The remaining conversation was non-existent. Umeed was struggling to finish her tea, feeling the silence strike her into taking minimal action.
She was not someone who liked talking to strangers, but there was some level of comfort that should have been present. She had never thought she would be waiting for time to speed up so she could leave - she was just waiting for one thing.
"Ye lien." The waitress came and was about to hand the receipt file to Farjaad but Umeed brought her hand out, making the waitress pause for a moment before handing it to her. Umeed smiled and nodded, cue for the waitress to go away until called upon.
"Umeed, let me." He tried reaching out but she pulled it away, done with him and his behaviour.
"Aap ne already bohot ehsaan kar diya bula kar, please." She mumbled as she reached for her wallet inside her bag.
Farjaad clenched his jaw, his own patience being tested to an extreme today.
"Umeed mene aap ko bulaya hai, mera banta hai pay karna." He spoke patiently, seeing her pull her credit card out from the wallet and place it in the check holder. He sighed.
There were many things he could tolerate or be flexible in, letting someone else pay upon his invitation was not one of them. It was almost insulting. He was the one who called, it was his duty to pay. Yet the woman in front made it her mission to get him to pop a vein out of his head.
And she was a heavy advocate for the man paying, it was cute and there was a reassurance that was behind that gesture. But only in situations where she was actually interested in the man and he was a decent human being. Not an egotistical loon who could not see anything beyond himself.
Umeed could not fathom walking out the restaurant knowing he had that over her.
"Excuse me." He stood up and walked away without another word, leaving Umeed shaking her head. He took his phone but left his keys and his glasses. She assumed he went to the bathroom.
Maybe washing his face would wipe some of the attitude off of him.
She rolled her eyes and waited for moments, the waitress had just disappeared. She checked her phone for any messages, none.
Umeed didn't have the brightest social circle, just one friend and the rest being her work staff. And that one friend should be at work, so there was no one to contact.
Farjaad strolled back towards the table and Umeed looked away to avoid any explanation. He reached for his keys then glanced in her direction.
"Aap kisi ka wait kar rahi hain?" He asked her and she pressed her lips together.
"Waitress ka." Umeed responded sweetly, reaching for her purse and placing it in her lap.
She observed how the corner of his lip curved for only a second as he reached for his hair, his fingers running over it. Umeed noticed how his hair was actually brown, the sunlight showing the colour of his strands. He had nice voluminous hair, a bit like herself.
"Miss Umeed bill pay ho chuka hai." Farjaad spoke like he was incognizant of the cause, very casual and collected as he informed her.
"Kese?" Umeed stood up, her tone filled with bewilderment. She just wanted to get done with this one thing, how was this difficult?
"Aap mind na karein but I can't tolerate agar mere kehne par aap pay kartin. It's not how I work." He shrugged. "Anyway, ab agli dafa Rubina aunty ti taraf mulakaat hoti hai." He turned to walk but she pulled her credit card from the holder and took quick steps to walk past him and stand in front.
"Dekhein se nahi sahi." Umeed pointed with one hand as the other slipped the card into her bag. She thought he had gone to the bathroom, not gone to pay.
"Sahi to hamara saat kaam karna bhi nahi hai, yet here we are." He tilted his head, smirking at her yet somehow his eyes were showing disinterest. Umeed pressed both her lips together and took in a deep breath.
"Tou phir aap kaan khol kar sun lein." Farjaad straightened his posture, folding his arms and wondering what she was about to come up with. "Mein Rubina aunty ko kuch nahin kahun gi. Masla aap ko hai na, aap ja kar ke dein. Wahin baat khatam ho jaye gi and we can move on, sahi hai?"
Farjaad stared at her like she was speaking a foreign language. His whole reason for being in the situation in the first place was because of Rubina. He would have never agreed to such a thing otherwise. How could he be the one to break the news for her? Farjaad was not going to do that.
Yet Umeed did make a point, and he was loathing the fact that she was right. He was the one who had a problem, and now his list of problems were growing after meeting her. How could he break the news to Rubina?
"Then what about the wedding?" He asked obliviously.
"That's not my problem Mr Farjaad. Aap unke laadlay hain, aap hal nikalein." Umeed shrugged. And this really infuriated Farjaad. To be called a 'laadla' as an insult by her. "It was nice meeting you."
Umeed did not waste another second and turned around to walk away, carefully taking her steps with hope that she did not seem even half as agitated as she was. She pulled her phone out and tapped on Careem.
-
"Mujhe batao Yusuf, mujhe sachi mein batao. Mein koi laadla hun? Ache kaam ka matlab ye hai ke forun laadla ban jaate hain?" Farjaad paced back and forth in his living room. Yusuf and Coco were sitting on the sofa, their heads moving with him as he strided back and forth.
