"For all the things my hands held the best by far is you."
Playlist:
Hailee Steinfeld, Grey - Starving ft. Zedd
Ting tong
It was not only a bell — it was simply a miracle that had happened when Uncle had just turned around to see what was behind him. When my heart had stopped working and my blood had frozen in my body. In a moment like that, it was a bell of serendipity for me.
But I was in no such luck.
Uncle Mubashir didn't stop as if he had taken an oath to see what had caused me to behave in a certain way. My mind raced with all the possibilities of what would happen if Pappa knew about Aaliyan. My legs shook at the very thought of getting caught.
"Uncle!" Heart pummeling in my ears, I stood up in alarm stopping him.
Startled, a horrible expression came on his face. "Kya huwa? {What happened?}
The doorbell rang again, urgently, like the person at the door had forgotten to withdraw his finger from the bell.
"Oh um I'm sorry it was - uh -" I wiped the sweat off my forehead with my wrist, sitting back on the couch and worked my unstable brain. "Would you, um, go check, who's at the door?"
"Yes, I am going." Uncle's handsome face decorated with a frightening frown, made me gulp and my heart race as he stood up, buttoning his coat.
I mentally prayed that he wouldn't look back as he walked towards the hallway that led to the front door. I heaved a heavy sigh in relief when he was out of sight, to steady my strangely beating heart.
I aimed to jump to the other couch where Uncle was seated and smoothly landed there and stared over the couch at a laying Aaliyan, one hand clutching his stomach and another hand on his mouth, his golden eyes glistened more with those tears of laughter.
"T-th-that was hilarious Musca."
I threw a cushion at his handsome face, that hit him pretty hard but I was too angry to laugh at the moment. "What are you fuckin' tryin' to do? Get me killed?"
He used his elbows to prop himself up; looked straight into my eyes and cracked a heartwarming smile that displayed his cute dimple. I shook my head, scolding myself to not get trapped into the trance of this man's beauty.
"Get up and hide!" I hissed at him, picking up another cushion and I threw at him again. This time it was impossible not to laugh.
He got up and huffed. "Coward!" I heard him say under his breath as he turned around to go.
"Go!" I flung another cushion at him and it hit his shoulder. I covered my mouth to stop the bubbling giggles. When I was sure that Aaliyan was safely hidden somewhere, I jumped my way to the door where a fuming uncle was staring at the person on the other side of the door.
The angelic face of Asmat came into my view. Her chocolate brown eyes reflected her usual naughtiness and mischief, and the innocent smirk of hers hid almost every guilty thought of her.
"Mister mighty Mubashir," she raised her eyebrows.
Mister mighty Mubashir? I covered my mouth, killing the new giggles. In a situation like this, suddenly I was feeling overly excited and shaken at the same time.
"I have come to visit my friend," her eyes were at her painted pink nails. "I don't know what would make you think I would come here stalking you!" she faked a shiver making a disgusting face.
Before Uncle's flaring nostrils would have burst, I piped in with a pleasant smile. "Asmat, there you are! C'mon I was waiting for you."
"Really?" She threw me a mocking smile, not budging an inch. "I will come inside only if this man leaves."
I couldn't believe Asmat right now. How was she talking about the dean of our college like this? This girl had guts, and I was impressed. God, I'm so meek and submissive. At that moment, I hated myself.
Uncle was not a stubborn teenager who would have minded her behavior, though his face was a mixture of yellow and red, to prove how mad he was.
I gave Asmat a disapproving look, and she merely cracked a smile that surely was annoying for Uncle. "I was kidding."
"Itni bari hogae ho or abhi tak kidding!" Uncle spat at Asmat in a venomous tone. I didn't get what uncle said but I got, it was visibly not something good.
{You have grown into an adult and still kidding?}
"Ahan, I meant the other kidding, joking."
Omg, it was getting impossible to not laugh at the way they both interacted with each other. Though I was the host here, I had to do something, so I invited them both to the lounge. When Uncle kept insisting to leave, I didn't let him, not until I gave him his gifts, and served him chai.
But Asmat was another story. She was thickheaded and in the little time with her, I knew that she did what she wanted to, not caring what other people were saying.
"I came to give you this." When Uncle Mubashir went inside, she opened her shoulder bag, took something out meanwhile I studied her attire.
She was wearing a baby pink short shirt with silver embroidery on it, the sleeves were of the net, pink trousers, and pink heels; her black hair was placed on her shoulder and long baby pink earrings dangled from her ears, grabbing attention to her slender neck and her oh-so unusual Adam's apple.
With one look at her, I knew she was going to some wedding because no way she would wear this kind of dress on a common day. I love her dress!
She took out one of my books from her bag that she had taken from me to read for fun, and gave it to me. "My exams are over," she informed me.
