The light had long since faded away and dwindled to nothing, now as midnight tread firmly, the air became damper and cooler than it had been.
Moutasim sat on the patio by the pool, stretched out on a comfy sun lounger, with his MacBook. The silence was as pure as the star-speckled darkness, with only whispers of the cold wind crashing in his ears. Over the walls of the mansion, in the distance, he could see the trees and high ranged peaks silhouetted against the blanket of sky, a thin silvery crescent peaked from behind a cloud. The beautiful green hilly forest which took breaths away in the daylight was now only a tangle of woods, a jungle of grooves and paths to easily become lost within, at this hour.
Moutasim pulled a black knit shawl which was lying on a chair next to his and draped it around his shoulders. A blend of fresh floral scent arose from it, vanilla or lavender, or maybe both, he couldn't figure out. Raising it to his nose, he inhaled. An oasis of tranquillity penetrated deep within him, it smelt clean and innocent, a gush of sweetness. It's intoxicating, he thought and continued clicking away on his laptop.
Right at that moment, he was monitoring his sister's, Faarima's cell phone. Going through her text messages and phone calls, he tracked those numbers to make sure she only contacted with the ones he trusted, keeping an eye over her fourteen-year-old sister. He didn't want her to indulge herself into a devious life full of what he thought were nomadic people.
Ironic for him to think that way, isn't it? That's because who else could know better than himself, he was one of those nomads, a scoundrel. He never wanted rowdies like him to even cast a shadow at Faarima, or the ones which would lead her to them.
It wasn't a hindrance for Moutasim to worm in a cell phone; emails, messages or calls. He could set his foot in anyone's personal space in the world, right through his laptop without them ever knowing, just like any other underworld hired gun could. He used his technic often, before killing a target or digging out the real deal behind an opponent's propaganda; all very useful for the 'profession' he was in. He had thought about prying into Riya's phone several times.
On the other side, albeit ghostly, he didn't want any kind of involvement in her life, or perhaps he couldn't gather his steel-like nerves to undergo a hell of talkfest between her and her love. The thought of someone else being in her life, rather the centre of it was enough for Moutasim to tear down his egotism in bits, but there was certainly enough left for not letting her into his life, not in a million years after what she had done.
His phone vibrated, kept on the table at the front. The screen displayed 'Mom' and he smiled lazily. Swiftly answering her call, he greeted her, "Assalam o Alaikum, Mom!"
"Walikassalam, how are you?" His smile broadened at his mother's cheerful voice.
"I'm fine Mom, you tell me? All good?" He asked
"Everyone's okay here, prepping up for the wedding trip."
"Hmm. Is Dad still mad at me?" He asked anxiously.
"Apparently, yes, he'd be fine once we get there. You know him, but Moutasim why didn't you just come along with us instead of leaving a week before? Is it about Riya?" His mother asked curiously.
"Uh, why would it be about Riya, Mom. I didn't even know she'd be coming about a month before the wedding. Anyways, it doesn't make a difference when I come or go. I had to be out of that place, after that eh, jail episode. I just needed a break." He spoke the truth.
"Why don't you just stop all this nonsense, Moutasim? Your life is always at stake, also when people talk about you, I can no more tolerate it, but it's the sad truth. Why don't you think about all of us? Please quit-..." She was getting all emotional, he could hear it in her voice that she was on the verge of tears.
"Mom, please. Don't start this right now. Besides, I'm trying, okay?" He tried convincing her.
"Yeah, you've been saying this for the past year." She sniffled.
He explained, "Mum, I swear I'll put an end to it soon. I just need some time."
"How much time, Moutasim?" She inquired.
"Please don't make it hard for me than it already is, Mom. Try and understand my situation too." He begged.
She sighed, "Alright Moutasim, there's no use talking to you about it. Anyway, how's Riya?" Kashmala changed the subject.
"And why do you decide to ask me that?" Moutasim asked, a little irked.
"Well, I need to ask when you're around her." She joked.
"Mom! I don't have anything to do with her."
Kashmala was in a mood to tease him more, "Whatever Moutasim, don't be a fool trying to woo her. Things aren't the same anymore, you all are grown ups now. and I don't want people talking behind your backs."