-
"Kasam se Saveria aaj tak mene itna badtameez insaan nahi dekha." Umeed huffed as she dipped her spoon in the strawberry yoghurt. "Matlab, mera dil cha raha tha ke mein wahan se ghayab ho jaun."
Her fried Saveria watched as she took a spoonful of yoghurt. Umeed was starving, which made her lose her mind even more. Saveria had the chef making her some food, and the yoghurt was only to keep her stable.
-
"Yusuf wo pata nahi apne aap ko kya samajh ti hai. Matlab koi lihaas nahi!" Farjaad stopped in his tracks, Yusuf and Coco's heads stopping with him as he shook his head. "I have never met someone so ill-mannered."
Yusuf scratched the back of his head, turning to face Coco as if Coco would help him try and understand the outburst. Farjaad was a very collected person, not one to lose it that often.
Coco meowed at Yusuf, Yusuf nodded in response.
-
"Apne aap ko event planning ka Michelangelo samajh ta hai." Saveira listened intently as Umeed bit onto the piece of chicken from her fork, chewing aggressively. This rant had been going on for some time. "I'm sure he was a better person, ye tou asmaan se utar hi nahi saka!"
-
"She was rolling her eyes like I was wasting her precious time. Jab ke madam khud pooray aath minute late thin" He pointed to his watch. "Matlab had hoti hai!"
-
"Kharoos! Changez Khan ka pata nahi kaun sa ristedaar tha!" She reached for the orange juice, taking a few gulps before placing it on the table once again. "Aur tumhe pata hai? Baar baar apni ghari ko dekhta raha, jese dunya ko wo khud chala raha hai. I swear I've never met someone like him..." Umeed stabbed the piece of chicken, Saveria sighing as she listened to more words.
-
"Iske saat tou mein hargiz nahi kaam karun ga, over my dead body." He shook his head. "Mene usse kaha I don't work with others, upar se mujhe lecture de rahi hai! About taking her work seriously and considering the customer's opinion. Matlab, ye kya bakwaas hai?"
"Farjaad, yaar, mind ka karna, but I think wo wesi hi nikli jesa mene tumhe warn kiya tha." Yusuf stood up, stretching his arms as he tried to advise his friend nonchalantly.
"Kya warn kiya tha?" Farjaad turned, both his hands on his hips as he eyed his friend.
This was the difficult part about Farjaad, telling him that he was wrong. Telling him that he was outclassed.
He was a perfectionist. Pointing a flaw out meant sending him into a state of turmoil where he would average an hour of sleep a day till he perfected his craft.
"Yahi, ke wo tumhare mukablay par hoye gi aur tum threaten feel karo ge." Yusuf straightened his shirt, then slid his hands in his pockets. "I think she's on par with you, maybe even better. She's very dedicated to her work. Ye jo shikaitein laga rahe ho tum, mujhe to ye khoobiyan lagi hain."
Farjaad glanced at Yusuf like he was an alien, an extraterrestrial species that was speaking a language he couldn't understand.
"Yusuf, tum waqayi mere dost ho?" He blinked, staring at his friend who sighed and walked up further.
"Dekho mere se ye baatein nahi chupayi jaatein, jesa hai wesa hai. Aur wo baat bhi sahi hai ke tumhe hi jaa kar Rubina aunty to kehna pare ga. You're clearly the one who has a problem."
And moments like these where Farjaad loved and hated his friend. Loved because having him meant he wouldnt make stupid decisions. Hated because his opinions would never align with Farjaad's ego.
He had to think of a way out of this. Saying yes was an attack to his self-assuredness, saying no was an attack to his pride. He had to find a loophole.
-
"Umeed bhar mein jaye aesa insaan..." Saveira finally decided to speak up, noticing that it had been over a minute since Umeed stopped venting, which meant she was finished.
"Kasam se" Umeed muttered as she reached for the last piece of chicken.
"Matlab pata nahi apne aap ko kya samajh te hain. Tum na, jaa kar un aunty ko ke do ke tumse nahi hona ye. Khatam karo baat." Umeed widened her eyes as her head shot up, scaring Saveira.
"Mein kyun kahun? I am willing to work with him. Uske nakhre hain to wo khud jaa kar bole. Koi bacha nahi hai." Her fork was pointing in Saveria's direction subconsciously, alarming her friend who reached for her wrist and pulled it down.
"Acha theek hai, relax karo." She watched Umeed huff. "Wese wo bole ga."
