Last Tears

Chapter 16

Let us always meet each other with a smile, for the smile is the beginning of love

-Mother Teresa

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"So in short it's really not a special gift" Afra pouted

"Learn to share princess" Ahmad ridiculed before walking out the door not giving her time to respond

"You knew it had to be this way" Akram chortled

"Then my teammates and I demand a special gift. Going on a family trip isn't enough"

"What are you guys talking about?" I asked. I was replying a text message from my sister so my attention wasn't on the conversation. It surprised me how much Aisha was trying to connect with me, I wanted to ask what was up but I decided to ignore it and play along.

"You know how we won?" Afra spoke to me, "Well apparently our gift isn't for the three of us alone. The entire family is going on a holiday to Dubai"

"I'm sure you'll have a lot of fun on a vacation with your family" I smiled at her naivety.

"Why are you talking like you aren't coming with us?" she frowned.

I blinked in confusion "What?"

"We're all going" Afra said frowning, "We means we" she said pointing at all of us including me.

I shook my head, "I can't"

"You will" Maama smiled, "its part of your job"

"I..." I sighed

Seeing Akram, Maama and grin at their victory; I couldn't stop a small smile of my own.

XXX

"What are you doing?" I asked in amusement watching Akram hover over the gas cooker

He looked at me briefly before turning back, "I was about to cook instant noodles"

"You should have asked me" I said stepping forward making him move aside. I tore open the pack of noodles and put it into the hot water and did all necessaries before leaning against the fridge. He lifted himself onto the marble work surface sitting on it.

"Thanks"

"It's nothing" I said

"You want me to lift you onto the counter shorty?" he teased

"No thank you" I grinned, "And I'm not short"

"Sure you aren't" he smiled

I smiled back before we sunk back into silence waiting for the noodles to cook.

"There's something I wanted to tell you" he said interrupting the silence. I looked up from my phone to see his serious expression. "You remember what we talked about in the park?"

I nodded, "Yeah, your girl" I smiled, "How did it go, what did she say?"

"Well..." he broke eye contact and then seemed to be in thought before he forced his eyes to stay on me, "I was hoping you could tell me"

"Tell you what?" I smiled and frowned at the same time mirroring my confusion

He sighed, "Will...you marry me?"

I blinked twice and then again then exhaled rolling my eyes at him, "You could have just told me you wanted to practice on me"

He heaved another sigh, "I'm not practicing on you Maheen. I'm serious"