Muntazir

Muskan | Smile

Manha's apartment.
10:58 am.

Manha's eyes moved to the mirror as she swallowed staring at her reflection.

Her eyes looked hollow and tired, they were still swollen a bit from all the crying. Her face was scrubbed and hair shampooed, she felt fresh but it was the complete opposite inside. She felt drained out to no limits. There was this empty feeling which was eating at her heart slowly like a disease.

Sucking in a deep breath she put the hair out of her face from a jaw clip and pulled the sleeves of her hoodie down.

She could smell the eggs and coffee being brewed outside and she knew they were all already present there.

Nisa had left early morning. Manha had been awake when Nisa woke up and prayed Fajar. She had felt her sit beside her and blow verses over her head and then she simply kissed her hand and told her she was leaving.

Manha had thanked her through her hoarse voice before she had drifted off to sleep.

She took a step towards the door and held the knob shutting her eyes. She didn't know how to face them, what to say and what not. She wished that she could just hibernate somewhere alone but she knew they were all worried and they were all there for her.

Twisting the knob she walked out keeping her eyes on her fur slippers and felt the conversations hushing down with her arrival.

She looked up biting her inner cheek and found Daniyal on the barstool while Farah and Alizey were on the dining table and Fahad on the couch who shut his laptop.

Daniyal was the first one to get up and walk to her. Manha wanted to turn and run back to her room but he had already wrapped his arms around her shoulders pulling her in a hug.

She inhaled deeply feeling his aquatic and citrusy smell fill her senses and she felt her eyes burn once again as her hand clutched his shirt at his sides.

"Are you okay now?" He whispered into her ear as he rubbed his thumb slightly between her shoulder blades.

"I am fine," she pulled back swallowing.

She felt him staring at her face from her hairline to her chin before he nodded and pulled his arm off. She tugged a strand of hair behind her ear before Alizey held her arm and pulled her to herself.

Manha chuckled slightly tightening her arms around her best friend's waist.

"I am fine Alizey, no need to go all hulk lady," Manha pinched her cheeks who rolled her eyes.

"I hate that second best friend of yours, she has too much attitude and she likes to brag how she is your favorite,"

"Well... that she is so," Manha shrugged turning to Farah who kissed her cheek with a loud noise.

"My baby. I have gotten your breakfast prepared. Eat and get ready for work," Manha smiled at her nodding.

"Don't come near me, please. I don't deal well with these emotions," Fahad held his palm up and Manha scrunched her nose dropping herself beside him, and threw her arms around his neck kissing his cheek.