Hi!!
Procrastinating again hahaha....

THANKS for commenting on the last chapter and choosing the ship names for me. :D

The ship names are::
••SimSain for Preet and Hussain got 17 votes.

••ShehMaara for Shehryaar and Asmaara got 21 votes.

I personally liked AsmEhry and HusPreet more (got 4 votes each) but, majority of you liked the other two so, we are sticking to them! :)

But, of course you can call them with any ship names that you like. I don't really mind. LOL I just wanted ship names haha! :P

HappyReading!

~~~ASMAARA'S POV~~~

Bilal was right. I was pretty sick that night that even the doctor put me to a week's bed rest. Having no one to take care of me at home, I decided to go to work after only 4 days of rest until Sam noticed my pale face. It took me ages to convince him that I was doing fine yet; he was not fully convinced. He brought pan cakes for me from the nearby bakery every day to make sure that I was eating properly and taking my medicines. I have never seen anyone taking care of me like that before. Not even my own parents.

Like my normal routine I was cutting the oversized stems of the flowers when I heard the bell. Must be a customer, I thought and kept the scissors aside.

"Amy, could you please wrap these flowers for me?" Mrs Wong called out and I gasped at my sight. In front of me stood, the same guy; Doctor Bilal. Clean shaven and well dressed like last time.

Is he following me? Was the first question that came to my mind and he answered it without me asking.

"I am not following you. It's a small neighbourhood, you see?" he said and cleared his throat.

"Then what are you doing here?" I asked in a rude tone, unintentionally.

"Urm.. Well, you left your phone at my house. I thought that you might call to check," he brought his hand forward and I noticed that my phone was turned on. It was my real phone.

"How dare you turn on my phone?" I snapped at him the moment I snatched it out of his hands and turned it off again.

Bilal cleared his throat again, "Uhm, you're welcome." He said calmly and walked out of the shop, leaving me feeling guilty about my reaction.

"Amy, is this how you talk to someone when you should be thanking them?" Mrs Wong scolded me and forced me to go outside and apologize. I groaned but, even I knew that I needed to apologize; for our last meeting as well.

"Dr. Bilal!" I called out just when he was about to sit in his car. As I approached him, I mentally made a note to myself to be polite. "I... I am sorry," I stuttered.

When was the last time I apologized to someone? I mentally asked myself. When you wrote that sorry message for Shehry, my inner voice replied and my eyes began to sting. I never ended up sending that message to him and it is still somewhere saved in my drafts. Why do I always end up hurting people who care about me? Even to this day I hope that Shehry would have forgiven me. That's one of the thoughts that don't let me sleep at night sometimes. I knew what a heartbreak feels like yet; I broke his heart. I am a pathetic person.

"Well, it is almost lunch time so, would you like to join me?" Bilal's voice brought me back to reality and I raised an eyebrow at him. "I am apologizing here and you are asking me out on a date?"

He chuckled at that question. "It is just a casual lunch. Besides, dates are meant to be romantic and I am not that kind of a person."

"So why would you? I mean-"

"Ask you out for lunch? Because I want you to know that I am not as bad as you think," he answered my question and that only added a little more embarrassment to my current situation. "Look I can't I-"

"You will if you want me to accept your apology," He winked.

Wait, did he just wink at me?!

"One whole night I had a beautiful young girl- unconscious on my bed yet; nothing happened. Isn't that enough proof that you are safe with me?" he asked, making me frown. "Why do you keep reminding me that I am safe with you? You said that the other day too."

"You see, I am a psychiatrist and your body language tells me that you are afraid of something," he casually said and came closer. Tapping his finger on my forehead, he continued, "ek darr hai yahaan jo tumhein chain se sone bhi nahi deta." He really was good at his work because for a moment I felt like I was losing control over myself. I felt like I would spill everything out in front of him, however; before I did, he moved back again.

I took a deep breath. "Mujhe darr nahi lagta," I lied, folding my arms in front of my chest and a smirk made its way to his lips. "Prove it."

Asmaara ko challenge?

"Fine!" I announced and went back inside. Thankfully Mrs. Wong gave me the rest of the day off.

Bilal and I didn't go anywhere fancy; just the restaurant across the street. It was one of the very few Halal places in town. We placed our orders and sat at our table, silently. I was gently tapping my fingers on the table when Bilal cleared his throat to break the awkward silence.

"So, what's your name?" he asked. "Amy," I lied again.

"I meant your real name," he elaborated. "What makes you think that it is not my real name?" I questioned back and he chuckled while loosening his tie.

"Don't answer my question with a question," he said and I awkwardly cleared my throat. However, before I could say anything, the waiter came with our food and the topic changed. I guess that Bilal changed it purposely after realising that won't be answering his question anyway. Either way, it's good for me.

After an hour or so of talking, it was time for me to go and Bilal insisted to drop me home. I wasn't too comfortable with the idea but, then he challenged me again with the same 'scared' tag and I gave up. To be honest, even I felt that it was ok for him to drop me home as a part of me felt safe around this new psychiatrist friend of mine.

Are we friends yet? I don't know and I didn't ask but, oh well!

His car was pretty cool for a doctor and so was his attitude. All my life I was told that doctors are just too snobbish. Here I met one casually for the first time ever and he is nothing like what I was told. Too easy going and sweet. Even his taste in music was better than mine.

Bilal soon pulled over in my drive way and I thanked him for the lunch. "Pleasure is all mine, Asmaara," he replied casually and my head jerked in his direction. I never told him my name so, how did he find out? I panicked as I stumbled out of his car and he did the same. "Look, easy!" he tried to hold my arm but, I jerked his hand away. It is all my fault. How could I even trust someone just like that?

"Look, I am Shabir's cousin and he told me about you. Only that's how I know your name," he defended himself and I still didn't want to believe him. If he is Shabir bhai's cousin then I should have seen him at Rabia's wedding.

"Shabir told me about your situation and asked if I could help but, I was busy with other cases," he added and tried holding my arm again. By this time, tears were threatening to fall out of my eyes any moment.

"I just realised that you are Asmaara because of the house- believe me. I am not here to harm you- I am just here to help," he said but, I didn't know if I should believe him or not.

"Stay away from me!" I snapped at him as I struggled to open the house. "Main sirf help karna chahta hoon! You can trust me, and even you know that!" He insisted.

"Main pagal nahi hoon!" I yelled at him before he snatched the keys out of my hand and calmly opened the door for me.

"Asmaara we can sit and talk about this. You really do-"

"Do me a favour, Dr. Bilal, don't ever show me your face again," I told him before slamming the door on his face, and this time I was rude intentionally.

I slid to the floor, by the door and brought me knees to my face. I am not crazy; I don't need any psychiatric help. I just need some time alone; sometime away from everyone.

