#11

***Two days later***

Aasif walked in the kitchen responding to Seema who summoned him, and if haws being honest at the moment he was somehow shaking, she hadn't agreed to talk to him ever since she rejected his proposal to her daughter what might have changed

The moment he stepped his feet in seema's chamber his heart paused for seconds before it resumed, he took minutes to collect himself again then greeted respectfully that his head lowered hands entwined together

Seema signaled for him to sit after responding to his greeting in the same manner and just as the moment felt they both already knew what was to be the topic of this matter

Aasif's heart raced violently under his ribs, he held his breath ready for whatever he was about to hear

"I wanted to talk about you and Anaya again..." she started "I remember rejecting you at first" a pause an uncomfortable one

"but Allah said this once 'and we created you in pair' so I made a istikhaara namaz for this.. and yes maybe my heart softened because Allah wants this for you two!"

Aasif swallowed hard, like his adrenaline was already preparing to celebrate

"so I give a yes!" she finalized, he let go of the breath he had been holding eyes closed before his lips whispered Alhamdulillah

"You see this Anaya huh?.... She is all I have and I'm all she has.... I entrust her to you with all my trust in you... please protect her!" her tone came out more sad and broken than normal

"I promise you aunty... I will protect her with all my might... even if I will have to protect her from my own self I will do that!"

and the advice that took long held the conversations after the prayer they made for the unsealed bond, and without forgetting Seema disclosed about Zahra begging her to accept the alliance

"oooh Zahraa... my treasured sister!" he smiled alone as his hand run to his beard blissfully

He smirked, the excitement in him slowly killing him sweetly smile lines clearly visible around the corner of his lips,

as his mind calculated to either go to thank Zahra first or to Anaya so he could share the good news with her but in the end he concluded on going to perform the shukr Namaz (swalaatu-shukr)

----

And suddenly the whole weekend was lit and full of the vibe and happiness Aasif carried sharing and spreading it the way the wind spreads it's freshness

And as his lovely cousin had a hand in this happiness he decided to pay her back by taking her to her favorite place maybe as a thanksgiving

As they walked down the stairs Aasif held Zahra's hand the same way he used to hold it when she was still little

"mmh.. cousins.. where to,,, on this whole weekend?" questioned Alhaa the moment she caught a glimpse of Zahra and Aasif's entwined hands

"siblings... we're more siblings than cousins my beautiful sister,,, and yes you can come along... your highly permitted!" muttered Aasif playfully meaning his words

"where exactly?" Questioned Alhaa with the annoying expression all over her face before Aasif shushed her and sweetly ordered her to go for her hijab so they would go together promising she would enjoy

"I hope I will.... In-Shaa-Allah!" she rolled her eyes before walking back to her room

"you are dying from this much happiness aren't you!" teased Zahra

"I am!... like I don't even know how to say this... But Wallah may Allah grant you that one thing your heart desires for this!"

Zahra replied with the sweetest Amiyn with a smile she didn't dare to hide as she watched her grown brother getting this excited just for love

"who knows if you didn't talk to aunty Seema maybe things wouldn't have turned out like this!" added Aasif lifting his shoulders slightly

"what did this girl talk to Seema about my son!" muttered Zulekha inwardly resting properly on the couch she spent almost the whole morning at scrolling through her outdated reels as she shot them with a questioning look and sat quietly waiting for them to explain themselves

Both Zahra and Aasif greeted as Zahra quickly pulled her hand off Aasif's after Zulekha glared at their hands long enough

"I'm going somewhere with -----!" muttered Aasif and before he was even done Zulekha interrupted

"yeah I can see that too... she is always after you...I fear she isn't even chasing her dream the way she chases you!" she raised a brow sarcasm full in her tone

"Mom... no one is chasing anyone here...!" he brushed it off politely, hardly

"I'm not saying it's bad... you are her brother after all... she is allowed to stay glued on you as she wishes.... She should just leave some space for the real sibling too!" she smiled over her own evil

"mom.... We are also siblings"
"cousins that's what you are... and if there is more than that... then it's just milk siblings... just that!" she locked eyes with Zahra like she was seriously sending the message purposely

"Alhaa is your real sibling.... The real one., get and remember it well!" she added shifting her gaze back to her son who almost opened his mouth to talk but was interrupted by the loudness of his emerging sister who was announcing her readiness for the leave and the whole focus shifted to her

