Zara's POV
Why she is back? If she is back then where will I go? Why she has to come back this early? If she is back then her husband will be with her as well. This means I am done. I won't be able to stay here. Then what will I do?
I come out of my trance when Aila's mom comes near me and lovingly pat my head.
"Oh Assalam o Alaikum, Aunty, " I greet her with an apologetic smile.
"Walaikum Assalam. How are you? And when did you come?"
"She just came today, Mom. And she will stay with me for few days, " Aila reply before I can even open my mouth.
Her Mom mouths an Oh and looks at me from top to bottom.
"But why have you come back? Weren't you guys have to stay for two weeks?" Aila asks her.
"Yeah, we have to and we will! It's just your Dad forget his important file here so I am here to fetch it, " she explains with a smile.
Thank God they will go back!
Although Aila is my best friend, I have hardly met her mother or overall her family for one or two times; that's the reason I am a little hesitant towards her mother. On top of that, these dark red lips with dark blonde hair of hers give me creepy vibes; not to mention how she always glares at my whole figure like I am a weird creature.
"But you are married, Zara. Arent you? Won't your husband say anything about staying at your friend's place for many days? I mean, the post-marriage problems, you know," she asserts.
Why every single person is so eager to mention him in front of me? How much I am trying to avoid him, that much everyone is reminding me of him.
"No, Mom, she has asked him. He won't say anything," Aila again replies before me.
Thanks, Aila.
Her mother again frowns at me still apprehensive of me but this time, she goes upstairs without saying anything.
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"I am getting bored, Zara. Shall we watch a movie?" Aila gets up and bends on me, shadowing my face with her shoulder-length hair.
I lift my arm away which is covering my both eyes, to look at her. We both are laying on Aila's bed in her room. She has a plan for late-night activities but I have no strength to do anything. I have been wandering around since morning and at this hour of the night, I am so tired and exhausted.
"I am so sleepy at this time, Aila. We will do everything tomorrow," I put the back of my hand on my mouth to stop an incoming yawn.
"You have become so boring." She throws a pillow on my face, "since you have got married, you are no fun."
I slam my forehead hard with my hand. Why her every statement just revolve around my marriage and Armaan?
"I have been always like this. My marriage has nothing to do with how I am." I throw back the same pillow which she has thrown on me a while ago, on her.
She catches the pillow with her open hands skillfully.
"Oh, now I get it, " she smirks in mischief as she puts extra stress on the word oh.
"What?" I ask, not understanding what happens to her.
"I have a plan to kill my boredom and to get you back to functioning properly," she says with the same smug look.
"I am not understanding what are you trying to say," I ignore her and turn to the other side.
"I have his number and I can call him."
I hear her whispering in my ear. Like a jerk, my shut eyes get opened and I abruptly sit up. I stare at Aila's devilish expressions.
She should never mean what I am thinking.
"Who...who are you talking about?"
"Your husband. Who else?" She sticks her tongue at me and grasps her phone in her hand.
My breath hitches when she starts slamming her fingers on the screen.
"Aila, you stupid! You can't do this," I yell.
I try to take the phone from her hand but this only results in her lifting it above, making it difficult for me to reach it.
"Why can't I?" She asks as she gets off the bed, her eyes still fixed on the phone's screen.
"Because there is no need," I cry out loud in panic.
"And why is there no need? It will be fun with him. I haven't seen him except just on your wedding day. I want to meet him face to face again, " she tells.
I throw a pillow on her to stop her from calling him.
"He won't come, Aila. Even if you tell him to come, he still won't come." I quickly rush and take the phone from her hand.
I hastily open the phone to check whether she has dialed Armaan's number or not. When I get assured she has not, I toss the phone on the bed's side table. I glance back at Aila who is looking at me with her eyes wide open and slightly parted lips. I leave a disappointed sigh before pouring water into the glass. I attach my lips to the glass's mouth. I can't believe I have almost uttered my biggest secret to her.
