It was the 2000’s. Angad boarded the Pakistan International Airlines aircraft with bated breath.
The fact that he would be travelling alone for the first time was forgotten the moment he mentioned that he was going to Karachi — to see Iqbal, his partner-in-crime during college. The duo had studied literature together in Delhi university.
Angad’s father, a former Army general, reasoned: “That country kills my countrymen every day. Why are you friends with a person from that country?”
But Angad had made up his mind. He went ahead and booked tickets, not in the least aware that he would meet the girl of his dreams miles above in the sky.
He spotted her the moment he entered the aircraft. She was sitting on seat 29B with an old lady who seemed very interested in the view outside. So much so, that she managed to cover the window with her back.
Angad flicked his eyes around and saw that his seat was 29C, right next to the girl. It was just what he wanted.
The girl, who introduced herself as Saleha, said she was petrified of heights.
In a slightly lower tone, she asked that if she got too scared, could she hold his hand. He admitted to the same fear himself. For a brief moment, their eyes met and they forgot their aerophobia.
Soon, the aircraft began to gather speed; seconds later it was up in the air.
Once it stabilised, they let go off each other’s hands. Slightly embarrassed, they turned to the old lady, who was fast asleep with her arms splashed over the armrests on either side.
Since both of them weren’t sleepy, they got talking.
Saleha came from a middle-class family and aspired to be a journalist like her brother. She had come to New Delhi to familiarise herself with the education system as she had to write about it in her application form. She was interested in joining St Stephens.
Angad, too, had similar aspirations. The only difference between them was that Angad belonged to an influential family. They kept talking.
Two hours later, the pilot announced descent into Karachi. As they inched closer to the ground, the aircraft hit turbulence. Both of them held onto each other’s hand as tight as they could.
After collecting their baggage, they exchanged addresses and numbers before heading their own ways.
Angad, who had been lost in love onboard, slept all through the taxi journey. The first thing that hit him when he entered the lane Iqbal stayed in was the dirt.
He found the address and rang the bell.
Yet again, he came face-to-face with Saleha as she swung the door open. Right behind her was Iqbal. Sensing his surprise and confusion, she quickly mentioned that she was Iqbal’s sister.
He entered the house and hugged his best friend for two minutes, his eyes on Saleha all this while. He asked where their parents were and they told him they had died in a car accident two years ago.1
The next few days were sheer bliss. But, ultimately, the day he had to leave edged closer. The night before, Angad realised that he was in love. He proposed to Saleha.
Iqbal, who saw Angad go down on his knees, waited for Saleha to react.
As soon as she accepted the proposal, a furious Iqbal stormed in and started slapping Angad.
Angad, however, kept repeating: “I will love her no matter what you do to me”.
Iqbal couldn’t take it anymore. He threw Angad out.
Deciding to extend his trip, Angad rented a room in the same lane.
Every day, Saleha would sneak out to see him. Every day, she would tell him how much Iqbal hit her.
Finally, one day, Angad asked Saleha if she would elope with him. She agreed.
Years went by before they decided to return to Iqbal with their children — Sarfaraz and Riya.
Both of them had been very tired after running and decided to go back to meet Iqbal to see how he would react. Also that both of them held the view that “Love is not a crime”.
One look at them melted Iqbal’s heart and he pulled them close. He apologized to them and later hosted a reception, both in Pakistan and India, to introduce the two sides.
Hosting a reception in India was more difficult as Angad’s father did not support the idea but he agreed after seeing the two kids and very proudly announced the occasion.
After that the both of them shifted to Dubai to be away from all the family drama. Angad found a job in a daily over there whereas Saleha took care of the kids while he was gone.
After the kids were old enough Saleha too started working in the same newspaper.