"let's go...!" she smiled questioningly "why are you all looking at me like that?" her eyes widened as she gazed at herself rechecking if her outfit is worthy those looks

"nothing my princess... mom was just giving a little reminder to your cousin and brother!" muttered Zulekha sarcastically as she stood and left leaving another wound on Zahra's heart in the name of a reminder

Zahra stared at her leaving aunty with tears threatening in her eyes and before she realized it she was already biting her teeth so hard and not in anger just another tactic to control her tears from falling

"let's go then!" muttered Alhaa bringing Zahra back to her conscious mind,

Zahra gazed at Aasif as if she was trying to say what her lips couldn't say out loud but Aasif shook his head then grabbed her hand then Alhaa's as he led the way out

Zahra occupied her back seat alone, quietly staring at the dark screen of her phone and her sad image broke her more while outside

Aasif focused on fixing Alhaa's hijab before getting in He extended his hand tacking in the few hair strands under her hijab
"this beautiful long hair of yours!"

The whole drive then was full of Aasif cheering Zahra who didn't actually buy it and Alhaa who have been admiring her beauty through her phone that might be almost tired of the amount of pictures she took in just one pose and location

The first breaks were exactly at the biggest national library, the one that carries the stories since they never even existed till date, with the copies of each form entertainment or academic even self-help would definitely be available ... the great Quaid-e-Azam library (bhag-e- jinnah)

It didn't take long for them to secure a table at the bhag-e-jinnah's park and without any delay Alhaa unpacked her bag, a mini drawing board, the color and pencils pack

"beautiful!" muttered Alhaa super proud of herself as Aasif watched her with a smile on his face the excitement and bliss drawing gave her was something she couldn't hide even if she wanted to

"should I add some coffee ma'am?" questioned Aasif playfully
"mmhh.. that sounds great... a drawing.... With some coffee.. would do.. but not books,.,.. so boring!" she added her unnecessary bullying the one she always named as 'not that deep' like it truly wasn't

While Zahra who was buried into her paining thoughts didn't actually hear her, in her own silent world

"Anhaa... i... will go check some books in there!" muttered Zahra as she stood to her feet leaving the two with Alhaa holding some drawing tools already

Aasif stood there watching her leave knowing for sure how she feels after his mother somehow managed to kill her smile at the moment, and again he wished he had a thing to do about it that would truly work because about just talking to his mom about it that would be the thousandth time he is doing it if he did but nothing ever changes

Zahra walked her way through the door her throat tight as her mind gave space for many thought she wasn't supposed to keep

"I was always an intruder in this family.... From the very beginning... I'm not their blood... I'm not their sibling.. and maybe it's true that I'm interfering with Aasif and Alhaa's space.... They are the real siblings and I'm not.... But I never asked for much... just their little love... was that too much to ask for!"

her hand reached her eyes as she wiped off blocking her own view that she ended up losing her sight and suddenly she hit on a broad wall like structure but soft

Her eyes went up landing on a pair of familiar dark hazel eyes, for a minute they both forgot to lower their gazes, eyes locked directly into each other, the small closeness between them screamed danger before they remembered to move back

"I'm ... I'm really sorry...!" she muttered gaze down to her shaking hands "forgive me please!" she added as she walked away as fast as she could little did she know the man was going to follow her

She sobbed, covering her mouth to suppress the voices, tears fell non-stop

"I'm tired of being like this... even after forcing, acting, pretending still I don't have real happiness or maybe I don't deserve it!"

tears spilled more, she pulled her knees over her chest seating behind the book shelves, resting her head over her uplifted knees

Waqas quietly walked towards her his heart aching over the sorrow he doesn't know the reason, he sat a bit distant from her but close enough for his presence to be felt

"take this..... it helps distress!" a masculine tone reached Zahra's drums he extended his hand giving out a bottle of water with a handkerchief

she hurriedly wiped off her tears with the back of hands and for some reasons he found it cute allowing a small smirk at the corner of his lips then she shook her head rejecting his offer

"you need it..... you definitely do!"

she lowered her gaze hardly blinking away the threatening tears

"Just let them out.. it's okay to cry... it's absolutely fine not to be okay!" he added before she hid her face with her palms sobbing hard this time, as if his words was the only thing she was waiting for

while Waqas sat there watching painfully, his heart aching as he fought the urge to hug her tight and whisper

"you will be fine" and this time he didn't even realize he was looking too much, for too long and too deep for what the boundaries allow him to

she wiped her tears again with the back of her hands

"maybe you should take this one!" his hand stretched again and this time she took it, While he sat leaning by the shelf but a distance from her eyes locked on the water bottle he was holding

"pain will fade slowly and you don't have to stand strong always... you don't have to force a smile all the time.. you don't have to!" he muttered softly

"and yes... crying means a tired soul and pained heart but doesn't mean weakness... or that you gave up,, No!... sometimes you got to let it all out so as to feel light again!"

