Meher's POV,
"I've applied for job in two companies in Pune and that's why I need to go for an interview there. So I'll be away for 5 days." Mazhar bhai informed.
"Just keep praying that I might get this job. It's pay is well and I can get good experience too."
I didn't know what to feel after hearing that. Of course I was happy for him and really wanted him to get a good job and settle down but I also didn't wanted to go away from us....from me. Sometimes, it feels like he's the only support I have in my life and even Daddy's leaving for Saudi tonight. Just the thought of Bhai moving away and settling down made me always feel soo lonely.
"Now a days, it's become soo difficult for you youngsters to get jobs. What did the prime minister said before being elected? That I'll increase the number of jobs for the youth. Huh? Since then there have been even more rise in unemployment in india. Even my precious son has to go to Pune. What will you eat? How will you stay and who will wash your clothes? Huh? We should soon enough get you married now." Mumma turned all emotional.
He chuckled
"Mumma, it's just 5 days not 5 years. Don't be soo melodramatic. And the apartment, me and Arsh will be living in has a small restaurant right below the building. They made home like food. We'll buy that." He assured her.
"It would be 5 years too, soon. You've grown up soo fast." She was already crying as he consoled her.
And I was again overthinking. Bhai snapped his fingers at me bringing me to reality.
"Where are you lost at?"
I shook my head faking a smile.
"I'm happy for you."
He smiled patting my head. Just then we heard the door bell and my heart jumped to my throat.
"Oh, it must be my son in law!" She shreked excitedly.
"Meher, go and open the door."
I shoot my eyes at her frightened. I didn't wanted to face him.
"Why are you just looking at my face? Go, your husband is here!"
Bhai made a face at her comment and she pushed me harshly making me jerk forward and I forced my feet to walk to the door. My hands were trembling has I grabbed the handle and opened the door with my head down.
"Assalamualaikum."
I looked up and relief flooded over me bringing a smile on my face. It was just Zoya.
"Oh it's Zoya. Come beta come in...." Mumma said camoflaging her disappointment with a smile.
"Why aunty? Were you expecting someone else?" She closed the door and walked in as I walked in after her.
"I invited Azlaan for lunch. Maybe he's still busy at college. My son in law is soo hardworking!" Mumma was literally fawning all over.
"Oohh..." Zoya nudged me teasingly and I forced a smile.
"Aunty, please give uncle this. Mummy has given this parcel to forward it to my Mammu."
"Ok, he's packing inside. Is your Mammu still in Jeddah?" Mumma asked her.
"Yes he is...."
They talked for a while as I quitely stood back listening. I hardly get a chance to talk to Zoya now a days as she's too busy with her CA CPT exam. Her new friends group is from the same department so they're always together so I don't like to interfere. But today I could talk to her. She's my childhood friend, maybe she'll understand. She has a wrong idea about me and Azlaan. So I can explain her the situation. My Zoya would understand me.
This thought gave me hope.
"Zoya...." I patted her shoulder but she didn't notice me.
"Assalamualaikum Mazhar bhai." She was smiling soo widely.
"Walaikum assalam Zoya. How are you?"
"Alhamdulillah, how are you?"
Maybe it's my imagination but Zoya's behaviour changes when she's around Bhai. She becomes shy and all smiley and Zoya is not the shy types.
Bhai was casually asking her about college and all and my stupid brain really wasn't able to sense the air between them.
"Mazhar beta, you should get your suit ironed from the dryers." Mumma called out from inside.
"Oh yes. I completely forgot."
"Suit? Are you going somewhere?"
"Yeah, I'm going to Pune for a few days to try for jobs." Bhai informed.
"Oh." Her smile dropped.
"For how long?"
"5 days." He said nodding.
"Oh...just 5." She smiled.
"Fine then, I'll go rummage through my clothes and you two sit and chat."
"Ok." She smiled at him watching him all the way till he went to his room.
