𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐱 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

Chapter 3

(Selena's POV) Or maybe hate is fire. A single spark that burns the whole house down to ashes.

As the families sit down on the carpeted floor for food the awkward silence hangs over them like a dark cloud ready to burst into thunder. The plastic spoons against the Styrofoam plates aren't helping either. Selena takes a spoonful of white sauce spaghetti when Mrs. Hafeez brings to deck the cards. The cards Selena doesn't want to play.

"So Selena your results- they came?" She pushes a spoonful of biryani into her mouth.

"uh- no...". She stares at her mom to help who nods.

"The exams are modules-wise". Her mom comments

"I see. Next year, Aariz's exams will also be module-wise. But this year it is semester-wise. So he got his results. Lemme ask him the exact GPA".

"I see, Masha Allah". Her mom replies.

"Aariz. What was the GPA?" She asks. The food in Selena's mouth loses its taste. She tries her best to control her trembling hands by putting her plate down on the floor. Amelia places a hand in hers.

"Huh? 4. 98%". Aariz can feel the sweat oozing in his palm as Ammi continues to discuss his academic life so casually. Maybe Selena is so much better. No. Maybe she is not just better. She is the best. With all the unexpectedly high percentages she has achieved in Pakistani Board. The trophies sitting on her bookshelves. She can easily be the best at the university too. And if she is her father will not hesitate to bring up her academic life. But if she is not he won't bring her academic life up.

"Masha Allah". Everyone says in unison. Selena stares at her plate blankly as she tries her best to swallow her food. Her dad looks in her direction but she looks away knowing she has stopped calculating the total percentage ever since entering medical college.

The stickers of Masha Allah on WhatsApp, whenever she shares the screenshot of her marks uploaded on Brightspace, speed up her heart rate. Extra systole? Her hand fights the urge to fly to her chest when she suddenly feels a change of rhythm. Her parents are happy with her marks. She knows that. But somewhere deep down, in her heart, she still feels guilty for not scoring the highest. For not being the best and the finest of all the smart students in her batch.

(Aariz's POV) There she is!

Aariz's scanning eyes detect no change in Selena's pose. Neither did she sit up chin high shooting daggers in his direction nor did she jeer. Not bringing it up. Now that he knows he is officially the best. He straightens up and stares down at Selena who looks rather pale. All her flushing anger from the bedroom has drained out of her.

When she picks up her plate gaining her composure her eyes meet Aariz's. "Seems like you really don't have a brain. I'm FINALLY better than you". He arches his eyebrows at her.

"For the record, I wasn't the one who was kicked out of the school because of the unspoken scandal". Picking up her plate she swiftly heads out of the room for the kitchen to dispose of it in the garbage before shutting herself behind the bathroom door. The heat of her fist slams the cold white marble wall. 

While in the lounge Aariz twitches as he is reminded of his past; he wants to live past it. The corpse of the past that he buried is being dug again. Although she only muttered those words under her breath yet they reverberate in his head. The ringing of mockery makes him scan the people looking for any evidence of scowl or satire in their eyes. But there is not.

"Selena, wait. Come back. Eat something else too. I made this spaghetti, especially for you". Mrs. Hafeez cries after Selena shuts herself in the bathroom.