Chapter 17: What's next? Their marriage? 

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"If I know what love is, 

it is because of you."

-Herman Hesse-

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Monday mornings are the worst and Yusra agreed to it wholeheartedly. She didn't feel like getting up early but she had to. After morning prayers, the girl was busy replying emails, putting together outfits and deciding what to have for breakfast. By ten in the morning, she felt like she was done for the week (like she does each week). I need sleep. More sleep.

"Yusra?" She abruptly turned to see Markos smiling at her. She grinned back.

"Good morning" she said and Markos replied with equal enthusiasm.

"I have someone I would like you to work with today. Just stay with her for today please, or until I can get someone to fill in as her PA" he explained and Yusra nodded at him. Her department chief, Izak had asked her to review some coding that the others were once working on, to see how she could modify it to be better. She could do it when she's free. It was due in two days' time anyway. Izak is a chilled person, Yusra found him to be.

Markos asked her to follow him to the top floor. The CEO's floor, she grinned to herself. She felt like she missed some Vitamin CEO, you are turning corny Yusra. Her mind was an extraordinary place.

Markos led her to the other door, opposite the conference hall. It did not have a name plate so Yusra assumed this person is new.

"Rabail?" Markos barged into the room and Yusra wondered if it really was okay barging into someones office like that. But it was Markos so she followed him suite. Once she entered the office, her attention immediately is seized by the woman standing at the very end of the room. With gray eyes, dark hair and a tall figure, she is absolutely gorgeous! She was dressed in a white blouse, black blazer and a black straight skirt. Her feet were clad in about three inch heels. Yusra felt her presence a little too intimidating though. 

"Markos! Hi" Even her voice is velvety, good lord. Markos smiled at Rabail and turned to Yusra.

"This is your PA for today, Rabail. I apologize but we don't have anyone free at the moment to fill in. I'll see to it that you get a PA ASAP, but till then I hope you can work with my favorite intern here" Markos pulled Yusra hand to stand beside him. Yusra gave a tight lipped smile to the tall woman. Rabail? I haven't heard of her before.

"Well then. I have work. Get along girls" with that, Markos rushed out of the office. Turns out the company CEO is busy with meetings over meetings.

Yusra stood awkwardly in front of the beautiful woman. Rabail smiled at the girl in front of her.

"As salaam alaikum. I am Rabail Darwish" she handed out her right hand for a shake and Yusra nodded, placing her hand out and shaking it.

"Wa alaikum mus salaam. Yusra" Rabail grinned and Yusra swore that if there were lights hanging behind Rabail, it would have lit up with that much energy.

"I am sorry to hassle you like this. I wasn't supposed to be even in the country until next week but Ahmad uncle was coming back so I accompanied him." She told him and Yusra nodded, smiling hesitantly. She knows Ahmad uncle. So she is a guest of Islah then. Somehow her mind conjured a picture of Rabail, standing beside Islah (which felt too perfect to Yusra) and it did not settle well with her in any manner. When Yusra did not answer, Rabail smiled and nodded back. 

"Right. There is not much to do really. I have some paperwork to finish and fax, some stuff to photocopy and a few meetings to schedule. Would you be able to do those?" she asked Yusra, walking behind her large desk. If I say no?, Yusra did not understand why she felt so much negativity towards Rabail. The woman has been nothing but nice to her all this while.

"Yusra?" she snapped out of her trance and nodded at Rabail. When Rabail realized her new-temporary PA will not be talking much, she simply smiled and nodded.

"Great. Thank you. But before anything else, can you check if Islah is free? I need to talk to him" she asked her, going back to the paperwork on her desk. Yusra, still standing a few feet away from the desk, raised her eyebrows at the question. So it's Islah. No honorifics whatsoever. Nice.

"Sure" she replied, almost too tightly for her liking before she turned and began walking towards the door. Before she could exit though, the door opened and Islah's figure walked in. He stopped when he saw Yusra standing in front of him. Yusra looked up to him, meeting his gray blue eyes. I missed those eyes. She was shocked at her thoughts but did not have time to ponder upon it because Islah spoke.

