BismiAllahiArRahmaniArRaheem
1 year later
"Yeah, but bhabhi. I'm just twenty one. This is no time to get married. Also, when I do get married I want dozens of kids which means a lot of diapers. I'm not ready to get myself involved right now so maybe later? Huh? Please agree, my cute little milky bar?" Laila nagged me by shaking my arm that she held as we strolled down the corridor and headed towards my office.
"Laila, your studies are over, sweetheart. Would you rather do a job?' I softly questioned her and she bit her lips in contemplation. She was actually alluringly beautiful.
"Only if I get to work with you." She beamed with a bright smile and I had to toll my eyes at her childish behavior.
I sat on the revolving chair behind my desk and she stood leaning against the counter.
"He dropped a parcel of chocolates at my doorstep again yesterday." She melancholically mumbled hanging her head down. My jaw grit at the mention of his and I halted my supersonic typing. Laila preferred living in the place where they had facilities for visually-impaired people and rejected my appeal of her staying with me. "Raihaan tries to make it up to me someway or the other, bhabhi. I know I shouldn't side with him but I can't live without him either."
"Them accept him." I firmly spoke, clenching my jaw sending the mail in unaccounted anger. She sighed and waved her hand in the air to find and press my palm.
"How long will this continue, bhabhi? Hasn't he sent the divorce papers yet? I feel guilty on his behalf for keeping you chained to his name this way." She warmly empathized, squeezing my hand with her remarkably soft ones. He doesn't let go of me, he doesn't come in front of me. Why does he frustrate me like that? One whole year passed by and I still can't help the way my heart burns at his name.
Ya Rabb, help me out of this.
"Ms. Abbasi. Mr. Raihaan Qureshi is here to see you. Apparently, it's urgent and he wants to meet you right now." Margaret, my secretary popped her head from behind the door and informed me in her American accent. I had to suck in oxgen when she told me it's Mr. Raihaan. My heart doesn't seem to learn the difference, does it?
After I replied in affirmative to her, Laila chuckled, covering her mouth with her palm. "What a coincidence!" She exclaimed with a rolling smile and I slid off my chair, smacking the back of her head slightly. She rubbed it with a pout and I chuckled this time.
"Someone hasn't tied their lace. That sound says so." She thoughtfully spoke, straining her ears and I frowned. How would she know that? I peeked out of my door and found a young guy, chewing gaudily on a chewing gum drag his feet. He had dishelved brown hair falling over his face with mammoth headphones sitting around his neck. He watched here and there with curious eyes and narrowed them when he spotted me.
"Who is it? Are their laces open?" Laila queried, somehow finding her way to me. I ducked my head to glance at his sneakers which were indeed untied. I gave Laila an impressed look and the guy's eyes zeroed on her. He gratuitously walked towards her and stopped at the distance of one step. He silently motioned me with his thin fingers as if questioning 'She can't see?' and I begrudgingly nodded my head.
"Assalam alaikum. I am Idrees Qureshi. Pleasure to meet you." He introduced himself in his young but confident voice, amused at her blushing face. Apparently, she hasn't had many encounters with the male species before. She elbowed me with her eyes dancing everywhere in nervousness.
"He's talking to you, Laila." I revealed and her amber eyes went wide with shock. "M-me?"
"Laila?" He tested her name on his lips, tilting his head at her flabbergasted expression.
"Walaikum assalam. Nice to meet you too. How can we help you?" She stammered, linking her arm with mine for support. He stepped closer to her with a mix of a smile and a smirk and her brows crunched at the out of the blue warmth that reached her body. His eyes fervently inspected her face, painting in the big amber-green orbs, the beautifully sooty lashes, the straight nose, the downward-turned pink lips, the confused expression, the faint blue hijab and overall, her.
I loudly cleared my throat for him to break his reverie and he flickered his eyes my way. He scowled to himself and hesitantly took a step back. He pursed his lips, only watching her and pretending that I didn't exist.
"I suppose you are the CEO. I'm sorry but I would be more than delighted if you go and meet my father this instant. The old man dragged me here against my will so please, end it fast." He averred, more like commanded me and my eyes went down to slits at this kid's attitude. "Don't worry about Laila. I'll keep her company."
Laila jumped back at his claim and frantically shook her head in fear. He tugged her by her sleeve and rooted her beside him, shooing me with his other free hand. "You better keep her safe or else, I won't mind throwing your Dad out." I voiced my thoughts, squeezing Laila's shoulder once.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just shoo." He waved his hands nonchalantly at me and with one last reassuring side-hug, I ambled to the meeting room.
