EP_________1️⃣7️⃣

"Mun sameku? How's everyone?" Mansur replied, his mouth wide open smiling like he'd been promised a spot in paradise.

"All fine, alhamdulillah," she said, fidgeting with her fingers.

The room fell silent, seeing the silence was prolonged faryal said, "you haven't drunk anything, water or juice which one do you prefer?"

Aryan adjusted his sitting position, put his phone aside and said, "We've not been through a war that would make us thirsty I want you to open your ears and listen carefully, I've warned you to stay out of my life but you didn't. I'm here on my father's orders, I'm not planning to get married now and I have no intention of doing so. Agreeing to marry me would be the biggest mistake you'd ever make, entering my life would be a regretful decision and you'd prefer jail over being in my house ."

As he began speaking, Faryal fixed her eyes on him, her heart pounding. "Does he think he can try what he did outside?" She thought smirking to herself. "He's mistaken if he thinks I'd accept him,  Cox if I had a choice I wouldn't be here." She shook her head, lowered her eyes and crossed her legs.

"Haba Aryan what's this? If I knew this is what you'd do, whl I wouldn't have followed you."

"Shut your mouth mansur, this affects my life not someone else's." He turned to faryal and said, "I'm not giving you advice don't let my beauty fool you, shi kyan dan maciji daga nesa yake and if it's about money name your price, I'll give whatever you want but I want you to tell your parents you don't want me. I'm repeating myself entering my life is like entering a restricted prison, I'm harsh and not good to live with, as you've witnessed since day one, find someone suitable for you that you'd be happy to marry and get married. I'm talking to you calmly because of our parents otherwise I'd never sit and discuss things with a lady like this, I hope you'll take my word's seriously and make this meeting the last one."

She raised her head, no longer able to bear his words. She took a deep breath, calmed her voice and began speaking, " emm mr Aryan, first of all you don't know the reason why I'm here, if not for my father I wouldn't even share a shadow with you, the previous meetings were incidental and I don't know why I keep running into cruel man like you."

" Thank god you've witnessed my cruelty and you know what living with a cruel man would cause, right?

Barely minding his talk she continued, "and you're talking about beauty." She paused for a moment, gave him one look, smirked and said, "Kai from the moment you came in, you knew that you don't have the kind of beauty that would impress me. Let me give you a hint, beauty speaks for itself, you don't need to brag and if you are talking about wealth whl you, you don't have the money to buy me not even someone who's richer than you could ever buy faryal because the abundance of heart surpasses the abundance of wealth.........."

"Hey hey, stop there I'm not here to listen to your nonsense since you understand everything, don't waste my time show me your actions, go ahead and tell them you won't marry me." He ended in a whisper, smirking and added in a pissed tone, " jikar qaruna masu wanka da faro. " Because she had pushed him to the wall, despite his efforts to maintain his composure.

"Let me tell you one last thing, I have someone I love and he has everything you don't, As for talking to parents, you are the one who's a man and you showed interest that's why you came here, so you should be the one to approach them.  You have nothing to impress me neither physically or nor character wise, you might find someone else interested elsewhere, perhaps you should try the market and since you didn't came here with dignity, don't dare step your foot in this house again." she ended stood up and made her way out.

But just as she was about to take a step aryan put out his leg causing her to almost fall, she stumbled from left to right, trying to steady herself but her forehead hit the wall. She let out a slight shout and bent down, feeling the impact of resonate through her body.

He stood up and approached her, looking at her as she was already kneeling on the ground with her hand on her forehead eyes closed, " this is the second time I've warned you, don't make me warn you for the third time, I can kill you if you continue draw close to me."

Mansur who had been watching them intervened, " haba Aryan, haba Aryan what's this t..."

"Shut ur fucking mouth mansur, to hell with you."

"I won't shut up Aryan, I said I won't shut up, shikenan Kai someone will not tell you anything except what your mind command you, how dare you come to their house and hurt her are you out of your sense, do you forget where you are."

He turned and headed out, with mansur following him, lecturing him on his unfair behavior, until they reached their car and left. 

"That's enough mansur."

"It's not enough Aryan, I said It's not enough, how could you meet a girl in their house and behave like this? so you obey your parents and you expect her to disobey her's. This is selfishness a gentle and calm girl haba Aryan, where is your sense? Kai yanzu in auren ne if you get someone like her ai you'd be extremely lucky."

