I saw her entering the house and when she was about to take a step further our eyes met, she stopped walking, I can literally see her expression changing from smile to laughing, then confused, surprised then a hint of anger when she realize who I am.
How can someone change so many expressions at a time, and the way she was looking today, hayye don't even ask me how this crazy heart of mine is beating right now.
The first time I encountered her, she was dressed in all black, the next time in a white kurti with blue cargo pants at the cafe, and then in a pink kurti with blue cargo jeans at college.
But today, she was wearing a full white kurti with white palazzo pants or something similar; I'm not well-versed in women's clothing.
Her scarf was loosely draped over her head, allowing her free-flowing hair to frame her face.
Her hands were decorated with simple mehendi design making those hands even more attractive than they are, her brown eyes not leaving mine, whereas I was literally staring into those eyes.
In this moment, she truly resembles an angel, the most beautiful creature I have ever laid eyes on, and perhaps will ever see.
After breaking eye contact with me, she immediately turned toward Sahara and whispered something in her ear. Sahara smiled, then glanced at me and said something back to her.
Her expression changed again within a fraction of a second, but this time it wasn't one of anger or surprise; she looked at me with indescribable expressions, and I found myself smiling continuously while staring at her.
I couldn't believe I was smiling so effortlessly; she had a way of changing me without even doing anything. Just seeing her had the power to brighten my face like a fresh flower.
With each step she took towards me, my heartbeats only grew crazier. I was so lost in her that I completely forgot about my surroundings.
It wasn't until Ammi tapped my shoulder and introduced me to her that I snapped back to reality.
Neither of us said anything; we simply gazed at each other, taking in the moment. After a few seconds of admiring her, I greeted her parents.
Then, all the elders made their way towards the couch to sit, leaving just me, Uns, and Sahara standing at the entrance of my house.
I wasted no time in grabbing the bouquet from the nearby stand, which I had bought for her, or rather, made for her.
I handed it to her, saying, "Welcome to our mansion, Ms. Reza." She took the bouquet, glanced at me, then looked back at it.
When she raised her head to look at me again, she gave me a 'so done look' upon seeing the Lego Daisy Bouquet.
She gestured with her hand, seemingly giving 'care to explain please expressions'.
I laughed seeing her cuteness, but my lion wasn't finding it funny I staightened my posture then went towards her ear and said,
"Main chahata hoon ki meri pasand, meri pasand di da cheez ko apne saath rakhe".
She looked surprised hearing my answer, I thought she might scold me Or ask me why I bought her. but her question caught me off guard.
"Aren't you fasting today?" she asked with a cold voice. I couldn't believe her question and responded, "I wasn't expecting this question".
"I too wasn't expecting this thing from you, are you perhaps making fun of my allergy that your welcoming with 'Lego flowers', do I look like a child to you? You didn't get any better REAL bouquets?", She pressed the word real.
While saying it. Which made me laugh even more, but I controlled my smile and laugh, cause I seriously can't take any risk by laughing, I am talking with a fire right now.
"Absolutely not", I said while shaking my head and raising my hands, up as if I am surrendering myself.
Then, I continued, "I love daisies, Ms. Reza, and I know you're allergic to them. That's why..."
I paused, then leaned in again and whispered in her ear with a cold, deep voice, "I want you to keep my favorite flower, which I made for you. I want you to keep them in your bedroom so that whenever you see those Lego daisies, you remember me."
I finished my sentence and could see her cheeks turning red, but she tried her best not to blush at my statement. With a cold tone, she said, "You're crazy," and walked away to join our parents.
Now, Sahara and I were the only ones standing there. Sahara glanced around the whole house, then said,
"Bhai," to which I responded, "Yes, Sahara." She continued, placing her hands on her head as if deep in thought, then spoke again,
"Bhai, whenever I used to visit your house, this mansion felt more like a daisy farm, but today, there's not a single trace of daisies anywhere."
"To lift Aapi's mood, you insisted that I watch the match with her. You knew about Aapi's allergy to daisies, so you deliberately avoided having them in the house. Why the sudden concern for Aapi, brother?"
"Do you think her as your siste -" before she could complete that word, which I hate the most, I walked away. Sahara still wasn't finished with her questions; she followed after me.
I settled on the couch near the entrance of the lounge, enjoying the most beautiful view sitting at the center of the hall while chatting with my parents.
Sahara joined me and bombarded me with more questions. "Don't tell me, bhai, you're doing all this to impress Appi?
Seriously, brother, out of all the women, you chose Appi, who's nothing short of a fire?" She said, clearly surprised.
I shifted my gaze from Uns and turned towards Sahara and said, "Ab aag seh panga liye toh, zaahir hai, itna jaldi bujh jaanaa mushkil hai, yah yeh kahun ki naa mumkin hai".
Then I continued, "And one more thing, Sahara, why are you scolding me? I am your big brother." This time, my voice was a bit loud.
