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storiesbyzainab strikes once again! 😍

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Yamna

"Maddy, remind me not to squeal." I whispered to my best friend, Madiha.

She looked at me, eyes wide. "What happened?"

We had come to the cinema to watch a film, and before the trailers started, we were already munching on popcorn and nachos. Madiha was literally the only one who had an idea that Rohaan was certainly not like a brother to me. 

"This guy at uni snatched my diary...and Rohaan walked up and..." I found myself blushing.

"Haye. No wonder you're tempted to squeal." She smiled at me. "I don't even know what happened next, but I can just picture the scenario!"

"He protected me." I'd been thinking about each and every word and action of his, and with each time, there were more and more butterflies fluttering in my tummy. I always told myself off silently. He was Rohaan. I should not be thinking about him like that! I felt like a part of me was betraying Tayan. 

But...I couldn't help myself. I closed my eyes and pictured him in my mind. His muscular built, his biceps as he folded his arms over his chest, his smirk and the way his eye gleamed mischievously as he teased me. The way his hair seemed always messy, yet it added to his attractiveness. The way he didn't grow out his beard, but was not clean-shaven either- it was just the perfect amount.  

The way he made me feel beautiful and special, even though I knew that I wasn't.

"Be careful, Yamna." She looked knowingly at me. "I feel like you're entering the pyar territory."

*Pyar: love.

"The what?" I laughed. 

She shrugged. "Oh, trailers!" She said as the lights dimmed. 

*

Rohaan

"Can you believe these f**king drug dealers?" Ahmed complained as we rode towards the secondary school. "Selling behind the school!" 

"A****les." I muttered, even though my mind was elsewhere.

"Where's your head at?" He asked.

"Same old desi drama, man. My mother is hell-bent on getting me married, and I know that I can't fight her for longer. But..."

"But?" 

"I don't know if I agree with her choice anymore." 

"Who? Amira?" He knew enough to ask that question. "I thought you had a thing for her."

"I do." I sighed. "I think."

"You think?" He smirked.

"And yet I told Mama that I'm willing to marry Mira."

"Oh mere Rab, is munday noun akal ata farma." He sighed. "Apne maa baap di sab to vadi ghalti, pehle khud te decide karlainda, jawab dain toun pehle."

*"Oh God, bless this boy with a brain."
"The biggest mistake of your parents' live, you should have first decided yourself before giving her an answer."

I burst out laughing. "Tu kamina'i rahin, yaar."

*"You stay a wretched man, mate."

People tend to be surprised when I speak Punjabi. But I'd picked it up here and there, and now I enjoyed speaking it. Yusuf and Ahmed had taught me a lot, actually.

We arrived at the scene, and saw a voluntary community police officer speaking to a blonde guy who looked beyond high. He was shifting from one foot to another repeatedly, sniffing over and over again, and his eyes were bloodshot. 

The voluntary officer turned to us. "He attempted to climb the wall of the school. He doesn't seem to be a dealer, but he seems severely intoxicated."

"Right. What's up, mate?" I stepped forward. "How are you doing today?" 

"F**k off. I know who you are and what you want." The blonde intoxicated guy gave me the middle finger.

"Enlighten me. Who am I and what do I want?" I took another step closer, my hands held up as if trying to reassure him that I won't harm him.

"You gonna arrest me, ain't you?" The blonde man turned his head and spat.

"Depends. You doing something illegal?" I asked.

"I ain't harmin' anyone, officer. You can turn right around and leave." 

"Right...except that I believe that attempting to climb the wall of a school is illegal." I shrugged. "Let's agree to disagree on that, and come with us. Let's have a chat at the police station."

Ahmed read him his rights as he handcuffed him. Suddenly, the drugged up idiot jerked and pushed Ahmed back. With a furious rage, he shoved me hard, causing me to fall hard onto the ground on my back.

"Ro, you good?" Ahmed asked me.