Aryan slammed on the brakes angrily causing mansur's head jerk forward and hit the car's dashboard, he glared at Mansur and furiously said, "get out of my car."

"I'm going to get out, even if you don't tell me," he said, getting out of the car and slamming the door loudly.

Aryan sped off accelerating rapidly and the tires spun, spewing dust all over mansur.

He watched the car drive away with an expressionless smile and started walking because there were rare vehicles passing. He pulled out his phone to book a ride home but he heard a car approaching and even without looking up, he knew who it was. He cut across and continued walking, the car followed him again and blocked his way, he still avoided it and continued walking, aryan got out of the car and blocked his way, saying, "Get in let's go." 

Mansur looked at him dismissively before saying, "Mallam Dallah, move and let me pass and If the road too belongs to you, you can fetch it and put it in your pocket."

"I'm sorry, please get in let's go, It's already getting late."

"Oh You know it was night when you asked me to leave your car, Kai dai kasan whl nafi karfin gorin mota." 

He laughed, seemingly unfazed by his earlier fury,

"I know mana abokina, I'm sorry please get in, let's go." Mansur relented, walking toward the car with Aryan following. 

They drove in silence for a few minutes before Aryan started talking about his visa but mansur acted as if he didn't know Aryan existed, let alone hear him.

"Don't you hear me Mansur?" Aryan asked.

"Tunda ubana ke buga visar ba," Mansur replied with a frown.

Aryan stole a look at him, realized he was still angry and then remained silent until they reached home.

As Mansur opened the car door, he turned to Aryan and said, "I won't offer you advice again, Do what suits you and don't come to our house again." 

Aryan laughed and said, "I'm coming back tomorrow, let's see if you can drag me out."

As Mansur was leaving, Aryan called out, "Please give my regards to Umma."

With a sharp hiss mansur stormed inside.

***            ***            ***

Faryal was frozen, replaying his words in her mind as his voice echoed in her ears. The pain in her heart now eclipsed the ache in her forehead. What's happening in my life ? why does every door I knock on seem locked? 'ARYAN' She whispered her voice trembling with fear, as if he still stood before her, she sat there without knowing how many minutes had passed until she heard footsteps that made her quickly stand up and leave the living room.

She entered the room and headed straight to the toilet without even looking at Hadiyyah. There she slid down, leaned against the door and burst into tears needing to cry out loud to maybe find some relief.

Hadiyyah, concerned by faryal's abrupt entrance she put down her phone, approached the toilet and listened closely, hearing the faint sound of faryal crying. 

She started knocking on the door, saying worriedly, "Faryal faryal what happened? Why are you crying? Please open the door."

Faryal quickly moved away from the door and turned on the shower to create the sound of water and hide her crying.

As she heard hadiyyah call her name again she slightly cleared her throat without speaking, indicating to hadiyyah that she was taking a shower. 

Hadiyyah sighed and returned to bed, her face still etched with worry, knowing she'd heard Faryal crying. 

Maama came in and said, "Hadiyyah where's Faryal? Nasar told me her guest left."

"Eh she's in the toilet," Hadiyyah replied shortly.

"Okay, tell her your appa is calling her," Maama said before leaving the room without noticing hadiyyah's worried expression.

She took an unintended shower in her effort to distract Hadiyyah's mind from thinking about something else. Afterward, she wrapped herself in a bathrobe and stood lost in thought in from of the mirror, searching for a solution to her dilemma.  Eventually, her mind advised her to tell Appa that she and Aryan didn't understand each other. With that newfound resolve she stepped out of the bathroom.

Hadiyyah quickly looked up and said, "Faryal, are you okay? Why did you come in crying? Did the visitors did something to you?"

"Haba hadiyyah, these are a lot of questions, one after the other like a journalist which one should I answer first?"

"I'm worried since I heard you crying, please tell me what's wrong," Hadiyyah asked again.

"Nothing happened, Hadiyyah don't worry, I accidentally hit the wall," Faryal replied.

Hadiyyah looked at her skeptically but said, "You should apply something to reduce the swelling."

"In sha Allah I will," Faryal answered, getting dressed.

"Maama said Appa is calling you," Hadiyyah added.

Faryal stopped dressing, realizing she wasn't prepared to meet Appa, she had planned to talk to him tomorrow, but now..."

