It was evening by the time Amina joined Laila in the car. She stomped her way towards the car and slammed the door on her way in, making Laila flinch. After today, Laila realized there were mny issues the girls had to resolve between themselves.
Laila was the first to begin.
"Amina I'm sorry. You know I didn't mean to do that."
"Then what did you mean to do Laila? If not appear like the conceited bitch that you've been acting like lately," Amina said, with acid in her voice.
Laila deserved that. She had been acting like a judgmental bitch around Hassan and Laila. What else could she do? That had been her coping mechanism when it came to Hassan. Their relationship still made her highly uncomfortable and being judgy was the only way she knew how to tolerate it. Sure, she had started liking Hassan but that didn't mean that what the two people were doing suddenly turned okay in Laila's eyes. Though she knew no matter the reason, her recent behavior had been wrong and know she was facing the consequences of it in the form of a very pissed off best friend.
"I'm sorry Amina," Laila said, wanting her friend to be okay with her already.
Amina looked at her and smiled.
"It's okay Laila. I know you. I have and always will know you."
Laila turned her nose up at the stench coming from the street. The dirty, malnourished children playing on the road were splashing gutter water onto Laila's pants. Her brand new pants. She glared at the overjoyed kids, getting roars of childish, mocking laughter in return. She could feel the stares of the sleazy looking men standing on the sides of the roads, ogling her and Amina. She shivered despite the heat, wanting Hassan to hurry up and take them wherever he was planning on taking them!
A week after their visit to Hassan's place marked Amina and Hassan's three month anniversary. He had wanted to do something special for her hence had decided to take her out to a secret location that was apparently going to blow her mind away. Unfortunately but obviously, Laila had to tag along. No matter how much she loved Hassan, Amina still didn't have the courage to go on her adventurous dates alone and Laila always ended up with the couple, their constant third wheel.
After an emotionally exhausting ten minute walk from where they had parked their car, Hassan finally stopped in front of a stunning but dilapidated haveli. The haveli itself must have been three storeys high, its Mughal heritage still showing despite its state. It took half of the road they were standing on. An intricate balcony overlooked the road below, the sculptures and wood work on it miraculously still intact despite its apparent age. Decorated windows spanned the length of the large house, giving a glimpse into the derelict haveli. It was absolutely breath taking, both in a good and a terrifying way.
As much as Laila could appreciate its magnificent architecture, she was absolutely horrified at the thought of going inside a house that seemed as old and as abandoned as this one. Though she knew that was exactly what Hassan had planned.
Hassan took out an old looking key from his pocket and proceeded to open the large palatial house. He opened the rusted lock on the main door and light flooded into the cavernous main hall. Waving the dust away with her hands, Laila followed the couple into the house, knowing that offering any protest would be futile. She knew deep down, the explorer in her wanted to know just what kinds of secret this grand house held.
As they entered, the musty smell of the old house invaded her nose, dust kicking up everywhere she stepped foot. But she ignored all that. She ignored all the flaws of the house and took in its absolute beauty. The beauty it must have possessed when it was inhabited probably by the influential family that built it.
The main hall was supported by Mughal style pillars that had designs carved on them, peppered with glass and semi-precious jewels to adorned them. A window was situated right in the middle of the room that a washed the room with natural sunlight. Laila went over to look at what the window held below. The door styled window opened up to a large, grand staircase that led down to a basement courtyard. The courtyard that once must have been home to the exotic sub continental flowers and trees was now filled with overgrowing weeds. Laila closed her eyes and breathed in the evening Lahori air. Instead of the murky smell of mold, she could smell the sweet aroma of the motiya bush wafting in as she descended the magnificent staircase into her swollen with flowers courtyard. She would sit in the warm Lahore afternoon as one of her servants would blow air on her with one of the leaves from her great palm trees.
"Laila?"
She was snapped out of her day dream as Amina called out her name.
"Hmm?" Laila said in reply, still too immersed in her dream to form coherent words.
"We're going upstairs. Let's go."
Laila nodded and followed her friend and Hassan, glancing one last time at the magnificence she had encountered.
She held onto Amina for dear life as they climbed the disintegrating stairs. The danger was worth it though as Laila realized looking around the crumbling, beautiful house.
They didn't stop on the first or the second floor, making their way towards the great roof.
As they were climbing up, the stairs seemed to get narrower and narrower. The ceiling of the house seemed to be closing in on them. Laila was starting to feel claustrophobic. Thankfully, Hassan pulled out another set of keys and opened a small door right at the end of the third staircase they climbed.
One by one, they stepped out. Laila was the last to come out onto the roof and the minute she did, she turned her face away from her friends and took in lung fulls of the polluted air. She had almost had one of her claustrophobia attacks back there. Laila and closed spaces were just not a good match.
After calming her beating her, she finally turned around to face Amina and Hassan, when her breath got stuck in her throat.
What lay in front of her was something she had never seen before. Everything beautiful in her life dulled in comparison to what she beheld at this moment.
In front of her lay the majestic dome of the Badshai mosque, surrounded by its spectacular minarets, the colossal, burning orange summer sun burning behind it. A loud sound triggered a flock of pigeons into a flurry and the hurriedly flew past the picturesque scene she was beholding, giving it an ethereal feel.
Laila gasped at the beauty of it, feeling tears burning behind her eyes. Never had she ever witnessed something as surreal as this moment. Had Hassan really done this for Amina? Because right now, Laila seemed to be the winner.
She stood at her position as Hassan took hold of Amina's hand and led her towards the end of the roof, nearer to the towering Mosque. The two sat down at the edge of the roof, hand in hand, Amina's head laying on Hassan's shoulder, his free arm going around her back. Laila smiled at the picture and turned her back towards them to give them some privacy even though it killed her to tear her eyes away from the stunning view.
Laila wandered around the spacious roof for a few more minutes. Soon Amina came to her with rosy cheeks.
"Laila we're going down into the house for a bit, do you want to come? Or would you rather stay here for a little while?" asked Amina, urging her friend with her eyes to pick the second option.
Laila chuckled and shook her head. She didn't quiet want to part with the beautiful view and sensed her friend would appreciate that.
"No, you guys go ahead. I'll come down in about ten minutes."
With a shy smile, Amina returned back to Hassan and the both of them disappeared through the small door back into the ---- house.
____________________________________________________________________________________
Longer chapter after a longer wait! I promise the next chapter will feature lots of Ismail and a different side to him! <3
VOTE AND COMMENT!
Picture included of the motiya bush! They're jasmine flowers
A picture to make you visualize the scene better! <3