"and what if it doesn't feel light again?"

he smirked sweetly but bitterly from inside he extended his hand to her side again giving her the bottle of water

"then drink water... and forget everything,, simple!" he muttered a bit playfully, and a soft thanks escaped her as she held the bottle

"it's not a must to feel light either... that's how life is ... nothing is a guarantee be it sadness, happiness, pain, peace nothing is!" pause so it would sink deeper into her flooded mind

" you are welcome.... Deeply welcome!" he added

A few sips of water, a few swallows then"thank you again!" she added softer and calmly this time

"well.... I was surprised actually!' he paused starring at Zahra who gave him the minute to, and a questioning look too

"that... your eyes can cry..!" he smirked " I didn't know such mesmerizing eyes can shed tears too!" he added playfully making her a bit shy

"or maybe you are planning to cause floods in the whole of Pakistan!"

Zahra looked away smiling shyly she wished she could hide it but it was too late and he wasn't stopping with whatever this was wither"if a beautiful ocean is shading tears,, what do you expect is going to happen if not floods!"

Her cheeks flushed red, hell no not in front of him... not when she was this sad, wait is she even still sad

"next time... you want to cry like that again... make sure to summon me please,, I would also like to witness the shading of the ocean I swear!" he added, with a straight face like he didn't just say that out loud

"subh-haana-Allah!" her hand went to her lips, she could feel herself blushing so hard and she didn't want him to see that

"Or maybe you are staring too much .. shouldn't you be lowering your gaze?" she almost whispered fearing his comeback would be wild if he caught it and unfortunately he did

"Or maybe you are too beautiful!" he shot back, Zahra almost choked on her own saliva

"I'm.... I'm going!" she stood to her feet abruptly, even forgetting the bottle of water she was holding, but the handkerchief didn't slip her hands

She reached somewhere far from him hand placed on her chest, God forbid the heart was almost escaping her the ribs

"this man-----!" her other hand went to her face wiping it like washing away all the flushness and that's when the handkerchief gave out his cologne

She didn't move it away, she let her nostril inhale the cologne perfectly well, her eyes went closed for a moment like she was devouring the softest thing ever

"subh-haana-Allah!... Zahra what are you doing!" she swallowed hard lowering her hand so she would keep the handkerchief away but the scent stayed

"Astagh-firullah!.... this is crazy... it's not good I swear!"

-

Back to where she left the man sitting, Waqas eyed the bottle that her hand once touched, he moved a bit closer, as if he could still see her seating there cutely sobbing

"how can someone look that beautiful by just crying... just crying!" it didn't make sense to him at all his hand reached out for the bottle,
gently held it like it was a great treasure he wasn't ready to lose

He didn't even hold it by the position she held it as if that would erase her presence, he held it by the neck, and then suddenly his consciousness hit, it was just a bottle

"No!... not just a bottle... it's a bottle with her touch!" his inner voice corrected the other inner voice like two voices were arguing in him

"wallahi I need to be saved... Ya Allah!" he swallowed hard "please save me...from becoming a sinner"

Zahra walked back to their space just to find Alhaa alone and unable to set herself the spark she gained in a few minutes ago was visible adding with a light blush that didn't erase that quickly

"where is Aasif bhai?" questioned Zahra but Alhaa shot her with an annoyed glare as the answer instead

Ignoring her Zahra sat on her seat with the random book she just picked just to avoid Waqas

"you want him all the time huh?" stated Alhaa her focus on image she was creating at the moment Zahra groaned in confusion her expression demanding more details to the accusations

"Mmmh... you aren't satisfied that you took him from me long ago and now you don't want him spending even minutes with his sister"

" Aasif is your brother still.... I never took him away from you... he loves you a lot Alhaa.... He... cares a lot for you!"
"ooh really?" her brows pulled up sarcastically with the eye roll

"you are the one who pushed him away.... You have been hurting him a lot Alhaa.. he have been finding his special time with you... but you always send him away.. always on your screen... always a distant... I never took him.. he choose the two of us but you never choose him..... you choose your drawings, your screen... that's what you always choose and maybe your hate and anger for me is the one that blinded you!"