Hadiyyah interrupted her thoughts "Faryal, far..."

"What?" Faryal replied, snapping back to reality.

"Which world were you in?" Hadiyyah teased.

Faryal didn't respond, still lost in thought. Hadiyyah continued, "You don't want to tell me about the guy? Hope he's 👌," Hadiyyah winked, and Faryal recalled Aryan's words, "Don't let my beauty fool you." A faint smile crossed her lips as a laugh slipped out.

Hadiyyah clapped her hands excitedly saying, "Yay! Just Tell me to inform manira so we can start preparing."

"No Hadiyyah we didn't understand each other, he wasn't my type at all," Faryal said quickly.

Before Hadiyyah could respond, Faryal picked up her scarf and left the room, leaving Hadiyyah open mouthed.

She went to her grandmother's room and found no one there, and that was okay for her, so she prayed the Isha prayer there, which had already been called before she headed out.

She didn't stop in the living room she went straight to her father's side, thinking about whether he would believe and agree with what she would say. She knocked and waited until he permitted her to enter before she went in. She found Appa sitting on the rug, eating dinner. She offered a salam and completed her entry. 

Appa looked up and stared at her as she sat next to him, using his hand to gently raise her head, his face was etched with concern. "Faryal, what happened to your forehead?" He asked.

She slightly rubbed the spot and calmly said, "I accidentally hit the wall appa." 

"Ashsha ashsha, haba Faryal you should be careful how can you walk without looking ahead and end up with such a hit?  Sannu kinji but you should take some pain killer because I know you'll feel this pain."

Maama offered a salam and entered with a jug of juice and a tumbler, placing it in front of Appa before taking a seat. Appa looked at her and said, "look at the kind of hit Faryal got on her forehead."

Maama looked at Faryal and said, "Subahanallah, Faryal when did you injure your forehead like this?"

"Recently Maama." 

"Sorry, you should be careful." 

Appa cleared his throat and asked, "So now how was the meeting? Hope you understand each other." Without waiting for Faryal's response he added, "I know he's a good man and he doesn't have a problem." He turned to Maama and said, "Wallahi, I wish you saw him Sharmila, you'd surely praise his good habits."

Faryal was lost in thought, wondering how Appa could judge this cruel man by just his appearance. Did he even get good evidence when he investigated? She cut off her thoughts because this was the point to rescue herself. So she adjusted her seat properly and said, "Appa, you are our father, you never let us want for anything, you are trying to take away all our burdens, Appa I won't hate your choice but Appa I can't marry Aryan, I trust anyone who comes from your hand, I will accept him even if I don't know him, I will teach myself how to accept him as long as I make you happy because there's nothing I'd rather do than to obey you but Appa you should forgive me, I can't marry Aryan." 

Appa looked at Maama before returning his gaze to Faryal, who lowered her head. He sighed and said, "Faryal, you are indeed an obedient daughter since you were young, everything I told you to do, you did it, even if you didn't want to, I don't want to force you, I want you to get married to the man that I know will hold you as an amana and take care of you. But do you know who Alhaji Sarakee is to me or what the relationship between me and him is, since before you were born? Ask your mother, she will tell you, If you don't know. I want you to give me one proof or reason that I can use to defend myself against his son's marriage to my daughter?" 

Faryal was silent, thinking about what to say, If she said Aryan was entirely unsuitable, they might ask how she knew him? And if she claimed he was wicked, they'd likely ask for specifics about his behaviour, would she reveal the incidents where he grabbed her neck, tripped her or cursed her? And if she said he didn't love her, her parents might find it hard to believe because if he doesn't love her, why would he come to their house? When Maama saw the silence prolonged, she broke it and said, "Faryal don't we talk about all this? Now, you only have two choices either Aryan or Jabeer but idan kuma dangin mahaifin naki ne tho gaki ga su." Maama ended as she stood up and went inside Appa's bedroom. 

Appa shook his head with a slight smile and turned to Faryal, offering her valuable advice. The words resonated deeply with her, touching her heart and drained her energy. but still, if she left Appa's words truly sink in where would it lead her in life? 

When he finished, she thanked him and stood up, leaving with a frail body, pondering why Appa was praising Aryan's behavior so that implied he too, used two faces. "Innalillahi wa Inna ilaihir rajuun." she murmured, entering the main living room.