~~~HUSSAIN'S POV~~~

(2 Days Later)

"Are you sure that this would work? I mean kuch zyada nahi ho gaya?" Preet asked, looking at all the custom made t-shirts.

"I think it is fine unless you are uncomfortable doing this?" I asked and she shook her head. "I don't know. Thora embarrassing ho jayega," she said sheepishly and I laughed.

"But, I think sab bohot khush ho jayeinge apne gifts se," I grinned at her, eyeing the t-shirts which had things like 'world's best nanu,' 'my youngest mamu,' 'my favourite Moo Moo bear,' and 'my cutest mami,' written on them.

"And it won't be embarrassing, trust me," I took her hand and brought it to my face. Intertwining our fingers' I kissed the back of her hand, "I am proud of you. They will be too."

"Ek baat kahu, Hussain?" Preet asked in a seductive tone and I dramatically sighed. "Do kaho, jaan."

"Bhabhi tumhein maar daalengi!" She ruffled my perfectly gelled hair, laughing and I gasped. "Moo Moo Bear kyu likhwaya?" She asked showing me the t shirt and I shook my head.

"Apni bhabhi se bolo chirdna chod dein aur main chirdana chod dunga," I commented and Preet laughed.

I too laughed, thinking about Muskan. Mehek bhabhi hates it when I call her Moo Moo bear but, even Muskan likes it. She giggles every time I call her that on video chats. Even from my busy schedule I take some time out every 3-4 days and call Karan just to talk to Muskan. Damn, I can't wait to see her in person.

"Hussain phone,"Preet's voice broke my chain of thoughts and I quickly answered it on loud speaker.

"Hi Adeel!" Preet squealed before I had a chance to talk. "Salam, bhabhi ji. Kaisi hein aap?" Adeel asked and Preet mouthed 'woah!'

"Itni tameez? Heye Rabba aaj suraj kahaan se niklaa?" Preet commented, teasingly but, Adeel wasn't any less. "Bas bache pe chacha ka bura impression nahi parna chahiye isiliye."

Preet instantly turned red and silently giggled at his words. Seeing that, I gave her a flying kiss and she acted like she actually caught it. I frowned at her, demanding my kiss but, Adeel was still there, just like a kabab main haddi.

"Ab dono shuru mat ho jaana. Hussain- mere bhai- control!" Came his annoying voice from the phone and I realised that he had called for something.

I left Preet to sort out her clothes and asked Kathy to help her before heading out to the garden. Warm evening breeze rubbed against my face as I went and turned on the garden hose. "Christchurch airport band ho gaya hai due to the Weather so I have changed your flight to Auckland instead," he told me and I couldn't be any more excited. That was great. This meant that Preet and I could meet everyone first and then go for shooting.

"I am not sure woh kab khule ga. Maybe next week?" he added and I realised that Shehry's flight was going to land today. I had delayed my plan slightly due to Preet's injury but shooting was still going to go as planned. Well, not anymore, I guess?

"What about Shehry? He reached safely right?" I asked him. "Yeah, I called him. He said that he hired a car there. There was some announcement that they will be closing down the city if it kept snowing like that so he will check into the first hotel possible," Adeel's words relieved me. Knowing Shehry, I know that he will try to get to the shooting location first to avoid delaying the work but, I really hope that he gets somewhere safe before the city locks down.

~~~ASMAARA's POV~~~

It was yet another lazy morning as there was no work today. It is not like I have been attending work anyway. Since my last meeting with Bilal, I chose to stay home since I did not want him to show up at my work place again. The faint sound of the doorbell caught my attention and I unwillingly dragged myself out of the bed. Wrapping a thick shawl around me, I went downstairs to get tortured by the freezing breeze.

What if it's Bilal? I wondered and stopped walking. But, then again, aana hota toh pehle aata; Yun itne kharab mausam main kyu aayega?

As I unlocked the door and twisted the knob, I internally wished it to be anyone but, him. However, what I saw- left me frozen. No, not the snow but the person standing in front of me.

"I am sorry my car broke down," he spoke looking at his car behind him. The partially exposed side of his face was enough for me to recognize him. "I was wondering if I could-"

"Sh-Shehry?" I forced my lips to form the word and his head jerked in my direction.

"Asmaara?!"

><<>><

AND they met! Well, just met and I ended the chapter. XD
Haha evil much!

How was it? :L

What kind of a role do you think Bilal will play? Positive, villain, just a doctor or something more?
Mmm... Do let me know :3

Oh, btw Karan Singh Grover will be playing Dr. Bilal .. Haha I love chemistry with Surbhi! ^_^

Enough hints yet? No? Ok..

I am going to shut up now.

Love Always ❤️