"Yaar Zoya.... Zoya!" I shook her.
"Huh....yes...." She finally looked at me and I watched her weird.
"What happened now?" She sounded a bit pissed.
"Um...come to my room. I need to talk to you."
She nodded.
"I need to talk to you too."
I closed the bedroom door and sat on the bed with her. I really didn't know where to start.
"Zoya.... actually.... it's about ...."
"Meher listen na..." she abruptly turned towards me crossing her legs on the bed as her voice held a certain excitement and shyness in it. A weird combination for Zoya.
"Yes...."
"I want to say something really important ok..."
"Me too...."
"It can wait.... listen to me first."
"Uh...ok...." I need to put her needs first. She's my best friend after all.
"Actually..... Meher....." She was blushing.
"I like Mazhar bhai!" She dropped a bomb on me and covered her face blushing.
I took a minute to process her words.
"Uh....you like who?"
"Mazhar bhai....your brother!"
I think my brain just exploded. My best friend has a crush on my brother?!
"Huh?" Was all I could react with.
She giggled turning red.
"I don't know how and when it happened. Maybe I always admired him. He's just soo sweet and gentle and soo handsome. And that smile of his is just soo...."
"Ok ok enough enough...." I stopped her right there as I felt my breakfast crawling up my throat by hearing her fan girling over my older brother?!
"Are you soo shocked?" She giggled.
I nodded unsure of my own feelings. So, Zoya....can become my bhabhi?! Should I be happy about this or.... or what?
"I'm 19 and he's like 26 right?"
I nodded.
"I don't care about that, age is just a number. Meher...." She grabbed both my hands again looking at me soo innocently and dreamily.
"I.... I really wish to....you know...."
Don't say it ... please....this is too much to handle....
"..... I wish to marry him."
She said it!!!!!
"I.... don't know what to say...."
"Aren't you happy?"
I blinked at her. Was I?
"You're not happy with this? Do you think I'm not worthy of your brother?" She was getting upset.
I shook my head.
"No ..... I never said that...."
"Then what is it? I poured my heart to you Meher because I thought you're my bestfriend, but you....just don't care anymore! Just because you're married to the man of your dreams, doesn't mean others cannot?!"
Man of my dreams. Is that really what Azlaan is? No wait! Right now I need to think of Zoya.
"Zoya.... you're misunderstanding. Listen to me first. I was just shocked that you like my brother?"
"Like? I said I want to marry him."
"Um...yes...."
"See....why is your reaction like that? You don't want me to be your bhabhi, is it? You think I'm not good enough?!" She got off the bed and away from me as by now tears were brimming in her eyes.
"No no.... it's not..."
"Shut up! You're soo selfish Meher. You only care about your own happiness. I want to be happy to but.... maybe you're too jealous of it. You know what? Forget it! I don't want to talk to you. I thought you'd be happy for me and help me out here, but you just.... I don't want to talk to you. Good bye!"
My heart dropped to my stomach and I leaped towards her to stop her. I didn't wanted to lose her, she was my only friend....my sister.... I loved her. I couldn't let her go but she just stormed out of the door and I felt this uncanny fear. The fear and emptiness of loosing someone close to your heart.
I turned back and sank on my bed as my whole body felt weak.
Was our friendship over because of me? Can a friendship that lasted for more than a decade, just end within seconds?
I punched the bed frustrated as my eyes blurred with warm tears, but instead my hand hit my back and my eyes went on the fluffy bunny keychain. I blinked my vision to clear it and took it in my hand.
Consider this as the token of my friendship....
I want to help you Meher....
Stop gaslighting yourself Meher. Just because your opinion is different from others, doesn't mean it's wrong.
I realised I was smiling. Imraan is such a nice guy. His words always make me happy and just thinking about his kindness makes me smile. He's my friend too but neither he demands anything from me, nor does he gets upset. He never scolds me even when I make a mistake but gets grumbly when I talk about my insecurities and always says something nice to cheer me up.
