CHAPTER 15

CHAPTER 15: A Taste of Romance

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Safia came outside wearing a simple green kurta with blue jeans along with a blue dupatta wrapped around her neck. She styled her hair in a simple ponytail and looked at Kalyani, who was sitting inside quietly. She didn't like the thought of leaving her alone.

'Maybe she can enjoy some food too,' she thought and walked towards her.

"Kalyani," Safia whispered and got the attention of the other girl who was looking at her.

"Wear this." She passed Kalyani a long frock, who stared at it for a few seconds.

It was a black frock with white floral patterns.

"Are we going somewhere?" She inquired.

"Yes. Now quickly wear this, and when you go outside, no matter what you see, just don't react. I will explain everything in the car." Kalyani blankly nodded at Safia's words.

"See, it's just for protection for now." Safia passed her a dupatta with an apologetic look.

She quickly typed 'Niqab tutorial,' and a video with a girl styling a niqab with just a dupatta came up.

"Try this style, okay?" Safia told Kalyani, who stared at everything and noticed the phone Safia passed. Before she could throw more questions at Safia, she ran outside to get at least some tea for the two men. She had a lot of worries in her mind along with fear.

She quickly came into the living room where Fawad and Rudhra were sitting, and a rat appeared suddenly. It was a rat that stayed in her house, and she usually fed it. She quickly halted in her steps to not hurt the tiny creature, but due to stopping quickly, her leg twisted. She held the door frame for support, but the rat started running around her feet in panic seeing the gigantic feet stopping near itself.

"Yah Allah! Get out of my Remi!" She shouted, quickly lifting her feet from the ground before the rat could bite her in anxiousness. She held her leg in the air for a bit, but it resulted in her losing her balance. A scream emitted from her throat, realizing that she will fall on the ground, but it didn't come. Instead, she felt an arm wrap around her waist and holding her from falling to the ground.

She opened her eyes in surprise to see that Fawad had caught her in his arms.

"You fine?" Fawad asked, and she nodded quickly while trying to stand up, but Fawad's grip was firm upon her body. She couldn't believe that he came towards her this quickly.

"Yes, now...can you leave me?" She asked with hesitation, ignoring the pounding of her heart against her chest, but only if she knew that she wasn't the only one who could hear the heartbeat in her ears. Fawad was in a similar position. Their noses were just an inch apart.

He slowly let her go from his grip, making sure that she is standing firmly on her feet.

"Klutz," Rudhra mumbled from the side.

As Safia hurriedly made her way towards the kitchen, she couldn't shake off the feeling of embarrassment from the incident with the rat. Her cheeks still felt warm, and she wished she could disappear into thin air to avoid facing Fawad and Rudhra's amused expressions.

Just as she was about to dart past them, Fawad's hand gently wrapped around her wrist, causing her to wince in pain. The mark from Rudhra's cigarette had worsened, and the accidental spill of hot oil had only made it more painful. She tried to pull her wrist back, but Fawad's concerned gaze lingered on her.

"You seem hurt," he remarked softly, his eyes fixed on the reddish mark.

Safia quickly brushed off his concern with a forced smile. "No, I am not," she replied, attempting to hide her discomfort.

But Fawad's concern didn't waver. He gently slipped his fingers below her wrist, inspecting the wound with a gentle touch. Safia's heart fluttered at his closeness, her breath catching in her throat.

"We should go to the food fest later," Fawad suggested, breaking the momentary silence. "But first, we need to head to an important place."

Safia nodded, grateful for the change of topic. She silently hoped that the distraction would help ease the tension she felt in Fawad's presence.

"And where are you going?" Rudhra was annoyed at Fawad's behavior. He used to think before taking any decision, but he seemed to be rushing everything nowadays.

"I will tell that later," Fawad told her.

"And Safia follow me." His words made Safia frown.

"Waitt!!! I have my cousin in my room! I was about to go to the food fest with her; she is so excited and all dressed up. How about you continue to go wherever you want, and maybe I will join you later?" Safia asked because no way could she leave Kalyani alone.

"Rudhra will take her to the food fest. And you are following me," Fawad said and grabbed her arm while carefully taking her away.

"No NO!" She shouted, but Fawad was deaf to her words.

"Waitt!! I forgot my phone inside." Safia said in worry; she needed to go to Kalyani and inform her about Rudhra.

"Okay, get it quickly." Safia nodded and ran inside only to see Rudhra knocking on Kalyani's door.

"Wait, I will get her." She said and opened the door in one go.

"Kalyani," Safia called her again as she was setting the niqab.

"Yes Safia?" She asked.

"Rudhra is outside, please be careful and don't reveal your identity at any cost. I promise I will tell you everything once I come back." Safia got her phone and ran outside again without seeing her reaction. She didn't want to seem suspicious.

Rudhra was standing outside with his arms folded.

"I doubt you Safia-I seriously doubt you a lot," Rudhra told her.

"Doubting me is insulting Fawad. Remember?" Safia asked him, and he chuckled.

"I won't mind insulting Fawad then." Rudhra grabbed her wrist tightly where the wound was to remind her of the pain and to remind her that messing with them won't be a good decision.