"Am I?" she asked, to which I replied, "Yes, you are!" In response, she gave me a sharp look, saying, "Very soon, you realized that I am scolding you, bhai."
I couldn't believe she was actually scolding me for things I hadn't done. If her sister took my heart, took my sleep, who is at fault? Me or her sister?
"I can't believe you, Sahara," I said, turning my gaze back to Uns.
Then Sahara said, "I too can't believe you, bhai.
The richest man is sitting beside me and bought a 'Lego daisy bouquet' to welcome my sister. I mean, were there no other flowers in the damn flower shop that you bought a toy flower?
Seriously, bhai."
she said with a hint of irritation and anger visible on her face.
I turned towards her again, this time locking eyes, and said, "I know, right? But what should I do? Your sister hates daisies, to say the least, while I love daisies way too much.
They're like my daily necessity. Even after looking into the shop, I couldn't find any other flower as attractive as daisies."
Sahara replied, "You could have bought at least roses, bhai. Roses are beautiful."
I responded, "Roses are indeed beautiful, Sahara, but come on, daisies have something unique.
Mine and Uns's first meeting was interrupted by daisies. If I wasn't holding daisies that day, maybe the feelings I have for Uns today wouldn't be there.
So, daisies played a very big role in my life. And I wanted to give my love what I love."
"So you're telling me that you love my Aapi?" Sahara asked me with a serious tone.
I nodded in response, prepared to hear another scolding or perhaps a declaration that she's not my type, but instead, Sahara just smirked and said,
"What if I say this to Aapi?" Her smirk was still visible.
"Are you blackmailing me, Sahara?" I said, completely shocked.
"Maybe," she replied.
"Unbelievable," I responded back.
Then I straightened my posture and asked, "What's the deal?"
She smiled and said, "You're very clever, bhai." Then she continued, "Nothing much, I just need updates on Samir.
What he does, where he goes, and which women he meets, except me."
I laughed at her deal and said, "Seriously, Sahara? You too? And why Samir out of all those?"
I couldn't control my laughter. She gave me a stern look and asked, "Are you making fun of me, bhai?"
"No, no, why would I, behen?" I replied, still controlling my laughter.
She didn't say a word, so I asked, "What will I get in return?"
She said, "I will help you in your love story, as I did before bringing Appi to watch your match."
She is indeed smart; after all, whose sister is she? Then we both smiled professionally, shaking hands as if we had finalized a business deal.
We both stood up and made our way towards the couch in the hall where everyone was seated. I took a seat in front of Uns. She was still deeply engaged in conversation with our mothers.
Sahara sat beside Uns, while Abbu and Uncle Hassan were seated on the side couch, discussing business as usual.
I found myself left alone here, but it didn't bother me much; after all, I could freely gaze at her, observe her every movement, and capture her every smile.
This girl will surely be the death of me. She's driving me crazy; my heart has no control over me whenever she's around.
I continued to stare at her, even when she looked back at me. I didn't break the eye contact; it's not like I'm a creep, but I couldn't tear my gaze away from her eyes. Those eyes are like drugs.
After witnessing the transformation from a smiling face to one filled with anger, I couldn't help but wonder why Uns always seems to be angry. Or is it just me who bears the brunt of her anger?
Is she treating me differently from everyone else? My delusions seem to have no end since I found her.
It's been almost fifteen days since I last went out with my friends for a drink, and I can't believe the changes that have taken place in my life since she entered it.
I got up from my seat and went out for a while to finish the work I had to do. When I returned, I noticed that she wasn't on the couch. Upon looking around, I saw her helping Ammi arrange the fruits and kebabs on the dining table.
I couldn't believe that I would be breaking my fast with them. It's been years since I opened a fast with my family, but these past two days have incredibly changed my lifestyle. She... She is the reason.
Everyone was seated, praying before breaking the fast. Abbu sat at the head table, with Hassan uncle on his right side, Amira aunty and Uns beside them.
On Abbu's left side, Ammi, sahara and I were seated. I don't know what fate had planned, but she was sitting in front of me again. Before, she was far from the couch, but now she was just inches away from me, closer than before.
She was adjusting her scarf, which was slipping down. Damn, seeing her in a scarf has become my new addiction. She indeed looks very beautiful in scarves.
Her eyes were closed, hands in prayer position, lips moving slowly as if she were talking in her prayers. Everyone was busy praying, while I was busy worshipping her, capturing her every movement.
I was still gazing at her when Sahara stomped on my feet and whispered near my ear, "If Aapi finds out you're continuously staring at her without even blinking, she will literally burn those eyes. Concentrate on the meal bhai." Realization hit me, and I focused on my eating.
After breaking the fast, Abbu and Hassan uncle went to the mosque, while Uns was asking Ammi for a room to offer her salah.
As I was about to tell her to offer her salah in my room, my steps halted when I realized I had packs of cigarettes in my room.
Even though I don't believe in all this, I know that prayers are often offered in a serene place. Before entering one of the guest rooms, Uns turned towards me and glanced at me, then she went in.
