CHAPTER 40

CHAPTER 40 : Buns and Fairy lights

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"Are we here yet?" Safia asked with a purple blindfold over her eyes as Fawad led her towards the mansion in the dark forest.

"Almost there" Fawad smiled.

"You have been saying that for the past 30 minutes"

Safia walked and she was about to step over a log laying on the ground , but Fawad just held her waist from behind , and lifted her from the ground making her giggle at that sudden move.

"One more giggle and I swear I would be in hospital due to cuteness" he whispered .

"Huh? I couldn't hear what you were saying" she asked once Fawad put her on the ground .

"It's nothing. Keep walking love" He said and Safia was still adjusting to the sweet nicknames which were coming her way .

She didn't knew what exactly brought her and Fawad this close , but she surely felt like they had grown very close in a very small amount of time .

"It's here finally" He told her and stood behind her slowly removing the blindfold letting it drop on the ground . Safia slowly opened her eyes , and they met with shining yellow lights of the fairy lights entangled around the branches of the trees of neem . She found it quite odd , that she was met with the sight of neem trees instead of some beautiful other trees but it was nonetheless beautiful.

There was a small open tent beneath it , with white cushions of each side . There was a laptop , and had a basket of food and a teapot along with two wine glasses.

"I realised that maybe you need something private and small" he said after series of events which made him realise this .

"It's true , and so beautiful" she whispered finding herself get a bit emotional at this gesture.

"It's pretty far from my mansion , but it's the only place where I found neem tree" He said with a smile and took her palm in his own hand leading him towards the tent .

"Neem tree?" Safia looked at him with a smile, "does it have some hidden meaning like those different flowers?"

"I don't know , they are just special to me because the first time I saw your smile , it was by seeing a neem tree" Fawad chuckled as they seated down on the ground.

"Wait -Neem tree ? When?" She was confused.

"The day when I first saw you, you were smiling at a tree"

Safia stood still for a few seconds , and then realised that the day when she first met Fawad , she was zoned out remembering her childhood memories.

"Wait ! No you-" she scratched her own face in embarrassment and Fawad chuckled while holding her hands together.

"What happened?" He asked her with a laugh holding her hands together.

"My dream was that my husband sees me in a beautiful frock, dancing in the rain or something, not smiling out of blue staring at a neem tree" She frowned and stared at Fawad with a pout who just held her hand , making her look at him.

"I am glad I found you like that , staring at that . Everything which happens is perfect with you . You were perfect . So don't think that much" He told her and she smiled hearing his words . He never failed to make her feel loved just by his words .

"It is still do embarrassing" she hid her face in her palm with a shy blush and he chuckled .

"I wanted to throw a party at the manor , but at the end moment I changed , so it's not that special—"

"It is" Safia cut his words off while planting a peck on his cheek.

"So—shall we watch a movie ? Because now that I think, we have never truly watched anything together" He said.

"Okayy~ but your choice of film" she said .

"Truly saying , I only watch biographies so~" he chuckled knowing that it will bore her out and she chuckled awkwardly.

"Nevermind , I will choose a movie . Wanna watch Disney?" She asked.

"Sure"

"Tangled—nah , the little mermaid—maybe some other time, Cindrella—perfect" she whispered to herself as she scrolled past the movie .

She wanted to chose a classic Disney movie to enjoy with Fawad , soon the movie started . They both were looking at the screens , and Safia was smiling , feeling happy to watch the movie in such a beautiful surroundings .

Fawad noticed her smile , and started to look at her only . Her expressions—the subtle smiles , the shyness when she sees Cinderella and the Prince talking, the little frown , and the excitement at the ending . Everything was more interesting than any movie he can ever watch .

The 1 hour 14 minutes passed way too fast for their liking.

He knew at night , he have to go to the other side of the town to meet his uncle , so just like the night of Cinderella, even their time was limited , which they needed to enjoy.

Safia let a breath out and smiled.

"It was wonderful, wasn't it?" She inquired and he just hummed .

'She's wonderful' he sighed with love .

Safia noticed him staring at her continuously and she tore the gaze away , brushing her hair behind her ear shyly.

"Here is some food too" she said to cut the shyness she was feeling and how her hands were literally feeling like they just wanted to grasp his hands in her own, and cuddle with him .