In Pakistan, we didn't have holidays for Christmas two weeks ago. Here, we had only ten days of winter holidays, but if it was too cold, it could extend too. In our university, it was the exam's season for the students of the 2nd and 4th semester so everyone was busy.
Thank goodness mine are after a week.
"And," Asmat continued. "I'm headed to Thatta."
"Theta?" the way I pronounced it, and of course my facial expression would have been horrific because the second I said it, Asmat crackled up.
Putting a hand on her mouth, Asmat's shoulders shook, her brown eyes brimmed with tears, though no voice came out of her mouth. Yeah, she had a silent laugh – no matter how much she laughed it would be silent. No noise at all. It was weird at first but now I got used to it.
"You wouldn't be able to pronounce it correctly, so leave it for now," she had stopped laughing. "It's a city in Sindh and it's a historic place so I will take you with me someday."
She gave me a sheepish smile and turned to leave.
In the lounge, I asked uncle to take his gift from the Christmas tree; smiling Uncle Mubashir put a hand in her blazer and took out a wrapped gift. "I don't have an idea what you like, however, accept it from me."
My eyes prickled with tears, my heart swelling at his sweet gesture as he placed the little gift, under the Christmas tree. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." His tone was soothing. I missed Papa, and Uncle's presence was making me miss him more. I wish I was with him!
"Okay, now I'll go and make chai, while you open your gift." I beamed at him with my eyes all runny and ran to the kitchen.
When I had come to Pakistan, I didn't have any idea how to make chai {tea} but in Aaliyan's companionship, I had learned that eventually. Why wouldn't I, when all he demanded was chai.
Don't know what's so special in tea. My chai addict Aaliyan! I felt a warm fuzzy and familiar feeling filling my heart and it reminded me Aaliyan was in the kitchen!
Once in the kitchen, I looked around for Aaliyan but there was no one, nobody there. What? Is the ant man or something?
Taking a sharp breath I opened the fridge and bent to take the milk out when - an arm wrapped around me and before I could yell -- a hand covered my mouth.
"Shh..." Aaliyan whispered in my ear. His intoxicating scent, that damn voice and his warm breath on my ear drugged me like a spell. I gripped the fridge tightly, feeling tremendously fragile.
"You keep your house messy Musca," Uncle said in a loud voice from the lounge. I didn't understand a damn word, and it was the least of my concern because I had a twenty-eight-year kid to deal with.
"Musca will create mess and Aaliyan will clean it for her." Aaliyan's husky whisper made me shudder.
"What-What are you doing Aaliyan?" I found myself squeaking, god did I not feel troubled. "What if Uncle knows, leave Uncle! What if Pappa knows?"
"I want your Pappa to see us." He murmured, ignoring my fury and wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing his stubbly cheek against mine. At the sensation, I felt tingles. "But damn, he can't... I want him to know that you're mine."
"Dream on!"
"I never want to wake up if this is a dream." He bit my neck, making me hiss in pain as my legs commenced trembling. "Don't!
He did the exact opposite and bit me again. Tilting my head I gazed up at him with hooded eyes while I stood on my wobbly legs. "Don't expect me to walk after this."
"I'll carry you in my arms, okay?" Turning me around he flashed me his smug grin that worked like oil on the fire.
"If someday people found me in a mental asylum the blame will be on you 'cause you drive me fucking insane Aaliyan!"
"Can't control myself." he kissed my forehead not caring if Uncle was just outside the kitchen or he could hear his voice or damn he could walk here.
"Did you meet Aaliyan?" Uncle Mubashir's voice made me jump up in shock but Aaliyan wouldn't stir and nor his arms around me.
"Tell him, you meet Aaliyan every day and kiss him like he is your property," Aaliyan advised me in a whisper, obviously trying to infuriate me more.
"I can't believe you're the same person who always fears if somebody knew about you and me."
Putting his forehead on my shoulder, he covered his mouth from laughing with his manicured hand. His mesmerizing smell was blocking my senses and I had to get him out of here before Uncle signed my death certificate and sent it to Pappa.
"Why are you la--?" And before I could continue, I heard the noise of Uncle's boot hitting on the floor. I pushed Aaliyan away with all the strength I had.
I felt lightheaded and vulnerable as I turned around like a deer caught in the headlights and uncle came into my blurry sight. For the second time today, I felt my heart freezing.
On instinct, I immediately looked over my shoulder to see how Aaliyan was coping but... there was nobody. Am I hallucinating? I touched my neck; it was wet with hot saliva where he had bitten me a few minutes ago.
And then, looking back at Uncle, my vision caught Aaliyan's camel shoe at the side of the fridge. Heaving a sigh I stood stuck to the fridge to hide him more on instinct.
Uncle asked with concern "Are you okay, Musca?"
I nodded sharply not believing my voice the least bit, which I had lost in shock.
"You don't look okay; it seems like you have run a marathon."
I tried to laugh but it came out as a puff.
"You don't have to make chai..."
