Ishq Kinara[Love Ashore] Complete

Bonus # 2: Then and Now

"I don't have time first and foremost."

"You take time out for us."

"Don't make it sound like this. I will start ignoring you both."

"Ha. You will D I E without us."

"Seeing the number of times you threw open a tissue or two of yours and he had to patch you up, the opposite has more chances of happening."

"You are one lousy asshole, Sarim Haider. Don't wish ill for your handsome and people pulling magnet of a friend. I'm the face value of our trio."

"You are also the reason why we are saving face most of the time."

Izaan rolled his eyes. These two and their annoying ability of starting a meaningless banter with their whole chest as if it's the most intellectual debate going on.

"Sarim, why don't you tell us what your idea of love is?"

Izaan tried bringing them back to the topic.

"Might as well tell us to shut our trap."

Hesham was offended.

"Shut your trap then."

Izaan was unfazed and very precise. Sarim clapped Hesham on the back and picked up his packet of crisps. Hesham was double offended now.

"I can't fall in love. Not right now. There's a long way to go for me. Have to get independent fully, build a career, get out of my father's dictatorship and stabilize myself first. Then only I can think about anything remotely romantic."

"Just say you are going to go for an arranged marriage when you will be in your early thirties, practically an uncle with a knob very prominent."

Hesham pointed towards Sarim's stomach. He was fit, owing to the fact that he was a regular jogger but Hesham was mostly taking his frustration out on him because Sarim still had his packet of crisps in his hand and had no plans of returning it anytime soon.

"Maybe. It's life and it's unpredictable."

They were silent for a while.

"Damn, it means all three of us have no grand notions of love and romance. Such a shame seeing we are such catches."

"Can you tone down your self confidence? Some of us like to be humble."

"Not my fault that you don't have confidence in your own face, Izaan Shoaib."

"Yours is enough to fill up for both of us."

Sarim smirked and Hesham was ready to bombard him with another string of comebacks now. Izaan was already cursing the fact that he'd have to sit through another baseless debate. Just his luck.

It was a regular spring evening.

*

Present

Driving with one hand on the steering and the other enclosed around a much smaller and colder one, Sarim kept his focus on the road ahead. The last of the winter was fading away and spring was right there peeking through the seams. It was almost Ten at night and Sarim wanted to get home as soon as possible. He was fine, but the person whose hand he was holding right now needed the rest more than anyone at the moment.