He enunciated and Zain's eyes widened in horror, Hoorain was taken aback, not believing what she was hearing.
"What?! Is that your solution for everything?! Marriage?!" Zain yelled, losing his forbearance with the whole situation, not wanting to bound his life to unwanted obligations-especially with someone he doesn't love.
"What other option do we have? We will quietly exchange rings and tell everyone you were engaged for a long time." Amir reasoned, trying to convince him but to no avail.
"And later break this when things will calm down, right?" Zain asked hopefully. Hoorain's heart constricted to think why Zain felt such resentment towards her.
"What? Of course not!"
"This is not fair! I can't sacrifice my life like Isra. I wouldn't do it. Why would I?" Zain declared, making everyone perplexed why he was behaving in such a way.
"Why, Bro? Even Hoorain is ready. Why can't you do it?" Rayan asked, looking at his sister sadly knowing he has to convince his best friend for the sake of his sister.
She would be. He thought bitterly, "But, I am not. I can't." He hissed.
"There must be a reason." Isra said, not understanding why he doesn't want it.
"Come on Zain, you are talking weirdly." Isra said.
"Weird? I am not. What if I cannot keep her happy? What if we were stuck into a bond of force?! Moreover, I don't have a job properly enough to afford her expenses. How can I keep her happy when I can barely uphold myself? Why are you placing a substantial responsibility over my head?"
He threw his series of excuses to avoid this situation but all his efforts were in vain.
“I just cannot do this. Her and I were never a match. We never were.” He breathed out.
"Who is telling you to marry her now? Just get engaged."
"No." Zain rolled his eyes, closing his arms at his chest.
"Okay, okay, Zain. Listen. Why don't you agree for engagement even as a pretense and we wait until you get your degree and job. Then decide whether you are better for Hoorain or not? You can do this much, can't you?"
Isra suggested, hoping he would listen. Zain's gaze softened for a second, glancing at Hoorain who was sitting, biting her lips to not cry for a second and back again at Isra, "Isra... I.. I.."
"Are you hesitating that she is my sister? Bro, your sister is my wife if you remember." Rayan defended.
Before Zain could reach any decisions, Amir spoke announced,
"We will do it, just all of us would be present. How about on the month's end?"
"Do I get to say anything? That's too early." Zain argued. "Then when, huh? Next year?! We are going to do it and you will keep this mouth shut."
"But-"
"No buts. That's final." Amir declared as Zain left and Rayan went after him, “Why are you doing this, Zain?” Rayan asked sternly.
“Why should I, Rayan? Why would I force myself to feel what I don’t want?” He asked furiously.
“Why are both of you siblings the same?” Rayan asked angrily.
“Rayan. Yours and Isra had a different story. You know what you did. But here, Hoorain likes me… for a while but I don’t. I never saw her from that perspective. I have- I couldn’t.” Zain’s voice softened.
‘I have considered a sister- but that would be a lie.’ He could have said it and ended this upheaval but he didn’t- He couldn’t.
“But whatever you say could alter her emotions?” Rayan asked.
“I am sorry, man, but you know I don’t know how to deal with a matter of emotions. How can I know what she is feeling when I have never loved anyone?”
He asked, honestly not apprehending a single emotion of Hoorain as he has never experienced it.
“Just know it’s very painful.” Rayan whispered, looking down.
“I know, it must be. Parting from your beloved sounds miserable but her heart is going to break and I don’t understand why one is deliberately allowing themselves to get hurt?”
Zain was stressed at this point, pacing around his room, losing his patience. Rayan smiled emptily at his friend,
“Seriously, You wouldn’t understand, Zain.” He said, halting his steps, “What?”
“You wouldn’t understand an emotional matter unless you experience it and talking it out with you is only meaningless at this point.”
Rayan sighed in disappointment and Zain was wrathful.
Why are they making a deal out of emotions? He thought.
“But, I could only ask you one thing.” Rayan paused, taking his step closer and joining his hands together pleadingly.
“Please don’t break my sister’s heart, Zain.” He begged for his sister, looking down, biting his lips.
Zain was taken aback at his unforeseen action, taking a step back, “R-Rayan..?” Zain blinked and moved his hand away after registering his action.
“Don’t talk absurdly, Man. It’s not like I would hit her or something, I am not low.” Zain didn’t realize the depth of his words.
“Please, she is emotionally fragile, she doesn’t think before acting, please take care of her. She won’t be able to cope with the suffering gained from you. We have brought her with extreme care, she can’t handle this.” He said sorrowfully, ready to do anything for Hoorain.
“I know and that’s exactly why I want her to stop and live her life. She has life, she has dreams, new experiences await her, she should reconsider.” Zain whispered, trying to think practically.
“And you are her dream.” Rayan whispered back.
Curling his hands in a fist, Zain growled, turning his head away, trying not to talk about this matter anymore.
“Zain-” Rayan tried to call, “Fine! I am doing the engagement but don’t expect anything further and because of you, I am doing this.” Zain hissed, powerless before his years of friendship, declaring,
“We will see at the end of our bargain whether her heart is going to break excruciatingly or not.”