"So if you're done playing hide n seek, can we talk?"
Umeed froze. Hearing his voice after so long had affected her so much already, now that the voice was directed towards her, she could feel her insides go haywire. Her grip on the glass loosened and it went flying on the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Umeed!" Farjaad was immediately alarmed, forgetting everything else he had in mind.
Well, some things can never change.
"Why the hell are you barefoot??" He scolded her, noticing her feet were bare and there were glass pieces surrounding her. Luckily, it hadn't pierced her. She tried moving away, not able to face him directly but he held her hand, making her go still.
"Don't move" he spoke in a soft yet commanding tone and she could only focus on the grip his hand had over her wrist. His gaze followed hers and they looked up together to lock their gazes as a feeling of deja vu hit them.
It had happened before. When she had visited him in his office and gifted him a cell phone as a compensation for drowning his old one. He had held her hand and pulled her away from the reception when she was blabbering about how he had to jump out of her house. A feeling of warmth washed over them as they recalled their moments of falling in love together.
"Wait..." Farjaad was concerned more about Umeed piercing her skin, knowing how accident prone she was. He slipped his feet out of his chappals and pushed them towards her, letting himself barefoot since he was at a safe distance from the broken glass pieces. Even if he wasn't, he really wouldn't have cared.
"Wear them" he gently commanded her. She quietly obliged, wanting to run away as soon as possible but his firm grip on her wrist was not making things easier. His hand slowly slipped downwards and took her hands in his, guiding her out of the sea of broken glass pieces.
Once she was at a safe distance from it, she quickly kicked the chappals and was about to make a dash out of the kitchen when the firm tug on her wrist brought her back with a force. She was about to tumble when his other hand went around her waist, balancing her.
Umeed gasped as she fell in his embrace. Her eyes widened as her heart picked up pace as his gaze on her intensified. It had been so long since they were this close. So close they could actually hear each others' heartbeats, which were increasing drastically.
His gaze melted into hers as they fell into the ocean of memories. It was as if the distance between them never existed. They were still the same Umeed and Farjaad who fell deeply in love amongst all the bickerings. His fingers tightened around her tiny waist, pulling her slightly closer, making her breath stop.
She could hear her heart beat faster and faster against her rib cage. Him being so close to her, barely inches away, was doing things to her heart she had experienced once, but had her heart closed to those feelings now and didn't want them to resurface again.
But the way he was looking at her, his eyes moving at every inch of her face, dropping down to her lips which made het breath hitch before coming up and locking het gaze with his. He looked at her as if her existance was the only thing that mattered, that if she pulls away, he'll lose it.
The older Umeed would've gotten lost in the moment but this revised version of her had stopped wearing her heart on her sleeve. Now she was a person who used brains even if her heart said something else.
Fighting herself, she looked away, pulling herself from his embrace. His hands were left hanging as the feeling of her vanished from his arms. His eyes never left her face though, even if she looked everywhere else but him. He knew what her next move was going to be. And Umeed did not disappoint him.
She dashed out of the kitchen, leaving him standing there, watching her retreating back as he tried calming his heartbeat.
He didn't know what is going to happen next, he didn't even know what he was going to say to her when he walked in the kitchen knowing she was inside. His mind had become a puzzle of many things he was unsure of.
But one thing he was sure of.
She still has the same effect on him.
And he was still madly in love with Umeed Pasha.
***
Umeed stood beside the window, gazing at the stars. Her mind replayed the moment between her and Farjaad in the kitchen.
Her mind was a mess. As if seeing him after two years was not enough that he had to hover around her in her home as well. Umeed had struggled hard to build the life she was living now. And she was in no mood of compromising it under any circumstances.
She wasn't sure of why he was here. She wasn't sure what he wanted or had in mind.
But one thing she was sure of.
Whatever is happening, needed to stop.
This needed to stop.
***
"Good morning!" Farjaad greeted the older couple as he settled down on the breakfast table. They smiled back at him warmly as Aziz kept his newspaper down, patting his back while Salma filled his plate with food.
"Arre bas karein Auntie..." Farjaad laughed, knowing he'd have to run a few extra miles.
"Kyun bas? Araam se khao, tumhara hi ghar hai" Salma tapped his cheek with affection, settling down herself.
"Assalamalaikum"
His breath hitched as he heard her voice and looked up to see her walking down in all her glory. Dressed in a light pink suit with a white scarf around her neck, her hair tied loosely with soft tendrils falling on her face, with a bag on her shoulder and some files in her hand.