I was seated on the couch when Uns and everyone else came out. All the ladies sat down, and after a few minutes, even Abbu and Uncle joined us. Everyone was busy talking when Ammi called everyone to dinner.
Before Ammi could complete her sentence, Uns got up and went towards my mom, saying, "Aunty, I literally had a wonderful time here. Thank you so much for preparing all this. But right now, I am getting late.
I need to go to my cafe, so Inshallah, I will come again and taste your handmade biryani for sure. But for now, I will take my leave."
My disappointment was clearly visible on my face. I didn't want her to leave, but neither could I stop her. I have no rights over her. The last words she said to me were, "You're crazy." Except for that, we hadn't even talked to each other during this whole time.
She walked near the entrance, but then she came back in and took the Lego daisies bouquet from the stand, walking past me.
She left with my bouquet; she didn't refuse it, instead, she held it in her hands. Aziz, control yourself, she was indeed right when she said I am crazy. Yes, I admit it. I am crazy, crazy for her.
The elders were engaged in their talks, but my attention, my thoughts, were only about her. It was already 7:30; how could I let her drive alone at this late hour?
I checked my wristwatch, then glanced at the elders. With one last look at my watch, I got up. Ammi asked me, "Aziz, what's wrong? Where you going somewhere?"
To which I replied, "Yes, Ammi, I am just going to meet a friend." I lied to her and came out, taking my car keys, and drived towards her cafe.
When I entered, the smell of coffee hit my nose, the smell I hate the most. Ignoring it, I began searching for her when someone tapped my shoulder from behind.
I turned around to see her standing there, giving me a look that said, 'What on earth are you doing here?' Inside, I smiled, finally seeing her.
"I-I am h-here to drink-book, I mean read a book," I stuttered, cursing myself for this right in front of her.
She said, I didn't understand a single thing. "What are you doing here, Mr. Nader?" Her voice, and her addressing me by my surname, sounded so good.
Her voice is like music to my ears, sometimes calm, then suddenly loud, and rarely happy. No matter what, I love to hear her in any tone.
She flicked her fingers on me, bringing me back to reality. I shrugged my shoulders, trying to maintain my coolness, and asked her back, "Why can't I come here, Ms. Reza? Am I specially prohibited from coming here?" She didn't say anything and went towards the counter.
I took my usual spot and sat down, grabbing one of the books to read.
After a few minutes, I saw her coming towards me. She stood in front of me and asked, "Which type of coffee would you prefer, Mr. Nader?"
I replied, "I don't drink useless things, Ms. Reza."
She didn't say anything for a few seconds, then spoke with her cold tone, asking, "Wait... Wait a minute. Are you the one who comes regularly, sits here in the same place, reads books, and leaves? And when one of my employees asked about coffee, you insulted coffee every time?"
I was surprised by her question. She knew I came here regularly. If she knew, then why didn't she approach me? Eager to find my answers,
I asked her, "You knew I come here regularly, Uns?"
To which she carelessly said, "I wouldn't have met you if I knew you used to come here regularly."
I smiled at her response. I don't know why I smiled, but her words indeed flushed my cheeks.
Then she spoke again, "I... I mean, Usman told me about you, that you hated coffee."
In an instant, I asked, "Who is Usman?"
She replied, "My employee who works here," and turned to point her finger towards the young boy making coffee there.
He was the same person who was talking with Uns two days ago . It means they both are not siblings.
He is indeed a lucky person to have the opportunity to talk with Uns, especially to see her smile.
Not hearing any response from me, she left my table. I saw her going back towards her counter, and this time, that boy was also there.
Ah, what was his name? Usman, I guess. But why is he smiling at her, and why is she laughing with him?
Just now she left, carrying her anger on her red nose, and now Madam Uns is literally laughing with him.
Their laughter grew louder this time, making my fist ready to punch his face right now for even standing this close to her.
Not caring anything else, I called out her name loudly, gaining everyone's attention towards me.
She came towards me instantly and asked, "What is your problem, Nader? Why on earth are you here to irritate me?" Ignoring her questions, I asked in my cold demeanor, "I need a cup of coffee."
Being surprised, she asked again, "What, Mr. Nader?"
"I. Need. A. Cup. Of. Coffee. Ms. Reza. Can you please bring it for me?" I said again, pressing each and every word.
Giving me a death glare, she went to make the coffee.
I couldn't believe that the thing which I was insulting a minute ago, I would now be drinking it willingly.
She brought the cup and placed it with a loud noise. I looked towards her, and she too was looking at me. I got lost in her brown eyes, her few hairs interrupting me from seeing her beautiful eyes, her hands being folded.
We both were lost in each other, until she broke the eye contact and cleared her throat before asking, "Anything else do you need, Mr. Nader?"
"Yes," I replied.
To which she asked, "What do you need?"
"You," I replied, still gazing at her.
Thank you so much for reading📖
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Chapter Aesthetic :
Lego Daisies Bouquet.