I stood back up, refusing to react. I approached the blonde man slowly. "You want to try that again?" I stepped right into the face of the drugged-up man, staring down at him threateningly. "Lay a finger on me again, I dare you." I have often been told that I tend to forget the limits of a police officer sometimes. Sometimes my behaviour goes just above acceptable. 

The intoxicated man raised a finger at me. "If we were outside right now, I'd show you."

I glanced around at the street, then at Ahmed. "Oh, maybe I'm drugged? I didn't realise we were indoors."

"Ro, let's just arrest him and take him away before you got punched for being annoying." Ahmed muttered under his breath.

I chuckled. The two of us thanked the voluntary officer, before leading the guy away.

*

"Oh, f**k's sake, yaar." I glanced over my shoulder at my bare back in the mirror. There was a long, deep gash from when I'd been pushed onto the ground. It had been hurting ever since, and when I had taken my shirt off, I had seen the dried blood on it.

There was a light knock on the door. "Rohaan?" The door opened and Mama walked in. Her eyes widened as she saw the reflection of my back in the mirror. "Allah! What happened?" 

"Just a scratch, Mama. Don't worry." I began to reach for my shirt.

"Sit down." She ordered. 

"Mama, I'm thirty-one. I don't need Mummy tending to my Boo-Boos." I groaned, but I sat down anyway.

"You're right. A biwi would be more appropriate at this time." She whispered. "Wait here. I'll get the first aid kit." She headed out of the room.

When she returned, she quietly started tending to it a while, and I wondered if I had been spared the interrogation by some miracle. But of course not. She was Mama. "How did this happen?" 

"On duty."

"Rohaan..." 

"I'm fine, Boss Woman. Stop stressing." 

"I'm worried about you." 

"So, you want me to get married so somebody else can also worry about me? Kya logic hai, Mama!" He grinned fondly at her.

*"What a logic, Mama!"

She ran her fingers through my hair. "I just want to see you guys settled in life. All of you. Within months, Arsal will also be married, In Sha Allah." 

"It's not a competition, Mama. I'm not competing with my own brother. He found his partner, and I'm really, really happy for him. Ma Sha Allah."

"I'm not saying that it's a competition, honey. I just want you to be happy too."

"I am happy." I shrugged. "I found the job that I'm really good at."

"Do you want us to proceed with your rishta for Amira?" She asked.

"No."

"Why not?" She looked puzzled. "You agreed! You said you like her."

I stood up as soon as she was done and walked away from her. "I don't know." 

"Rohaan..." 

I turned to look at her. "Just give me time, Mama."

"You've had an established career for a few years now. I gave you time already." 

"Just a bit more. At least let's wait until after grasshopper's wedding." 

"That's what your father said." She muttered almost grumpily.

I laughed. "Wow, me and Papa on the same side. Nice!"

"We're all on the same side! I only want happiness for my kids!" She said defensively.

I sat back down and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. "I know." I kissed the side of her head. "But rest assured, I trust that Allah has planned the best for me, as He has for everyone else."

She smiled, nodding. "In Sha Allah."

*

Yamna

Mobeen didn't even look at me again.

In fact, when we accidentally came across each other, he turned around and walked away in the opposite direction. I resisted the urge to giggle.

Thanks, Rohaan.

I sat in my lecture hall in my pale pink jeans and a long-sleeved loose white Bohemian blouse, tapping my fluffy pink pen against my notebook. I sometimes wondered myself why I loved the colour pink so much. 

I'm odd. Like a human version of candyfloss.

Even as the lecture began, I could barely focus. My mind was miles away from studies.

"Excited for the trip?" Nisha asked me as the lecturer gave us a twenty minute break.

"Yes. And now I want us to quickly get away before my parents change their minds." 

She smiled. "Desi parents, huh?" 

"Seriously." I stood up. "Watch my stuff, please. I'm going to go to the restroom."

"Sure."

I jogged down the steps and left the lecture hall. 

I've read in books that many men have egos that cannot handle being rejected. I suppose, Mobeen wasn't going to let go that easily.

