Zara's POV

"Yeah, you have absolutely seen her before, " Shaiq retorts having a straight face. There is no sign of smug or mischievousness on his face. I stare at him a ray of possibility in my eyes. I hope he won't say anything stupid this time.

"Not once, you have seen her many times before not even face to face but in pictures too, " he calmly continues with his arms folded on his chest.

"What the nonsense are you muttering?" Zainab asks with a frown on her face.

"I am sure, Zara, you have seen a lizard many times in your life. Isn't it?" He asks with a teasing smile.

At that time, I want to punch this idiot, stupid, and, dumbhead. I was wrong to actually think he can get serious for once.

"What you have called me just now? Can you repeat it, dear cousin?" Zainab turns to him with a fake smile on her face. She starts walking towards him with a smile scowl adorning her face.

Oh, so they are cousins too.

"I said nothing hahaha, " Shaiq says laughing nervously while taking steps back.

"Stupid, Moron!"She smacks on his head slightly while turning back to me.

A smile comes up on my lips seeing them fighting, bickering, and then laughing like that. It's my first time meeting them together, but I am sure they share a strong bond.

" Don't mind us. We are always like that, " she explains with an uneasy chuckle.

I shake my head in denial at this with a smile.

"You have hit me in front of her, you heartless girl!" Shaiq pouts while caressing the back of his head.

"These smacks are good for your mental health, don't you know?" She sticks his tongue at her at which I laugh. They are so cute.

" Come Zara. Let me take you to your new class. Leave this idiot here." She takes my hand in hers and pulls me along with her. She is so lively.  I stare at her in awe. She is babbling and ranting, don't know what constantly but the only thing which my mind is processing of hers is how jolly and spirited is her gait, her intonation, and the way she is talking.

"Wait here, I'll come back." She informs me while her eyes gazing at our back. I nod and see her rushing all the way back to where we were standing before. She is talking to Shaiq and after a while, she comes back along with him. To my surprise, I am smiling the whole time looking at these two. Now they are laughing and talking with each other. The cheerfulness and liveliness in this girl is enough for me to think of how much I lack these elements in my life.

"You know what, you are gonna meet the devil now in five minutes, the devil who is the culprit of Shaiq's this look, " she informs me once we are inside the class.

I look at her with a confused expression.

"Professor Wali has forced him to change his look and that same Professor Wali is gonna take our first class," she deciphers with her hands. I have noticed she uses hands so much while talking.

"Why you are telling her my every embarrassing thing? You can't see a pretty girl breathing around me, " Shaiq protests with a frown causing both of us to laugh aloud.

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I throw away the small stone strangling in the green lush grassy ground with my sandal to the other side while making my way ahead. The grass is still damp and fresh because of the mist from the early morning persuading me to feel its fluffy texture with my bare feet. We are walking down the greenish ground. Zainab has already gone, don't know where because she doesn't have last class with Shaiq and now should I say me too. Although Shaiq can be absolutely annoying sometimes, he isn't that stupid like I have speculated about him. But at this time, unlikely he is silent and more like in deep thoughts. His eyes are fixed on the grass below our feet

"Why you are so quiet?" I ask looking straight at him, giving him my full attention.

"Nothing I was just thinking about Zainab, " he replies while his eyes still looking down.

"What's about her and where has she gone?" I ask.

He looks at me suddenly and then I realize I shouldn't ask this. We have just barely met and it's not appropriate to ask those intimate details.

"It just came out of my mouth randomly. No need for an answer if you don't want to, " I say with a nervous grin.

He shook his head while turning towards my direction.

"She has gone on a date with her boyfriend, more like soon to be fiancee, " he replies.

I look at him with widened eyes.

"She is dating?" I almost yell.

"Yes, why you are so shocked?" He asks with a chuckle.

"No, I wasn't shocked. I was just asking," I reply and start strolling again. Why I have to give so much expression on this?

"Can I ask you one thing?" He soon matches my pace.

"What is it? I ask hurriedly.

"Whose house was that where I have dropped you that day? I am sure it was not Uncle Khawar's?"

