⁂ 04 ⁂

♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎

♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎

"I thought you were visiting tomorrow." He came closer towards the door.

"Yeah, but since I got free earlier than I thought, so decided to come by now as per the original plan. You weren't busy right?" She passed a full-blown sweet smile his way, as Soha couldn't help but admire her. She was a real beauty.

"Not at all. Come inside." He gestured her forward towards the hall, as she passed by Soha with a nod.

Soha simply stood there admiring her and wondering who she was to him. Salaar stepped towards Soha's distracted form.

"She's a colleague of mine and a friend too. We had some work related stuff to discuss so I hope you won't mind if I, you know, get done-"

He pointed towards her direction with an apologetic look as Soha gave him a small smile.

"It's okay. I get it. I'll just have all the noodles to myself so I don't mind. You may go work." She intervened her palms together as she tee-heed.

He grinned, ruffling her hair, as she slightly shied away by his action.

"Thanks, chubs."

She watched him jog towards the sofas, where Freya had just settled as she ran towards the kitchen, holding her warm cheeks.

Allah! Iss banday ne meri cheeks pe aag laga deni hai aik din.

(God! This man will put my cheeks on fire one day!)

"Should I? Or should I not?" She slurped some noodles staring ahead at the glasses of juice she had poured for them with some snacks she found in the cabinets. Since he was hungry and didn't even eat anything, how would he even concentrate on work? And well, she's a guest so she should actually serve something to her.

"Oh my God. Kahin choohe unke pait mai bhangra na daalne lag jae. Mere mai tou poora jungle naachta hai." She imagined his stomach rumbling out loud while he's working. "He'd be so embarrassed."

After creating some funny scenarios in her head and giggling, she made her way outside towards the drawing room.

Knocking on the open door, she peeked in to have her heart blessed with his figure, sitting with his glasses on the middle of his nose, as he peered at her from above their frame.

Having the file in his hand, and laptop on the table, he was calmly sitting while attracting her with that chuffing charm.

Her heart and mind were bewitched by this man!

"Uh..." She pointed at the tray with her eyes, slowly walking in.

He passed her that mind-blowing smile again as she almost dropped the precious tray.

He always admired her hospitality and warm nature. And he was once again awed by it.

"She's my cousin, Soha." He introduced her to Freya as she gave her a side glance with a wave of her hand. "Hi, Soha."

Soha placed the tray on the table with utmost care, making sure not to keep it near the files scattered there and mess up anything. She then quickly forwarded her hand to Freya for a handshake with a straight smile on her face, trying to make sure not to look awkward.

Freya took a while before shaking it with her fingers only, and focused back on Salaar, talking about some business matter.

Soha couldn't help but feel degraded.

She had really seen her as a respectful figure, and so she thought maybe she could have a dialogue with her.

She really was a perfect girl, and the way she had the heavy make-up on her face, made her look prettier.

She walked out of the room, as Salaar noticed her gloomy figure leaving from the corner of his eyes.

"How about we try this pattern?" She continued showing the different ideas to him, as he soon got busy in the work himself.

Soha went to sit in the hall again, pouting. They could've enjoyed the noodles together if-

The door bell rang interrupting her thoughts as Maria and Musa entered in with many shopping bags in their hands.

Woah! Did they buy a whole dukaan?

"Soha. Can you help me with these?" Soha rushed towards her, holding half of them from her right arm before she almost dropped them on the floor.

"Come, bring them to my room. You won't believe I had to visit so many shops to find nothing but only these few nice pieces of clothings. The prices tou uff are taking off to the seventh sky. The only things I'm satisfied with is the make-up though. You know...." Maria stepped up the stairs with Soha following behind her as she continued ranting about the rates and her bargaining skills to her.

Soha almost slept half-way through.

"What's this?" Soha scanned the product as Maria was displaying her mega shopping to her.

"Allah Tauba, Soha!" Maria exclaimed as if she was hit by something on her heart. "That's foundation!"

"Oh, kese use karte hain ise?" Soha tried applying a dot to her skin, as it made her scrunch up her nose.

"Konsi dunya mai rehti ho tum? You literally don't even know the abc of makeup. 21st century mai hi rehne wali larki ho na?" Maria took the foundation from her hand, almost irritated at her ignorance towards it.

Soha once again felt humiliated by her words and actions. Yes, she didn't know anything about it because she was never interested in such stuff. But why was everyone trying to make her feel bad about it.

