~Aafton ke daur mein,
Chen ki ghadi hai tu~

“So he went away, just like that?”

Raaya smiled, nodded and turned away to pour the tea in her cup. Hamida had just now woken up and didn't know how her sister's ego died down to ask about Zahir's whereabouts.

“Yeah. He should have stayed?”

Hamida shrugged, “Well if the person is announcing his affection for me so openly, what can I expect?”

She looked at her sister for a while, handing her the cup. Surely, time had tested them in worst possible manners and they both had taken their own set of lessons from them. But there were some bad effects from those experiences.

While Raaya had lost her whole confidence, Hamida became defensive, protective of her own heart because in her opinion everyone just lied, just like their father.

“I'm glad that he went away. No need for him to show any affection to an ungrateful girl like you.”

She didn't want to sound this cold but couldn't help it. Raaya for the first time, took the role of an elder sister. Hamida's voice had an edge of mockery, and she seriously felt bad for Zahir and his love towards her sister.

“Excuse me?”

“Where am I wrong, Hamida? You seriously have no value for the people and their feelings towards you.”

She could see Hamida's eyes getting filled with tears, “You know that's not right?” She put the cup with a thud on the bedside table.

“I'm not here to explain anything to you. You are fully mature to understand everything.”

Raaya patted her shoulder and left her room to calm down her nerves. Idris looked up from his laptop, their eyes met as his lips tilted up in a faint smile and she didn't know how to mask her emotions. He came closer, his hand finding hers.

“Everything okay?”

“I don't know…” She looked away, her eyes tracing the empty corridor, her tears making it somewhat blurry to see, “Hamida for the first time saw my elder sister version.”

“Aren't you happy about it?”

Idris took her in his embrace, making her sit on his seat at the waiting chair.

“I was pretty cold to her. Like I never had…” Raaya looked down, the guilt eating her insides, “She's hurt. I hurt her, Idris, with the truths.”

Her husband gave a warm smile, sitting in front of her on his knees and took her hands in his, not before placing a kiss on her knuckles.

“I don't know what you talked about but I'm sure my Raaya can never hurt anyone intentionally. Whatever you said to her, I'm hundred percent sure is for her betterment.”

My Raaya…

Raaya pouted, her heart dancing between the mixed feelings of contentment and worry. Contentment of finding such an amazing husband and worry of hurting and giving pain to her beloved sister, Hamida.

“By the way…” Idris pulled her a little so that they were face to face, his lips an inch away from hers, “You look kind of hot when you're angry.”

Raaya slapped her forehead, a giggle bubbling out of her on his straight remark as Idris smiled at her with a shine in his eyes.

***

Zahir closed the laptop lid and got up from his seat, picking up the water bottle and smiling to himself as the speaker of his phone gifted him with Hamida's voice. He was just making notes online while he stayed at Lucknow for her.

“So why are you telling me this?”

“Just in case. If I forget it, you can remind me to share it with his mother.”

A long silence filled his surroundings, with heavy heartbeats, he waited for Hamida to speak, to say something that could give him some kind of indication of her feelings.

“Alright!”

Alright?!

Nothing else. Not even a question that he agreed for the marriage or something? Or how he could do this?

Four of them made a plan to pretend that his mother was searching for proposals for Zahir and someone showed their interest in him. It was all to dig out Hamida and her feelings but that tough lady wasn't helping at all. Nani had agreed to have a talk on this while being on a call with Zahir so that he could listen to the whole conversation.

“Is it not too early for him? I mean he's still studying, why is his mother seeking proposals for him, all of a sudden?”

He laughed, the big gulp of water getting stuck in his throat making it itch with a cough.

“If you have decided not to marry doesn't mean everyone will remain single, Hamida.”

“I'm not opposed to his marriage, I just feel it's too early to search for proposals. Let him concentrate on his studies.”

He rested his head on the wall, pursing his lips to cover up his smile. His gut churned and heart came at peace thinking about Hamida and her features of concern. That too, for him.

“Good proposals are so rare these days, Hamida. We'll only fix that thing and after his studies, the marriage will be done.”

“I'll talk to that idiot! Why is he so desperate for a marriage?”

“Okay. Don't anger yourself over a petty issue. Take rest, I'm making your lunch plate.”

It was cue for him to cut off the call and as he did, a message popped in his cellphone.

Hamida: Are you seriously seeking proposals?

Zahir bit his knuckle and fell down on the bed. The excitement bubbled inside him. Raaya and Idris went shopping. They needed to be here! He wanted someone to share this with.

Zahir: Not me. My mother 🙈

Hamida: You're okay with that?

Zahir: Well I hv to marry someday so why not? 😉

Hamida: Focus on your studies, idiot! Complete your studies, get a job, then think about marriage and stuff.

Zahir: Who says I hv to follow this line of rules? I will make my own timeline. First marriage, then studies, then job and stuff.

***

He seriously was irritating! That too in that matter. Everything made her annoyed nowadays but this thing; searching for proposals for Zahir Mirza, left a bad taste in her mouth and she couldn't understand the itch of uneasiness in her heart.

Why did it feel like something terrible was happening and she was helpless? Just like she felt when her mother died.

She so wanted to ask him about his feelings for her, what happened to them? But she couldn't. Hamida knew she couldn't control anyone's feelings. If someone could like her, time could change those feelings and she wouldn't be able to do anything.

