Sadqay Tumhare (For Your sake)

Five.

Aaina.

"Hello."

I was frozen and dumb struck, recognizing that cold hard voice which wasn't so cold and hard today.

Why are you so f*****g dumb, Aaina? Couldn't you see the I'd? Why didn't you see who it was?

Ugh.

I remained quiet, still very much in shock that he had called me.

Me.

"Salam alaikum."

I heard him greet me again the Islamic way, as if he wanted to recheck whether or not I was still on call.

I sat up.

"Walaikum assalam." I managed to choke out.

"How are you?" My brows furrowed as I heard him question my health.

What the hell? Why was he being so courteous? He had never really asked about my health before.

"I'm okay."

I gave him an answer.

I didn't really understand the purpose of his phone call. I didn't understand why he chose to call me at this time and why I didn't hang up the moment I heard his voice.

I should have hung up. I didn't want to hear another lesson again. The last three had been pretty horrifying already.

"I hope I didn't disturb you."

He said again. His tone was nothing but polite so far.

Maybe he was waiting for me to say something detailed first and then he would start his taunting.

"Uhh, no."

"Is it okay that I called?" I heard him question again.

"Yeah, it's not a problem." I replied almost instantly, cursing myself inwards.

"I didn't get to congratulate you at the engagement."

If it was possible, I would have hung up and buried my face under a pillow to hide the amount of overwhelming sensation I was going through.

He told me that his word was the last word, he gave me 'lessons' he told me he won't tolerate me snitching on him and now he is literally telling me that he didn't get to congratulate me?

What the hell was wrong with men?

I was over whelmed because his tone was not sarcastic or tauntative. It was polite and respectful, it was kind.

I paused, not knowing what to say. I heard him sigh on the other end.

"I've scared you already, haven't I?"

He said it like he was feeling guilty.

"I'm not scared."

I whispered in my defense but even a stupid person could understand how scared I was right now.

I was scared that he would pick up on any word that I had uttered out of my mouth and then insult me for it.

He remained silent for a while, not uttering a word.

"I just wanted to apologise to you, I understand that my words came out extremely rude and unkind. I'm not usually like that,"

He shocked me with his apology.

Had his father forced him to apologise?

But he didn't look like someone who got forced to do things.

He got forced to marry you, Aaina. Didn't he?

"It's just that I was asked to marry you rather quick, it's hard to adjust to new decisions."

It was satisfying, actually. His excuse was satisfying. While I had taken out my frustration on food, television shows and my sister, he had taken it out on me.

But was it right to say all those horrible things? No, it wasn't

Was an apology going to fix it all? No, it wasn't.

Could I do anything? No, I couldn't.

I had to let it go.

"It was alot to take in for me as well. I didn't think I'd be marrying this early."

I noticed how slowly and gradually, my words were coming out naturally.

Maybe his apology had done that.

"I am sure that you still have alot of questions but there is time for all of that. You don't have to worry."

His consideration astonished me.

"Yes, ofcourse." I mumbled.

"Another thing that I wanted to talk to you about, our marriage was arranged by our families. But I asked my father if I could discuss this one with you personally."

I nodded, as if he could see me.

"I want the wedding to take place by the end of this month, I know it's alot to absorb but I have duties that need my attention."

It took me off guard. Even though abbu had talked to me about this, him talking about our marriage seemed like a big shock.

Our marriage? Me and him? A man I hardly knew. A man who had called me out on our first two meetings and also a man who had apologised for his actions.

Who was he? It was confusing.

"Next two months are going to be absolutely busy for me. I just want your cooperation in this."

As If I had a choice. Abbu had already told me this was happening. I couldn't say no to abbu and I couldn't say no to him either.

"My father talked to me about this." I told him.

"I'm sure he did." His response came almost instantly and he didn't stop there.

"If you say no, I'll say no. We can arrange it sometime later but I'd rather get done with it and then tend to my other duties."

Oh MY God. Yes! I mean No. I can say no? Really?

"I-" I wanted to say no, I truly did but at the same time, I actually was considering it all after the phone call.

He had changed my whole perspective. Either he was really good with phone calls or I was really stupid.

"You're hesitating. I understand. You don't know me and my first impression was absolutely horrible."

Despite being stupid, a part of my brain kept seeing things for how they were.

If I don't say yes, whatever this relationship already is, it might go to vain even more. I will have to marry him anyway, a month later or three months later, I would have to do it..

Atleast I would have some leverage over him this way. Something that he would be grateful for. That his future wife didn't say no.

But I couldn't trust him. Even with this apology. He had been horrible. I couldn't forget that.

I didn't realise that I had zoned out until his voice snapped me out of it.

"-But, just if you cooperate this one time.." He trailed off.

Maybe he was trying to find the right words.

"If we're going to build a marriage, we have to build it with cooperation and compromise. Yes?"

My mind screamed at me to talk to him about university. If he wanted something from me, I could want something back too.

University was my safe haven, the only place where I could feel free, the only place where people didn't care if I was rich or poor. My friends, my batch mates. I couldn't miss it.

"Yes."

I responded to his earlier query. Cooperation and compromise. Okay.

"So? What do you say?"

I took three deep breaths before speaking.

"If I cooperate on this, would you let me complete my education? My father said that it was going to be upto you."

"I'll figure out a way after the marriage for you to complete your degree." He instantly replied, as if he had already thought about it.

As awkward as it felt for me, I knew I had to give in.

"Okay, thank you. It's fine if you want it by the end of this month."

I agreed.

"Good, I'm glad."

"No problem." I uttered, gulping.

"Is there anything else you'd like to talk about?"

Not with you. I'd rant it all to my sister in a while. I already felt like throwing up.

"I don't think so." I answered.

"Alright, take care."

"You too."

He hung up and all I could do was sit down and realise what the hell I had agreed to.



It didn't take long for me to find my sister and rant it all out to her. She stared at me wide eyed, with a few ohhs and awws leaving her mouth.

"So he actually just said sorry?" She confirmed it with me for the thousandth time.

"Yes, and He was considerate as well. He said that if I said no, he would too."

I told her. She looked at me like I was dumb or had lost a portion of my brain.

"Then why didn't you?"

I groaned.

"I don't know. I didn't want to disappoint him."

It was the truth I had realised much later.

"What? Aapi!" She screamed at me.

I knew I was being an i***t but I wasn't like them. I wasn't manipulative. I felt what I felt and I said what I had in mind. Was that too idiotic of me?

"Yaar, koi Mujh se achi tarah baat kar raha hai to main kyun usko bura response doon."

|"If someone is talking to me politely, apologising to me, how can I not respond to them properly?"|

My sister nodded, understanding my dilemma.

"But, one month." She whined.

I rolled my eyes.

"Abbu would have gotten me married at the end of this month anyway."

"That's true."

She hugged my side, kissing my face and rubbing her pimple filled cheek across mine, only to irritate me.

But I didn't get irritated this time, I only hugged her closer.

"For what it's worth, maybe he actually realised his fault." She whispered.

"Yeah, I guess."

Yes, I was unsure, scared and even horrified but at the same time, there was a relief in my heart.

Maybe, he wasn't as horrible as he seemed for the first time.

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