𝐅𝐚𝐮𝐱 𝐇𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐬

Chapter 28

Aariz rests his head on the cold window resting his eyes. It's 2 in the morning. The roads are empty with the bustling crowd tucked away in their beds. Harun is leaning against him sitting in the middle. His mouth is wide open as he snores. Nuha on the other hand is busy chewing her lips lost in her thoughts. This silence after an eventful day is calming. He almost drifts into a deep slumber when a speed breaker makes his head hit the glass window.

"Ow.", he winces.

"How was the event?", Mr. Hafeez finally asks as they hit the highway to reach home faster.

"It was good I guess.", Aariz replies slowly contemplating whether he should tell his parents about her or not. But if he tells them will they understand instead of shooting him dead? I guess they will. Love isn't a crime. Or is it? Or is it too early? But love has no age. And if he tells them and they ask for her hand in marriage will they get married this summer? Or at least the engagement in the following week? Although he can't picture her in a bridal dress, he feels it's worth risking everything.

He clears his throat, "Also, I want to talk to you about something very important. Now is not the right time since everyone is tired. Maybe at breakfast?"

Mrs. and Mr. Hafeez glance at each other. Nuha is still unfazed by his statement. None of them speak a word after that. While Mr. Hafeez parkes the car in the basement of the building Aariz carries sleeping Harun to the apartment. By the time he hits the bed, it's already three. The sleep engulfs him in the darkness as he stares at the ceiling with his hands around his heart feeling the pulsating skin on the left side of his chest. The apex of his heart.

At the breakfast when he finally announces that they both like each other Nuha chokes on her bread and stands up, "I knew it!", she jumps excitedly, "These two were acting so suss yesterday! Gosh! I should've seen this coming!"

Mr. and Mrs. Hafeez's jaws drop in surprise. They slowly turn to him, their eyes asking a million questions. What? When? Where? How? Impossible. These two are mortal enemies.

"Weren't they the mortal enemies who swore on their blood to never spare each other if they ever crossed each other's path?", Mr. Hafeez whispers in his wife's ears.

"Oh come on! Shut up! We're getting smart grandchildren. Isn't this enough for you?", his Ammi swats his dad on his hand on the table.

They both turn to him, "Do you want us to ask for her hand in marriage?"

Aariz grins slowly sitting down, "maybe...", he looks away trying to hide the blood flushing in his cheeks.

When around 12 Selena is done with her online lectures for Friday she gets up to have a good half an hour break but her mom's ringing phone in another room seizes her attention. She picks it up. Her dad informs them they should be expecting Mr. Hafeez's family to arrive after Asr. She rolls her eyes.

"Again?", she hisses on the phone trying to bite his laughter. He can't stay away from her. Can he?, "We'll order something. No need to burden mom. It's exhausting.", she adds knowing this news is going to piss her mom off.

However, when she breaks the news to her mom instead of being mortified by them coming to her place again she orders everyone to start cleaning and to get the decent clothes out today.

"It's Friday. I don't want anyone in theley jasai kapray.", she has always complained about Selena's choice of streetwear.

When around maghrib the bell rings Selena and Amelia are adding a finishing touch to their looks. Selena showers herself in Elizabeth Arden while Amelia adds two puffs of citrus trails of CK, the One. Saad who is busy emptying the other CK perfume, Be in his armpits ignores the ringing bell. When the bell rings again their mom screams from the kitchen. The three of them slam the perfume bottles on the dressing table and run for the door. Saad, being the tallest and the bulkiest, easily hurls both of his sisters to his sides and opens the door.