Mannat - Desire

Chapter 2 - The Meeting

It was 4 PM, and I let out a sigh of relief knowing that it was all just a dream.

I've had nightmares about my past for the past 4 years now, but everytime I woke up from one, it felt as if it was not my past but my present.

I didn't think about my dream much and decided to go take a warm bath. It always made me feel relaxed.

I just wanted feel relaxed, and did not realize that I was in the bathtub for more than an hour now.

I got out, and put on some nice warm clothes, that I just pulled out of my suitcase, because it was freezing cold.

I walked towards the door, to go downstairs for to the restaurant for dinner - 'knock knock' - I stopped. I walked towards the door as random thoughts raced through my mind. Who could it be? I didn't order any food, neither did I ask for any room service.

Why was I nervous? Was I expecting someone? Fawad? 'NO' I said to myself giving myself a face palm.

I opened the door, and could not believe my eyes. "YOU?"

"MAHIRA!"

'Wh-' before I could complete my sentence-

'I saw you walking towards the elevator downstairs. I called out your name but you never turned!"

It was Bahaar. Bahaar Saeed. She is my Khala's (Aunt's) daughter, and also Fawad's ex-fiancé. This was the first time I was seeing Bahaar after Fawaad had broken up with her.

Yes. Fawad broke up with her, although Bahaar wanted the relationship.

She moved to london after that, to continue her masters in interior design, in order to move on, after the breakup.

"B-but..", I was confused.

"Look I know you're surprised to see me here, like this, but I work here. The salon and spa in this hotel...is designed and owned by me.", she said as she pushed me aside and walked into my room.

Yup. The same bossy Bahaar, even after all these years.

'Mahira? How are you? It's been so long! Where were you? I haven't heard from you in so long.' She questioned.

'Uhm.. Yeah I-I'm fine'. I didn't feel like answering the rest. I possibly couldn't explain my entire past life to her in a few minutes.

'Fine? Why do you sound so low? Is eveything alright?'. She noticed that I chose to ignore her other questions. She obviously didn't know what had happened in my life during the last 6 years.

'Yeah..uhm would you like to eat something?' I asked, changing the topic, hoping she'd say no 'cause i didn't feel too comfortable meeting her like this after 6 long years.

'No thank you. I have a dinner date to go to with my husband. I'm getting late.' She said heading towards the door. 'I hope you're staying here for a while. I'll catch up with you tomorrow?'

'Husband? You're married?'. I asked with a straight face. I showed least interest even though it was a shocker for me to know that she was married.

'YES! Don't tell me you didn't know? Well of course you didn't. How would you know?' She said while she struggled to put on her black converses.

'Well, why don't we do one thing? I'll come over tomorrow along with my husband. And then we all can go have a nice dinner at some fancy restaurant. Maybe Tahoora? Your favorite!' She finally put on both her shoes. 'That way you can meet my husband too! You know him by the way.' She said winking at me. She had the habit of winking at every thing. Sometimes that habit got her into serious trouble. People would think she was a flirt because of it.

'Yeah sure. Bye.' I said as I closed the door.

I knew Bahaar's husband? Who could it be? I started thinking about every single guy I knew closely throughout my entire life.

Aban - Fawad's cousin, who had a crush on Bahaar

Waqaar - But I haven't spoken to him after I got married

Saif - The flirt of our group

Emaad - The serious one who was supposedly a musician now

Fawad - My husband

Who could it be? Well I was going to meet him anyways the next day. I could wait.

Bahaar seemed so happy. The last time I had seen her this happy was when she got engaged to Fawad.

I felt too tired, and didn't feel hungry anymore either so I just decided to go to bed, skipping dinner.

*Day 2*

I woke up to the sound of a knock on the door. 'room service ma'am'

The room service people kinda annoyed me. They came early morning everyday to do our beds, and I was not a morning person. But in way they were nice people because I didn't like doing my bed.

After the staff had done my bed, I decided to go around the block to get fresh air, before Bahaar came with her husband for our do called 'dinner date'.

I decided to wear a teal colored salwar-kameez, and a winter coat. I've always worn desi clothes after I got married to Fawad. He was the typical chauvinist kind of guy, who restricted me from wearing jeans and t-shirts after marriage.

I made way out through the giant automatic glass doors, and started walking around the block, hoping I wouldn't run into someone I knew. People ask all sorts of questions and I didn't want to answer any questions related to my past, so I kept my head held low.

I got a little too busy walking in the side walk, trying to place my leg perfectly into each square as a I walked, and While doing so I did not realize I was walking a bit too fast, and I ended up running into someone.

'Sorry' I said, looking up, hoping the person wouldn't be mad at me.

'Ahh not a problem. You look new around here. I haven't seen you before' said the man. A tall, probably 6 feet, with a wheat-ish complexion, which made it obvious that he was a desi.

'Yes. I'm sorry I really have to go.' I was not in the situation to make new friends.

'Oh! Alright!' Said the man, pretty disappointed.

The walking made me feel so relaxed that I almost forgot about my dinner date.

5 P.M. Wow! I've been out for about 4 hours now, and I gotta be ready by 6.

I walked back as fast as I could toward the hotel. I had to go, change my clothes, do my hair and makeup, all in one hour, in case I make it to the hotel in time.

I reached my room, changed into a baby pink colored churidaar, tied my hair into a bun, and did some very light makeup. A little eyeliner on the top lid, some mascara, and a nude lipstick.

I wanted to go with the neutral look. And anyways the eyeliner on my bottom water line always made me look like a panda!

'Hey Mahira! Wow you're ready already? I thought I'd have to wake you up', she said surprised.

I realized I hadn't locked my door. Something that I always forgot to do.

'Haha yeah umm I didn't want you and your husband to wait for me'

'Okay c'mon! Let's go! He's waiting for us downstairs!' She said, excited, as she looked at me from head to toe.

'Yeah let's go.' Was I supposed to be excited for this so called date?