"oh please I'm tired of your preaches... let me....!" Her statement went unfinished as her eyes landed on a figure walking alongside Aasif
in a white shalwaar khameez with a white shawl as always, eyes locked on the ground he is stepping onto , sleeves folded up as usual, as he held like two plastic cups with the word coffee widely written

Alhaa's heart almost skipped a bit, she stared intentionally deeper, her eyes wandered everywhere on him, in just a few minutes she would mention everything on him with her eyes closed

"I saw you again!" she muttered her tone a bit above a whisper, a smile found its was on her face
"I'm back ladies" muttered Aasif loudly cheering

"Ms. grasshopper.. here is your matcha!' Aasif stretched his hand to Zahra who didn't notice Waqas yet
"and this one is for who brother!" that deep soft voice hit the two girls differently

Alhaa almost went on her knees, this man sounded like her perfect type, like he was all she prayed for, while Zahra recognized this tone with no hesitation

She turned and yes again, her captivating innocent eyes met his dark and masculine ones, bringing shivers down to her spine, she hated this sight but enjoyed too, while he was enjoying the sight of his beautiful ocean, before they both realized what they were doing and decided to look away

"this is Waqas... my business partner!"
"come on brother... we're friends here.. this isn't a place for business!" he spoke softly with a small smirk tagging along, making Alhaa who was still staring weaker than she already is

"take a seat then... dost (friend)!" teased Aasif
"this one is for who?" repeated Waqas eyeing the coffee on his left hand

"Alhaa!" muttered Aasif pointing to her side before Waqas stretched his hand to give the coffee,

but Alhaa's eyes where on his beautiful face she couldn't stop looking at, her smile unhidden either

"here it is!" muttered Waqas giving her the professional look he always gives the clients when discussing about a contract to secure

Alhaa snapped her lost mind back to reality, then her eyes landed on the coffee glass then they roamed to his veiny hand revealed forearm, she swallowed hard, this was an attack prepared special for her and yes she would let it come, attack and finish her completely without even resisting

"thank you!" she extended her shaking hand to take the coffee, she didn't know why she was shaking but she knew for sure it had something to do with this man

Waqas sat beside Aasif a distant from the girls as the two had a soft and gentle little chitchat that was almost about nothing, his gaze was perfectly mannered but his soul was fighting for its life it deeply wanted to stare and lose itself in those beauty carrying pair of eyes, but no his mind was still strong to resist and manage to control, if only it wasn't haram

While Zahra knew better there was nothing worse at this moment than to look at him even once and she didn't dare to, her focus was on her book, not really

While the other girl, her unmannered eyes stared, at him, endlessly it was like he was her drawing motivation, she knew for sure she would stare at that sharped jawline and beautiful masculine face all day long tirelessly

-----

In the dark chamber of her room, Alhaa sat in her pajamas across the draw board a pink headset by her head that moved slowly over the music she has been listening to since the very beginning

Not even bothered that it's a sin, she listened to it anyways, her hand holding a pencil her hand moving professionally gracefully on a white sheet laying neatly at the drawing board

At each step, each pattern, each mark her eyes glittered, she smiled endlessly, the drawing didn't feel like the other ones she always made, this one felt special, it brought happiness in her heart, the one she couldn't hide

It felt like she was drawing in her heart, tattooing it down to her veins not on an ordinary paper

"WAQAS" her lips said his name softly romantically, and it tasted better than any name her tongue ever mentioned

"I don't know if I have been looking for you all this long.... but I just know one thing for sure... you are the one I have been waiting for!"

With all her boldness, and everything Alhaa has never been in any haram relationship, maybe that's the best truth about her,
Just as no one is good in all ways in the same ways no one is bad in all ways

Her smile widened over just a thought of him, she knew for sure she is in love for the very first time, and her mind told her she would surely risk anything for this

--

Somewhere in the same home, another girl has been replaying the same memories that centered on the same man

A soft shy smile escaped her lips again as the words he said earlier at bhag-e-jinnah, then one word kept replaying in her mind

"ocean"

"you talk in the same way you write!" her smile widened, she could no longer hide it from herself, her eyes locked on the poem she had been guessing it was written by him by almost ninety percent

Same roof, same family, different hearts, unknowingly falling for that one man, one doing it willingly while the other unaware she is falling