Bewitched

•thirty five•

It had been almost been a week since Sonam's visit. Mahira had spent this time anxiously, barely eating and barely leaving her room. Zaroon had texted and called on her a million times since until Mahira had finally snapped at him to give her some space.

As she sat lounging in the patio, a deep regret filled her heart for treating him the way she did. It wasn't his fault, it never was his fault. And yet..and yet Mahira could not bring herself to see or talk to him.

What had she gotten herself into? She heaved a melancholic sigh and as she sat up from the lounging chair, her peripheral vision caught sight of a tall, brooding figure standing at the edge of the lawn. She could recognise him from a mile away.

Her breath hitched in her throat, and as she turned around, her eyes locked with deep onyx ones. The same eyes that had haunted her dreams at night. The same eyes that she had come to miss so dearly.

Barely able to breathe, and knowing that she was probably hallucinating, Mahira hurried towards the patio door-

"Wait!" Mahira stilled in her tracks as his deep, husky voice reached her ears.

Was he really here? Mahira's doubts were soon cleared for when she turned around, he stood directly before her.

"Fa-Fawad?" She wheezed, still not believing what she was seeing. Her eyes roamed over his face, the deep hollow of his eyes, the light stubble on his cheeks, his perfectly sculpted nose.....his lips. She took it all in as if...as if she were someone taking a breath of fresh air in a very long time. It was only now that she realised how much she had missed him.

In spite of her self, she wanted to bury herself in his comforting embrace and for him to wrap his arms around her and never let go. She had barely taken a step forward when her subconscious stopped her.

Everything flashed before her. The hurt, the pain, the longing that had filled all these months...Zaroon.

Why had he come now, now that it was too late? Why hadn't he come all those months ago, when things could've been set right between them?

Anger bubbled in her veins and as much as she wanted to run over to him and put everything behind her, she knew that she could not, "Why are you here?"

She saw his eyes flash as he took a step towards her, "To congratulate you on your engagement." His voice was strained.

A pang went through Mahira's chest and her heart ached at his words. But she calmed herself as she saw through his facade. The jealousy and anger that lay within. And yet..and yet she had foolishly expected him to tell her that he had missed her, that he loved her and could not spend a minute without her.

"I wasn't surprised when Sonam told me it was Zaroon." His gaze drifted to the ring on Mahira's finger, "After all, he always has to be one to save the day."

Mahira's blood boiled, "Yes, and that makes him the better man."