"Kyun?" This piece of chicken was not looking to be eaten any time soon. Every time Umeed reached for it, her attention would shift to her friend's words.
"Come on Umeed. You really think someone who couldn't stand you for maybe half an hour is gonna work with you twelve hours a day?" That was a fair point.
Even in that half hour all he did was boast about himself and ignore her whenever it was her turn to talk. No way was such a man going to tolerate her in a field where they'd have to spend excessive time together. No way.
"Mujhe to lag raha hai wo mana kar de ga, agar na bhi karna chahe to tum apna stance mat badalna." Saveria had a point. If Umeed stuck to her decision of wanting to make it work, he'd have no choice but to back off.
She heard her phone, immediately reaching for it.
Hello beta. I want to invite you and Farjaad over for tea on Saturday. Let me know if you are free.
"Arey aunty..." Umeed muttered, staring at her phone, apologetic towards the woman who just wanted to have someone make her child's day special. Someone who put so much faith in Umeed by simply observing her. She did not have the heart to hurt her.
Saturday was six days later. Enough time for Umeed to think and clear her mind, as well as build the confidence to see his face again.
What a shame he was such an ignorant person, because Umeed initially thought he was quite good-looking, till he kept his mouth shut of course.
But now, she had to prepare herself for that conversation, for her to make it clear she was not the one with an issue, and voice out her concerns. As well as that, she had to prepare for a mayoun event for a client that was to happen on Friday night. Umeed was piling things up in her mind.
-
Farjaad did not have much planning for the week. So he spent his time wisely by spending more hours at the gym, teaching Coco new tricks, and of course...
Preparing himself to face the woman he really didn't want to face again.
He couldn't pinpoint what exactly it was that had him so shaken. Was it the fact she was questioning his ability? Was it the way she was not afraid to meet his eyes when talking to him? Or was it that she made him feel that inferiority he hadn't felt in a long time?
It may not be as serious for anyone else, but after many things happening in his life, Farjaad was a perfectionist. Not just a don quixote, but someone who put in the hours to make sure he gives the best he possibly could. His fear was lacking in what he did, but he always made sure he never got to that point.
And if he did, hell would break loose.
But nothing happened as of yet. All he encountered was a five-foot-two-inch lady who had some audacity to make assumptions about him and question his credibility. How could he be so affected? Yet he was. He felt threatened.
The only thing he anticipated was Saturday, and Farjaad also spent a decent amount of his days strategizing on how to make it work.
-
Saturday came by. Umeed struggled to wake up, her back aching. She decided to carry a sofa the night before despite people telling her not to. Out of stubbornness she put herself in that position, now she was suffering.
Upon arrival, she examined the grand residence. The gardens, the pillared architecture, the modern take on the construction. The house was huge, she was a fan of the way it was designed.
She was given assistance by a guard, who guided her to the main door, from where a servant assisted her to the living room.
For some reason, Umeed found herself not as surprised when she entered and sighted Farjaad sitting on the sofa.
However, what did catch her off guard was the dimpled smile on him. For starters, seeing him smile made her question whether she was hallucinating.
And secondly, it irritated her how he put on a polite image of himself, as if he wasn't the biggest piece of shit. But Umeed did not show any distaste, simply walked up and greeted Rubina politely, sitting opposite him as Rubina sat on the sofa in the middle.
"Tou, kese ho tum dono?" She glanced between them, observing their smiles as they kept their focus on her.
"Theek."
"Bilkul theek." Umeed tried her best to not roll her eyes as he said that. Of course, he had to be extra. He had to add the extra word to show more emphasis.
"Aur Umeed beta? Kesa chal raha hai sab kuch?" Rubina panned her attention to Umeed, making Farjaad sigh silently as he showed false interest towards her. His fingers intertwined as he tilted his head.
"Bohot acha aunty, bas kal bhi aik event tha. Sab kuch acha gaya." Umeed answered sweetly, noticing his pretend bemusement and countering it by panning her attention back onto the lady who she came for.
She wasn't going to let him get on her nerves. After all, he was the one who was going to be revealing the shattering news to the poor woman.
"Mein bohot excited thi tum logon se milne ke liye, kasam se intezaar nahi ho raha tha ke hafta aa jaye." As Rubina beamed, Farjaad and Umeed nodded. Because for both of them, it was quite the opposite. They were dreading as the hours went by, not wanting to face the situation.
"Ji aunty." Umeed nodded and Rubina glanced in her direction before reaching for a plate.
"Arey beta, pehle kuch lo phir baat karte hain." Umeed wanted to decline politely by reaching for the plate herself, out of respect.