Tears formed in Safia's eyes out of pain, and she just blinked her tears with a smile and pulled her wrist back.

"I will be going. Fawad is waiting." Safia said and went outside. She didn't want to waste her time in fruitless arguments with Rudhra.

Rudhra was a dangerous man to mess with.

"You are here. Let's go," Fawad told her when he saw her in his sight, and she followed him silently, remembering Rudhra's words. Her heart was beating hard against her chest, thinking what would Rudhra do if Kalyani's identity is revealed.

They both sat in the car. And the driver looked back.

"Sir, should I start the car?" Fawad just gave a stern nod as a reply.

"We are heading to the food fest in Pragati Maidan right?" Driver confirmed.

"There is a change in plans. Drive to the Fortress Hospital." The driver started driving, and Safia looked at him.

'Is he going to some sort of monthly check-up?' She thought to herself but stayed silent.

"Tell me about yourself Safia," Fawad told her out of the blue, and she looked at him.

"What do you want to know about me?"

"Anything. Your favorite color, your hobby, your best memory, the person you hate. It could be anything," Fawad replied.

"I'm not that special to have a lot of interesting things about myself," Safia tried to downplay.

"If you didn't have anything special, you wouldn't be sitting beside me," Fawad confessed.

"So, can I just tell you about someone who I haven't met but want to meet?" She asked.

"You haven't met yet you want to meet?" He asked, a slight jealousy creeping into his heart.

'Is it a man?' he thought to himself , as jealously filled him.

"Hmm. She was my friend Ismail's friend. He told me about incidents of her, and they made me crack up. I haven't seen her, but hearing about her works made me want to meet her once." As soon as he heard the word 'her,' he felt a slight relief rush over himself.

"What was that incident?" He asked.

"I heard that she was a girl with a big heart and extremely hardworking. She wasn't very smart in studies, but she was extremely hardworking. But one day, she got busy chasing a sheep and forgot about the test. The next morning, when Ismail saw her sitting in the class, she was looking pretty with her makeup done. After the test when he asked her 'how was the exam?' she answered 'it was bad.' He questioned, 'then why did you do such beautiful makeup?' and she answered, 'Because I can't be stupid and ugly on the same day,'" Safia narrated the incident with a laugh.

"Hmm, I can't understand why she chose to do makeup? Being pretty doesn't give you everything. Being a beauty without brains is stupid," Fawad told Safia.

"It wasn't about being stupid. It's about looking for the slightest reason to be happy in tough situations. Being sad in sad situations is easy, but finding reasons to be happy and taking things positively is a difficult thing," Safia's words resonated with Fawad.

"Did you apply it anywhere in life?" He inquired.

"Yes. Whenever I feel I am going through a bad day or facing a tough situation, I go and give myself a treat of ice cream because that makes me happy," Safia told him.

"Sir, we are here," Fawad looked outside as the driver informed.

"Shall we go in?" He asked Safia, holding the car door for her.

Safia nodded, feeling a mix of apprehension and curiosity about what awaited them inside the Fortress Hospital.

They entered the hospital, and Safia couldn't help but marvel at the grand interior. It resembled more of a luxury hotel than a medical facility, with a spacious waiting area, a buffet table, and elegant decor.

"Sit here," Fawad led her towards the canteen area, which had small dining tables. He pulled a chair for her and gestured for her to sit.

Safia sat down, taking in the surroundings, trying to settle her nerves amidst the opulent atmosphere. Fortunately, the hospital seemed almost empty, with only a few people scattered around the seating area.

Meanwhile, Fawad walked outside towards the reception desk.

"Good morning, sir. It's great to see you here. How can I help you?" the receptionist greeted Fawad with a warm smile.

"Arrange a checkup with Doctor Khurrana," Fawad requested.

"Please tell me the name of the patient?" the receptionist inquired, ready to jot down the details.

"Safia Yousuf," Fawad replied.

"Age?" she asked, noting down the information.

"Around 23," Fawad recalled from the document provided by Vicky, his personal hacker.

"What is the checkup for?" the receptionist queried, pen poised over the notepad.

"A burn mark," Fawad explained briefly.

"Okay, how deep is the mark?" she inquired further.

"It's a small burn on the wrist, but I'm not sure about the severity," Fawad replied.

"Was it caused by acid?" The receptionist's eyes widened in concern.

"No, oil probably," Fawad added casually.

"An oil burn?" The receptionist's surprise was evident.

"What's the problem?" Fawad raised an eyebrow, noticing her reaction.

"Nothing, it's just..." She trailed off, realizing she might have sounded judgmental. "It's nothing," she quickly corrected herself, inwardly chiding her own assumptions. 'Rich people surely do have a lot of money to spare,' she thought to herself, momentarily forgetting her professionalism.

"Your waiting number is 34," she handed Fawad a token, signaling the completion of their interaction.

Fawad returned to the dining area, where Safia was waiting, still awestruck by the hospital's lavish ambiance.

"So, did you choose anything?" Fawad inquired, pulling out the menu and placing it in front of Safia.

