Shaahid climbed down the stairs.
He now reached the garden area, with soothing sunlight slowly pouring on the grass.

He looked up at the rooftop. Sakina was still visible, not fully though. The other chair was out of sight.

Shaahid knew, if he would have interrupted in her imaginary conversation, he would have either had to act seeing Salman as well, which was really difficult. Or else, he too had to disappoint Sakina big time, like her brother did.

That was not his way, he took time to judge. And act.

At a distance, a gardener was digging mud. He looked quite interested in his job.

" Good morning Murshid! " , Shaahid said getting closer.

The man threw a glance at him, not a very welcome one, and got back to digging.

" I think there's no harm in wishing me as well. " , Shaahid folded his arms across his chest and smiled.

The man looked up again, and gestured something towards the rooftop. Then pressed a finger on his lips with his muddy hand.

Shaahid guessed it right.
He whispered,
" Ghost? "

The man nodded. And whispered,
" A fakir baba told me that if I speak when there's negative spirits around, I'll turn impotent. My wife still wants children from me. How can I disappoint her? "

" How did you know the spirit is negative? The man himself was a positive one I heard. " , Shaahid continued whispering.

" The fakir baba said, all men who die turn negative. Because their only intention then is to cause harm to those who are still enjoying life. "

Murshid was trying hard to whisper but few of his words came out loud, following which he pressed his lips harder with his palm.

As a result he now looked like a mud ghost himself.

" Your fakir baba seems to be an interesting man. Did you tell him about the negative spirit that visits this house daily? "

" No, I didn't. Because he will brainwash my wife and I'll have to leave this job. But as much as I hate Saajid bhai, I love this garden. " , he continued digging.

Shaahid stood quite for sometime.
" Why do you hate Saajid bhai? He seems to be a nice man. "

" No, he isn't. Just looks so on the outside.
He's very dirty, very foolish, a big miser, hates cats, sings like a donkey, stinks most of the time, and most importantly, doesn't even bring in a pir baba to get rid of the regularly visiting evil spirit. "

" Seems you know quite a lot about him. "

" I'm here for five years.
Don't think I'm a tenant like you who's here to stay for free and hence talk good of the landlord. "

Murshid stood up and walked away. Not to mention, he was still whispering, while Shaahid's face dropped. He was not used to bear such monetary insults day in and day out.

" By the way... " , Shaahid continued when Murshid returned from the corner with a bagful of stinking manure.
"...if I'm not wrong, you can stop whispering anytime soon in the presence of evil spirits too. "

The man looked up again, frowning.

Shaahid coughed a little.
" That's because, by tonight or latest by tomorrow morning, your wife is gonna elope with that fakir baba. She won't need your potent body parts anymore.

Try and stop them, if you can. "

As Shaahid turned to go, he very well realised that the poor man behind, who was taunting him moments back, sat so freezed, that he did not even have the ability to pull up the jaw that had dropped thousand feet down.

He couldn't help let out a giggle to himself.

__

The class Shaahid was introduced to at Allah Meherban Public School, had a variety of students, mostly mischievous.

He was asked to teach them a patriotic tune on the age old piano placed at one corner of the hall.

A group of fifty students sat before him on the ground, staring.

" Ideally each of you should be provided a piano so that you could follow me well... " , Shaahid said twisting his lips.

A tall boy raised his hand.
" We have our own piano sir.
This... "

And he began playing rids on his teeth, dancing them and making sounds with his nails.
In no moment the entire bunch followed, with rolls of laughter in between.

" Terrific. " , Shaahid stared at him in awe.

The boy, who was still trying to amuse others with his antics, stopped immediately. Because he definitely did not want to get appraised by him, but to annoy him instead.

" Come here. " , Shaahid called him.

He got up making a dumb face.
And went and stood beside him.

" What's your name? "

" Azaad. "

" Nothing could be more suitable.
Now, play the Jamaican Farewell on your teeth. Please. " , Shaahid settled more comfortably.

The boy looked at him for sometime. Trying to judge how far this new teacher could get to insult him.
But soon he found a way.

He began humming the tune of Jamaican Farewell, and the beat came from his teeth striking each other.
He did the first stanza of the song this way, and stared at Shaahid.

Silence for long. After which, Shaahid broke it, by vigorously clapping for the boy.

His dumb face terribly lit up, as the room filled with thunderous applause.

" So, we ain't learning any patriotic tune today. Let that be in reserve for tomorrow. Today, Mr Azaad will teach you the first stanza of the Jamaican Farewell.

Be a good student, don't annoy him. Provide him the lifetime experience of being a teacher with adorable listeners before, not a pathetic experience like he was himself planning for me.
Though it turned out to be sugar to my ears because he underestimated his own ability. "

As the class got ready,  Shaahid caught a glimpse of an amazed Azaad staring at him.

____

At four in the afternoon, while walking towards his room, Shaahid stopped because he heard violin streaks from behind the lady's door.

He pushed open the wooden frame.

Sakina stood before one of her windows, playing Lindsey Stirling's Crystallize. Unbelievably perfect.

Shaahid halted at the door, mesmerized as she played on.

In the process, she slowly turned, and abrupty stopped seeing him.

" What the hell! Did I forget to lock the door? I should have remembered I have such a nosy neighbor now. " , Sakina was heavily displeased.

" Hah hah! Good gracious that you forgot. I got to hear such a masterpiece in the process. "

Sakina was evidently flattered. A smile appeared on her face.
" Thank you. I know I play quite well.
I fine-tune everyday. "

" By the way, if you don't know, I too am quite an interest taker in music. Recently got a job too at Allah Meherban Public School, as a music teacher. "

" Is it? 
Sit. " , Sakina showed him a stool.

This room was comparatively less messy, most probably because the dweller was a woman.

" Glad that you finally think I'm worth your time. " , Shaahid settled.

" Oh there's nothing as such. I don't like talking with people, not just you. But since you said you are a music teacher in that particular school, maybe we can talk a bit. "

" Is that your school as well? "

" Do I look like a school goer to you? " , she arched her brows.

" Do you mean you never went to schools? " , Shaahid faked surprise.

" Ophho! I am talking of the present. "

" But I'm talking of the past. The school still remains, could really have been your school cause it's old as well. "

" It isn't.
But I personally know someone who teaches there. " , Sakina settled on the bed.

" Okay. Who? "

" Salman Siddiqui.
My language teacher. German. " , a blush appeared on her face that didn't escape Shaahid's eyes.

" He teaches there and tutors you at home. Right? "

Sakina only nodded.

" But isn't the hour of your lessons odd? Who takes German tuitions at five thirty in the morning? "

Sakina now gave an odd look at him.

" How do you know he came in the morning today? "

" I unfortunately got up early, and heard so from the gardener Murshid. "

" Ohh.

No. He comes at five thirty in the evening. I called him this dawn because I was not feeling good. Talking to him makes me better.

By the way, I didn't know Murshid saw him come. He was nowhere around when Salman came. "

Shaahid shrugged. And smiled too.
" Is he your boyfriend as well? "

" Why am I answerable to you? "

Shaahid face-palmed.
" The way you blushed, actually tells that you are not answerable.
Because your eyes and cheeks, say it all. "

Sakina took sometime, and then broke into a smile.
" Yes. He changed my life.
We'll marry soon.
I love him to the moon and back.
And so does he.
My life is a bliss now, and will be heaven when I read Nikah with him. That's all I am looking forward to now. "

Shaahid kept staring in silence.
And heaved a sigh.

It's all in the mind. And that's....dangerous.