───╼━━╾───
I messily draped a scarf around my face and rushed to open the door. Who could it be at this time? I hastily opened the door rose my gaze to identify the newcomer.
My breath crashed.
The world froze. My heart skipped multiple beats and I wondered how I was still on my feet. Fiery amber orbs stared back at me in a riveting gaze and tears pricked my eyes.
"Then die." My words echoed in my mind and I pondered upon the fact that he was alive. Raihaan Abdul Majeed is alive.
"Salam." He muttered in his deep voice and my senses flooded with coolness of his it. Allah knows how I craved to forget myself in his voice this whole time and he just stood there staring at me?
My mind restarted itself and I blinked back my tears. I forcefully slammed the door but he stopped it. His palm flatly rested on it, preventing it from closing and his straight hair fell over his face when he dunk his head, banging the door open.
"Why're you here?" I spat at him with all the venom I had, leaving my attepts to shut the door on his charming face. He grinned cheekily and my heart went haywire at his display of mindless happiness. His beard grew tad bit darker and something about his look changed. His face looked like he radiated contentment? He was garbed in a simple black t-shirt and denims with a black bag slung over his shoulder.
He walked into my house as if he owned it, passing his gaze over everything. Finally, his playful gaze settle on my face and my heart pounded in my chest. He tightly wrapped his strong arms around me and eloquently kissed the top of my head. "That was a warm welcome. Thank you very much." He chuckled genuinely while I unwillingly struggled get out of his embrace.
I was then gently released with cold hitting me bleakly at the loss of his warm hold. He strolled over to my couch and sluped on it, throwing his bag on the adjacent one. I watched all this in disbelief. "I asked what are you doing here, Raihaan?"
He craned his neck backwards to look at me and turned back smilingly, resting his head on the sofa. "Well, there are a lot of reasons for that. The first one is that I love you. And the rest of them....would you mind a coffee with it?" He asked me with a heart-melting smile. My heart forgot to follow the norm and danced all over the place at his senseless words.
He took my silence as a 'Yes' and jovially jumped out of the couch. He then strained his eyes to find the kitchen perhaps, and lit up like the pole star when he found it on his front. He then leisurely walked in and grabbed a saucepan and searched the fridge for milk. I followed him behind at his incredulity and he suddenly wheeled around. I almost clashed into him and he gave me a cheery smirk at that.
"Raihaan, leave." I commanded him, pointing my finger in the direction of the door and he pouted like a kid. What?
"But, I just came." He whined in a childish tone and I couldn't believe that I was actually dealing with this. He poured the milk into the pan and took a glimpse at my face while doing so.
He then fished about in the shelves for finding coffee powder. "Where is it? Hmm...not this one." He rammed that one shut. "Here, is it here....yeah! Got it." He slammed this one as well and I glared at him for treating my kitchen like that.
"The rest of the reasons." I deadpanned my reminder and he suddenly hissed. I clutched the finger that he berserkly blew at and inspected the burn. He hauled me by the arms that I held him with and snaked his arm around my waist, intently staring into my eyes.
"To get you back." He firmly declared.
His eyes wandered over my facial features and he kept staring unblinkingly. My senses left me the moment his scent barged in my mind and I couldn't wriggle myself out. The frail organ in my chest rebuked me to even think about leaving his secure arms and I obeyed it unsurely.
"Also because you can't live without me. If I go tonight, you'll regret like you've never regretted anything in your entire life." He made known with his glowing eyes. I've lived without him for a whole year, I've stood for myself without his support. Surely, I can manage the rest of my life...right? Today, the blue in his bewitching orbs exhibited nothing but peace. No sign of coldness, nor a sign of guilt. But, wasn't he guilty?
His eyes became mirthful in a flash and I felt something awful was on the way. "My final reason is that you have to pay me back. You, my lady, have a whole lot indebted to me." He snuggled me closer as his knuckles brushed my cheek. This shouldn't feel this comforting! My eyes suddenly shot open. Wait...what did he say? Debt?!
"Excuse me? What sort of indebtness are you spewing about? I have nothing left on you." I barked at him and he pursed his lips in a thin line to avoid laughing out loud. His hand brought mine to his chest, placing it flat at his heart and the same racing yet strong heartbeat touched my senses.