I was approaching the restroom when someone yanked my arm and pulled me into a darker, emptier hallway. 

"What...?" I gasped as I saw Mobeen.

I felt something sharp cut into the back of my hand and looked down to see that he had scratched me there with a small pen knife. Blood was already starting to escape. He quickly pressed down on my mouth with his hand to shut me up.

"You tell the university authorities or that boyfriend of yours, and I will do much worse, I promise." He glared at me.

Sick and tired of being treated like a human punchbag, I reacted almost impulsively. I reached back and punched him in the face. 

A light smack was heard and there was barely an impact on his face, but he moved back, startled. Enough for me to run.

Report him. Don't worry about his threat. I ran straight to the security guard in the main hallway. "Please help me. A guy scratched me with a knife." I held up my bleeding hand.

*

I punched someone!

'Punched' is a strong word, don't you think? That was an insult to punches!

Thanks to the security cameras, the university had all the evidence to deal with Mobeen, and he was led off campus...straight to the waiting police officers.

The university medical centre had cleaned up the cut, and put a white bandage over it. 

"Assalam Alaikum!" I called out as I arrived home that evening.

"Walaikum Assalam!" Mama came into the kitchen doorway. "You didn't call me to pick you up today?" 

"Nisha was with me for the majority of the Tube journey." I explained, taking my shoes off.

"What happened to your hand?!" Alarmed, she strode over to me and took my hand.

"Nothing, Mama. Just a scratch." Caused by a man who couldn't handle rejection.

"Yamna! Why are you so clumsy?" Mama looked up at me, exasperated.

"I'm going to change. I'm starving, Mama. What's to eat?" 

"Channay chawal." She smiled, knowing that it was one of my favourite!

*Chickpea dish with rice. 

"Yes!" I clapped excitedly like a little child, before rushing up the stairs.

*

I was eating in front of the TV, when Mama came and sat down beside me.

"Yamna, your father and I were thinking about at least having your baat pakki done once you've finished uni. It's your last year anyway." 

*Baat pakki: fix marriage.

With the spoon still in my mouth, I looked at her, wide-eyed.

"We'll find a suitable rishta. Your Tayan and Anabia Tayi will help us in this, of course. They got two daughters married off to such wonderful guys, Ma Sha Allah."

"What's the rush, Mama?" 

"No rush, but we can at least start looking." She ran her fingers through my hair. "I worry about you so much, Yamna."

"Why? Do you think I won't find a rishta?" My insecurities spilled out in that question.

"No, sweetheart. We just pray so much that you find a husband who loves you unconditionally, protects you, and takes the best care of you. Good rishtay are hard to find these days."

I continued eating my dinner.

"You are our world, Yamna. We pray that you find someone who also makes you his whole world. Ameen."

I giggled. "It's the idea of having in-laws that truly scare me. You were lucky, Ma Sha Allah."

She laughed as well. "You'll be fine, In Sha Allah. I trust that you'll win hearts no matter where you go." 

*

How beautiful is a weekend morning?

I sat up in bed on Saturday, stretching my arm out. Although I could see out of the window that it was yet another grey day, the fact that it was my day off was the reason everything seemed brighter. I grabbed my pale pink rabbit with pink bows around its ear and hugged it tightly. "How are we going to spend this weekend, Mr Bunny? I'm tempted to completely ignore my dissertation and just relax." Putting my glasses on, I left Mr Bunny on the bed and went to the bathroom for the morning routine.

When I arrived downstairs, I smiled as I saw that Mama had made pancakes. "Assalam Alaikum, Mama!" I walked over and hugged her.

"Walaikum Assalam, sunshine." She kissed my cheek.

I picked up the plate of pancakes she had prepared for me,  including two strawberries. 

"Haya will be coming around soon. She, Hoor and Tahira are going shopping for some wedding stuff, and they want you to come along." 

I groaned. "I hate shopping. It's boring."

"Yamna, be nice. They want you along, so go."

"I don't mean to offend them. I just get bored."

"It'll be fun with the three of them." 