I pinched the soft ears of the bunny and it made me giggle a little as I remembered how his ears get slightly red when he laughs. When the first time we met he said I reminded him of a bunny while he himself is one!
It's ok.... I was just startled, I wasn't wrong. I'll just apologise to Zoya tomorrow when she calms a little or maybe she'll apologise herself. She cannot me mad at me for more that 24 hours.
"Meher....come here and arrange the food on the table you lazy brat!"
I giggled
"Coming Mumma!!!"
At the end, I couldn't even tell her about Azlaan. I think it's for the better.
#####
Imraan's POV,
She'll never be yours.
Who was he even talking about? Kashish?! I'd rather she be a 1000 kms away from me.
Was it ...Meher?
Who is she to him and why would he say that in the middle of the game? To distract me? And why did his words bother me soo much that I couldn't even move damnit!
"Imraan.... Imraan..."
"Huh?" I looked at Abbu pulled out of my thoughts as I realised he was calling me.
"The food is getting cold." He pointed to my plate.
"Eat up before it's cold. Your Ammi cooked today." He cleared his throat mentally preparing himself to eat to. He legit hates Ammi's cooking but of course, he could never say it out loud and always eats whatever she cooks with a smile to make her happy. The fact that Ammi is a bad cook is just a secret between us men.
"Today we'll also have the honour to taste Meher's cooking. Right Imraan?"
Then I remembered about the 2 tiffin boxes she handed me but we couldn't eat it as her brother picked her from college. So I brought it home and Ammi heated it for us too eat.
"Waahhh...wahhh... I haven't eaten such delicious aloo gobi sabzi in decades!" Abbu called out licking his fingers at just the first bite.
"Decades?! Didn't I make it on the day before yesterday?" Ammi asked with a smile yet her voice had that lethal tone in it making Abbu gulp.
"I... I meant, by someone else. Otherwise, can anyone cook it better than my Sajju?"
Nice save!
I nodded agreeing with him. Who would dare to mess with my Ammi?!
"Hmm...good."
"BTW, Meher even makes mattar paneer soo good. I hated paneer until I ate the one she made. She's soo shy so she never talks to anyone much so people think she's rude but she's really talkative when you get to know her.... I met her brother today, they almost look like twins but I think he's like 7-8 years older to her, she told me once.... and Allah! It sometimes annoys me how little she thinks of herself. Even she couldn't solve one problem in accounts she would give up right away. She's hardworking and kind but her kindness becomes a trouble for her sometimes...."
Ammi and Abbu were exchanging glances while I went on and on.
".....just yesterday, she saw a little kitten stuck under the small gape of the college gate and tried to help it even though she was scared of it. But when she gathered her courage to try to touch, it turned to her meowing and Meher got soo scared that she screamed and ran hiding behind me, clutching to my bag. Of course, the kitten wasn't stuck. You know how flexible cats are. It's like they don't even have bones. And she was screaming, "shuuu shuu don't come near me....shuu shuuu I won't hurt you...." I laughed remembering the incident.
"She was even cuter than the kitten...."
"Ooohhh, so you think Meher is cute?"
"Yeah, she's ado...."
I paused.
Did I just call Meher cute in front of my parents?!
I looked up at both of them and they had those strange smiles on thier faces.
"I....mean...."
"You know Imraan, you're always talking about Meher." Ammi said.
"How she's soo hardworking, she's a good cook...." Abbu said.
"How she's soo kind, how she's soo sensitive..." Ammi continued
"How her smile is addictive...." Abbu continued further and I could feel blood rise to my face. If that's even possible.
"Th... that's because.... I spend time with her while tutoring her.
"Oo ji, do tutors really notice thier students soo much?" Ammi asked Abbu.
"No Sajju, but it's how I used to notice you when we were in college."
Where is this conversation going?
