Mannat

1 | First Meet

"What's going on?" Zayaan furrowed his brows peering at the swarm which had blocked the entire roadway.

"Sir, University students have staged a rally..." the driver answered.

Zayaan huffed raking finger through his hair for an umpteenth time now, "Can you go out and ask them to move aside. I can't sit here idle and wait for them to complete their venture."

The driver exited the car and strolled towards a lady with blue head scarf.

Zayaan eyes leisurely trailed along with the driver. He watched as the driver started conversing with the lady. He couldn't see her face as her back was facing him. She was probably professor of the college because all the students were wearing some kind of coat with college symbol plastered on it.

Glancing down at his wrist watch he sighed. Rolling down the car window he was about to call his driver when he heard her words.

"What is your boss. President of this country? If he is in hurry, ask him to take helicopter..." She replied waving her hand gesturing the driver to leave.

Zayaan clenched his fist and pushed the door open. He was fuming with vexation. Getting down from car, he zeroed his gaze at hijabi girl. His eyes masked with round sunglasses.

[ Hijab - Scarf worn by Muslim women to cover the hair, neck and sometimes the face.]

He took a step forward only to halt in his track. His face was encircled with a white veil, a sweet and alluring smell of jasmine hit his nostrils making him sniff. His ears pierced with tinkling sound of anklets.

For some odd reason his heart thumped against his ribcage.

Placing his hand over his face, he pulled down the veil. His eyes now peered at the girl in front of him. She had her back facing Zayaan. She was wearing white full sleeves gown paired with light pink hijab, her long white tulle veil floating in the air. She was carrying a book in her hand. Waving at the students, she strolled towards the place where his driver and girl with blue head scarf were conversing.

Zayaan felt strong urge to follow her and take a look at her face. This was the first time Zayaan had felt something like this, he couldn't name his feelings. Her scent, tinkling sound of her anklet, her simplicity every simple thing about her left him awestruck. He was drawn towards her even before looking at her face.

Zayaan averted his gaze towards his driver and gestured him to get back. Slipping both his hands inside pocket, he gazed at the beauty with amazement. His lips curled up into a midget smile.

Zayaan kept watching as the beauty walked towards blue hijabi girl and slipped her hand across her waist whispering something in her ear. Both of them giggled while the book dropped from her hand, falling on ground with a thud.

Zayaan leaned back against his car and tilted his head a little tryin' hard to at least get a glimpse of the beauty in front of him. He couldn't help but smirk when she slapped her forehead and squatted down to pick the book.

"Ms.Irani..." A girl from the crowd called loudly. "We need your help."

Zayaan watched as the beauty hoisted her head and looked at the girl from the crowd. Standing up she said something to another girl with blue hijab and strolled towards the crowd. The blue hijabi girl walked towards the other side.

Zayaan eyes glanced at the ground only to find her anklet there. Without his knowledge Zayaan found himself walking towards it. He bent down and picked up the anklet laying on the ground.

He peered at the anklet with a smiled laced on his face.

"We will meet soon. Ms.Irani..." he muttered slipping the anklet in his pocket.

°°°

"Send me my schedule and I want you collect information about someone." Zayaan said to his secretary while typing something on his phone. He walked inside the large glass doors of Z&M. His employees stood up and greeted him, he gave them a curt nod and strolled towards the private elevator.

"Okay sir. Whose information do you need?" Lisa asked pressing her lips into a straight line.

"Ms.Irani. She works as professor at AIT. I want all her information by evening." Saying this Zayaan walked out of the elevator leaving a very baffled Lisa.

Lisa swiftly noted down the college name and blinked her eyes. This was first time Zayaan Zaidi has asked her to collect information about a girl.

❤..