A stinging pain at my waist made me yell, Uncle's eyes widened in astonishment. "What happened? Musca!"
That fucker pinched me. I whined mentally.
"No . . . thing," I bit my lip to stop from yelling when his hand came to my waist again, pinching it. I badly wanted to slap his hand away that took my flesh into his fingers and pinched again.
I squirmed -- the throbbing sensation circulating in my blood making me sweaty and extremely hot in this snowy weather. Uncle Mubashir watched me with concern and confusion.
"I don't think you're well Musca." He took a step forward.
"No, no, stay there." I shrieked, whining internally when the devil hiding at the side of the fridge twisted my flesh brutally, enjoying my helplessness.
Uncle stopped. "Do you want me to take you to a doctor?"
"I... am fine." I murmured, gripping the fridge for support because that culprit's hand couldn't let me stand like a sane person.
"I'm gonna touch you raw, torment you until you can't take it anymore."
With his devilish whisper, my legs quivered. It was unbearable to stand still when he was playing a game so evil that it brought the devil to shame.
Uncle Mubashir faced me his shoulder, ready to step outside "Okay, I'll have the tea and take my leave, by the way, thanks for the Pakol."
Uncle threw me a sincere smile and walked out. The moment uncle was out of view. I smacked Aaliyan's hand so violently that a loud shriek left his mouth. I experienced a little relief filling my insides.
Uncle didn't take a second to return, eyeing me worriedly and suspiciously. I wanted the earth to swallow me right at the moment.
"It was a cat." Gulping, I pointed towards the French window that opened into my backyard, though he never asked me.
"It didn't sound like one." Uncle was too intelligent to fool – but I kept my calm, it was most necessary right now.
"Yeah, it was a weird sound." I smiled shakily. "Why don't you go watch TV while I make tea?"
Uncle nodded and walked his way out. I took the milk from the fridge and practically ran to the stove - the faster I made tea, the faster Uncle would leave, but the devil himself was walking behind me and he had other plans.
I put the water to boil when he came to my side, looking at me intensely. I didn't meet his gaze, and he tried to take hold of my hand but I yanked it away. He gripped it again, but let it go when I glared at him with all the confined anger I had in my being.
Playfully, he pinched my arm. "Too bad, you're not enjoying this as much as I am."
I whimpered. I had a strong urge to slap the smug off his face, but I controlled my fury because Uncle was out in my lounge dammit. I mentally patted back for such control on myself. I'm a Goddess.
The boiling water was complaining with loud noises, alerting me to turn the stove off. He was fast to wrap his arms around me in an embrace. I tried to pull away, but he wouldn't let me.
My legs dangled in the air as I twisted in his hold wanting him to leave me. "Don't do this to me you... you...!"
"Me what?" Oh, the fake innocence.
"I hate it when I feel helpless!" My veins were about to burst in rage.
"I love it when you're helpless in my arms."
"I hate bold Aaliyan!" I hissed, though my heart protested. You love every side of him, every mood of him!
"I love shy Musca."
"Chai ban rahi hai k paye Musca!"
{You're making chai or goat's legs?}
Uncle's fierce yell gave me the energy I lacked to push him away. With all the strength I could muster, I shoved him, but his hands grabbed my wrists, paralyzing me from doing any kind of movement.
I whined like a three-year-old. "Leave me!"
"Em-hmm," he became a two-year-old in stubbornness, shaking his head. "Love me."
"Fuck... this is torture, leave me, let go of my hand right now!"
His golden eyes sparkled charmingly, as he loosened his grip on my wrist; I doubted if this sight was true or an invention of my mind. I shook my thoughts away and immediately turned towards the stove.
My mouth dropped at the sight. There was no water in the kettle and it wasn't a kettle anymore, it was coal, dark black coal.
"Aaliyan will clean Musca's mess, fucker!" I imitated him in annoyance.
His chortle gave me funny feelings as heat rushed to my neck and cheeks. That's not me, that's not Musca I don't blush! I was feeling so vulnerable with this man, what was happening to me, I hated this feeling.
"Now I have to clean the mess Aaliyan made!" I wanted to cry. He had already jumped out in my backyard through the window; I sighed in relief, my shoulders lowered as I felt at ease.
"Come here!"
"You seem so happy," my feet moved at his command and I was standing in front of him. "What happened on that trip that gave you wings?"
My question caused Aaliyan to laugh. He leaned down and pecked my forehead. "When uncle is gone, I'm coming to get you, and don't forget the dinner."
I nodded. "You have grown guts."
"Is it a good thing or bad?"
"Bad," my lips curled upwards.
"I have to tell you something." Whispering, he leaned closer and blew on my face causing me to close my eyes.
He threw a mocking smile at me and walked to the wall. I watched him as he climbed the wall, like the monkey man he was and waved at me before jumping on the other side.
This man drives me nuts!