Her ego wasn't allowing her to ask anything about them. And why was she thinking that he would wait for her even if she rejected him?

Zahir:...? Too upset to answer? 🤪

Her mind went off in anger as she cleared her throat to move away every feeling of worry and desperation.

Hamida: Why would I be upset? That too with your marriage. Go! Make your own family, leave my life.

Zahir: Haww! Hamida. You're embarrassing me. 🙈😌

Hamida threw her mobile away and lied down on her bed, the cannula needle aching due to her hastiness. Closing her eyes, she could only see Zahir's reflection, moments that they had spent together. Getting tired of these images when she opened her eyes, she found Raaya near her bed.

“How are you, Hamida?”

The curtain of awkwardness rested between them as she just nodded her head. For the first time, Raaya spoke with such an authority to her, that too regarding that good for nothing, idiot, Zahir Mirza.

But Hamida had not a tiny trace of sadness. She was happy seeing that side of her and also slightly under guilt because whatever she said had some sort of reality to it. From yesterday she retrospected her every thought and action, how she behaved with Nani, Raaya and also Zahir and everything pointed to that one thing.

She took people around her for granted. Maybe she lost the feeling of gratitude with her father's lies, and seeing those accusing fingers towards her mother.

“Do you want to eat something?”

“Why are you so formal, all of a sudden?”

Raaya turned from the table where she was just picking the water glass, a faint smile on her lips.

“I thought you'd be upset with me…” She said while taking a seat beside her, “I was pretty disappointed with my-”

“Cut off these clarifications. Nothing was wrong. You showed me the mirror. Needed that.”

Raaya held her hands and she squeezed them in return. “It's all for your benefit.”

She nodded back. The sprout of uneasiness slowly grew in her heart thinking about Zahir and his marriage proposals. She couldn't discuss it with Raaya. What would she tell her? That she was not liking it, talks about Zahir's marriage. Maybe she was late. Late to realize people's love towards her and that single mistake was going to cost her a lot.

***

Kashif: Can we meet? I want to make everything right ❤️

His knees bounced as he and Raaya looked at each other and then at the message in her mobile phone.

“Does he seriously not know that we got married?”

Raaya’s voice brought him back to the present as he was now considering many ways to kill this man.

“I don't know!”

The night grew darker outside and so did his thoughts regarding this man. He had some spine to play games with his wife. The faint fragrance of Raaya's perfume captured his mind as she shuffled closer, her hand gently entwining with his.

“Don't stress, Idris. I didn't want to put you in worry.”

“I'm ashamed to befriend him. Can't understand how I didn't know his true colors.”

Leaving his bride on the wedding day alone, to face every kind of humiliation and taunts from each person, how did this man have the guts to make everything alright?

“Nobody can know anyone even if you spent ages together. Life is unpredictable and so are people.” Raaya cupped his cheeks, making sure that he was looking at her, completely, “If you were not his friend, I wouldn't be here.”

“That's the only good thing his friendship has given me…” Idris added with a chuckle.

Raaya smiled, his heart missing several beats when she slowly leaned, her lips brushing his, “Guide me if I'm doing something wrong.”

The silk of her nightgown caressed his hand as Idris wound his arms around her, pulling her close, giving her permission to whatever she had in mind. A nervous laughter escaped her as her fingers grazed in the back of his hair.

Their lips met and Idris forgot everything that was running inside his mind. The only thing he could focus on was Raaya and how their lips were moving together, their ragged breaths when she slowly changed the angle for better access.

Idris fell on his back taking her, an oomph sound forcing a little smile on him. Her open hair framed them, hiding themselves from the moon peeking from the thin curtains of their window. Raaya bit her lower lip, her eyes fluttering due to shyness.

He tucked the loose strand behind her ear, the glistening nose ring reminded him of the night when it became too difficult for him to sleep just because of his wife, Raaya Sultan. His lips touched her nose as he confessed while she bunched his shirt.

“This ring made me restless for so many nights…”

“And why's that?”

“Because the owner of it killed me with her looks.”

His touch brought goosebumps over her skin as he moved his fingers from her fingers to arm, “I don't remember anything like that!” She answered, biting her lower lip, her bubbling laugh seemed to be contagious.

He turned so that she was under him, “Well I remember it. Now it's my turn to teach a lesson.”

“Never thought…” Raaya looped her arms around his neck, pulling him a little, “I will hear something like that and not feel afraid of it.”

Idris paused, moving his words again around his brain and his throat felt parched, heart beating with the fear of hurting Raaya unknowingly.

“I didn't want to hurt you, Raaya.”

“And you didn't, Idris. I can't thank you enough for giving me a security that I never knew I needed.”

Idris put butterfly kisses from her jaw to neck, “Are you comfortable?”

Raaya nodded, “Never been more…”

“Do you want me to stop? We're going to take a step further, if you're not comfortable, tell me anytime.”

As she nodded with a smile, he stole her smile with a kiss. His hands bunching the silk fabric around her waist.

The night set out on its journey to welcome the bright morning as Idris took this opportunity to show every kind of feeling he possessed for Raaya Sultan; love, care, respect and adoration. The crux of his life focused on this particular night, this would be the incident that would roll in his mind whenever he would remember his best days!