"Yes , right" Fawad told her and opened the basket . It had basic snacks which he felt were enough for that night . He had planned dinner at late night , so he wanted the snacks to fill Safia's tummy till then.

Samosas , chicken patties, chowmin , chicken fried momos , sandwiches , strawberry with chocolate, sonpapdi , soda . Almost everything was there .

Safia laughed seeing this .

"You have included my restaurant's whole menu, you might as well should have added tea in this little bottle of ketchup" she joked with amusement, staring at the efforts which Fawad put in.

"Right,  I forgot that" Fawad said and stood up .

"Wait no , I was joking" Safia held his hand , and he just looked at her.

"I wasn't" he got up and looked towards the side where a warm kettle was connected to a plug which was keeping it warm .

He came towards Safia with it , and sat down on the ground again folding his legs , taking the wine glasses which were on the side .

"As cliche as it may sound , I feel that a date night is incomplete without glass of wine , but as we are Indian , I thought that instead of non alcoholic wine and beer , chai would be more suitable" he poured the chai in the glasses , and she smiled with amusement.

"You are truly one of a kind Mr Siddiqui" she smiled and took the glass in her hand and sipped the chai . As silly as it sounded , she actually enjoyed drinking it like that.

"Please take something from here too" he passed her the basket and she hummed , while taking a patties and biting into it.

They both were eating it .

"I don't know if I have told you this before or not , but today is the best day of my life" Safia told him while taking another sip.

"I am glad you said that , because today is the best day of life too" he stared at her , noticing how she was looking with at the fairy lights with adoration.

"Thanks for doing all this"

"And thanks for joining me in this" Fawad told her making her smile , she just took another bite instead of saying another thing . Such actions of Fawad left her speechless . They always did .

He noticed her lips and she stared at his eyes , which were staring at them and he leaned towards her . Her heart was beating in a fast pace and she closed her eyes , almost ready for the touch which never came , instead she felt the warmth of Fawad's fingertip on near her lips .

"There was a crumb of patties near your lips" he whispered and she laughed awkwardly.

"Oh—oh , okay thanks"

'Did I did something wrong?' Fawad thought noticing her awkward reaction.

"I am sorry , I should have just told you , instead of" Fawad tried to clear , and noticing this Safia just shook her head.

"No no , if wasn't your fault , it's just my thoughts were scattered around . Don't think much about it" She told him.

"You do know right you can tell me anything you want to tell freely?" He asked and she sighed , noticing him worry much about a little gesture .

"As I said , it's nothing big"

"Whatever it is , you can always tell me"Fawad told her to test her patience.

"Gosh Mr Siddiqui, it's just that I was waiting for a kiss not a hand , okay? So drop it" She said in frustration to make him understand.

"I-" she realised what she had just spoken and clasped her palm upon her lips in utter shock that she really said that.

"I, I am so sorry , I didn't wanted to say that" she gasped not believing that she actually said that.

"If that's the matter , then it can be sorted now" he cupped her face from the right hand , bringing her face closer to his with a smile , and she closed her eyes in anticipation, waiting for it to happen.

Their hearts were beating loudly against their chests and he planted a peck on her forehead, making her smile .

He pulled away slowly .

'I don't want to take things fast , because it that happens , I don't know how far the relationship will go . I can't afford that , atleast not when I am not sure that I will survive for long' he thought to himself , and his heart's worry vanished seeing the shy expression of Safia .

Fawad could swear that she was some sort of healing fairy, who always healed a part of his heart , even with a single glance of her.

"And for the last gift of tonight " he put his hands behind the pillow where a cage was there with 2 rabbits.

"I present you , these" he smiled .

"OMG!!" She shouted and started hopping excitedly on the spot after getting up .

"I always wanted a rabbit ! And these are sooo cute !! I can never get over the cuteness!! My gosh" she jumped again excitedly , and Fawad smiled seeing this .

After calming herself down , Safia sat down staring at the cage with the two bunnies .

"What should your names be?" She mumbled.

"what should the names be Mr Fawad?" She asked again .

"You can choose anything Safia , it's not like they would object" he told her.

