The starry night, the chilly drafts, the crazy weather of Lal Tibba, Mussoorie embraced her with open arms, a place she visited myriad time before.
That feels like eons ago, a decade ago.

Last time she was here with him. Those memories were enclaved deep inside her heart, perhaps deeper in her soul.

The breezes playing among themselves, the clouds whispering shyly, as they witness two young love bird immersed in themselves.

"Isn't the view beautiful Maya?"

He asked looking at the sky full of shimmering stars, telling a story of their own.
The midnight glory is slowly fading as the clouds came to play hide and seek.

"It is"
She replied, looking at him.

Nothing in the universe is as serene as him for her. Her hazel brown orbs have found galaxies of in his charcoal one, a universe where every bit is a mystery to her, perhaps she wants to know all of those secrets.

"I'm gonna miss this place honestly." He whispered, rubbing his hand together.

"I know. That's why I asked you to be here with me, one last time."

"One last time? I know you are gonna come here every next day."

"No. I'm not."
She said truthfully.
A habit of Amaya Kareem, she speaks the truth, always.

"Why so? You love this."

"Exactly, I love this. And without you, this won't be the same ever again."

"So what about the sunrises?"

"Our school have quite a view of that."

"So without me, you won't.."

"..Without you, nothing feels the same."

Sitting here alone is no less than a nightmare to her. Yet a bitter truth she had a lived a life with. Amaya had lost her galaxies, and herself a long ago.

The breeze peppering kisses on her face, for once she can feel his presence among them. Pain stays, everywhere, anyhow.

Depths of her love have long lost its rights in those starry nights. Now the twilight is witnessing yet another lonely hour of her. The breezes here dances amongst each other, they carry the essence of yesterdays happening.

The starry night is slowly fading as the drawn is here, the sun is making an arrival slowly, accompanying with it carries hope.
A week had gone, she had left her home.

Home, Zain Amir.

She sighed and dialled an unknowingly known number, nine four three four eight three five nine seven nine, as usual, her hands tremble a little.

"Can you meet me at Qutub Minar, tonight?"

Past should remain the history, but now it's making an approach towards her present, and she can't ruin it. She has a newly healed heart to protect, a home to return to.

The sun is upon the horizon, the breezes bidding their farewell, as she stands, dustling her jeans off.
A farewell from the past, from the pain.

◆●◆●◆

Delhi had never been a home to her, but now it is, Zain Amir is the cause. The sun is now gone, the night sky is void, as she stands there in solitude, waiting for him to come, certain things never change, for instance, his habit of making her wait.

A sad smile.
But that was eons ago, a heartbreak ago.

The din of overtaking steps, make her spin around, slowly. Her eyes, filled with pain clashes with his.

Black against brown.
Love against pain.

He takes a step back as he gasped. He gulps as she puts the blue customized handkerchief forwards, he knows.

She closes her eyes for a bit and opens it, gulps.

Pain stays, everywhere.

"You knew it right Ahad? All along you knew everything right?" She whispered.

"Woah girl hold it, directly to the conclusion. At least give me a chance to listen to your question first. And about this, I did had an idea, though I was not sure completely."
He laughed, pain evident in his laugh.

Ahad Ahmed Khan is a known subject to her, just like the back of her hand.

"But you do have an idea. Why you didn't say it before then?"

"What?"

"That.. that.."

And she is lost of words. What is there for her to know, what should have he told her before.

Nothing just nothing.

"There is nothing I should have told you before Maya. It's just what you can call coincidence or maybe destiny, nothing else."

"But..that changed everything Ahad."

"And exactly how it changed everything? Please do explain Maya."

"It... I don't know"

" That's right Maya. You don't know, you never knew it. He still doesn't know. And this changed nothing other than the fact that he will be free from a pang of guilt.
He loves you a lot, and he needs you. More than that you are happy with him, you need him, Maya, near you by your side."

Looking at Ahad, she is lost. Standing in front of her is not the same guy she used to know before, that person is long gone.

With time people evolve, and Ahad Ahmed Khan did it just in a positive way, just what she asked him, just what she hoped for.
His words evident his sincerity towards her happiness, the only thing he wanted, as he said before.

"Maya, the past is past for a reason. It's not a part of your present for a reason. And the reason lies right here. It's for your happiness, your peace."

He is her past, long gone, but still here. A part of her present but not as the past, as someone who will help her, just that.

"What are we Ahad?"

"Well according to me we were lovers once and now just two people who talk to each when one needs the another, nothing else."

Nothing more, nothing else.

"He makes you happy. And for that, he deserves a life with you."

She looks at the moon who making its presence known now, peeking through the clouds witnessing two people, once lovers now simply known strangers.

Maya, the beautiful illusion of Ahad's life.

"And you Ahad?"

"I do get my moments with you too. I lived an infinity in those Maya."

"And your present."

"I am happy Maya. I do have a family back home. A place I can call home. Isn't that enough?"

"About your happiness?"

"I got that too right. I am happy, more than that I am content. And now the only thing I wanted is your happiness, you deserve it."