"Yusra!" he grinned, his pearly whites on display. Yusra's lips pursed in a thin line and she turned towards Rabail, without answering Islah. Islah's grin fell and he stared after her with furrowed eyebrows. What's wrong with her now?, he thought with that frown.

"Islah!" he looked up from his hijabi to Rabail, standing behind her desk. "I just asked Yusra to check if you are free to talk to me" Of course he is free. He has all the time in the world, Miss. Rabail.

"Ah yes. I have a meeting with the investors in an hour so whats up" he said, walking towards her. He walked past her, his arm barely brushing against hers and she shifted to the other side to allow him to move. All this space but he still brushes against me. Smh.

"Miss. Rabail," Yusra said, looking at Rabail. Rabail's gaze met hers. "I will be at the outside. You can call for me if you need anything" Rabail nodded at her as Yusra whipped out a notepad and pen from her pockets before writing down her number and sticking it to Rabail's desk. Rabail smiled at her and waited for her to leave.

Without sparing a glance at Islah, Yusra turned to her heels and marched out like a girl on a mission. I am on a mission actually. Forget those damned blue-gray eyes.

She stepped out of the room, finally breathing in peace. The air in the room was heavy and she hated it. Why would Markos pick me to be her assistant? Why can't it be some other intern?! She huffed out air and leaned onto the wall. There were no chairs around and since the place was rugged (luxurious rugs by the way), she set down on her haunches, leaning on the wall. Since she was dressed in washed blue jeans and a white knee length long sleeved Kurti, it was easy for her to sit on her haunches. She pulled out her phone from her pockets and browsed through it, averting her attention from the room beside her to her phone. Eavesdropping is bad Yusra. You know that and you hate eavesdropping!

A few minutes passed and Islah did not walk out. Maybe they are business partners? Discussing Projects? Best friends discussing life? Somehow she could not see Islah doing anything but talking with her. She was surprised at how much trust she had on Islah. What's in it for me anyway? It's not like-

"Why are you sitting on the floor?" The voice startled her and her phone bounced out of her hands and fell to the ground. She huffed a sigh and picked it up, inspecting it for damages. When she did not answer, Islah got down on his haunches, right in front of her. She looked up to meet blue-gray eyes staring directly at her. Too close. He smells heavenly though.

"Why are you on the floor?" he asked again and she rolled her eyes, shifting slightly so that she could get up. When Islah saw this, he pulled her hand down. She abruptly set on the floor she was kneeling at. She turned to Islah with an incredulous expression, ignoring the jolt of electricity that rushed through her body. Her breathing hitched before she evened it out slowly. Ignore it Yusra. Ignore it. 

"What do you want?" she questioned him and he repeated his question, thought in a little breathless manner. Did he feel what I did? Forget it Yusra. It took you by surprise hence those things. Her mind dared not say what she exactly felt. 

"Why are you on the floor?"

"Because you pulled me to it. Now move" she admitted her tone was a little harsh but she didn't expect Islah to do that. What does he think he is anyway? Pulling me to the ground like that. What if I got hurt? Broke my hip bone? Then?

"Right" Islah muttered before he stood up. He extended his hand out for her to take it. Yusra stared at it before she pushed herself off the ground and stood up without taking his hand. Islah stared at his hand and then at her, cocking his head to the side. I am an independent girl, okay.

"Is there something wrong between us?" he questioned her, looking directly in her eyes. She looked away, towards the doors. Between us? When were there anything in the first place?

"Yusra" he said, awaiting an answer impatiently. But Yusra had none. And as if the heavens knew it, her phone rang. She turned to the screen to see it flashing a new number. When Islah saw the number, he gestured to it.

"That's Rabail" So he memorized her number too? Oh great. What's next? Their marriage? I don't have clothes! Or bangles! Or the sanity, her mind sassed but she let that slide away. 

"Right" with that, she stepped past Islah and opened the door, entering the room. Islah stood there staring after her retreating back. His face morphed into a confused one before it slowly began changing to an understanding one. Soon enough, Islah Reza-Ibrahim was grinning like a fool.

A love struck fool though. 

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Please don't hate on Rabail. The poor girl has not done anything wrong.

Anyway. Thank you so much for the lovely comments. 

| R - C - V |

xx,

-Aalihha.