Yeh aj sab meri beizzati kyun kie ja rahe hai!

She felt her emotions ready to spill out, as she missed her mom and that rotten bhens of her sister. She would also sometimes mock her about it, but that was different. Since Soha never took her words to heart in that way knowing they had such joking relation.

The doorbell rang once again as Soha found her excuse to leave the room, almost flying off the bed. She wouldn't have controlled it anymore.

"Khala." She beamed and hugged Hamida as soon as she entered, making the older chuckle at her behaviour.

"Itni yaad aa rahi thi mai?" She patted her head lovingly. She hummed in response as Sofiya stood there with her arms crossed.

"Aur mai nahi ai yaad?" Soha quickly darted her way, giggling and embraced her too.

"Salaar ghar pe hai?" They had settled in the hall as Soha was serving water to them.

"He has a guest. He's in the drawing room with her." Soha replied shortly.

"Her?" Sofiya raised a brow, not shocked but amused.

"Yes, her name is Freya. She's a colleague and a friend, he said."

"Acha, ruko mai bhi mil kar aun iss Freya se." She gaily got up and walked towards the drawing room, making Soha puzzled by her odd reaction.

Soha sighed coming out of the exam hall. She really would've missed the exam today if not for Hamida waking her up on time. She was a very heavy sleeper. She saw Saahil waving at her from a far away distance, as he had his right half of the leg still in his car, while standing on the other.

"How did your paper go?" He asked as she sat in the car.

"Don't you know, yeh sawal nahi poochte!" She placed her head on the headrest, completely drained out of enerygy. Her best friend had also not appeared for the exam today which worried her to no extent. She hoped she was okay, as her first task was going to call her and her mom once she reached home.

//♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎//

•Call•

Soha | Shanzay

"Mama se baat karwao meri! Tumhari ye faltoo stories mai baad mai bhi sun sakti hu!"

"Mama busy hain abhi."

"Kia kar rahi hain?"

"Omg! Let me tell you this. You know what happened ea-"

"Aik second mai mama ko phone de do warna mujhse bura koi nahi hoga, Shanzay!"

"Tumse bura koi ho bhi nahi sakta, just stating facts."

"Bhens!"

"You know what I ate today?"

"I don't wanna know, bhooki!"

"Mere Allah! I can't do this anymore! Listen, I've another mind blasting news for you."

"Wahan jaa ke bhi tumhari news delivering service jaari hai?"

"I'm serious here right now. It's literally effed up! Couldn't find a better word."

"Shut up and come to the point! Is mama okay? Where's papa?Everything alright there?"

"Everything's perfectly okay here, but I don't think it'll be okay for you in a while."

"What do you mean?"

"Mama has found your gumshuda husband here."

"What? Tum set ho?"

"Mai tou set hun, but she's planning to set you up with him soon in a marriage proposal. Beechara looks so seedha, he won't be able to survive with a churail like you! But that's not the poin-"

Beep beep.

5 minutes later.

"Yaar suno to-"

"Mama. Hand over the phone to mama right now, shanzay!"

"Okay okay!"

Soha | Sabiha

"Assalam-o-Alaikkum beta."

"Walaikkum assalam. Mama, ye mai kia sun rahi hu? Ap wahan Dubai dekhne gai thi ya mujhe bechne!"

"Astaghfirullah. Soha, kesi baatein kar rahi ho. Aisa kuch nahi hai."

"Mama please. Mai ne apko kitni baar kaha hai mujhe abhi shaadi ke baare mai nahi sochna."

"Aur Soha mai ne har baar apki baat suni hai. Lekin ab dekho, tumhari graduation bhi ho rahi hai, parhai se tou tum hamesha jaan churana chahti thi na. So now, your dad and I have decided to fulfill our duty by marrying you off in a good family. He's your dad's friend's son and the reason I didn't stay back with you was because I had to come meet the family. He's well settled here in Dubai, your dream country, and is a very good man. Trust me, you-"

"Nahi! Mujhe us se shaadi nahi karni!"

"Phir kisse karni hai? You have someone in mind?"

"That's not it."

"What's the problem then? Why do you always escape the topic of marriage? Is there someone you love?"

Is there someone I love?

"NO! There's no one! I just...I just don't want to get married now!"

