, the promises were his but the love, the hope, that belonged to both of them.
"Ab b jana hai?" (Do you still want to go?)
There was a pause, not too long but heavy enough to carry her change of heart.
She replied:
"Ab nai chorh skti apko, please don't go" (Now I can't leave you anymore, please don't go)
Those simple words were enough more than enough.
He said gently:
"Ro toh mat Chanda, acha nai lgta mujhy" (Don't cry, Chanda I don't like it)
She replied softly:
"Toh ap mat jao" (Then don't go)
He smiled a little & typed teasingly,
"Yay jo upar mai Arctic Monkeys ka hissa bana hua hun, woh kya hai?"
(What about that long Arctic Monkeys style piece I wrote above? What was that then?)
She laughed softly on the other side of the screen, the kind of laugh that escapes when your heart feels a little lighter.
She said, teasingly:
"Dfa ho Zavian" (Go away, Zavian)
He smiled as he read her message, knowing full well what that line really meant.
"As you wish, Mrs. Zavian," he typed with a smirk.
She asked, a little softly this time:
"Zavian, mai tumhein kesi lgti hun?" (Zavian, how do you see me?)
He paused for a moment, then he replied, gently:
"Mujhy tum meri lgti ho, bilkul meri" (To me, you feel like you're mine, completely mine)
Zavian thought for a moment & then said,
"Mahi, do you know, Allah ne meri mohabbat mtlab tumhein kesy banaya hai?"
(Mahi, do you know how Allah created you as my love?)
She softly asked,
"Kesy?" (How?)
He softly replied to Mahi,
As if looking at the moon & taking its reflection
Like the sea of the Nile settled in your eyes
As if the light of the sun made your bright soul
As if the softness & fragrance of flowers have been brought down into you
As if the chirping of birds has been placed in your laughter
As if every view of nature has been molded into you
She blushed on the other side, her fingers hesitating on the keyboard. Then she softly typed:
"Ap ny abi mujhy dekha b nai hai"
(You haven't even seen me yet)
Zavian smiled gently, replied:
"Mohabbat dekh kr thori ki jati hai, Chanda" (Love isn't based on looks, Chanda)
Then he added,
"You exist & that's enough for me to love you, to respect you, to protect you, to take care of you, to make you smile, to make a family with you, to fulfil your every dream & specially for me to breathe, Chanda"
She was blushing on the other side cheeks warm, shy smile on her lips. Her heart was beating a little faster & she didn't know how to reply right away.
She held her phone close to her chest for a moment, took a deep breath & smiled to herself.
He texted softly,
"Chanda, you're blushing, aren't you?"
After a few seconds, she replied,
"Shut up, Zavii"
But the way she typed it not angry but shyly, he could tell her cheeks were probably pink right now.
He chuckled, typed back:
"I just wish I could see that shy smile right now"
She replied after a pause:
"Tum bht cheesy ho" (You're too cheesy)
The chat ended with a few soft messages. Zavian lay still for a moment, staring at his phone, then finally sighed, got up from bed & stretched.
He walked to the bathroom, took a refreshing shower & changed into a clean navy dress pants paired with a beige polo shirt with his brown formal shoes, sprayed a perfume, ran a hand through his hair in the mirror.
He had a meeting scheduled at a cafe with someone for work. Grabbing his keys & wallet, he stepped outside into the quiet warmth of the day.
He unlocked his car & had just opened the driver side door, one foot inside, when he heard his mother's voice from behind him
"Zavian"
He turned around immediately, stepping back from the car.
"G?" (Yes?)
He responded respectfully, a small line forming on his forehead, wondering what she needed at that moment.
His mother called out from the doorway
"Where are you going?"
Zavian turned to face her fully, standing straight beside the car.
"Amma, I have a meeting," he said gently. "It won't take long"
She nodded slowly but didn't step back inside.
"Come home early. I need to talk to you about something"
There was something in her tone not urgent but definitely serious.
Zavian gave a small nod, lowering his head slightly out of respect.
"Ji, Amma" (Yes, Mom)
Zavian reached the cafe right on time. The meeting was formal, not too tiring but enough to drain his already low energy. He ordered a coffee, hoping it would help but it was bitter, just like his mood had been lately, tangled in emotions he couldn't share with anyone except her.
Once the meeting wrapped up, he left the cafe, walked back to his car & sat on the driver's seat. As he started driving home, the roads blurred a little through the windshield but not because of the weather. His mind kept going towards her.
He grabbed his phone at a red light & typed:
"I'm missing you, begum"
It just came naturally like she belonged to him.
Her reply came a few seconds later & he could almost hear the teasing tone in her voice,
"Focus on work, Mr. Cheesy"
He smiled. She always knew how to lift the weight off his shoulders, even when she was scolding him. Even when miles away.
Zavian's fingers stayed on the steering wheel for a moment before he picked up his phone again. With a soft sigh, he typed quietly:
"I love you"
A few moments passed before her reply popped up on the screen:
"Shukriya" (Thank you)
A small laugh escaped from his lips.
He texted again, just one word
"Dramatic"
Zavian stepped into the house, the soft click of the door behind him barely catching anyone's attention. As he walked into the lounge, he noticed the atmosphere had shifted quieter than usual.