However, as she reached forward, he felt a stinging pull, making her hiss loudly, catching everyone's attention.
"Kya hua beta? You okay?" Rubina focused on Umeed, who held her shoulder and sat back.
"Ji aunty, wo bas kal aik sofa uthate hue baazu khich gaya." She massaged her shoulder, not being able to grasp the muscle where it was actually hurting
Farjaad observed her with concentration, imagining her picking up a couch, finding it rude to smile so bringing his hand up to place it over his mouth without seeming disrespectful.
It was not the thought of her being in pain that made him see the humour in it, but rather her petite self thinking she was strong enough for it. And unfortunately, she got proven wrong.
"Tum sofa kyun utha rahi thi?" Rubina asked with concern filled in her eyes. Umeed then felt bad for making her worry like this. It was her own stupidity, she'd have to deal with it.
"Aunty mene khud kiya, mujhe mana bhi kiya tha but i thought mere se ho jaye ga." Umeed finally let go of her shoulder, showing that she was fine.
"Doctor ke jaao beta." Rubina shook her head in displeasure, as if scolding Umeed for taking it lightly.
"Arey nahi aunty, bas zara sa hai." Umeed shook her head, a faint smile. "Theek ho jaye ga."
"No Umeed, this can get very serious. Acha hai tumhe koi balm yaan dawayan mil jayein gi."
Umeed nodded, not wanting to argue with her any further. The topic had to change, and she wanted it to focus back on the real thing, the event.
Luckily, Rubina did.
"Acha ab batao? Kya plan hai tum dono ka?" As that question was asked, Umeed remained in her position.
She glanced over at Farjaad, who was rubbing his hands together. She noticed him glancing at her, looking like he was nervous.
Umeed tried hiding her smirk, preparing for him to unveil his displeasure with their pairing and his inability to work with others.
She was expecting him to say with as much confidence as he said it to her, with a nonchalant tone and an expression that reeked of superiority.
Then she thought, maybe he was waiting for her to give her side first. Maybe he wanted her to clear it up so it was easier for him to transition to his concerns. So Umeed smiled before looking up at Rubina.
"Aunty-"
"Aunty I have no problem at all, in fact I would be more than delighted to work with Miss Umeed."
No way.
No absolute way on Earth did those words leave his mouth.
She could not believe the words she was hearing. Her head snapped into his direction, eyes widened as she examined the smug smile on his face.
"In fact I think this is great for me. In se kuch acha seekh lun ga. She's very good at what she does." He continued, Umeed not believing the bullshit that was leaving his mouth. She was too astounded to remember what she was about to say, too appalled by his behaviour and his shift in opinion.
Now she couldn't clear her side. He somehow twisted it to make himself look good.
Now it was Umeed's decision that was the core decision in whether they would go ahead or not. He put her on the spot.
And by the looks of it, he was very proud.
"Well I'm glad to hear. Umeed beta? What about you?" All of a sudden Umeed felt that all the attention was shifted onto her. Rubina was looking at her with hope and excitement. Farjaad was staring at her with victory and a challenge. His eyes challenged her to accept the offer, to bare with his existence.
She felt her words stuck in her throat, unable to leave. She had no problem, but that was only until she was certain that he was going to end it.
Now, knowing he painted himself as the saint, Umeed had no choice. She had no choice to decline such an offer. She had no reason to disappoint the woman who put so much faith in her.
And these were her words to Farjaad. She remembered saying to him how she cared more about the client's opinion than her own. She could not show herself to be the hypocrite, not in front of him.
"I don't have any problems aunty. Mein to tayyar hun." Umeed smiled, a smile very difficult to break but she managed to do so.
"Chalo shukar hai, tum logon ne meri zindagi aasaan kar di hai. Ab bas tayyar raho, agle teen haftay tayyariyan hi honi hain." Umeed bit her lip, unable to join the joy but still curved her lips for the sake of involvement.
She glanced over at Farjaad, who was not seeming the most satisfied, but managed to share the contentment with the woman who was already talking about placements and events.
Four events.
She wanted four events. Back-to-back.
For Farjaad, this meant hiring more people to manage things. To have enough staff to shift items and make sure everything is dealt with accordingly. To have maintenance checkups of most likely four different locations in a short amount of time with assurance that everything was intact.
For Umeed, this meant having to get a lot done in a short time. To decorate a hall of hundreds of people within hours. To deal with a bigger cost card and manage her materials. To hire new labour. The pressure was already weighing down on her.
And most of all, it was the collective weight of having to be in one another's company. Both of them were dreading it the most, shooting daggers at each other as they sat opposite one another, listening to Rubina beam about the locations and themes.