"I can't believe you just said that. Firstly, you know I wouldn't be caught dead doing anything of the sort. Secondly, I don't give a hoot about anybody who talks about me. It's better if you stop caring too." He urged her.
"Okay, okay. I got it. I was only joking, your sense of humour is whacked big time, Moutasim. Take it easy, son." Kashmala cleared the air and Moutasim shook his head.
They talked for a few more minutes when Moutasim hung up the call, Hufaiz crossed the garden and walked towards him. Holding his guitar, he sunk in on a seat leaning against the recliner and kicked his shoes off.
After a minute of stiff silence, Moutasim broke it, "Where did you go?"
Hufaiz looked up from his phone and answered, "Oh, I and Wisam were gone playing football at his friend's place."
"Moutasim, you could have joined us, man," Wisam said as he descended the stairs of the glass walkway.
"Thanks, but I had some work needed to be done." He informed while closing the laptop lid and placing it on the table.
Shahraz had joined them in, lightly slapping his arm, he asked, "What's up bro?"
"All good." Came Moutasim's brief reply.
Shahraz looked at him in bewilderment, thinking deep.
"Why do you seem so changed to me? I mean, you don't talk much, don't hang out with us like you used to. Is everything alright, Moutasim?" Shahraz asked out of concern.
Hufaiz threw him a judgemental gaze and looked away.
"Life, I guess. Nothing serious." Moutasim answered with a meek smile.
Shahraz nodded, obviously not much talked into it, "Coffee?"
Wisam and Hufaiz shouted, "Yes!", and Shahraz went inside to find a servant.
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"How did you break your phone?" Aleesha asked Riya.
"She must have smacked it on the wall or something." Arshiya supposed.
Riya rolled her eyes and kept quiet, her mind relaxed as Arshiya's fingertips smoothly danced around in her hair. It was like all her worries were slipping away with every stroke, each of her nerves was opening up to smooth out the knotted mess she carried in her head.
The three of them were in Riya and Arshiya's guest room, randomly chit chatting. Riya sat on the floor between the two beds, while Arshiya was on her own bed giving her sister a head massage and Aleesha lay on the other one propped up on her elbow.
"Your fingers are magic, Arshiya," Riya said softly. She was caught in a trance, her eyes were closed.
Arshiya smiled, "Jazakillah."
"Get your phone replaced, Riya," Aleesha suggested.
"Yeah, I told Baba to get me a new one."
Aleesha suddenly asked her, "How's Zayn?"
Riya opened her eyes and looked at Aleesha, "I don't know."
"What do you mean?" Aleesha asked puzzled.
"I haven't spoken to him ever since I came here. He didn't call, neither is he taking mine" She grumbled.
"Must be busy." Aleesha tried to make her feel better and added, "You're dating him for three years right?"
"Yeah, started after I finished High School." She replied.
"I remember you told me that you chose to become a lawyer because Zayn wanted you to be one?" Riya nodded.
"What's next in your life, then?" Aleesha asked further.
Riya shrugged, "Get married, maybe."
"Really?! To Zayn?" Aleesha sat upright in surprise.
"Like duh, but I'd be able to marry him only if he stops ignoring me right now." Riya made a face.
Aleesha chuckled, "So, all that good for nothing Law degree down the drain?"
"I guess so, I never wanted to have a career in Law anyway, it's just to make him happy." She told her with a smile.
"What did you want for yourself, Riya?" Arshiya questioned, a slight notch of pity in her tone.
"I don't know, ever since I've met Zayn, it has always been about him. I don't even know what I'd do if not for him." Riya told them. Arshiya tied her hair in a neat Dutch braid and went over to sit beside Aleesha, facing Riya.
"So this is what he does to you when...." Aleesha stopped mid-way, by the looks of it, Riya was about to cry.
"I know right! This relationship has sucked every ounce of my life, and all I get is his coldness. He's only been ruder each passing year, and you know what? We've had long broken up if I didn't want this to work out so much, for us to be together." Riya broke into a sob.
"Hey, Riya chill out. I didn't mean to nag you. I wonder why you've never told me anything about it earlier." Aleesha held her hand to calm her.
Arshiya handed her a tissue, "Maybe I've just realised it myself," Riya said while dabbing her eyes.