"Are the kids being watched by their Mamus at Tayan's house?" I asked, curiously.

"Well, your Tayi is home, so the kids will be with her. I'm not sure if Rohaan and Arsal will be home. Or maybe the fathers are with the kids." 

I sat down in front of the TV with my pancakes, wondering if there was a polite way of getting out of the shopping trip. I adored my two Appis, but shopping was not my ideal way of spending my day off.

*

And naturally, the topic of Rohaan's wedding also came up as we were rummaging through the racks in a Pakistani clothes shop.

"So, Rohaan Bhai has no such plans?" Tahira Appi, a very good friend of Hoor Appi, asked casually. 

"Rohaan will take his sweet time." Hoor Appi rolled her eyes. "I imagine him thinking that marriage will take away his freedom. Otherwise, I love Mama's idea of both weddings being done this year."

"Any girl in mind?" Tahira Appi asked.

I noticed Haya Appi glance briefly at me, before smiling at Tahira Appi. "I'm telling you. For the last five years, at least, Mama keeps getting rishtay for Rohaan."

"So, he didn't find anyone that he liked?" 

"No." Haya Appi smiled. "But I just know that he's waiting for a truly special one. She'll well and truly be the one for him, and then we'll all know that the wait was definitely worth it."

I felt an intense amount of unexpected jealousy boil up within me, but I remained calm. I was not being practical at all. Eventually, Rohaan would get married, and I'd have to swallow that bitter truth and live with it. I thought of him and Mira, and the way they both just seemed to 'click' perfectly. And, whether I liked it or not, they looked good together. The ideal couple.

"I think Mira is a good option." Hooriya Appi seemed to speak my mind. "Anyway, for now, let's focus on this Bhabi. After a decade of waiting, Arsu will finally marry his love, In Sha Allah."

Tahira Appi blushed. "I still can't believe that he waited all this time for me."

"True love is patient." Hooriya Appi smiled. 

Haya Appi walked over to me and wrapped her arm around my shoulders. "Did you find anything that you liked, Yum-Yum? And please don't say you chose something pink!"

"What's wrong with pink?" 

"Honey, ninety percent of your wardrobe is pink!" Haya Appi rolled her eyes. "Come on. I'll select something for you." 

*

After the little shopping spree, we dropped Tahira Appi home, and Haya Appi drove us towards Tayan's house.

"I need to go home, Appi." 

"It's Sunday tomorrow. You can go later." Haya Appi spoke almost dismissively. "Shayaan's coming over as well, and we're going to have a proper Cousins' Night." Shayaan Bhai was their Saim Mamu's son.

I didn't argue. I enjoyed being with my cousins, even when the dissertation hung like a sword over my head. Plus, it was such a homely feeling being at my Tayan's house.

"Stay the night, Yum-Yum. It'll be like old times." Haya Appi told me as we entered the house.

"I...I can't." I shook my head. 

My parents never had a problem with me staying the night at Tayan's. Granted that Rohaan and Arsal Bhai were non-mehrams, but Tayan himself was my mehram, and my parents didn't think twice about letting me stay here. And everyone was so welcoming and loving here.

"Come on, Yum-Yum. I've missed you so much." Haya Appi tilted her head slightly, pouting at me.

I smiled. "Are you trying to emotionally blackmail me, Appi?"

"Is it working?" 

"Obviously. I can't say no to you." I giggled.

She hugged me tightly. "Aww. Love you so much, my little Yum-Yum."

"I love you too, Appi."

"All the love for Haya Appi, huh?" Hoor Appi pinched my cheek, lightly. "What about the rest of us?" 

"I love you all equally." I blurted out.

"Do you?" Haya Appi asked. "Are you sure you don't love some of us more?" 

"Haya, always competitive." Her twin laughed.

As we walked inside, I could have sworn that I heard Haya Appi mutter under her breath, "I wasn't talking about myself, but okay..."

But that made no sense, so I just let it go.

*

I was sitting in the kitchen a while later, drinking water, when Rohaan and Shayaan Bhai walked in. 