"Soha, ye kesi zid hai? Isse acha rishta kahan mile ga tumhe wahan? They-"

"Mama please."

"Let's discuss this when we get back. Take care and concentrate on your exams till then."

//♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎//

Soha slowly closed the room door behind her, as she tip toed to make her way towards the terrace.

She needed some fresh air. She wasn't able to sleep, and it was 12 at night. She couldn't even get herself to study after what happened earlier. Her mind had been going all over the place over every little thing happening around her.

"Jee bolein ammi." Salaar's voice came out of Sofiya's room as she was passing by it.

"Beta batao bhi. Freya pasand hai?" Her mom asked in a hushed tone as she stopped in her tracks.

"Ammi." Salaar sounded like a child complaining to his mom for buying the wrong toy.

"Tou aur kiya. Tumhe koi pasand bhi aani hai ya mai khudi kisi ko pasand kar lu. Pehle hi tumhare baba nahi hai, ab tumhari shaadi ki zaimadaari mujh pe hi hai na." Her mother spoke from the other side, but Soha could hear the sadness in her voice.

Salaar's dad had passed away when he was very young, and Sofiya had raised him up to the gentleman he was today all by herself, being a strong woman of morals she was.

"Meri pyaari ammi!"

"Peeche hatto." Sofiya sounded irritated as if pushing him away.

"Why are you so adamant on getting me married? Meri pasand na pasand ko chorein, mere standards na meri ammi ne bohat high kar diye hain ab. And mera shaadi ka bilkul irada nahi hai abhi. I don't want a kabab mai haddi between us you know."

Soha bit her lip, as she suddenly felt bad for standing there like a besharam and eavesdropping on their conversation. She didn't mean to, but her feet just paused right there.

Why are these sisters pressurizing their children to get married? Were she and Salaar in the same situation? What if khala also finds a girl, or maybe already has today, for him.

Her heart wasn't ready to accept that fact. It burnt. And she knew, that all these years, the feeling she called a mere crush, wasn't just that, but it had turned into much bigger feeling for him before she even knew. Love, perhaps.

She quickly ran towards the terrace door, as the room's door opened with Salaar coming out. He noticed her shadow disappearing into the terrace, making him scrunch his brows.

She stood by the railing, breathing in the fresh and peaceful windy surroundings, her eyes closed. The half moon still provided the night with it's light, to brighten the dull mood.

Salaar slowly came to stand beside her. He stayed quiet, just gazing at her. She looked very serene, that he didn't want to disrupt the peace.

Sighing, she opened her eyes to be surprised by his figure standing by her side.

"Woah. I was surprised."

"Oops. I didn't want to disturb you. Sorry."

"Nah. It's okay. I was just...."

"Why aren't you asleep yet? How's prep going?"

"Uh...normal." She didn't know what to answer for the first question. I just had so much going on in my head that I couldn't sleep. You being one of the hindrance.

"Hmm. When are your exams ending?"

"Day after tomorrow."

"Wow. That's actually great. Then can I have a booking with you for the day after that, only if you're free and okay with it?"

"Huh?"

"Here you go with the huh again." He chuckled shaking his head, as he turned towards her fully.

"I'm asking for you to accompany me on a business party being held this weekend. It's held for the international shareholders, and coming with a...partner is a must you know."

"So you want ME to go there as your partner?"

"Yeah, because ammi is going to fix my rishta with any girl I take with me. Plus that fact that I won't be comfortable taking anyone else-"

"So she won't do it if it's me?"

"-you're an exception of course."

They both stopped to look at each other, as he completed his sentence while she blurted out a sarcastic remark. But his sentence, unknowingly, gave her an answer.

"What?"

"Why am I an exception?"

"You know we've always been partners in crime ever since little, and we're close enough to always be comfortable in each other's presence."

"Yeah..but..I-"

"Oh, but we can't commit the crimes going to a business party. I have an image to hold you know." He joked, but that again didn't help in lifting up her gloomy mood.

"What's wrong Soha?" He finally asked, breaking the silence, as his sweet voice and inviting nature broke open her shell once again.

"Won't you be embarrassed taking me with you? I mean, I'm not-"

"Excuse me what?" He almost uttered out too loud at her statement.

"I didn't finish yet. Let me talk!" She frowned.

"I'm sorry, but your question just drove me bonkers. What kind of insensible man would ever feel embarrassed for taking you as a partner, ma'am?"