"What's the use of clinging onto a person who gives you nothing but pain? Try letting him go, Riya. If he's truly meant for you, he'll find his way back." Arshiya soothed her, sounding like an elder sister when she was four years younger to Riya.
"I love him too much to let him go." Riya cried, fresh tears flowed and she hid her face in her palms.
"No love is pure than the love of Allah," Arshiya said softly, a gleam shone in her dark eyes.
Riya shook her head and wiped her face, "You wouldn't understand, Arshiya."
"Everything will fall into place, Riya. Just wait and watch, InshAllah." Aleesha stood up and pulled Riya too, "C'mon let's go eat something, I'm so hungry!" She hoped Riya to get diverted at the mention of food. "Come along Arshiya." Aleesha gestured at her.
"No, you guys go ahead. I'm so sleepy, gotta wake up for Fajr." Arshiya yawned and tucked inside the duvet.
"Please switch off the lights," she called after them.
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The kitchen light was flicked on when Riya and Aleesha entered, and a pot steamed away on the stove. The familiar smell of coffee rippled and dissipated into the crisp air. Some white mugs, a milk carton, and a sugar canister were lined up on the counter, yet there was no one to be seen in the kitchen.
"Aleesha, I didn't know Jinns in your house have coffee at one in the morning!" Riya exclaimed with amusement.
Grabbing a Nutella jar from the cabinet, Aleesha smiled, "Gul Khan Lala or Rustam must be around."
Riya was surprised, "The servants have a kitty party when everybody sleeps?"
She giggled, "No stupid, Shahraz or Wisam must have asked them for coffee."
A head popped up from behind the bar centred in the kitchen, and Moutasim rose up, banging the cabinet doors shut. "Where the heck is a whisk?" He eyed Aleesha while dusting his hands off.
Talk about Jinns, and here he is, Riya thought. In the vertically aligned drawers, Aleesha opened the second one, grabbed the whisk and threw it over at him. He caught it deftly and went about his work; whisking the milk and sugar. Riya sat on one of the kitchen bar stools, deliberately being ignorant to the fact that he was present there.
"Why are you making it, Moutasim? Where's Rustam?" Aleesha asked him, leaning her arms against the counter, she pushed a bowl of pretzels and Nutella jar towards Riya.
"Shahraz went looking for him, but he's slept I guess." He informed her.
"Well, I'd choose your coffee over anyone else's. It's just love." She told Moutasim while rolling a pretzel into the scrumptious chocolate.
Riya gazed away at the sleek, professionally designed kitchen, lazily munching on to chocolate dipped pretzels. Its Tuscan decor cloaked an antique poise and pastoral charm with white laminate countertops, pecan coloured deep brown cabinets and ceramic tiles. Stainless steel appliances were arranged neatly on the counters, on the wall beside the stove, an array of various utensils was hooked. Three identical pendant lamps hung low over the kitchen bar, glowing warmly along with the bright LED ceiling lights.
Hufaiz burst in strumming his guitar, the kitchen vibrated when he turned up the amp and bobbed his head bending over. Riya poked her fingers in her ears, making a face and Aleesha began slapping the counter as the drumming. After a few minutes of jamming on full swing, Wisam entered and pulled the guitar out of Hufaiz's grasp, "Don't pollute our peaceful Swat, man. My ears are bleeding."
"Noise pollution? Huh! Our band is soaring high at college, and we have got a small concert coming up at a mall." Hufaiz talked back.
Wisam laughed, "Concert at a mall? People would only throw pennies at a beggar like you." He ridiculed Hufaiz and ran with the guitar, "This is drowning in the pool!" He called back, holding it up in the air.
Hufaiz chased him outside, "You pinhead!"
"Jerks," Muttered Aleesha and went after them to shut them up, afraid that they might wake everyone.
Riya watched how skillfully Moutasim poured steamed milk over the brewed coffee into the mugs, making some latte art of abstract designs. Wisps of gauzy white rose from the hot sippable heaven. He swirled some milk into the last cup and a cute little cat face foamed above. His head bent over, he dropped the cat's eyes and mouth with some Nutella. She was dumbfounded and looked up at him.