"Oh come on, those f**kers played like constipated donkeys." Rohaan was saying. "I could have played better." 

"I think you'd be worse than a constipated donkey actually." Shayaan Bhai laughed.

"Are you challenging my football skills, Bunny?" 

"Don't call me that, Ro." Shayaan Bhai saw me and smiled. "Oh, hey, Yamna." 

Rohaan turned and saw me as well. "Hamsters, grasshoppers and rabbits. A real party."

"And a jacka** too." Shayaan Bhai pointed at him.

I giggled unintentionally.

"What did you do to your hand?" Shayaan Bhai nodded at my bandaged hand, which was placed on the kitchen isle.

"I...had an accident." I dropped my gaze. "With a knife."

"You okay?" Shayaan Bhai asked, concerned.

"Shayaan, grab the drinks and tell me when the match resumes. I'm going to get started on the grilled cheese sandwiches." Rohaan shoved him lightly towards the fridge.

"Or what? You'll arrest me for civil disobedience?" Shayaan Bhai asked, walking towards the fridge.

The moment Shayaan Bhai had left, Rohaan walked over to me. "What really happened?" 

"I told you. I had an accident."

"What were you cutting?" 

"Tomatoes." The first thing that came to my mind slipped out.

"Okay, if you say so." He straightened up and walked towards the counter which had the bread bin on it.

"What do you mean?" I turned on the bar stool to look at him. "Do you not believe me?" 

"You didn't meet my gaze when telling me that this was due to an accident." He said simply.

"That was just a coincidence. I can look you in the eyes and tell you now." I jumped up from my seat and walked over to him.

"Okay. Tell me how you got that injury, Yamna." He looked down at me,

How hard is it to lie to someone while looking in their eyes? "It...it was an accident." My gaze dropped.

"Okay, it was an accident." He shrugged.

"You still don't believe me!"

"And you're still not looking into my eyes when you tell me that." 

What is happening? I backed away. "It was an accident, Rohaan." I began to walk away.

"A guy got charged with ABH at your university, for cutting a girl's hand with a knife. Know anything about it?" 

I froze in my steps. 

"People I trained with work in the area, and they informed me. It was a casual discussion, and since they mentioned your university, I asked for the details." 

I turned to look at him. "Precisely how detailed did the conversation turned out to be?" 

He moved closer, leaning a hand against the isle beside me. "Want to tell me the truth, the whole truth?" 

I looked over my shoulder before turning back to him. "Nobody knows, and I prefer to keep it that way." I sighed. "The guy who you threatened for bullying me was not very happy and..." I told him everything.

Rohaan's jaw was clenched, but when I told him that I punched Mobeen, a proud grin appeared on his face. "That's my girl." 

He probably didn't even think twice about the words. He probably meant to say 'my cousin' or something. But those words, 'that's my girl', made my heart pound harder and those butterflies returned in my tummy- the ones who seemed to regularly reside there in the presence of Rohaan.

"The punch didn't even make a difference. It was only because he was so surprised by it that I got away." 

"I should have beaten the s**t out of him when I had the chance." He shook his head.

"You did the right thing. This isn't a TV show or a film the characters instantly start beating people up. I think you reaction was more appropriate for the moment." 

His gaze returned to me. "He hurt you." His hands had curled up into fists. "He's blessed that he's in police custody right now. But I will wait for the day he's released." 

I was past the point of no return. My feelings were irreversible, to say the least. Realising that Rohaan's parents were considering his marriage, I knew that this was wrong. I had to step back otherwise I was entering a very dangerous territory.

"Rohaan! Yaar, what the hell? Hurry up!" Shayaan Bhai's voice came from the hallway.

I blinked, stepping back. 

Even Rohaan seemed to shake himself out of...whatever this was. "Grilled cheese sandwich?"

"Sure." 

*

With the twins staying with the kids, the only bedroom available was the one downstairs. 

