Chapter 27
Rayyan's POV:
Rayyan sat in his home office, the room a chaos of broken vase, toppled books, and scattered files.
The remnants of his own frustration lay strewn around him-fragments of pens, a cracked cup, and a chair lying sideways.
Only moments ago, he had thrown them in a fit of restlessness, unable to shake the emptiness gnawing at his chest.
He rested his head in his hands and whispered to the silence, "I miss you aayat."
Flashback ( aayat 17 rayyan 23)
It was a sunny afternoon, and Rayyan was sitting outside the garden, a book in his lap, his eyes skimming lines he barely read. The tranquility of his study was shattered by a piercing voice from inside the house.
"Aayat! Kya kar rahi ho tum?pagal ho gaye ho kya!"
The voice, sharp and insistent, made him drop his pen. Without thinking, he rushed inside, only to find chaos: Aayat, in her hand bright red Anarkali frock-her favorite one- her hands trembling with determination.
"Ye kya ho raha hain, Aayat?" Rayyan's voice was a mix of shock and disbelief as he took in the scene.
"Aap beech pay mt bole, Rayyan bhai! Aur is frock ko abhi aur isi waqat jala do!" Aayat's voice rang with stubborn authority.
From behind, her mother Shagufta intervened, a hint of exasperation in her tone, "Aayat, band karo apna ye drama. Toh kya ho gaya agar ye frock Ramsha ne pehan liya? Wo b tumhari behan hain."
Aayat's eyes flashed with anger as she retorted, "Toh ja kar Aleena kay pehanti. Wo iski cousin hain, mein nahi! Aur waise bhi mein apni cheezo ko kisi aur ko haath nahi lagne deti, aj tak hayaat nay kabhi meri cheez nahi li toh ye kon hoti h meri frock pehne wali?"
Rayyan stepped closer, trying to calm her, "Acha thk hain, mein sorry bolta hoon. Ye frock le k jao andr...aur waise be ye frock mujhe bhi tumhare saath bohut acha lagta h, sabash andar le kar jao isey."
Her gaze pierced him, unwavering. "Rayyan bhai, but mujhe nahi pasand koi meri cheez pehne. Mujhe apni cheez kisi k sath share karna nahi pasand hain. Jo mera hain, wo bas mera hain."
She lifted her voice, anger evident, "Ab is frock ko jala do mere samne please na!"
Ramsha, standing by, interjected quietly, "Thk hain, agr nahi pehna mujhe de do..."
Aayat glared at her, "Nahi, dugy mein. Meri cheez sirf meri hain. Tum ne meri cheez ko haath lagaya, isliye mujhe ab ye nahi chahiye, but mein kisi aur ko bhi nahi dugy. Jala dugy isey mein, samj ay tumhe?"
Without another word, she grabbed the frock, stormed into the kitchen, lit a match, and returned to the garden.
With a decisive motion, she flung the frock to the ground and set it ablaze.
Her anger simmered in every movement.
Turning to Rayyan, she warned, "Ap isey samja day kay khabardar, meri kisi cheez ko is ne kabhi haath lagaya toh. .." and stormed back inside.
Rayyan followed her, finding her collapsed on the bed, tears streaming down her cheeks. He sat beside her gently, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"Khud hi jalaya, aur ab ro rahi ho..."
Aayat sniffled, "Wo mera favorite tha..."
Rayyan's tone softened, "To nahi jalana tha na phir, dho kr pehan laiti..."
Aayat shook her head, voice firm, "Rayyan bhai, ap smj nahi rahay.
Jo mera hain, wo bas mera hain. Aur wo Ramsha.
.. hamesha ye karti hain. Jo cheez mujhe pasand hoti h, wo wohi le lete hain.
Apko yaad hain wo bangles jo ap ne mere liye Eid pr laye thay, jab mein 8th class mein thi?
Tb us ne woh bangles pehan liye, aur mein ne phir woh bangles bhi tod diye.
Wo janti hain, phir bhi ye karti hain, hamesha.
Ap apni us cousin Ramshi Shamsi ko samjha de, meri cheezon se dur rahay, warna ab next time usey nahi chodugy mein. .."
Rayyan chuckled softly, "Ramshi Shamsi... acha name rakha tumne," prompting Aayat to giggle through her tears.
He sighed, "Okay ab chup, mein samjha dunga usey."
He rose to leave, but Aayat grabbed his arm, her tone firm, "haan ek aur baat, Rayyan bhai, ap us chamchi se dur rehna, dur se samjhana okay..."
Standing on the bed, she placed a hand on her hip, raising the other hand to point at him, "Khabardar usko aise samjaya jaise mujhe samjate hain aur us se pyar se baat b ki toh, mein apko chodugy nahi phir yaad rakhna, Ap ki be puri attention meri hain, samje ap?
Ap sirf meri side le sakte hain aur kisi ki nahi. ..."
Rayyan laughed at her antics, "Haan, samajh gaya, don't worry.
" Yet, inwardly, he thought, Tum toh already meri duao mein ho aayat.
.. bachpan se... jab pyar kya hota h iska matlab bhi nahi pata tha mujhe.
.. tab se Aayat, sirf tum mere dil mein ho, meri duao mein ho.
.. jo mein tumhe abhi nahi bata sakta.
Gently, he placed a hand on her head and tapped her playfully. She pouted, but he smiled and left the room.
~
' ye hum kaha pohanch gaye hain aayat.' he whispered.
Tears welled in his eyes as he rose and walked toward his room. There, he saw Ramsha asleep on his bed.
He thought bitterly, Tumhe apni cheez kisi k sath bantna pasand nahi tha... kya isliye 8 saal pehle tum kuch kahe bina ghar chod kr chali gayi...?
8 saal baad aj phir wo mere samne khadi hain but The glow, the innocence, and the vibrancy of her smile were gone. She was transformed-strong, distant, untouchable in a way that pained him more than he expected.
He moved toward the wardrobe, pulling out his clothes, preparing to leave the room. But before he could, Ramsha stirred and stood in front of him.
"Tum kaha ja ray ho ab?" she demanded.
Rayyan's voice was calm, distant, "Mein tumhe jawab dena zaroori nahi samjta..."
"Shayad tum bhool ray ho, mein tumhari bewi hoon... aur tum us ladki ki wajah se kab tak mujhe ignore karo gay. Bewi hote huye kab tak usey yaad karo gay."
Rayyan smiled faintly, shaking his head, "Shayad tum be bhool rahi ho... wo ladki bhi meri bewi hain... meri pehli bewi hain, Aayat."
With that, he gently pushed her aside and left the room, heading to the guest room-the very room his mother had given to Aayat eight years ago. Everything was as she had left it, unchanged.
Closing the door behind him, he lay on the bed, letting the tears flow freely. The past, the regrets, and the love all converged in the silence of the room.
' I miss you aayat.'
--------