Safia's attention snapped back to the present. "Huh?" she looked at him, momentarily confused.

"From the menu," Fawad clarified, gesturing towards the menu card.

"Oh, I didn't," Safia admitted, realizing she had been lost in thought.

"But I don't think I would need to , I am full" Safia lied.

"You haven't eaten yet because of the plan for the food fest.  I am well aware of that , so choose something. I'll remember to ask a favor from you later on," Fawad teased lightly, trying to coax her into making a selection.

Safia sighed, feeling a sense of guilt for inconveniencing him. "Okay," she relented, opening the menu to peruse the options.

Fawad watched her, a small smile playing on his lips as he admired her sincerity. He couldn't help but feel drawn to her authenticity and genuine nature.

After a moment, Safia made her choice and handed the menu back to Fawad. "I'll have the mixed veg rice with paneer," she decided.

Fawad signaled the waiter, placing the order for Safia's meal along with his own.

While they waited for their food to arrive, Fawad's gaze wandered around the dining area, and he noticed a familiar face approaching them. It was Vishal Patel, a friend of his father's.

"Wow, I can't believe that all the three musketeers are here at the hospital at the same time, each with a different girl!" Patel exclaimed, amused by the coincidence.

Fawad's expression tensed slightly at the unexpected interruption, but he managed a polite smile. "I don't understand, Mr. Patel," he replied, trying to downplay the situation.

"Oh, you don't know? From the past few days, I keep seeing Augustus with one or another injury, and he goes to meet the same doctor. Today too, he's here with an injury on his shoulder. And Seth is here too, with some girl, and now you're here," Patel explained, oblivious to Fawad's discomfort.

Fawad's mind raced, trying to process this information. He hadn't been aware of Augustus and Seth's visits to the hospital, nor did he particularly care. His focus was on spending time with Safia, not on his friends' activities.

"Do you mind if I sit here for a while? My appointment number is 33," Patel asked, already taking a seat before Fawad could respond.

Fawad felt a pang of irritation at the intrusion but decided not to make a scene. He resigned himself to the situation, hoping that Patel would eventually take the hint and leave them alone. But Vishal didn't seemed to get the hint. He then turned to Safia.

"I think I have seen you somewhere" he told her and Safia frowned.

"Me?"

"Yes , are you the same person who hit the thief with a tote bag on the main road?" He asked and Safia gave a nod.

"How do you know?"she was curious.

"I passed by that road daily and saw that incident taking place and couldn't help but admire your courage" Patel told her and she laughed shyly.

"It's not that much of a big deal truly" Safia said.

"Oh come on ! You should have seen how cool you looked" Patel said .

As Safia and Patel engaged in conversation, Fawad couldn't help but feel sidelined. He tried to mask his annoyance with polite nods and short responses, but inwardly, he couldn't shake off the feeling of being overlooked.

As he saw the waiter appear , he felt happy , that Patel would finally leave them , so that they can enjoy the food , but as soon as the waiter arrived with the food, Patel dug into Fawad's food with a laugh.

"Such a cheeky little boy you are ! You pretend to be all cold and unbothered, yet you ordered my favourite chicken soup !" Patel started to eat and it made Safia bit a laugh. She felt truly sorry for Fawad , as he kept looking at Patel with a scowl.

"Why haven't you ordered anything for yourself?" Patel asked him.

"I . Am . Not . Hungry"Fawad uttered while pronouncing each and every word clearly.

"Eat some of mine" She passed the plate.

"No you should eat"Fawad quickly pushed the plate towards her.

"C'mon ! There are two spoons and it's a lot of rice . Let's share" Safia smiled to make him feel a bit better and afterall it was the only fair way because Fawad paid for the food.

Fawad stared at her at this offer and took a spoon and started to take bites , after all Safia offered them , and his eyes fell upon a quote which was written on a painting on the wall of the restaurant.

Sharing food with another human being is an intimate act that should not be indulged in lightly.

M. F. K. FISHER

'Is it truly an act of romance? She offered me food, does it mean that she has started to like me?' Fawad thought and he stared at Safia who was talking with Mr Patel . When she saw Fawad staring at her , she just smiled and her eyes crinkled from the side .

It somehow made Fawad feel light at heart too , and a soft smile made their way to his lips.

"Look at him ! Being all happy after eating the food!" Patel pointed and at that point Fawad realised that he was smiling.

'But why am I smiling? Shouldn't I be annoyed that this Patel interfered with talk?' Fawad thought , but then he remembered the words of Safia ,

'It's about looking for the slightest reason to be happy in tough situations. Being sad in sad situations is easy , but finding reasons to be happy and taking things positively is a difficult thing'

'Am I happy because I shared the food with Safia?' he thought.

To be continued....

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I don't know when will Eid exactly be , but I will surely give triple updates on that day . Because in any case all I do is sleep after getting ready on Eid , might as well use it for something usefull 🤭

I am pretty late in updating because today wasn't going the way I expected. But it's all good now so sorry it the chapter feels rushed or something. Next will be even better !!! (Fingers crossed 🤞🏻)

(Date: April 9 2024 )