Completed on May 29, 2020.
~
"Ap...." (You....)
Muntaha couldn't utter anything else as Faris 'shh'ed her. He grabbed her by her shoulders and turned her around. Their eyes met in the mirror and they stood staring into each others eyes for what felt...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
the darkest nights produce the brightest stars
~
"Salam."
Faris greeted the three men who were sitting near the small pit of fire. The men, who were conversing among each other in their native language pashtu, stopped and looked up at them. They returned the greeting, looking at them with observing gaze.
Muntaha felt uncomfortable under their scruntinizing gaze and she started picking at the hem of her sleeves. Faris, sensing her discomfort, moved to stand in front of her to shield her from their penetrating gaze. Muntaha unconciously stepped closer to him seeking comfort.
They said something in pashto to which Faris replied. Muntaha was surprised to hear Faris speaking pashto but then she remembered Armaan always called him 'Khan Sahab'.
'Oh,he is pathan. That explains his beautiful eyes.' Muntaha thought.
She couldn't really understand what they were saying but one of the men pointed at her and said something. Faris looked back at her for some seconds and then turned and said, "Ho."
'What does "Khaza" means?' She thought since whatever she could decipher from the man's words was that he referred to her 'khaza'.
"Yeh kya keh rahe hain? Who is 'Khaza'?" Muntaha whispered near Faris's ear.
He just turned around and glared at her, asking her to keep quiet with his eyes.
(What are they saying?)
She pouted her cherry tinted lips but stayed quite. His eyes moved down to her lips and then back to her eyes with amusement shining in his eyes.
The men said something and started to walk towards ,which looked like a , village area. Faris held Muntaha's sleeve-covered arm and started following them, dragging Muntaha along.
They reached a house outside which alot of people were sitting and talking among each other. One of the men went near an elderly looking man and said something to him. Everyone around them stopped talking and focussed on what the man was saying. The elderly man looked at them and called them to come forward. He said something to which Faris replied and along the lines stated his name. The man then looked at Muntaha but she didn't what she was supposed to say. Actually, she kinda guessed he was asking their names but she was too intimidated by him to say anything and just bowed her down after looking at Faris. Faris said something again to which the man just smiled a little and most probably passed a comment to which the people sitting around laughed and Faris rubbed the back of his neck with a sheepish smile.
Muntaha pinched his arm as she felt left out on the conversation and he flinched and gave her a look.
"Urdu samjhta hai tum?" Muntaha got startled and looked at the elderly man who asked her if she understands urdu in a quite weird accent.
