.

A month had passed since that strange cafeteria encounter, the one that had left me humiliated and quiet for days. But now, things had changed.

Omar and I sat at our usual corner in the university cafeteria. We had our eyes on the entrance. Omar leaned toward me and whispered the latest news.

Omar: “Noor ki shaadi fix ho gayi hai. 6 mahine baad nikkah hai. Par fikar mat kar, humare paas kaafi waqt hai usse pyaar mein girane ke liye... aur phir...”

I knew exactly what he meant. Make her fall for me, just so I could leave her, mocked and bruised.

The plan had begun.

As Ayesha entered with her group, she spotted me from afar and immediately rushed toward us. Before she could reach, Omar stepped in with his signature flair.

Omar: “Arey arey, kahan bhaage jaa rahi hain aap, mohatarma?”

Ayesha: “Apne hone wale shohar ke paas.”

Omar: “Main abhi nikkah ke liye tayyar nahi hoon... kuch waqt ka intezaar kar lijiye, phir main aapka ho jaunga.”

Ayesha burst out laughing, and I couldn’t help but chuckle too.

Omar: “Kya baat hai? Maine koi mazaak kiya kya?”

Ayesha: “Bilkul haan.”

Omar: “Kya?”

Ayesha: “Tumse kaun nikkah karega, bandar? Main toh Zaid ki baat kar rahi thi.”

Her friends laughed in sync. But amidst the laughter, my eyes had already found her, Noor. She stood slightly apart from the others, dressed in a soft blue that made her glow like the first light of dawn. She was laughing too, the kind of laugh that felt unbothered, untouched, beautiful.

Angel lag rahi thi.

She hadn’t noticed me until our eyes locked, for a brief second. But she quickly looked away. That subtle rejection reignited the ember in me.

I stood and walked toward her, determined.

Me: “Hi.”

She ignored me.

Me (a little louder): “Hello?” (waving my hand)

Noor: “Kya chahiye?”

Me: “Toh aap aise baat karti hain... kisi ke saath mazaak karne ke baad?”

Noor: (chuckling sarcastically) “Kyun? Aapko main pasand aa gayi?”

Me: “Tum? Haan, bilkul... kya kami hai tum mein?”

Noor: “Oh hello. Main koi aisi-waisi nahi hoon. Main kisi bhi aira-gaira, natthu-gaira ko date nahi karti.”

Me: “Main bhi koi aira-gaira nahi hoon, samjhi? Ahtiraam karo, badday hoon tumse.”

Noor: “Main ne aapko kuch kaha hi kab? Bas bataya. Aapko kya laga?”

She laughed again. But this time, she stepped a little closer.

Noor: “Aap dikhne mein itne bure bhi nahi... lekin aap mujhe pasand nahi aaye.”

Me: “Ek mauqa toh do. Jab pasand na aao, tab kehna.”

She leaned in even more. Her voice dropped to a whisper, just for me.

Noor: “Chaliye diya. Kal se main aapki...Lekin ek shart hai, hum ek doosre ko chhooyenge nahi. Aapke paas waqt hai apne aapko sabit karne ka. Lekin ek mard ki tarah, koi najayaz faida nahi uthana.”

Her eyes didn’t blink. Her expression was serious. I nodded.

Me: “Theek hai. Kal hi milunga... cafeteria mein?”

Noor: “Kal milungi. Allah Hafiz.”

She turned away and called for Ayesha, who was still arguing with Omar. The girls left. I returned to my seat, still processing what just happened.

Omar looked at me, expectant.

Me: “Mujhe mil gayi kal... aur usne shart bhi rakh di.”

Omar: “Ab khel shuru hoga, bhaijaan.”

—

𝙉𝙤𝙤𝙧'𝙨 𝙋𝙊𝙑

Shabnam: “Noor... tum Zaid se kya baat kar rahi thi?”

Me: “Kyun? Tumhe kyun jaan’na hai?”

Shabnam exhaled deeply and crossed her arms.