She rolled her eyes biting her upper lip, and gulping down the lump of emotions in her throat.

"You think so. But the other girls don't see me like that. I'm an embarrassment to the girls of 21st century." She let out a bitter laugh.

"Why would you say that?" His gaze shifted to the strands of her hair, flying freely in the direction of the wind.

"I'm told I'm old-fashioned because I don't like putting on make-up, I don't put on stuff like nail polishes or mehendi, or go to parlours or go shopping and- and anything normal girls my age usually do and like. But that's just how I am, right? So am I not worth it being myself? Do I have to change myself for them to like me."

"No Soha. Because this all doesn't identify you. It shouldn't matter to you what the other girls do or say, nor do you have to follow their trends. It's not a compulsion, but your own choice and taste. Never think that you're not worth anything or you must change for anyone to accept you, because that isn't the real you and one can never be happy if you can't be yourself." She was in complete wonderment as she gawked at him, her heart falling for him all over again.

"So, love yourself, know your significance and know there's a form of happiness that can only be felt by being yourself." He finsihed off, giving her a reassuring nod.

"Thank you." Soha felt her broken confidence being mended once again by his words, as she could only show the gratitude by a mere 'thank you.'

"Does that mean you're going with me, my beautiful partner?" He grinned.

"If that's how I can show my gratitude." She finally smiled.

"I promise you, you are the second most beautiful girl in this world." He slightly held his neck, crouching forwards towards her, giving her his cheeky smile.

Soha felt her heartbeat increase faster than the speed of light as she gulped distracting herself from looking at him, towards her hands on the railing.

Being called the "second most beautiful" girl by him was a huge tribute for her, but she couldn't help and wonder.

"Then who is the first?" She curiously questioned out her thought.

"You again, but without makeup."

And there, he did it. Once again, he had her render motionless by his words. She felt another lump forming in her throat. A lump that was too hard and bitter to swallow.

Her heart had fallen for a person she knew she probably had no chance of being with. Is there someone she loved, her mother had asked. She had thought about him that very instant.

What could she do when he was absolutely mesmerizing, impossibly ethereal and one hundred percent devastatingly heart-wrenching? What could she do when a thousand words of adoration are destined to die at the tip of her tongue, simple because the one she loved, wasn't hers to keep.

But sometimes, love is in letting go. Love is in admiring secretly what was never yours to begin with. Love may even be pretending, just to make things easier for the ones you cherish. But most of all, love is in acceptance. Accepting that the love you are yearning for wouldn't be reciprocated as strongly as the love you are giving.

Her heart had fallen for a person she knew she probably had no chance of being with. She knew, she couldn't admit it out aloud, couldn't let her emotions grow any further than they had.

"Salaar?" She managed to let out, even though her insides were all over the place.

"Jee." He spoke with the sweetest of voice.

"Remember you once said that parent's never want bad for us and whatever they choose for us is always for our betterment."

"Hun? Right." He looked at her confused.

"Mama wants me to get married. She went to Dubai looking for a marriage proposal for me." She didn't know why she was saying this to him, but she had to let it out. She couldn't carry it inside her anymore.

He didn't speak for a moment registering her words.

"F-for real?" His hands unknowingly clenched onto the railing, tighter. Why was the idea of her marriage causing an unrest in him.

Soha had always been the closest to him since childhood, it must be their closeness and bond that had him become protective towards her. She's really special to him, and he wouldn't ever want her hurt or......with a random guy. Her getting married to someone. The idea simply was wounding his heart for unknown reasons to him.

"Hmm.." was her simple reply.

//♥︎ ♥︎ ♥︎//

/Author's Note/

Yeh kia ho gaya bhae?

I was trynna keep it less deep, but it got too deep in the end, since y'all gotta know and feel what my girl has been going through in the ✨unrequited love✨

Someone put some sense in Salaar's budhu dimagh to let him know why is she special to him!💀

Also, this chap was getting too long (not at the fact its 3k+ words already rn) so I wrote the phone call talk like that, hope it's understandable.

Anyways, guys?

It's ✨ending✨ soon too.🥺

I mean I thought it just started, but now i've to write an ending already!

Oh and we don't have a ship name for these two. Suggest some here~🤲

Ps. next chap will most probably be the last one if my heart agrees👀 or else y'all might get another epilogue yk🌝

Until the next update;

Take care🥀

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