Moving back, he self-admired his creativity and caught Riya looking. Her eyes were fixated on him, not unblinking but slowed. For the first time in years, they looked soft than harsh; to which he had become used to. It was rather her lips that gave away the intention of her dazzlement, not really smiling but sloping up a bit as if they meant to. He held her gaze and raised his eyebrows as if asking what's so interesting?
"How?" She pointed at the cup and asked him, stunned.
He raised an eyebrow and answered calmly, "Jinns know how to do anything."
She dropped her eyelashes at the cup and looked back at him, a small smile starting to appear on her lips. His brain lit on fire, he looked deep into her eyes. They were a bottomless lagoon of brown darkness, though knowing, he could not help trying to find the bottom. There was a clump of agony swimming in them and he wanted to do something to wipe it out, but he also saw fierceness in them. A pride shone into her eyes, he knew that she wouldn't give him a dirt's worth to let him near; let alone help.
He quickly looked away, cleared his thoughts and said, "I know, thanks."
"What for?" Came back her sharp reply.
"For complimenting my art."
"Oh, really? When did that happen?" Her bitterness which had no signs a couple seconds earlier had returned.
"Your face said it. It always says it all, Riya." He said it in his deep, husky voice. Their eyes were locked again, and a war broke out between them, only through eyes. Gladly, Hufaiz, Aleesha, and Wisam trotted back into the kitchen and interrupted them.
"I would have shot you dead!" Hufaiz playfully punched Wisam in the back.
"For this rotten piece of sh*t, seriously?" Wisam gestured towards the guitar in Hufaiz's hand.
"Shh, you guys are too loud." Shahraz came in and scolded them.
"Wow, Moutasim, this is awesome!" Aleesha marvelled at the latte art and grabbed the cup which had the cat.
"Wait! Take this one." He gave her another cup and pulled the one with the cat towards himself.
They all sat on the bar stools around the counter, took their cups and sipped it, Wisam gave Moutasim a thumbs up and Shahraz said, "This is better than any cafe, too good."
Riya held the cup in her hand, her latte was designed in a flower, and he knew that she wanted the one he had; the cat face. Without looking at him, she started sipping her coffee when he held that cup in front of her. She shook her head at first, but he brought it closer to her face, almost touching her nose. She took it and handed her's to him, their hands slightly brushed. Though hesitantly, she mumbled, "Thank you." He just looked away and took a sip.
"Let's play a game!" Hufaiz suggested.
"Truth or dare?" Aleesha asked Hufaiz, she just started it without asking if they wanted to play or not.
"Truth."
"Umm, what would you do if I broke your guitar right now? Like seriously?" She asked him.
"I would get another one... and break that on your head," he said grinning.
"Okay, Wisam, truth or dare?" Hufaiz asked him.
"Dare."
"Alright, bro." He stood up, went over to a rack where some spices were kept, took a tablespoon of red chilli powder and brought it over to him.
"You kidding me, right?" Wisam's eyes became wide.
"Nope." Hufaiz smiled devilishly.
They all knew how Wisam was phobic of chilli, and it made it all the more interesting as a dare. He took it into his mouth after staring at it for a minute and tried swallowing it but he ran towards the sink to puke it all out. Shahraz handed him a bottle of iced water, Aleesha and Riya giggled at his red face.
"Give me some dare ideas, my turn is near," Riya whispered to Aleesha.
"Let it be anything stupid. Something you think the opposite person can't do." Aleesha whispered back.
"So, who's next?" Wisam came back on his seat, sticking his tongue out and gasping for air. His eyes watered. "Moutasim?"
"Dare." He replied.
"Crack an egg on Riya's head," Wisam said with a laugh.
Shahraz held out his hands, "Moutasim, she'd kill you, man."
"Watch," Moutasim said it with all the spirit he had.
Aleesha and Riya were still whispering to each other when Moutasim opened the refrigerator, fetched an egg and walked behind Riya's back. He raised the egg over her head, eyed his guy cousins one last time who was waiting for his move and smashed it on her head!
She went numb and Aleesha gaped at Moutasim with her mouth wide open. Riya still didn't turn around to look who had done it, she was yet figuring out the slimy stuff sliding over her face.