She bent down to hug Salma, kissing her on the cheek as Aziz patted her head lovingly. Once she looked up, her gaze clased with his intense one and her smile faded as she looked away, completely ignoring him, as if he wasn't present.
"I'm leaving. Late ho raha hai"
"Khabardaar!" Salma scolded, "Naashta karo sukoon se beth ke"
"Auntie late ho raha hai" Umeed whined. "My to-do list is overflowing today" She shook her head. She helplessly threw a look to Aziz who simply shrugged.
"I don't care. Finish this" She pushed the plate in front of her, pulling down to her seat. Umeed sighed and gobbled down her food in two bites.
"Allah yeh larki" Salma slapped her head.
"Bas ab mein jaa rahi hun" Getting up, she hugged her again and was about to leave when Aziz stopped her.
"Umeed beta, ruko. Farjaad will drop you"
Umeed turned around immediately as Farjaad got up with the same speed, leaving his breakfast midway, not willing to let this chance go.
"NO!"
Salma and Aziz were surprised at her tone while Farjaad folded his hands across his chest, as if he was prepared for it.
"I mean, I'm not going to the hall directly. I have a few errands to run" Umeed corrected herself, altering her tone once she realized she might've sounded rude.
"No issue for me" Farjaad shrugged, his expressions challenging her. He knew it would be a task breaking through her walls, knowing how stubborn she was. But he was willing to take any chance he got.
"It is for me" Umeed gritted her teeth, glaring at him knowing he was deliberatly doing this.
"Umeed, beta kia ho gaya?" Aziz was surprised at her behaviour.
"Nothing uncle, inhe bilawajah zehmat hogi" Umeed came up with an excuse.
"Bilkul nahi. I'd be happy to help" Farjaad negated her excuse smugly. If she wants it this way, she'll have it this way.
"Aap ke saath masla kia hai?" She kept her hands on her hips and scowled at him. A smile threatened to appear on his lips seeing a glimpse on his old Umeed.
"Acha bas" Salma stopped them before they could get into an argument.
"Beta tum rehne do, Umeed khud chali jayegi" She spoke, understanding their must be a reason behind Umeed's stubborness. Umeed smiled in victory, feeling relieved while Farjaad sighed and sat down, knowing how headstrong Umeed can get, letting it slide this time.
"Allah Hafiz" Saying so, she left.
"Please beta, don't mind her. She usually doesn't behave this way. Pata nahi kia ho gaya hai isse" Aziz apologized, seeming genuinely worried regarding Umeed.
"Itna pressure daala hua hai bechari pe, pareshaan hai" Salma complained. She had a great understanding with Umeed and had come to love Umeed more like a daughter in the time they had together.
"Arre koi baat nahi Uncle, its okay. I understand" Farjaad smiled in understanding. He was just happy Umeed directly spoke to him, even if it was just random bickering.
"Was she always a paying guest here?" He asked in a nonchalant tone, trying not to give away anything.
"Umeed? No no, she just shifted a year ago. I wanted someone to manage my exhibitions and she was ready to do it."
"I heard she actually worked in Lahore" he continued the conversation, wanting to know more. It was true. Last he had talked to Haya, she had told him Umeed was at her Khala's house in Lahore.
"Yes. But she wanted to move out and I wanted someone. She actually wanted to move out. So I offered her a job and accomodation and she was more than willing to move to Islamabad. She agreed on staying as a paying guest, even though I insisted against it." Aziz explained while Farjaad listened carefully, nodding in understanding.
"Mujhse hi paise le ke mujhe waapis karti hai" he laughed, "but kehti hai ke hisaab barabar hona chahiye"
"Lekin bohot pyaari bacchi hai, itne se waqt mein hume tou uski aadat ho gayi hai" Salma spoke affectionately.
Their tone told Farjaad how much they adored Umeed. He remembered how strained Umeed and Pasha Sahab's relationship was, partly because how he never tried to understand her and always shunned her, tagging her to be immature. Farjaad was a witness to it all and a lot of times had defended Umeed, not liking the attitude Pasha Sahab had towards Umeed. It hurt him to see how Umeed was treated once he had come to understand their family dynamics.
But it warmed his heart seeing this old couple treat her with such affection, which she deserved so much. Sometimes strangers become your family when your own family treats you like one.
There were still many questions in his mind and only one person had all the answers.
And he needed to talk to her as soon as possible. No matter how stubborn she is.
***
Sorry for the late update! I hope I made up with this one💕
Thank you so much for all the love you're showering this fic with!❤️