And I didn't want to sleep alone downstairs. It was illogical, but I get scared on the ground floor, especially alone. I didn't say anything though as I didn't want to be an inconvenience.

I was planning on watching TV until I was too sleepy to stay up. 

But then Rohaan came downstairs. "Hamster, Mama's sorting out my room for you upstairs."

I looked up from where I sat on the living room sofa. "What? Why?" 

"Mama and Papa thought you might get scared alone downstairs, so I suggested we swap. Shayaan is in Arsal's room. You can have mine."

"Really? I didn't want to be an inconvenience..."

"Oh, shush, Miss Inconvenience." He said. 

"Good night!" I immediately got up and skipped towards the stairs. I was already feeling tired and wanted to go to bed already.

"Hamster." 

I turned. "Hmm?"

"Do not put your soft toys on my bed." 

I grinned. "For tonight, my room, my rules." I then rushed upstairs.

Anabia Tayi was just finishing up and she smiled as I entered. "I've changed the bed sheets and pillow and duvet covers with Rohaan's help. There's a fresh bottle of water there on the bedside table. Let me know if you need anything else, honey."

"Thank you, Anabia Tayi. Sorry for the inconvenience."

"Don't be silly, beta. In fact, I'm sorry that I didn't think that you might be scared downstairs. Rohaan thought of it and suggested that you two swap." 

"Rohaan thought of it?" I repeated. He had said that his parents did! Why was he so against the idea of seeming caring? 

"Yes." She said. "You'll be okay here, right?" 

"Yes. Thank you."

"Oh, don't thank me, honey. You are your Tayan's favourite, and I'm being nice to you to butter him up." She grinned.

I smiled.

"Just kidding. You know I love you." She kissed my cheek. "Yasin has been nothing less than the sweetest little brother to me since I got married, and of course I love his daughter dearly." She looked around once more at the room. "As I said, anything that you need, let me know."

"Thank you, Anabia Tayi."

After she left, I closed the door and walked over to the bed, running my hand over the pillows. 

Life is intentionally putting me in such situations, it seems.

*

I snuggled under the duvet in his bed. The sheets smelled nice and fresh, of laundry detergent and fabric softener or something. But the room smelled of him, of his cologne.

I giggled when I remembered how when, as a child, I used to come to his room with one of his siblings, I used to complain about it always smelled bad and boyish.

But now it smelled liked how one would imagine the room of an attractive man would smell like.

Taking my glasses off, I placed them on the bedside table. I then had an idea and I got up. Walking up to my bag, I zipped it open and pulled out the mini hamster soft toy. I hadn't brought Mr Bunny along, but this hamster was always in my bag. I set it down on the bed beside me.

Then turning off the lamp, I fell asleep. 

*

Rohaan

By the time I woke up, the sisters, the bacha party, and Yamna had gone to their respective homes. Sleepily, I trudged up the stairs to my own bedroom. When I stepped inside, I immediately noticed how bright it was, with the curtains pushed back. The bed was neatly made, with no sign that the hamster had slept in it. 

I tossed my phone onto the bedside table, but then something caught my eye. On one of the pillows rested a soft toy hamster. Beside it was a folded piece of floral-print paper. I picked it up.

Thank you!

- Hamster

I chuckled as I picked the toy up as well. "What are you doing to me, you little hamster?"

*

Yamna

I got stuck cleaning my room when I got back. It was Mama's only day off this week and she was on the warpath. I was ordered to clean my bedroom.

"Take all the things and clothes that you don't need, put them in a clean black rubbish bag, and leave it with me. I'll drop it off at a charity. And don't say you have no such items, Yamna Yasin. Open your wardrobe, and I can bet you that you'll immediately spot at least one thing that you haven't worn in ages!" Mama told me, changing the pillow covers on my pillows.

"Mama?" 

"Hmm?" 

"How did you know?" I asked, softly.

She looked at me, confused. "How did I know what?" 

"That..." My cheeks burned. "That Papa's the one?"

Her eyes widened slightly, before she closed them as if in pain. "Oh, I was so afraid of this." 