I look at him with narrowed eyes in astound. Why he is curious to know that?

"Why should I answer you?" I ask back folding my arms across my chest instead while stopping again on my tracks.

"Because I have just answered your query a while ago, " he too stops in front of me with a satisfying smile.

"I didn't force you to tell me. Instead, I have told you to not give me an answer. You yourself have answered it, " I reply with a teasing smile.

He first looks shocked by my answer than a sheepish smug cross the corner of his lips.

"You are a big gamer than I have assumed, " he asserts.

"That's who I am, " I reply while shrugging my eyebrows confidently and walk past him.

"I am sure it would be your friend's house. Isn't it?" He shouts.

Can he just leave this topic?

"If I say yes then will you believe it?" I asked turning back to face him who still has an amusing smirk on the corner of his lips.

He slowly starts walking towards me now with an ear to ear smile.

"Of course, I will believe. There is no reason for me to not do so. "

"Yes it is my friend's house," I reply while being annoyed by him. But then I realize what I have just said. Suddenly his face lightens up.

"That's great. Such a relief for me, " he mumbles, the last part of which I can't hear.

"Pardon?" I ask confused about what he just said.

"Nothing, just don't look at me with these eyes," he says with a chuckle.

Again his stupid mode is on.

"Idiot!" I yell and rush away without looking back at him.

"Hey! Where are you going?" He shouts from behind and I just shake my head in annoyance and stride out of university premises.

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Zainab's POV

I tap the crystal glass table with the tips of my nails nervously to make some disturbance worth his attention when the silence between us gets too prolonged. It's been a while since we are here but for the whole time instead of yes, no or humming, he hasn't uttered a word. He looks tensed and I can clearly see it in his expressions. I glance at him again; he is busy with his phone, his forehead is creased which he has hidden by placing his hand over his forehead.

"Is there something wrong?" I ask looking worriedly at him. Armaan doesn't even move let alone looks at me. He maybe hasn't heard me. Angrily, I snatch his phone from his hand.

"What the..." He stops and takes a deep breath before rubbing his face frustratingly.

"If you are that busy then you shouldn't have come here, wasting both of our time," I spat furiously still cautious of my surroundings.

The restaurant is not that crowded but I am sure by the eyes of the couple sitting at the far right corner, they have heard me.

"Something has come up. I was just looking at it," he replies in a weary voice.

"Why that something always comes up when you are with me?" I retort back in a sarcastic tone.

"Okay, I am sorry. What were you saying?" He says with a soft smile on his face.

"I wasn't saying anything, " I reply.

He sighs and holds his head with both hands.

"You have called me here to tell something, right?"

"I did but you aren't in the mood to listen to it so I am going." I glare at him before getting up. He holds my wrist stopping me.

"Don't go. I am really sorry, now do you want me to hold my ears too?" He says with a chuckle. His dark blue eyes glisten with a smile. Tha smile, if he only knows that how can this smile melt me away.

"Shut up!" I retort while sitting back again. After all, I don't want to make a fool of myself in front of these many people.

"What should I order for you?" He asks with a smile.

"Nothing!" I glare at him at which he chuckles.

"So I am gonna order your favorite coffee, " he says and calls the waiter.

"Now tell me what you want to discuss, " he asks after giving the order to the waiter.

"My parents want us to get engaged within a month. Not more not less. Do you agree with this?" I ask.

He looks at me with surprise in his eyes.

"A month?" he asks still not believing what I have just said.

I nod my head in reply.

"Do you have any problem with this?" I ask hoping his answer will be no.

He rubs his fingers on his forehead in a disturbance before looking back at me. I am sure there is something wrong with the way he is behaving.

"No, I don't have any problem with it, " he replies after a while.

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Assalam O Alaikum guys! I hope you are doing fine. This chapter is a little boring, I know.  But the next chapter will include a BIG REVEAL. So stay tuned for more twists and drama.

On a side note, with whom do you want Zara to end up with? Armaan or Shaiq.

**Although I have planned the whole story, still your feedback is also important. So let me know.❤