"So does you Ahad." They smiled.

Black against brown.
Love against happiness.

"I think I should go back right?"

" You should run back to him actually. Hold that idiot tight, and speak your heart out. Because only a few lucky ones get their first love back in their life, and he is the lucky one here. So go now."

"Bye Ahad."

"Take care Maya, be happy."

Nahin nigah mein manzil to justuzu hi sahi
Nahin visal mayassar to aarzu hi sahi

◆●◆●◆

A week without her, a week without sanity. Five long years they had spent in each others company, they found a home, where their heart belongs.

These mid-December crisp winds scream pain. The pain of being abandoned again, another loss without a fault.

Taking the last cigarette out of the box, he lits it, burning his soul with each puff.
What love does to pure souls?
It takes their sanity away.

Amaya Kareem was his sanity.

"Come back, please." He whispers in the air as if they would carry his message to her.

The sky is void again, just like his life now. A click on the door and the door opens. For a moment he is sure, it is Seher, and now is not the time he wants her here.
Seher Mirza is the solution for all his problems and Amaya Kareem shouldn't be one of them.

●●●●

She steps into the hallway, and for the first time in this week, she breathes. Clad in her blue jeans, black sweater, December cold is not painful as it seems now.

The hallway is a mess, it looks nowhere the place she left.
Packets of cigarettes, oh, how she hated those. She walks to the kitchen, take away containers, and masala chai which she is sure tastes like shit.

She sighs and shakes her head.
Zain Amir is a kid, a spoiled one.

As he comes down to the kitchen, he gulps and blinks twice. She swirls and groans.
Not just the home but also the owner is in the same condition, if not worst.

Zain Amir is a mess.

Untamed beard, eyes bloodshot, he reeks of smoke.

"I am cleaning this mess, you should take a shower."

He stands there still, not a word, not a move, still as the night.
The winds stopped for a second, tress stilled, waiting for the two souls find a home.

"Get moving Zain, I am really tired at the moment."

A sudden pull and she clashed with his chest, she is caged now, between him and the wall. She gulped and looks up.

"You are tired?"
She just nodded.

"I am exhausted, Amaya Kareem. And you are the reason for that."
She nodded again.

He puts his face in her neck and breathes in between her hairs. A breath of relief.

"You are really here."
She nodded again.

"I am so sorry baby."
He said she furrowed in confusion.

"I shouldn't have kept that thing, I just don't know why I kept that anyway."

He doesn't, she does.

"You shouldn't say sorry unless you know the reason for."
She said loud and clear.

"I know the reason here,"

"And that is?"

"I am married to you, and that is enough of a reason to not keep a souvenir from a past life, a life that never happened. And I am sorry for that, for making you feel like that."

"Zain, remember what I told you before getting married?"
He nodded.

"I told you I come with baggage of the past, which would be too heavy sometimes to carry. Remember what you told me after that."

"I would help you to carry those."
And then it makes sense to him.

"Amu, don't even go there. You are already carrying enough, for me, for yourself. And just because I promised you something, you have to do the same. I didn't put that condition before loving you."

He didn't put any condition, not even loving him back. One more reason to come back home.

He loves her unconditionally.

Sometimes its good to be selfish, like now Amaya is being one.
Let the past remain there, the bracelet and handkerchief stays in her bag.

"Can you just take a shower? You reek of cigarettes, and I hate that shit."
He laughed.

"Please don't leave like that again. I was.."

"I won't. I can't leave my home now."

And for once he can read her hazel brown eyes, but she masked it again. But he saw it there.
A feeling unknown to him.

"I can't lose you."

"I know."

"Let's not talk about past now, it's just painful."

But pain stays, everywhere. Perhaps sometimes pain should be buried behind the clouds of the past. Happiness won't wait for any second to embrace it, and it is here now.

She nodded, as he leans and seals the moment in a hungry kiss.

The winds swayed the trees dances, approving the union. Taking her in his arms, he carries her to their room. A warmth he needs now, she warmth.

●●●●

"I love you, Baby."
he panted planting a sloppy kiss on her temple.

"I know."
She smiled tangled in the covers, she kissed his bared chest.

"I missed you,"
He said as he runs his hand on her naked back, she lies upon his chest, catching her breaths after the immense activity they just did for hours.

Long forgotten the showers, the cleaning, the bracelet, the handkerchief, thats a tale for some other time. Now they are enjoying the peace, living the moment in each other embrace.

"I know."

The sun is near the horizon, December morning sun that brings hope with it.

Dawn in their lives.

//Jab yaar ne utha kar zulfon ke baal baandhe,

tab maine apne dil laakhon khayal baandhe.//

(When my beloved picked me up and tied my hairs, I tied millions of thoughts in my heart)

So...... How's it?

Please do let me know.

How are you guys doing?

Hopefully, you all are safe and so as your family.

My Instagram handle is @kefimysa. Do follow me there.

Take care of yourself and be happy.

A note I am so going to miss my best reader, friend, sister, editor hudafathima_12back soon.