"Stillll!!" She started to think about the names while forcing her mind to choose the most unique names.

"Okay, I am done!" She cheered after finally thinking of the names.

"Lucy and Tricky" she told him.

"These are truly pretty unique names for rabbits" he said as he expected her to give a name like Oreo or Luna.

"Haha thanks , these are the name of my favorite Subway surfers characters" she smiled sheepily.

"You surely do like that game a lot" he said , remembering all the times he caught her playing it.

"Like ? I love it but not more than my two kids" she hugged the cage. "Once we reach mansion , I will free them and give them lots of veggies" she happy exclaimed.

"Kids ?" Fawad asked .

"Yes , these are my kids from now onwards" she said , not being able to control her inner happiness and grinning from cheek to cheek.

"Ours" he added .

"Huh?"

"I think a father is an important figure in a kid's life too" he said , not being able to believe that he was saying such silly words and to his surprise Safia hummed.

"Okay, then you are the father and I am the mother " she said while putting her finger in the bars of cage and petting them.

Fawad just felt happy hearing that and started to pet the rabbits too.

They both were playing with the rabbits , and Safia pulled one out of the cage letting it rest on her lap , as it kept jumping around , making her smile .

"She's so cute !!" She laughed .

'Not more than you' Fawad thought.

"So~ start a topic Mr Siddiqui. Don't let the talk die" she told him.

"Okay , so for a matter of fact , why do you call me Mr Siddiqui? While I call you by your name ? Is it some sort of formality? Or something?" He asked , because this question was in his mind for longer than he thought.

"At first it was for formality, but then it became a habit . Now , I just call you because I like to call you this" she told him and he just gave a slight nod , relieved that it wasn't some sort of formality which was still in her mind .

The talk continued , and Safia just smiled realising how far she has come into her relationship with Fawad .

Initially he was very cold and was almost out of topics , but now that she sees him , he's a fun person with a personality of his own which was suppressed by his father .

She just stared at him lovingly , as he talked about the things he have started liking to do , and the fests he want to go with Safia .

He knew the time was less , and the list of things he wanted to do were a lot.

"You made a list" she laughed in amusement.

"Is it long?" He asked him , as there were way too many fests to attend and she just shook her head.

"Too little" she looked at the list and stared at him, "so when is the starting of this event" she asked pointing towards a meteor shower .

"Tomorrow" he told her.

"Oh my gosh , we need to travel then Mr Siddiqui, because there must be a specific planetarium where it must be showing right?" She asked.

"Apparently this one will take place right here" he pointed towards the top of the tall manor which was visible from the forest too .

"There ? On the roof of manor?" She asked.

"Yes , there is a room there . Full of stars , maps and—"he felt a bit hesitant to reveal the hobby , he have been carrying for years .

"And?" She asked.

"And, a telescope"

"You have intrest in astronomy?" She asked and he gave an awkward nod.

"Yeah,"

"That's so wonderful. I always wanted to know about the stars , but didn't knew from where I should start , perhaps you can help me" she told him.

"You like the stars too?"

"Obviously" she said while shrugging.

"I would love to show you all of them" he was excited to share his hobby , and he smiled brightly.

Safia smiled back seeing this , but then—

The phone rang again.

Fawad looked at his phone , where the dialer was an unknown person . Usually he just cut those calls , but somehow he decided to pick it up.

"Hello?"

"Hey Fawad , you are late kid" the voice said from the other side.

"And , who are you exactly? And how did you get my number " Fawad inquired.

"I got my own ways , and my bad , I should have introduced myself . I am your uncle . Zayan . Zayan Siddiqui" the voice said from other side almost making him hold the phone tightly in his hand .

He didn't knew if he was ready to face more than he already was and unveil more layers of truth which his father has hidden.

To be continued....

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So , firstly lemme clear , those who have read pride Weds Arrogant, just consider it a spinn off (while the new version of it , which I will publish very soon will make the things conmected and your doubts vanish , because I will just make the two series join . But for now , just consider it spinn off)

And to those who are just reading it , hehe you guys don't have any confusion till now I assume 🤭

so yeah love y'all take care . Tomorrow is my another exam, so I might or might not update tomorrow (my schedule has been irregular since exams started I am sorry)