CHAPTER 08

"You look more beautiful when you blush. This pink and red color on your skin makes me feel like you are a rose and I have to take care of you so you will stay fresh forever." He whispered in her ear. She looked at him with tears in her eyes. His smile fell and he cupped her face.

"What's wrong Neha? Did I say something wrong?" He asked her.

"You married me because of my face only." She replied and started sobbing hard.

"What? Are you in your senses? When did I tell you that I marry you for your face only?" Azfar asked her angrily.

"You said yourself, you fell in love with the pictures of me. You don't even know me." Neha replied between her sobs.

"Oh my God, Neha. Why do you take everything I say in a wrong way? Yes, I only have seen your pictures and I don't know with whom I had chatted with? But I married you Neha and are my wife. So you better stop talking rubbish." Azfar yelled at her and her sobs got even louder. Hearing him yelling at Neha, Azfar's parents came into their room. 

"What is going on here?" Fatima asked angrily. She went to Neha and engulfed her in a motherly hug.

" You dare to yell at her? Is that what we had taught you? Is that the way to talk to a lady and that too your wife? I am very disappointed in you Azfar. I thought you would be just like your father who respects women but I was wrong." Fatima scolded her son. She made Neha stand up and took her out of the room.

"Amma, it's not what you think…" Azfar tried to explain but Fatima and Neha were already out of the room. Neha was still sobbing. Fatima filled a glass with water and gave it to Neha. She downed it's content in one go and wiped her tears. 

"I am so sorry kiddo. Never in my life have I imagined that my son would yell at his wife in such an uncivilized way." Fatima apologized in a guilty tone.

"No no, Amma. Why are you apologising to me? It was his fault, please don't apologise for his mistakes." Neha replied.

"You are such a sweet kiddo. I can't believe how he found you." Fatima asked and Neha shivered. She didn't want her to know how Azfar had married her, she doubted that Fatima would accept her if she knew, as Azfar had told her. 

"Hey, can we talk?" Azfar came to them and asked Neha.

"You have more yelling to do then get out." Fatima replied angrily.

"Amma, I'm sorry. I didn't realize how loudly I had talked with her. I won't do that again. Please Neha, I want to talk to you." Azfar asked her in a pleading tone.

"Okay." Neha replied softly.

"Another tear out of her eye and you are spending your night out of the house. Mark my words Azfar." Fatima threatened her son angrily and left them alone. Azfar grabbed Neha's hand and took her back to their bedroom. He made her sit at the edge of the bed and he sat on the ground.

"I hurt you, didn't I?" Azfar asked as he wiped her tears. Neha didn't reply to him, just nodded her head.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I just wanted you to understand that now you belong to me and I love you that is why I married you. I don't care who I chatted with. Yes, I have seen your pictures but that doesn't mean that I love your face only. I can't make you understand but you are the only one I have ever wanted to be with. I want to spend my life with you. Is it too much to ask?" Azfar asked her softly.

"You have forced me into this and now you want us to be like a normal couple. Don't you think this is a lot to ask from a woman who has lost her family because of your foolishness?" She replied angrily. He sighed and nodded his head.

"I know I have done a lot of damage and I promise you that you will get it all back. I will talk to your family. And I promise you, your family will attend our reception. I know I have forced you but I don't feel myself guilty for that. Now go and get ready. We are going shopping then we will have dinner." He told her sternly. She stood up and went to the bathroom. She took a quick shower and wore the clothes he had given her. She came out and found Fatima sitting on one of the couches in their room. Fatima grabbed Neha's hand and led her to the dressing. She made her sit then applied some makeup on Neha's face. Once done Neha looked at herself in the mirror. She didn't apply a lot of makeup, just to highlight her features. Azfar came into the room and his mouth dropped on the floor. Fatima and Neha giggled together seeing Azfar's reaction. Azfar ran his fingers through his hair nervously. 

He offered his hand to Neha and she accepted it. He led her out of the room. They both bid their goodbyes and stepped out of the house. Azfar unlocked the car and held the passenger side door for her. Once she got settled in her seat, he sat on his seat and they drove off. After an hour, he parked his car in a Shopping Mall's parking lot. He hopped out of the car and opened her side door for her. She stepped out of the car, he locked it and then they went into the shopping mall.

He took her to many shops and bought her dozens of casual and fancy dresses, shoes, bags, and other accessories. She felt exhausted with all the shopping but he still wanted to buy her more things. At last, she stomped her foot on the floor and then sat on the ground to make him stop. He laughed loudly seeing her childish behavior. He raised his both hands in the air and bowed his head. She stood up and he took her back to the car. He threw all the shopping bags in the back seat, they both sat in the car and drove off. After a thirty minutes drive, he parked the car in front of a pizza dine-in. 

"So, it was just a thought. Do you like pizza?" He asked her and crossed his fingers.

"I love pizza." She replied excitedly and clapped her hands like a child. They both stepped out of the car and went in together. They ordered their food and waited for it.

"So we can't be a normal couple as you said. I have no problems with it but it's not only my relationship, it's equally yours as well. So how about, instead of being a couple, we start our relationship with friendship. You and I, we both will be friends, until you are comfortable with us starting our married life? What do you say? Can we do that?" He asked her.

"You won't do anything stupid, like you yelled at me today?" She asked back.

"No, I won't, I promise. Just as friends." He promised.

"Okay then, I can do that." She replied softly with a cheeky smile on her face. He sighed in relief and smiled back.

"Thank you Neha. I promise I will do everything to keep this cheeky smile on your face forever." He thanked her with a promise to keep her happy, forever.