"Why so?" She asks in a haze.
I put the empty glass back to the table, "because he doesn't care."
"But you are his wife. Why won't he care for you?"
"Because he doesn't consider me as his wife," I close my eyes in dismay.
"What do you mean?" Aila sits beside me and turns me to face her.
"My marriage with him wasn't normal, Aila. We both don't want that relationship. In fact, he already loves someone else; his girlfriend. We are just like two passengers of a common train who just happen to get along well, waiting for a perfect destination to bid goodbye to each other and nothing else," I speak as a tear leaves my eye.
Aila softly cups my shoulder with her hand and pat it, "you never told me this. Why?"
"What would I get if I told you, " I shrug my sholders as I eye her figure.
"He can't do this to you. I mean, how in the world are you surviving a loveless relationship?"
"It was loveless, Aila," I let out a sarcastic laugh, "he has made me fall for him hard. I dream about him with both open and close eyes. His presence makes my heart explode from happiness. His words just eager me to keep on listening to him. But, he doesn't even like me back let alone love."
I clutch my lips together to control the sob, "and it's not his fault. I have fallen for him despite knowing he has a girl he loves the most in the world, I let myself love him despite knowing he can't love me back. I didn't know this heart will make me this vulnerable."
"Zara you..."
"I know what will be in your mind, Aila," I interrupt her, "that how come I fall for a taken man. But I can't help it. Love just happens. I didn't believe in this saying first but now I get it, why people say this. I let him take my heart and my first kiss as..."
I abruptly stop when I realize what I have just said. In frustration, I cover my mouth with my hand as I blink several times.
"Wait, wait, wait!" Aila exclaims and comes in front of me.
"Armaan Bhai kissed you? He really kissed you?"She shouts in excitement.
"There is no need to get hyper, Aila." I push her forehead behind with my hand.
After glaring at her stunned and surprised face, I get off the bed and walk out of the room.
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I slap away Aila's hand from my head when it becomes unbearable for me to deal with her silliness. It's been since I have told her about the kiss, my dream after that and then me escaping from Armaan's eyes, she has her hand on both sides of my head, looking above and below.
"What the hell Aila?"
"I am just wondering; is your upper case still working?" She mumbles.
"What are you trying to say?
"Zara, a kiss! A kiss is such a big thing. No one would kiss someone he doesn't like. And due to a bloody nightmare you just assumed everything by your own," she enunciates in a loud voice.
"When did I...."
"You shut up!" She points her index finger at me, "now you will just listen to me."
"At least let him explain himself. You can't just leave him like this without listening to his stance. You are saying he will call it a mistake, what if he won't? What if he kissed you because he has feelings for you as well."
"That's not possible, Aila. He can never like me. He will call it a mistake, I know and I don't want him to hurt me." I don't realize when tears fall from my eyes and I start crying.
"I won't let you destroy your life. I am calling him right now." She says as she grabs her phone.
"Aila! No!" I grab her hand which is about to call him, "if you consider me as your friend, then don't do this."
"I consider you as my friend that's why I will do this." she takes her hand out of my hold.
Before she can do anything, her phone starts ringing. A smirk appears on her face as she looks back at me.
"It's important. I'll just come back," she says and stands up, trying to wear her slippers.
"Do whatever you want but don't call Armaan," I warn her.
"I won't, my dear friend. I will do whatever you say," she winks at me and turns back.
"You will be amazed, Zara by what I am just going to do," she mumbles which I can't understand.
"What did you just..."
But before I complete my question, she leaves the room.
What she has in her mind?
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Salam guys!
I know this chapter is really boring.
So no cliffhanger this time but what do you think is in Aila's mind?
And the next chapter will be really interesting because.... Ahem* I am not saying because it may spoil the next chapter but I can assure you, you will love it.
Don't forget to vote and comment. I read and love your lovely comments so much and they always give me the motivation to write more. So don't hesitate to comment on your opinion on the chapters.
Until the next chapter, Allah Hafiz!