"I was just talking about a friend ok! Don't be soo weird you too." I snapped picking my glass to gulp down my uneasiness with the water.
"You know ji, Meher is such a nice girl....I would love her as my daughter in law."
I lost control and spat all the water thanks to her words.
"What?! You two are insane?! Thanks to you I just lost my appetite." I ejected off the chair storming to my room.
"Oooohooo....then why is your face soo red..." Ammi was literally teasing her own son.
Allah! What kind of weird parents do I have?!
I shut the door and sank on my bed but my heart was pounding at the walls of my chest.
Damnit Ammi!!!
####
I was at an internet cafe as Hanzala and Wasim invited me to play this cool video game.
"Waseem, dude! Long long has it been since you're hanging out with us like this? Or else, you're always with your girlfriend." Hanzala teased and smacked the back of his head in the middle of the game.
"Are you jealous you don't have a girlfriend yet?" Waseem retorted.
"Ha! Girlfriends are soo high maintenance. I'd rather marry a girl who my mother chooses for me." Hanzala laughed.
"Haha....you won't say that if you fall in Love." Waseem said still engrossed in the game.
"Yuck! Gross dude! How can you even say something soo cringey with a straight face."
Waseem grinned.
"Tania is that special to me. We're way past the feeling ashamed stage."
Hanzala paused his game and turned to Waseem with a shocked look on his face and asked in a hushed voice.
"Dude....did you already do it with her?"
"What?! No, you moron? I didn't mean it that way. I would never! We're waiting till marriage ok?!" Waseem punched him.
"Ow! So you're that serious huh?"
"Yes I am. I love her after all."
Love huh?
"Hey Waseem?" I called.
"Yep."
"What is this Love yaar?"
"Love?" He smiled.
"It's the most complicated feeling in the world. It confuses you yet it gives you this strange joy. You'll miss her when she's away and you'll miss her even when she's right in front of you. Her smile will make you smile, her tears would make your heart ache...."
Check
"You'd crave just to hear her voice everyday...."
Check
"Just seeing her would brighten up your day...."
Check
"Not seeing her even for a day would drive you crazy...."
Check
"Your heart won't be normal at all when she's with you but that feeling still would be amazing ...."
Check
"You'd crave to hold her closer but would still want to keep your distance because you know she isn't yours yet...."
Check
"You'd do anything to make her smile...."
Check
"You want to protect her...."
Check
"And most importantly.....the person you'd been think about all this while when I gave you this rant ....now that's Love."
"Whoa dude.... Imraan hahaha.... you're soo bad at this man! You're dead already?" Hanzala laughed as my character in the game died.
Yeah dude I'm dead..... because
I think I'm in love with Meher!
#####
Meher's POV,
I was trapped between his hands on the wall and the trauma from that day played on replay in my head making my whole body quiver. My voice was caught up in my throat and my brain was all haywire.
"P..pl.... please...." I whispered pleading him with my eyes to stop. Mazhar bhai was right outside. If he heard anything, he would storm right in and hurt Azlaan. Then Allah knows what he'd do to me in return.
I was terrified!!!
"Shh..." He placed a finger over my trembling lips
"Don't be scared.... I won't hurt you. I just want to say something to you."
I gulped.
His fingers traced across my cheek cupping my face soo gently that for a second I forgot those hands had ever hurted me.
"Meher.....I love you."
I melted under his gaze.....
___________________________________
Assalamualaikum Everyone!!!
Imraan finally realised his love for Meher. Yaaay!
But, what just happened at the end?! Azlaan just said that he loved Meher.
What do you think? 🤔
Has he really realised his mistakes and want to mend things with Meher?
Or
Is this some sick trick of his to play with our innocent baby's heart?
And what do you think about Zoya and Mazhar. Do you ship them?
For everyone who asked how many chapters remain....the answer is 10.
And if I add any bonus chapters then maybe more.
This story will be of 20 chapters.
Next chapter on Tuesday....