His mother sat in her usual spot but her hands were folded tightly in her lap. His father, who usually didn't spend much time in the house, was sitting upright, as if waiting for something important to begin. His sisters were there too.
Zavian's brows furrowed. He placed his keys on the table & greeted everyone softly,
"Assalamualaikum"
He received murmured replies. Something was definitely up.
He took a step forward, eyes shifting between them.
"Sb thk hai?" (Is everything okay?)
Zavian looked straight into his father's eyes, trying to read them like he always did whenever he was unsure. It was something they'd done since childhood, an unspoken language between father & son.
His father didn't speak. Instead, with a calm but playful face, he pressed his lips together to suppress a smiled & then shifted his eyes slightly to the left toward Zavian's mother.
That single motion was enough.
Zavian blinked once, mind clicking into place.
It's about Mahi.
Zavian cleared his throat softly & sat up straighter. He knew something was coming but he also knew, somehow, this moment was going to change something.
Zavian glanced at his father again, just to be sure he wasn't imagining it.
And there it was his father's face still composed. The corner of his mouth twitched like he was moments away from bursting into laughter.
Zavian's own lips curved slightly into a smile but he quickly turned his face to hide it. He looked down for a second, cleared his throat like he was adjusting himself but inside, he was laughing too.
It was as if his father's eyes were saying:
"Beta, phass gaye ho" (Son, you're caught now)
His mother said, her voice rising slightly,
"I asked you to marry my friend's daughter & you denied it & misbehaved with me just for that Indian girl? Are you serious, Zavian? You want to marry a girl you've never even met? Someone you might never meet? Use some brain, Zavian. You'll marry where I want you to"
She continued, her eyes locked on him,
"You think you can make your own decisions now? That you can just choose what's right for you? No, Zavian. I won't let this happen. You have to do what I & your mamu have planned for you. Just end this thing whatever it is & listen to your mamu. Do what he says. That's what's best for you"
Zavian clenched his jaw slightly but stayed composed.
He looked down for a second, took a breath, then slowly raised his head.
His eyes didn't hold rebellion but there was a quiet strength in them.
He wasn't a boy anymore. He was a man who had felt love deeply.
Zavian finally looked up, calmly
"Ab mai bolon? Ijazat hai?" (Can I speak now? Do I have permission?)
His mother narrowed her eyes slightly, not expecting that tone from him. His father leaned back quietly, arms crossed, curious to hear what his son would say.
Zavian took a deep breath, his voice serious & calm as he looked directly at his mamu.
"Mamu, I want you to go back to your home & take care of your children's matters. My father is still alive, so it's better that you don't become our father. My father is here & he can make better decisions for me"
He paused for a moment, then continued with the same serious tone, turning slightly toward his mother.
"And Amma, till now you have only cared for your sibling's children & followed their decisions. I think now you should not realize that you are my mother too. I can make my own decisions & my decision is to marry Mahi. If anyone here has a problem with that, they don't have to support me. I have no problem, I am strong enough to get her on my own"
Zavian stood up. Just then, his mother's voice cut through the silence,
"Apny mamu sy tameez se baat kro or unka faisla mano"
(Talk to your uncle with respect & follow his decision)
But this time, Zavian couldn't hold back. His voice rose, filled with anger as he shouted back:
"Mujhy Mahi sy hi shaadi krni hai or baat yhn khatam ho gai"
(I want to marry only Mahi & that's the end of this discussion here)
He started walking towards the stairs but suddenly stopped. Turned back sharply, he said in loud voice,
"Ab mere kamry mei khana lany ka drama kr k blackmail krny koi na aaye"
(Don't try to blackmail me with the drama of bringing food to my room now)
Without looking back he disappeared into his room.
Zavian ignored everything happening downstairs in the lounge. He went straight to his room, changed his clothes & grabbed his phone. There, he saw a message from Mahi waiting for him.
"When will you come?"
He replied,
"I'm home but my mood isn't okay"
She asked softly,
"What happened?"
He sighed & typed,
"Everyone's mind is messed up, especially your mother in law. It's all just Get married, get married nothing else"
She gently replied,
"Okay, don't get angry, please relax"
He replied back,
"How can I not, Mahi?"
She insisted softly,
"Mai keh rhi hun na, please, gussa tum py bilkul suit nai krta"
(I'm telling you, please, anger doesn't suit you at all)
Zavian felt a little lighter hearing her words. He smiled & replied,
"Okay, ap keh rhi ho toh nai krta" (Okay, if you say so, then I won't)
She teased,
"Hayee, the special treatment you're giving me"
He smiled softly & replied with a smile,
"Because you're my special one, Chanda"
She said,
"You don't forget to make me blush"
He replied with a smile,
"You look so beautiful when you blush, have some mercy on my heart"
She replied,
"Astaghfirullah, Allah this man is so cheesy"
He said softly,
"I love you"
And there she was, blushing on the other side.
She had the power to calm him down, to melt all his anger.
For a moment, he forgot all the tension & the fight, he was just happy & peaceful because of her.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Stay tuned for the next part...📚🤍
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