chapter 15

                                    

                                          
"Maheen..," Abdullah called her name from across the sofa. His legs were in an uncomfortable position, and Maheen, who was lying on the bed, turned to look at him. She had argued with him... she didn't want to sleep on the same bed so she had proposed to occupy the guest bedroom.
"Masla kya hai tumhara... samajh kyu nahi aarahi baat tumhe. Mujhe bed nhi share karna hai, bas keh diya maine", her eyes were sharp, she felt selfish, but she wanted this, some distance. Being around him was hurtful. 
"Toh mai kaha mana kar ra, tum bed par sojao mai sofey par adjust karunga kuch waqt," Abdullah realised Maheen was doing this on purpose. She wanted to wear him off. So he would give up. She was being difficult on purpose, but Abdullah was ready to spend his life on that sofa if it meant she was happy. 
"Nahi, mujhe akele ek kamre mai rehna hai. Tumhare saath nahi," Abdullah sighed, looking at the stubborn look in her eyes, feeling a little upset. 
"Mai soney jaaraha," he said, turning to grab his blanket and pillow, Maheen thought he would leave the room, but instead, he walked towards the sofa.
Maheen gave him a glare, "It's not like you ever cared about my feelings or words to compromise."
Abdullah saw the expression and almost had the urge to stop her, and then he remembered, she was creating another boundary around herself. And he was invading it again like before. 
But what could he do time was ticking. 
He had to win her heart before he lost her. And he couldn't lose her because of his stupidity once again. 
Abdullah settled himself on the sofa, his body sinking into the worn cushions. He adjusted the blanket over himself, his heart heavy with the weight of Maheen's words. The silence between them was palpable, broken only by the rustling of the fabric as he tried to find a comfortable position.
Maheen turned her back to him, her breaths shallow and uneven. She felt the familiar sting of tears welling up in her eyes, but she blinked them away, unwilling to let him see her vulnerability. She hated that she still cared about his presence and hated the way his patience gnawed at her resolve.
"Maheen," Abdullah's voice was softer now, almost hesitant. "I won’t ask you to stop crying, nor would I suffocate you again."
Abdullah paused, the words hanging in the air. His hand reached up, running through his dishevelled hair in frustration. He didn't always know how to say the right things, especially when it came to Maheen, but he couldn't help himself.
"But I won't stand here and pretend I don't feel what I feel," he continued, his voice rough. "You think this distance between us will make things easier for you, but you're wrong. You’ll keep pushing me away, but I’ll keep coming back... because you’re mine."
The last part was muttered under his breath, almost as if he was talking to himself, but the weight of the words hung heavily between them. He wasn't sure if he was trying to convince her or if he was trying to convince himself.
Maheen's body tensed at his words, and she quickly wiped away the threatening tears, biting her lip to stop herself from responding. She hated that he knew how to make her feel like this, like she was the one in the wrong for wanting space, for wanting control over her own emotions.
But Abdullah was stubborn. That much she knew. His silence was filled with a thousand things unsaid. 
"Don't... don't say things like that," Maheen finally whispered, her voice breaking. She turned slightly, just enough for him to catch a glimpse of her face, tear-streaked and pale. "You don’t own me. And you can’t keep forcing me to love you, Abdullah."
Her words were sharp, but deep down, she wished they weren’t true. Because she knew that every time he came close, every time he pushed, she felt herself falter. And that was the worst part. The worst part was that he did have a hold on her, even now, even after everything.
She went towards the bed to find a photo frame on the side table, their valimah photo. It was giving her the ick, her smile. Maheen’s hands trembled as she placed the photo frame face down, her fingers brushing over the glass as if she could erase the memory of that day. The image of her smiling, happy, trapped in a moment that felt like a lifetime ago, made her stomach churn. 
She stood there, her back to Abdullah, her mind racing. The silence between them was unbearable, each minute stretching into eternity. She could feel his gaze on her, even if he didn’t speak. His quiet understanding was just as suffocating as his words. She could feel his patience wearing thin, his resolve as stubborn as her own. He would never leave. Not until he got what he wanted.
And yet, as much as she despised the way he treated her, part of her still wanted him to care. Part of her still wished he would hold her, apologize, change - do anything to fix what was broken. But she couldn't let him see that. Not now. Not when the thought of him near her felt like a betrayal to herself.
Turning away from the photo, Maheen grabbed the pillow off the bed and flung it at the far corner of the room in frustration. The sharp thud echoed in the silence. She had to keep her distance. She had to make him hate her.
She walked back to the edge of the bed, glancing at Abdullah out of the corner of her eye. His back was to her, the weight of his presence in the room pressing on her chest. It was a strange mix of longing and disgust, of wanting him to leave, but also fearing that if he did, it would be the end of everything. But she couldn’t keep pretending. She couldn’t keep lying to herself.
She hated her own emotions. This village and Abdullah. 
Maheen hang on for a month. And you will be free. 
That's what she told herself. 
Make his life a living hell, and maybe he would give up earlier. Be a brat. Make him hate you. 
___
I know Maheen is immature, but she is a spoiled girly (who knows what she deserves), and I love her...