"A broken heart. You're brought to trial in the crime of breaking my heart." He uttered with a playful grin and somehow my eyes weighed down with guilt. He placed his hand on the side of my face and lifted it up. "I wasn't initially going to use this but I have to because you are stubborn." He exclaimed as if he thought about it carefully and I felt curious at what his malicious mind was up to. "So yo –"
The pan boiled out its contents and he shut the stove off in panic. He detached me to light the stove again and added the coffee powder and sugar simultaneously. I gaped from my spot, watching him work earnestly while he wiped the counter with a gazillion tissues and then messily poured out the burnt coffee in two mugs. He swirled me in my place and carried the mugs in both of his hands. He then collided my back with his chest and pushed with his body to walk while the two hot cups guarded my sides. Naturally, I had to trudge with him directing me and caging me with his arms that held the hot drink.
After he slumped on the couch again, he dragged me by my wrist to make me sit beside him, of course, almost in his arms. This is guy has a serious thing for cuddling!
"I was stating the final reason but the coffee interrupted our moment. Anyways! Since you lived at my place, ate at my place, slept at my place, rather at me and made me take care of you when you were sick and all that, I want payback!" He enunciated with a winning grin and I could only see red at his claims. Blood red.
"What do you want?" I growled in fury. He smirked and leaned towards my ear. "A whole life with you."
"What sort of nonsense are you spluttering?" I shoved him back and he made a pout again. I so want to rip his lips off.
"In simpler terms, I will stay, eat, sleep, on you or not will be decided later, and be cared for at your place. One month. That's the amount of time you stayed with me and I am doing the same." He shrugged, sipping his coffee noisily and my hands clenched into fists.
"Get out." I announced, barely restraining myself from strangling him.
"Oh! So you don't wish to comply? Alright, then. I will do it my way." He exuberantly stated, sending a wink to my face. I watched in disbelief as he merrily chugged the hot drink, enjoying it to his fullest, shamelessly throwing his legs over my center table.
───╼━━╾───
Raihaan importunately pressed Laila to his chest, inhaling deep, content breaths at his sister's touch. She hit his back repeatedly to make him let go of her and a while later her efforts died down. Her sobs drenched his shirt and he painfully twisted his lips at her crying.
"Promise me that you will not go back to that. Promise me that you will live a sincere life from now on. Assure me of all that or else go fry your head somewhere else." She reprimandingly whispered into his shirt and he chuckled at the choice of her words. He kissed her forehead brotherly. "By Allah, I won't. That is my promise."
I wiped my eyes to dry the dampness and swivelled on my feet to get out of there. Was it that easy to forgive and forget? Then why couldn't I do that?
"Bhabhi, wait. Don't leave." Laila called out to me, still in her brother's embrace.
"No. Let her go. We need to have a private conversation. A conversation without thick-headed people." He loudly stated lifting a little on his toes, purposely directing the taunt at me. I glared at his smirking face and he ignored me in the midst of my glare. How dare he? Laila giggled at his teasing attitude and I flared up
"Why're you still here? Go away. Carry your grumpy face to wherever you're going. Just don't trip on your way." He gave me his raised eyebrows, disregarding me to a nobody and my lips wobbled at the loneliness. She got her brother and I don't have mine anymore. He is still in a bond with me and after all that nonsense yesterday, he just wants me to leave? Did he do all that drama to just patch up with his sister?
I shot laser beams at him one last time and whirled around, stomping my way to my office. Someone bumped into me and I wanted to claw their eyes out.
"What the–? Lady, can't you see and walk? I can't believe this early in the morning thi–" Idrees, that good for nothing punk rebuked me and stopped in between. How dare this guy also insult me? They were standing in my office, for God's sake!
"Who on earth are you? Leave her, right now." Idrees marched up to Raihaan and Laila and growled out like a wolf. Raihaan cocked his brow at the order he received and pressed Laila closer. The young guy sucked in a deep breath and marched to land a punch on his face. I and Laila widened out eyes in horror, but Raihaan caught his fist mid-air. I sighed in relief.= to only get blinded by anger again. Do they think they are in a playground?
Before Raihaan threw a blow at Idrees' face, I stomped in their direction and emptied the jug of water on Idrees' head.
"WHAT IN THE WORLD?" He bellowed, snapping his wet glare at my face.
"Do you want to get fired on your first day?" I calmly questioned him and Laila had a smirk plastered over her face. raihaan watched me in amusement and I found it better to ignore him fro now.
"Well, I am already on fire." He spat through his jealousy and tugged Laila by her bag, plunging her to his side, shooting daggers at Raihaan. Raihaan's brows furrowed in anger and he took a scary step in his direction. The young man levelled his glare, not backing out and Raihaan grabbed his collar.
"Raihaan, stop. Don't do anything stupid. He's just a–" Before Laila completed, I flipped the orange juice I had been drinking over his head. The only one who had fun with this was a damp Idrees.
Raihaan swiped the sticky juice from his eyebrows and I challenged him with my eyes to do one other stupid mistake. "Get out of my office." I spat at both the men and they made me the focal point of their wrath instead. "Right now."