"Afraid of what?"

"Come here, Yamna." She gestured me to come forward. When I did, she gently made me sit down on my bed, sitting down beside me. "It's Rohaan, isn't it?" 

"How did you...?"

"I've seen the way you look at him, the way you react around him." She said, softly.

"Is there...is it wrong to like him?" I whispered, staring at my hands in my lap.

"In normal circumstances, I wouldn't have minded at all. Apna bacha hai Rohaan. But my love, he has agreed to marry Amira because he likes her. He told Anabia Bhabi that."

*"Rohaan is our own kid."

I swallowed hard. "He...admitted that he likes her?" 

She nodded. "Anabia Bhabi told me, and they are happy to go ahead with this in the near future." 

"Oh." I blinked back tears.

"The last thing I want is for you to get hurt, but I think it's best you found out now, and in this way, then in a more hurtful way." She placed a hand on my cheek.

"No...I'm not hurt." I shook my head, even as a tear rolled down my cheek.

Mama was in tears herself. "Yamna, I'm so sorry. I wish I could do anything to take your pain away."

I leaned against her in her arms and started crying.

"In Sha Allah, you will find your own share of happiness, my sweet little sunshine." Mama kissed the top of my head as she cried along with me.

*

TWO WEEKS LATER

Rohaan

"Where have you been hiding our girl, Yasin? We haven't seen Yamna in weeks." Papa asked Chachu over dinner one evening.

Again, only Yasin Chachu and Saba Chachi had shown up.

"It's her dissertation, Bhai. She's all over the place with it. She hardly leaves her room." Chachu explained. 

"I can't wait until she's free." Chachi added. "I was thinking of taking her to Los Angeles for the summer once she's done. It'll be a nice change for her after struggling so much with her studies."

"That sounds like a wonderful idea, Saba!" Mama said. "The poor girl could use some change. She's so stressed out with her dissertation, it's obvious on her face."

"You never saw my stress." I joked with her.

"You never took any." Papa is the one who replied, grinning, before turning back to his brother. "I understand she has work, but you should bring her along. She can study upstairs if needed, but at least she should be here." 

"We'll bring her the next time, Bhai." Chachu nodded. 

"Tell her that her Tayan will be very upset if she misses another meal at our place." Papa added.

I chewed thoughtfully on my food. Something seemed off. She hadn't been answering any messages or call from me, and when she did, they were simple one word messages.

Did something happen?

*

Yamna

With the lights turned off, I sat in the window seat of the room, watching the stars. The sky was clear today and the view was stunning.

"Allah, You have guided us that envy is bad. Please clear my heart and mind from the filthy grip of jealousy." I shook my head. "Please take away my pain because it hurts a lot. Ameen." A sob escaped my lips. "Why does it hurt so much?"

I stood up, pacing the room. "I need to find a solution to this. He belongs to someone else, and I shouldn't think about him like that." 

I draped a dupatta over my head and started my Isha prayer, having done wudhu (ablution) already. 

I raised my hands in dua after the prayer, closing my eyes. "You know what's best for me, Allah. Please do that, but please take this sadness away. It hurts too much. Please don't allow my jealousy to make me into a bitter, resentful person." But if you couldn't cry in front of Allah or your mother, who could you cry in front of, right? And so I let the tears flow freely. "Perhaps if he is meant to be with someone else, I should maintain my distance. We should not be near each other so that it can be easier for me to move on from him when he begins his new life." That's what I'm going to do. I'm going to maintain a distance, knowing that he has feelings for Amira and that he wants to marry her.

"Yamna?" 

My eyes flew open and I got up, rushing to the door. I was got on top of the landing and saw Rohaan in the foyer. "Rohaan! What are you doing here?" 

"Your parents are staying the night, so I was asked to come and get you." He replied. "And perhaps, you and I can also talk about why you have been avoiding me."

*

Did Saba do the right thing?

Does Rohaan have feelings for Yamna, and will he realise them anytime soon?

Favourite part?

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