Chapter 19
Author's POV:
Hayaat's slap echoed like thunder. Rayyan froze, the sting on his cheek nothing compared to the ache splitting his heart. The room fell into a suffocating silence, broken only by Hayaat's sobs.
Hayaat yelled and grabbed rayyan's collar,
" Yaha Sabne shak kiya meri Aapi pay... lekin agar sirf ap un per bharosa karte toh, unhe baki kisi se koi farak nahi padta.... Rayyan bhai! Lekin... sabse pehle aapne un per bharosa nahi kiya, unhe akela kar diya."
Rayyan's lips trembled. He wanted to answer but his voice betrayed him. His silence was proof enough.
At that moment, Rashid malik ( her father )stepped forward, his face burning red with rage.
"Pehle Aayat ne mujhe mere bhai ke saamne muh dikhane ke qabil nahi chhoda... aur ab tum be, hayaat! Tum bhi hamara sir jhuka rahi ho!"
His hand rose sharply in anger, ready to strike Hayaat.
But before it could fall, Saad leapt forward. His hand caught his father's wrist mid-air, stopping him. His chest heaved, his eyes filled with fire.
"Bas, Abu! Ek behan ki hifazat nahi kar paya... aur gusse mein sab k saath mil kr maine us per ungli uthaye... Ab yeh galti dobara nahi karuga mein. Hayaat ke saath bhi wohi nahi hone dunga jo Aayat ke saath hua hain."
Huzaif joined him, stepping in front of Hayaat protectively.
"Abu, hum se galti ho gaye...oh sorry galti nahi gunnah."
"Maine apni behan par shak kiya, us per haath uthaya... us ke dil mein zakham diye. Lekin ab... ab main usi ghalti ko phir se nahi dohraunga. Hayaat meri behen hai. Main uski hifazat karunga chahe mujhe kisi k samne be khada hona pade..."
His voice cracked with emotion. Tears welled in his eyes.
" Abu apko pata hain us din... jab maine Aayat pe haath uthaya.
.. usne kuch nahi kaha. Pehle jab bhi ladte the aur mein us per haath uthata tha toh wo jawab deti thi, humse ladti thi.
Lekin us din... usne kuch nahi kaha. Aur mujhe ab samajh aaya.
.. ki maine us din wo thapad uski rooh pay mara tha, Uske bharose pe mara tha, us bharose pr jo us nay apne bhaiyo per rakha tha.
Aur ab... mein khud ko uska bhai ya uska muhafiz kehlane k like be nahi samjta. "
The room drowned in silence again.
Saad now turned towards Rayyan, fury boiling in his veins.
"Yaad hai tumne kya kaha tha, Rayyan?"
" Tumne kaha tha meri behan ki aankhon mein kabhi ansu nahi ane do gay... aur mein nay be kaha tha kay main saamne wale ghar mein hoon. Per dekho , hum dono haar gaye. Wo chali gaye.... Meri zindagi ki Sabse badi galti maine apni behan ka haath tumhare hath mein diya..."
Without another word, Saad's hand swung. The slap hit Rayyan square across the face.
Everyone gasped. But before anyone could stop him, Huzaif pushed Saad aside and stepped up. His fist tightened.
"Meri behan... maloom nahi kahan bhatak rahi hogy iss waqt! Tumse shadi nahi ki hoti... toh aaj woh yahan hoti, par tumhari wajah se woh chali gayi!"
His fist crashed into Rayyan's jaw, knocking him slightly back. Blood touched Rayyan's lip, but he didn't move, didn't defend. He stood still, like a man who believed he deserved every hit.
Huzaif struck again, his voice breaking as he cried.
"Kash... kash humne uska haath tumhe kabhi diya hi na hota! kash maine us per bharosa kiya hota! Mein yaha us se maafi mangne aya tha lekin wo yaha hain hi nahi.... Aur tum yaha shadi kar k bethay ho seriously."
Rayyan staggered, holding his chest as if the words pierced deeper than fists. His lips trembled. And then... he laughed. A hollow, broken laugh.
"Tumhe lagta hai sirf tumhe dard hua hain.
..? Tumhe lagta hai tumhari behan sirf tum se door hui hai?
Main bhi toot chuka hoon! Wo tasveerein aur Us admi ki baatein mere damagh mein goonjti hain.
.. . Nikkah kay waqt toh kisi ne mujhe nahi roka.
.. koi nahi aya mujhe samjhane. Mein toh gusse mein tha, dil aur damagh ki jung k beech phasa hua tha, aur kisi nay be a kar mujhe ek bar b ye nahi kaha ye galat hain balkay sab ne us gusse mein aur tail dala.
Tumhare hi abu ne kaha mera faisla sahi hai.
Sabne kaha Ramsha achi hai, izzat bach jaayegi.
Aur maine... maine apni zindagi barbaad kar di. "
He sank to his knees, clutching his head.
"Mera dil kehta hai... ke mujhe Aayat pe bharosa karna chahiye tha. Lekin mera dimagh... mujhe kehta hai jo maine dekha aur suna woh sach hain. Main dono ke beech phansa hoon... dil aur dimagh ke iss jung ne mujhe haara diya hai. Main pagal ho gaya hoon..."
His voice cracked as he hit his chest with his fist.
" Tumhe pata hain Woh sab yahan chhod kar gayi hai... kapde, paise, zewar... sab. US ne yaha say kuch be nahi liya. Uska phone tak. Sirf ek chitthi chhod gayi... ke Aayat mar gayi. Agar wo mar gaye toh mein kyu zinda hoon?"
He collapsed forward, his body giving up, breath hitching. The family gasped.
afeesa ( his mother ) screamed,
"Rayyan!!!"
Shabaaz ( his father)
" Rayyan ankhein kholo."
"Saad! Jaldi gaadi nikalo!"
Everyone rushed forward as Rayyan's unconscious body slumped in their arms, tears mixing with his blood. The house that once echoed with laughter now drowned in silence, except for the haunting echo of one name.
Aayat.