Laila stared ahead and directed her remark at Idrees. "Raihaan is my brother." Idrees' eyes narrowed in confusion and he bobbed his gaze between the brother-sister duo to confirm his doubts. Raihaan panted calming breaths with lava blazing in his orbs.
"I still resent him." Idrees hot-headedly muttered speaking only to Laila. It was as if we were equal to being non-existent when he talked with Laila, and that was utterly disgracing. Raihaan shot out to beat the pulp out of him again but I stepped in front of him. His eyes flickered with recognition and he kept staring at me in a daze. His eyes powerfully shone with...nothing. I don't need to observe him that well. Or observe him at all.
"Bhai, should we leave?" Laila mischievously questioned and Idrees scoffed.
"Of course! Just looking at them makes me want to puke. People are so disappointing." Idrees etched and shook his head as he pulled Laila by her bag, making sure she tripped over nothing while she frantically thrashed her arms. He rolled her eyes at her with a smile and exited my office.
My eyes narrowed into slits when he took a step closer and grinned at me. His hair dripped with the sticky juice and I grimaced. I knew something mischievous was up his sleeve.
"Clean." He ordered with a cocky grin. I cocked a brow at his command. How dare he order me around?
"Clean it yourself. Who told you to pounce at the kid?" I retorted, sliding to his left to escape from there. He blocked me by his board chest and placed his left arm on the table behind me. The orangy scent lingered in the air and I burned huge holes in his head.
He pulled a stack of tissues from the tissue box on my side and brought in front of my face. "You dropped the drink on me so take responsibility for cleaning as well. Besides he was not a kid." He whined ironically acting like a kid. I'm surrounded by imbeciles!
"Move." I growled in my barely controlled anger. He knew how to push all the wrong buttons of mine and was hell bent on doing so. He shook his head childishly and I gaped in disbelief. Was his brain even present in his thick skull?!
"Clean it or you won't like what I'll do next." He calmly averred, as if staring the terms of a contract. I crossed my arms on my chest and set my lips in a straight line. "What can you do, Mr. Abdul Majeed?"
He smirked and brought his sticky forehead towards my cheek. Excuse me?! The orangy wetness threw me in a panic and my hands shoved him back with me yelling at him. "Okay, fine!"
He broke into a triumphant smile and waved the tissues in front of my eyes. I sighed and dabbed the soft paper on his forehead, the side of his head and ears while he observed me like a piece of antique. I poured some water over the tissues and pressed it on his black tousle that smelled like oranges.
"Did I ever tell you that you are breathtakingly beautiful?" He whispered with a dazzling smile and my own overloud heart sounded in my ears.
I softly padded his nose and cheeks with the wet tissues and avoided his hypotonic amber orbs to keep my sanity to myself. "Can't you keep your mouth shut?"
He shook his head childishly. "There should to be at least one person who talks things out." His eyes engulfed my vision with the million emotions floating wildly in them. The amber and blue was such a dangerous combination that I always felt afraid of wanting to abandon myself in the blustery swirls. The sunlight brought the icy flecks out and I could see every single quill of them distinctly. Why were his eyes such a marvelous creation?
I blinked my eyes at the intricately portrayed emotions and averted my gaze. I then spilled some water on my fingers and raked it through his hair to wash the remnants of the stickiness. I ruffled his dark locks and the softness of them made me want to keep massaging his head. I then reluctantly extracted my hands out of his black tousle and wiped them with another tissue. "It's done."
"Once more." He demanded. My eyes involuntarily clashed with his and I wished I hadn't done so. "I want you to do it again."
"Do I look like a maid to you?" I screeched but he seemed to ignore it and thrust my fingers in his wet hair. He rumpled them with my hand and the soft coldness satisfied me despite being disinclined to do so.
"You're so guiltily enjoying this." He exclaimed with a grin, pinching my cheeks and I involuntarily puckered my lips at his absolutely correct hunch.
"I never stopped you, you know? I'm all yours with whatever, whenever." He whispered, bending to my eye-level and winked at me charmingly. I suddenly felt cold winds playing with my skin and he chuckled at my flabbergasted face.
"You're so cute!" He cooed pinching my cheeks and I swat his hands away, breaking from the imaginary cage and rushing towards the exit door.
"And you're a desperado!" I yelled at my way back.
───╼━━╾───
Assalam alaikum.
Well.... *crickets chirping*
I never said the story ended! 😫
So, Raihaan is back?
The story is going on a wild ride 😎
Until next time, minu armastus.
Ma'assalamah! 🍯